Both of them entered the Black Mountain. The design of the mountain from the inside was strange and terrifying, and time itself seemed to have collided within it…
Iron—it is the thing that helps man travel from one continent to another. But for one who had only ever seen the horse as a means of transport, or believed in its magical ability to carry people, such a design would be astonishing.
"What… is that thing?" Gehrman spoke in an astonished tone as he gazed at the sight before him.
Ophelia looked at him with deep bewilderment and said:
"It's a train. Haven't you ever seen one before?"
At that moment, it felt as though a metal rod had pierced Gehrman's head, making him realize one thing—the old man's words about iron. Gehrman spoke softly to himself:
'So… the old man's words about iron were about this thing. The train, or whatever it's called… I think it's something from a distant future that helps people travel.'
Then he continued speaking aloud as he answered Ophelia:
"No… I know it's a train, but it stunned me for a moment. I thought it was some giant monster trapped inside this mountain."
Ophelia looked at him with mocking eyes, then began to scan the surroundings. It was a vast, enormous place. Even the train itself was gigantic, nothing like ordinary trains.
It was of a classic Victorian style, powered by coal to make it move. Beyond that, there were two giants, tears of blood flowing from their eyes, each positioned beside the train.
Each of them held a massive sword, and blood flowed very slowly from the blade onto the train. With every drop that fell, the train lit up with a red glow.
"There's something strange about this train… every time a drop falls, it glows red!" Gehrman spoke with a questioning tone as he looked toward the train.
Ophelia stepped beside him, gazing at the falling drops. Then she spoke calmly, thoughtfully:
"We won't understand anything until we enter it… and uncover the secret of why such a thing exists inside the Black Mountain that appeared out of nowhere."
Both of them walked toward the train, which was breathing like a giant from the Cretaceous era. Thick black fog poured from beneath it, obscuring the view.
They reached a door. Ophelia stepped forward to open it, but before she could grasp the iron handle, sharp spikes emerged from it, forcing her to jump back.
Both of them readied their weapons, prepared for any danger that might emerge from this mysterious train. Slowly, the spikes retracted back into the handle until they disappeared completely.
Then the handle melted like blood under a burning sun, and the door creaked open very slowly, releasing a terrifying sound that would make anyone want to flee the place. Black fog poured out as the door opened, revealing a tall, shadowy figure whose glowing red eyes pierced the darkness.
Gehrman was ready for any attack—and so was Ophelia. The black fog gradually cleared, revealing a figure whose face was painted yellow and red… a clown. He wore a jacket of many colors, with a bloodstained shirt underneath, and pants made from human skin, dyed to match the colors of his jacket.
His eyes were intensely red, glowing like lamps illuminating the darkness. In his hand, he held a small scepter. And that smile… that grotesque smile exposed teeth like those of a werewolf, stained with blood.
Both of them were stunned by the appearance of this mysterious figure. Gehrman felt a hint of unease at the strange presence the man carried.
'Who… is this strange figure? He has an eerie aura… and that filthy smile he wears…' Gehrman murmured inwardly.
The mysterious man spoke in a delighted tone, tilting his head side to side like a madman:
"Weeeeeeeeelcome, hunters! I am called the Jester. And an even warmer welcome to my lovely guest… Mister Gehrman, the dreadful hunter! Iron has been waiting eagerly for you."
Gehrman was shocked by that strange sentence—especially the word iron—because it tied directly to the old man's words. His eyes widened as he stared at the Jester, murmuring to himself with a troubled voice:
'Is he one of that great one's followers? Or is this just coincidence…? The old man said I'd hear that word many times. Man… this is just the first phase of the moon. I'm already losing my mind. What happens when the next phase comes?'
Ophelia still couldn't grasp what was happening around her. She turned to Gehrman with confusion:
"Gehrman… do you know who this Jester is?"
But before Gehrman could answer Ophelia's question, the Jester jumped in, laughing loudly, shaking his head even more wildly as he spoke:
"Oh don't worry, my dear Ophelia! I know him—and that's all that matters! A lord like him doesn't need to know me!"
As he finished speaking, he slowly closed his eyes… then opened them again, tilting his head in that same mad motion.
Gehrman clenched his teeth in anger and stepped toward him, his fist tightening. He stood face-to-face with the Jester and spoke in a furious tone:
"Who are you? And what do you want? Did the old man send you to hunt me down?"
"HAHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha—aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
The Jester unleashed a hysterical laugh that made the entire place tremble—not from beneath, but from above.
Both Gehrman and Ophelia were taken aback by this bizarre laugh that sounded nothing like a human's—more like the laughter of a being not from this universe at all.
Then, slowly, the Jester stopped laughing. He lifted his scepter and gently pressed it against Gehrman's forehead, saying:
"Does a madman… need an introduction?"
Gehrman stepped back a pace—so subtle Ophelia didn't even notice—but the shock was clear on his face, for that sentence echoed the words of the old man.
Gehrman regained his balance, his body trembling as if on the edge of madness. He spoke sharply:
"Enough of your antics… what do you want with us? Why the mysterious arrival… and your maddening words?"
The Jester laughed again, then spoke mockingly, raising a finger in Gehrman's face:
"Oh no no… I don't want anything. I'm just here… to take you to your destination: the Jester's Graveyard. I'm just a humble driver… with a lovely smile."
Gehrman looked at him suspiciously and asked in a harsh tone:
"How do you know our destination? And… what happens if I refuse to board your train?"
The Jester stopped shaking his head. Slowly, he turned his head toward Gehrman's ear… and whispered softly:
"Narasen esrani ashdur nilmen mawardan selil…?"
Suddenly, Gehrman's eyes and ears began to bleed profusely. He collapsed to his knees, clutching his ears.
Ophelia drew her weapon, ready to attack the Jester—but Gehrman raised his blood-soaked hands in front of her, speaking in a weak voice:
"No… Ophelia… no need to attack…"
Ophelia shouted angrily:
"What are you saying? That bastard just hurt you in a terrifying way!"
Gehrman slowly stood up, his voice calm, his gaze sharp:
"There's no need… I told you. It wasn't his doing. It was… the trance I just fell into. Come… let's board the train… and reach our destination."
Ophelia stepped closer, staring him straight in the eyes:
"Did that trance… also cloud your judgment… to know right from wrong?"
The Jester spoke in a manic tone, intertwining his fingers as he said:
"It seems like a lovers' quarrel. I'll board the train. Once you've finished your discussion, feel free to join."
Gehrman turned his body, ascended three steps, placed half his foot on the train, and extended his hand toward Ophelia. He spoke with a weary and contemplative tone:
"There are things connected to the Great Ones, and this mad Jester is likely not human. He might be one of them or their follower. We just want to reach our destination safely."
Ophelia gazed into Gehrman's eyes, which appeared fatigued from deep thought. Though she was somewhat unconvinced, she saw no other option. She grasped Gehrman's hand and said with a hint of sarcasm:
"You truly are mad, Hunter Gehrman."
Gehrman smiled, and they both entered the train. They stood in the carriage, which was enveloped in darkness until white and red lights illuminated the length of the compartment.
The carriage appeared quite ordinary, with nothing unusual at all. Then, the Jester's voice echoed through the speakers:
"All passengers, please proceed to your private rooms. We wish you a delightful hell."
Ophelia commented sarcastically:
"What a lunatic. Are all jesters like this?"
"The whole world is mad, not just this enigmatic one," Gehrman replied cryptically.
He continued:
"Come on, let's enter that room."
Gehrman opened the door to the room. It was quite ordinary, with nothing special about it. There were couches on either side and a window that showed only darkness.
They both sat on the couches facing each other. Suddenly, the train accelerated rapidly, though it felt normal to the passengers. Gehrman, pondering something, asked:
"By the way, I forgot to ask—how long was I unconscious back there?"
Ophelia looked at him, surprised by the question, and responded calmly:
"Probably about a minute or less. I don't remember exactly, but it wasn't long… Why such a strange question?"
Gehrman muttered to himself in a puzzled tone:
"A minute? I expected it to be much longer. Was time different in that place? So many unknowns need answers."
He smiled and then said:
"It's nothing. I just wanted to know."
As they conversed, a strange man opened the room's door. He was of average height, with short black hair and blue eyes. He wore a long robe with a shirt underneath, and there were two holes on his forehead.
He entered the room with a pleasant smile and spoke in a calm tone:
"Oh, it's wonderful to find hunters here. I thought I was alone in this hell."
Ophelia focused on his forehead, which had three holes, and then spoke in a calm and mysterious tone:
"It seems you're from the Seratdra family."
The man entered the room and closed the door behind him, smiling warmly and scratching the back of his head as he said:
"That's correct. I'm from the Seratdra family. My name is Loghren. You have keen observation skills. And it seems you two are from the Condalisa family, judging by the four holes on your hands."
Gehrman quickly responded with a sharp tone:
"That's right. We're from the Condalisa family. But what is someone like you doing here? We didn't see you in the corridor or even outside the train."
Loghren smiled as he answered Gehrman's question:
"I boarded from the other side. You know, the train has multiple entrances."
Gehrman stood up, placing his hands in his pockets, then smiled oddly and said:
"No, I didn't know that."
He lunged at Loghren, causing the room to explode. Loghren blocked the attack with his sword made of shattered rocks. He laughed as he deflected Gehrman's strike and said:
"You know, I joined the Seratdra family to conceal my intent to hunt hunters. It seems you have a sharp eye."
Gehrman gritted his teeth in anger, smiling as he spoke in a sharp tone:
"If you're a hunter, then prepare to become the prey as well."