Chapter 36: Chapter 35 “Dungeon”

"Along with wild beasts, feral demi-humans and hostile natives, travellers have to fear on daily bases there is one more common threat to a travelling person, slavers.

They roam the countryside in the endless search for bodies to enslave to the ever-hungry markets of Oriripol or Argent-Berg. 

But working in the silver mines of the far north or servitude to the noble mages of Oriripol are possibly not the most dreadful places a new slave can end in for the demi-humans also love to buy slaves be they human or demi. Using the slaves for the expected hard labour to cook both the meals and to be the meals.

The elven kingdoms also do not shy away from slavery for their population is small and hard to increase resulting in a profitable trade.

 

 

"We can't go further in this thing." Albert hopped off his seat. His feet landed on the grass with an unusual crunch.

"What bell would it be now?" Anna casually said as she dismounted.

  Iris examined her surroundings, in front of them was a hill covered completely in loose rocks. The area around the lone hill appeared ordinary and quite mundane, the same endless sea of green grass with the occasional tree growing in solitary as expected to the border of the great steppe of East Edor. The unnerving feeling under her boots along with the crunching sound confirmed the magical nature of this place.

"It would be past the fourth bell I believe." Iris said as she confirmed the position of the sun.

  Kia hesitantly jumped off the cart producing the now familiar sound. She stared perplexed at the ground experimentally stopping on it. Iris saw as the green grass underneath the girl straighten back up, unfazed by the adventurers stopping on it. 

"Any idea what it is?" Cisil asked what everyone had in mind. He reached for the blades of grass under him. "What the..." The swordsmen stared blankly at his empty hand unable to pluck a singular blade of the green grass.

"That's not a good sign." The worried leader of the Light Sigil said. 

Iris found that even with her unnatural strength she too could not even damage the mundane-looking grass. Elf's head turn towards Kia as her eyes glimpsed a flicker of light. Elf approached Kia and noticed fine powder soiling the girl's pearly hands. The sea green dust sparkled intensely as the short necromancer showed Iris her palms.

"What's that?" Elf pointed at the powder and asked in Common. At her inquiry, Kia grabbed a singular blade of grass and effortlessly pulled it out, as the part of the plant was severed the grass blade turned into a fine powder, instantly scattering in the wind. "You used magic?" Iris asked. The undead mage nodded. "Well, let's see if that will be helpful."

  The two turned to the cart seeing that the living finishing their preparations.

"We circle around to find an entrance or climb?" Cisil asked as he tighten a belt around his waist.

"Say we circled first," Albert answered. "We do have to conserve energy for fighting opponents and not rocks." 

  They formed into a loose formation with Albert and Iris as the vanguard and Anna and Kia in the middle, Cisil stayed at the rear of the group to serve as the backup watching the group's back. The adventurers took roughly around a quarter of a bell to circle the rocky mound finding no indication of an entrance. 

All pairs of eyes turn to look at the peak of the hill dreading the climb over the loose rock, maybe except one.

"That's just unfair!" The blond hair adventurer lamented as she glanced at Kia nimbly jumping from rock to rock without them bugging.

"I know." Iris said while helping the heavily armoured veteran to climb.

"That elf is just built differently." Cisil added his complaint as a boulder slid down the slope.

  Eventually, all of the Golden and Copper rank adventurers reached the ridge finding a crater of scorched earth punched into the hill. Kia stood already stood at the bottom, pointing at the ground.

"A hatch?" Iris said as she reached the girl.

"Wonder what this core has installed for us." Albert opened the hatch and descended into the darkness.

  When Iris finally reached the bottom her eyes saw a corridor. The corridor looked like an ordinery castle corridor with torches laying on the wall.

"Whose betting?" The man in full plate armour asked, his arm casually resting on his tower shield while unbuckling his war pickaxe from his belt.

"Betting?" Elf asked.

"He is going to ask for one copper and who guesses the enemy type wins all," Anna answered from behind Iris. "Beastmen."

"Bandits." Cisil said flipping a copper coin to Albert.

"Cultist. What are you picking if you want to play even?"

Iris peeked at Kia's hand which glistened slightly. "Mages...mmm?" She felt a tug on her wrist. The hooded girl pointed at the veteran in full armour. "Undead mages?." Elf said not knowing what Kia fully wanted. She gave Albert two copper coins.

"Hopefully you are not right."

  The five reformed their ranks and advanced deeper into the corridor. After walking for about a hundred steps they had noticed skeletons laying on the floor as if thrown like ragdolls.

*Smash*

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  Albert's armoured heel stepped on the skeleton's skull crushing it like a cookie. Iris was about to follow the veteran's example but she stop as felting of uncomfortableness crept on her back. The elf quickly turned around spotting Kia clenching her fist. Iris left the lifeless corpse intact. Albert finished his job and calmly started to walk.

They turned a corner finding the large hall in front of them was covered in sea green crystals ending with jagged edges, the sight resembled an aftermath of a magical explosion as the furniture was smashed on the hall's wall leaving the centre clear. 

Iris and Albert carefully stepped onto the crystal covered floor. The crystal cracked underneath their feet. Their group followed suit walking towards the corridor on the other side of the hall.

*Crack* *Crack* *Crack*

  A series of loud cracking noises occurred as the group reached the middle of the hall. Skeletal hands shot out from underneath the ground around them.

[Inspect]

[Undead Acolyte. Level 9~10]

{Students in life, monster in unlife.}

  Iris recasted the spell on a few other undead finding their level to be almost the same. She used the back of her spear to smash the emerging undead's skull. Elf gripped her spear and started to stab the emerged acolytes. The undead bones were partially replaced with the same mysterious crystal found on the floor which broke easily when hit.

Iris focused on quickly destroying the weak opponents with precise strikes.

  The initial couple dozen undead were quickly turned into dust without using magic. Ensuring that no more undead will suddenly show up the five walked deeper. Occasionally they would find a patch of the sea green crystal covering the walls raising their suspicion of a sudden attack.

  Iris and the others found themselves in a multi-floor hall with an empty space allowing them to see the bottom over the railings, numerous wooden doors lined the stone walls. Elf pushed the first door finding it open. The door swung to show a small room. Inside the small room was a skeleton sitting on a bench leaning over a desk, the skeleton's skull was encased in the crystal. 

Elf slowly approached the desk seeing many books.

"Found something?" Anna said as she picked a book from a bookshelf.

The risen took the small leather-bound book from the dead clutches and flipped through its pages.

"Day 24/XI/AMR 80

-I got finally accepted into the Order after taking their test...

Day 3/XII/AMR80

-The lessons of the Order are surely unique from anything I have experienced not worried about the opinion of the mundane or the opinion of other orders less inclined to gaze into the depths of sorcery...

Day 12/II/AMR 80

-New Monitor and High Scholar Adylane is completely different from the older teachers, willing to risk her life to prove our theses are wrong. There are rumours that she is secretly gathering disciples to help her with the work of her life.

Day 28/V/AMR 80

-I was finally able to prove myself to Lady Adylane with my theory on soul binding I can't wait to night fall.

Day 29/V/AMR 80

-On the divines, to be such a brilliant magician and not be elevated above mere teacher what is headmaster doing! A new element is so close in our grasp...

Day 3/XI/AMR 83

-Almost three years since I joined the Order and we are so close to unlocking it the key to new understanding but I heard the old headmaster finally caught onto our research...

Day 5/I/AMR 83

-Slaughter, Slaughter, SLAUGHTER soo much of it could have all been avoided there is no reason, why had Adylane used it against us her helpers! Divines have mer"

  Iris read the diary skimming the trivial daily struggle of this man. "I think what might be the main boss." She said giving the book to Albert.

"Nothing useful in this ones." Anna answered as she tried to peek over Alberts's shoulder into the journal.

"Same." Cisil spoke.

Kia sat on a chair and read a dusty book.