There were series of passages that spreads out like networks, some leading to a dead end and some stretching out further and into another intersections of tunnels.
I flipped my pocketwatch open, we're running out of time at this rate.
We took few minutes of break then proceeded again. This went on for awhile.
Suddenly, Aerra stops walking.
We all turned to her as she tilted her head a bit. Her eyes, sightlessly gazing in midair.
"What's wrong?" I asked her,
"Three people ahead." she answered.
Ah. I remembered she has an acute sense in determining sounds.
"Great news then!" Eriol says.
"Aren't you suppose to be an experienced mercenary? Couldn't you sense presences like her as well?" Levi murmured at him.
"Of course I could but where's the fun in that?"
"YOU WHAT?!" I faced him, fuming. 💢
Why didn't he say so in the first place?!
"In fact 20 meters from here there are three men, all of them can't use magic. And about several more meters away there's another bunch —all weak. I can't generally sense any strong magic user from any of them. We can actually split up and just fight them by pair. Or if you want, I can just guide you where they all are if you ask me nicely that is!" He winks.
💢 So he could have just led us through yet he didn't just out of fun?! We've been walking around this labyrinth like tunnels for hours!!!
—HOURS!!!
I marched towards Eriol in heavy footsteps.
"Hahaha! You do know veins are popping out of your forehead, right?" He says laughing. "You need to chill, kiddo! You might soon blow steam out of your ears! Hahahaha!!!"
"I'll show you blowing steam when I'm through roasting you" I grumbled, a ball of lightning on my hand.
"I was kidding!!! It's a joke!!! I can't sense them! I usually can sense strong magic users but these guys have none! Oh wait. Unless I let my wind run through all these tunnels, I might be able to know at some point but never tried doing that but it might work!" He grins. "I might even sense which tunnel is a dead end so we can avoid them— n-next time! Hah..haha...hah. Ooops." 💧
"That it." I grunted, and another ball of lightning on my other hand.
With both hands now, I increased their voltage.
Eriol quickly side steps behind Aerra.
"Now now, let's just keep moving! We're wasting more time than we should like this!" says Aerra, obviously trying to pacify me.
She's right, I thought.
I sighed and just narrowed my eyes at Eriol.
"No more tricks and whatnot. Just do your thing so we can hasten things up, Eriol." I rubbed my temples.
"Right!" He says, stepping forward. "Here goes nothing!"
He got to his one knee and places his hand on the ground.
Suddenly a pulse reverberated through from the ground to the walls and ceilings. Dusts subtly rains down as it courses pass us in a heavy yet swift pressure wave going forward to all direction, following the length of the tunnel.
And then Eriol stood up, "There are three people ahead heading this way, we'll bump into them soon if we keep going straight. And far ahead there seems to be a very large chamber where the others are. It seems like all the activities reside there. No strong magic wielder either."
"How many are there?" Levi asks.
"Including the three, about twelve to fourteen or so? Sorry, this is the first time I've done that. I wasn't able to count them all"
That's amazing though... even for a first time attempt, he gathered that much information in an instant.
"Should I do it again? I co—"
"No, let's just move along and see for ourselves." I replied, cutting him off. I actually want to see that large chamber he mentioned.
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
We soon stumbled across the first three bandits as predicted and took care of them.
Soon, we faced all the bandits in an easy win battle. None were magic user and the more they struggled the easier it was for us to knock them back harder.
I looked around and saw baskets of fruits on one corner, few bottles of milk and some other foods. It must be the supplies they took from the Zenas Village. In some other corner were mining items, complete with shabby looking minecarts.
Eriol dusted his hands, almost in a clap. "That takes care of that!" He says, placing one foot at the carefully tied bandits he placed side by side each other on the ground, all knocked out unconscious. "That was easy. Almost anti climatic" he added.
"Where did you get all these ropes?" Aerra asks, Eriol just pointed at one corner where other sacks and items are placed, "It's theirs actually. I just borrowed it!" He replied.
"Wow, look at this place!" I said, strolling as I scan my eyes around the vast chamber.
There are so many crystals embedded on the walls. The entire room is rounded and the ceiling was at least a hundred of feet up from the ground.
Like the rest of the tunnels, the floor was covered in slabs of stones but the walls were concrete, with intricate designs of peculiar tribal looking chiselled artwork.
"I wonder how they found out about this place?" Aerra taps at her chin as she looks around as well.
"Interrogating them will answer that. But first we need to head back now and take them all with us. We can explore further tomorrow or some other time." I replied,
I traced some of the lines on the walls and realized they were dusty. Not just brown dust. It was ashen, minerals maybe? Almost as if these walls were revealed because the bandits' mined them out but for sake of the crystals? Two months worth of work to expose all of these, huh?
Such perseverance— I almost feel bad for apprehending them.
Although the crystals might seem to worth big, I doubt this dungeon was created solely for the purpose of hiding these things.
There's more. I'm sure of it.
What is hidden down here and underneath the lake of all places?
"Aeron?"
I turned around and saw Aerra just looking at me in wonder, "Something wrong?"
I groped at my pocketwatch and flipped it open. Sundown is about to begin soon.
I sighed.
"It's nothing." I assured her with a smile.
"Levi, can you teleport us out of here?" I asked him. He nods, "Give me a moment. It might take me some time." He replied as he closed his eyes and began chanting.
"Sure, go ahead!"
Still so odd, a magic that needs spells—
Commoners really have weird ways to cope up with magics of noblemen huh?
I walked around some more.
There's no other stuff inside this chamber but the chiseled walls with all the countless palm size crystals. It was vast as it was empty. A bit chilly but no draft can be felt. The hollow silence echoes around as if you're inside a well.
Such a peaceful ambiance though.
I turned about and saw Eriol assured the ropes were tight and bound the bandits all together perfectly while Aerra walks up to me.
"I guess the adventure ends here, huh?" she says in a brief shrug.
"We can have some more adventures some other time," I replied. "Still though... I can't believe we have something like this underneath the great lake." I added, turning my head to look up and around as she stood beside me.
"Yeah and the ambiance is so dense and sickening too. So much negative energy in one place..." she murmurs in a sigh.
"Wait what?" I turned and look at her.
Aerra places her hand on the walls.
All of a sudden, a strange red circle emitted just behind us. It had no runic inscriptions on it, just an odd looking symbols I have never seen before.
So is this the circle Levi uses to teleport?
I've never really seen his teleportation circles before.
"Well, it seems like Levi is done with his chanting. Let's go?" I asked, Aerra just nods at me as I turned around and went to step inside the circle with Aerra.
In a distance, Levi and Eriol looks at us. I waved at them as we finally stood still in the middle of the circle, "Hurry up with the bandits and let's go!" I hollered.
Levi suddenly sprinted towards us, "AERON WAIT! THAT'S NOT MY—!!!"
The red light of the circle grew brighter and brighter until it disabled me from seeing the other guys, then all the sound seems to disappear as the light covered everything on sight, flashing in a blinding light that I had to shut my eyes close.
I instinctively held my sister's hand.
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
When I opened my eyes I saw nothing but the white skies. I dropped my gaze down and just saw ripples that emanated as I lifted one foot up.
Water?
"Aerra?" I called out. My voice echoed.
There was nothing but a white parallel plane to a clear and endless horizon.
Slowly, a tiny ball of light floated before my eyes. I followed it and turned around and saw a girl from a distance.
"Hey?" I called out.
She didn't seem to hear me.
I lifted one foot to take one step forward. Paused. Hesitated.
She had a long dark raven hair and ivory-white skin like porcelain.
"Miss?" I called out.
She kept on walking the opposite direction.
The ball of light floated towards her.
I sighed and decided to run after her.
As I hurried towards her, I noticed the floor seems to keep emanating ripples out, like a disturbed water as I stepped over it.
Where am I?
"Miss?!" I called out.
She had such a peculiar clothing I have never seen before. White blouse with a short sleeves; matching it with a short dark blue skirt and a long black socks(?) and leathered shoes. I wonder if that's some sort of uniform for some commoners' academy? But I doubt it's from this continent... it seems so... unworldly.
And what is that she's carrying with her? A bagpack? I've never seen anything like it.
"Miss? Please wait!"
I stopped on my tracks as she did. Leaving at least around ten steps distance away from her.
Ah. Finally she heard me.
Suddenly wind blew around of us. Her straight hair shined in a glossy silk texture, dancing along with the breeze
I could feel my heart beat drumming inside my chest, racing as I gather my breath from all that running.
I was gonna ask her where we are but then she turned half of her body around to look at me and I was left staring at her big dark brown eyes that gazes at me with such curiosity.
For some reason, all the words and question I wanted to say left me and I was hanging speechless as she parted her thin lips open.
A huge celestial symbol appeared underneath us that glows in a warm white light.
Now what?
I took one step aback but suddenly the light below went on full blast. I closed my eyes as light began to cover my sight. I tried to protect my eyes with my hands to peer through it but it was hopeless.
W-what is happening?
I reached out my left hand to the girl
Until the last thing I saw was the same celestial symbol slowly appearing at the back of my hand.
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
I wearily opened my eyes once again but then I realized I was laying with my back flat against the ground with pitch black darkness welcoming my sight. The familiar hollow sound of silence reminded me of the dungeon. "Aerra?!" I called out as I carried myself up.
It was so dark around, too dark to ever discern anything at all.
"Over here!" I heard her reply. I sighed in relief.
I summoned a bolt of light to my hand and saw Aerra from a distance. She sighted in relief as she noticed the light and saw me.
She strode towards me as I did too, meeting half way. "Are you okay?" I asked. She nodded, "You?" She asked back.
"I'm fine"
"Where are we? The others never came after us" she says anxiously, with a hand to her chest. "I doubt this is the exit. Well, Levi said...."
I suddenly remembered the vision I just saw. Was that a dream? A girl with raven hair and dark brown eyes... and her clothes— so peculiar. I've never seen anything like it before. She did seem around my age though.
...I do admit, she had an angelic face.
But why dream about her?
I don't think I ever met her before.
I looked at my hand and studied it, there was nothing on it. I guess it was really just a dream.
"Aeron!"
"W-what?" I focused my attention on Aerra,
"Are even listening to everything I just said?"
"Mostly." I answered,
She grunted a sigh, "Forget what I said. Let's just try to find a way out of this place. I don't feel like this place is safe"
First thing's first, I thought. I need to summon Eriol.
I closed my eyes and began to summon Eriol.
But few minutes passed, there was nothing.
That's odd.
I raised my arm and increased the voltage of my bolts, allowing a temporary lighting. To my surprise, I realized we were in some kind of another rounded chamber. But unlike before, it doesn't seem to have any crystals on the walls, no carved designs, no passages even, nor any kind of exits at all. It was just an empty chamber with immense space.
I looked up and realized the ceiling keeps going; stretched high in an endless darkness.
"It seems like we're in some kind of hole?" I murmured, "The bottom of some hole." I corrected.
"We need to find a way to get out. What time is it?"
I checked for my pocketwatch, it was already five in the afternoon. "Five. The banquet might be starting soon."
"Oh no..." she sighs.
"Don't worry. I'll find a way to get us out of here! Trust me."
Aerra nods in reply.
I smiled at her and pat her head. "Just stay close to me."
"I can handle myself" she replied instantly.
"Of course." I rolled my eyes.
Stubborn.
I studied the room once again. The ground is made of the same slabs of stones but walls were made of pure but flattened rocks that made it seem impossible to climb.
I walk aback as I kept looking up but then I stumbled into something and I fell to the floor. My ball of lightning went off. Darkness lingered once again. I immediately sat up and lit another one ball of lightning
"Are you alright?" Aerra sat on her heels as she hurried to me,
"Yeah. I just stumbled on something" I answered as I looked at it, reaching my hand towards it to inspect, and realized it was some chains that was planted in the ground.
My eyes grew wide.
Huge and thick chains with small indecipherable symbols etched on it.
I followed its length with my eyes and saw an empty open cuff at its far end. Contrast to the chains, that seems big enough to restrict a beast, the cuff was rather small befitting for a person's ankle.
What would they want to keep in here with such chains though?
W-wait.
T-t-t-this a prison?!?
I shuddered at that thought.
I sprung up to my feet looked up again. I wonder how deep this place is?
Maybe if I throw a bolt up, the flash of light might help me find a way out of this place?
I paced for a bit, took a stance and then hurled my bolt of lightning up to the ceiling as hard as I can throw.
The bolt went on and on until it disappears and fades off, neither reaching nor revealed anything.
I gasped.
Judging from that, we might as well be at the bottom of some thousands of feet deep underground prison.
I hollered for help but the echo went on.
The graveness of the situation began to dawn on me.
Even if Levi is enigmatic and calculating, I doubt he will ever send us off to a place like this, especially to Aerra. He's not that twisted to do such a thing to us. He's still our friend plus he adores Aerra very much.
So what happened with the teleportation?
I carefully recalled what Levi's last words were.
'Wait Aeron, that's not my—!!!'
Not his what?
Think— Aeron, think!!!
The teleportation circle we stepped into was red.
If I think about it, Levi always had a yellow to golden colored circles. Usually those circles contain runic inscriptions. He never used red before. Maybe that's why he sprinted towards us, to warn us that he didn't made that occult looking circle.
Anyway, I should try to summon Eriol again. He usually respond no matter where we are.
I closed my eyes and began to earnestly summon Eriol once again.
I opened my eyes and look up.
Nothing.
"I —can't get through to him... What is this hell hole?"
This is bad.
I turned around, "Aerra, can yo...." I halted.
She was still on her knees on the ground.
"Aerra??? Are... you okay?"
Both her hands covering her ears.
Crouching lower and lower.
"Aerra?"
I walked up towards her.
That's when realized, the chains' symbols are subtly glowing in red just at the area where my sister sat close to it.
And then....
I watch her hair transition to black.
At the exact same time,
red lights emitted on the walls,
with almost the same symbols I've seen on the chains and from the circle that took us here.
Aerra stood on her feet like a stringless puppet. Her head hang low and her hands dangled freely.
For some reason, my instinct tells me to step away. Run. Don't go anywhere near her.
But she's my sister.
The hell would I do that?
My ball of lightning went off.
I tried to summon it again but it suddenly felt like any of my powers isn't responding to me anymore.
All my hair stood on ends as a chill courses through my back.
There's this kind of pressure inside my head that began to build. It felt heavy as it was nauseating. This type of presence... something that reminds me of the eerie sensation when Cerguz is watching back then. But this is different. This one is so strong. Too strong.
It's making me dizzy and my legs feel limp.
My entire body started to shake as if on instinct to respond against a monstrous presence.
Where is this oppressive powers coming from?
I can hear her utter a calm exhale.
Crunching her shoulders in place, she pulled her back straight. Winding her head up with eyes closed.
Move. Now. Run.
Is what my guts telling me.
But why should I?
Something is happening...
Is it because of this place?
Yes, maybe that's it. It's because of this prison. Something about this place that makes her like this.
I need to save her.
But how?
My entire body is shaking
I feel like my knees would collapse on me if I try to move
"Odd. Everything is moving too fast this time... There's seems to be an anomaly." says Aerra, as she looks down on her hands, "But no matter..." Her voice seems a bit different.
She then turned her head towards me.
The cystalline blue color of her eyes slowly morphs into dark yet brilliant red— the color of vermillion.
I was left staring at her vermillion colored ones at it seems so vivid and ominously against the darkness.
"Another mortal." she bore her eyes into mine. She clicked her tongue in annoyance.
She snaps her finger and purple fire balls began to hover above us, providing light to the entire chamber.
All the oppressive atmosphere disappear in an instant as if nothing happened.
My shaking gradually ceased as everything felt calm again and I was left staring at her in wonder.
She has the face of my sister but it feels as if I'm with the presence of someone I don't know.
I shook my head in denial.
I saw it with my own eyes.
That's still my sister.
She's still Aerra.
"So— do you intend to fight?" she asks, nudging her hips to one side and tossing one fist on it.
There's no way I'll fight her.
Huh? Wait.
I look at her body.
The bumb on her chest
the curves on her hips...
Ah—!
Her female body is back again.
Wait.
It's five in the afternoon. So the effect of the candy she ate has finally worn off.
That means it's already sundown outside...
"You're an Arcanian descendant..." she arches one brow up, speculating as she looks at me up and down. "Although— one does not recall Arcanians being that short."
Short?—
Short...
Short.
💢
"I AM NOT S-SHORT! I AM JUST YOUNG!!! I WILL STILL GROW TALLER!!!"
"Ahh, so you can talk after all."
"O-of course..." I pouted.
"Pffft—!" She sniggered, "You remind one of another silly mortal." she utters, placing a finger lightly over her lips.
Huh?
Is she referring to herself as 'one?'
"One dislike Arcanians very much but one will let you be just this once. So do tell your name, young mortal child."
She really is referring herself as 'one'
...what is happening to Aerra?
Suddenly she began to walk towards me.
My back straightens instantly.
"If you're not going to tell one your name, one will simply call you shorty."
"Aeron! My name is Aeron."
She nods, "Aeron, did you brought one to this place?"
This place?
I shook my head. "No, I... this place is—!"
She stops to stand right in front of me.
I took one step back.
"This is the only place one can be out, without the shadow clouding one's senses. But still— the real one right now is too young for one to synchronize with. So for now, since you're the only mortal here, you're the only one here who can listen."
What is she talking about?
"One needs you to listen, Aeron."
I watch her eyes as she kept her silence. There was emptiness in them but a sense of desperation.
She lifts her hand and reaches out to me
I instinctively moved away.
If it shows up today, you mustn't be scared. Just listen and comprehend. If you can do that, I might just tell you my secret— tomorrow.
I wonder why of all times would I remember Eriol's words.
She sighed at my response but kept composed,
"One wants you to save the fallen."
Fallen...?
From the legends?
Does she mean the one that must be killed?
But isn't that an entity that awakens and destroys the land once every century?
"Why—?"
"It may seem all too vague for now. But all of these things will come clear to you someday if you allow one to give you something that may help you reveal all that was lost from the past."
She steps back and turned around, pacing a few steps away.
"One wishes to reveal everything at once but one is bound to the shadows, one can at least show you pieces of visions. And then— you must seek the priestess, she might be able to help you make sense of all those scattered visions."
"The priestess? You mean the centennial priestess?"
She nods. "She will come from another world. And people will misguide her to seek and kill the fallen one. It's up to you now how to make her save the fallen one instead. Both of you."
"I swear, Aerra, if this is all just a joke..." I grunted.
It's so confusing.
"Aerra is asleep right now."
"And who are you then?" I replied.
"One is a fragment of her past memories. A part of her that is carefully separated from her known consciousness. One is her and she is one, without the shadows that is." She says, placing a hand to her chest to point herself.
"Shadows?"
She points at the walls, "See those inscriptions on the walls?"
I looked at the walls that bears the glowing red symbols.
"They were made to contain the dark element from running amok. That's why one was able to contain it the moment it almost went berserk back there. Thanks to those incantations, right now, one can control such powers more effectively— Aerra's powers, without it controlling us."
"I don't get it" I looked down, "A fragment of my sister? Controlling powers? She... she has powers?"
"Whenever her conscious wavers, one awaken instead and one takes control and protect her using the dark element but there are times when she falls into depravity that the element itself controls her. It is after all the nature of the element.... The element feeds off from any negative emotions.
Ah, but so far— she manages snap out of it every time, so it seems." she pauses and sighs, "There must've been something from here that triggered her to falter and that's why one was summoned out instead.
At her current state, forcing to synch with her now might cause her to fall into depravity— completely. The truth still too much to bear. But for sure, she will eventually seek for the truth. That's how it has always been. And slowly yet surely, she would learn to take it all in and control the element at bay. But this time, everything seems to be running too fast. Someone is either meddling or aiding one."
She sighs and then focuses her gaze at me, "At this rate, even without forcing her— she might synch with one and if that happens everything will be jeopardized."
"What is it exactly you're after? Why can you or my sister for that matter, wield a dark element?" I asked, carefully watching her as she turns her head to face me.
"It was the wish that was asked for. It was the only element that responded to her to finish what was started. We had no other choice. That's why... the fallen must be saved"
"Or else what? According to the legends... isn't it that the fallen is the one who seeks to destroy this realm?"
"What balderdash! Not this entire realm..." she sighs, rolling her eyes. "It's too complicated to explain by words. Too tedious and confusing... If only you just allow one to show you the visions."
I looked down and took a deep breath.
I need to think.
My sister can wield a dark element?
It... would make sense why Aerra seemed to have change lately... like why she seems so cold?
Does she even knows she have such powers though?
But... if she falls into depravity, then the element— no! My sister is not that kind of person. She's strong willed and kind.
"How can I make the dark element leave my sister?"
"Save the Fallen" she answered, abruptly.
Well she's not really asking me to kill anyone or destroy a Kingdom. She's simply asking me to save this fallen one entity...
"So who is the fallen one? How would I know it's the person I'm searching for?" I looked at her and met her steady gaze.
She replied.
"You're already looking at it right now."