Jacob started to slowly back up with his trembling legs.
"What the hell are those?"
The four pairs of eyes slowly walked into visibly. They were revealed to be four different animals. The biggest one was a Salamander who had tar black skin with splotches of bright orange on its body. It looked to be at least 13 feet in length and at least 6 feet tall. The Ram was slightly smaller in length, except its main features were horns that were made of Dark Steel with a pointed edge as if it was made for piercing bodies and was extremely tall at 10 feet with golden fur coverings its body. The Serpent was barely 3 feet tall when it was on the ground. However its body was as big as a boulder and its length was unparalleled, even coiled one could tell it was longer than 30 feet. As it approached the party, Leon noted the bulging muscles being used to move itself and the scales of all shades of green. Those muscles looked like they could crush a boulder and those scales looked as hard as metal. The final animal, a Hare, was the most normal looking. With normal Hare features, except that its hind legs were extremely muscular and buff looking. Its size was slightly bigger than a normal human being.
The Hare tilted its head and stared at the group.
"We are the animals of the Horae. We guard these bars that encase, he who shall not be named. Speak with caution to answer my question, why do you intrude into this place."
Sensing a ray of hope, Jacob stopped backing up and stood his ground.
"We did not know this was a jail, nor what was in there. Oh animals of the Horae, we are but humble explorers. Please let us go, we will be gone, and never speak of this."
The Hare adjusted its head back to normal and replied.
"Your intentions seem to be true."
As soon as it said this, everyone in the party looked relieved to know they could escape with their lives.
The Hare suddenly started to smile to show all its teeth.
"However it is unfortunate, that we can't allow this. You humans must die here."
Everyone looked in terror. Leon spoke up trying to suppress the quivers his voice wanted to make.
"But why? We did not come here to free that thing, nor would we tell anyone, I promise you with our lives."
Everyone agreed and nodded their heads.
The Hare spoke with a sort of playful tone as it slowly inched forward while sniffing the group.
"Don't take it personally human. We have been commanded to kill all those who visit. Also, no one has entered this tomb for millennia's and we are quite hungry and bored."
Jacob started to charge the Hare.
"Like hell, I'll go down like this!"
Adventurers were usually thought of possessing great amounts of power usually stemming from magic. Magic in this world was a broad and flexible concept, however, the main schools of magic were internal and external magic. External magic was magic that was projected on the world or other people like throwing a fireball at an opponent, while internal magic was projected onto oneself like a boost in speed or strength or infusing one's weapon with magic to enhance its power.
However, most people come to find out lower-class adventurers were very limited in magic and one wouldn't start seeing awe-inspiring magic until they became stronger. Even Jacob was a speck of dust in terms of magic, but Jacob was by far the most capable in combat and even though he didn't focus on external magic as much, he still boosted his strength considerably and had perhaps the most magic power here as the only D-Tier.
However Jacob's attack was in vain, the Hare simply dodged with ease and speed like it had teleported. Leon knew even though he was the lowest level by far, he was the fastest. However, he knew that compared to the Hare, he was nothing short of a snail glued to the ground.
Leon started to run.
"Guy's make a run for the bars! While they are too big to fit through, we can squeeze by."
The entire group started running, however, the animals weren't gonna let them get there easily. The Hare caught up instantly and sunk its buck teeth into one of the E Tier adventurers. His chain mail armor gave in instantly with a crunch. He wailed and broke his fingers trying to cling onto the ground as the Hare dragged him away into the corner, where all that could be heard was the crunch of his armor that echoed throughout the hall and the smell of blood.
The rest of the party were almost there, however, the other three animals had blocked their path. Leon used his stealth to try to conceal himself.
-4 Mana for Skill: lvl. 1 Stealth
One of the E-tier adventurers tried to make a run for it, but the snake coiled around him. He begged us to help, but the rest of us couldn't move a muscle. The snake slowly squeezed its muscles and the adventurer's body crunched with such a force that his eyes popped out. The poor man was taken out of sight back to the wall where the snake came from. The snake started to feast on him and swallowed him whole, as his muffled screams could be heard coming from the inside of its body.
As this was happening the Ram charged the group, everyone dodged out of the way except one of the final two E-tier adventurers. She was impaled through the stomach and her entrails hung out on the Ram's horn. The Ram however ran with such intensity that it tried to stop itself, but eventually, the momentum carried it out of sight.
All that remained was Leon and his friends plus Jacob and one more E Tier adventurer. Jacob rallied everyone and they charged the remaining Salamander. The Salamander used its tail to sweep the group into the wall. Luckily Jacob, with his high HP took most of the force and his arm was broken. Leon, already using stealth, tried to sneak past the Salamander taking advantage of the shadows. However, the Salamander started to glow and Leon was illuminated. So Leon used his dash twice to close the distance, to make it a 10 second run to the bars, consuming all his Mana and putting him in a state of fatigue.
-2 Mana for Skill: lvl. 1 Dash
-2 Mana for Skill: lvl. 1 Dash
Warning: Mana has reached 0. Extreme Fatigue has plagued the User.
As Leon was about to start running, the Salamander closed the distance and knocked Leon into the wall next to the bars. Leon stopped the force of the hit from breaking his back, by using his legs as a buffer. The result broke both of Leon's legs.
-34 HP
Warning: HP has reached 1. Extreme Fatigue and Pain have plagued the User.
The broken bones and fatigue made Leon start to lose consciousness.
*blink* ... Leon saw Max and Dan get back up with Jacob and make a run for the bars as the Salamander gulped the vulnerable E Tier Adventurer who was slow to get up.....
*blink*....Leon knew this would be his last blink before he blacked out and eventually left himself exposed to be eaten.... *blin-
While being chased by the guardians with the rest of the group, Max panted.
"Leon! Don't die on me yet, you stupid fool."
All Leon that came to his mind was four things.
'I don't want to die..... I want to live and go back to the guild..... I wish to save my friends.... I wish to adventure.'
A deep warm voice that rumbled and shook the inside of Leon's mind.
"Mortal, do you really wish to live and do all those things you said? Do you really want to adventure?"
All Leon could muster in his last lucid thought was one final statement.
"Yes. I'll do whatever it takes. Even if I had to sell my soul or break the rest of my body. For all this would be worth it if I could just adventure with my friends."
The deep voice rumbled in Leon's mind.
"Very well mortal. Know that you are willing to free me. A god, which even the entirety of Mount Olympus feared and even the other gods acknowledge as one of the signs of the end. Know that once you agree, the seal on my chains will be broken. All you must do is say 'I, quod sic intelligunt'"
As Leon took his final blink before he blacked out, he forced out a soft whisper.
"I, quod sic intelligunt."