Nova Mesto ???. ????, ???? A.M
Everything grew dark and silent. Suddenly the light grabbed Joshua's face. He looked right and left. For a moment he didn't notice where it was because everything was blindingly white. His eyes got used to it and he realized that he was in front of his house. He saw his mother and younger sister in the courtyard chatting. They realized Joshua's presence and called out to him. Joshua walked over to them, but suddenly a group of bandits stormed his house. They burned his house and kidnapped his younger sister. Joshua tried to run to help her but something caught her leg. He looked down and realized he was standing on a sea of undead. Joshua screamed in terror.
!!!
Joshua stares and wakes up. Cold sweat ran all over his body. He held his head and realized it was all a nightmare. In front of him was a bonfire, he turned to the right and let out a startled cry and tried to back away. There was an undead lying nearby but there was something different… it seemed like it was just lying there still.
"You're awake, huh. Don't be afraid. The undead seems harmless. " Isabel appeared from a distance.
"What happened? Where's Robb? " Joshua tried to move his painful body.
Isabel shook her head softly. "Only the two of us survived…. We fell into the underground lake and you passed out. The undead horde from the cathedral also plunges after us. I thought we wouldn't survive… but a miracle happened… it didn't take long before all the undead suddenly became lifeless."
"How come?"
"I have no idea. I also do not know. But that's what happened. All of the undead who had descended suddenly were like that. Maybe… this is a sacred place. From earlier I saw there were several symbols on the wall. " Isabel said, pointing to the wall behind Joshua.
Joshua looked around; it was true that this place was a little different. Symbols in ancient letters appeared on the walls. Not far from the fire was the lake where they had fallen and the undead floating in the water. They were underground, in a place where there was no sign of life and looked ancient. Even so, the place looked well maintained even though there was no sunlight coming in.
Joshua tried to get up, "How long have we been here?"
"I don't know… maybe around 6 hours…? I was also resting earlier. Are you sure it's, okay? Looks like you got hurt quite badly." Isabel doubts Joshua's condition.
"My body hurts all but I'm fine. We have to get out of here. I don't want to linger here. Outside it should be morning, maybe ... things will be different. " Joshua forced himself to take a step.
They walked down a very high hallway and the end looked quite far.
"So, you've been a vanguard at Nova Mesto for a long time?" Isabel tried to open the conversation.
"Actually, I just moved to Nova Mesto and yesterday was my first day working as a vanguard at Nova Mesto."
"Wow… the first day. … How annoying, huh."
"Right. The first day I was faced with the undead. My life is really perfect. "
"Then where are you from if not from Nova Mesto?"
"I used to live with my mother and younger sister in the south ... until they weren't around ..." Joshua sighed.
"Sorry… I didn't mean to open the old wound." Isabel hurriedly apologized.
"It's okay ... Since I was little, I lived only with my mother and my sister, our father died because of the war. When I was 16 years old… our house was robbed and my little sister was kidnapped. We tried to find her but we never found her. My mother's condition become bad; she was easily sick. Until last year my mother died because her illness was getting worse and ... I tried to be a vanguard .... maybe .... so that what happened to my sister was not experienced by other people ... Can we take a break? "
Joshua leaned back while holding his shoulder.
"How about you? What's your story? Joshua asked back curiously.
"Yes, I have no choice .... I was orphaned since I was little. I don't remember what my parents were like. When I was 17 years old, an organization called Secretglaives adopted me from the street. They took care of me, gave me house and food. Instead, they taught me to use various weapons, disguised and sneaked until I passed each test and became their agent. Our duties vary depending on client requests from Secretglaives. From getting items, looking for information, kidnapping .... maybe even killing someone "
Joshua jerked backwards in surprise
Isabel smiled faintly, "Don't worry, I won't kill you. We will not kill people who have nothing to do with our business. Anyway, in the situation is like this, killing the only normal human is not a good choice. "
Isabel rolled up her sleeves and there seen Secretglaives tattoo on her upper arm.
"When we graduated, we were given tattoos as proof that we had become an agent. Only we Secretglaives know the shape of the tattoo… well now you also know Joshua."
Isabel rolled back her sleeve "Let's go again"
They continued their journey until they came to an area with many buildings. The buildings are lined up like a normal city. It just looks empty and abandoned. In addition, this area has an uneven ground surface and many cracks and holes, such as due to earthquakes. The sunlight was faintly penetrating through a hole in the very high ceiling.
Isabel gasped, "Amazing… I just found out that under Nova Mesto there is a city… even though it's like a ghost town…."
"We have to check it. I'm going this way and you going there. We meet here. " Joshua immediately took the initiative.
"I'd better check it out. You just wait here Josh. " Isabel looked doubtful
But Joshua was already walking quickly in the opposite direction saying, "No problem. It will be faster this way. "
Isabel just sighed and walked towards the opposite direction. Isabel tried to enter several houses to check for signs of life. But nothing, utterly empty and abandoned. She checked until finally arriving at the end where there was a gap that was gaping wide and deep. She kicked a piece of gravel and the sound of the gravel was only heard after a while. Isabel decided to return to where it was when across the cliff, she saw a shadow of someone running. At first, she couldn't believe what she saw but after paying close attention she was sure she didn't see it wrong. She saw Dumar, member of the Secretglaives who sent her to Nova Mesto. Isabel shouted out his name but Dumar didn't seem to hear it and kept running. In an instant Dumar had disappeared from sight somewhere.
With questions in her head, Isabel decided to go back and wait for Joshua. It didn't take long for Joshua to arrive. Isabel was about to greet him but he immediately pulled Isabel behind the wall to hide and gestured to be quiet.
Several temple knights were passing by as if they were looking busy. Behind him, Raul is accompanied by a beautiful woman wearing a black dress. Her long, wavy silvery hair looked beautiful.
"Raul, I think we should get your unit to check upperground too. The undead avoid the sun so it will be easier for your unit to move more freely." The beautiful woman gave orders to Raul.
"As per your orders Lady Morrigan. We will soon find Seraphine Aile." Raul bowed respectfully as he kissed the woman's hand. Raul immediately gave orders to his men to leave the area.
After making sure Raul and his troops leave, Joshua and Isabel come out of their hiding place.
"I didn't expect Raul and his temple knights to be here. And they are looking for what was his name ... ce — cera kin... "
"Seraphine Aile" Isabel interrupted Joshua. "The legendary artifact according to information is in Nova Mesto. My colleague told me Father Juan had this information so I went to see him but before I got any information Father Juan had been murdered."
"Your colleague provides any information regarding Seraphine Aile?"
"That is all. Because Seraphine Aile is so mysterious. And I was there just now to see my partner who assigned me to Nova Mesto but I lost track of him. "
"Hmmm… but who was that woman who was with Raul. She can give orders to him. Even though she looks more like a noble rather than a religious person "
"I have no idea. Too many parties want the artifact. I also didn't expect Temple Knight to be looking for Seraphine Aile. I thought the church of St. Varos kept it. What now?" Isabel sighed.
"The direction Raul came from earlier; it looks like there is another way to get down here. My advice is we go there. Looks like there is a way to the top, how about that?"
"Okay. Earlier the area I examined was also dead end. Come on, let's go. "
Joshua and Isabel hurried on their way.
Nova Mesto, Undercity Garden, 12.00 P.M
After leaving the area, Joshua and Isabel arrived at an extraordinarily beautiful place, a garden with high open ceilings so that the place was exposed to the sun and in the middle was a beautiful fountain. The plants appeared to be growing normally. Joshua touched the water in the shower that looked sparkling.
"Looks like this is Holy Water ..."
"Why is there Holy Water here?" Isabel looked at the fountain in amazement.
Rustle, rustle, rustle
Joshua and Isabel looked back spontaneously. Seen someone sneaking among the lush plants. Joshua motioned for Isabel to split up and check on their mysterious guest. They slowly approached the source... Joshua prepared to remove the plants in front of him while Isabel drew the knife.
Shrush!
Isabel didn't attack after seeing their mysterious guest. In front of Joshua and Isabel, a young girl sat there in shock.
Joshua stretched out his hand to help her up, "Sorry we scared you. I'm Joshua and this woman's name is Isabel. The two of us…. You could say lost and trying to find a way out of here."
The teenager hesitantly welcomed Joshua's helping hand, "My name is .... Iris ... I-I ... also got lost"
Joshua helped her up. The girl was dressed neatly and looked expensive.
Isabel watched Iris closely, "How did you get here? Where is your parent?"
Iris didn't answer Isabel's question, instead hiding behind Joshua's body.
Joshua glanced at Isabel and then stroked Iris's head, "It's okay if you don't want to answer. Isabel she's just a kid. We have to move quickly. "
Iris follows Joshua along. When she turned around, a glimpse of a tattoo appeared on her back. Isabel furrowed her brows when she saw it. Trying to concentrate on remembering, it seemed like she had seen that tattoo somewhere.
Isabel's concentration broke when she heard bark in front of her.
"Who are you ?!" There were several temple knights standing in front of them with unfriendly attitudes. "What are you going to do with the Holy Maiden?"
Joshua and Isabel simultaneously looked at Iris in shock.
Iris looked at Joshua and Isabel with a pleading look, "Please…. Don't let them take me. I ... will tell you later. But now… please don't let them take me."
The temple knights prepared to attack them. But Joshua and Isabel attacked first. They fought for a few moments. Joshua seemed a little overwhelmed with his injured shoulder but it didn't take long for Joshua to beat him. On the other hand, Isabel quickly defeated her opponents.
"Are you okay?" Isabel looked at Joshua sitting up, holding his shoulder with a face in pain.
"It is okay. I'm not badly hurt it's just…pain in my shoulder…" Joshua checked his shoulder. It seemed that Joshua's shoulders were swollen and bruised.
Iris approached Joshua and put both hands on Joshua's shoulders, "Let me help you ... Don't move..."
There was a white light shining on Iris' hand and pouring into Joshua's wound. Joshua and Isabel were stunned to see it and were speechless. Joshua felt a soft, cool energy flowing down his shoulders. The pain gradually disappeared and the swelling began to go down. When Iris finished treating it. He tried to move his arms which felt light as if they had never been injured.
"Magical… So, this is the power of Holy Maiden St. Varos…." Joshua turned his hand back.
Isabel turned to Iris, "So ... now you can tell us what happened ?!"
Iris nodded slowly, "Last night when the church was busy looking for a way to deal with the dark magic that made the undead appear… Raul instead led the Temple knights to look for Seraphine Aile. According to him, the St. Varos church hid the treasure. High Priest Carlos denied having Seraphine Aile. But Raul, who didn't believe it, used me to threaten High Priest Carlos."
"No wonder you ran away from them."
"That's right…. I, high priest Carlos and several priests are being held at the temple of St. Varos. Then they wanted to take me to a separate place with High Priest Carlos as collateral, but on the way, I tried to run away ... "
"Please… help High Priest Carlos. They are still in the temple…." Iris looked at Joshua and Isabel with a pleading look.
Isabel held her head with a dizzy face, "Even the undead and Seraphine Aile's business has not been settled plus this now. Right now, we should be looking for a way out of this town although I hope to find my comrades before leaving."
"But you can't get out ... this city is sealed ..." Iris answered softly.
"What does it mean?" Joshua and Isabel were surprised.
"Dark magic not only creates undead but also seals this city. There is magic locking up this city so that no one can enter or leave..."
"Isn't there any other way to get rid of the magic?"
"The high priest was trying to break the seal but Raul locked him up instead. Except…." Iris bit her lip.
"Unless we can save the high priest and he will break the seal?" Joshua continued Iris' words.
Iris nodded
Joshua patted Isabel's shoulder, "We have no choice. We have to head to the temple of Varos unless you have any other ideas."
Isabel sighed, "Unfortunately we have no other choice... Okay lead us there Iris"