"Argh . . ."
Rain groaned, and his eyelids fluttered. He opened his eyes only to see darkness. He closed and opened his eyes again, and when his sight adjusted to the darkness, he found that it was not entirely pitch dark as a faint blue light illuminated the room.
What happened?
He got up as he sat on the floor, trying to assist any injuries while he rubbed the back of his head.
Right. I fell when the ground gave way.
Unconsciously, he raised his head to find the hole in the ceiling, but there was none. He frowned when he couldn't find the spot where he just fell.
He got up and swept the whole room with his eyes. It was like the same spacious hall where they were first fell only much dimmer. His gaze stopped when he grazed at a flying object that emanated a powerful cerulean light at the center of the room.
"W-what is that?"
Rain walked towards that object, being careful of some kind of trap as he readied himself to materialize his weapon at any moment.
But all thoughts soon ran away from his mind when he took a closer look at the flying object.
A sword?!
It was actually a sword. It was pure black with cerulean lights flickering over its body like sparks of electricity. It stood proud as it hovered just inches from the ground.
(Pic)
Rain's left upper chest began to hurt as if it resonated with something. With every beating of his heart, he felt that the sword beat together with it. The cerulean light it emitted grew brighter and brighter.
With trembling hands and as though possessed, he reached out to take it.
Invincible wind blew hard on Rain's whole body upon gripping the sword. His silver eyes lit blue as his entire body was enveloped with warm cerulean light while the marking like veins crawled from his left chest to half his face, lighting its path along the way.
Then it was gone.
The invisible force. The wind. The cerulean light. Everything quieted down as everything returned to darkness. Only the cerulean stone at the center of the hilt shone with a hazy glow on his hand.
"W-what is this?"
But before Rain had the chance to marvel at its beauty, the sword dissolved into dust particles and went inside his Armalest bracer.
"W-what!"
Rain was startled. He didn't know what just happened. But he felt the sword inside his Armalest, just waiting for his call.
This never happened to him before. This was all too bizarre.
First, he was already confused about what was happening on this underground as though it was alive, swallowing and trapping people.
Second, he was baffled as to why a Rank-A beast just casually wandered in here. Even in the outside world, rank-A beasts were brutal to find.
And now this. A sword that he hadn't seen before in his entire life. A blade that could turn into Arcane particles and go into his Armalest on its own. And what was more, it had its very own arcane stone. The more he thought about it, the confused he became.
Forget it. I'll deal with it later. The important thing right now is how to get out of this place.
RUMBLE!
As Rain was pondering this question, a rumbling sound echoed in the room, and out of nowhere, a passageway as large as a door just magically appeared.
". . ."
*sigh.
I have enough of this place.
Rain immediately went to that opened passageway.
RUMBLE!
The moment he stepped foot in that dimly lit damp hallway, the passageway closed behind his back.
Rain didn't give it much thought as he resumed walking. The more he walked deeper, the more familiar he felt.
Isn't this the same passageway we traversed before?
Rain's steps became faster as a smile was plastered on his face. He didn't know why he felt happy even though he was still trapped in the underground with unknown danger.
Maybe the impending reunion with the others made him happy. After all, it was the first time he had actually been together with someone close to his age.
Back in his town, he was just all training and hunting. Although they were other his age, no one really treated him as equal because he was the lord of the town's son.
"Rain!"
"Rain! Me' man!"
Ethan and Rever's gloomy face instantly brightened when Rain stepped out of the newly opened passageway back to the place where they battled the rank-A beast.
RUMBLE!
And as usual, the passageway behind Rain closed as a new corridor opened, leading towards the exit, but everyone ignored it as they sprinted towards Rain.
Ethan was the first to arrive and hugged Rain which made the latter at a loss on what to do.
"Rain! Where have you been?! We've been frantic here! Are you hurt?! Are you alright?!" Ethan let go of Rain as he immediately materialized his staff and cast Rain in warm healing light.
Seeing Ethan's worried, almost crying self, Rain couldn't help but chuckle, and his heartfelt big when Ethan, without a second thought, cast a healing spell around him even though he wasn't hurt. He didn't stop him, though.
"Rian! You sure know how to worry others!" Rever was second to rushed at them and placed his hand around Rain's shoulder, bringing Rain closer to him as he raffled Rain's hair in an older brother kind of way.
"Ahahaha! Now I can truly be happy that we survive this! I'm glad my luck hasn't dried out on me!"
Rain laughed and joked with the two before Rever let go of him when Alfonse cleared his throat.
"Sorry to bust your happy reunion, but we have to go. The faster we get out from this place, the better," Alfonse said, arrogantly tilting his head, but his eyes shone in mirth.
"Hmp! Party pooper." Rever pouted while Ethan was a bit embarrassed by the way he acted.
Ethan was just too happy that Rain was alive that he forgot himself. After all, Rain was the first-ever friend he made. With his shy and meek personality and his father being a general, people his age would either treat him nicely because of his father's influence or avoid him because he was weak.
With Rain, Ethan felt how genuine Rain was towards him that he cried when he was swallowed by the ground and was trapped below.
"Well, if everyone is alright. Let's get going!" Arca said. Her personality was slowly showing.
Arca was haughty and pompous, but if she warmed up to you, she'd treat you in a cheerful way. After this life and death event and after Rain had saved her, of course, she couldn't help but feel friendly towards the people present here.
Even Alfonse was the same.