After their round of resupplies were complete, Lecca led the large group to what looked to be a trading post of some kind. People from all walks of life constantly entered and exited the building, many of which were armed to the teeth.
Entering the establishment, it was clear that the prior observation was wrong. People on one side sat at scattered tables near a bar, while on the other side a large wooden table was occupied by what looked to be several attendants, while the armed men and women visited them. Ignoring both crowds, Lecca walked up to a large board and began to scour over several postings, it was a work and bounty board.
Walking beside her, Mike too stared at the board, yet due to not knowing the written language, he could not decipher what was presented. Picking up a sheet of paper, Lecca turned to the sergeant as she spoke, "It seems that a group of mercenaries have gone missing." She said, "The organization that is heading up this search and rescue mission is asking for a group of no less than five to search for them."
Looking back at the Rangers interacting with several adventures and mercenaries, Mike let out a short laugh as he responded, "I think our numbers will be able to handle such a mission."
Nodding along, Lecca walked with Mike to the main counter where one of the attendants stood waiting for the two. The woman at the table was a young one with purple eyes and brown hair woven into a side ponytail. Placing the paper on the table and explaining her intentions, Lecca watched the woman stare with wide eyes at the paper placed before her.
"Sir, ma'am…" She said with a nervous voice as she became of the man standing at the table with unrecognizable clothing, "This is the most dangerous request. It's been over three months since the volunteers have gone missing, and no one from the guild is willing to take it…"
"Volunteers?" Mike asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Yes." The attendant said, "The Volunteer Corps is just that, a mercenary group that works for the frontier. They went on a mission to exterminate a local sighting of golems on the far side of this forest."
"No one else wanted to do it." Mike said looking towards Lecca, "Normally such a mission would be handled by the PJs, but I think we're ready."
Understanding what he was saying, Lecca pressed the attendant to sign the request under her name. Swiftly handing back the paper, Lecca gathered the men as they returned to the carriage where those left behind waited. Explaining the situation to the others and setting off, the guards standing at the opposite side of the town paid no mind as the carriage raced past them into the oncoming forest.
The journey wasn't long, but it was several hours of traversing the least travelled paths within the forest. Eventually, the designated location for where the original request had been made arrived. A large gaping hole stood in the side of a large hill. Unknown sculptures lined the entrance to what looked to be a cave, and now, the princess and her knights stood ready to enter the unending darkness.
"I don't think our night vision will work in there." Green warned as he kept his rifle trained on the pitch-black tunnel.
"I can cast a spell." Marco said as he stepped forward. "Due to my element being Light, I am able to conjure just that."
A small orb materialized and settled in the knight's hand. The Rangers looked at him with surprise, and the others, amusement.
"Say, how do you kill a golem?" Thompson asked.
"Just aim for the mana gems scattered near the face." Eugene explained as he looked at the captain with a confused face. It was obvious that the men beside him did not know what "common knowledge" was.
"Right…" Thompson sighed.
Entering the darkness, Marco led the way with the only light source. Their footsteps echoed of the enclosed environment giving a sense of claustrophobia. Weapons at the ready the men continued further into the tunnel descending three flights of stairs. The air was moist, and cold, yet Mike trialed to the rear along with Green, and the two broke into conversation as they watched for anything in the vicinity.
"So, you think this is some kind of ruin?" Green asked in a low voice. "I don't think there's anything we can to compare this to on Earth."
"You really think so?" Mike returned as he looked away from the holographic sight sitting on his firearm. His voice was laced with uncertainty, and he fell silent as the question escaped into the cold air and dissolved into nothingness. Droplets of water played around them, and the sound of their breaths grew softer as the group closed in on a small room, with an equally smaller door.
A pool of water moved under the door, and much to the confusion of the three knights, Thompson led his team into position. Their boots stepped into the water as the captain gave a curt nod to Simon. Pushing the door open, Patterson took the lead as he kept his gun trained on the never-ending darkness within the room. Much to the surprise of Marco, several streams of light came from the "muskets" the men held. Such a bright light lit up the entire room.
Compared to what he suspected was on the other side, Marco stared at an elongated hall that was slowly rotting away. At the end, where the beams of lit just barely reached, the golems stood in front of several cubical stones. Weapons and armor laid messily on the ground, much of it was submerged in the stream of water. There was no blood, yet it could be assumed that it was washed away.