Phantom did not pay any heed to Yuri's words. He still connected his energy flow with hers and told her to do the same to him. They both took the form of a creature that was fast as lightning. The creature was a black and white horse. The horse took both Qiang and Yuri on it's back and blasted inside the sea. Then it took the form of a divine white fish that looked like a sea dragon. It's tail and fins were transparent and white. It's eyes were golden and it's scales were silver. Qiang almost got drowned because of the sudden change. He somehow still managed to keep his breath in. Meanwhile, Fedyenka was left along inside totally bemused. She could not do anything. She felt like she was trapped in something. She could only breath. She felt as if she was paralyzed. She couldn't even see anything. All she could do was stay still like that. Fedyenka felt useless.
After a long time, Fedyenka could finally see the light of the underground. It is said that there is something that pulls the light of the sun in the place and that is how the underground can be seen lit up. The underground was no different than a normal mine. It was mostly dark. Phantom told Fedyenka to make some light using her power. She did as he said.
"What happened when we fused?" said Fedyenka.
"Your and my body became one. You still aren't as powerful as me when it comes to these stuffs so technically, I was the one who had control over the body." said Phantom.
"What happened to 'us' and our minds?"
"Our minds were still different and we were two beings in one body."
"Oh..."
They went deeper into the underground. Qiang started feeling nauseous and said,
"I think I am gonna throw up."
"You are a senior to Fedyenka, please get a little hardcore." said Yuri.
"I have never been in any situation like this..."
"Did Fedyenka do?"
"Well she has faced more pain than any of us here I think."
Phantom looked at Qiang. Then he looked away at the ground and said,
"Fedyenka, can you hear it?"
"Yeah...it's the sound of...burning." said Fedyenka.
"There's magma nearby."
"And...what does magma have to do with us?"
"We gotta hurry. We cannot camp here either."
Yuri in all of a sudden stopped. Everyone looked back to him. Qiang asked,
"What's wrong Sabio Third-"
"Don't ever call me that again. I am fine it's just...I feat that we might face some terrifying things in front of us. I am the Third sage indeed but it doesn't mean that the other sages doesn't have power." said Yuri.
"So...this underground part is taken over by some sage?" said Fedyenka.
"Yeah. He's Sabio Seventh. He's also known as the Soil-dragger." said Phantom.
"Soil-dragger? That's a weird name. Why-"
"You will know when you know now shut up."
"K..."
They started walking again. They did not realize if days has passed. They did not feel any hunger or any need. Fedyenka started feeling nauseous as well as Qiang.
"What's up with this place...when will we be there?" said Fedyenka.
"We are almost there." said Phantom.
"How can you be so sure? All I can see are some diamonds, some instruments and some effing skeletons."
"I have been here before that's WHY!"
"Hmph..."
"Wait a minute did Fedyenka say instruments?" said Qiang.
"Yeah. Can't you guys see?" said Fedyenka pointing her finger to the instruments she could see.
"No...all I can see is darkness."
"Wait...Fedyenka, can you tell us whether those has- Oh never mind. You haven't been taught that." said Phantom.
"Then teach me now!" said
"What? Ugh...okay but we need some light. Come on Fed give us more light."
"Um...how am I su-"
"Just flow more energy dumbass."
"Oh...okay."
Fedyenka flowed her energy as she slowly floated. It somehow lit up the whole place more than the sun itself. It was being hard to see so they told her to dim it. She reduced the number of her energy ducts. The whole place was filled with skeletons. There were some dead bodies as well.
"Can you guys see it now? I wasn't lying." said Fedyenka.
"Yeah...But why could only Fedyenka's light make it visible?...I mean too much of her light." said Yuri.
"Maybe these are beings made of light. They are...extinct." said Phantom.
"Beings made of light!?!? That sounds cool." said Fedyenka.
"You are a being made of light, girl." said Qiang.
"Wait what?" said Fedyenka.
"That is the reason why you are OUTE's key to everything according to them. Light is the first element which can be used to see anything. Of course maybe even it has it's limitation."
"Oh...So I can access most stuffs because I am made of light and my body was modified in every single way?"
"Yes. That is the reason why your ears look almost like a cat."
"Those looks like elves Qiang. I have always told you to study about biology and different races. Why don't you listen to me?" said Yuri.
Qiang got embarrassed by his words. He scratched his neck and said,
"Um...well then. Let's look for a way out."
"Hey...why does everyone's words feel a bit off? Except Phantom's...of course." said Fedyenka.
"We are right now in a place deeper than the first part of the sea Fedyenka. I am certainly not used to such thing. Even a sage has one's limitations." said Yuri.
Suddenly they could feel like everything was shaking. The stones started falling that were hanging. Yuri created a shield and said,
"It's him...He is coming. WE GOTTA GO!"
"He is a human right? Why is the ground shaking then?" said Fedyenka while running.
"Even the first sage fears him for this reason. He is the lord of underground they say, for a reason."
Fedyenka remembered that she has read about him before. He is vulnerable to light because of an unknown reason. Fedyenka theorizes that it is because of his land of birth and his mana. His mana is pure soil and coal.
"Wait...he is vulnerable to light right?" said Fedyenka.
"Yes, why?" said Phantom.
"Is he listening to us? Does this place have any device?"
"Maybe. I am not sure. Fedyenka watch out!"
Fedyenka felt someone's presence. A scorpion like thing came towards her. It seemed to be mechanical. Qiang moved Fedyenka aside and got badly injured.
"No...DUMBASS I CAN REGENERATE!!" said Fedyenka.
Yuri stroke the mechanical metastoma and moved Qiang away. It got crashed into pieces. But it built itself back up again. Fedyenka tried noticing where it came from. She noticed that it came through a wall. She broke through the wall.
"Fed, STOP IT DAMN IT!" said Phantom. Unfortunately, his attempt to stop her was unsuccessful.
"This thing is long. I'm going to look for that damn sage. He is the one causing these." said Fedyenka.
"WHAT!?! YOU WILL FAIL DUMBASS!"
"Phantom. Go with her. I will take care of Qiang." said Yuri.
Phantom rushed to Fedyenka. Fedyenka was still no match for Phantom when it comes to speed. Phantom snatched her on his back and told her on the way to destroy the place where the scorpion comes from. She destroyed the wall. The metastoma left the place where Yuri and Qiang were. It started chasing after Fedyenka and Phantom. It could not detect where they were so it kept slashing here and there. Fedyenka unleashed a powerful strike and kept destroying the mechanical part. It rebuilt itself. Things went silent suddenly. Phantom stopped running.
"No! Phantom, what if it's a trap? MOVE!" said Fedyenka and kept pushing Phantom.
"Wait...I think we should go back to where they were. Yuri can you hear me?" said Phantom while rushing back with Fedyenka on his back.
"So...it was a trap for all of us so that he can take them as hostages..." said Fedyenka in her mind.
"I can hear you. Come here at once. We are trapped." said Yuri.
Phantom reached the place right after Yuri finished his words. Yuri and Qiang were trapped in a pile of mechanical instruments. Phantom could not see them, neither could Qiang or Yuri.
"They are under the-"
Fedyenka couldn't finish her words, a mechanical hand came towards her as well as three more. Fedyenka got startled. Phantom was going to rush off somewhere else but he bumped into the pile of instruments.
"*Cough* *Cough*"
Fedyenka could hear someone cough. She told Phantom that perhaps they should fuse again. Phantom agreed with her and did it once again.
This time, Fedyenka could feel pain along with numbness. She could not do anything. She could only stay still with the pain all over her body and mind. When she got separated from Phantom, she saw herself partially injured. Phantom was injured as well as Yuri and Qiang. The mechanical being was left destroyed. Someone appeared with black skin and golden eyes. He was a skinny person. His face was diamond shaped. He let out his tongue and looked at Fedyenka as if she was a food to him.
"Welcome Fedyenka. I suppose you already know me." said the person. His voice sounded like as if he is a snake of the underground.
"You are that...Soil-dragger or whatever." said Fedyenka.
"Ha ha ha ha. Your words are indeed adorable. Sabia Second was telling the truth. So, Fedyenka. I believe you have something to give me?"
"What do you want from me?"
"Just a little game. If I lose you take what you want. And if you lose, I take you...So, do you accept?"
"I do."