[Doherty POV]
'Who would've thought that my wish to stretch my limbs would actually come true? Now I have to go try and find Jaque and the little kid.'
I was the one who sent them to the S.T.A. in the first place, but I don't feel bad about it. the decision was still the right one. A live experience would help Jaque actually improve. Plus, there is no worry in my body, I am strong enough to get them out alive.
"Umm, Mr. Doherty, can I ask you a favour?"
Interrupting my train of thought, I look up to see a young girl around Stella's age. Brown hair and pointed ears.
'An elf? Not every day do you see those forest dwellers of the west. She does look familiar though... Crybaby did bring a girl and a boy.'
"What favour do you need?"
"I want you to bring me with you guys so I can save Big Brother Jaque and Arius!"
Not immediately answering, I rest my face against my hand staring at her. Starting back, I could see quite a lot of will burning in her eyes. With a smirk, I let out a little bit of my bloodlust.
Besides the initial falter, this kid seemed unfazed by it. Looks like she's improved her will over the past day.
"Alright, you remind me of when I was young. Plus, bringing along another to babysit won't cause any trouble."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Doherty!"
"What's your name little one?"
"It's Lorraine!"
With that, Lorraine runs off, probably to go find Stella. Looking back At my own disciples, they were all ready for battle. Emma had some very basic plated armour that wouldn't reduce her mobility while having four or five of her creations strapped to her waist. Verm, the chubbier of the two brothers, was in heavy amour while carrying a large shield. Berm was in normal armour while carrying a large greatsword.
Soon enough, Alfred came back with 30 guards in tow. Getting up and stretching, I start to lead the way toward the S.T.A.
"Earnest, If you got any news, just send one of your bats to tell. Alright! Let's go kill for monsters!"
ARRRR!
With a cry from my team, we start running toward the S.T.A.
...
[Arius POV]
There's something peaceful about walking down a cave with nothing in it. It's just you and your pickaxe. With my spectacles activated, I simply start searching the walls of the caves to find some patches of ores. While sometimes the colour of the glow will match the sheet for the pickaxe, I usually just see the normal blue colour of mana with different levels of brightness.
"Dakria, I've been thinking. Why can I still see in these dark caves? I didn't see Big Brother Jaque holding any light either."
'You're a dwarf. We often spend our entire life living in the cities we construct underground. So over time we naturally developed the ability to see in the dark. Your brother has a similar ability since he is a salamander demi-'
"OH! Look at that."
While I was paying attention to what Dakria was saying, the sudden joy of seeing an extremely bright area of mana was just slightly more important.
Running over to the area, I notice the extremely bright mana was actually only coming from a super small area. I go and hit it with the pickaxe and it glows... green?
"Really more Karthin. No, there's got to be something right Dakria."
'...maybe...'
"Dakria, why are you so quiet now?"
'...'
"Ooooh, Sorry for interrupting you."
'...'
While I still didn't hear anything, I did feel a little bit of joy so she probably did forgive me. Taking off the piece of Kartin and holding it in my hands, it wasn't as bright as before.
'Arius, look in front of you.'
"Hmm, woow!"
Raising my head, I see a sight that makes me drop the ore in my hand. It was like a waterfall of mana that just oozed out of a hole behind the Karthin. Mesmerized for a minute or so, I quickly start mining around the hole to widen it.
The concentrated man just kept spewing out, breathing it in I felt energized to keep working. After 15 minutes of intense labour, I finally made a hole big enough to climb through. Leaving my pickaxe behind, I start drawing through the hole.
"Dakria, what do you think it is? I've never seen mana like this."
'Perhaps it's a mana spring or there's some sort of artifact here that emits all this mana.'
The farther I went in the more concentrated the mana became. The mana was so bright, I had to deactivate my spectacles to see where I'm going. Eventually, I reached the end of the tunnel.
Falling into a large room, I quickly get up to look around. The room had all sorts of ores on its walls. It was mostly empty with a sole table and a throne in it. On top of the table was a box, a perfect cube and completely black.
Behind the table was a throne. I shivered in terror at what was on the throne. So similar to the mutated stone monster that gave me nightmares. It was even more humanoid. A body that is perfectly humanoid except that having any facial features.
"Dakria! What is THAT!"
'I don't know.'
Crack
"AAAAH!"
Suddenly seeing the head of the monster move, I freak out backing away until my back touched the wall. Not caring about my screams, the thing continued to twist and crack as it starts to move eventually standing up and staring at me. Even with no eyes, I could tell it was staring at me with its soul.
ZZIP
"Arg! aha ah ahaa..."
In a blink of an eye, the monster just appears in front of me before picking me up by the hair. Raising up its other arm it aims at my body before moving it toward me.
Covering my chest and face with my arms, I didn't feel the expected death that would happen.
"Where did you get this?"
Shocked that I hear a voice coming from the monster, I lower my arms and I see that it's holding my pendant in front of me.
"H-Hey, give that back."
"Where did you get this?"
Not caring about me reaching my hand to try and get my pendant, I see various colours flash across the face of the monster as it asks the question again.
"I-I had it since I was born."
"Are you a Dwarf?"
"How did you know!"
Tud!
Letting go of my hair and letting me fall onto my butt, the monster slowly steps away before walking back to his throne.
"Hey, give back my pendant."
"Dwarf, as thanks for saving my race, your elders tasked me with saving and protecting this box. They told me to give the box to the one that bears the key. This is the key."
Placing the pendant down on the table, the monster goes to sit down on his throne.
"What? I don't understand, what do you mean?"
"I am not allowed to say nor explain. My duty has been concluded."
With that I see the monster stab its hand into its chest, pulling out a mechanical orb and a pure white rock.
"Take my heart and my essence stone. Take the box and the pendant. As long as you search enough, you'll find the answers to your questions."
With that, the monster's face starts to dim as it falls back into the throne never to get up again.
After a few more minutes of silence, I had only one thing to say about this experience. Overwhelming! I don't know what just happened. But what did happen was too much for me to handle.
'Arius, I sense a small pile of Mythril in the corner of the room.'
Surprisingly Dakria didn't comment on what just happened, instead telling me to get the Mythril. Just in the corner, there was a pile of black and multicoloured rocks. Grabbing them in my arms, I place them on the table before grabbing the things that the monster had in its hands.
Then grasping the pendant in my hands, I see all the stuff on the table disappear before I feel myself being pulled toward Duargeinhelm.
-------------------------
[Dakria POV]
What is going on?!
That heart was mechanical, I recognise the design. It's dwarven-made. What's going on? It seems much had happened before my existence.