We were at a high altitude. A few trees stood towering as cold wind passed through them making a weird sound.
There were numerous plants and bushes, much more than I ever saw around here. I wondered how many new herbs I would find out here.
Scott ordered me and Amalia to look around and gather herbs while others would scout the area and attempt to find the tomb which was well hidden around here.
The primary goal for today's trip was to gather and scout the area and find the entrance of the Tomb. That was all, so it was less of a danger unless we entered the tomb.
He sent the bandit trio to the east where the area was wide to see if anything was alarming or useful for us while others lurked around.
Amalia took a Blue and yellowish large leaf and told me to take a good look at it. It was a healing herb that I had never encountered.
I took a small bite, her brows knitted together as she stared at me.
[ Ding! New Plant discovered...]
[ Plant name- palmer leaf
Effect- healing ( 15 %) ]
"Dont eat everything you see" She took it from my hand, "You don't even know if it's poisonous"
"It's not" I set straight as I ran my gaze across the horizon to locate more plants.
"I know but what about the previous one?" She said. "And before that one. Why do you have to take a bite of every single leaf around here? You even ate some random grass"
"..."
I remained silent. How could I tell her by consuming the plants I get to know if they are useful or not? It's like I am a testing machine. But she also has a point, last time while wondering I ate a poisonous plant and had to suffer nearly three hours until the poison finally wore off.
The old man scolded me just like she was doing it right now. She carefully took another leaf from the bush and as she did her necklace hung out of her chest.
The necklace she wore was round and silver with strange words carved into the surface. She noticed my gaze and rubbed her finger on the surface of the necklace.
"It's a gift from my master" She let a few breaths pass as if trying to remember something, "it's saved my life many times"
I did not say a word as she went back to collect herbs. I walked past the spot and decided to look for more herbs that surrounded us. This time she did not forget to remind me not to put anything in my mouth. I shook my head, cheerful.
I am really in good hands.
I collected a few herbs making sure to taste different plants along the way, evading her occasional glances at me.
I heard a shout, it was Rex. "Guys, Come here I found something"
We all commenced gathering at his location. He looked agitated but his gaze was doubting. He looked at Scott, more intently as if asking something.
"What did you find?" Asked Scott, baffled as well as inquisitively.
Rex gestured to follow everyone, Every single one including those bastards. Anyway just as we did my jaw dropped.
The reaction among the group was similar to mine. It was unexpected.
Just down the side, Rex had found an iron door that looked ancient with various strange designs and animals or maybe beast carving here and there but what took my attention was the sheer size of the tomb.
It was impossible to locate this giant door from afar a side, All one could see from afar were enormous rocks lying around with no intention at all just like any normal rocky structures.
But when we looked closely we saw a stone archway leading to an iron door just a few steps inside the rocks.
"Is this Tomb Of Arcopash?" stammered Rena.
"It is" Said Scott trying to remain calm.
"You said it's confidential and impossible to find" Rex filed, his words were solemn as well as his expressions.
Well, it is if anyone asked me. If I were to find something like this I bet I would have passed three or four times from this place but could not see the archway. Kudos to the craftsmen.
"We found it" muttered Amalia.
She was surprised just like the rest.
The Bandit trio had an unusual smirk on their faces. These robbers must have thought of some unhealthy agendas for us.
Scott forwarded himself as he leveled the map on the vertical rock in front of us. His fingers traced lines and locations shown on the map.
"it is supposed to be buried under the snow" He implied and fear was evident in his eyes.
The group fell dead silent.
What does he mean by that?
I looked around and detected that the area around the door was less snowy than where we stood. It was like someone shoved aside all the snow in the path of the door.
There was also piled-up snow on both sides of the door area but it was enough to know someone had pushed it aside a few weeks ago.
"Does that mean someone found it before we did?" Rena clicked her tongue not wanting to express any more of her thoughts.
The map swam slowly and dropped down gently on the snow field.
Scott stood like he had seen a ghost, his eyes tried to search the same expressions on his friend's faces.
"what should we do now?" Rena blurted out, almost as if she had lost everything on her way here.
"We have to enter, Now" Scott ordered.
He showed no reaction, his eyes glued to the iron door.
Wait, what the fuck does that mean. I did not sign up for this shit!
I knew my limits, I am at level three. Who knows what we have to face inside the fucking burial ground.
Ghosts!
I felt a chill run down my spine. I hope the ghost of Britannia was not like from my world who loves to scare people to their deaths, Even dolls are scary.
All I wanted was to frame those gangsters and return safely. I don't want to be a real adventurer at my current level, I mean bruh I hate ghosts...
"We c-cant" Amalia wavered glimpsing at me.
Finally, some sane person chose to raise his voice. Yes, we cannot go in, absolutely nope.
Rena turned to Amalia trying to persuade her while Scott frustratedly booted the bucket of snow lying around.
He took deep breaths, trying to maintain his composure.
"We came all over the way here for this Amalia" Rena filed then gave me a hateful glare. "you can't possibly say you do not want to go in because of some random dude"
Well... Fuck!
"I promised his grandfather, that I would protect him at any cost" Amalia calmly replied, her tone firm just like her expression. She seemed to make up her mind not to go inside. "I cannot break that promise"
Wow, she means it. I felt assured by her statement.
"And what about the promise you gave us?" yelled Rena shaking her by her shoulders. "huh? You promised Scott, to help him on this journey"
Amalia stayed silent.
"Guys calm down," Rex spoke out, he took a huge pause just like his body. "Let's see if there is any other way"
The group was silent until the bandit women spoke first.
"How about we go inside and take a look?" she was eager to barge inside regardless of the danger. "We are not afraid of anything"
Heck no, How can we allow the people like her to enter inside first and steal everything? Again why did I resist that idea even in my thoughts?
Now I know how Scott is feeling, his months of work and planning were about to be ruined even though I had begun to have second thoughts.
They cannot possibly allow them inside...