I wanted to listen to Talia's whole deal about her being a High Elf and all, but I couldn't focus.
The only thing I got was that her entire race was kidnapped, and they were in the thousands.
Were they an endangered species? Even the current humanity hiding in cities still spanned billions.
For an entire race being such a low number meant…
"They were strong despite their number, right? If they were powerful, how did they get captured?" A redness appeared in Talia's eyes at my indifferent attitude. It made me cough and look more serious.
Didn't want to make her hate me and all…
"That's because of the pact. You humans asked for our protection in the past, and the past stops us from hurting you. Not even if we want to do so." Her eyes were red with the emotions welling up inside her.
"Where were they taken?" (Pal)
"New Faustus." (Talia)
"So let me get this figured out: You want me to break into the most guarded place ever… to rescue the women that had been taken that day along with very few males. Because you can't hurt Humans." (Pal)
"Can you do that?" (Talia)
"Even if I really could- Err… Why me?" (Pal)
"You're a dangerous person who is good at killing people. And someone I can trust." Talia started.
"Woah…" This was the first time she'd been so straightforward with me, but she thought too highly.
"I'm not as strong as you think." I wasn't much of a close combatant, gunner, or even good at magic.
Her trust was wasted.
"I've seen you for a long time now. You have no ambition, but you have competence. When you want to, you can get anything done. Just like when you investigated about this place." She spoke too softly.
My hairs raised by the contents of her words.
Although I wasn't aware she was an Elf, this church had always been a suspicious place in my mind.
I investigated it this entire year and figured it out.
The secrets this place held.
"I don't know what you're talking about." But telling her that was the same as showing all my cards.
She pointed towards the door, and that action made me flustered enough to almost break into a sprint.
Sweat dripping from my face.
As expected, the door shut on its own without her even using magic. I started to feel it. The stares…
Thin vines appeared in places where lifeless carved wood should've been. Making my spine chill.
She smiled at me.
"Is this a threat?" Her cute face now looked at me dangerously. I could hear this church's heart pulse.
Almost like it was alive.
That's because it was. This place should had never existed within a city. After all, it was a great evil.
"Does a simple dungeon really scare you?" Talia didn't seem to think of this church as a treasure.
But that wasn't it.
'Dungeons' were indeed rare, but they tended to have no owner and couldn't normally be controlled.
That was the setting me and George came up with.
But this Dungeon seemed alive. Almost growling.
"Don't mind it much, Pal. You know since I can't personally harm humans, I simply raised an army that could." Talia spoke of an army, and I had no doubt she actually had one hidden here somewhere.
The distorted space of a Dungeon was several times larger on the inside. Depending on how long it lived.
And from my investigation using the local library and a few connections, I found a scary fact.
That this 'church' was here at the city's inception,
Meaning that it was among the oldest Dungeons that likely shared similar traits to its elven master.
And if what she said was true, then Elves were both people with great potential and late bloomers.
It took a long time for them to grow past their adolescence and into adulthood, but those that did were apparently able to handle all elements along with plant life. They were the ultimate predators.
Likewise, a Dungeon with that trait would be…
"I surrender." I put my hands up before she killed me. Even if I could revive, I didn't have three lives.
What did I even see in her?
My eyes looked at her face and found that dangerous look cute. Mesmerising me to the point of gulping.
Oh yeah, what I saw was that darn face.
"You flatter me too much. Couldn't you escape if you wanted to?" Talia smiled and said something crazy.
"Even if I'm not killed, this Dungeon could probably trap me here forever. Don't try to test me." I wasn't some fool that thought I could beat everything by punching it. Sometimes, you had to bow your head.
Grovel if you have to.
"Like that. This is what I mean." I suddenly realised normal people shouldn't know this information.
Ignorance was truly a bliss.
"…You could simply buy data from me. I'm not this god of killing you make me out to be." I pleaded.
"Even so, I don't have much of a choice anymore. I'd rather gamble than wait any longer." She responded.
Her eyes saying she wouldn't take no for an answer.
Oddly enough, I didn't find this detestable.
Must have been a free pass because of that face. I'd rather sit here looking at it than go out to do a 'job'.
And here I thought I'd left the dirty work behind.
"If I take your side, the entire city will eventually turn on me. I'll truly have nowhere to return to at that point. Even if I break them out, how are you planning to escape with them?" I had to ask.
"I'll tell you if you're in. If not-"
"You don't have do that. I'm in… but shouldn't you show me some 'sincerity'?" I leaned closer to her.
My face covered in smiles.
Eyes looking up and down her figure without even thinking about whether she'd be okay with it or not.
Maybe knowing I could die anytime made me brash.
"You're arrogant." There was a distorted frown on her face. Likely because she saw me as a 'Human'.
Which in other words, was a wretched pervert.
There was no way she didn't know why the upper echelons of humanity had captured so many women.
Beautiful elves on top of that.
I'd bet my jaw that they'd probably been violated by now. Their freedom and human rights taken away.
Likely on the justification that they weren't human.
Maybe if I was in love with her, there'd be pity in my heart about her tragic tale, but really… I just felt lust.
Horny over those perfect proportions.
Maybe a part of me wanted to go the straight and narrow, but that time passed when I came here.
And when I killed again.
There was no hesitation in my heart to go back on a dark path. One that George once wanted me avoid.
"You don't want to? Fine. Leave it. It was just a joke from me." I waved off my words at her reaction.
Looked like I'm getting no pussy today.
"…I can summon you a Succubus if you want something to relieve your desires, but that is it." Her words made me do a double take. Did I hear her correctly? She was being so hospitable right now.
"You serious~?" I didn't expect to hit a jackpot here.
"So then… What about our current business?" Talia looked like she wanted me to confirm the details.
So impatient.
"Help me strengthen myself a little bit before I go there. We need some prep time." I waved my hair.
The glossy afro moved around.
…..
….
…
..
.
Talia was an impatient one, but she helped me out using the secret methods lost in time only she knew.
Thanks to my request, she opened up to me.
Giving me her best.
"You did that without any Artes Lines?" I had once again listened to her asking this in amazement.
She checked my body herself, but she still doubted.
"I have this Skill called 'Word Enchanter'. It lets me do a lot of things." I gave her the rundown easily.
Knowing she wouldn't use it against me in any way.
Ironically, that threat from earlier made me more certain that she wasn't used to tricking or harming.
Her argument sounded cold, but it was just rushed.
It looked like she really couldn't wait anymore.
"Then I'll help you become much stronger." There was determination in her eyes to perfect her 'tool'.
She wouldn't let me die so easily.
Talia started to explain that what she was about to do was help create the highest quality Artes Lines.
Engraving them deep enough to become part of me.
I was excited for this.
The nun sat me down with crossed legs. Telling me to get familiar with her Healing for a few days.
When she was done, I'd almost fell asleep.
"Wake up. You need to learn this." It looked like I was being taught a technique only she ever used.
"You'll need the Dark Attribute if you're going to infiltrate 'that place'. I'd prepared this for my future partner for this reason." Once she healed me up to my best condition, she revealed something to me.
She headed out into the garden I never got to see and brought back a black flower for some reason.
"What is that for?" I remember Artes Lines needed a machine to engrave. So what was that flower there?
Did she want to plant it on me or something?
"This is a 'Moon Blue Spider Lily'." She sighed: "It's meaning is the afterlife. Like how many believe that Monstrous Beasts that appear out of thin air are actually earthbound spirits. Clinging onto their life."
I felt like there was more to her words than I knew.
The knowledge I thought so highly of seemed like nothing in front of this Elf who lived a long time.
I'd remembered a flower called the Moon Blue Flower Lily being used in legendary medicine, but not for drawing Artes Lines on people. There was a massive difference between the two she likely knew.
Artes Lines were supposed to be the medium for magic in this world, but Talia thought differently.
She said that something else.
Saying that Artes Lines were a lesser version of true Magical Pathways that only 'Mystics' were born with.
People of a once separated realm just like her.
"I'm going to a plant this in your body and meld it with your affinity for death. The process must be continued until completion. You've told me all your Skills openly, and I will repay that trust." A fire was born in her eyes when she looked at my face.
Talia's words made me feel at ease.
I felt like I could trust her enough to do something that was rather taboo for a normal Necromancer.
My hands placed on my chest, and when I removed them, a murky bead of death was pulled out.
This was my 'Miasma Core'.
Not a manifestation of the ability, but the actual SKILL itself. A bead that could break if manifested.
If anyone broke it, then my power would vanish.
We made eye-contact with each other as I allowed her to place the Moon Blue Spider Lily on the core.
Once planted, I allowed it to slowly return to me.
Like roots, the flower phased through the Miasma Core and created pathways around me naturally.
Naturally, rather than completely artificially.
This was the first time I'd experienced such a thing or heard of this in our novel's light sci-fi setting.
A strange feeling for me…
[You are in the process of acquiring the unique Intrinsic Skill: 'True Quad Affinity Artes Lines'.]
[Processing…]
I could feel the power surging through me, but this didn't seem enough. After all, I had a dark mission.
One that would need as much strength as possible.
For the sake of my own future, I was willing to go the extra mile in order to strengthen myself further.
That's when it hit me…!
'Power Sharpening'!!
I could use that Skill in conjunction with Word Enchanter in order to do something about my core.
To make the lines tougher!!!
"Polish." I spoke this recklessly.
['Word Enchanter' and 'Power Sharpening' are activating. Synergy is creating a resonance.]
I felt my body was rotting on the inside after the power of flames shot out to 'polish' the core.
Reinforcing and improving it.
[Continuous polishing of core will evolve the Artes Line process. User is warned of increased pain.]
[Pain inflicted will increase with each 'Polish'.]
As someone who knew weakness, I felt obsessed to either be as strong as I could… or simply die trying.
I will not be bullied. I will no be weak.
For George- No… FOR MYSELF!
If that's what he wanted, I'll be as indulgent and selfish as I wanted. Even if that meant ruining it all.
The story he so loved more than me.
"Polish." When those words came out of my mouth at that moment, the murky core started to shine.
But the pain coursing through me intensified.