Niss felt the voice echoing in his mind once again, the familiar dark and ominous woman's whispers sending a chill down his spine. This time, however, it felt a little different, almost like she was...
closer?
'I can't believe such a weak human is the only one I can reach.'
'HELLO!? CAN YOU HEAR ME, LADY!? YOUR WHISPERS ARE REALLY LOUD!'
Frustrated, Niss dug a finger into his ear, trying to focus on reaching out to the voice.
'O-oh, so you can finally respond?'
'You're barely stage two, but I suppose you can hear me much clearer than before.'
Not only could Niss hear her much clearer than before, her voice echoed loudly as if she was in some large and empty room.
'Ahhhgg! Can you shut up!?'
'For now, considering there are no other options, I will leave you be. But before I do, you must endure a little gift.'
Niss clutched his head, collapsing to the floor in agony. His mind felt seared as if on a scalding skillet, harsh popping noises filling his ears while excruciating pain washed over him in relentless waves. Overwhelmed by this unseen force, he finally snapped, unable to bear the torment any longer.
"STOP!!" Niss shouted at the top of his lungs.
'Fine.'
'Weak boy.'
The pain ebbed and slowed as Niss regained himself.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SCREAMING FOR AT THIS HOUR!?!" A man's voice came from outside Niss's door.
"S-sorry, I u-uh..."
"Just keep it down, kid. Some of us have jobs to get to in the morning," footsteps seemed to fade away down the hall.
"Right, my bad."
Niss composed himself and got up on the bed.
'I need sleep.'
That was all he could think before he wrapped up in the blankets and passed out.
.....
In the oppressive darkness, thick dark chains hung, their links rattling like the groans of a forgotten world. Scattered magic artifacts lay strewn about all over the floor, dulled by the surrounding despair. Pain, an incessant and throbbing pain, wracked Niss's body as he slumped on a cold stone pedestal, his knees weak, feeling the very essence of his magic being drained by the unforgiving stone.
The room, enveloped in darkness, stretched infinitely, its depths swallowing every glimmer of hope.
That night, Niss was plagued by strange nightmares, the boundaries between reality blurred leaving him lost in a realm of torment and confusion.
.....
'Uhhhgg, I slept like shit.'
'My head is still pounding....'
'Hello?'
'Hey lady, is it only when you feel like talking, or are you gonna answer?'
Niss never got an answer as he gathered himself and his belongings in the room of the inn, heading off to meet up with everyone in front of the guild hall.
It was a bright morning, and the wind wasn't as vicious as usual, making the walk over quite relaxing, as most of the town was still asleep and quiet.
'Ahhh, finally, the headache is fading.'
Seeing the others had already gathered and were chatting away, Niss hurried over.
"Aw, so I think some introductions are in order." Trevor placed a hand on Niss as he arrived. "This one is Niss. He will be upfront with me, Niss, I know you met the Lady already, but this is Curt, our healer with an air affinity."
"N-nice to meet you, Lord Niss." The nervous-looking boy pushed his glasses up and extended his hand toward Niss.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about being formal with me, I'm just an adventurer right now." Niss shook the boy's hand with a warm smile.
"I didn't even realize you were a Lord. Is your father a Duke? a Baron?" Lysandra looked at Niss quizzically.
"Ah... He was a Baron. My mother is taking care of things for now." Niss replied.
"Oh sorry I hadn't heard of a Baron passing recently, I hope your family is doing well despite." Lysandra had a sad look as she tried to remember some of the smaller Barons in the kingdom.
"No worries, why don't we get going. It's going to take us about two hours to reach Chillcrypt Catacombs by foot." Niss smiled at the group as if to show he was unaffected and just wanted to get moving.
"Niss.... before we go I noticed something different about you...." Siarra said quietly, speaking in Niss's ear so the rest wouldn't overhear.
"Siarra? I mean, I slept terribly, did it really affect me that much?"
"You're aura, seems like it changed and... did you break through?"
"Oh yeah" speaking out loud to the group now. "I broke through to D-rank last night." Niss said with a sly smile.
...
Healing magic was more akin to a secret affinity than a conventional element. It utilized ambient mana, making it technically accessible to anyone. However, mastering healing magic required aura users to specialize in it and delve deep into their understanding through the use of spell tomes. Healing magic did have its drawbacks, specializing in healing caused the aura to adopt specific properties, significantly diminishing its raw power in exchange for the ability to merge with others and enhance their natural healing processes. Similar to mages infusing their aura into weapons, healers would infuse their aura into others, utilizing it to facilitate healing. To achieve this, a healer's aura had to be submissive, providing a constant flow to guide and amplify the recipient's natural healing abilities.
.....
Approaching the snow-covered temple that led down into the Chillcrypt Catacombs, there was a certain level of excitement among the group. The nervousness that was felt before on their first dungeon delve was now gone. With lessons learned and newfound strength and allies, the group moved forward to the temple doors.
Two large stone doors, standing slightly ajar, led inside the frosty temple. The snow was attempting to creep its way in and spread slightly across the temple floor, blown inside by the harsh wind.
In the dim light of the temple, a sarcophagus toward the far end lay open, its intricately carved stone lid slid off to the side.
This place, once a sanctuary for revered figures after their passing, now stood desecrated. Several other sarcophagi lay open too, revealing the bare bones of skeletons, their resting places violated by heartless bandits and grave robbers who had stripped away their treasures long ago.
However, inside the larger sarcophagus with its intricate carvings, there wasn't a skeleton. Instead, there was a stairway leading deep underground.
This was the entrance to Chillcrypt Catacombs, the dark stairway and the cold bones of the skeletons laid bare in the temple spoke volumes about why many adventurers steered clear of this place. After all, nobody was a fan of the undead.
Studying the intricate engraving on the sarcophagus, Niss noticed the elegant yet weathered familiar writing etched into the stone's surface.
'Here lies Danivee, a hero in the eyes of the kingdom and the people.'
Niss's eyes lingered on the writing imagining the tales that must have surrounded this heroic figure. He wondered about the feats Danivee had accomplished, the challenges faced, and the lives touched. The words etched in the cold stone conveyed a feeling of respect and admiration.
As the group descended the stairs, the weight of the inscription stayed with Niss, a reminder of the courageous individuals who had come before them, shaping the very kingdom they lived in. With each step taken toward the depths of the catacombs, Niss felt a newfound sense of purpose, fueled by the legacy of Danivee.
'Someday, I will achieve enough for temples and relics to be risen in my honor.'