Arriving at the site where the supposed portal had appeared, nothing was found. I considered the possibility that Kael had lied, but the expressions on his face suggested otherwise.
Where the portal should have been located, there was a small crack in the ground. Kael hadn't mentioned anything about a crack in the floor, so we decided to enter.
The crack led to the shadowy ruins of an ancient temple. The place was now full of insects and moss. The walls were covered in ancient runes and various drawings.
With each step we took, dust rose, spreading around us, giving the atmosphere an even more eerie air.
As we advanced through the ruins, the environment became increasingly dense, and a vast darkness covered the area. The sound of our footsteps echoed through the corridors, which seemed to stretch on endlessly. The ceiling was supported by pillars corroded by time, giving the impression that the slightest impact could bring them down.
I looked at Charlie and tried to lighten the tense atmosphere that had followed us throughout our journey so far. I stroked Charlie's fluffy fur, which was a great comfort.
Grey and Elise began petting him too, and their expressions became less tense.
We continued our exploration cautiously. The walls of this long corridor were adorned with broken statues and worn-out reliefs, depicting ancient gods and strange creatures.
I noticed myself staring intently at the upper part of a god's statue.
"Grey, you're a healing specialist, right?"
"Yes, I can heal any injury, as long as it's physical."
"Do you know how to cure baldness?"
"My healing can cure everything, remember?"
"But isn't there supposed to be no cure for baldness?"
"That's what everyone thinks, but I can cure it."
Elise watched us from a distance. Judging by her expression, she was probably wondering if she had made the right choice in joining this group. Grey and I laughed a bit, but we soon returned to the main objective.
As we advanced, we reached a large chamber with a ceiling that seemed to get lost in the darkness. A huge mural depicting some kind of battle between races covered one of the walls, and a few runes were drawn at the center of this mural.
Elise walked up to Grey and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Grey, you're good at solving riddles, right? I think this is the perfect time to show off your skills."
Grey removed Elise's hand from his shoulder and gave it a few pats.
"Elise, allow me to show you how grand my mind can be."
"You're quite confident. Come on, tell us what it says."
Grey remained silent and began observing the runes on the wall. He eventually turned to us, flashing his signature mischievous grin.
"Looks like we'll have to change our goal."
I looked confused by Grey's declaration.
"Explain..."
"According to these inscriptions, there seems to be a relic hidden deep within this temple."
My eyes lit up with excitement.
"A treasure, you say? Maybe we can auction it off and raise funds for our next adventure."
Elise laughed a bit.
"Hero, you always find a way to lighten the situation. But remember, the treasure could be useful in our adventures. Who knows what we'll find beyond these ruins?"
"You're right, but if we need money, selling it wouldn't be a bad idea..."
We finally reached another large chamber, bigger than the last. In its center, an old and worn chest glowed with light coming through small cracks. The chest was magnificent, as if it were protecting something of immeasurable power and value.
Cautiously, we approached the chest. The atmosphere was thick with a heavy aura, and my heart raced with anticipation of what we might find inside. Grey extended his hand and touched the surface of the chest, feeling its energy.
"This chest has a weak seal on it. I can break it, but there could be a trap."
With everyone's permission, Grey snapped his fingers and dispelled the protections. The chest slowly opened, revealing its hidden treasure.
Inside the chest, there was a set of weapons, each one uniquely detailed and radiating with ether.
Grey had a confused and suspicious look on his face.
"Why would weapons of this caliber be abandoned in a place like this?"
I quickly reached into the chest, grabbed a sword, and began examining it closely.
"I don't know, but they're beautiful..."
Elise frantically tried to take the sword from my hand.
"Hero! Don't touch that, it could be a trap!"
"Relax, nothing's going to ha—"
*Crash*
*Crash*
*Crash*
I looked to the side and saw Grey staring at the chamber's ceiling.
"Damn it! This whole place is about to collapse. Run as fast as you can." He roared.
Elise stared at me and snatched the sword from my hands.
"I tried to warn you. Grab Charlie, and let's go."
"Sorry, everyone, I got carried away by greed."
As ordered, we started running toward a crack that appeared to be the exit, but to our dismay, the rubble from the walls blocked it.
Grey, looking around, found a hole in the ground that looked like the place's sewers. He quickly jumped down, and I followed, but Elise, frozen with fear, stayed behind.
Grey, who was a few steps ahead of me, stopped abruptly and rushed back to get her.
"Come on, Elise! I'll catch you!"
Elise's legs were shaking, and her face was filled with terror.
"No, Grey… I can't…"
"On three, close your eyes and jump, I swear I'll catch you."
"One…"
"Two…"
"Three… Now!"
With no choice, Elise gathered her courage, closed her eyes, and jumped. Grey caught her mid-air, channeling ether into his legs, and began running.
Charlie and I were well ahead, but we saw Grey passing by like lightning, carrying Elise.
After finally reaching the end of the sewers, I could see several sparks surrounding Grey. His hair, which had been completely white before, now had a purple streak. Mysteriously, the streak vanished.
"Grey, how and why did your hair turn purple?"
"I don't know, but it always happens when I channel ether into some part of my body."
I lowered my gaze to Elise, who was blushing, still in Grey's arms.
"You were so fast that I didn't even have time to be scared…"
Grey set Elise down and dusted off his pants.
"Of course, that's my specialty. But now, where are we? I don't recognize this place."
Elise was deep in thought, carefully analyzing the area, while I petted Charlie's head.
"Well, I don't recognize it either. Let's explore it further."
Grey and I nodded, and we set off to explore the area. After walking for a few minutes, we reached the edge of a hill, where we could see most of the city.
I stepped forward with Charlie and sat on the edge of the hill.
"Imagine watching the sunset from this place…"
"Imagine if you 'accidentally' fell down there…"
I looked back and saw Elise approaching me with a mischievous smile on her face.
"GET AWAY!"
"Just kidding… Or maybe not. Anyway, how about we use this place to train with the new weapons?"
"Interesting suggestion," said Grey, who was leaning against a nearby rock.
I simply agreed with Grey and went back to playing with Charlie.