The space within the foul-smelling sewers was a maze of twisted pipes and channels crisscrossing everywhere, leaving anyone unfamiliar with the layout completely disoriented after just a couple of turns.
Not only did they have to endure the omnipresent, toxic stench, but there were also many dangers lurking in the darkness.
Fortunately, both the thief and the ranger professions were skilled at moving unseen.
Hasting and Hales were brothers. Those who knew them usually called the pair Big Black and Husky. The brothers often disguised themselves as strangers to one another, occasionally playing tricks on newbies. They'd even dabbled in a bit of double-crossing and backstabbing.
This time, they wanted to trick Amberser, but they hadn't expected that Amberser was even more cunning than the both of them combined. Following him into the sewers, they didn't find their target and instead found themselves in danger.
The once filthy, dim sewers had suddenly transformed into a gorgeous garden with lush scenery, and even the pervasive stench had vanished, replaced by the rich fragrance of flowers.
The thief Big Black frowned and said, "This isn't right. How could there be a garden in the sewers of Alchemy City?"
But the ranger Husky, ever so casual, said, "Who knows? Those alchemists are capable of anything."
Although Big Black felt something was off, he relaxed after hearing what Husky had said.
"You make a good point. This place is really nice, and the scent of the flowers is so pleasant."
Big Black took several deep breaths, feeling relaxation spread throughout his body, oblivious to his eyes slowly filling with blood. In just a few minutes of walking through this garden, the brothers had become like mindless zombies, drooling with their mouths agape.
At that moment, a goddess bathed in golden light appeared before the two brothers.
"Mortals, you have entered the realm of a deity."
The ethereal voice brought an excited expression to the stupefied faces of the brothers as they gazed at the beautiful goddess shrouded in golden light and quickly knelt down.
With drool hanging from his mouth, Big Black said, "Beautiful goddess, may I ask which deity you are?"
"I am the Magic Goddess Mistrall. You are lucky to have found my garden. I can grant you one wish."
Husky looked puzzled and said, "Magic Goddess? But I am a ranger..."
Big Black, on the other hand, was already vehemently saying, "Great Goddess, I wish, I want... I want you!"
In Big Black's eyes, the Magic Goddess was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, fulfilling all his fantasies. He had almost lost all sense of reason and, without giving a thought to the sanctity of a deity, sought only to unleash his inner desires.
Husky was taken aback by his brother's blunt and crude request. This was a goddess, after all!
To their surprise, the glittering Goddess Mistrall did not get angry but instead let out a sweet laugh.
"You have good taste, mortal. I shall grant your wish."
The goddess's response made Big Black's heart swell with eagerness, and he lunged at the goddess, starting to nibble on her.
Husky watched with envy, wondering if he should make the same wish, but before he could, he felt a massive force beside him pulling him aside.
Husky barely had time to react, feeling dizzy, and then the scene before his eyes changed completely.
The once idyllic place with birds singing and fragrant flowers reverted to the dirty, stinking sewers, and several burly men wearing leafy garments and sporting antlers suddenly surrounded Husky.
One of the dark-skinned brutes grabbed Husky's arm and warned, "Don't move. The witch's illusions are too powerful. We can only barely isolate it. If you rush back out there, we won't be able to save you."
Husky, still disoriented from escaping the Illusion Realm, mumbled confusedly, "Escape? No, wait, where's my brother?!"
Looking back to where he had been, Husky was shocked to see that he was now about twenty to thirty meters away from Big Black and even more appalling, he saw his older brother, in a frenzied state, gnawing at an old witch covered with ugly, festering sores.
"Ugh!"
Whether it was a side effect of the illusion or the sight beyond his tolerance, Husky vomited until he felt dizzy and his world spun. It took a while before he could catch his breath again.
Turning back to his pitiable brother, Big Black lay in the arms of that hideous creature, a contented expression on his face despite being smeared with revolting filth all over. What was even more hair-raising was that the witch and Big Black were lying atop a pile of rotten, mutated rats, their bodies covered in toxic pus.
"Ugh~"
Husky couldn't help it and threw up once more.
When he looked again at the group of muscular men in leaf garments beside him, a sense of gratitude washed over Husky. Had it not been for their help, he might have had to endure the same despairing torment.
Husky expressed his thanks profusely over a dozen times and then asked, "Are you Druids?"
The dark-skinned big man who had been dragging Husky by the hand replied, "I am Van Jones. We are Druids from the Tribe of the Golden Vine. We too fell into the Witch's Illusion Realm by accident and can't find an escape."
Husky surveyed his surroundings. There were six people dressed as Druids, four men and two women. Three of them were huddled together, murmuring incantations as if maintaining some kind of magic ritual.
Van Jones continued explaining, "Right now, we can only use the Thorn Ceremony to ward off the effects of the Illusion Realm. But even with us rotating continuously, we are running out of strength."
Only then did Husky notice that each of the Druids had a haggard appearance, looking as though they hadn't had a good sleep in many days.
"What do we do now?" Husky asked anxiously.
He wanted to save his brother, but with his own strength alone, it seemed impossible.
"I don't know, we're just clinging to a sliver of hope that things might turn around," was the reply.
Van Jones's tone was filled with helplessness. They couldn't completely break the Witch's illusion. They had attempted to attack her several times, only to find that she appeared and disappeared unpredictably. Their efforts, whether summoning beasts or using natural magic, were all in vain against her.
As the Illusion Realm continued to drain the Druids' power, if the Thorn Ceremony stopped for even a moment, they would all fall under the Witch's spell once again.
The reason they had rescued Husky was simply out of Druidic kindness. Plus, they hoped he might bring a turn of events to their dire situation.
But now it seemed the Ranger had no way to change the course of their fate either.
With a sigh, Van Jones said, "Sylvanas above, perhaps this is when our spirits return to the forest."
But Husky thought of Amberser and Naomi whom he had met in the tavern. "Do you have another tribesperson, a young female Druid with golden short hair?" he asked.
Van Jones asked in surprise, "You know Naomi?"
"Not personally, but I've seen her. She has also sought help and should have arrived here, in the sewers. Hold on a little longer, maybe we can be saved," Husky said, not just to console Van Jones, but also to reassure himself. The thought of betraying others was far from his mind now; he simply wished for Amberser to appear quickly and take down the Witch.
Van Jones, however, was shockingly dismayed, "Naomi came back? That child… has she gone mad, squandering the sacrifice of us all?"
Husky urgently said, "Don't talk like we're doomed. The help she's brought should be very powerful, and it's an Undead, especially suited for this sewer environment. Surely they can deal with the Witch!"
Suddenly seized by emotion, Van Jones grabbed Husky's collar and demanded loudly, "What did you say, an Undead?!"