The next day, everyone gathered at the gate of the dungeon. Seven guards of the highest order stood near Prince August. George and Arthur were standing nearby. Everyone was waiting for Casia. She shouted from afar, "Hey, I'm here!" She ran towards the gate and, upon reaching them, said, "Sorry for being late. It took more time to get prepared."
"Yes, seeing how Arthur was coming, you had to look more beautiful, right?" August taunted Casia.
Caught up in the moment, she immediately replied, "Yes, it took me a while to figure out what Arthur would like... wait, I didn't mean that!" Realizing what she had said, she became embarrassed.
Arthur was as clueless as ever, but August laughed while George became sad again. After this exchange, they entered the dungeon. It was like a cave, full of darkness. Among the guards, the captain, Mahamatya Chandraji, led the way with a torch in his hand. After a while of walking, George became frustrated and said, "Oh, come on! How much time is it going to take for us to meet a single monster?"
Mahamatya replied, "This is just the beginning of the area. I agree with you; there are practically no monsters here. Generally, there should be a few low-level monsters."
Suddenly, a bright red eye-like flare appeared in front of them. Assuming it was a monster, George rushed from the back of the group to the front. Before he could pass Mahamatya, Mahamatya stopped him with his other hand. George was confused, but before he could say anything, Mahamatya threw the torch he was holding. It fell, illuminating the area below. After adjusting to the darkness, everyone saw that the path ended there. If George had continued, he would have fallen into a pit. Scared, George backed away a little.
"What should we do now?" August asked.
Mahamatya pointed towards a narrow ledge extending from the cliff. Carefully, they walked along the thin stone ledge until they reached a staircase leading down. Everyone descended to the first floor of the dungeon.
Upon reaching the lower level, Arthur asked Mahamatya, "What was that red eye-like flare we just saw?"
Mahamatya replied, "It is called a mirage."
"Mirage?" Arthur exclaimed.
"Yes, it's a term used for illusions," Mahamatya explained.
"So it was an illusion, then? Created by whom?" Arthur asked.
"In areas full of darkness, your mind can sometimes fool you by showing you what you want to see. It's similar to how in the desert, your mind creates an illusion of water when you need it the most," Mahamatya explained.
"Hmm, I get it," Arthur replied, nodding.
Mahamatya thought to himself, Even after reaching the first floor, there are no monsters.
He then spoke, "Prince August, you and the others should go back."
"Why?" Prince August asked.
Mahamatya's breathing became more labored. In a heavy, scared voice, he said, "Prince August, there are some people here whom we cannot ignore."
"What do you mean?" Prince August asked, frowning.
Taking a deep breath, Mahamatya said, "Sir, our guess is that the Malvani clan is here."
"The Malvani clan?" August repeated, alarmed.
Mahamatya nodded gravely. "Yes, the Malvani clan is known for their evil deeds. It is generally said that if you hear the name of the Malvani clan, you are bound to be dead."
Everyone exchanged anxious glances, the weight of Mahamatya's words sinking in.
"How do you know the Malvani clan is here in the dungeon?" Prince August asked.
"Well, for starters, there are no monsters here. Second, the corpses of the monsters and people who came here and died are not here," Mahamatya explained.
"What do you mean?" Prince August asked.
"Members of the Malvani clan have a unique ability: they can consume anything. If they kill a monster, they eat it. By eating monsters and humans, they gain new skills and powers."
"By skills, do you mean manipulation skills?" August asked.
"Yes, sir. There are two ways a person can use aura: first, aura manipulation skills, and second, elemental magic. The Malvani clan is stronger because they can use monsters' manipulation skills by just eating them."
"What should we do?" August asked.
"Please go back," Mahamatya replied.
"But what about you?" August pressed.
"Don't worry. It is most likely that they are here just to consume monsters and get stronger. But if they were to find out that you, the prince of the Mrinal Kingdom, are here, their intentions could change. Please, Prince, go. I will send two guards with you, just in case."
"So we just run away like that?" August said, frustrated.
"Yes, please, Prince August, run away!" Mahamatya screamed in fear.
Suddenly, a frightening voice echoed through the dungeon. The voice was heavy and serious enough to send chills down their spines. It said, "Run away? Why? Who is running? Where? Can you really run? How?"
Upon hearing such a terrifying voice, everyone became paralyzed with fear and could not move.
As the voice faded into silence, a shadowy figure emerged in front of Mahamatya and the others. As the figure became clearer, fear gripped everyone more tightly. There were three men standing ominously, their presence alone striking terror into the hearts of those present. Mahamatya, battling the paralysis that held him, struggled with all his might to break free. After a tense moment, he finally succeeded.
With a surge of energy, Mahamatya unleashed a powerful fire explosion towards the three figures. The scene was immediately shrouded in smoke from the blast. As the smoke began to clear, the sight that greeted them was chilling—the three men were standing still, completely unscathed, as if nothing had happened.
Among them, the man in the middle began to laugh maniacally. His laughter soon twisted into a terrifying grin. "Do you really think we're so weak that a mere explosion could defeat us? You'll pay for your insolence," he sneered. With a snap of his right fingers, the man on the right stepped forward, preparing to unleash a devastating attack.
Arthur, paralyzed with fear, could only watch in horror as the attack was about to land. Just then, everything around him shifted. Time seemed to stop, and the world turned black and white, leaving Arthur as the only figure in color. In the silence of that frozen moment, a familiar voice echoed in his mind: "Do you want to live?"
"To be continued..."