Chapter 49 : Adventuring in Voltruite
After a long preparation meeting for the dungeon, we finally decided not to bring anything. Yeah, we shouldn't take it too seriously either: now that we can come back here anytime, we can afford a little spontaneity. So right now, we're about to leave the guild house, after linking the access point between Blindrock and the road to Voltruite.
"Aley, I want to be able to come back here with everyone too, without having to ask you all the time," suddenly asks Githin, arriving from the lounge to sit across from me, looking impatient.
"Yeah, I'll add you to the access point, don't worry—" I start, but a message from the Will of the World interrupts me:
—Unable to add Githin Lockheart to the access point: unable to add a person of superior rank.
"So, Aley, did you add me!" exclaims Githin, already grinning, stars in his eyes.
"Ahah... it's a bit... stuck for now. I'll try again later, don't worry," I say, faking a smile. It's strange... The Will of the World refuses to grant Githin access when it did so for everyone else, even for Elvie and me. Could he be... on the same rank as the Void Queen...?
No, that would be absurd. Sure, he's powerful, but not to the point of rivaling her. His aura is... friendly, powerful without being overwhelming. But... the source of his power... Could it also be a part of the Absolute Void? This guy is a walking mystery.
"Never mind! Githin the Absolute declares that it's not that big a deal!" he says loudly, his voice echoing in the walls of the house, disturbing Valentin who was in the middle of a conversation with... Elvie.
I leave Githin to his speeches to focus on what our two quiet friends are saying. I murmur a soft "Aleystria's Enhancement" to sharpen my hearing.
"...So, if you want to punish Aley in the dungeon, you could..." murmurs Valentin, looking mischievous. Oh no. Oh, no, no, no, this feels really bad.
"...So he won't be able to ignore me... eheh... and I can give him as many hugs as I want," replies Elvie with an almost terrifying sweetness. Wait, she's not planning to knock me out with a potion, is she? ...No way. This Elvie, so sweet and innocent, would never do that, right?
At that moment, Valentin looks up at me, a broad smile on his face but with a completely vacant look in his eyes. He then speaks in a loud voice, addressing me.
"Aley, when we're in the dungeon, I think it's better if we split up. I'll go with Githin, and you take Alfira and Elvaria, okay?" he says, emphasizing enough for Alfira, who is dozing on a chair nearby, to hear clearly.
"Ahah... yeah, okay, no problem," I say, forcing a fake smile, giving a thumbs up. Alright, I have a bad feeling. A very bad feeling.
...
Here we are in Voltruite.
Teleported to the access point between Blindrock and the road to Voltruite, we begin our walk towards the dungeon, led by Elvaria. Githin is by my side, a confident smile on his lips, Valentin also stays close, and a little further ahead, Alfira follows Elvie, sharing laughs and quiet whispers.
The walk is long, but the scenery almost makes us forget the effort: mountains that seem to touch the sky, forests of giants where the trees seem to spring from the depths of the world, as if they wanted to challenge the heavens. Everything here is oversized, as if Voltruite belonged to an older, wilder age, and despite the hours of walking, no one seems to really complain.
We've crossed swamps where the mist lingers between reeds, climbed steep hills, slid down sharp slopes, and took shortcuts through dense forests and mysterious caves. This path to the dungeon is so remote that one might think we are the last travelers in this world, adventurers treading the earth for the first time.
"Ah! This fresh air feels so good!" exclaims Githin, raising his arms like a conqueror. "And by the way, none of you seem tired despite these hours of walking. The great Githin did well to join you!"
Valentin, with that knowing smirk, adds, "And you haven't seen anything yet. Aley, get ready to go all the way to God's Prism."
Githin raises an eyebrow, visibly intrigued. "The Prism, huh? This sounds... interesting. Alright, I'll follow you to the waterfalls at the world's end if that's what it takes!"
Waterfalls at the end of the world? If they really exist, I absolutely must see them someday.
A bit curious, I ask, "And what do you think the girls are talking about up there, ahead?"
Valentin gives me a serious look, as if he knows the answer without a doubt. "You."
Githin, thoughtful, abruptly changes the subject. "By the way, isn't it uncommon to have a guild captain with red hair, don't you think?"
I raise an eyebrow. I hadn't even thought about it. In this world, colorful hair isn't that rare; even Phloriphis sports rainbow hues! "Why would it be strange?"
"Well... Humans with red hair, known as the Blazing Souls, were numerous during the Holy War, but their clan went extinct a long time ago..." he murmurs, his gaze vaguely fixed on Elvie.
I can't help but frown at this detail. "And you, how do you know what happened during the Holy War?"
Instead of answering, he winks at me and murmurs, "Secret."
"Tsk..." I promise myself to dig into this story later.
We continue on our way, exchanging bits of information and remarks about what we might find in the dungeon. Honestly, it's not every day that you walk alongside a hero, a human emissary, and a mysterious man capable of wielding a power similar to the Absolute Void. It's surreal.
Finally, after several more hours of walking, we reach the foot of a colossal mountain. At its peak, a strange white light shines like a second sun, emitting a pure, mysterious brightness. It's the entrance to the dungeon, a radiant glow, flawless.
"Elvie! Are we there?" I shout, eager, towards Elvaria.
She turns around with an innocent smile. "Yes, welcome to the Herbarium dungeon! No one has ever opened its doors, and its difficult location has discouraged everyone who tried to reach it. It's a forgotten dungeon."
Valentin sighs slightly. "If only Owul were here, he would surely have more info... But, with his habit of wandering lost continents..." He shrugs. Seeing the spark in his eyes, the prospect of exploring a forgotten dungeon seems to awaken as much curiosity in him as in us.
"Yaaawn... This time, I'll try not to fall asleep..." mutters Alfira, her head resting on Elvie's shoulder.
I step forward, inspired by the adventure that awaits. "Alright, let's climb, and enter. Leave the door opening to Elvie and me; it might not work otherwise," I say, a bit too sure of myself. Githin gives me a perplexed look, as if my words seemed absurd to him.
"Let's go!" declares Elvie, already heading up the slope.
At the top, here we all are, gathered in front of the immense, majestic door of the dungeon, standing alone on this mountain. A dazzling light emanates from it, breathtakingly beautiful, bathing the place in an almost unreal glow.
"Elvie, we're going to open the door," I say confidently, stepping forward. Elvaria follows me, and just as we're about to touch the door's surface, Githin steps in front of us. With a delighted smile, he places his hand on the door as if it were nothing.
"I can open it too! Count on me a little!" he exclaims enthusiastically.
We all stare at him, stunned. For us, it's absolutely unlikely that he could open this door, even with his magic. He should normally possess the Stria to...
— Stria Enhancement: Supreme Authority
— Next Stria: ???
What? I feel a shiver run through my mind. My Stria has activated, but I haven't even touched the door yet! I glance at Elvie, as bewildered as I am; she seems to have felt something too. Githin, meanwhile, stands there, frowning, not understanding what he just did.
And suddenly, the dungeon door begins to open. Alfira and Valentin exchange stunned looks.
"G-Githin... How did you open the door?" murmurs Alfira, breaking the silence.
"Oh, I just infused a bit of magic, isn't that what Elvaria and Aley were going to do? I also want to be useful for Novus Obris!" he responds, completely unaware of the feat he has just accomplished.
Could he also possess the Stria? The idea starts to take root. Never mind for now, we must stay focused on exploring the dungeon.
"Whatever, let's focus on what's inside," I say, trying to calm the excitement. I take a deep breath and cast a final glance at the splendid landscape stretching beneath our feet.
I look at my companions, then turn my attention back to the door, now partially open.
"It's opening, Aley..." murmurs Valentin, ready to dash.
The door fully opens, revealing an unexpected landscape, a vastness whose raw beauty commands respect. We are facing a valley of incredible scope, suspended so high in the sky that clouds cling to it, dotting the horizon. One could almost believe they were in an open-world video game, with colossal pillars scattered everywhere, some still standing, others broken.
And in this false dungeon sky, shadows of wings are outlined. Majestic dragons fly freely, massive black silhouettes gliding across the blue, as if they were the natural masters of this infinite sky.
"It's been 500 years since I've done something so exhilarating! I'm going ahead!" shouts Githin, and before we have time to react, he rushes through the door, leaving a shockwave behind him.
"Wait! Ah, what a hothead that guy is… Quick Step!" mutters Valentin before disappearing in a flash, chasing after Githin.
So here I am, alone with Elvaria and Alfira. A slight shiver of anticipation runs through me; it's obvious that Elvie has a plan for me here. I give her a sidelong glance, and when she catches my eye, a mischievous smile lights up her face, her eyes hiding a spark of secrecy.
As for Alfira… she keeps her smile, looking a bit naive, always eager, ready to dive into any adventure.
"Aley, Elvie, let's go in!" she cries, taking a joyful step towards the door.
With a final sigh, I follow suit. And hoping that after this dungeon, no other problems will add to our already busy schedule filled with troubles, I plunge into the mystery.