Wind with Voices Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Three of Us Met

Please leave me, a little breathing s.p.a.ce. I just want to gaze at you…… Do you understand? Just like the fir tree at the foot of a mountain, gazing at its zenith. In those high places, will it be cold? “Eh? You’ve caught one already? So fast? Lloyd stared at them dragging a man back, a little stupefied. He himself has breezed through the day without any problems. “…… I’ve also met one, but he escaped.” Xiev muttered moodily. “I saw one as well. They…… are all masked in black, aren’t they?” Ca.s.sca simply pointed out the problem of this mission. “…… Probably.” Bayle responded. He started to pluck at his own hair, and spoke no more than that. “I gave him some simple treatment, or else he would die on the way here. Treating enemies really gives off a bad vibe, whoo.” Vik placed the man, who had been trussed up tightly in ropes, at the side as he briefly explained his condition. “He’s unconscious for now…… Di, have you guys had any results?” Leanne noticed that Indy’s mind was off in the clouds, and called him. “Huh…… Ah? Oh, no.” He was indeed absent-minded. It was only when Aidric lightly pushed him, did he respond. “We’ve not met any…… or maybe it should be said that we didn’t discover any.” Their minds had been preoccupied because of the covenant. It wouldn’t be abnormal if they had come across one, yet not noticed it. “Okay…… We’ve at least gathered some results, having tied a man back here. Now…… we should knock him to his senses and interrogate him……” “What, how are we going to do that? Who can?” Everyone fell silent. A really good question was posed. From young, they have been raised and taught to become a priest of the highest order, hence it was evident that they’ll want to become someone aboveboard, and respectable. Who on earth will try to understand methods on interrogation? It’s not like everyone here has perfect personalities, but to do such a cruel thing, was still impossible for them. “The crucial point is not who can…… but who will.” “Then…… let’s do it all together!” “How do we do it? Once we wake him…… we have to prevent him from committing suicide.” “Let’s take a look at his appearance first, shall we?” This was the only suggestion they could agreed on. Vik immediately removed the mask from the unconscious man. He was a middle-aged man, with ordinary looks. His face was stained with blood, and an aura of evil could be felt emanating from his presence. “Are people who were in contact with the dark faction like this? It’s like they’re poisoned, and that lingering evil aura…” Everybody turned around, their attention on Aidric. “What… what is it?” “Nothing… you looked genuine and pure.” “Not to mention, very handsome too.” “… What do you all want me to do? Experiment with living matter? ” Aidric felt totally helpless, and turned his gaze towards Lloyd. “I think the job of interrogation should be pa.s.sed to Nomunde, he seems to excel in anything…” “Cidelis, you think too highly of me, I have no experience in interrogating people…. It seems like you have some misunderstanding about me; it’s like you’ve condemned me as a narrow-minded person?” Not only was the issue of interrogating the captive not resolved, another suggestion is now raised. “Is there a type of magic which will force one to spit out the truth? If not, we will have to put up a calm pretense; as if we are really familiar with matters of catechization… Seccaj, don’t you have powerful magical abilities? Is there any suitable spell for this kind of predicament? “Ooh… I’m not very sure… The nature of pure magic is righteous and sacred. For this situation, dark arts should be a better remedy." Everybody once again turned and looked at Aidric. “Hey… don’t be like this! Can all of you stop trying to impose your ideas on me?” “But you’re the ideal candidate!” “There is no time to waste; this is urgent! Hurry, just think up a few spells to put to use!” “As a team, cooperation is important; a person with capability must definitely try his best to help others. Make yourself useful, Cidelis!” It’s so much easier to say than do. However, Cidelis no longer has any excuse to reject, and could only utter profanity in his heart. This is all thanks to Nomunde. I’ll never let it slide… didn’t he previously say we shouldn’t reveal all of our abilities within the team? “Okay. But… I would like to bring the hostage into the room before I conduct spells on him; I do not wish to do this in front of all of you. Is that alright?” “Oh come on, don’t be like this, we really want to how the execution of dark arts works!” “No! If not, forget about it and all of you can think of another idea.” Aidric’s obstinate temper started to act up, and he refused to listen to anyone’s opinion. “All right, we’ll place this matter in your hands.” “…. Seriously, this morning, all of you act as if you are not in favour of performing dark arts; yet now, you’re persistently convincing me to perform it….” As Aidric lifted the hostage, he could not help but grouse, disgruntled. “When there is an urgent need for it, of course we wouldn’t care any less!” a blunt remark was made; an unrecognizable voice. Rendered speechless, he brought the hostage to his room, whilst the others followed behind him and waited outside the door. “There’s no guarantee it will work, is there?” “… …” Indy closed his eyes. “I can feel it…” “What?” “The magical field of dark arts is activating....” It seems like only Indy, whose spiritual prowess is formidably strong, could feel it. His face then abruptly paled. “…… It gives off an eerie chill, just as I imagined” It wasn’t long before Aidric opened the door. That man seemed to have awakened, and was admonising the Priests-to-be. “You bunch of rascals, release me at once! My comrades will definitely deal you the punishment you deserve! Moronic believers! You should all die! ……” Before he could finish, Aidric swiped at his neck. That man’s ramblings broke off in mid-air, and could not even express his astonishment before his mandible was twisted. Everyone could hear a ‘crack’. The jaw was dislocated, and his mouth couldn’t close together. All he could do was utter weird noises, ‘gu lu gu lu’. “So noisy…” Aidric furrowed his brow in disgust, while everyone else stared at him, their eyeb.a.l.l.s about to pop out of their sockets. “You still dared to say all that…… Your methods are deft and skilful, you’re sure to be brilliant with interrogation!” “Aren’t you misunderstanding something? Interrogation means forcing him to speak, while I just made him incapable of talking.” “Who cares, so what information did you manage to obtain from this man?” “… Do you have paper? Give me a few.” Indy rummaged through the room, and managed to dig out a few slips of paper. Aidric took them, and raised his right hand. “Astaque…… Jasgera……” The words he uttered seemed to have some mystical power immersed in them. As he enunciated those words, the fingertips on his right hand started to glow. His fingers traced the paper slowly, and upon their touch, words and symbols started to surface. When the three papers were filled, the glow on his fingers vanished, and that strange vibe was lost. “This is everything he knows of, all the relevant details are here……” “…… A-amazing…… This seems like a spell of an exceptionally high level.” Indy picked up the paper to take a look, and exclaimed in amazement. “How did you do it?” “…… I just used magic to selectively copy and extract important details from his memory.” He tried to explain with his hands, but stopped once again. “Forget it, I don’t feel like elaborating further. The crucial point is, I have the information in my hands now.” Lloyd looked at him, the corners of his lips curling into a little smile. No one noticed it. Everyone pa.s.sed the papers around, as they processed the information and contemplated it. “All right, I understand the situation now. They have sent people to spy on us. There will subsequently be approximately 30 people incoming, and among them, five are of a higher stratum. These people will be a.s.sembling at the third congregation point, towards the west, which is also stated on the map…… That man knows really little.” After condensing the information given, all that’s vital came down to only these few lines. It’s no wonder they dismissed it as little. Nonetheless, this information would still serve some help. It’s definitely better than having nothing on the upcoming situation. “So what should we do with the man now?” “Do I say it outright? He’s still conscious, wouldn’t it frighten him?” “It would be better to let him hear it. Just look at the way he cursed at us earlier, it was really unpleasant.” “Leave this to me.” Lloyd offered, smiling to show his willingness to take care of the matter. “He has already served his purpose, keeping him alive would only be an eyesore. I shall let him rest in peace.” “You’re seriously going to kill him?” “Or Cidelis, do you know of any brainwas.h.i.+ng technique that would enlighten him towards the right path as a believer of G.o.d. We can consider letting him go if there is one.” Aidric shook his head at Lloyd’s question. “I don’t know that much, only the basics.” No one knows whether he’s speaking the truth, yet, no one can prove that he’s lying. “Since no one has any objections…… I’ll take this man away.” Lloyd smiled, lifting the man off the ground as he walked out of the room. As Lloyd left the room, the man kept uttering meaningless sounds. A young man carrying a person trussed up this tightly, was bound to receive suspicious stares from pa.s.sers-by. Lloyd only responded with a smile, and continued to walk nonchalantly. When they’ve finally reached an isolated spot, Lloyd let go of his hand and the man flopped onto the ground. Lloyd squatted down, smiling, as he focused his gaze on him. “If you’ve the guts to do this kind of thing, you should always be prepared. That death is inevitable when you meet an enemy stronger than you.” “ @#!@... @^$@%....” He is probably still cursing at me. Lloyd ignored him and continued. “A few of your comrades are still in the vicinity? I can feel it, and you…… think they will show themselves to rescue you? That’s impossible. If they reveal themselves, they will irrevocably face the same outcome. Hence, they would only look from afar, and return to report on their observations.” The man’s breathing became heavier. Lloyd grinned, and bent down to whisper to the man. “Birthed from the decree of the Death G.o.d, all who believes in her are destined to die. I beseech you, demon of Sanderas, to guide us out of the darkness……” Only a few lines were uttered, and no one else heard them. However, the other party’s eyes widened like round saucers, and the sounds he muttered started to falter. “So I say…… Foolish man, you’ve got to learn…… to protect yourself.” He stood up. The smile he revealed, was strangely terrifying. “I’ll grant you a majestic death! Be grateful for it.” He paid no heed to the increasingly agitated cries of the man, and voiced out the commands. “G.o.d’s Decree, ExquisiteDivineFire!” Within seconds, beautiful, vibrant flames burst forth and surged to the skies. The crackles of the blazing fire filled one’s ears, completely drowning out the screams of the man. Crimson, golden flames flickered and danced, illuminating its surroundings. The moment these flames subsided, nothing remained. “I hold faith in what I call justice, even if people deem it evil. For this cause, I am willing to die. To attain immortality, I shall hold no regret.” These words left his lips in a light whisper. His eyes reflected only an icy cold. “Failures can only take this path, comrades……” It was already night when he returned to the inn. Everyone happened to be gathered together, luxuriating in dinner. “You’re back, Nomunde. Was the matter taken care of?” “Yeah, I’ve granted him the opportunity to rise to heaven to meet G.o.d. So now G.o.d can deal him his punishment. I think that’s a good thing for him.” Smiling amicably, Lloyd pulled out a seat. He then grabbed a piece of bread and munched on it. “…… He’s dead?” Indy’s expression spelled fear. He definitely doesn’t have the courage to kill. “Secaaj, you don’t have to be afraid. You’ll experience it eventually yourself.” He didn’t mention if he was referring to killing, or meeting death. But, Indy was afraid of the former. “I do hope that even if I have to…… the day would come as late as possible.” Indy still harboured escapist sentiments. Even if he had to cower behind people’s backs…… he would still want to avoid it…… “Well, I think we should find the place stated on the map as quickly as possible. Let’s go after eating, shall we? They may escape if we don’t hurry.” “Okay, I don’t mind all that.” Aidric sipped at his water, and answered casually. “Then hurry up and eat, especially you, Nomunde.” “Ah, I don’t mind going without food. I eradicated that man earlier using fire. Seeing the barbequed meat on the table reminds me of that incinerated corpse. The smell of burning… ” “Yuck! Don’t say any more!” Vik clasped his mouth, with a look that he’s about to barf. Indy’s face turned ashen, and he put down his fork. Meanwhile, Xiev, Ca.s.sca and Bale continued to dig in, their expressions unchanged as they relished their food. “Nomunde, do you want to upset everyone’s appet.i.te?” Leanne gave up on nibbling her half eaten ham, and glared at Lloyd accusingly. “It won’t. Look, Ciernardo, Lido and Nile are still indulging in their food. Lloyd waved his hand dismissively, and started to chew his bread. “……” Aidric sipped his water again, his appet.i.te for even bread lost. And so, the dinner ended quickly, with half of its people still rather insatiated. They gathered at the entrance of the inn, and set off to the third congregation point. “We’ll probably have to start fighting once the door opens later on. Are you guys prepared for this?” “Yeah.” “No, no……” Indy could be said to have no combat experience whatsoever. He was quivering in fear, completely clueless on what he should do. “Don’t worry.” Aidric gave him a pat on his thin shoulder. “I’ll help you.” Indy peered at him, and felt more at ease, as warmth transpired within his heart from Aidric’s words. “Indy, I’ll also lend you a helping hand.” Leanne turned her head to rea.s.sure him, apprehensive that Indy’s good impressions of Aidric would increase. …… Honestly, even without enemies in front of them, being in this team seemed like a constant battle…… As they closed in on the target, no one spoke, and their footsteps lightened. Indy sensed that among everyone within the enclosed s.p.a.ce, only his steps and breathing could be heard. His face reddened. Actually, there isn’t a need for it...... Since the enemies were on close pursuit, and we didn’t specially capture those on our heels; catching sight of us head their way, they would naturally come to a realisation and report to prepare for our arrivals...... Aidric had this sentiment, and the others should as well. It’s just that lightening their footsteps had become a habit, so if Indy couldn’t do it, they wouldn’t force it on him. That isolated building before them was it. It wasn’t particularly eye-catching, and there weren’t any residences in its surroundings...... The city of Thains is rather huge...... the third congregation point...... who knows how many there are in total? As they approached the door, Vik took the lead and kicked it open. As the door flew open, thirteen men swarmed from within, prepared with weapons. They launched a direct offensive, their movements practiced and skills brisk. “Ha! These people are really all masked in black!” Vik first advanced, then retreated to pull away the distance between them. He then laughed, invigorated. “I was initially expecting a battle of magic.” Ca.s.sca professed his disappointment, as he evaded attacks. “A battle of magic would suck! Having to add a ‘G.o.d’s decree’ every time, it’s so obsolescent!” Xiev’s opinions always juxtaposed Ca.s.sca’s. Even with enemies in front of them, they had to argue openly in loud decibels. Once again, the two of them engaged in an eye battle, playing with the impulse of putting aside the enemies near them, just to hack off this detestable comrade. “ Thirteen men, they grew in number. That man’s useless, he knows so little.” Lloyd brandished his sword, with a complaint. Even though there’s thirteen, he has no regard for any of them. “...... My sentiments exactly.” It’s rare for Aidric to agree with him. His fingers lightly glided across his silver blade, which radiated an acute s.h.i.+ne. “Indy, don’t stray too far from me.” “Oh......okay, I’ll try.” Every one of them was involved in battle with either one, or two enemies. Only Indy was idle, anxiously finding a safe spot. Occasionally, there would be a blade swung towards him, as he looked the weakest. But it would be intercepted by Aidric’s sword before it could touch him, and deflected. “ReinforceGravity!” The enemies called out a curse, one which belonged to the fifth rank of magic intended for large s.p.a.ces. Everyone abruptly felt their bodies grow heavier, and their footwork instantly slowed down, as if sucked in by gravity. Due to the gravitational force, their bodies weren’t as agile, and they hastily pored through spells that could break it. “G.o.d’s decree, purge!” Indy cast a cleansing spell. The ground was sublimated with rays of vibrant, golden light condensed with spiritual energy. This annihilated the peril in front of them. “Great!” Just fighting under those conditions for a moment, had his hands almost numb. Aidric gathered strength. With one slash of his blade, which gave off a crisp echo, the other party’s sword was proclaimed broken. Having lost his weapon, the masked man reacted quickly, and immediately fled into the building. Another was responsible for covering him, and advanced to attack. “So clingy...... seriously...... annoying!” After a while of intense battle, Leanne gripped her dagger backwards, aggravated, and propelled it straight at the enemy. That man was quick to dodge, but an adversary behind him failed to notice it. His back was fatally impaled, and he collapsed with an anguished cry. Taking advantage of this interval, she quickly drew a dozen needles and sent them flying. A couple of them had their eyes lethally struck, as the needles pierced through their brains. They instantaneously lost their ability to fight. The exertion of strength and skill was implemented well; as the needles returned to her hand, not a single trace of blood was stained. “Oh, Ms Paleris, their tactic of yours is really useful. My sympathies to them, for their lack of a prowess like mine.” Vik complimented her, and took it upon him to flatter himself as well. Leanne wasn’t particularly impressed. “Even with your standard, I can still strike with lethal precision.” The enemies’ numbers dwindled, and were at a disadvantage. One of them sent out a signal, and the rest immediately retreated into the house. “Let’s chase!” “Yeah, how can we return like this; half of the battle was set by the group’s only female, where would the pride of us men lie? We have to salvage some face, at least.” To defend against traps, they established a simple protection spell in their vicinity. “Light spirit.” A spirit summoned by Indy. It illuminated their surroundings, and they ventured in. Within was an empty s.p.a.ce. There weren’t furniture or objects of any sort, only an altar for prayer. On top of it, there was a statue on display, that of a sinister four-headed beast. According to the inscription, it is one of the followers of the Demon G.o.d. It had a lion’s head and a snake’s body, which added up to an eccentric appearance. “It’s hideous, why would they wors.h.i.+p such a thing?” “Cidelis, do you know what this is?” “Stop questioning me every single time! Why would you want to know about these? It’s meaningless for you!” As to what meaning it had for him, he didn’t specify. Looking up ahead, they still couldn’t catch sight of the enemy within the four walls. Where could they be hiding? Just as they seemed to pick up on an indistinct sound, the ground they were standing on suddenly vanished. “Wa...... Waahhh!” Having lost their footing, they could only helplessly plunge. There seemed to be someone faintly enunciating a curse, but as to who it was, they had no way of knowing. Darkness, the only thing their consciousness could a.s.similate, was a darkness that enveloped all sight. …… It felt like…… something black and heavy……That can’t be right, can it? What was I doing earlier? That’s right, we’ve entered the house, and the floorboards disappeared. We subsequently fell…... We have fallen! Even after opening his eyelids, in the darkness, everything was still black and there wasn’t much discrepancy to it. Aidric latched his hand on his side to support himself, as he struggled to stand. However, the thing he pressed on was soft on the touch. There was a sound, and he quickly withdrew his hands in shock. “Light spirit!” After summoning the light spirit, he allowed his eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness. He was then able to perceive clearly, it was Leanne. She rubbed her eyes, and seemed to have been awakened by Aidric. “……! Cidelis……?” That beautiful face of hers reddened, as she backed away, her hands s.h.i.+elding her chest. s.h.i.+t…… Where have I touched her? “I’m sorry, Ms Paleris, I couldn’t see just now…… I, I didn’t know you were beside me, that……” He apologised awkwardly, stuttering over his words, with no idea how he should even continue. “……” Leanne knew his actions were unintentional, yet she didn’t know how she should respond. She couldn’t possibly tell him ‘It’s all right’, could she? “Where are the others?” The only option was to s.h.i.+ft the topic of conversation. A shade of pink, which held the tint of sunset, still hasn’t disappeared from her face. “Ah, I just woke up. I don’t know about that either……” Aidric expanded the area of illumination. Their surroundings were that of a tunnel. It was ancient, and the top seemed sealed off. Would everyone land on a different area? But, the distance of their positions only differed a little. “They can’t possibly have been captured, can they?” If that is so, how can we be the only two left?” “…… This is bad; G.o.d knows how Indy is now. If he is in the company of others, then it’ll still be fine. But…… should he be alone, he won’t know how to handle it……” Leanne didn’t expect Aidric to worry about Indy before anyone else. His concern for him left her momentarily dazed. “Let’s think of what we should do first for the time being!” “Yeah…… First and foremost, we must reach a safe place. It would be best to get out of here…… What spells do you know of?” “……. Teleportation, s.p.a.ce travel……” They listed a few examples, yet none of them seemed practical. “We can’t use them. They’re all spells with levels above nine……” “I can only execute spells up till level eight at most. What about you?” “My limit is approximately seven, a little worse than you……” There wasn’t a spell they could use which would directly take them out of this predicament. The two fell silent, and gazed at each other. “Then…… how about we scale through this tunnel and walk along it.” They both came to an agreement, and stood up, patting the dust off their garments. It was then they realised another crucial problem. “…… I’ll say, should we head left, or right?” To make a snap judgement at this point of time was impossible for Aidric. He contemplated it, and tried to use detection, but was unable to feel anything. “Forget it, I’ll call out the Earth Spirit to go take a look.” Summoning, as we call it, can be split into two categories. Evoke summoning, where matter in close proximity is used to call out spirits. Conversation can be exchanged. Meanwhile, indirect summoning from live matter can only work with commandments. The second type is more complicated, and is equivalent to borrowing energy from the spirits themselves, to use freely according to will. For the first type, the spirits are directly invoked, and have their own consciousness. Hence, it is necessary to discuss with the spirit itself to use its power, even though they are mostly inclined to obey. This is because the name of a Priest of G.o.d brings about an absolute dignity, and is almost representative of G.o.d. Hence, spirits of nature were bound to feel fear, even towards Priests-to-be. Moreover, after actual succession of G.o.d’s throne, one would hold the right to summon all spirits. According to one’s attributes, the levels of compliance of the various spirits would naturally differ. After summoning the Earth Spirit to question the difference between left and right, he, at the very least, gained some information worth evaluating. “If it’s the left…… it leads to a dead end. There’s a road cutting through from the right, but there seemed to be seals of some sort…… I think that we are situated in a place resembling a prison, with everyone trapped in a tunnel…… Of course, I am just guessing. Let’s walk towards the right, shall we?” “Yeah…... right it is.” The decision was made, and they head off in the right direction. The atmosphere was a little awkward between them, as no one said anything. “…… Ms Paleris, must you have Indy as a partner for sure?” It was a question that he’d been pondering for a long time, and he finally asked it. “I had originally intended to form a covenant with him, but now, it’s not up to me to choose. If it isn’t him, it has to be Ichta. But, I don’t like whimsical people like him. Nomunde’s attributes are also pretty good…… you too. It would have been great if you hadn’t already formed a spoken agreement for a covenant.” He had no opinion with Lloyd being praised as good. However, the feeling he exudes is that of an deep, abysmal lake; its depth impossible to perceive. And listening to her flatter himself, he has no clue where his good qualities lie. “Initially, I mentioned that I would respect Indy’s decision, but now…… I feel that I must have him as my partner. So, my apologies, I won’t give in to you.” “Eh? Haven’t you always been lackadaisical about this? Could it be because of his spiritual abilities……” “No, strength isn’t a priority. The important thing is…… he’s the person I’ve always been searching for.” Autumn, in the midst of a cold, lonely morning…… It’s wind…… “Did you realise it only today?” “…… Yeah, because of…… the ‘Wind Spirit’……” “Wind Spirit? Isn’t the one everyone uses the same?” “It’s different……” As they articulated the 2 words - wind spirit, the little sprite automatically blew its way over, softly caressing their skin. As it swept past their ears, it left a subtle ring. “The wind everyone summons has a different sound. Ours also vary. Like Indy’s…… it gives off an extremely warm feeling, yet, I feel like it’s alluring me to it. Aidric’s expression was mellow as he voiced his inner thoughts. Leanne stared at him, slightly stunned. “Is that it……” His words did indeed move the gentle part of her heart. But, she still has to put her own interests first. “However, I won’t give in to you. Let’s just see who victory goes to!” “…… If he chooses you, I will give you my blessings, that you’ll be able to get along happily. I’ll still feel a little regretful over it though.” “I will, as well.” Aidric displayed his chivalry, and went silent for a moment, before he spoke. “If it turns out that way, I’ll probably pick Ichta, if he agrees to it.” “Ah? Ichta? He’s so frivolous! Why don’t you choose Nomunde? He did put you as his first consideration.” Leanne was shocked by his way of thinking. This was evidently related to the differences in their principles. “And there’s still Ciernardo, Lido and Nile! Why aren’t you…… considering them at all?” “I want a person whom I can get along with. Ciernardo is too intense; Lido too monotonous, while Nile is overly cold towards others. As for Nomunde…… his personality is good, but I always feel a sense of danger when I’m around him, talking to him.” Aidric bowed his head. His ebony hair drifted where the breeze carried it. “A person’s natural disposition cannot be hidden. No matter how hard one tries to conceal it, it shows itself without warning…… That’s how I feel. Firstly, he has thought too highly of me in putting me as his first choice. My wish is to put him as the last candidate for a partner. Even though I admit that his abilities are the best among all the rest…… it should be, but I don’t care about any of these.” I only hold faith in my own strength. That was how Father…… taught me……” As for me…… where do my beliefs lie…… “You’re really quite special.” “It’s fine to just say that I’m weird.” “You’re not. Special and weird are two different things, and you belong to the special type.” Aidric smiled at her, and they continued to make their way forward. After walking a distance, they abruptly heard a weird sound travelling from the right wall. They could hear someone talking, alongside audible knocks on the wall. “Be careful……” They stopped here, and noticed movement where the noise erupted from. A resounding bang. The wall was exploded through, while a few men sprung out from within. They were about to strike, but realised those were familiar faces in front of them. Amidst the swirling dust, they recognised one another. “Ichta! Nile, Ciernardo, Lido, you guys……” “Ah, Ms Paleris, Cidelis, you were here?” “It’s great to see that you guys are all right! It’s just that……” To have chanced upon their comrades, they would of course feel relief. But, on the other hand, seeing them only made them more uneasy. “Where’s Indy and Nomunde……?” “We didn’t see them.” “Has everyone landed on different places?” “The four of us fell together, and we landed upon a group of enemies. We spent ages to get rid of them, and our bodies are now filled with the stench of blood. This is seriously frustrating…… What about you?” Vik gave them a brief outline of their predicament, and questioned Aidric as well. The ash and sand caked on their faces made them look pretty pathetic. “Oh…… We fainted not long after falling down here. I have no idea how long we’ve been unconscious, but it was pitch black when we woke up. I tried to stand up, but my hand……” At this, he suddenly started. He had described their situation word for word without thinking, but he couldn’t possibly mention the latter parts just as flippantly. Yet, everyone felt strange that he had suddenly halted in the midst of talking. “Hand? What about the hand?” Leanne’s cheeks, which had initially regained their original colour, flushed again. Aidric was completely not the type to lie to conceal a truth. “Ci-Cidelis, you actually…… moved your hands on the lady while she was unconscious? I had been mistaken in my judgement towards you, you……” “No! That was an accident! I hadn’t known it would turn out that way, this matter……” In a situation where he wouldn’t be able to clear his name even after explaining a hundred times, he really had the notion to simply self-explode under all the provocation. After employing all eloquence, beating around the bush to explain himself, he finally managed to calm this wave of turmoil. Throughout his life, Aidric had never felt this exhausted in a conversation. Then, let’s head off towards the right together! If lady luck is on our side, who knows, we may get to meet Secaaj and Nomunde.” “Wait…… I seem to recall something. When the floor vanished, someone seemed to have executed magic…… Was it any of you?” Aidric fired this question towards the crowd. He always had the need to straighten out any doubt when puzzled. And as everyone listened, they exchanged glances. “I don’t know.” “It’s not me.” “I’ve only heard screams.” “Ah…… I think I have some recollection of it!” Vik pondered for a moment, and clapped his hand as he declared that very sentence. “Do you remember the spell he used? It should have been Indy or Nomunde, right?” Aidric probed him with questions profusely. Vik tilted his head, and seemed to have difficulty remembering details. “I only remembered that his opening line was G.o.d’s Decree, that’s all……” “…… Doesn’t that go without saying?” Leanne muttered under her breath. “Ah—forget it, that’s not important! Let’s continue walking, quick, let’s go.” Since no one could remember, and it wasn’t something important, it would be pointless to pursue it. No one could answer his questions either, thus Aidric didn’t pester them about it anymore. It wasn’t long before they reached the end. They faced a wall, which bore a gigantic hexagon. From it, an eerie black glow emanated, diffusing an aura of evil. “This, can only be penetrated using violence?” “Hold on, hold on…… I’ll take a look at it first.” Acting impulsively without knowledge of the situation, would put them in serious peril. Aidric noticed symbols resembling curse incantations carved on the wall, and went forward to study them. “Hmm……” “It’s not very old…… they’re fresh marks……” “How is it?” “What’s the situation now?” “Wait! I’m looking……” These words were pretty profound, hence he scrutinized each line carefully. “It’s as the Earth Spirit said. It’s a seal, a Dark Arts seal. It’s still new, so letters that have long been lost, weren’t used. If my presumptions are correct, these might have specially been set up to trap us.” “The crucial point is, can you decipher them?” “……” Aidric fell silent for a moment. “Maybe. But, if I don’t do this right, the spell would backfire on me. Should this kind of situation befall, you guys will have to be careful.” “Be careful of what?” “If I were to lose consciousness of myself, I may attack anyone in the vicinity unconditionally.” The five stood dumfounded, a chill running through their spines. “We do have to be careful about that…… Fighting Cidelis would be seriously scary.” “So, do we try to unravel it or not?” No one dared to make a decision. Yet, hesitating like this would only waste time and not resolve the problem. After a long pause, Aidric let out an exasperated sigh. “Let’s do it. We still need to continue forward…… I’m really worried about Indy.” “Cough, if something goes awry in the process, what do we do?” “If anything turns out wrong, you’ll have to subdue me first.” The chances of success is…… 70 percent…… His slender fingers touched the heart of the hexagon. According to the meaning behind these six points, he tried methods to break the seal one by one. The upper star, from the heart, the seal of Aperas, I beseech thee demon to leave…… The right star; from desire, which gave rise to its birth. In G.o.d’s name, expel! After a while, the uppermost black flare vanished. Its dark aura was gradually fading away. “It seems to be quite successful, doesn’t it?” “But…… Cidelis’ condition doesn’t seem too well.” Aidric’s forehead started to break out in cold sweat. A caliginous aura emitted from his fingers, and was purged through great effort. It looked as if it would threaten to permeate his body if he wasn’t careful. Other than the immense concentration needed in deciphering the seal, he had to distract himself in preventing that dark aura from penetrating his body. His breathing became increasingly heavy with the double effort exerted. “Can he really do it?” “Cidelis, don’t force yourself if you can’t do it! We really don’t wish to fight you in a death match…...” Everyone felt uneasy watching him, and was constantly chattering to him. But, this proved meaningless. He had buried his entire mind into this matter, and couldn’t speak nor hear, as if detached in a separate world. In a condition like this, how was he to know what they were talking about? Leanne, on the other hand, had noticed that the holy aura sheathing Aidric’s body was weakening. An intangible darkness seeped in, and was gradually suppressing his holy power. If this goes on, he would unwillingly be swallowed into the dark abyss. What would be of help to him? What should she do? What if her actions only created an adverse effect? She couldn’t possibly stand by and do nothing…… If this drags on, it would be too late…… Take a gamble……? Leanne made her decision. She quickly acc.u.mulated sacred energy in the palms of her hands, and laid them on Aidric’s back, transmitting it to him. The hexagon shot out multiple rays of light. The entire place vibrated, and as the lowermost black glow vanished, the evil aura dissipated to the extent that it could hardly be felt. Then, the star shone white, giving off energy that was blinding yet mesmerising. Everyone could barely open their eyes , and at that moment, the wall crashed to smithereens completely. Aidric was blown back by the force; his weak condition hardly able to keep him on his feet. Leanne, who was standing behind him, anxiously supported him. “Thank you.” He expressed his grat.i.tude feebly, thanking her for her help. Aidric tried to steady himself on his feet, his complexion still ghastly. They looked ahead, and judging by what they could see, it seemed to lead into the headquarters. “The pa.s.sage underground is indeed enormous.” “Let’s hurry and find the others!” Anxious about the safety of their two missing companions, they continued their search frantically. “Amongst so many Priests, you chose this little rascal?” The masked man sitting on the stage looked down. Indy was still unconscious, his limbs tied together, and his mouth sealed with a towel. Surveying him, he doesn’t seem too pleased. “Seba, stop being picky. Our people have followed them for many days, and after extensive observation, his spiritual energy appears to not only be the strongest, but also endless. What’s there to be unhappy about with such a rare sacrifice found?” Standing beside Indy, was a lady also wearing a mask, her voice crisp and clear. If voice could be used to determine a person’s looks, she would definitely be a great beauty. “Is that so…… It’s really hard to tell.” He walked down from his seat, and scrutinized Indy carefully. “His face is indeed beautiful. These bunch of Priests-to-be are indeed pretty on the eyes, but useless.” “Hmph…… that only makes it easy for us!” “What time does the ceremony commence?” “At five in the morning today; there’s still four hours.” “Mm…… when that time comes……” The man’s voice was eerie; it seemed to contain a mental force that wors.h.i.+ps the darkness. “Then, let’s present this body, stored full of spiritual energy, to our n.o.ble G.o.d of Sanderas. This will be for the comrades who have sacrificed themselves for us!” “Yes……” Her reply was simple, yet hid an att.i.tude that was slightly perfunctory. Sacrifice, let others do it. Who would believe that they can gain immortality just by believing in our G.o.d, and dying to protect our religion? Only these morons, I think…… Gazing upon Indy’s handsome face, they began chanting. “…… To live by the decree of the G.o.d of Destruction, his believers destined to face certain death. Demon of Sanderas, we implore you, guide us to the darkness of which it reigns. To turn evil to good, we shall die for this cause in attaining immortality. To hold no regrets, and thus, forever be at peace…… DarkMurkBlack……” A creepy aura permeated the entire shrine grounds, contained with eerily bone-chilling laughter. “Ah, I finished it again.” Lloyd threw away the core in his hand casually, as he laid comfortably on the traverse. “I wonder how Cidelis and the others are doing? …… Forget it, as for me, I’ll just wait for them.” There is no such thing as team spirit. In any case, the one who suffers pain and hards.h.i.+p wouldn’t be himself, so it doesn’t matter. However, he was still slightly worried… He had no way of knowing the answer to this question. Would Cidelis lose his life? If that happens, he is no longer worthy of interest to me. While I was still in view of the situation… those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds from D•M•B should have kidnapped Seccaj… In that case, the one in the most precarious situation is Secaaj. Capturing someone without killing him…… No matter how I think about it, that group of people were probably going to perform their favourite human sacrificial ritual. Even though that could be said to be a practice in their religious ceremonies, it is seriously a thoughtless act, not to mention barbaric…… To kill a useful person and claim it as an act of sacrifice to G.o.d; this kind of action wouldn’t benefit anyone in reality. I would rather they use the person as food or a tool, than to send him as an offering to G.o.d; doing that is simply a waste. Should I save him? … I think I’ll just leave this to Cidelis and the rest, Seccaj’s life or death… actually makes no difference to me. Lloyd continued to lie leisurely, but at the same time, he seemed a little hesitant. If Seccaj died, Cidelis would lose his partner; this is exactly what I wished for. Don’t be foolish, I would still unable to change his impression of me, he would just find another partner even if that happens; if I’d known earlier, I would have at least put on an act to gain a good impression… But judging from his sensitivity, it probably wouldn’t have proven to be of any use. I really need to think through it carefully, and make some plans… Forget it, I’ll just make the move now! If Seccaj died, I don’t think I would get to be Cidelis’s partner, and since that is the case, I’d rather do something now to gain a good impression and trust from him… “HuuuHaa… I really feel like sleeping!” Lloyd jumped off from the beam. He strode towards the darkness, bearing an upright and solemn air. I’ll have to wait. No matter how long, I just have to wait… for an opportunity to arrive… If someone were to say that a building of this magnitude like the one before them was only the third congregation point, it would be still a bit too absurd. They could not convince themselves to believe this, since the number of enemies and size of the place differed too much from what they’ve estimated beforehand. “Why are there so many people?” Hiding behind the two pillars, Vik dared not make a sound, even from his breathing. “Is this really a mere third congregation point?” “There is a worse possibility… that we have walked past the third congregation, and accidentally stumbled into their headquarters…” Aidric felt that he was imagining things to be a little too easy with his speculations. It was just that obliterating this place didn’t seem possible so little people. “Should I consider this fortunate or unfortunate……?” Cidelis let out a sigh and continued speaking in low tone,”After walking for at least half a day, we’re already so deep inside. Yet, we’re still unable to meet Nomunde and Seccaj. What exactly is going on?” “I think the possibility of Indy getting caught is quite high; his magical prowess is indeed strong but he doesn’t really know how to utilize it, sigh……” “Hold on, I’ll capture someone to interrogate.” Aidric merely stated without giving anyone time to react. All they saw was his head turn. It took only a blink of an eye; it was as if he didn’t move at all. But, that was impossible; in fact, the reality had presented itself right before their eyes. Aidric’s hands had already seized a person from out of nowhere. “Your… Your speed is so fast it’s frightening…” “It’s with this speed, that I could escape from home successfully.” In mentioning this, they were going way off topic, so there was no point in digressing further. Aidric pulled the masked man, whom he had caught, closer to him and spoke coldly to his ear; a forewarning. ” Don’t shout. Dare to get help, and you’ll be dead.” He wasn’t sure whether threats would have any effect on him, since there were those who pledged complete allegiance to their religion. They place their beliefs before their lives and thought nothing of sacrificing themselves. This kind of people couldn’t exactly be defined as dumb, but they’re especially tricky to handle and annoying. Luckily, this masked guy doesn’t belong to that type. Aidric relaxed his grip on the man slightly, and he didn’t make a single sound as he was told. “Answer my question— do you know who we are?” “You- you’re the Priests-to-be who have been led to fall into our trap…” “Great, do you know where the other two successors are?” “We…We’ve only caught one of them, it seems like the other had escaped by himself…” There’s no need to say any further, everyone figured it out in their hearts; the one who had been caught must be Indy, while the one who escaped must be Lloyd. “Why do you all want to catch him?” “I heard that the bishop wants to offer him as a live sacrifice to the G.o.d of Sanderas…” “Human sacrifice?” Aidric’s expression changed, while the others also bore visible reactions. “Where and when will it be held?” “I…...I don’t know.” It seemed like his devotion towards his religion is starting to take effect now. The man was no longer willing to reply truthfully. If only he could put up a better act, like not s.h.i.+fting his eyes guiltily, Aidric and the rest may have really believed in his words. “Are you going to speak up, or not?” Aidric’s expression became terrifying, as he raised his right hand. “I will give you one last chance. It’ll be better if you spit it out before I finish chanting these incantations. Otherwise, the consequences will be yours to bear. Shazikaromaz… Belvika… Lorasme…” “Wait, wait a sec! Aren’t you a Priest-to-be? Why do you have knowledge of the dark arts?” “Vesmira… Arvuoka…” A strong ebony glow started to take shape on Aidric’s palm, an evil, dark aura presented in its purest form. The atmosphere alone could devour a human’s spirit and will. Aidric’s expression seemed to be cautioning the man, “Refuse to speak, and you’ll suffer the wrath of this spell! Let’s see if your G.o.d will save you now.” Intimidated by that presence, the man caved in after a while. “Stop… Stop chanting, I’ll say! It’ll be held at first altar in the nearest vicinity from here, at 5 a.m. …” After extracting directions of the location from the man, Aidric knocked him into unconsciousness, and placed him against the wall. “On the accord that he didn’t admonish us, and considering that he’s quite cooperative in telling us the information that we need, let’s spare his life… As to how his religion going to punish him, it has nothing to do with me.” “Cidelis, your expression earlier on was really terrifying…… a good-looking person making an expression like that looks really authoritative. I’m not saying that you looked hideous, you’re handsome like always, but there’s just this indiscernible sense of charm ……” “All right, Ichta, you don’t have go into the minute details… 5 a.m, we’re only left with two and a half hours! Indy definitely doesn’t have the capability to escape on his own. Furthermore, if his mouth has been sealed, he probably wouldn’t be able to perform any form of magic… He hasn’t learned any spell that could be activated without verbal incantations… in short, time is precious!” After giving such a lengthy speech, another problem surfaced. Figuring out how to navigate through this small shrine, would be a trouble for them. Yet, slas.h.i.+ng their way through would waste even more time. “To traverse through the tunnel without alerting them of my presence isn’t a problem for me. What about you guys?” “I can do it.” Leanne was the first to answer. “I, as well…” Vik added on. The other three shook their heads, indicating their lack of confidence in succeeding. “Let’s do it like this. We’ll split up; the three of us would make our way to the altar, while you guys charge your way out, leave, and get to a safe place. Is this alright?” The three of them agreed to this arrangement. Going on separate ways was unfavourable for the two groups, those of whom were to rescue their comrades and those who would escape from the place. But, this is their only option. As one group revealed themselves for battle, the other three would be able to take advantage of the chaos to make a break from this place with speedily. “Huu, I’m sleepy, this is so tiring…” “Don’t stop, it’s just up ahead!” “Ah? I’m still not mentally prepared…” “Ichta, could you be more serious!” Under the dim luminescence offered by fire torches, across corridors one after the other, they started to close in on the first shrine up ahead. The instant they stepped into the temple, each of them slipped into a safe spot and concealed themselves. Their speed and reflex were incomparable to that of a normal human, thus none of the guards noticed them. “Cidelis, how’s the situation now?” Afraid to speak, they used telepathy to communicate. “Everything’s looking good. The protagonist hasn’t arrived yet, we’ll probably need to wait for some time.” “We can’t see Seccaj either.” The three of them hid at their respective spots quietly as they bided their time, motionless. Their concentration was fixated on observing the insides of the shrine. That was also why Aidric didn’t notice a pair of hands approaching from behind him. “… …!” A pair of hands suddenly wrapped themselves around Aidric’s mouth as he was yanked back. Shocked, he couldn’t make a sound. Just as he tried to counterattack, the other party communicated with him through telepathy. “Cidelis, stop struggling! It’s me.” The other party’s hands clasped over Aidric’s mouth loosened; Aidric turned around and indeed, it was Lloyd. “Nomunde, are you trying to scare the h.e.l.l out of me?” Fear still lingered in Aidric’s heart. If the person who caught him earlier on was an enemy harbouring malicious intentions, then… the consequences would probably be disastrous. “You’re the one who scared me! Of all places, why did you have to pick the same spot to hide? I wanted to inform you of my presence, but at the same time, I was afraid of alarming you and causing you to commit a blunder…” “How was I to know that you were already here, and were also concealing yourself in the same spot? You dared say you’re afraid of alarming me, that method you employed was even worse! Can’t you just use telepathy to communicate with me from the start? Moreover, take your hands off me.” Lloyd retracted his hands from Aidric innocently, and looked at him. “You’re here to save Secaaj too, aren’t you?” “How did you know?” “You were always so concerned about him. It’s impossible for you to leave alone without finding him in flesh and blood. By the way, where is Ichta hiding? Did Ms Paleris come along as well?” Lloyd was the first to arrive, it was apparent that he would know where they were concealing themselves. Not only that, he could see them clearly. “I do envy Seccaj… to have you so concerned about his safety.” Aidric glanced at him, and harrumphed. “If you’re caught, I would also come and save you.” “Really? But, you’ll only be fulfilling your responsibility as a comrade, aren’t you? … Then again, it doesn’t sound too bad, I’ll try it next time.” “Hey! Don’t do it intentionally!” Aidric had the urge of switching a location to hide; being in the same place as Lloyd alone made him rather uncomfortable. However, doing that would firstly be troublesome. Secondly, he would really not be giving Lloyd face, thus he gave up that thought. “…… Hey, Nomunde, when the floorboards disappeared, were you the one who performed magic?” “Yeah, you’re really observant.” “If you’ve had the fast reflexes to execute magic, why didn’t you rescue everyone?” “To save everyone, I would have to verbalize one more word, while draining double the spiritual energy. You have no idea how fast those floorboards vanished and reappeared; how could I make it? In that kind of situation, it’s everyone for himself. I can’t be blamed for it.” It was the same for everyone. In times where they were unable to take everyone’s safety into consideration, protecting themselves would more important. To this, Aidric cannot rebate Lloyd. Aidric stared at that ever present smile hanging on Lloyd’s face. In his heart, he still felt uneasy. “Hey, stop smiling at me.” “I smile to everyone, even towards enemies. It’s simply a habit of mine.” With that reason, Aidric decided not to look at him. As he turned away, he informed Leanne and Vik through mental waves that Lloyd was hiding with him. Both Leanne and Vik responded immediately. Vik expressed his knowledge of the situation, while Leanne could sense that Cidelis was vexed and exasperated, thus her reply held a hint of cheeriness. “Cidelis, you don’t have to bother about me.” Lloyd drew closer to Aidric, and whispered into his ear with a grin. “Regarding what Ichta had told me earlier on, you’ve actually tried to take advantage of Miss Paleris while it was dark and there weren’t anyone around. Tsk tsk… I really couldn’t tell. I thought you were a gentleman, yet you were actually this audacious…“ Explosions resounded in Aidric’s brain; he could no longer care to explain himself. He immediately sent out mental waves to castigate Vik. This ended up as a bicker among the three men, and only Leanne remained oblivious. After a short argument, it seemed like time was almost up. Masked man adorning black clothes entered the temple in ma.s.ses. Two men in different garments, who Aidric supposed were their leaders, traipsed up the platform. Meanwhile, Indy was lifted onto a stretcher and carried up. Judging from the situation, it seemed like he hadn’t regained consciousness. This situation...... doesn’t seem to work to our advantage…… Perhaps, it was because my eyes couldn’t see clearly enough……