New Fantasy World: Galeia-Chapter 63

Next was Bromisnar’s, he humbly accepted the items; a tacky Troubadour costume, and a Unique dagger just in case. He was pleased with the colorful fabrics. Since the man had complex horns, I gave him a face mask for protection.

The taller man gave the shorter one a cocky smile. The scout clicked his tongue and gave him a few silver coins.

"I should stop betting with you." he grumbled and stored the equipment.

Bromisnar let out a satisfied chuckle. "You’d do well to do that."

"Let’s go in, then." Yolin laughed on top of Pochi.

"Alyssa and Lapia, you go with Yolin. I’ll take Bromisnar and Bonte." I said while mounting up.

I helped the two men up, and approached the dungeon gate as the other two climbed the big wolf.

"Halt!" a voice called from the blue building.

A female Watcher walked out and approached, stopping in front of me.

"What can I do for you?" I asked her.

[Perco Human, Lvl 209 Parrier]

What? Who dedicates an entire class to parrying? I chuckled. Unless that’s not what it means.

"Halves pay the tax up front." she declared.

A couple Watchers observed from the sides. They all had classes that seemed to be warrior-based.

I sighed. "How much?"

"One gold coin." she nodded. "Then another one when you leave."

I turned to the more experienced members. "Is that too much?"

Alyssa nodded behind Yolin. "The regular is one silver coin."

The Oni confirmed and so did the two men behind me.

Bah, not that bad. I shrugged.

I produced the gold coin and paid the tax. The woman walked away and a few burly guards slowly opened the door.

They revealed a slope. Thirty meters wide, plunging into the darkness.

Over-hyped much?

I patted Sonya’s scales and she advanced. Our formation was Yolin, Alyssa, and Lapia on Pochi’s back. Me, Bonte, and Bromisnar on Sonya’s.

We crossed the arc and the door slowly closed behind us.

Darkness consumed us... not quite. I glowed, so the walls, ceiling, and ground were visible. Around thirty meters around me the world was bathed in golden light. I was wearing my leather gear, so only my head, and my long hair were out.

"Oohh!" I exclaimed with excitement as we advanced further into the dungeon.

I was right! It IS useful when going underground! I smiled at the memory.

"Nice! Saves us the need to use spells." Lapia chuckled.

The rest were eerily silent.

"Shh..." Alyssa shushed us with a serious face. "Let’s begin the prayer. You start, Yolin?"

Eh? Me eyes opened wide.

"Sure." the woman in question nodded.

I heard a few strings being plucked from behind me as Bromisnar began playing a quiet tune along with Yolin’s soothing voice.

"We enter your bowels once more, Galeia. Please be plentiful. We ask the Mentors to bless our stay; and the Protectors to guide our weapons. O Danuva, guide us Clerics to bring aid. O Photem, advice our Wizard to see past mystery. O Saravia, grace our Performer so that he tells of our glories. O Yvanna, cloak our Scout so he remains unseen. O Natasha, protect us in our time of need."

A chill ran down my spine.

Our mounts moved down the slope at a fast walk. The walls, ceiling, and floor were granite, just like the city. My glow illuminated enough so that the Ratnak and Fekir could see the path ahead with no issue.

"We enter your bowels once more, Galeia." the Luzo’s deep voice continued. "A Protector is in our midst. Her might shall bring us unquestioned victory. Her glow shall light the path. Her courage shall embolden us. Her figure shall dispel doubt. Fear not, All Mother. Face us with unbridled fury."

I turned to Lapia and we met eyes. We were both visibly cringing. Fortunately for my sanity, after Alyssa’s words everyone went quiet and the Satyr stopped playing his instrument. I looked forward and focused on our surroundings.

Busying myself with whatever my eyes found, I tried to not think of the fact that the two literally prayed to me along with actual Gods.

This weighs more than I thought it would. I failed to keep my mind from opening that box. No wonder some people call me Your Excellency. They pray to us Halves as well.

I found no pride in it, however. It felt alien. I would understand if Lapia treated me with great respect, since I saved her life. Nothing would relieve me of the cringe that was to be treated as a peer to Gods, whatever that actually meant.

While I was having a tiny existential crisis, the path turned to the left. After a few minutes it turned to the right and we came to a stop in front of a gate as big as the entrance’s.

"Who gets to open the door?" Bonte excitedly asked.

"Is it heavy?" I looked at the massive double door.

"It opens with E’er." Yolin chuckled.

I dismounted and walked to it. "Let me give it a go."

Placing both hands on it, I injected E’er.

"Slow-" Bromisnar began.

Pushing with both fuel and force, the doors swung open. A loud crashing sound echoed like an explosion as they opened completely, impacting the walls of the massive space in front of me and silencing him mid-sentence.

It wasn’t a hall, a cave, a room, a tunnel, or anything small like that. It was a labyrinth. Rows upon rows of pillars and walls filled my vision, blocking the view. One hundred meters tall, they connected ground and ceiling. Cracks on the ground bled light onto the space, keeping darkness away.

Motherfucker. I gaped.

They weren’t pillars of dirt or ordinary stone. The entire space had a definite architecture, as if it was built by a long lost civilization.

I felt my muscles tighten to their limit, then relax. A flood of power surged through my body as a wave of cleanliness rushed past me.

"Is that high density E’er?" I asked, taking a step forward. My voice echoed in the distance.

I wanted to jump in. To let loose and test the limits of reality itself. It called to me like a primal instinct.

Taking a deep breath, I calmed down. The body is a vessel. I told myself.

"Yes." Alyssa giggled. "How did it feel?"

I turned around and found the Satyr covering his face. Bonte had a worried expression.

"It felt terrifyingly amazing." I laughed, and the echo made me shut up.

The Luzo smiled. "Good. Now, everything that heard the doors opening will come rushing."

"What?" Lapia’s eyes opened wide. "That was fucking loud!"

"It was." Yolin let out a merry laugh. "Don’t worry. Monsters on the first floor are weak. None above level fifty. And people keep the path between floors clear of monsters."

Lapia and I let out sighs of relief.

We waited in silence, keeping an ear out.

When nothing came, I walked to Sonya and mounted up.

"My bad." I let out an awkward laugh.

"Happens." Bonte chuckled.

Sonya began walking, and we entered the first floor of the dungeon. I looked to the sides and the saw the same walls and pillars.

"Gear up." Alyssa said. "We rush to the second floor!"

I did as told and my armor materialized around me, helmet included and pike in hand.

"Go, Pochi!" Yolin called in Japanese.

The wolf picked up speed and started running.

"Go, Sonya!" I called in Russian.

The Ratnak caught up and we sped through the floor, turning when our advance was blocked by walls.

The man behind me grabbed onto me, and a second pair of hands wrapped around him.

Pillars and walls flew by and the distant screeches of monsters reached us in our advance. I looked around and saw nothing running towards us. Just in case, I looked up. Nothing was there.

If a huge fiery goat shows up, I’ll sue Galeia for copyright infringement myself! I chuckled.

A few minutes later, we reached the opposite wall. A door just like the previous stood there. We moved in a decided path, so it was nice to see the walls didn’t shift with time.

Yolin opened the door, much gentler than I did. We continued to the second floor and the same scene welcomed us. We crossed it and went down to the third floor. The way was also cleared, fortunately. It changed when we reached the ninth floor and I was getting a little bored.

There, I saw monsters. They were green little people holding weapons and moving in groups. I stared at them in surprise. There were a lot of them.

"Walas." Yolin muttered. "We’ll fight through."

"Lapia, you kill them with your fire." the Luzo commanded. "I’ll buff us all so we run faster."

The Elf slowly nodded. A gulping sound came from beneath her helmet.

"Natasha..." the healer turned to me. "Call them."

I nodded.

First, I pushed E’er into Initiation, Prevention, Monster Hunter, and Dragoon Might while thinking of ten hours. I saw my E’er pool tank a few hundred points.

Then, I took a deep breath and activated Intimidate Prey with the same amount of time.

"COME AND BURN TO ASHES!" came the unladylike scream.

Sonya and Pochi roared.

The nearest group of creatures got obliterated by the air pressure alone, a red paste left behind.

"Holy shit!" Bonte whispered.

"Let’s go!" the Oni called, and Pochi obeyed.

We advanced with Yolin’s group at the front. The monsters rushed towards us and I managed to get a closer look.

They were bipedal, but ran on all fours. Green skin, ugly faces, thin bodies, black eyes, hairless, and naked. Their weapons were mostly made with rusted metals, stone, or sticks.

Lapia summoned her staff and it floated next to her. She spread both arms to the sides and her hands conjured fire, shooting out. Literal flamethrowers came to life. The heat reached us at the back.

The streams were at least fifty meters long, reaching from wall to wall and burning everything to death within seconds. Orbs of fire floated above the three, from which fiery arrows shot towards those that survived, puncturing their bodies and burning them from withing. Black carcasses were left in our wake.

Bright white halos floated above their heads. I looked up and saw one on me.

As we advanced, more of the green creatures entered the range of my skill, but rushed to Yolin instead. Right into the Wizard’s line of fire.

The Elf burned everything down. The monsters died so fast they didn’t scream or struggle.

When we reached the next door, Lapia started shaking and sobbing.

I dismounted and approached her as I stored my helmet. Tears dripped from her chin behind the helmet. The Luzo was hugging her, not saying anything. Pochi laid down, leaving the woman at arms reach.

"Lapia, come here." I grabbed her by the waist and put her down. "Look."

I pointed at the vast dungeon floor, hordes of monsters still approaching in the distance between pillars and walls. Their screams and the clamor of their footsteps grew louder every second.

"What?" she asked in a weak voice, a sob or two escaped her.

"It’s not over yet." I took her helmet off and wiped her tears. "Keep going. Until it is done."

Alyssa stood behind her, her red eyes shining with white light. Yolin positioned herself thirty meters ahead of us, between the creatures and us.