Chapter 137 – Chapter 24: Torrent #3
The ruin Silvan discovered was located deep inside a dense forest. Karamis, the area Silvan defended, was located to the south-east of the Demon World and was in contact with the Great Desert, one of the buffer zones to the Human World.
As the name suggested, the Great Desert was an incredibly large desert area. Despite its proximity to the desert, Karamis was a land rich in green vegetation due to the abnormal climate caused by the unique magic lines in the Demon World.
The Black Flame Dragon flew slowly for an hour or two before landing in an open area in the middle of the forest. The arrangement of the trees looked unnatural, like it was an artificially created landing point.
“Beyond that is the entrance to the ruins. It was so well hidden that I wouldn’t have found it if it wasn’t for a coincidence.”
Sepira said as she spread out the stairs for descending from the Black Flame Dragon. Silvan had already jumped down.
“How did you find it?”
Felicia asked while gazing at Silvan’s back.
Sepira laughed awkwardly.
“Someone was hit by a creature and fell to the entrance of the ruins. It was a deep well-like entrance.”
It was a fun story, but Felicia thought otherwise. She frowned and asked,
“That person, are they okay?”
“Yes, relatively. Their shoulders and neck are stiff though.”
Sepira laughed awkwardly again, and Felicia understood why Sepira’s ears were red throughout the story.
‘No, she didn’t want to talk about this in the first place.’
When she thought about it, the story shouldn’t be amusing, and any desire to laugh soon disappeared.
At that moment, the staircase was opened completely. Felicia was already jumping down and hurried to catch up with Silvan. Once she arrived at the entrance, she understood why Sepira emphasized it had been an accident.
The entrance to the ruin was hidden very well. No, if she had come across it, she would have thought it was just a deep pit.
A circular passage with a diameter of approximately 1.5 meters was drilled vertically akin to a well. The earth was bumpy, like it had been formed naturally, and clumps of bushes were surrounding the entrance.
Felicia knelt on the edge and looked inside the hole while sniffing it. There was a faint but clear scent. A place where magic power was concentrated gave off a good smell.
“It is true. There is the scent of magic power.”
That wasn’t all. There was a soft glow inside the deep hole, and the light was leaking from the inside.
As Felicia looked carefully, Silvan quickly held out a hand.
“Now, Felicia. Please embrace Oppa. I will jump in.”
Silvan laughed while Felicia, who pulled back reflexively, cast a magic spell.
“Levitation.”
Felicia dropped down slowly into the hole, while Silvan’s shoulders sagged with disappointment. After falling almost 12 meters, a large passage was visible. It was a very old passage, but it gave off an artificial feel.
After the two of them went down, Sepira, Delia and the five crew members went down as well. Felicia preferred exploring ruins with a small, elite group since large numbers was just cumbersome.
There were two lights in the passage. One was a dim light which seemed to leak from deep inside, while the other was a pale light coming from little stones embedded in the ceiling.
It was very pretty, but it was hard to proceed with the exploration with this lighting. Felicia pulled out a stick with a brilliant light at the end of it which she had prepared in advance. They were in a large crypt which reminded her of the ones she had seen during the Red Lightning tribe subjugation.
Silvan’s group had already explored the first floor, so they hurried on. After arriving at a place which was like a central hall, the unknown characters Sepira had mentioned were revealed for the first time.
“Indeed, they really are like the characters I saw. Maybe… the legend might be true?”
Felicia said as she looked at the letters carved on the high ceilings, floor and walls. The confused Sepira asked,
“Your Highness, the legend?”
As always, curious questions pleased Felicia, and she responded by spreading her knowledge.
“After going to Kaltein’s lair last time, I did some research. However, I didn’t have time to study a lot since the departure time was so tight.”
It wasn’t just Shutra who had investigated after returning to the Demon King’s Palace.
Felicia looked at the characters and said again,
“In fact, this wasn’t something I found out through research. It is a story I picked up while investigating ruins.”
There was a question mark above Sepira’s head. Felicia laughed and asked Sepira a new question,
“Sepira, how much do you know about the history of the Demon King’s Palace?”
“I know it was created 500 years ago.”
This year was obviously Year 512.
Felicia stretched and said,
“Yes, only 500 years. Before that, the Era of Struggle was only approximately 3,000 years.”
The Era of Struggle referred to the time before the demon king, when all species had been at war with each other. The Demon World of that time was no different than what was beyond the limit line. Every day, a cruel war occurred.
“Then what type of civilization was there in the old days?”
Before the Era of Struggle—
The distant past before the Thunderdoom Fortress was built…
“We don’t know. No matter how far back the records of the dark elves go, it is only up to 6,000~7,000 years. It isn’t an exaggeration to say we don’t know much about the civilizations and how the species lived before that time.”
7,000 years was indeed a long time for the dark elves. Sepira counted in her head for a while before her long ears extended.
“Your Highness, if it was 7,000 years ago… wouldn’t it have been hard to have a proper civilization?”
The dark elves had also been different 7,000 years ago, and they had been primitive in many ways.
Felicia nodded.
“The majority of people think like that. They think it was a time without a proper country, where the species just fought in tribal units. But I don’t think so. If there hadn’t been a flourishing civilization in those days, we shouldn’t be able to find their traces after they have long since perished.”
It was much older than 7,000 years ago. Maybe it was a past that went back even more years.
“We call this legend the indigenous species. Although there is little evidence, I think it makes sense.”
Felicia said with a smile. Sepira looked at the characters engraved on the floor.
“Your Highness, do these characters belong to the indigenous species?”
“Let’s see, should we find out from now on?”
Felicia responded with a laugh.
&
From the north, he headed to the south.
His steps were slow but steady.
Day and night passed, until he reached a place where the greenery was thick—a land called Karamis in the Demon World.
&
Felicia finished her survey of the first floor and headed to the second underground floor. The second floor was significantly different from the first floor. As the crypt continued, spaces appeared which could be thought of as rooms, but they had no special structure.
The smell of magic power leaking from deep within the dungeon became stronger, and the ceiling light was brighter than the first floor’s.
Like the first floor, the second floor had a simple structure, so the exploration time was quick.
Felicia headed toward the third floor.
&
He stepped into Karamis, and his footsteps became a little bit faster.
&
The structure of the third floor was simpler than the second floor’s. It was just a large room with high ceilings and stairs leading to the fourth floor.
The ceiling light became brighter and the scent of magic power stronger.
Felicia was deep in thought as she copied all the characters on the wall.
It had been quite a while since they entered the ruin. Even if they hurried, it would be completely dark by the time they left the ruin.
So, it would be good to return to a safe place on the second floor and take a break.
However, there was still a little bit more time. Every time they went down the stairs, the structure became simpler.
They could continue going downward.
Silvan said he would follow Felicia’s will as always. After a short moment of agonizing, Felicia descended the stairs leading to the fourth underground floor.
&
It was late at night.
Silvan’s crew members, who were guarding the entrance of the ruin, set up fires and strengthened the perimeter.
Strong magic power had a strong attraction for creatures. They didn’t know if the magic power leaking from the entrance of the ruins would tempt any creatures.
Since Silvan and Sepira were away, the first officer, Tirion, was in charge of security. He watched the darkness with a cigarette in his mouth. Then the sound of rustling disturbed his ears.
Tirion turned his eyes toward the sound.
&
The third and fourth floors were completely different. It was clearly a more complex space than the first floor. The ruin was enormous.
Why did this site exist? And why was there nothing in such a huge space? Despite the rich magic power, even the smallest creature couldn’t be seen.
Thanks to the light from the ceiling, the inside of the ruin was like daylight, and Felicia was determined to go deeper.
&
The clouds hid the moon, and in the darkness, he moved forward. There were clear signs of his passing.
All those who guarded the entrance to the ruin had disappeared.
The process by which the crew members died had been different, but the result was the same. Tirion’s body was deprived of life and his body crushed.
Everything in his path turned to dust. He took a step forward. Recalling the memories from 1,000 years ago, He took a deep breath, and the fragrance of magic power hit his nose.
“Drain.”
The man said.
He ordered it as the Famine Knight.
&
The ceiling light weakened momentarily.
Felicia looked up at the ceiling reflexively.
Silvan turned around. His uncovered left eye narrowed as he stared in a certain direction.
The air had changed. It was something which couldn’t be expressed.
Felicia sensed it as well. It was a gut instinct.
Someone was approaching from afar.
“Shutra.”
Felicia looked at the Tears of a Dark Elf on her finger as darkness swallowed up the ruin.
&
In-gong opened his eyes. He raised his upper body, gasping for air like he’d had a nightmare. He looked reflexively at the Tears of a Dark Elf hanging on his neck and stood up suddenly.
The purple Tears of a Dark Elf had lost its light. There was no glimmer left at all.
Why?
In-gong didn’t think any further and called out to White Eagle.
&
Coincidence and inevitability—
They were a tangled mess.
The Death Knight looked toward the south.
The War Knight felt the tide of conflict.
Too far away…
There wasn’t much time.
The Famine Knight raised his foot at the entrance of the ruin.
He took a step inside.