Chapter IX: The Rumbling

Maybe I should've done a better job of hiding my involvement with Lena and Lucas being out of the house for so long. It's now night, the sun has set, and my two siblings haven't come back yet from their outside expedition, which quickly diverted from the main point of the trip. Our first expedition, which was supposed to be a simple mission of having to obtain some Mana Grasses, turned into a clusterf*ck of events, fighting Golems and discovering mana anomalies. Whoa, definitely not a way to start. It was short yet eventful, I got to see the outside of the city for the first time, and even Brother Lucas joined (Not like the ones in religious establishments) too, although this trip was supposed to be only for me and my older sister, we somehow got caught by our older brother just before we left the house, and he ended up coming with us. Luckily he did though, or the golem would have been WAY harder to beat. 

"Kenneth? Young man. You know where your siblings went don't you?" (Mikaela)

I shake my head sideways in response to Mom's question. Hopefully Lena and Lucas come back soon. She's been barraging me with questions ever since lunch, and kept on pestering me until dinner. And why are you asking a baby about where his siblings are? I can hardly speak a word, let alone a sentence. Maybe asking the dog would be more helpful, given that you fed him some of his premium dog food. 

As Mom continues to breastfeed my hungry self, I mentally sent a message to my siblings and told them to return quick. I got a reply, saying they went to the nearby bathhouse. Really? I know you guys got dirty from digging but really?

And so, betrayed by my brother and sister, I had to endure the badgering from my own mother as I desperately tried to stall for time until my siblings returned home.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Lena and Lucas finally returned home, smelling of soap. Guess they really did go to the bathhouse. 

"Took you guys long enough." (Kenneth)

"Well you can't blame us. We spent hours digging a hole that, even right now, isn't finished yet. Maybe tomorrow it'll be done." (Lucas)

"Woof!"

"Well, fair enough. Come to the dining room, we're about to eat."

The next day

"See you later, mom. We'll be going out to the nearby plains." (Lucas)

"Well, I hope you two come home earlier than yesterday. You guys were gone the whole day!" (Mikaela)

"We will, mom. Thanks. See you later!" (Lena)

Phasing back towards the Macaus Plains, they were once again hit with the same vast breezy grassland. They began to look for the hole they had dug yesterday, and were planning on finishing it on this day if time allowed it. Lena had bought more mana crystals for Tyrone to consume. Armed with the shovels from yesterday, they once again began digging the set to be fifty meter deep hole.

Since the holes was practically already dug halfway, it didn't take longer than anticipated to finish it, and eventually, the shovels had hit a metallic structure, and was incapable of bashing through it.

"Great, we're not gonna be able to bash this thing open. This thing is probably at least a meter thick. Maybe we should just give- oh. Lena, how about trying this?" Kenneth whispers something to Lena, quiet enough that Lucas can't hear it. 

"That's a great idea, little bro, but considering how thick this structure is, hoping for the worst, it'd at least take half a day for me to be able to cut through it and make a hole large enough for us to fit through. Give me around a day, and I can make one that'd let Lucas slip through easily, even if he spreads out his arms wide." (Lena)

"Great. Could you start as soon as we order the mana crystals? Hopefully we'll be able to cut through by night." (Kenneth)

"What's this "plan" you guys are talking about? I'm feeling kinda left out here." (Lucas)

"Oh, it's pretty basic actually. We just need a notable amount of mana crystals. It just requires Lena to...." 

"I see, I see. But yeah, it'd take a long time for it to bare fruit, since it's metal." (Lucas)

Lena was already starting. She began to bend over the metal, and casted "Light Beam". This was their plan. Lena would continuously use Light Beam to melt through the metal and cut a sizable hole to slip through. But constant use of her magic spells would tire her out immediately, so they went ahead and ordered some Light Mana Crystals to fuel her magic. 

"Oh yeah. This is going to take a loooonnggg time. Maybe sit down and take a few naps. The good news is that we probably have enough mana crystals to cut through and make a sizable hole." (Lena)

Lucas, while waiting, began to lie down on the grass along with Tyrone and proceeded to take a nap. Only Kenneth was there, watching over Lena earnestly. 

A few hours later..

"Lucas get up!" (Kenneth)

"Wha! What is it?" Lucas and Tyrone were awoken by Kenneth. Having gotten a good rest, they were now energized, but were still surprised by Kenneth's frantic calling.

"Monsters are approaching. I can sense some Magical Beasts in there too! Lena, how long until the hole is finished?" (Kenneth)

"Soon at this ra-" Lena was interrupted by the loud rumbling of something in the sky. They all looked up, and noticed that the setting sun was replaced by a dark circular object, something similar to the moon. The object began to move around, and soon stopped in front of the sun, blocking off what little sunlight there was left. The rumbling was emitted from the object, and the stars were twinkling many times per second. 

"I think the monsters were disrupted by the sound in the sky, and now many of them are heading this way! It'd be great if you could hurry up!" (Kenneth)

"Wait. The metal is somehow weaker now! I can cut through it easier now. Give me fifteen minutes, I'll get this hole melted soon!" (Lena)

"Well, I guess we have to hold out for a bit. *sigh*, I didn't expect having to fight Magical Beasts on my second day outside. Let's hold out as long as it takes, Lucas!" (Kenneth)

"Damn right! My fists are itching for some magical beast blood!" Lucas punched his fists together.

"Woof!" Tyrone agreed, saying "I'm here to help too!"

"Wait. Take the mana crystals. They might not be as effective as when I use it, it's better than nothing." Lena handed over all the mana crystals she bought, having no more use for it since the metal was somehow weaker. 

"Thanks. Time to hold them off." (Kenneth)

After preparing, Lucas and Tyrone head off towards the Phase Gate, led by Tyrone's keen sense for mana. Holding off the monsters was now their primary mission, and maybe they'd find something out inside the structure underground. But first, they had to fight the seemingly endless monsters that were now approaching their location.