12 Unexpected Consequences

"Hey, weirdo, this one's on you!" Cahara shouted to Enki as he jumped back, dodging the grip of one of the miners' ghosts.

"My name is Enki, you irritating fool! And if you wish to continue receiving my assistance, then you better refers to me as such!" Enki exclaimed angrily, casting Pyromancy Trick and hitting one of the ghosts with a fireball.

The ghost screamed in torment, its face distorting to inhuman levels before disappearing in a blue flash.

"I will do it when we are not surrounded by the spirits of the dead!" Cahara exclaimed back, standing behind Enki and his reanimated skeletons as the mercenary could not do much in this fight.

"This is not the time to argue." Ragnvaldr spoke seriously, slashing a ghost's chest with his ax before decapitating the spirit shortly afterward, making it disappear similar to the previous one.

"Strange, your weapon is effective against hauntings; could you tell me how this is possible?" D'arce asked curiously, taking a fighting stance and blocking the scratches delivered by one of the ghosts.

"It's a long story that involves a strange stone, a dead monster and a stone table." Ragnvaldr responded before pulling on the rope restraining Le'gard, causing him to stumble and move out of the way of one of the ghosts.

D'arce held back a scream and widened her eyes in worry, but focused on the enemies in front of her. Her attacks did not affect the haunts, so she could only block and avoid their hold.

"This is annoying, all of you, move away!" Enki exclaimed, extending his free hand towards the ghosts and conjuring two Dark Orbs.

D'arce, Cahara, and Ragnvaldr, who dragged Le'garde along, got out of the way, either leaning against the walls of the mines or throwing themselves on the ground.

The quartet did so in time to dodge the purple spheres that cut through the air at great speed, hitting the heads of a pair of ghosts before moving on.

Enki moved his arm with a concentrated face, muttering magical words as sweat ran down his forehead as the Dark Priest changed the trajectory of his spell with movements of his hand.

The orbs hit ghost after ghost, tearing off arms, legs, and heads, filling the hallway with screams from beyond as the hauntings disappeared, lighting the tunnels with bright flashes.

Then the mines fell silent, the only noise being the heavy breathing of those involved in the fighting.

"You, give me my pipe, and don't forget the tobacco!" Enki ordered one of her skeletons.

The skeleton in question reached its fleshless hand into a leather pouch slung over its shoulder and withdrew a wooden pipe and some dark leaves.

Enki took the items in question without saying a word, placed the leaves in the pipe, and lit them by conjuring a small flame with his index finger. An unpleasant smell filled the mine tunnel as the Priest sighed in relief.

"So, does anyone care to explain how these two manage to get rid of the ghosts, but we don't?" Cahara asked irritably, pointing at Enki and Ragnvaldr as he pulled D'arce close by her shoulder.

"Hump, I'm not surprised that ignorant fools like you don't understand this kind of thing. We face ghosts, spirits of the dead unable to move on due to the trauma of a violent death, they became bound to the earthly plane thanks to their suffering and desire for revenge, or the machinations of a capable necromancer. They are immune to physical damage, so you need to attack them supernaturally, whether through magic or enchanted or cursed weapons."

Enki replied as he smoked his pipe, glancing at Ragnvaldr's axe. The outsider returned the gaze, tightening his grip on his weapon.

"Oh, I loved the history class! Nevertheless, going to the point, do you know how to enchant or curse weapons? As the pretty knight and I are at a disadvantage!" Cahara exclaimed, gesturing between D'arce and himself.

The female knight in question just stared at the mercenary with a nervous smile on her face, uncomfortable with the situation, then she politely grabbed Cahara's hand and removed it from her shoulder with a crushing grip, making the mercenary wince in pain.

"Despite his careless attitude, Sir Cahara is right. Could you enchant our weapons?" D'arce asked with a hopeful smile.

"Unfortunately, no, this is not the kind of work I can do with the snap of a finger. I would need several active soul stones and a hexing table." Enki responded without much interest, making D'arce lower her head in disappointment.

"I understand, still, thank you for satisfying our curiosity. Even so, your skills and knowledge are admirable despite you being a Dark Priest."

"What do you mean by that?" Enki asked irritably, raising an eyebrow.

"I just don't like the idea of someone worshiping false gods and..."

"Listen, how about we move on? We have to find this cube, don't we?" Cahara spoke nervously, stopping the conversation before it got out of hand.

The Priest and Knight looked at each other one last time through half-closed eyes before nodding at the Mercenary's words and moving on through the mines.

"So, do you have any ideas where we should go?" Cahara asked, scanning his surroundings, waiting for something to jump out of the shadows.

"According to the tomes I found, the Cube of the Depths is a relic related to the God of the Depths and there are traces that some of his worshipers are hiding here somewhere. The cube must have been lost during the chaos in the dungeon and recovered by the worshipers."

Enki responded, ordering one of his skeletons to light on a torch and light the way.

"Heretics worshiping pagan gods, it is a shame that there are still people who have not been touched by the light of Alll-mer." D'arce spoke with sadness in her voice, generating a laugh from Enki.

"Naive girl, do you think Alll-mer is the only God?" Enki asked with a mocking smile.

"And why wouldn't he be? The worship of Alll-mer is the greatest religion in the world; there are records of his existence, history, and miracles, while the false gods are forgotten by time." D'arce exclaimed, through clenched teeth.

"The world is a big and old place, the domain of powerful beings, born of concepts, and who cemented their names and powers in human history millennia before the birth of Alll-mer. It would be foolish to think that they disappeared completely, after all, their traces still roam around and their followers are many. And besides that, I don't know why you feel so uncomfortable with other gods; you didn't seem to have any problems with the boy who accompanied you previously."

"What do you mean by that?" D'arce asked confused.

"Didn't you notice? The boy has captured the attention of powerful beings and is being watched from afar. I wonder if he is willing to exchange knowledge with me, that is, if he is still alive." Enki spoke with amusement, passing by D'arce who stopped in deep thought.

The knight lowered her sword and shield and stared at the ground, a mixture of seriousness and guilt passed across her face as she recalled the way she had treated her previous companions.

Now she left them to wander alone while she pursues the man who captured her feelings and committed several atrocities.

However, she got what she wanted, no? Even though she threatened her partner and his daughter, they took her to where her loved one was.

Furthermore, the sorcerer knew how to use magic; he was more than capable of protecting his daughter and himself.

Nevertheless, what if he wasn't? What if he has died? Now the girl would wander the dungeon alone, crying over the loss of her father until some monster finally killed her.

What if the girl has died? Now, her father would have to deal with all the pain of losing the daughter he rescued.

They did not seem like bad people despite everything that happened, maybe they are just confused and do not know which God to believe in. You could help them with this, making them see the light of Alll-mer.

By Alll-mer, you did not even bother to learn their names!

However, Le'garde, you will help him realize his dream, won't you? He has a noble goal, to create a united world, free from suffering. Nevertheless, the man you love changed; you know what he did to try to make that dream come true.

Perhaps someone manipulated him or he suffered an error in judgment. After all, the Rondo nobility betrayed him; they were just waiting for the right opportunity to imprison him. Perhaps this is all just a plan by the traitorous nobility.

Alternatively, maybe he has become a monster and you refuse to see the truth...

"Hey, are you okay?" Cahara asked worriedly, frowning as he placed a comforting hand on the knight's shoulder.

"Y-yes, n-no! I can't say!" D'arce stuttered, snapping out of her thoughts.

"You're feeling guilty about leaving the boy and his daughter behind, am I right?" Cahara asked, smiling gently.

"Y-yes." D'arce replied, looking away in embarrassment.

"Hey, don't worry. The boy knows how to use magic, you saw what he did in the fight against the giant knight, and they must be far away from here, having a good night's sleep at their house. However, if it makes you feel better, we can check the dungeon entrance path. If we did not find anything, then that means they are backing home, and if we find something… Well… Maybe we can give them a proper burial."

"Thank you." D'arce replied, giving the mercenary a shaky smile.

"You're welcome! Nevertheless, you cannot just focus on the negative; otherwise, you will go crazy! How about we focus on something to take your mind off this for now?" Cahara replied, returning the smile with more energy.

"Like what exactly?"

"How about that over there?" Cahara asked, pointing to something further ahead of the group.

There was something blue and shiny stuck to the wall of one of the mine chambers. Cahara's words captured the attention of Enki, Ragnvaldr, and Le'garde, so the group slowly approached the object in question with their weapons ready for combat.

It was a long sword, adorned with glowing runes and with its blade enveloped in blue flames that did not generate heat.

"I saw it first, so it's mine!" Cahara exclaimed, pushing past the group and preparing to remove the sword from the wall.

"Wait, don't you think that this is too convenient? What if it's a trap?" Ragnvaldr spoke seriously, placing a hand on Cahara's shoulder and stopping him from moving forward.

"Of course I do! However, look at this thing; it is the first item of value I have found since I entered this hellhole! I wonder how much I can sell it for!" Cahara exclaimed, breaking out of Ragnvaldr's grip.

"I don't think that's a good idea." D'arce muttered hesitantly, eyeing the sword suspiciously.

"The sword is supernatural and will be useful in our quest. I am willing to sacrifice one of my skeletons to remove it." Enki spoke soon after.

"Hm… Two in favor and two against it…" Cahara said, placing a hand on his chin in thought.

"I could remove the sword for you!" Le'garde finally spoke, after having been silent all this time.

"SHUT UP!" Ragnvaldr exclaimed, swinging the rope and lashing Le'garde with it, much to D'arce's dismay.

"HAHAHA, NO! I may not be the most informed person, but I know you made a huge mistake to end up here! I will not put a sword in your hands! You can tell the skeleton to take the sword away!" Cahara spoke to Enki right after.

With a nod and a command, Enki ordered one of his skeletons to remove the sword from the rocky wall. Suddenly, the entire mine shook before the skeleton touched the sword.

"I didn't touch anything!" Cahara shouted in surprise, jumping away from the sword.

The entire mine shook as rocks fell from the ceiling and wall, eventually removing the shining sword from its prison.

"It's mine!" Cahara exclaimed, taking the sword for himself immediately afterward.

"Keep that piece of trash if you want, because I have bigger problems at the moment!" Enki shouted.

Soon everyone realized what the Priest implied, as the passage where the group walked previously collapsed in a rapidly approaching rocky rain.

The group let out a cacophony of surprised screams amid the deafening roar of the collapsing tunnels, but they soon snapped out of their shock and ran in the opposite direction, dodging the rocks that fell in their path.

The floor and walls cracked, lifting and sinking parts of the ground, leaving the group to focus on their balance while piles of rubble flowed out of the walls, forcing them to dodge at the last second.

A particularly large boulder fell towards D'arce, but Le'garde, who managed to keep up with the group with difficulty, moved faster, charging at D'arce and saving her from being crushed.

Unfortunately, the boulder fell on the rope that held Le'garde, breaking it and causing the Knight and the Mercenary Captain to roll into a tunnel, disappearing into the darkness.

"Damn you!" Ragnvaldr raged with his eyes red in fury, but Cahara stopped him from pursuing the fugitive as the tunnel still collapsed around him.

Then Enki, Cahara, and Ragnvaldr continued their escape, jumping to a corner just ahead in time to avoid their deaths.

A huge cloud of dust filled the mine tunnels, blinding everyone present as the sounds of the collapse slowly faded, becoming muffled until they became inaudible, and then everything went silent.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH! Are you still alive?" Cahara asked, coughing as he stood up and brushed the dust off his face.

"I'm still alive…" Ragnvaldr said exhaustedly, raising a hand, as he remained face down on the ground.

"I deeply regret having you all as companions on this quest, I was better off alone." Enki muttered beneath a group of skeletons who used their bodies to protect their master.

"Hump! At least you are alive and… Guys, you need to see this!" Cahara spoke, standing up quickly.

Enki and Ragnvaldr turned towards the Mercenary and were unable to hold back their insults as they saw a series of tunnels stretching in different directions in front of them.

-XXXXXX-

"What… What happened?" D'arce asked confused, standing up as she held her aching head.

The knight looked around, but she could not see anything as darkness surrounded her. Then, she felt around her body for her bag and removed a torch, lighting it immediately.

"Hello, Ragnvaldr, Enki, Cahara! Can you hear me? Where are you?" D'arce shouted into the darkness but only received silence in response.

"D'arce!" A voice shouted from behind the Knight.

D'arce turned quickly, screaming in surprise and drawing her sword with some difficulty, but did not attack when she noticed that it was Le'garde who called her.

"D'arce, it's me, Le'garde! Are you hurt?" Le'garde asked, approaching the knight.

"N-no!" D'arce stammered, stepping back.

"I'm happy about that! Now, could you release me, please?" Le'garde asked with a gentle smile, showing his bound hands to the Knight.

However, D'arce did not move, she just stared at the Mercenary Captain while keeping her sword pointed towards him.

"D'arce, what's the matter? Release me, please." Le'garde spoke again, maintaining the same expression.

"What's the point of all this? The people you killed; the failed revolt against the nobles of Rondo, your imprisonment, all the people who entered this cursed place in search of you, and now the monsters that roam around us. What is the point? What is your goal? What do you want in the end?" D'arce asked question after question, completely ignoring Le'garde's requests.

Le'garde went silent for a few seconds, his gaze shifting toward the darkness around him, then Le'garde's expression softened and he approached D'arce with the same smile as before.

"I believe you know what I want, my dream coming true. I wish for a unified world, without hunger, pain, injustice, or suffering, and that dream can become reality thanks to what the depths of the dungeon are hiding. Imagine all the corruption of not just Rondo but the world disappearing, but I need your help for this, the help of a strong and loyal woman who I trust with my entire being. You promised you would help me make my dream come true, right. So please put down that sword."

D'arce's hand trembled hesitantly, causing her sword to swing in the air. Doubt ran across the knight's flushed face, as she looked away, flattered by the words of the man she loved.

D'arce looked again at her loved one and saw that he looked at her with a gentle smile and an expectant look in his shinning eyes. Then, with a swift movement of her arm, D'arce freed Le'garde.

"There, I'm happy to have you by my side, Le'garde!" D'arce said, returning the smile.

"Likewise, D'arce." Le'garde replied, rubbing his sore wrists, his smile disappearing imperceptibly as he stared at the smiling Knight in front of him.

END OF CHAPTER