Peace

The weight of their ordeal seemed to lighten slightly as Eliss, leaning heavily on Amukelo, decided to place her trust in him, despite the shadows of doubt that lingered at the back of her mind. They trudged forward, each step a testament to their resilience. Eliss, determined to assert some independence, attempted to walk on her own, but the unforgiving terrain proved too much for her previously injured leg, further aggravated by the rubble from their chaotic escape.

After what seemed like an eternity navigating through the bleak and barren corridors of the dungeon, they stumbled upon a scene so starkly different it might have been another world. It was a small, verdant oasis, a pocket of tranquility amid the devastation. Lush bushes laden with unknown fruits bordered a gentle stream, its waters clear and inviting. The air here was fresher, filled with the soft murmurs of nature and the rustling of leaves—a stark contrast to the oppressive gloom of the dungeon passages they had left behind.

Animals, small and seemingly harmless, flitted through the underbrush, and the absence of any monstrous presence lent the place an almost sacred air. It was an unexpected sanctuary, offering them a brief respite from the horrors they had faced.

Upon reaching this serene haven, the toll of their journey and the exertion of pushing beyond his limits finally caught up with Amukelo. His body could sustain no more, and he collapsed, unconscious, into the soft embrace of the grassy ground. Eliss, her own body screaming in protest, gently repositioned him, making sure he was as comfortable as possible. She then set about using a basic healing spell, her hands trembling not just from exhaustion but from the fear of losing her companion after everything they had endured together.

Amukelo's condition was dire. The overuse of the mana coat technique had wreaked havoc on his body, leaving his organs stressed and his bones fragile. As Eliss murmured the incantations, her heart was heavy with worry, yet the peaceful surroundings offered a glimmer of hope. This tranquil oasis seemed to hold healing properties that went beyond the physical, soothing the spirit just as much as the body.

Realizing they could be here for some time after healing Amukelo, Eliss turned her attention to their immediate survival needs. Food was a pressing concern. The fruits hanging temptingly from the bushes and the small creatures scurrying around the oasis posed a dilemma—were they safe, or were they another trap of this bizarre and treacherous dungeon?

With Amukelo still unconscious and their survival uncertain, Eliss opened the book provided by the Fallenhoods. She began to study it intently, searching for any mention of environments like this within the dungeon, or any reference to flora and fauna that could either aid their recovery or pose new threats. Her eyes moved carefully over the pages, absorbing the information while she listened to the gentle flow of the stream and the soft calls of the animals—a stark contrast to the cacophony of battle and destruction they had faced.

As she read, Eliss felt a strange sense of peace settle over her. The oasis, with its gentle breezes and the soft rustling of leaves, offered a momentary escape from their grim reality. She felt a protective affection for Amukelo as he lay resting, his chest rising and falling with each breath, a silent reminder of the life they were fighting so hard to preserve.

As Eliss delved deeper into the pages of the guidebook provided by the Fallenhoods, she uncovered the nature of their sanctuary. These oases were enigmatic, shifting havens that appeared sporadically under level forty-five, never fixed in one location and elusive as mirages in the desert. The knowledge that their safe haven was both rare and transient offered a sobering reminder of the dungeon's capricious nature, yet it also provided a much-needed respite.

With this newfound understanding and her body worn from the relentless tension and battles, Eliss allowed herself the rare luxury of sleep. The soft murmur of the stream and the rustling leaves lulled her into a deep slumber, a stark contrast to the usual vigilant unrest that marked their time in the dungeon.

Amukelo awoke to find himself alone in wakefulness, a novel situation given their usual protocol of taking turns to guard against danger. He looked over at Eliss, who was deep in sleep, a slight frown of fatigue smoothed from her features for the first time in what felt like an eternity. The sight was disconcerting yet comforting; it was rare they both could rest simultaneously without the looming threat of an ambush.

His gaze then fell on the book lying next to Eliss, its pages open and certain sections highlighted. Curiosity piqued, he picked it up and began reading, piecing together the clues that led Eliss to believe they were indeed in one of these mystical oases. The realization brought a cautious relief, tempered by the knowledge of their fleeting safety.

Driven by both curiosity and a pragmatic need to address their depleted supplies, Amukelo ventured to test the fruits hanging from the nearby bushes. Hesitant at first, he was pleasantly surprised to find the fruits not only edible but deliciously sweet and rich, a natural bounty that could sustain them. He picked several of the fruits, gathering them into a small pile next to Eliss to ensure she would have nourishment upon waking.

His next concern was their water supply. With the stream flowing gently nearby, he cautiously approached, his movements slow and deliberate. He filled their nearly empty jugs with the clear water, half-expecting some trick of the dungeon, but found it refreshingly pure and revitalizing. Tasting it, he felt a surge of vitality, a stark contrast to the tepid and often scarce water sources they had encountered deeper within the dungeon.

He spent some time simply sitting by Eliss's side, watching over her as she slept. The oasis, with its flowing stream and fruit-bearing bushes, was a stark anomaly in the bleakness of their surroundings. Here, the air was fresher, the light somehow softer, and the pervasive sense of doom that filled the dungeon seemed held at bay. Amukelo took a moment to appreciate this rare peace, the quiet hum of nature around him offering a poignant reminder of the world above, so distant yet so dearly missed.