Dungeon.
Hidden by magic, I was on a small dais, watching the battle between the xenos and the adventurers. Even though the Xenos had a higher level, two at most, they were outnumbered by the adventurers. Thirteen xenos versus twenty-one adventurers, to be exact.
I could see that the humans were about fourth level, and their squad was made up of members of several Familias, as I could clearly sense more than one divinity. Their appearance on the other hand... it could only be described as that of cannon fodder or members of the masses. No bright hair colors or distinguished clothing, to make a long story short.
I didn't arrive with the rescue team, but later, because Ouranos had told the xenos that I was only level one. Because of this, Lyd and Ray asked me to stay with the others that didn't take part in the mission, because they were level two and below, and then moved on to the scene. Gros, the last of the three leaders of the village, simply went ahead of the others and gave me an accusing look, obviously assuming that I was to blame, but I wasn't.
Of course, I didn't stay behind, but covered the village with an enclosed field to conceal and protect it in case of a surprise attack, and then came here when the battle had already begun. Fia on the other hand, that is, the harpy that was caught, was in a rather... battered state and locked in a cage.
The reason I wasn't in the battle yet was because I wanted to listen to the adventurers, after all, gods are different, as are the circumstances of the mortals under their command. No, I didn't care about these adventurers, but I still wanted to get a full picture of what was going on. And I got it, for they turned out to be quite ordinary black-market merchants, acting on their own free will.
At one point, the Xenos were still pinned down, forced into a deafening defense, and the adventurers were almost beginning to celebrate their victory. There were no casualties among the Xenos, apparently to sell later, and that could be considered a positive.
I nodded to myself and activated the magical chains.
Well, I suppose now would be a good time. Also, I'll just about be able to test one hunch.
-0-
Reflecting another blow from the man, the feeling of hopelessness inside the wounded Lyd pressed more and more on his mind and body. He didn't want to lose, didn't want to leave the others unattended, didn't want to end his journey here and now when he had only just managed to meet the hope of a brighter future.
He wished with a smile on his face to see the sun that was coming out so beautifully from behind the horizon. He wished to breathe in the surface air, under the endless blue sky covered with white clouds, which was different from everything that was here in the Underground. And that was why he was fighting with all his strength.
Lyd understood the situation he and the rest of the Xenos present found themselves in. The humans had surrounded them in a ring, giving them no opportunity to escape, only to fight to their last breath.
There could be no reinforcements, for all the others that remained in the village, as well as Romani, had no more than level two. If Lid himself was level five and couldn't stand up to these people, what about them?
The battle was a lost battle.
He, Ray and Gros had attacked the camp, as there were few people in it initially, but then it turned out to be a trap. Fia acted as bait, and as soon as they sprang into action, they were instantly surrounded by opponents outnumbering them.
Lyd looked to the side to see Gros and Ray, whose wings were badly damaged, forcing them to stay on the ground. He was their leader, and because of that, he was being eaten alive by guilt and shame, for it was Lyd who had led the others in the attack. Even Gros, who was always being rude and not very respectful to him, was following Lyd's orders... And he had failed him. He let everyone down.
- "You could say that today we have a great catch," said one of the adventurers mockingly, "How much do you think we'll get for them?"
- "A lot," the other grinned, "Especially for the siren and the lamia."
- "You'll get nothing!" shouted Ray, writhing in pain, and Rani, the arachna, cheered her on, "You will die here!"
- "What a screamer," another said in a level voice, and then looked at the rest of the humans, "Don't kill them. The stones from them are worth far less than they are themselves."
The adventurers with evil and anticipatory smiles began to slowly clamp down on the ring while the xenos clustered harder and harder at the same pace.
Lyd, however, looked around at his fellows, seeing only wounded bodies and faces full of despair, and prepared to give his orders. He didn't know what awaited them after their capture, but he knew it would be no good. And so there was only one way out.
Die and be reborn.
Xenos are monsters, which means the rules are the same. When they die, they are reborn, and the amount of time it takes to find their own kind and set up a new village is no longer relevant. It's either that or a dark unknown future.
Lyd took a deep breath and was about to open his mouth to give an order when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He slowly turned his head and saw Romani, who was looking at him with a calm expression and a reassuring smile.
- "R-romani!" Lyd shrieked, drawing the attention of both the xenos and the adventurer. – "What are you doing here!!! Run away quickly, they'll kill you!"
He didn't understand what Romani was doing here and was genuinely worried for his life, for these evil people would definitely kill their hope for a bright future without a second thought. Xenos are reborn, but not humans. If he dies...
- "Well, well, well, it's okay," Romani waved his hand as if he didn't see anything dangerous in front of him, and then stood in front of the xenos, "I'll take care of it."
- "No! You need to run!" Ray intervened, but Romani just ignored her.
- "Who's that, Dix?" The adventuress asked, as their advance on the Xenos came to a halt.
- "A member of the Tiamat Familia. Romani Archaman, if I recall correctly," the man called Dix answered her, and then looked at Romani, "Your words are very cocky for a first level, and it's really funny. You don't expect to get out of here alive, do you?"
- "Oh? Actually, I think it's funny too," Romani grinned and raised his right hand, "After all, I'm not exactly level one and I'll definitely get out alive."
- "What are you talking about?" Dix asked, squinting his eyes, to which Romani simply snapped his fingers.
The next moment, Lyd's vision was blinded by a golden light. Hundreds of golden shining chains, covered in black writing with blades at the ends, burst from the flaring golden magic circle beneath Romani's feet and instantly pierced the adventurers' bodies, tearing flesh and shattering bones. And the inertia threw the now dead men back with such force that they slammed straight into the walls of the Dungeon.
Not a second passed before Lyd, his fellows, and Romani were standing before them, for each of the adventurers had been killed quickly, simply, and in cold blood. They didn't even have time to realize their deaths.
Lyd felt much the same way, his mouth opening and closing as he couldn't believe his own eyes. Ouranos had mentioned level one, and what Lyd saw now was far from a level one power.
Such an overwhelming power that required no training or special conditions was firmly planted in Lyd's mind that he stopped even breathing, as if he had forgotten about it. But it wasn't just her that made him stiffen, it was the Dungeon's reaction.
It trembled, as if responding to the manifestation of Romani's powers. The walls slowly began to be covered with vegetation and flowers that glowed in the blue light of the surrounding stalactites. Fireflies and particles of light appeared out of nowhere and danced around the chains, and a wave of warmth that he had never felt before traveled through Lyd's body. Romani on the other hand...
-0-
- "Hmm... Interesting..."
I watched the changes and drove the chains from side to side while the fireflies followed them like a dog following a bone. The dungeon was reacting to Tia's power that I added to the chains. It was as if it was welcoming her, trying to befriend her and get her attention. And that was only because of a grain of Tia's signature.
I suppose if I brought Tia herself here, the Dungeon would go crazy. My senses picked up a change in the walls. It was a resonance between two strikingly similar energies, feeding and reinforcing each other.
Now it was certainly safe to say that Tia and Dungeon were colleagues. But there were a number of other questions, like whether or not it was influenced by the local Gaia, and so on.
- "Well, come on," I shrugged and turned to the xenos, where I was met with a bunch of shocked and disbelieving looks. None of them blinked, breathed, closed their open mouths, or moved at all. At this I clapped my hands loudly, which brought them out of their stupor, "I suggest we go back. You don't mind, do you?"
- "Y-yes... Of course..." Lyd said in a near whisper, but he didn't move, and neither did the other Xenos.
I silently turned around and, creating a cup of coffee and then taking a sip, headed towards the village, in the process completely healing their wounds, including Fia's.
I guess they were too much shocked by my power, huh? Well, I don't sense any presence nearby yet, so let them recover and then come back. They've got time for that. Uh-huh-uh.
-0-
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