Chapter 184: Until the End
The familiar sensation of wind whistled past his ears, making him forget about the pain coursing through his body for a moment.
When Kael regained his awareness, he found himself suspended somewhere between the ground and the sky, but rather than hovering in that place for long, his body began plummeting downward at a terrifying speed.
He had experienced something similar before back in the Forest of Death when the Silent River vanished and he had discovered his wind element, but now, after realizing that he had no mana left to control his fall, all he could do was continue dropping through the air.
'Ah... why do I always end up in situations like this?'
Complaining inwardly, he opened his hazy eyes, but because of the way his body was falling, all he could see was the sky above.
Except, it was nothing like the familiar blue sky he had always known. Everything overhead was covered in shades of gray and white, as though the sky itself had disappeared behind endless clusters of clouds.
At that moment, something ripped through those layers of clouds, parting them aside, something unstable that crackled wildly through the air. It was a massive jolt of lightning, soft black in colour, and it was descending straight toward him.
Kael could only stare at it with his mouth hanging open.
Was he imagining it, or did that bolt of lightning look far more terrifying than the one Seraphina had unleashed upon the creature earlier?
If that really was the case, then how in the world was he supposed to survive it?
'Ah!'
Just when it was about to strike him, however, he noticed that it miraculously began shrinking, turning into nothing more than a mere spark in an instant.
'Huh? Has my bad luck finally run out?'
Still, it struck the side of his left shoulder, sending a sharp chill running down his spine.
Feeling something strange there, Kael turned his head to the side, only to discover that the half-healed flesh and muscles on his shoulder had been burned as though someone had pressed fire against them. That injury had been left behind by nothing more than a spark of lightning.
A tiny spark.
Then what would have happened if that giant bolt of lightning had struck him instead?
He didn't even want to find out.
His face suddenly turned pale.
The unexpected lightning strike had distracted him so much that he had completely forgotten the most important thing. He was still falling from the sky, or whatever that place was, with absolutely no way to land safely at all. At this rate, every bone in his body was going to shatter, well, if there were any bones still intact or even left to be broken, that is.
He laughed bitterly.
Not long after, his body finally crashed into something, but it felt much softer than he had expected, and strangely enough, none of his bones broke either, making him doubt whether he had landed on the ground at all.
His body bounced back up before falling onto something much harder this time, then rolled several times across the surface until it eventually came to a stop with him lying flat on his back.
He huffed a few times.
Although every part of his body urged him to remain lying there for the rest of the day, he still didn't understand what kind of situation he had fallen into, so he pushed himself up with his only remaining hand and leaned his body against it.
When he had first opened his eyes during the fall, everything around him had appeared blurry and indistinct, but his vision gradually became clear. So, he wanted to get a proper look at where exactly he had ended up.
However, there was nothing natural surrounding him that he could recognize.
Aside from drifting smoke or fog that shifted endlessly without ever settling, everything around him was shrouded in gray mist. It was neither dense enough to block his sight nor thin enough to see through, instead remaining perfectly balanced somewhere in between.
Surprisingly, he was still able to make out objects a meter or two away from him.
Kael frowned.
'Where am I? What is this weird place? Why did I even end up here?'
He turned his head toward the object he had crashed into not long ago, only to find a flower-like thing standing there that could be vaguely made out through the fog. Perhaps that was why it had felt soft when he landed, and he hadn't suffered any injuries as a result.
'I should've transferred to the first floor, right?'
When he had first arrived here, he assumed that he had somehow been thrown out of the dungeon, but the more he looked around, the less likely that seemed.
'Wait... am I still inside the dungeon? But which floor exactly am I on?'
Kael carefully searched through his memories, recalling every explored floor whose information had been provided by the guild before this quest, but out of all sixty-three recorded floors, not a single description matched the place where he was now. In fact, he had never even heard of a floor remotely similar to this one.
That could only mean one thing.
His eyes widened.
'It's an... unexplored floor. Perhaps I've been transferred to a floor where none of the S-Rankers has ever set foot before. But... is something like that even possible?'
According to everything he knew, entering an unexplored floor without conquering the previous one was impossible. But not long ago, he had encountered two unknown creatures that were suspected to have come from the unexplored depths. Since they had somehow managed to appear on the upper floors, then there was a high possibility that he could also end up on a lower one. It was probably another consequence of the dungeon's broken ecosystem.
But there was still one thing that made no sense.
Unlike those creatures who were unable to choose their destination, he remembered thinking about the first floor while lying inside the teleportation circle back then, so how had that ended up with him arriving here instead? Could this also have been caused by the broken ecosystem? Had the teleportation circle failed to perform its task, or had it suffered a disturbance?
Speaking of which, why couldn't he see the teleportation circle anywhere around him?
He was supposed to arrive inside it even if he was sent somewhere else, wasn't he? So, why had he fallen from the sky instead? Did that mean he wasn't actually inside a floor after all? Had he somehow been dragged into another dreamlike reality like the one he had experienced before because of the tattoo?
One question after another continued to fill his mind, but no matter how much he thought about them, he couldn't find an answer to a single one.
'It's pointless to trouble myself with them.'
But there was one thing he couldn't help but be wary of.
If he had been transported into this unknown place, then what had happened to Valric? Had that battered man also been sent here along with him, or had he been returned to the first floor instead?
Considering that Kael had been holding onto him when they were being teleported, according to how things usually worked, he should have been somewhere in this place without a doubt... but the broken ecosystem made even that rather doubtful.
Kael was not even sure what he should assume and what he shouldn't anymore.
But one thing had become certain.
Whether they had escaped to the first floor or not didn't truly matter at all. Just like how there was no one around him here, he highly doubted anyone else would've remained behind on the first floor to help them escape either.
It was because the adventurers had not only been ordered to report everything back to the guild, but also to survive above all else, so naturally once the survivors escaped, no one would willingly remain behind alone.
Which meant that, regardless of where they had ended up, the two of them would have ultimately been left to survive and find a way out all by themselves.
After the report was delivered, they wouldn't even bother returning to check whether the rest were still alive or not, nor would the guild send anyone else inside. Instead, they would use every method available to either close the dungeon or seal it temporarily, even if such a solution wouldn't last very long.
It was not because they wanted to abandon them, but simply because they did not possess the power needed to rescue them. How could they anyway? Even if the guild gathered every adventurer registered within the town and sent them all inside, what could they hope to accomplish against those creatures when the guild's strongest forces, or perhaps even the town's strongest defenders, had failed to overcome even a single one? Wouldn't that achieve nothing except turning a hopeless situation into an unnecessary sacrifice, or worse, a complete bloodbath?
Why would they risk the lives of dozens, perhaps even hundreds, just to save three people who had been left behind?
As cruel as it sounded, it was only logical to prioritize the safety of the town and its citizens first, no matter how difficult that decision might have been... even if it meant abandoning two of their S-Rankers.
On top of that, unlike Aerisyl, who would have been able to carry the other two leaders away, Kael and Valric had been completely unable to move on their own, so even if their escape had been successful, both of them would have still remained trapped there.
Regardless, if Kael could survive another hour or two and absorb enough mana from his surroundings, then he might still have a chance to live... but what about Valric?
How was he supposed to survive in that condition of his, especially if they had truly been separated?
Valric possessed no healing abilities like Kael did. With both of his legs gone, he wouldn't be able to move from where he had fallen at all. Moreover, the amount of blood he had lost back then had been far beyond what should've been survivable. If his wounds weren't treated soon enough, he would have ten minutes or so left to live.
At this rate, he would only be lying somewhere, drenched in his own blood while his body quivered in pain as he waited helplessly for death to arrive, unable to move, unable to call out, and unable to do anything except watch his own life slip away little by little. If no one reached him in time, then his death was all but certain.
However, if Valric hadn't lost his legs, perhaps he would've been able to survive, or at the very least find some way to do so.
And who was the one responsible for reducing him to that miserable state again?
'Damn it... Damn it... Damn it all!'
It was his fault that Valric had lost his legs.
If only he had silently followed the leader's orders without questioning them, then he would've never been forced to fight that creature until he exhausted himself, nor would he have needed to throw away his own life just to drag Kael out of that beast's jaws. If only he had listened, perhaps things would've turned out differently.
Perhaps Valric would've still had his legs.
Perhaps there would've been nothing left to worry about now.
It was his own foolish decision and selfishness that had driven both of them into such misery.
It was also his fault that Seraphina had suffered such grievous wounds and almost lost her life as a result. Perhaps she had felt responsible for keeping him with them while ordering everyone else to retreat, which was why she had chosen to risk everything just to save him. But if he hadn't been so lost in thought back then, perhaps he would've noticed what was about to happen before it was too late. He had been the one who healed her, so he should've known that her mana core had run dry and that she could lose consciousness at any moment. He should've been paying far closer attention than he did.
He should've been far more vigilant.
All this time, while he believed he had been helping them... he had been completely wrong.
He hadn't helped them at all. If anything, he had only been making everything worse.
He had become nothing more than a burden to them, perhaps even dead weight.
He was the one dragging all of them down.
If he hadn't been there... perhaps none of this would have happened in the first place.
'I am so pathetic.'
His fingers curled into a tight fist until his nails dug into his palm, while he bit down so hard on his lower lip that he could almost taste blood.
He raised his head toward the sky as dark flames danced within the depths of his eyes, then he hissed through gritted teeth, "Perhaps I've lost the battle today and ran away from you like a coward, but don't think even for a second, that this is where it ends between us. If I survive this unexplored floor... no, I will make sure that I do. Then I will grow stronger... far stronger than I am now. And one day, I will come back for you. I will find you, even if I have to search through the deepest pits of hell."
A dark expression crossed his face as his gray eyes gleamed with cold ruthlessness, "Then I will kill you. I swear... I will kill you."
At that moment, something tore through the mist behind him, parting it aside as it descended upon him at a terrifying speed. It resembled a long, thick scythe-like weapon, or something very similar to one.
Unexpectedly, it was coming from the exact same direction where he had seen the flower only moments ago.
Looking over his shoulder, he noticed that the flower had vanished completely, replaced by the silhouette of something tall standing silently. Through the thick mist, only its two long, diagonally opposite eyes could be seen glowing in the darkness.
'Crap! I am done for.'
---
Somewhere far away, within a spacious room embraced by pearlescent white walls, a long wide-open window stretched across one side, veiled by translucent curtains that swayed gently with the breeze. The morning sunlight poured quietly through them, bathing everything inside in a soft, serene color that carried with it an indescribable sense of tranquility.
Beside the window stood a magnificent ornate table, and resting upon its polished surface lay nothing but a single letter, placed with its back facing up.
At that moment, a hand with skin as exquisite as fallen snow, gently placed a cup of freshly brewed tea upon the table, its soft fragrance drifting into the air.
"My lord... your morning tea."
Beside the table rested a high-backed chair, where a man in his early forties sat with his legs crossed, quietly studying the scenery beyond the open window with no particular expression visible on his face. His damp silver hair swayed gently whenever the breeze drifted through the room.
Only after hearing the gentle voice did he return from whatever distant thoughts had occupied his mind until now.
He narrowed his ocean-blue eyes.
Standing beside the table was a breathtakingly beautiful woman wrapped in a dark-violet gown, the fabric falling in seamless folds that hid her completely. The long golden-brown hair upon her crown was gathered neatly behind her head by an elegant hairpin, before its colour gradually melted into a luminous shade of gold that flowed gently down her back in graceful waves until it reached her waist.
Turning her gaze toward him, she asked, "You're still holding onto the letter?"
Without paying her any attention, Eldarion reached for the teacup, brought it to his lips, and quietly took a sip.
The woman tilted her head ever so slightly, her eyes carrying neither dissatisfaction nor impatience, "Are you not going to reply to her?"
Eldarion placed the cup back upon the table and let out a quiet sigh, "I am not planning to."
A trace of surprise appeared on the woman's face, "May I ask why?"
Eldarion gave her a brief glance, "It would be unnecessary."
Naturally, she knew nothing about the contents of the letter yet, so she neither understood nor judged his answer right away. It had simply drawn her attention because it had been sent by her daughter, while the fact that it had remained resting there untouched over the past several days only made her curiosity grow even stronger.
After quietly considering for a moment, she asked in a courteous voice, "If it wouldn't be a bother... would you mind telling me what she had written to you about?"
'Eager as always...'
Eldarion lifted the teacup once more, took another sip, then answered in an even tone, "In Velhart, the guild has discovered the possibility of a massive-scale Dungeon Break. If it occurs at the level described in the report, the devastation it would cause would simply be unimaginable. Worse still, they do not possess enough manpower to deal with it. The Duke also refused to provide any financial support or even seek outside assistance to confront it. Instead, he advised everyone to evacuate the town."
He paused for a moment, letting the silence settle between them before continuing, "Having no other option left, your daughter sought my help without delay. She wished for me to give the matter my personal attention since it carries the lives of thousands upon its shoulders. If I cannot intervene personally, she advised me to use my authority as a General, or my status as a noble, to hire several high-ranking adventurers from the capital to reinforce Velhart until the crisis has passed. That is the extent of her request."
The woman's golden eyes widened slightly upon hearing his explanation, "And what have you decided to do?"
Eldarion answered without the slightest hesitation, "Naturally, I refused."
The moment those words left his mouth, a shadow quietly fell across the woman's expression, replacing the calmness that had remained there until now.
She lowered her gaze for a moment before looking back at him, her voice becoming noticeably more serious, "She had finally gathered enough courage to write a letter to you personally, swallowing her never-ending pride and long-lasting hatred for once, because she had nowhere else left to turn. Even though you have become her only remaining hope, and perhaps the only chance those innocent people have of surviving the tragedy approaching them, you're still unwilling to lend her your hand? Besides, isn't Velhart under your jurisdiction? How can you consider such a predicament unnecessary, my lord?"
Despite hearing every word she said, Eldarion showed no sign of offense. Instead, a faint smile quietly appeared on his face as he said, "It's because our children need to grow up. They need to learn how to solve certain problems without relying on their parents at every turn. This world isn't the kind, peaceful place they once believed it to be... it never was. It has always been filled with madness, betrayal, deception, and countless twisted political schemes. If they wish to obtain something, they must seize it with their own hands. Whether their intentions are driven by righteousness or wickedness scarcely matters in that regard. That's the unchanging rule of the world."
A hint of wistfulness appeared in his eyes as he continued, "She became a full-fledged knight in order to fulfill her so-called dream despite my disapproval throughout all these years. People's dreams often know no bounds, but hers was an impossible and foolish dream. One that will only keep bringing countless dangers to her, leaving her all alone to face hardships like this while offering nothing in return. This is only the beginning of the obstacles awaiting her. Therefore, if she's truly determined to follow the path she chose for herself, she must strive to survive... she has to do it."
The grip on the cup's handle tightened slightly as he fell silent for a moment.
When he finally spoke again, his expression had turned as cold as ice, "However, if she can't find a way to survive or overcome this disaster through her own efforts, she has no right to continue walking that path anymore. She has no right to pursue such an impossible dream either. She needs to realise how immature, incompetent and irresponsible she truly is. She was never fit to become the guardian of an isolated town to begin with, nor was she ever capable of bearing the responsibilities that came with that position. She needs to accept all of it."
He gradually loosened his grip on the cup before bringing it to his lips, taking a long sip in one go, then he said, "In short, this performance of hers will dictate her future."
Afterwards, he remained silent for quite some time, giving her enough time to digest the meaning behind his words.
Even so, every now and then he couldn't help stealing a glance at her expression.
It was because he had never explained himself to her before... not to this extent, at least. He knew she was puzzled, and her mind was undoubtedly racing through countless thoughts while trying to piece together her own conclusions.
Just as he was about to shift his gaze away, his eyes inadvertently fell upon her neck.
The collar of her clothes had loosened slightly, revealing her slender neck with exquisitely beautiful ivory skin.
What truly caught his attention, however, were the several faint marks that still lingered there, impossible to overlook.
He almost spat out his tea the moment he saw them.
'How careless! Why didn't you cover them?'
Letting out a helpless sigh, he silently lowered his gaze and continued drinking his tea as though he had seen nothing.
Eventually, the woman's expression gradually turned somber before she spoke in a solemn voice, "I understand... I won't try to delve any deeper into this matter, nor do I wish to question your motives. I have no issue with your harsh decision either. Do what you must."
Feeling the bitter taste of the tea spread across his tongue, Eldarion quietly let out a sigh of relief, as though a heavy weight had finally been lifted from his chest.
A gentle smile then appeared on the woman's face as she chuckled softly, "However, that doesn't necessarily mean I am willing to stand by and watch my darling daughter suffer like this from the sidelines. I don't care what kind of test you're putting her through or how difficult it really is, all I wish is that she won't be hurt too badly during the process... if possible, not at all. Ensuring her safety should be your utmost priority. That is all I ask of you."
Eldarion found himself unable to respond immediately, but after a moment of silence, then he nodded, "That won't be a problem."
He placed the empty cup upon the table before turning his gaze toward the world beyond the window, quietly watching the soft golden sunlight that bathed the distant scenery as his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
'The destruction of Velhart is an inevitable outcome. Whether it is brought about by humans, monsters, or perhaps even demons makes little difference in the end. With a disaster carrying such overwhelming risk, is there anyone still capable of preventing it? Perhaps... or perhaps not.'
Resting the side of his face against the fist supported by the armrest, he quietly closed his eyes for a fleeting moment.
'Either way, this is only the beginning. The beginning of a new journey the world has yet to witness, one that will reshape its people, and one that will decide the fate of everyone in Velhart.'
The woman, who had remained silent all this time, spoke once more, her voice laced with concern, "By the way, I haven't received any letters from Serelina during the past month."
Eldarion turned his gaze toward her and asked in a serious tone, "Is there supposed to be a problem with that?"
The woman nodded hesitantly, "Yes, I have a bad premonition about this."
All the gentleness vanished from her expression as she continued, "Although she has never shown any signs of it before, I'm afraid there's still a chance that... she might have awakened."
Every trace of expression disappeared from Eldarion's face at once, leaving it deathly cold.
Golden flames danced within the depths of the woman's gentle golden eyes as she said, "If she really has... we must isolate her from the rest of the world before they find out."
---
(Chapter Ended)
End of Volume I, Part-I: Those Tranquil Days Together