Chapter 69.

Back to the dark tunnels, only lit by shiny crystals embedded in the grey stones of the walls. A detail had caught Nick's eye some time before, at the previous break, a detail that gave him solace : the environment was overall drier than in the Maze. Forgotten was the damp air permeating everything ! In there, in the caves around the city of Sephayis, the atmosphere was more desertic, different. It had an odour of sand and sun, even though no such things were close-by. In the man's head, all those details were reassuring, as it was proof the Trial was over and gone : proof they had gone somewhere.

(Enora) It is over. We really pulled through.

(Nick) Thinking about the fact we managed to get out is … amazing. Sometimes I'm afraid I'll wake up back in there.

(Rose) Sorry to interrupt you two, but could you try and focus ?

The little blond sent that thought with a feeling of annoyance attached. The two others focused again on the current events, strengthening their grips on their spears and Mystic Arts. The enemy was merely a dozen Grey Devils, and that was why they had gone on a bit of a mental tangent. In truth, they felt bored. The fight was easy, even without giving their all, which made them careless although they had promised themselves to stay vigilant in these matters not too long before. It seemed like it had become Rose's job to remind them of everything. A compass to reality.

As she always watched after them for the smallest sign of a reckless attitude, the youngest of the trio notched and loosed arrows lightning fast. Energising her arms with wild energy made her extremely efficient with a bow, allowing her to cover her friends. Also, since she was mainly at the back of the group, she took up the duty of overseeing fights and sending the gathered information and the conclusions she came up with to the frontliners.

Fight after fight, battle after battle, the frail woman acquired a good sense of how such an encounter should proceed. When to attack and when to defend, and most importantly when to use their Mystic Arts so as to inflict the most losses to the enemy. Rose enjoyed it ! She enjoyed that new role of hers, feeling like a general commanding an army towards victory. Of course, she did not 'command' that 'army', but whatever : it felt nice.

Anyway, unsurprisingly, the fight went well. After spears and arrows pierced many fleshy practice targets, the cave got its silence back. Nick took it upon himself to check the monsters one by one, to see if they possessed any valuable. In the meantime, Enora began cleaning her equipment using a piece of cloth she tore from one of the Grey Devil's shirts. As she removed the blood and gore from her weapon, she observed her kite shield and felt slightly annoyed : it was damaged. Not a lot, just a few cuts staining it green leather, but still ! She had just bought it very recently, and already these disgusting creatures had damaged it. With a laugh, Nick said :

I had not realised you were such a miser, woman !

You've been hiding this side of you quite well all this time. Is it why you did not want me to pay for Cusmo's drink yesterday ?

You ! I just don't like to see my stuff damaged, that's all !

Seemingly immensely amused by his lover's reaction, the man continued while frisking the corpses.

What about the first one ? You did not even flinch from losing it.

Did not have time back then, danger and shit. But we paid for this one !

So you really ARE a penny-pinching gal !

And the teasing kept on going. A few new developments happened once they were ready to advance in the tunnels again : they had found no clue about the lost militia squad, no precious metals or gems from the dead, and Enora received a new nickname. 'Stingy Eny' ! Apart from that, the other two points made the trio a bit restless. They had been going deep into the tunnels for almost a day and, yet, nothing about the missing people. Not finding a single piece of copper after exterminating five groups of monsters was even worse. Something felt wrong.

Finally taking a break, the three companions sat on the ground in a small cave, quickly lighting a coal fire and pressing themselves together with their backs against the wall. They probably needed rest, but they could not feel it, as energising themselves made the fatigue disappear. They had, however, decided to take a rest from time to time, to let their bodies recuperate while thinking of the situation.

It is too weird. Nothing adds up here !

True, we are missing something vital.

Doesn't feel like we can guess though. Let's just keep looking around and hope that we stumble upon the answer to this mystery.

With these positive thoughts in mind, the trio rested for a while before going back into the fray. However, not only did the weird feeling stay with them, but it was also amplified little by little. It began with the enemy : they were weak, malnourished and ill-equipped. They also did not have a single full purse on themselves. No food either. The whole situation was odd, and the trio had no idea what to think of it.

After two days of not finding anything of note, which, to them, was already something of note, Nick, Enora and Rose went back to Sephayis. They swung by the militia tower in order to give the little information they had to the Guard Captain. As usual, he looked angry and impatient as all hells. He still closely listened to their report, glaring at them a bit before scratching his chin.

- Something is definitely wrong here., he said in a harsh and low voice. I'll ask one of my people to go through the city records for similar occurrences. Good job you three.

The Captain ended the conversation after throwing a small satchel of clinging metal at them before firmly shooing them away. Once outside, Enora frowned to the amount of their reward : a handful of copper coins.

Really ?! That little ?

Look, Nick, Stingy Eny is back !

They went back to their room while teasing each other, knowing full well that they would have to go back in the tunnels very soon.