Save Log 29: Inside the Frozen Dungeon

The air was drier and colder than the rest of the place around the temple. The giant boulders of that golem were still lying silently where we defeated it.

"This is the entrance I guess. And it's sealed with magic." said Maruka examining the moss-covered stone wall which looked like a gate to something. There are many carvings on it that I don't understand.

"You know how to unlock it?"

"Not sure. I will try. Ahem. Oh the spirits of the temple," Maruka started to cast the magic

"Let us through this barrier that we face. Unseal!"

….there was no reaction whatsoever. The wall didn't move a hair.

"Guess that didn't work."

"What about ya Furara?" Glider looked toward Furara.

"E-eh? We-well, I don't know if I can do it if Maruka couldn't..."

"Don't cha worry Furara. I packed tons of mana drinks for ya. So go ahead."

After getting support from Lina, Furara decided to give it a shot. She raised her hands.

"Umm...use your wand please."

"No way!" Furara instantly refused my advice.

She again started to cast, after getting distracted by me.

"Oh the spirit of the temple and so, thou let us enter the temple that we are curious of. Sacred Unseal!" the temple door's carvings turned blue all of a sudden. With the ground rumbling, the wall started to crack and open an entrance into the temple.

"Heh. Furara is better than ya Maruka."

"She just used a better spell." I said to Glider.

"So what? Maruka couldn't do it so she lost."

"You guys shut up. Furara is taking a moment here." Lina yelled at us for making a fuss again. Furara is doing fine by the looks of it. Maruka was comforting her along with Lina.

With caution, we entered the temple one by one. It's colder than outside. Everything was icey and white. The ceiling, the floor, the wall, everything is covered with snow. We were going deeper into the temple but I stopped.

"Hang on a sec. Shouldn't the guild or Capital guards open the seal before we could explore it? Isn't that how things go?"

"Umm..aa..you worry too much Hanji. Let's just go."

"Why are you acting strange? I am not liking this."

"We can't just go back after we came here. Besides, Furara opened the seal with her memories at stake. You can't let her efforts go wasted." said Jerkin.

"Jerky is right. We can't let her efforts go wasted. Let's just do it anyway."

"I am sure you just want to see those shiny rocks."

"Hey! I am not that selfish."

Without arguing any further, I decided to stick with the plan and explore the dungeon.

After walking a few distances from the door, the corridor was leading to the underground. Everything so far is white. As we went deeper underground, mist covered the place, the surroundings were hard to see. Maruka's defog helped us see a few feet ahead. We illuminated our path with Furara's and Maruka's floating light. It was an endless corridor of white snow.

"M-man, w-we sho-should've b-bro-brought warm c-c-cloths." stuttered Jerkin from the cold surrounding us. I haven't experienced such a cold environment for a long time. Thankfully my cloak and my 'Environment Friendly' ability is keeping a bit warm but not warm enough.

"Ho-how-how the f-fu-fu-fu*k are you surviving this cold w-wi-with that clothing damn ca-cat?"

I just noticed now that Lina is walking just fine wearing a sleeveless vest, the red scarf around her neck and shorts.

"Hehe. My scarf has the enhancement of 'No Frost Blaze'. Helps me keep warm in cold places. I hate cold places."

How powerful is that scarf? Can nullify air, can help you keep warm in winter, what else?

"What about you two?" Lina asked Furara and Maruka.

"I used magic to keep myself warm."

"My cloak has 'Thermoregulation'. Keeps me warm in hot or cold places."

"Woah Furara. That's a pretty cool cloak."

"Pheh. Curse you all and your enchanted clothes." said Glider. Come to think of it, my cloak also has fire resistance enchantment. All our party members have enchanted clothes.

"I found a room up ahead." Maruka announced all of a sudden. She was right, there is a room ahead on our right.

The room looked less foggy and white. The place is illuminated by some kind of magic item.

Glider entered the room saying, it might be dangerous, he should check first. He hasn't come back for a while now.

"Did he find something and hiding it in his bag?" I said to Lina.

"I will go check it out then."

"Nope. You are the one who is not going in there, especially. I will go myself." Lina, backing Jerkin off, went into the room. We waited until we heard a scream from Glider.

What the heck is that cat doing?

We ran inside to check on them. Lina was chasing Glider with a dagger.

"Hey hey. What's going on? Why are you chasing him with that dagger?"

"Glider was stealing those rubies! I caught him red-handed after I came in here."

I knew this would happen. Well, now is not the time to fight.

"Don't do that, Glider-san. You will make us upset and trust you less."

"I-I...I'm sorry Furara. I won't do it again."

We examined the surrounding area. There are some dressers, chests, and some cabinets. One round table sits in the centre of the room, along with six chairs. The chest that Glider opened was filled with some red and green rocks.

"You know, these aren't Rubies. They are flare stones. My parents used them for their work." said Glider looking at a red rock on his hand.

"Oh yeah, your parents are blacksmiths, right?" said Glider.

"Wait, your parents are blacksmiths? A-are you Gustov's.."

"Don't be stupid Hanji. What made you think that? My parents work in the next town. Besides, do we even look alike?"

"Yep. Ya two both have messy hair."

"Shut up bi*ch."

While we were looking through the chest, Furara and Maruka were looking through the cabinets. Most of them were empty.

"What about these green rocks?"

"Oh, they are emeralds. Yep, the real ones. Although I have seen these once in my life except this time."

"What the heck dude. I was hyped to know it was emerald. I can't believe they are emeralds now, after what you said."

"We-well, I can tell it's emeralds if I remember right." replied Jerkin.

"These are ancient scriptures. What do you think Maruka?"

"Yes, they are ancient scripture. I can't detect its language either." Marina replied to Furara looking at some old papers.

"What did you guys find?"

I approached them leaving, Lina, Jerkin and Glider with the chests.

"They seem to be ancient scripture. But, we don't know what it says." Marina gave me a piece of paper. I don't understand them either. It has many symbols and writings. But, for some reason, I think I saw this type of writing somewhere. A long ago.

"I want to analyze these. Can we take them with us?"

"Nope, we are selling them to the guild. That's the best use of these for now."

"Ehh? But, they could contain valuable information. I want to.."

"Imagine, you could buy 3 full grilled kuckler meat if you sell them instead of studying. Don't you want that or do you just want to waste your time analyzing them?" I tried to get Furara to agree to sell it.

"Full grilled kuckler is better."

Yes. It worked.

"That was a dirty move Hanjiro." Maruka whispered to me. Money doesn't come easily.

We explored a bit more inside the dungeon and found some other rooms as well. There were other scriptures, flare stones, some magic crystal and other things.

"You know what, let's just go home. I am tired of wandering around in this cold dark cave."

"Li-Lina is ri-right. Th-this-this place this...t-t-too c-co-cold." I was still shivering from the cold. I am at my limit.

"Let's go home I gue..."

"Wa-wait! I found a-a hu-huge chamber. Let's just expl-explore this one and lea-leave." Glider said from ahead with Maruka and Jerkin. We hesitated to go, but we decided to go anyway.

Just like Glider said, it was a large and empty chamber. All blue and white. Everything was bright by some mysterious light source. The interior design is beautiful and scary.

I am not sure if it's my imagination but, I feel like something is breathing. Also, this feels like a boss room like those in RPGs.

"Th-there is nothing here. I-I am also feel-feeling so-something i-is breat-breathing. We sh-should be-before s-s-so-something happens." I said to them. They ignored me and kept looking around. I had no other choice but to join them.

"Hanjiro Fujiriya, remember that I said that nothing bad is going to happen to you? I guess I was wrong. Things will get worse right after this." said the voice in my head.

Why is Razahan saying out of nowhere?

"Oh look, a pretty stone!" Lina touched a stone that was attached to a tablet.

"Graaaawwr!!" it didn't take long for a terrifying roar which shook the whole room after Lina touched the stone. A lizard came out crawling from a hole opened by the stone. Even so, that damn cat still holding the stone in her hands!

"A-a-a-a-a…" we were already stuttering from the cold, the fear made it even worse. The dragon is more terrifying than those Giant ants.

The dragon gave out another roar and flew around the hall.

"Fall back!" I shouted to the party who were already running away without me.

Why does this always happen?!

Before I knew it, the dragon held me tight in its claws and threw me into the air.

"Hanjiro!" Furara, who noticed me being thrown in the air, shouted out. Everyone looked at me with terror. I, too, figured out it's my end of the journey.

Thank you, you all, it wasn't the best but I appreciate your company until now.

I made my last self-speech appreciation to my comrade for their company before I was eaten alive by the dragon.

I opened my eyes after getting my face to fell on a hard surface.

"Ouch!" I wailed because of the impact.

I looked at my surroundings. Instead of the boiling stomach of that dragon, I am at the guild lying face down on the floor.

"Woah! What the hell happened to you Hanji?"

"You look like you saw a dragon, everything alright?"

"Here get up dude."

The adventurers of the guild helped me get up from the ground. I still can't get away from the shock I am in right now.