Chapter 33: Mountainous Ventures Part1

Valentine Rillem-

Ceasing movement, I gazed before the mountainous alpine, covered in sheer, craggy slopes far and wide. I huffed and shifted my eyes to the left of me. Catching sight of a rugged grey trail that traversed deep into the terrain of uplifted earth.

"It should be further ahead…" I informed myself, taking a step onto the trail of rock. So, my miniature expedition began, trekking through the vast area of chained mountains. Getting further, the trail started to lift from the surface, making a steep ledge while I journeyed. I took a glance down on my right, able to view the yawning chasm below, a large stream of water, steadily flowing along the lengthy ravine.

Remaining my course to the Etz-Clare cavern, I came across two enormous mountain slopes sitting in front of me. Twenty feet apart, parallel from each other, with two giant stone pillars on either side. The one on the right had words carved onto it.

[Etz-Clare Cavern. 300-meters ahead.]

I noted this and kept my pace, passing the giant earthly structures.

*EEEEEE*

While I continued moving onward, I distinguished a loud, inhumane screech. Taking heed of what this monstrosity could be, I prepared myself as I walked.

Then, I came to a sharp turn making a left. When I did, I viewed a small horde of depraved. Deceased military officers and challengers, whose minds have been corrupted by arachnid beasts. They wore old clothing that looked like nothing more than polluted rags, and rusted armor. Their skin was a sickly gray tone, and had sections of grotesque decayed skin revealing the insides of their black tissue and muscles.

Resuming my walk, the group of deceased noticed me, all resonating horrid screeches and roars. The dead beings lifted their legs and charged towards me, filled with everlasting bloodlust as their feet scraped against the ground.

I utilized my spatial kinetics and made my arm radiate a tinge of purple light.

[Dimensional Wave]

As I swung my arm, I released a humming crescent blade of lavender. At inconceivable speed, this bladed ripple fazed through the group of depraved, unable to perceive even the smallest wound. However, while they kept a steady pace, the stomachs of these monsters slowly slid off their torso, hitting the ground.

Still, the depraved began using their arms as support, dragging their selves to me as their blackened innards trailed behind.

This won't kill them, since they can remain active until the brain is destroyed. So, I formed a ball of black nether flames, and lifted my hand, aiming at the undead. I projected a giant billow of darkened blazes, completely disintegrating all of them into nothing.

After they were killed, I drifted my eyes around the area, verifying there wasn't any remaining stragglers. Concluding the coast was clear, I carried on.

Shortly after, I finally came across a large tenebrous cave, installed at the bottom slope of the giant mountain before me. "Ughh… Thank Malerenz I'm here. I should've just used photon movement to get here…" I sighed in disappointment to myself.

Just when I attempted to take a step, I felt a presence behind me. I quickly used my spatial kinetics and made my black daggers appear on my hands. Then I rotated, only to confront three other challengers. Who seemed to be in their late adolescence?

It was a group of two woman and a man.

The woman to the left of me was a tall girl with skin of ivory, light copper-brown hair and honey-colored eyes. Sporting golden armor on her chest, arms, and legs. Owning a chainmail that enveloped her torso, along with a red katana sheathe fastened to her waist.

As for the man in the center, a well-built guy clad in striking silver armor. Wearing a helmet as well, only allowing his face to show. Possessing dark brown eyes with a thin black mustache. In his hands; two short axes.

Lastly, the girl on the right of me. There's a noticeable difference in height between herself and her comrades. Grey ash-colored hair and light blue eyes with skin of light caramel. Attired in a brown hooded cloak that hung near her thighs. The only armor she wore was blue gauntlets and chausses of the same color.

'Hmmm, they don't seem too strong… but then again, if I learnt anything about 'Purgatory'-even your trusted allies may try to murder you.' I contemplated in my head, inspecting the suspicious group.

The girl on my left waved her arms hysterically, "w-wait… we're not going to attack you. W-we're heading inside Etz-Clare cavern as well." She stuttered.

"Yes, we're in the apatite phase of the crystal - and a part of the Je'shin coalition. We took a mission to gather lifeless gems." The ash-haired girl explained.

While I continued studying the three, 'it doesn't seem like their lying. Still, I don't know what they could have planned. If it comes to that path, killing will have to occur.' I devised in my head. "Ok," I worded tersely. Starting to gather photons in the air, preparing to move ahead.

"A-Are you by chance… Valentine Rillem? General Rellgis Rillem's wife??" The armored lad asked in an excited tone. Before I could answer, "that-that is her!"-He grasped the ash-haired girl's shoulders, shifting her back-and-forth- "Oh-My-Gosh!"

He pointed to himself, "I-I'm Liam"- points at the tall girl on my left- "She's Evelyn"-then gestures his hands to my right at the short girl with ash-hair- "And this is Ava Khepri. She's a part of the noble Khepri family in Gremis from the Cairo Region."

I was simply shocked; I wasn't expecting a reaction like this…at all. I forget this planet is nothing like Nephelium, even if scum exist everywhere in the universe. They don't seem like bad people nonetheless, only because of this bloke's personality. "I see, well it's nice to meet you all." I greeted in a flattened tone.

"Would you like to work with us, Mrs. Rillem? We'll give you half of our profit from acquiring the gems." Ava claimed.

I shook my head, "no, its fine. I'll just help you since we're heading to the same place… and just call me Valentine." I turned around and proceeded towards the large, darkened cave.

Then, the three challengers quickly scurried behind me.

The cave was about forty feet wide, so it's a bit large. Walls of this place were smooth, incased with small amounts of condensed liquid. The ceiling was filled with an abundant number of gems, flushing a violet tint onto the ground. However, it was only about twenty feet above. Which could be a minor problem for the three if a group of beasts or depraved horde came across them. "So, miss Valentine, what're you here for? If… you don't mind me asking?" Evelyn questioned.

"I'm just here to grab a couple of gems for myself is all." I explained. I don't see a purpose to inform them about my actual reason to be here for Sin.

"The gems should be further ahead. Only thing is, more than likely it'll be crawling with arachnids, snakes, lizards, and hordes of depraved." Ava briefed.

Liam sighed, "…hopefully we get this done quickly so we can head back home." He slouched his armored shoulders.

Keeping a steady march down the path, we came across another large hole. Then, I discerned more deathly groaning. I quickly lifted my fist in the air. The three halted further movement, which I figured they had a good amount of training. I peered further in the distance, able to view a giant horde of depraved, just standing idly. Yet, something seemed a bit off, albeit I couldn't word the exact reason as to why.

Behind the mob of undead, there were three other paths, one on my left, the right, and directly in front of me. If I remember correctly, it should be the left that guides us to the chamber.

But by the biggest coincidence, a group of five challengers emerged from the path to my right.

'Perfect.' I said to myself.

The depraved, screeched and roared in grave tones, stampeding towards the group of challengers. Which the opposers brandished they're weapons and shot a barrage of elements at the horde, attempting to fight them off.

"Should we help them?" Evelynn asked worriedly.

"No. It's best to leave them so we won't have any obstacles." I denied. The three sternly nodded, and we dashed to the path on our left. I took a quick glance at the challengers, and it wasn't looking good. Some of the depraved had seized a couple of them and began violently chomping away like animals on their skin as blood spurted onto the ground.

While we ran, the three kids all had ghastly expressions, listening to the opposing group scream in terror being eaten alive. I could've done something, but I already have an objective; grab the gems and leave, nothing more. Meeting these three already slowed me down. I can't let anything else distract me. Plus, I must cook food when I get home…

Getting onto the next check point, we ran towards two black columns with a single wooden sign carved with glowing white letters.

[Etz-Clare lifeless gem chamber. 200-meter distance.]

When we passed the columns, I immediately ceased my steps. Feeling a grim pressure emanating from the aperture behind these structures. As the kids stopped behind me, we all quietly moved forward to the opening on our left. Only to catch a glimpse of more depraved, including giant black scaley lizards, snakes, and large arachnids. All ambling with each other in the spacious area before us. The path was just ahead of us as well…

This really caught my attention though. The only monster that works together here are depraved. Even if arachnids are the general reason why the depraved exist, using their venom on deceased men. After they poison the dead, they'll just move on elsewhere. Furthermore, this doesn't explain why there's multiple groups of them, along with the snakes and lizards.

Arachnids are apex ranked. As for the lizards and snakes; specialists. Also, the depraved are placed in tyro, the weakest of beast rankings. They're only a problem when it's a giant horde. Anyhow, none of these monsters work together, there should be a battle between them as of now.

'Something strange is definitely running amidst. But what exactly could it be?' I conjectured myself inspecting the beasts.

"It looks like we'll have to fight them off… but this is odd - I never seen these beasts work together before." Liam mumbled.

"Could someone be controlling them?" Ava questioned.

"Possibly, but what for?" Evelyn asked as her eyes shifted on the beasts.

"We'll have to be ca- "AHHHH!!" Unexpectedly, I was interrupted by an eerie shriek.

We all quickly turned around, watching two challengers covered in blood, running from the previous group of depraved. Then, the monsters before us all roared aggressively slowly approaching us. 'Dammit…' I hissed in my head.

"Get ready," I instructed to the three. Evelyn unsheathed her curved katana, Liam raised his axes, and Ava lowered her posture. All of us coated ourselves in aura, prepared for battle.

The pair of injured challengers hastily dashed past us, as if we didn't exist. Running into the next path towards the monsters. A giant lizard pounced onto a man, dug its jagged teeth right into his neck and decapitated him.

As the woman came to halt about to change directions, an arachnid lifted one of its sharpened limbs, and flawlessly impaled her chest. Then, the depraved and snakes joined, manducating her like a kabob as her cadaver hung on the spider's leg.

All while the depraved gradually closed the interval, Liam, Ava, and Evelyn fired a multitude of blazing flames, sharp pellets of water, and spears of earth holding them back. I placed my attention back on the other group of beasts and coated my arm in that same lavender hue. 'I'll have to control my power, can't bring down the entire mountain range.' I noted in my head.

I waved my arm once more and fired a lavender, crescent blade that violently hummed through the air. Instantly cutting through all the beasts before they could comprehend what happened, they were sliced in two, falling onto the ground. Immediately, I encased my palm in black flames and hurled a blanket of scorching blazes on the beasts, incinerating them all into nonexistence.

Next, I rotated coming to see the three falter back from the depraved. Evelyn quickly erected a thick wall of earth, blocking the undead from us. Still, it was only slowing them down, gradually breaking it down as chips of earth fell onto the ground.

"It's not gonna hold!" Evelyn desperately shouted.

Just then, as the undead broke through the wall, hellbent on hunger, I gazed onto the next path marking my target. I lifted my hand and colors of purple sheltered their bodies, teleporting them ahead from me. As the depraved advanced towards me with baritone groans, raising their disgusting arms, I took a step back.

Time slowed to the point it completely stopped, my vision began to expand, watching everything fold around me like a tunnel of images.

In an instant, I surfaced before the group of three. When the undead resumed their chase to us, I lifted my index. The tip of my finger glowed that beautiful purple color, and fired a bombardment of light beams into the depraved, ravaging their bodies into nothing more but burnt fragments of coal. Sadly, these dead beings pervaded an unpleasant smell. Which only made me question myself knowing the cost of doing so, 'why did I do that?'

"Woahh-I never witnessed spatial kinetics in person... A-and thank you for saving us, miss Valentine." Liam praised as the three bowed.

"Of course, let's get a move on before more come." I insisted moving forward.

Eventually, we reached our destination, coming to meet a dead end, with two giant stone doors and ancient carvings engraved on them.

Which so happens to be what these Promethians look like. A being with two, large angelic wings on their back. Arms raised in the air, glorifying the supposed heavens above.

However, I noticed that something occurred, not too long ago. There were large claw marks, deep gashes and small bits of blood splattered on the doors. Plus, multiple singed sections as well. Whatever was the cause of these problems, is just ahead, behind these doors.

I turned to the three, "listen… whoever caused these odd problems is just beyond these doors. It might be best if you leave. I'm going to stay and report this back to my husband."

They all shook their heads, and Evelyn stepped up, "we're going to stay miss Valentine." She firmly stated.

"You really don't have to, it's a little too much for your lives to be risked over gems, is it not?" I queried.

"Hahaha, that may be true, but the costs of the reward is what's keeping us going." Liam chuckled raising his dual axes.

Ava coated herself in lively blue aura, "plus… we owe it to you for saving our lives."

I made small smile from their determination; Liam seemed to have a mantle of rose on his cheeks as he withdrew his head.

"Well then, let's get out of here alive." I uttered, grasping the large handles on the stone doors.

When the doors steadily opened with a low rumble, our eyes came to meet a horrid, bloodied massacre, bodies of challengers splayed everywhere.