Part Two - New World - Chapter [041]

With little to no problem, we arrived at the top of the mountain, it was a bit strenuous since the closer we got to the elder tree. The more the miasma inflicted its curse stronger upon us. But we managed, my purification circle magic was able to keep us in check. But it seemed to be affecting Arslan as we got closer to the elder tree. He had to use his mask even though we were protected. But I paid it no mind and followed in his wake. 

Then finally we arrived - to the dungeon at the top of the mountain of Mitril. 

I paused a moment to catch my breath and looked around for a moment. 

This was the dungeon?

It looked more like a fountain, with the elder tree at the far end of it. It was a large clearing, it looked more like a boss arena rather than a dungeon. 

"This is the dungeon?" I asked muffled over my mask. 

Arslan looked at me curiously. 

"It's not a dungeon - but a fountain," he explained. 

"The Elder Tree serves this region -" he pointed towards the elder tree. Only now as the miasma cleared a little bit, did I manage to notice a faint blue glow coming from it. 

A giant crystal was embedded in the trunk of the tree. Dimly lit, and rotten to the core. 

"Is that?!" I asked. 

"That's what keeps the miasma in check, at least for this part of Eldoren," he continued.

"All across the land, the miasma has been eating at the crystal's magic." 

His lore dump was suddenly interrupted by a harrowing dark scream, it came from the sky, or was it the ground? I couldn't tell. 

Arslan walked in front of me, his sword slowly un-shedding from his hilt. 

The scream was high-pitched and intense, my ears felt like they were about to bleed. Like a mic giving feedback loop through a speaker, like nails screeching against a chalkboard. 

Arslan was unmoved - but his stance was already in full attack.

"There's a monster lurking about love, can you help me out a bit?" 

My staff solidified from thin air into my hand.

"Right so!" I pulled it up and it shone with a purification light. I didn't even have to say anything - the spell activated on its own. 

As the light shone and the circle spread in an even wave across the fountain, it dissipated the miasma fog and finally allowed for a clear view. 

The crystal responded to me, shining just beyond the veil of darkness. Like it was calling to me. Like it was hanging on for dear life. 

"Any second now that crystal's going dark, let's hurry this up!" He shouted, removing his mask now finally the air became breathable. 

Then just like that - the monster that had made the harrowing scream showed itself. 

It made Arslan jump because it hit him from the side, and in an instant, he was pushed away several feet. He managed to shield it just right. 

Was it a snake, or something else? 

The monster was huge, its body towering above me, and its scales were burning.

Was it because of my purification light? 

I heard Arslan shout something from the other side of this enclosure. 

"SUN'S LAMENT!" He shouted and from that, a bright orange glow grew ever more present from his side. With one fell swoop, he managed to split the front end of the snake-like monster into two equal parts. 

The monster shouted in pain and screamed as blood pooled on the shallow pond below our feet. In one swift motion, Arslan made it back to my side safe and sound, with a couple of ruffled feathers, but still only a single scratch on him. 

"No need to worry about me love, just keep doing your thing." 

At that moment I felt like Apollo and me became one. 

I pulled my staff even higher this time. 

"Commencing purification," I said, and Apollo as well at the same time. Our voices spoke together in one. 

The snake monster showed itself once more. Slithering its way from the underground. I got a good look at it. Its upper body was a of a woman, everything else was snake-like. 

My body moved on its own, but I sent out a flying light spell towards where the snake lady had appeared. Arslan was already moving behind it. 

The light spell blinded her just enough for Arslan to jump and cast another warrior attack. 

"THOUSAND SUN SLASHES!" He shouted and started slashing at the beast one hit after another, the snake monster had no time to react, its body was visible.

Arslan was making mincemeat of it. 

I on the other hand - had a more difficult job that needed proceeding. 

["Connecting to Crystal-Net"]

["Success"]

Apollo was guiding me through the process of getting this spell done. He and I - we were one right now. 

Arslan landed on his feet with a superhero move, and the snake lady fell behind him, seemingly having been defeated. Arslan already showing his back to the enemy. 

He looked up swiftly and pushed his hair back like he was confident enough that he had defeated it. 

Even though Apollo was telling me a heartbeat was still being detected. 

Just like that in the span of a second, the snake monster's body eroded into a tiny million pieces, literally. 

Baby snakes that looked like leeches sprung out of its body, Arslan came to the cruel realization of it as one of them leaped up and bit his shoulder. 

Pain and a sharp sting ran through his body, I could see his expression change into utter despair. 

Not before ripping it from his shoulder and squashing it with his golden boots.

Blood stains damp the gold-yellow. 

A second phase had started no doubt. 

Currently, I didn't have enough mana to do two things at once, either I got this purification done or I helped Arslan with the leeches problem. 

As if he read my mind, he jumped like thunder from one place to another, I saw sparks fly from his boots. That's how he was almost teleporting from one place to another. He wasn't kidding when he meant those were lighting boots. 

"How do we solve this?" I asked in both voices. 

Suddenly, spiders started crawling out of the woodwork. They were big and had large bodies they looked like monster trucks.

We were being ambushed. The snake lady was just a distraction. 

I saw centipedes snakes big and large, and even more insects that crawl around the floor of a forest. Except they were huge. I shimmer ran down my spine.

"How much longer?" He quietly retracted through jumbled out of breath words. 

Apollo flashed a number in my mind. 

55% 

"Halfway done!" We shouted. 

The creepy crawlers popped more and more through the underground, they were starting to swarm us. 

"I have no choice!" Arslan shouted and with that, he was off. 

No explanation of what he was doing, but I soon caught on. With incredible speed, he started zipping in circles around. The mud started becoming rock from the extreme heat, and the water evaporated. I could see the elder tree's root beneath my feet. 

The roots were completely rotten.

What the hell was this boy doing?! 

Faster and faster he spun around the arena, he created heat, and it was scorching hot. 

The leeches jumped up and down clearly in distress, the rock was boiling. 

When the rock had reached a purple color, almost in slow motion. Arslan jumped towards the middle of the fountain. And floated in mid-air for a second. 

Then he activated his spell. 

"SOLAR FLARE!" With that, a giant explosion rang through the whole fountain. It felt like a nuclear bomb had exploded just in front of me. The shockwave hit me promptly. 

God dam was it hot, but it seemed like the heat only affected the monsters and crawlers around us. Even the Elder tree was not being affected by this giant explosion that rang on all sides. Arslan at the center of it. 

The floor burned around us. The rock solidified and no other monster could pass through. 

The corpses of the insects lay bare as they accepted their fate and perched feet towards the sky. 

Arslan suddenly emerged from the eruption, with dust all over him. Yet he had that proud smile that I've only ever seen him do. 

Grinning from cheek to cheek, childlike in nature - and full of hope. A smile only he could achieve. 

He took a seat next to me, knowing the danger was over. 

"Purification Complete…" Apollo and I said. 

"Initiating Return…" Just like that the crystal in the Elder tree took its blue shine once more. Returning to what it once was. 

The fountain burned by Arslan's solar flare spell also started to regain its natural beauty. Hope was returning to this place. The miasma that was lingering still had no other choice but to return to the underground where it had come from. It had nothing to latch on to now. At least not in this place. 

The forest shone with beauty once more, plants started blooming, and flowered opened their petals. 

Just like that the fountain had become a grove. 

The roots of the elder tree also healed stopping the rotting process. 

I lowered my staff, and my purification circle retracted. There was no need for it to be there anymore. 

I took a deep breath. The air felt fresh and clean. 

Arslan did the same, and the peace of the mountain returned. A place isolated from human existence. Shined with natural beauty. 

It was unlike anything I had ever seen. 

It brought a smile to my face. 

The sun shined on our faces, the harsh summer feel made my eyes sting, however,

I wouldn't want it any other way. 

I met his gaze, he met mine. I couldn't help but launch myself at him. 

We flocked on the grass, me on top of him. I was overjoyed. 

He winced in pain.

"I'm sorry," I said standing on my knees. 

"That's okay -" he said only for me to notice his arm was bleeding from his shoulder. 

The wound was deeper than expected.