Hidden Tunnel

The air in the narrow tunnel of the underground city was thick and musty. The faint scent of damp earth mingling with the metallic tang of stone. Shadows flickered on the rough-hewn walls. Cast by the torches Luna, Elysia, and Ignatius carried. The tunnel stretched endlessly before them. A labyrinthine maze that twisted and turned, offering no hint of what lay ahead.

"Stay close," Ignatius murmured, his voice a whisper. The weight of the eerie atmosphere, pressed down on them, the silence almost deafening.

"A city under Mithrilen who could have guessed?" Luna says in awe of the size of the city.

Luna's keen eyes scanned the darkness, her senses heightened. She could feel the presence of something lurking. A sense of foreboding that prickled at the back of her mind. Elysia moved with cat-like grace beside her. Hand resting on the hilt of her sword, ready to draw at a moment's notice.

Luna now more relaxed. After revealing her past and feelings to Ignatius. She had taken the risk he did not chase her away at all. She had noticed his behaviour had changed. She would work hard to earn his trust.

She realised that finding out the girl you remembered as a kid. No longer existed, must have been a shock to him. She was not as pure as he had imagined. His illusions of her broken. She acknowledged that if roles were reversed. She would not trust him at all. She would not allow him to stick it in her. Yet, Ignatius cared for her. Made love to her. And supported her when she needed it. He allowed her to drink as much of his milk, as she wanted without complaint.

Suddenly, a rustling sound echoed through the tunnel. The trio halted, their torches revealing a group of goblins emerging from the shadows. The goblins' beady eyes glinted with malice. Their weapons gleaming wickedly in the dim light.

"Ambush!" Ignatius barked, his body tensing for battle.

The goblins charged, their shrill cries filling the tunnel. Luna and Elysia sprang into action, their movements fluid and precise. Luna let go of the hem of her dress as she unsheathed her sword. Luna's spell, Swift Parry, allowed her to deflect the goblins' attacks with ease. Her sword flashing like a silver streak.

Elysia who had pushed the bottom of her dress through her sash. Unsheathed her sword as she pulled the dress free to fall to her ankles. Elysia used her skill, Shadow Step. Disappearing into shadows, reappearing behind the goblins to strike with deadly accuracy.

Ignatius raised his hands. Barrier of thorns erupted from the ground. Encircling the trio and creating a protective wall against the oncoming goblins. The goblins howled in frustration, their weapons clattering against the thorny barrier.

Goblins fell back as the barrier of thorns retaliated. With each strike wounding the goblins that attacked it. Ignatius held his hand out, sweat ran down his face as he concentrated to uphold the barrier.

Luna and Elysia moved in perfect harmony. Their agility and combat skills turning the tide in their favour. Goblins fell one by one, their cries of pain and rage echoing through the tunnel. The battle was fierce, but Luna and Elysia were relentless, their determination unwavering.

Ignatius maintained the barrier. His eyes scanning the tunnel for any sign of reinforcements. As the last goblin fell, he lowered his hands, the barrier dissolving into the earth. The threat from behind them dispatched.

"Is everyone alright?" Ignatius asked, his voice steady but laced with concern.

Luna nodded, wiping sweat from her brow. "We're fine. That was close. You are able to hold the barrier for longer now."

Elysia sheathed her sword, her eyes glinting with triumph. "We did it. But why were they here? What were they guarding?"

"That barrier it saved our lives." Elysia said. "Do you think they will regroup and attack us again."

Ignatius knelt beside the goblin leader, examining a parchment clutched in its hand. He unfurled the document. His eyes narrowing as he deciphered the crude drawings and symbols.

"Who knows. They knew we would be here." Ignatius said studying the document.

"Someone does not want us to find clues." Luna said.

"This is a clue," Ignatius said, his voice thoughtful. "It mentions the Cain. We need to follow this lead."

"The cain might hold the answer you have been searching for." Elysia said.

The trio gathered around Ignatius, studying the parchment. It depicted a series of tunnels and landmarks. Leading to a hidden chamber deep within the underground city.

"We're getting closer," Luna said, her voice filled with determination. "But we need to be careful. There are more dangers ahead."

"Let's eat first. Anderson made us these meals. Christie will be upset if we bring back food uneaten." Ignatius said as he took three packets of food from his spatial ring. Silvi's spatial ring had served him well. He looked at it, the image of his mother's smile stirring in his memories.

"That building there—the one with the closed door," Luna pointed.

Luna pulled on the door, the creaking sound echoing through the empty street. The entrance to an apartment loomed before them. Ignatius took a step inside. Lamps flickered to life throughout the apartment. Casting a warm glow that revealed everything covered in a thick layer of dust.

Wiping the table down with a rag. He had brought along for reasons. Ignatius set the food out. They ate a lovely meal in silence. The only sounds being the faint clinking of cutlery. The occasional distant rumble from the underground city. No attack came as they left the apartment.

Luna stretched. "Wow, sitting cross-legged that long, does stiffen the muscles."

Elysia stretched as well. "What I would give for a good hump right now," she said, looking at Ignatius.

"Tonight, girls." Ignatius said with a smirk as he led the way deeper into the city.

Finding the tunnel took patience that the two women lacked. Ignatius looked back at the two seated on a bench. He guessed it used to be a park. They were kissing each other. He stared for a few seconds, the sight wonderful, but then focused on the task at hand. The two naughty girls would do anything to arouse him. Their horny behaviour never ending. He loved that about all his women.

"Found it!" he shouted, startling the two.

Luna led them down the narrow tunnel, her sword at the ready. The tunnel opened into a vast chamber, barrels stacked around the entrance. The first fireball singed Luna's ear.

"Take cover!" she yelled, retreating into the tunnel.

Ignatius activated Spectral Flames. He held the orb in his hand. As Ignatius concentrated, the orb began to glow with an eerie, pale blue light. This light pulsed and flickered like a ghostly flame. Casting an otherworldly glow around him.

The blue light intensified, and tendrils of pale fire began to emerge from the orb. These tendrils twisted and coiled. Spreading outwards to form a ring of spectral flames around Ignatius. The flames were translucent. With shades of blue, green, and purple flickering within them. They danced and flickered as if alive, creating an ethereal, mesmerizing effect.

Jumping from his cover in the tunnel, Ignatius thrust his hand forward, and the rings of flames ran down his arm. Streams of blue fire surged towards the goblins that had ambushed them. Enveloping the barrels in the blue flames. Ignatius closed his fist. The fire rings stabilized around him, the stream of fire stopping.

Ducking back as arrows zipped by his face, nearly impaling him. Ignatius watched as the barrels, now covered in blue flames, turned to ash. The goblins retreated from the intense heat. The goblin mage raised his staff. The tip glowed as ice formed over the blue fire, sending steam and smoke into the air.

Elysia stepped into a shadow, reappearing behind the mage. With one swift motion, she decapitated him and then stepped out next to Ignatius. "One down," she said, swishing her sword in an arc. Green blood splattered the ground, but her blade remained clean.

Luna stepped into the mouth of the tunnel, sword in hand. Goblins charged, running over the smouldering barrels. Luna activated Blade Storm with a swift and precise movement. She gripped the hilt of her sword and swung it in a wide arc, slicing through the air with force and grace.

As Luna swung her sword, the blade began to glow with a fierce, bright light. This light started at the tip and spread along the entire length of the blade. Pulsing with raw magical energy. The air around Luna crackled with power, and a whirlwind of energy formed around her. This whirlwind composed of swirling, glowing blades. That spun, creating a storm-like effect.

The blades were ethereal and semi-transparent, shimmering with a silvery-blue light. They moved with incredible speed, creating an almost hypnotic pattern of motion. Luna released the energy stored in her sword. Directing the storm of blades towards her enemies. The swirling blades surged forward. Cutting through the air with a high-pitched whistling sound.

As the blades struck their targets, the impact powerful. Slicing through armor and dispelling magical defences. Goblins fell as the blade storm cut them down. Ignatius followed up with eldritch blast, stopping the charge. He fell to his knees, his mental focus depleted. His ears rang from the loud sound it made, when fired in this enclosed space.

Elysia charged forward, Luna on her heels. The clash of swords echoed through the chamber. Ignatius, now on his knees, stretched his hand forward towards Luna and Elysia. Elysia limped back her body covered in her own blood. Her sword covered in green blood. Goblins had figured out how to counter her shadow step.

Luna held her side, her hand covered in her own blood. She had many small cuts over her body. Elysia pulled an arrow out of Luna's back, making her scream as pain racked her body.

Ignatius activated Touch of Vitality by holding the Mystic Orb of Fate. As Ignatius began to concentrate, the orb glowed with a soft, emerald, green light. This light spread from the orb and flowed into Ignatius's hands. Which became enveloped in a gentle, radiant glow.

The green glow intensified, and the orb emitted tiny, sparkling particles of light. These particles flowed like a gentle stream towards Luna. Infusing the wounded areas with restorative energy. The light pulsed, in sync with Ignatius's heartbeat. The healing energy worked, mending wounds. Knitting together torn flesh and soothing any pain. Cuts and bruises faded, and broken bones began to realign and heal.

The green light penetrated her. Not only healing physical injuries but also revitalizing the spirit and mind. She felt a surge of energy and well-being, as if touched by the very essence of life itself.

Elysia limped towards Ignatius. Touch of Vitality had done nothing to her. Luna supported Elysia, the goblins lying dead in pools of blood.

"May I please?" Elysia asked, wincing as she knelt by his side.

Ignatius nodded his head, his mind numb from overuse. Elysia bit into his neck. A script formed in front of her. Ignatius whispered, "You have gained blood magic."

Elysia lifted her dress. The deep wounds on her thighs glowed crimson and healed until her skin showed no sign of any wound. Her blood-stained clothing glowed crimson, the blood disappearing. She did not feel euphoria this time around. Her new skill, blood magic, healed her completely.

Ignatius pushed himself up. Luna and Elysia supported him as he took a pie from his jacket pocket. "Milk would be nice."

Ignatius sat on a crate eating another pie, drinking from the water flask. Luna and Elysia ate beef strips with bread.

It's this way. Elysia said, pointing down a path.

They stood before a stone seat. This was a temple of sorts. A stone altar adorned the middle of the chamber. Human remains lying around it, the altar covered in dried blood. The stench was almost unbearable.

Ignatius examined the stone seat at the back and pressed against the tiles. A click sound echoed in the chamber. A small tile fell to the floor. Ignatius picked it up, reading the primordial elven script on the back.

"What does it say?" Luna asked.

"The Cain is a weapon. That temporarily decreases your magical level to level one," Ignatius explained.

Ignatius realized this was the weapon used on Silvi. At level one, she would have been defenceless against the weakest enemy.

"That Cain is dangerous. We need to find it," Elysia said, writing in her small notebook. "Magnus is going to shit himself when he hears about the Cain's power."

Golden light envelops them. Luna and Elysia kneel on their hands and knees. Ignatius holds on to the seat for support. Luna and Elysia look up at him,m moaning.

The script appears before them. Ignatius struggles to speak as the sensation continues to rack his body. "You have reached level eight."