A Dungeon Crawl

[ARTHUR'S POV]

"Anyway, we're getting off track. May I ask about your findings during your mission? What have you uncovered so far?" 

Griselda placed her empty cup down and folded her arms across the table.

"For the past few weeks, I've noticed a disturbing trend. The victims are scattered across Europe, but there's been a noticeable concentration in Romania." 

"Is that so?"

I asked, already feeling a pit form in my stomach. 

She nodded.

"Yes. And there's something else peculiar. The majority of the victims are from the homeless population. People no one would miss, easy targets."

Her tone was sharp, almost bitter.

"But what caught my attention is that the kidnappings aren't random. There's a pattern to it." 

She reached into her sleeves and pulled out a folded map.

Spreading it across the table, it revealed Romania and its surroundings.

Red marks dotted several locations, most notably near Bucharest. 

"These are the confirmed abduction sites."

Griselda explained, tracing a finger along the map.

"But pay attention here."

She gestured to a network of lines crisscrossing underneath the city.

"The underground tunnels. These aren't just any tunnels, they connect through old railway systems and abandoned structures." 

Belladonna, who had been silently watching, suddenly perked up.

"Wait... that makes sense. My search pointed toward patterns too, but I couldn't pinpoint why they were so spread out. If they're using the tunnels..."

She paused, her yellow eyes widened.

"Are the vampires using the railway system as transportation?" 

Griselda nodded thoughtfully.

"I considered the same theory. It's plausible. But something doesn't sit right." 

"What do you mean?"

I asked. 

She looked at me with a furrowed brow.

"Why would vampires, who have access to teleportation magic, resort to using old tunnels for transport? It's inefficient, slow, and completely uncharacteristic of their kind." 

I went silent, my thoughts racing.

The pieces weren't fitting together until a idea started to take shape. 

"...What if they're not using the tunnels for transport?"

I said slowly, my voice barely above a whisper. 

Both Belladonna and Griselda turned to me with questioning looks. 

I continued.

"What if the tunnels are part of their resurrection plan? Not just a method to move the sacrifices, but something bigger. Something integral to bringing Absalom back." 

Griselda's eyes widened slightly, and then she nodded, a serious expression crossing her face.

"It's possible. The tunnels could be some sort of conduit for a ritual, or perhaps a location that amplifies their magic. But we won't know for sure unless we investigate." 

I sat back and exhaled sharply.

"Then we'll need to see for ourselves." 

Griselda folded up the map and tucked it away.

"Agreed. We'll meet tonight at Gara de Nord, the main railway station in Bucharest. From there, we can decide our next course of action." 

Belladonna and I nodded in unison.

We rose from our seats, and Griselda followed. 

As we walked out of the cafe, I turned to Griselda.

"Before we go our separate ways, why exactly are you helping us? This seems like a dangerous game to involve outsiders in." 

She smiled faintly, the corners of her lips curling in a way that seemed both kind and enigmatic.

"Call it a hunch. I have a feeling that you'll be an important factor in how this mission unfolds, Arthur." 

Before I could press further, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the bustling streets, her nun attire blending into the crowd as if she'd never been there at all. 

Belladonna watched her go, then turned to me with narrowed eyes.

"Can we trust her?" 

I shrugged, slipping my hands into my pockets.

"For now, she's on our side. We have the same goal, and that's all that matters." 

Belladonna sighed and shook her head, walking alongside me.

"Okay, I trust you, Arthur." 

With every step, the weight of what we were getting ourselves into settled deeper into my bones.

Absalom, the vampires, the Holy Relics, and possibly Valerie, this was bigger than anything I had imagined.

But as always, I had no intention of backing down.

[SOME TIME LATER]

The night air was heavy as Belladonna and I arrived at Gara de Nord.

The once-bustling station was eerily quiet under the moonlight, its silence broken only by the faint echoes of passing trains in the distance.

Standing near the station's entrance was Griselda, waiting for us. 

To my mild amusement, her combat attire was far from what I expected for an elite exorcist.

She was dressed in a skin-tight black leotard, thigh-high boots, fingerless gloves, and a white cloak that gave her an air of authority.

Her long blonde hair was tied neatly in a bun, accentuating the golden cross necklace resting against her chest. 

Belladonna, on the other hand, had no reservations about voicing her thoughts.

"Are you going to a ballet competition after this, or what?"

She asked, her crimson eyes wide with incredulity. 

Griselda giggled softly, unbothered by the comment.

"This is standard combat attire for female exorcists. Practical, flexible, and blessed for battle."

I raised an eyebrow, my gaze drifting to the ornate sword she carried at her hip. It exuded a faint, holy aura even in its sheath.

"Is that what I think it is?" 

Griselda smiled knowingly and placed a hand on the sword's hilt.

"You're quite perceptive. Yes, this is a Holy Sword, Excalibur Destruction." 

Belladonna looked bewildered.

"Wait. You mean THE Excalibur?!" 

Griselda nodded, her expression unwavering.

"One of its seven fragments, to be precise. But we can discuss its history later. For now, let's focus on the task at hand." 

I crossed my arms.

"So, what's the game plan?" 

Griselda's expression didn't change as she walked toward the station.

"Simple, follow my lead." 

I sighed.

"That's not a plan."

I muttered, but I followed her anyway, with Belladonna walking beside me. 

We entered the station and followed the empty tracks, the atmosphere growing heavier the deeper we went.

After some time, we came across a poorly closed-off tunnel.

The entrance looked ominous, with rotting boards and a foul stench wafting out. 

Belladonna covered her nose and grimaced.

"Ugh, this place smells like death. Literally." 

Griselda's expression hardened.

"This must be it." 

Without hesitation, I conjured a small fireball in my palm, its flickering light illuminating the grimy walls as we ventured inside.

The further we went, the more the air felt oppressive, and soon, the dark tunnel revealed bloodstains smeared across the walls and ground. 

We pressed forward, eventually reaching a cross-section where the old tunnel branched in four directions.

A few old lanterns hung from the ceiling, casting faint, flickering light. 

"Okay seriously, what's the plan once we encounter them?"

I asked, the faint crackling of my fireball echoing in the quiet. 

Griselda opened her mouth to respond, but we all froze as lights appeared from the four tunnel entrances.

Silhouettes emerged, moving steadily closer. 

Griselda's hand tightened on her sword.

"The plan is to get ready for a fight." 

She said, unsheathing the Holy Sword with a soft metallic hiss.

Belladonna growled, her claws extending as her eyes glowed crimson to prepare her Feral State.

Meanwhile, I activated Observe, trying to glean any information on our enemies.

To my annoyance, their stats were redacted, completely concealed, just like the vampire we encountered from before. 

'Something's blocking me from seeing them. Magic? A relic? Or are they simply that powerful?'

I thought, my mind racing with theories.

The vampires, cloaked in shadow, finally stepped into the light.

One of them, clearly the leader, stepped forward and sneered.

"Your journey ends here. The three of you should've never arrived in this place. Especially you, Exorcist."

Griselda pointed her sword at them, her voice firm.

"In God's holy name, I swear that none of you will leave here alive!" 

The vampires laughed mockingly.

A female vampire with sharp, crimson eyes smirked.

"You three are severely outnumbered. How exactly do you plan to stop us?" 

Griselda grimaced, her grip tightening on Excalibur.

Belladonna crouched low, ready to pounce. 

But instead of readying myself for combat, I found myself chuckling softly.

"Hehe..."

The sound echoed in the tense silence, and soon it grew into full laughter.

"Hahahahahahahahaha!" 

The vampires exchanged confused glances.

"Did this human lose his mind already?"

One of them asked with disdain. 

I stopped laughing abruptly and grinned.

"Nope. I'm still perfectly sane... sort of."

I raised my fireball, its light flickering ominously.

"You may outnumber us..." 

The fireball dissipated as my right eye began to glow an intense, otherworldly blue.

A surge of power coursed through me, and I smirked. 

"...but you're all fucking outmatched." 

The vampires tensed as I uttered the words. 

"Innovate Clear." 

[THIRD PERSON POV]

The moment Arthur uttered the words, the tunnel was engulfed in a brilliant blue light.

A translucent barrier expanded outward, trapping everyone within its confines.

The atmosphere within the barrier shifted, the air charged with an unnatural energy that made the vampires momentarily hesitate. 

One of them snarled and leaped toward Arthur, claws outstretched.

Arthur smirked, vanishing in a flash of blue light.

A split second later, he reappeared behind the vampire, delivering a devastating kick that sent the creature flying into the tunnel wall.

Another vampire lunged at him, but Arthur raised a glowing magic circle in his hand and summoned a whirlwind.

The summoned tornado tore through the tunnel, hurling the vampire back into its companions. 

Griselda stepped forward, her Excalibur Destruction blazing with holy light.

With precision and grace, she cleaved through the attacking vampires, her strikes leaving trails of radiant energy.

Each swing of her blade was lethal, slicing through the darkness as she pushed the horde back. 

Belladonna was a whirlwind of claws and fury.

She lunged at her attackers, her sharp claws slashing through their defenses, while bursts of sonic energy from her feral howl sent others stumbling.

As a vampire attempted to flank her, Griselda appeared in a blur of motion, cutting the creature down. 

"*Pant* Thanks."

Belladonna said, panting but resolute. 

"Stay focused."

Griselda replied, already turning to parry another attack. 

The vampires retaliated, their attacks varied and relentless.

Some dissolved into swarms of bats, flitting around and striking from all directions.

Others conjured writhing shadow tentacles or used their own blood as sharp, whip-like weapons.

Despite the chaos, the trio held their ground, each of them covering the other's weaknesses. 

Arthur extended his hand, summoning an army of Xenomorphs from thin air.

The black, chitinous creatures hissed as they swarmed the vampires with terrifying efficiency.

Their tails pierced, their claws tore, and their acidic blood burned through anything it touched.

"We need to keep moving!"

Arthur shouted, gesturing to the others as the Xenomorphs continued to harass their enemies.

Griselda and Belladonna nodded, and the three of them began running deeper into the tunnel system.

One vampire, clearly panicked, shouted after them.

"Do not let them get near the ritual site!" 

More vampires emerged from hidden alcoves and side passages, forcing them into an intricate maze of tunnels.

The walls and floor were covered in bloody symbols and runes, glowing faintly with a sinister energy.

Arthur noticed them briefly, his mind racing to decipher their purpose, but there was no time to stop. 

Vampires swarmed from all directions, attempting to block their path.

Belladonna howled again, the sonic force clearing their immediate path, while Arthur summoned a Gaster Blaster.

It hovered above him for a moment before unleashing a blinding blue beam that vaporized the pursuing vampires in a single shot. 

As the three advanced, Arthur noticed some of the vampires retreating toward the edge of his barrier.

One of them, clearly a leader, barked orders.

"Stay back! The barrier, don't cross it!" 

Arthur smirked.

"Smart, but not smart enough." 

He began summoning blue magic circles with each step he took.

As his feet hit the ground, the circles emitted bursts of random elemental energy, fire, ice, lightning, earth, ice, and wind, creating a deadly minefield behind them.

The pursuing vampires screamed as they were caught in the blasts, their numbers rapidly dwindling. 

"Do you think this will stop us, human?"

One vampire sneered as the survivors regrouped, watching the trio vanish deeper into the tunnels.

"There are more of us in here! You're only delaying the inevitable!" 

Arthur glanced back, his glowing eye flashing briefly.

"Good! I like a good challenge!" 

Griselda raised an eyebrow at his confidence but didn't comment.

Belladonna, however, rolled her eyes.

"Just don't get arrogant, genius. We still have a long way to go." 

"Arrogant? Nah. Confident? Absolutely." 

Arthur said, smirking.

The three continued their advance, the ominous glow of the runes on the walls intensifying as they neared the heart of the ritual site.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE]

Hello readers!

Can you spare me some Power Stones, please?

Thank you everyone and see you later!