Chapter 41 – Dungeon Dört

Slept like shit, I didn't even want to spend the night drinking, that's how crap I felt. I guess I feel a little better now but still not particularly great.

I'm currently sitting at a table at the inn we're staying at on that hot spring island settlement I was talking about. The little town out here is quite nice and peaceful, at least from what I was able to tell since I also spent the night exploring this town. You'd think it would be empty since it was midnight but you'll be surprised how many people we still up and about.

"Morning Ikarus"

"Morning"

Petra has just entered the inn seating area and just greeted me; she looks a little tired as well.

"You didn't sleep as well?"

I guess she can tell just by looking at my face. No, she's blind, maybe from my energy perhaps?

As she sits down next to me at the table, I start speaking quietly still having a question from last night.

"Petra, why were you even spying on the empire anyway?"

Most things were cleared up last night but there are still some things that don't make complete sense, what were her reasons for even knowing all that crap?

"Searching for something and the information network the empire has is vast and endless"

She responds speaking quietly as well, we are the only people in here right now but still, might be ears hidden about.

"What are you searching for?"

"Rather not say if you don't mind, it's slightly personal"

She's looks really depressed while giving her answer, I won't press her, everyone has secrets they don't wish to share. I do wish that maybe she would just reveal everything but then again, look at what just happened last night, can I even take knowing everything?

Yeah, I can. I'm not getting depressed over this anymore, the empire are lying bastards who have been desperately trying to cover their tracks, no point in worrying over the future. The prince in particular will receive his comeuppance, I think that means punishment but I'm unsure.

"You two are already up?"

"Morning Ikarus-sama and Petra-sama"

Oh, the knight and priestess are joining us as well now, I'm surprised they're up this early. At least this means we can start making a move once everyone's ready, might as well focus on the upcoming dungeon.

"Now that's everyone's up, when do you all want to leave?"

I'd rather just continue on the dungeon search and keep my mind off things right now, seems a good way of keeping myself distracted.

"Ikarus, have you eaten yet?"

Petra's the first to respond, I think she's still concerned about me.

"It's fine, I was eating throughout most the night"

Think it's called stress eating, thank whichever God stops me from gaining weight. I probably could gain weight but that would require a ship filled with unhealthy food. Thinking about it, ice cream is the best stress eating food, I'm yet to come across anything like that yet though.

"Allow us to eat and get ready, then we'll leave Ikarus-sama"

(Nathan) "Yeah, we'll need some energy for the day ahead"

"…"

Petra still looks a little down though, she really shouldn't feel this bad revealing everything, she's too nice for her own good at times, I'm fine now, as fine as I can be at the very least.

Trying to stop her worrying, I go to whisper something into Petra's ear.

"I'm fine, you can stop worrying, really"

"What are you two talking about?"

Ah, for God's sake, Charlotte probably thinks we're getting intimate or something, I bet that's how it looks from her perspective. Nathan has gone to get food so it's just us three right now.

"Heh, don't worry about it priestess and Ikarus… good to know"

At least that's gotten her smiling again, good.

__________

"Is that it?"

"That's what the map says"

"Alistair did say it looks like a mineshaft"

"…"

Flying through the sky above one of the three islands, I can see what looks like an old mineshaft nestled in a wooded area. Nathan is guiding me to this location using one of the maps we got given.

"Then I'm coming in for landing, keep your arms an-… nah, I can't be bothered trying to be funny right now, there's a spot over there I can land"

Flying down to the landing spot in question, I make the landing fine and then everyone starts climbing off me.

"Here you go Ikarus"

Once everyone has jumped off my back, The knight passes me the map so I can place it back into storage. Now that's done, it's time to enter the next dungeon.

All of us walk towards the mine and looking at the entrance, I'm unsure if I can stay in bird form or not.

"You reckon I'll fit in that?"

"Maybe Ikarus-sama"

(Nathan) "I don't really know"

The entrance to the mine looks to be roughly the same size as me, past the entrance looks like there's more than enough room for me to fit in so it should just be this spot that's an issue.

"Heh, won't know till you try"

Judging by Petra's reaction, I feel like she's encouraging me so do it so screw it, I'll fit, probably. The thing is, I really don't want to be fighting another dungeon stuck as a human though, I've spent enough time recently in human form and want some change for a while.

As I trying to squeeze through the tight mineshaft entrance, I very quickly realize I've done something stupid once again. Why is it so difficult for me to stop doing stupid things? I'm blaming Petra this time for it though.

"Eh… guys, I'm a little stuck"

Oh God, I bet I look like that yellow bear that got stuck in a rabbit hole from the outside right now, wasn't he named poo or something like that?

"What do you want us to do Ikarus-sama?"

"Yeah Ikarus, what?"

"Heh, you're on your own"

"This is your fault Petra! All of you, just start pushing!"

I have no idea what's going on out there but I bet I look like a right idiot; I would be laughing at any idiot who gets themselves stuck in a situation like this. I really want to make a rude joke about this as well but this isn't the time especially given the situation I'm in.

All three of my party members start pushing my bird bottom and I start to feel myself getting looser.

"Keep pushing"

Thankfully, it doesn't take long before my party get me out of the stupid position I was just in. In the future, that type of thing isn't happening again, would be better to just turn nude then switch back.

"Let's just move on and not speak on this... and Petra, I'm not listening to you anymore"

"Heh, didn't force you do it"

Heading on into the large mine, we walk for a tiny distance but then very quickly come across a large cave like room, surrounding the wall of that cave is something that anyone could recognize.

"That's… gold"

"Ikarus-sama, it's too dangerous to rush ahead right now"

"Yeah, Lotte's right"

"Do you really think I'm that stupid?

"..."

I'm happy Petra didn't say anything then, at least she realizes I can control my stupidity. I'm not dumb enough to rush head first into a large room filled with gold ore that clearly looks like it could hold an extremely large boss fight as well. I don't even know how to smelt it so that gold is pointless to me especially with my parents supplying me with funding. Wait, boss fight? Is that what this dungeon is?

"Is this place an arena?"

The way the room is shaped, it's roughly the same size to my parents' cave and has twelve stone pillars in a circle formation within the cave. This place looks like one of those epic boss battles where the main character discovers he has the power to duel wield swords or unlocks a secret badass power. Odd comparison but I am odd though.

"Most likely Ikarus. The second we go in there, we'll have no escape, can feel the faint outline of a magical barrier"

"Petra-sama is right, the barrier won't disappear till we've completed the dungeon"

I think both these two have experienced a dungeon fight like this before, they both sound pretty serious as well. It's time for me to be serious then.

"Shall we get on with it?"

We pretty much always prepare before heading in so we should be good to go here.

"Summon… ready"

(Nathan) "Now I am"

"…"

The priestess summons her sword while both the other sword users unsheathe their blades. Once that's done, we walk into the large cave and a purple looking barrier magically appears blocking our exit, we all ignore it and carry on closer to the centre of the cave but before we have the chance to get there, something big starts appearing.

"The fuck is that?"

"Dear Lord, he is huge"

(Nathan) "Erm…"

"…"

Something in-between the size of my mother and father starts magically appearing in the centre of the room, it looks to be the shape of the human but its size isn't comparable. Magical energy coming from the twelve pillars seems to be forming the enemy in the centre of the room.

Before it has the chance to fully form, me and Petra open our status screens.

'Status'

[Name: Tia' Kharafi | Species: Giant | Level: 333]

[Health 55,100/55,100]

[Stamina 78,100/78,100]

[Magicka 0/0]

[<Aesa strongly suggests -user- run>]

Is she seriously making that suggestion?

'There is no place to run, the only entrance is blocked'

After seeing this guy's stats, I very quickly realized we might be fucked. If compared to the priestess who is the highest level in our party, this guy has more than double stat points then her. This guy might be comparable to my parents, that's how scary he is.

Petra has immediately noticed how bad this situation is as well.

"Priestess, we need your God"

"He erm… isn't answering right now, I think this dungeon is stopping our interactions"

"You mean your fucking Lord isn't answering when we need him the most? *Sigh*"

Everyone realizes how dangerous this guy is, maybe there might be another solution to this problem.

"Maybe we can talk to him, you think he'll listen to reason?"

"No Ikarus, this isn't one of those situations. He's a boss, not a dungeon master"

I've never seen her this stressed, this type of dungeon boss clearly is extremely rare and we've basically come up against a demi God as well as most of priestess's cheat skills would be unavailable if she can't speak to her God. Thankfully, he hasn't fully formed just yet so we now need to decide how to handle him. Think Petra might have a clue.

"Need to take control of this situation. Ikarus, take three magicka potions and pass me and priestess one please. Both you two, only aim for the upper part of the body with your ranged attacks"

"Okay Petra-sama"

"Sure sure"

I do what she asks and distribute the potions, the third is clearly meant for me and we'll drink them when needed.

I'm yet to see the priestess actually using her light magic in combat yet, all the other attacks have been gifts from her God, it sucks that she can't use her orbital laser in here as well, damn it.

Now that he's mostly formed, I can finally most of the giant. His appearance looks similar to a really old bearded man and he looks to be wearing a toga as well as having a gigantic club in one of his hands.

"Knight, you may need to avoid this fight, we can only use ranged attacks only"

Ranged attacks only? Is Petra worried that guy's club might one hit us? Thinking about it, I have an idea how to help the knight get involved.

"Nathan, take these"

I drop a dozen or so spears from my storage for him to throw, it won't do much damage but every little helps.

"Thanks Ikarus"

"Good thinking Ikarus, if we can take out a majority of his health, at least half, I can handle the rest"

Petra has an attack that does that much damage? She might be as OP as the priestess then.

Then another idea came to my mind just as the giant was fully forming.

'Aesa, distribute my remaining stat points into magicka'

[<Confirmed, MP is now at 7000>]

To be continued…