Grand Creation - 2

A grand swirl, created with flecks of blue and green. A color that told of the difficulty of the dungeon. 

"We will have to share with another party." I was told, "It was too much of a… hassle… to reserve it for just us…" Emilia drolled, continuing to talk after I had nodded my head in confirmation.

I placed my hand over the pommel of my sword, the durable blade giving me comfort, just as Emilia did.

And while we were waiting, sitting upon the benches near the dungeon, I found myself staring at the sky.

Nothing on my mind, neither fear nor anxiety, no excitement or anticipation. It was merely a cold dose of reality.

Hitting me, telling me that this was real, that there was real death involved.

But I couldn't bring myself to care. What was a potential death compared to the cold reality of true death. Where the dark turned into a void, where the soul was the only company in an endless expanse of nothing.

I steadied myself as a vehicle rode over the blockade, flashing their ID's and being granted entry.

Honestly I would have preferred to have gone alone, or at least with just Emilia. It was just… what was the word… to risky, yes that was what it was.

An unknown team, with an unknown background.

It could be anyone, a saint, a devil, some unremarkable person. But it was just that, we didn't know.

But one last steadying breath brought me to my feet, leaning down and taking Emilia's hand in mine, feeling her warmth.

And with that the worries that I felt washed away.

I smiled and strode next to her ready to greet our comrades in arms.

…

…

…

We stepped through the portal, just as we had through our first introduction. It had felt so long ago with everything that had happened.

But it had only been a few days, not even that. And now I was doing the unimaginable. Something I could have never imagined myself doing before.

Yet I was. 

I smirked, the nerves that had seemed so forgotten clinging to my back. I ignored them, irrelevant as they were.

Only holding to the ground as I was flipped onto my back.

A dark training ground was what I woke to, a soldier carrying his spear over my neck, a glare on his face as he tried to push further.

Instincts kicked in and I rolled to the side, only then noticing that the spear was wooden. 

But on a second glance I found it digging deeply into the ground. I cringed, ghosting a finger over my neck.

'So close…' 

The moon shone brightly over the training ground, over the face of the soldier that had tried to kill me.

I looked to my sides, trying to find any sign of other life. But no, it was me and him, only. 

My breath fell from my mouth, pulling the sword from my side. I took my stance, measuring my opponent as best as I could.

Dust kicked into the air, blocking my vision.

But it wasn't hard to predict the angle of attack. All I needed to do was listen for the sound of footsteps.

Which I did. I raised my sword, pouring mana into my veins and letting it do its magic. Reinforcing my muscles so that I would not fall so soon.

Only that was not what had happened as the wooden spear stopped short of my head. That same glare stopping short and softening into a smile.

"Good."

It was all he said before gesturing for me to follow. And not one to overlook an opportunity, I did so. 

Following not only for information on how to clear this dungeon, but out of curiosity. 

That tiny glint of fear and respect I had seen in his face, what was it?

…

[Emilia POV]

Dungeons and the tower. Two things that had come together to create a disaster for humanity. Existences that could not be ignored.

I huffed and blew a breeze of cold air over the goblin in my path. Feeling the steel upon my breast, the sigil that it held and the significance it told of.

The tower was one thing, a series of challenges made for purposes unknown and barely explored at all. But dungeons, easily accessible.

I turned and ran through the dense forestry, the burning smoke filling my air and creating a contrast to the cold I placed out into the world.

A smirk held to my face, tightly, as I stabbed through another creature. Letting it bleed out under me in a sort of sick enjoyment.

Dungeons were of two types, exterminations and quests. And it so happened that this one was a quest. Not particularly dangerous.

I turned and jumped through the trees, hiding myself among them as I scoured the area for enemies.

Air turned to ice, freezing the enemies that had tried to flee. They could barely make it one step before they were killed. Turned into statues that froze over in mere seconds.

Another presence snuck behind me, a male, clad in the same armor as mine. Only more opulent, taken from a different cut.

"Dame Emilia, you are to return to the capital. An assignment for you."

I nodded and smirked, taking the scroll that he held and the reigns of the horse he had brought.

I was a bit rusty in my horse riding. As I had only done it once. But it was enough for me to find my way to the capital. Where the main quest would come to play.

Though as I thought of Inari, how I had not warned him of the forces in play, a blush found its way to my face.

'Oops' was all I could say to myself.

I had forgotten in the heat of the moment. Booked us a dungeon and you didn't even tell Inari about it. I used the one hand I didn't have to pat my side, making sure everything was there.

After all I couldn't mess up a second thing, that would be far too mortifying.

'Stupid… Stupid.'