Danger Approaching

While headmaster Argus and Clara handled the report to the royal palace about receiving false information and a cultist's hidden dungeon, the rest of the group had split up. Malik had spent some time wondering about how the training they would undergo would be done. 

He knew that Jen was a harsh teacher. She expected a student to give it their all to ensure that they were always improving. So far he had no issues with that. However, the rest of the group had never trained with her before. They had no idea what they were getting into. 

If Jen were to hold them to the same standard as he was held, they might just crumble and fall. He had been learning everything much faster than a normal person would. Therefore, if the others were based off of his pace, then it would be very hard for them. 

Malik didn't have much time to think about that though. He found that he had been left a letter under his door. This was how the guild employees would be left their mail or something being delivered. 

While it had been a short time, Malik found that it was none other than Ellen who had sent him a short letter. She was already out following the orders of the church of Light. She was leading light warriors to handle the cultists is wherever they were spotted. 


Malik wanted to stand beside her and help her save others. Prevent another village from becoming what he did. Keep someone else from being used as an experiment and turned in to a a monster like him. 

'The corruption grows.'

He grunted in annoyance seeing that the corruption grew again. He even felt the pang that shot through his head like icy darkness. It was getting worse every time that he had this situation. Whenever the corruption grew, it felt worse and worse. 

"I hope all is well where you are. I know it has only been a few days, but I wanted to let you know I was thinking of you and sent a prayer to the great goddess of Light."

"We have been ordered to a smaller village that reported a few new dungeons and suspicious figures moving within. All we have encountered are the church of Darkness members which was a pleasant surprise. Having another church helping us is always a great chance."

"I managed to find some special apples only grown in this farming village. I will bring some back. I hope that we can take some time to enjoy them together in a few weeks. Please invite Lina and George as well."

"Even while I write this, I am being called back. So much to do. Best wishes, Ellen." 

The letter was not much, but it was enough that Malik felt a little too excited. His heart might not be able to keep up without a few deep breaths. It was nice having someone thinking of him. It was even better that it was Ellen of all people. 

That was until he caught on an odd phrase. 


"The church of Darkness is in a small village too?" his words trailed off while the pieces came together. The potential dangers making themselves very clear within his mind. 

"Dam it!" Malik slammed the door open and sprinted down the stairs. He found that the guild was pretty empty and that Clara was nowhere to be seen. 

"Is there a town nearby that's known for just farming apples!?" His sudden question shocked the girl acting as the attendant at the desk. No one usually came with this much energy or worry. Especially not Malik since everyone knew him at this point. 

"Ye-yes, there is a small village nearby. It's only a day and a half away. A group of older adventurers went there to handle three newly appeared small dungeons. A rare occurrence but it still made the newspaper because it's rare."

This was more than Malik expected. It was also potentially worse.

"Tell Clara that it might be the same as the last dungeon my group went to. Tell her that the dark church members there could be more dangerous. Tell her that I left for the town already and that she needs to send the others behind me. Send people to help."

Malik grabbed one of the map copies and made the attendant show him the village. "Harvest village, I will be leaving." He didn't even say thank you. His attitude told the attendant something bad was happening though.

In his worry, Malik had left the letter he received from Ellen on the desk. The attendant didn't hesitate to take it and run to Clara. She was sure that she would not get in to trouble by leaving the front desk empty right now. 

Meanwhile, harvest village was busy as always.

It was always a busy day in Harvest Village. They were surrounded by farm land. Specifically, the ruby apple orchards that had taken years to grow to this higher level of agriculture.

The highest quality ruby apples would sell to nobles for as much as a single gold coin each. The lower quality could still be sold for a few silver. Definitely nothing to scoff at.

Years of work and allowed the farmers to get to this point. So when three farmers found their sections of the orchards with the rocky boulders they had all plowed around changed, they had a lot of fear.

Three dungeons and appeared there where the rocks once were. Three dungeons in such close proximity weren't uncommon, but appearing all at the same time was very rare. 

It would be nice to attract some people to farm those dungeons for materials. Another income in case the crops did poorly. Unfortunately, that also meant there was a risk that monsters could leave the dungeons and attack them. Their lives could be in danger!

Hence why the villagers had welcomed the church of Darkness members warmly when they arrived. They didn't even think to check who had notified them. It was just nice having a force show up to help them.

They felt even better when the church of Light arrived. Another group that could defend them from potential monster attacks. They even received word that some adventurers would be on their way in a day or so. 

Finding that the famous paladin of light had even come while leading a group of twenty light warriors and an additional five light healers, it was big news for them. 

Ellen found that the village was surpassingly well prepared for guests since it was always maintained with a high level of travel from merchants who bought their goods. Therefore, she was able to easily set up her forces within the large inn near the center of the village.

The light warriors sent to Scout found that the village guard had posted up around each of the three dungeons. It was exactly what they were supposed to be and there were no reports of odd behavior. Just some suspicious figures spotted on the roads toward the village. 

That was the main reason they had been sent. Besides it being strange that three dungeons appeared all at once, suspicious figures spotted on the roads were worth investigating.

There was also the potential that the cultists would target these dungeons since fewer guards would be present. If they caused three dungeons to break out with mutated boss monsters, the monster wave created would be troublesome for the city nearby as well.

"Team leaders, we will coordinate with the church of Darkness warriors and mages. We will split in to three groups to evaluate the dungeons. Any signs of cultist activity will be an immediate retreat and sealing. We brought enough magic scrolls to seal all three dungeons for three days." 

The announcement was enough to put the warriors and healers at ease. If something went wrong, they could retreat safely while dealing the dangers until back up got to them. 

This was a plan set up for safety over all else. Ellen always prioritizes safety. After her battle with the locusts, she had refined her strategic knowledge to ensure that she had plans like this prepared. The sealing scrolls were hard to get items, but worth her request to the church due to the situation within the city currently. 

The group leader split off from Ellen to gather their forces. They would enter the dungeons within a few hours to evaluate them. They were prepared.

All the while, the church of Darkness was currently being raided by the guards and a royal knight investigating the current standing of the church within the city. 

The raid had only just begun and already seventeen bodies of known church of darkness were found within the main altar and the side rooms. Their robes were stripped, the back up robes taken. And worse off yet, their religious books destroyed. 

Signs that cultists had made this a desecrated church were clearer than day. Nearby residents spoke about how the church was closed to repair a roof leak. 

All this combined left the royal knight with clear evidence that this was where the cultists had infiltrated. They had purposefully used a church with a Troubled past. Causing even more damage without any regard for the consequences.