Chapter 40

Irvene's point of view

The road to that new mining area was quite dangerous. If not for their magic, this road would have fallen. The place was indeed risky to visit but the scenery above here was beautiful. I could already saw a huge area of the north part of Soul'e.

If it's not a mining place, many people would be able to see this breathtaking scene. We walked for more than an hour before we reached the place. A hole on the mountain was made that's fit enough for a human and the cart to get inside and out.

A huge metal pole was on the entrance, releasing magic from time to time. It might be the thing that kept this place intact. This place was too high that was different from the usual mining area but when we got inside, the road was going downwards.

There were no miners in this area today because the man guiding us said that the Headmaster told them to do. That way we could focus on our work here, though I don't find it necessary. The only good thing was the miners would be kept safe and away from this mining area.

This area was indeed full of diamonds especially pink ones which were quite expensive and popular. While I took my time looking at the diamonds, I felt a strange aura as we got further.

"This was the reason that this area was unstable. At the same time, it's also the reason why there's a huge amount of diamonds here especially rare ones," he said.

This was the end of this mining area and it's enveloped with a faint sense of dark air.

"It's creepy," Meryll uttered.

"When did this area was discovered?" I asked.

"About two years ago," he said.

"And why was the road here was too high?" I asked.

"The truth was it's accidentally discovered by the head miner. He felt a dense aura on the other side and tried to locate it. Its road was originally from the old mining area but it collapsed. The reason was still unknown, then we decided to analyze the mountain, and then we found this road full of diamonds," he answered.

"Then it's accidentally discovered," I continued.

"Yes, we found out that there seemed to be a pathway to which a large number of diamonds were located. The miners started to build a pathway. Unexpectedly, the mysterious dark air was located here. That was where they stopped digging," he answered.

This place remained quiet until I heard someone coughed. It's Meryll.

"I'm fine. That dark aura was getting darker and I inhaled too much," Meryll explained.

"I'll check the metal pole! That mysterious dark aura was getting out of control again," he said.

That man rushed upward, leaving us behind.

"Would we follow him?" Meryll asked.

"Let's go! We'll check what's wrong," I said.

Before we stepped afoot, a huge amount of rocks started falling and it blocked our way.

"We're trapped!" Meryll said.

"Calm down, we'll find a way to get out of here but before that, I'll check this first," I said.

Meryll nodded but she continued to mumble how she would strangle that man and the headmaster if they planned this out.

The center of this area was the one releasing this gas-like aura. I wonder what it would be. I borrowed Meryll's weapon and started digging to where I'm standing earlier.

"Hey! It's not the right time to pick some diamonds," Meryll said.

"I'm not," I said.

I thought that I could find something that might be the reason of that dark aura but I found nothing. I want to dig deeper but I'll run out of time.

"We'll be lacking air to breathe if we stayed longer but I can't break the fallen rocks. It became a strong barrier all of a sudden!" Meryll said.

That caught my attention. How could it be? I stood up and touched the rocks. A barrier from the dark aura!

"Stop destroying it. I fear that this area would collapse if you continue that," I said.

Meryll's attacks were strong but the walls that surround us started showing signs of crumbling but the barrier did not.

"My assumptions were correct! I wanted to get out of here already and punch that headmaster's face," Meryll uttered.

I calmed her down. I still have another way to save us here. It's good that no stranger was trapped with us.

"Blazing fire and deadly earth, pair of vigorous entities, I summon thee!" I chanted.

I expected them to appear but nothing happened. Why? I chanted again and this time they appeared already.

Elis' appearance was the same as usual but his gaze was sharp. He remained silent.

"Where's Ivy?" I said.

He slowly stepped sideways and l saw a young girl that was twice taller than the last time I saw her. I noticed that Fluff was resting on her head.

"Ivy..." I uttered.

She glanced indifferently at me. "What's your order, master?" Ivy said.

I couldn't help but hug her before giving my command.

"I missed you three. I know that you have some problems but could you please help me out for now?" I uttered.

I know that they'll still follow me but it would be best if they calmed down their hearts. Ivy hugged me back and asked me once again about my orders.

"Okay, Elis--" I uttered.

I didn't expect Meryll and Elis to exchange sharp gazes. I wonder why those two ended up like that?

"Could you please stop--" I said.

Then again, those two didn't only look with piercing eyes. They started to exchange insults with each other. I sighed deeply. Here I thought that without Sid, the occasional fights would temporarily stop, but it didn't.

I chanted and threw a huge amount of water above them and released it. Both of them stopped and looked at me.

"Master!" Elis shouted.

"Irvene!" Meryll shouted.

"I couldn't think of anything to easily stop the two of you other than that and we don't have enough time, so please cooperate with me," I said.

I breathed deeply. It's not only because of them but the air we breathe started to decrease.

"Fine!" Elis said.

I started to explain what we'll do. "Ivy, I need you to control the surroundings and circulate the air we breathe, make sure that we don't lack air. Elis, light up the surroundings. Meryll you'll be helping me to dig this first. Lend me a bigger sharp weapon," I said.

They immediately followed me. With sufficient light, I could see where the dark aura was coming. It seemed that the dark aura didn't only come to one object. We found a tiny black crystal that continued to emit the same aura.

I think I need to get a few samples to study it later. My bracelet which was my secret storage started glowing after I touched the unknown crystal. I don't know why but I chose to conceal it temporarily.

When we got enough unknown black crystals, I gave orders once more.

"Ivy, can you guess how thick was the barrier?" I asked.

"I'll try," Ivy answered.

"A mysterious aura was giving illusions, preventing me from knowing it, but I'll try again," she continued.

Vines started to appear with its own poisonous aura and dug inside the barrier. Not long after, Ivy looked at me.

"Its thickness was as thick as the Redwood tree," she answered.

We'll be having a hard time destroying a strong and thick barrier with force. The Redwood tree was known as the thickest tree in our country and was enough to build a home inside the tree!

"I think we could dig and make another way out," I said.

"But it'll take us forever," Meryll said.

"No, we won't. I'll tell you my plan," I said.

If the headmaster thought that we would die here, he's wrong. He has a lot of explanations to do after we successfully get out here!