Ch 12

"Is this the location?"

"Yes, my lady. This is the 'Convergence point' "

A group of people each wearing robes covering their faces and body conversed standing in front of the well.

"What about the 'disturbances'?"

"We have taken care of everything. All that's left is 'convergence point' my lady"

"Alright"

***

"Are you sure you gave him the right mystic code?"

"It might be not working due to the presence of a strong mystery. This place is like an entirely different world. It might have affected my mystic code"

Daphne replied to Cael. She's feeling better now, She already wore her clothes. After observing that Cael doesn't have any obscene thoughts, she's relieved.

It's not that she doesn't like the idea of sex with Cael but she made a pact with Zacrius's family to stay a virgin.

Cael on the other hand after hearing Daphne's experience realized that, the area he chose is not 'polluted' enough.

'That explains why Nixie is here but why does she need me to escape?'

He decided to ask her and spoke to her mind directly.

'Nixie, why do you need me to escape?'

'natural spirits cannot leave the places they are born from. 'Mother' asked us not to leave our birthplace unless we have human support. That's why we make contracts to explore the world. We lost our freedom since the age of man. If you want to know why I chose you, very rare humans can sense the spirits, let alone sense a high spirit like me. Even your friend here cannot sense me even though, I'm not hiding my presence'

Hearing Nixie's answer, Cael understood why she desperately chose him.

This 'Mother' she's referring to is the will of the planet, Gaia. Spirits are the 'sense of touch' of Gaia. So, she knew everything a Spirit senses.

"Daphne, I think we should search for Zacrius ourselves. We could return to the motel to decide what to do. This place is too much for us. "

Daphne agreed with Cael's proposal. The place she ventured is too dangerous. Luckily, this path is better than hers.

"Why don't you use your Mirror to locate him?"

"It's not working here. The directions here are messed up. You said it yourself, this place is like another world"

The pair began searching for Zacrius.

On their way, they came across various writings that are incomprehensible.

They reached a place where it looked like an altar.

On it were many dead bodies that looked like they are being made to sacrifice. They are covered in robes.

Three people are tied to poles on one side. Two are the people in robes with their hoods removed that entered the cave after Cael's squad, one of them is a woman while the other is a young man. The third person is none other than Zacrius.

The three of their bodies are tied up along with their mouths.

Seeing Cael and Daphne, the eyes of the three lit up with some hope.

"Zacrius!"

Daphne shouted and wanted to help her fiance but before she could, she felt a strong grip holding her back.

"Cael, what do you think you are doing?"

Daphne exclaimed in a threatening voice, Cael didn't answer her back but instead took out a gun from his jacket.

Seeing it, Daphne trembled thinking Cael will kill her.



But to everyone's surprise, Cael pointed the gun toward Zacrius.

"Why don't you stop pretending and spill the beans on guiding us here? Oh, This gun can disintegrate your magic circuits making them useless. So, please answer carefully "

"Cael, what are you saying?" Daphne couldn't understand the actions of Cael. Even the two outsiders are confused about what's going on.

"Your expressions are practically nil when we first met but as we got closer to ruins, you began to show a crazy smile. You confirmed my suspicions when you said it was your first time coming here today yet, you know that there is a cave below the well. Isn't it your first time coming here? How come you know there's a cave below when we have to go deep into it to find them."

Daphne feeling that Cael is just overthinking decided to defend her fiance.

"You are just over thinking Cael. He might have lied to us about coming first time here but that's it. It's common for the magus to be selfish for benefits. Maybe he needs our help to gain something here"

"You are right. He needs something from us or he wants us. Then, why is our journey so smooth up to here? The path you choose is so risky yet you didn't suffer any grave injuries. You only fell for a trap and that's a mistake made by you"

"Finally, Those dead bodies have injuries all over their bodies, the couple that's tied have their clothes torn and there are various curses on their bodies yet your Fiance is the only perfectly healthy person and that's tied up, he doesn't even have a scratch on him"

Daphne and the others just then noticed how abnormally perfect he looked.

"hehe~"

A weird laugh came from Zacrius. The surroundings of Zacrius became distorted as a tentacled human resembling Zacrius is there.

"Cael, He's polluted. Escape from here!"

Nixie warned Cael.

"He#&$&eha~, @-#$+$ blessed u#$$#, I wa@$ to gift #-#$ bodies to our Divine @-#-$"

His language alone made the other's brain a mess.

They all felt mentally suppressed.

Cael's Earring began to form more cracks.

Cael who wanted to shoot Zacrius felt a force removing his gun mystic code from his hand.

It disappeared from his hand and appeared in Zacrius's hand.

"di#%$n't you %$, thi&% will des$$roy ma8$%c circuits. Shouldn't +%% put it to the test?"

Zacrius pulled the trigger, A bullet came from the Barrel. As soon as it hit Cael's head.

A hole appeared in Zacruis head spilling his brain matter and his body dropped to the ground.

"Neblina"

With Cael's chant, a thick mist shrouded the surroundings.

"Daphne run back, I'll catch up to you"

Using the time, Cael took his mystic code gun Zacrius and rescued the two survivors.

'I didn't expect to see her again in a situation like this. She is extremely useful, especially her eyes. It's best to save that guy too, who knows what surprise he's hiding'

Despite the mist, Cael could see clearly. He carried the two of them and left the place.

***

"Ugh! You are a failure, Damn failure, Useless! "

Unnatural waves spread across the darkness as the carvings lit up in the room showing a grotesque figure with tentacles for its face. Its bony humanoid figure is covered in various intestines.

If Cael is here, he would immediately recognize it as a horror called mind flayers.

The reality distorted in the surrounding areas.

"No, No. I have to do this for the lord. "

***

At that same time, Cael carried the two people on his back and ran towards the back of the cave.

Cael felt that he was unusually faster, even with his strengthening on, he shouldn't be this strong or fast.

'I've cast a spell on your body.'

He is glad that he decided to accept the contract.

He caught up with Daphne who is running away.

All Daphne could think is 'How the fuck is he carrying both of them with one hand and is that his briefcase on other hand?'

However, for now. She decided to follow Cael.

She is regretting not valuing strengthening magecraft even when she knows its value due to Alchemist's weakness.

Cael also slowed down keeping Daphne in the distance.

They finally reached the entrance but

"Where is the Cave?!!"

It looked like a normal wall, Cael even tried to punch a hole in it but that didn't leave a dent in it.

"Cael, I know a secret spot. Follow me, It was my domain. We can strategize what to do when we go there"

Cael believed in Nixie and a path appeared in his mind.

"Daphne follow me. I saw a safe spit before, I'm sure we can hide there for now. Let's go there for now"

Daphne can't think of anything for now and followed Cael.

After reaching the safe zone, Cael dropped the duo and began treating them with healing magecraft.

"Why did you save us?" The girl asked with suspicion. As much as she wants to thank him, she is a Magus too and all Magi have ulterior motives.

"We need numbers to survive whatever the thing that controlled Zacrius. From the way he spoke, I could vaguely guess we all are sacrifices. If I left you behind, I would be only strengthening the enemy"

Cael didn't beat around the bush and told the truth. If he said he saved them because it is the right thing to do. The duo would not believe him.

Because Survivability is human's primal nature and humans would do anything to achieve it. It is the only truth about humans.

"I don't know how to treat curses but you should be physically fine in an hour"

After healing them, Cael rested and mentally spoke to Nixie.

'So, tell me how to escape from here. I'm sure you didn't give this suggestion out of the blue'

'I know it is impossible to not be detected by that thing. The only way to escape is to end that thing'

As much as Cael liked the answer, he knows it's extremely difficult to achieve it.

'And why is that? Is there no other way?'

'Have you heard of reality marbles?'

Hearing Nixie's question, Cael's whole body paled

'Don't tell me...'

'This isn't exactly a reality marble but something similar to that, I would even say a stronger version of it. From what I had experienced, the summoned being only has control over the surroundings. The more you are away from it, the less it could control. At most, it could sense us but it is also not moving from its lair'

'This is the worst-case scenario. You are telling me it has a fucking Marble phantasm!'

'Oh, so you know about it.'

'But how does it have a marble phantasm? Shouldn't it be only available to Elementals'

'Oh my, you know so much. You are not wrong. It's not a marble phantasm but something similar to it. I think it is bestowed by an even higher being from the other side to the summoned being'

Cael regretted even more now.

Defeating someone with an ability that is similar to Mable phantasm is just suicide.

After all, he's a mere human.

A human from age of man. An Eloquent way to spell 'Weak'.

This sense of weakness only made him even more willing to give up on this world and his humanity as a whole if it meant he can reach the root.