Heading Underground (pt.2)

'I have to applaud that principal for her glorious efforts,' Alastor mused while slowly reaching to the shadowy sphere.

The sphere was small, he could even hold it in his hand. But at the same time, the immense power that was compressed inside it made his hand tremble.

'This one is too strong, my body cannot hold it.'

The vibration of Shadow Mana was shaking his already unstable body.

Alastor handed the sphere carefully to Vian, "Check it."

Vian's hands felt a tingling sensation, the Shadow Mana was burning her skin a bit. She was a Fire Mage, the Shadow Mana was supposed to be weaker than being able to hurt her.

However, the condensed amount of mana in this sphere was enough to hurt someone like her. Someone who could even tame a phoenix.

"This power is insane…"

Nodding, Alastor agreed with her. He took the sphere and put it back in its place, then slowly explained how this sphere worked.

"Everyone in this building now is having a different vision. That is how this sphere works. Instead of giving some sort of illusion for them, they are seeing a different Shadow of reality."

Instead of showing an illusion, the caster showed the people in the building a deformed reality. Once the sphere was activated, the spell was casted.

Everyone aside from the caster and people who entered the building after it were under its effects.

'How clever.'

While Alastor was amazed, Vian's gaze darkened for a bit as she also realized who was helping them. As much as every help was needed, the phoenix's master was uncomfortable.

'Why is she helping us?' she internally questioned, unsure how she should treat that woman who helped them without asking for anything in return.

In fact, she did not even bother telling them anything.

"Weird woman."

Hearing her, Alastor gave her a soft pat and laughed. "I do agree, she seems to be unique in her approach, whatever was the true intentions behind it."

Frankly speaking, although Alastor was curious, he could not put enough care into actually caring about that.

"The most important thing is that we are safe from any of the Instructors, in addition, this spell is not aimed at us and cannot harm us."

Reluctantly, Vian nodded and followed Alastor again as they headed into the center of the building. The center was always ready to hold some balls with how it was arranged, and in the middle of it, a statue of the First Emperor was standing proudly.

According to the note that was attached with the map, the entrance was that statue. Alastor walked towards it, then placed his hand calmly on the statue's arm.

Unlike what he was expecting, the arm was not cold. Rather, it was almost steaming hot. He hummed, then touched the elbow.

There, he was able to use his finger to push a small button. The button sank in, and the statue glowed faintly. The tile next to it retreated, revealing a set of stairs downward.

"Everything seems true," Vian commented before taking the first step inside. If any trap was there, she was willing to take the fall for Alastor.

Her resolve strengthened when she remembered how his foundation was broken already.

The action was adorable in a sense, Alastor thought. He was not particularly fond of it, but he admired how she could find herself so attached to him and deeply follow her emotions.

Meanwhile, the only thing he could follow was fleeting entertainment and the desire to find joy in this boring world.

'Heh,' he scoffed to himself before following her. No point in thinking about that for now.

Once they both were inside, the entrance closed and left them in the dark. But that lasted only for a second as the phoenix's slightly lit feathers warmed the place to them and illuminated it enough to be visible.

"Thank you, little phoenix."

Alastor thanked, and the phoenix almost nuzzled him if not for its feathers and the possibility of it hurting him. Meanwhile, Vian was staring at the two in disbelief. Seeing how the phoenix was so kind and cuddly with Alastor shocked her a lot.

'I was not mentally prepared enough for this.'

She sighed softly before following them both down the stairs. Seeing the two being on good terms was good, regardless whether she likes it or not.

The path downstairs was not as bad as Alastor expected, it was relatively clean and had been taken care of regularly as far as he could see. No spider webs, no pesky insects, and it did not look old or even cracked.

He kept directing Alexander around to be able to see clearer, the little phoenix was surprisingly very cooperative with him, unlike what he thought. But the only thing he gained from examining the place was that the map was accurate and that no traps were set.

Eventually, they reached their first destination–

The Gate of Light.

An arc-shaped door with a huge orb in the center of it. The door stood oddly in the place, as it was created out of vines and wood, unlike its surroundings.

"So," Vian looked at it up and down before starting, "I am assuming after entering here, we would be starting our real journey, am I wrong?"

"In fact, you are right. The only thing that is worrying me a bit is that I am able to sense Space Mana around this door. I think it is safe to say, we are going on a real journey, indeed."

He looked back at her and asked her seriously, "Any second thoughts?"

Vian laughed and shook her head, how could she have second thoughts now? If anything, she was becoming excited at the thought of being able to accompany Alastor to such a place.

'I want to support you,' Vian swallowed those words as if they were strange, even for herself.

Why would she want to support Alastor?

Her feelings, her desires, and even the way she was attracted to him was weird.

As if they knew each other before.

"Let's go, I have no second thoughts at all."

'And I hope you don't as well.'