Hidden Dungeon (Part 4)

Lumi ran as fast as she could, her divine power in her hands clearing the miasma, but at the same time, she was attracting multiple monsters…

As if it wasn't already hard to run from a morphed mutant!

She stopped in a cliff that seemed to emit a strong, purple light brimming with malevolence below it. The ground vibrated from the heavy stomps of a morphed mutant running to chase after her.

Just how did she arrive at this kind of situation?

.

.

.

A while ago.

A morphed mutant attacked Lumi. Its four arms balled into a fist, while its other two arms reached to grab her. The priestess shielded herself using divine power, but then…

"Huh…? W-wait!"

Blue eyes glanced at the thinning shield being punched consecutively by the mutant. The ground below her feet cracked from the force. She was kneeling even smaller as both of her hands try to generate even more divinity.

Not only was the mutant creating damage, but the miasma also aided in lessening the divine power she was able to conjure!

The miasma had concentrated forms of malevolence and corrupted mana—a place that isn't ideal for divine power to thrive, which heavily depends on the blessing of the goddess.

Here, in the dungeon deep with a malevolent haze, the source of divinity is weak!

Lumi rolled to the ground as the divine shield broke into smithereens. She stood hastily, with the morphed mutant gradually nearing towards her. She immediately backed away with hastened impulsive steps, before deciding to use her divine power one more time—for one final blow.

Golden light flashed, blinding the mutant momentarily.

One. Two. Three.

She only bought herself approximately fifteen seconds!

And in those fifteen seconds, she will attract not only the mutant, but also other monsters that could be residing in this place. With limited divine power, the most logical thing to do is run.

'Why is the Aclarian palace harboring monsters!?' Lumi thought as she stumbled upon wraiths and infernopests on the corners of the dungeon who took notice of her as she ran forward.

Lumi sprinted away from the monsters as fast as she could, clearing her path with her divinity growing faint at every passing minute.

**

Divinity is the blessing of the goddess. Those with strong divine powers have bodies that can utilize more blessings. Like mana, divine power is ideally used in places that are 'blessed' by the goddess—which is why priests and priestesses reside at the temple, where the blessing dwells.

But here, in a place that seems to be shrouded with corruption and the stench of death—divinity can fall weak despite how strong the wielder is.

Lumi, once more, stared at the cliff that seemed to emit a strong, purple light brimming with malevolence below it. The ground vibrated from the heavy stomps of a morphed mutant running to chase after her.

She needs to jump.

The cliff that spewed mauve fumes didn't seem to be a safe place. The only thing she could do is to go to the other side and continue to run until she finds Siegren.

Under normal circumstances, she could materialize her divine power to create a bridge, but she cannot. The blessing of the goddess is weak in this dungeon.

"GrAAWH!"

The morphed mutant had reached her!

As it saw her, the monster began running as fast as it could towards her. And it wasn't just a morphed mutant running after her now, but multiple classes of the undead!

Lumi clenched her fist and took a deep breath.

'Here goes nothing!'

She leaped to reach the other end of the corroded bridge.

Her feet landed on the brick. As she steadied herself from falling, she paused and sighed in relief.

Then, it cracked.

'No!' Lumi parted her lips and reached her hand above.

'I'm going to fall! No!' Lumi parted her lips to scream, but no sound came out but only a mere gasp. 'Am I seriously going to die like this!?'

Everything seemed to slow down as Lumi felt nothing but misery. As she was on the verge of falling, a familiar figure ran towards her.

Siegren was now on the platform, brows knitted to a frown as he slashed the monsters on his way.

His hands extended to catch her as he leaped forward, holding her to his arms.

"Sieg—"

He pulled her towards his chest, muffling the words she was about to say—and as soon as they reunited, they plummeted to the cliff below.

**

Lumi opened her eyes, gaining consciousness first.

She was enclosed in Siegren's hold—and—"blood…?"

He was bleeding!

Lumi pressed her palm against the injury on the temporal side of his head, mustering all divine power she could. Veins on her hand protruded as she forced her body to emit power that was beyond her. Thankfully, the wound didn't seem too deep, so she was able to still heal him.

'But my power still isn't suited for combat. This is the only thing I could do for him,' Lumi sighed.

His grey eyes opened, and she felt as if she had been saved from near death. "Thank the goddess, you're awake. I thought you were..." She pulled her trembling hand away, with her gaze now lifted above.

Siegren stared at the priestess whose words were cut off as her eyes froze in place. Lumi lifted her head, as her eyes fixated on the spectacle before her.

"What… what is happening?" The priestess exclaimed as she stood up; her legs wanton; wobbling while she sauntered forward to the strong purple light emanating from a certain place.

Siegren did the same. And as he turned around, his eyes resolved to the source of the miasma emanating above.

He felt his body pulsate, recognizing the force that was unlike any other.

The origin of malevolence and corruption.

On a platform, a certain corpse hung, wrapped in black chains consumed by corruption that extended into the walls of the large space above.

In its clasped, entwined hands was an orb-like blackhole that radiated a condensed form of enmity.

Siegren felt his soul pound in anticipation as he finally sees it.

At last.

The numen of the fallen god.