Ch 7: You can count on me

"Nooooo, I don't want to get stuck in here. Hurry! Run faster! Do something."

The priest's desperation-filled voice echoed through the dungeon. He knew he was powerless, and his cries for help fell on deaf ears.

A dungeon was a supernatural phenomenon after the Apocalypse; nothing was known about it. Even now, people are studying to see what it could do, and information about it comes forward daily.

That was why he had no confidence that he would leave this dungeon alive at this rate.

"Tsk, leave it to me. Just continue running."

The unknown female spoke, and he felt ticked off by her confidence and tone. He wanted to snap at her for being this carefree, but knowing she was L-Ranker Zayne Trusdale's partner kept him from opening his mouth. He did not want to die after all.

Still, he did not know what a weak and useless person like her could do. 

His thoughts remained like this only for a few seconds. The 'weak and useless' female had known to take a long ebony staff from her inventory before she began to chant something.

The priest had seen magicians before, and he had fought against them as well. But he had never seen a magic spell like this before.

The dungeon exit, shrinking by the second, suddenly stabilized, breathing new life into the priest.

Whatever the spell had been caused the female mage to collapse, and her breath felt ragged. Zayne stopped mid-step before he picked up the smaller body in his arms and threw her body on top of his shoulder like a sack.

Then, the L-Ranker ran out of the front, even with his burden on his shoulder, and stepped out first. The priest and the warrior followed seconds before the dungeon collapsed.

"W-We made it out! Oh god! We survived a dungeon collapse. I am going to brag about it to everyone I know."

The priest threw his hand up, considering this a victory. He turned around to congratulate Zayne and thank him at the same time.

But the L-Ranker was nowhere to be seen.

"Zayne Trusdale left when he confirmed we made it out alive. Don't try and follow him. We should head back and report this incident to our guild now. Hurry up."

The warrior urged the priest, causing the healer to let out an annoyed sigh.

He wanted to brag about everything that happened, but he also understood that it would not be a good idea to speak up about it.

Now that a L-ranker was involved, it might just be the thing that got the priest killed.

"You are right! I will take this secret to my grave and never speak of it to anyone."

...

Camelia's breath eased as soon as her body crossed the dungeon exit. 

She had been so sure that she would die in there, but being out finally brought her back to her senses. She looked at the man who had saved her, but her position only allowed her to see his legs and his butt.

"Hey, you can put me down. I am fine now. That spell made me winded for a minute, but I can walk alone…"

Camelia assured Zayne look-alike, and he finally put Camelia down. When she noticed his face, it looked chalk white, and his breath seemed labored. It almost felt like this man was about to have a heart attack.

"Hey, are you alright? You look-"

Camelia reached out, only for Zayne to look at her reassuringly.

"I am fine! I am fantastic even! You don't have to worry about a thing. I am more worried about you. How are you feeling? Do you still feel sick? Tired? Do you want to rest?"

Camelia forced her to sigh down this time.

The Zayne look-alike not only looked like her once-brother, but he worried about her the same way. His gentle voice and the way his eyes moved all over Camelia to check for damage felt similar.

It was as if her friend had reincarnated with her as well. But that was a ridiculous thought.

"I am fine. As I said before, that spell took a lot out of me, and I need to rest for a bit. But other than that, I am fine…. I don't remember anything. Not you, nor this world. What should I do now?"

Camelia had noticed her surroundings as soon as she exited the dungeon.

This world felt…different than what she remembered it being. She was certain that she was either 1] in a different world or 2] reincarnated into a far future. 

The technology and clothes of the people she saw in the distance looked too different and used a different kind of mana than she was used to seeing.

"Ah, you lost your memory…? Well, that is no problem. As I told you before, you and I were engaged. Just because you lost your memory does not mean I will abandon you. Please, give me a chance to serve you, my lady."

The Zayne look-alike asked as he reached for Camelia's hand to grab it.

The touch was light, but it felt familiar. Camelia shivered as she felt that familiar touch on her hand, and her instincts told her to pull her hand back. She shivered at the familiarity of that touch.

Zayne's mischievous look made Camelia's instincts stand up and yell out loud. But she suppressed her voice and pretended that she did not care. She was not going to show her weakness so openly like this.

"Well, for now, shall we return to the city? Since you lost your memories, I am sure this all will feel new to you. You can ask me whatever you want, and I will try and answer it to the best of my abilities."

Zayne promised, but Camelia felt she did not need his help knowing about the new world. After all, how different could it be from the times she remembered? 

It had only been a few centuries at most…