Hidden Dungeon (Part 2)

Malevolence is an energy that stems from all evil. It is a force that feeds from the essence of all cardinal sins—pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth—these sins fuel evil, and evil gives power to malevolence.

Malevolence has existed alongside benevolence to keep balance. None could exist without the other, as per the natural laws of the world. At the same time, none could overshadow the other, as that could tick the balance off of the world.

The creation of the world, Aeterna, gave birth to light and darkness.

Life and death.

Good and evil.

Benevolence and Malevolence.

These two opposing powers existed alongside each other, as per the natural rules of the goddess who was a symbol of balance.

Benevolence and Malevolence can take on condensed, purified forms. They said that divinity harbors the intense form of benevolence, seething with the goddess' love and kindness for all mortals. Several books also noted that utter benevolence can be felt upon gazing at the god of light.

Therefore, it is only natural to conclude that the fallen god also harnesses malevolence, as per nature's rules.

Lumi walked forward, crystal blue eyes looking at the man in front of her swinging his large blade as guards and Aclarian knights came to attack him. The sound of flesh being slashed, and the writhes and screams were drowned from Lumi's thoughts.

Malevolence.

She had been told by her teachers at the temple that the numen of the fallen god contains concentrated forms of malevolence. Mortals who would dare to try taking the numen of the fallen would be sentenced into depravity and die shortly of madness.

The priestess' gaze darted to Siegren who turned around towards her.

He then propelled his blade forward, killing the knight who tried to attack Lumi from behind.

Blue eyes met grey ones.

'What was Siegren trying to achieve? If no mortal can touch the numen, then how could he?' Lumi thought as her gaze locked on him.

"Siegren," Lumi then held into the side of his arm, before going past him as she whispered an inaudible question he barely caught. "Just what are you trying to achieve?"

A bright flash of golden light then spewed yellow threads that crept onto the walls like vines. They wrapped on every infernopest, then they burst into glares which gushed golden beams that extended past the hallways, bringing illumination akin to sun rays.

The light lasted for several moments before it died down into nothing. Paralyzed infernopest then twitched as they perished into instant death.

"Infernopests are also swarming in the castle, which is weird. But it's none of our business, so we shouldn't waste our time killing every single one of them," she said. "We have to get the numen... fast. Can you sense it?"

Siegren gave a short nod, closing his eyes as his consciousness fixates—the moment his vision has blackened out, he was able to transcend into another space.

The Border—the place that goes beyond material barriers. As he closed his eyes, he identified all the energy that he could sense within the vicinity.

Life.

Death.

Blood.

Souls.

Mana.

Divinity.

And…

Malevolence.

He then opened his eyes, sauntering to follow the faint presence of the numen. Lumi without any word followed, gaze fixed on the mortal she deems as a monster—a lunatic who's searching for his own doom. Lumi has no ability to detect the numen—not any mortal could.

Her eyes narrowed at Siegren.

So, what makes him different?

--

As they strode inside the castle, they arrived in a certain place that had the emblem of the fire hawk.

The throne room of the Aclarian court.

In the middle of the throne room was an image of the Aclarian insignia intricately marbled on the floor, speaking of honor and truth. The emblem had fire hawks mirroring one another behind a shield, and in that shield was a scale that signified the Aclarian virtue: embodying and acknowledging honesty and integrity.

Siegren felt the faint trace of a distinct kind of malevolence coming from the fire hawk emblem. His eyes saw a distinctive yet faint purple hue that was beyond what a human's eyes could see.

"Siegren," Lumi exclaimed, "I'm not able to sense the numen. No mortal could." She said, glancing at the man who knelt on the floor which had the large painted image of the emblem.

"Is it around here?" Lumi asked, looking around the throne room.

"No," Siegren then clenched his fist, concentrating all his mana as he channels his hand for the medium of his power.

He then punched the insignia displayed on the floor, creating a large crack; which then divided the fire hawks that mirrored one another. As the cracks grew larger, they extended toward Lumi's feet.

'One of the numen of the fallen god is under Saint Hibton's care. Until now, even in her death, under the fire hawk, it rests with her'

"...Under the fire hawk, it rests with her."

It finally dawned on Lumi.

As the priestess looked down, her eyes widened as the crack in the emblem began to corrode. The next thing she knew, she was falling into a hollow pit—plummeting into a ceaseless chasm of darkness that looked like it was swallowing her whole.

**

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.

.

As the priestess slowly opened her eyes, she rose sluggishly. What welcomed her was not a hollow abyss, but instead, a cobbled ground covered with moss. Other than that, she could only see thick miasma clouding her vision.

When she was finally able to stand upright, she ambled her way onto the mossy cobbled floor. The miasma around the place had a purple hue, and it didn't seem to Lumi that it would clear any time soon.

"Siegren!" Lumi called. "Where are you?"

But there was no answer.

"Siegren!"

—!

Lumi immediately turned around and shot her divine power to the sudden presence of something sinister.

The thick miasma slowly cleared, revealing a monstrous entity. A morphed, large mutant towering over her loomed with its drooling mouth and raging, red eyes.