Chapter 20 – Despair
After setting up their temporary shelter within the cave, Dannie stretched her arms and glanced around. The flicker of light crystals that Joren had pulled from his personal dimension gave the space a soft glow. It wasn't much, but it was enough to hold the darkness at bay.
The air still carried traces of burnt venom and acid — reminders of the Venom Drake spawn Joren had collected earlier. Its faint traces of blood had already dissolved into the soil, leaving behind a subtle shimmer that glowed like poison under the dim light.
Joren adjusted the bedrolls, arranging them into four neat spots. One was slightly apart from the rest.
"That one's for you," he said, nodding toward it. "You're the only girl here. Figured you'd want your own space."
Dannie smiled faintly. "Thanks."
He didn't respond, just gave a small nod before leaning back against the rock wall, crossbow within arm's reach.
As much as Dannie wanted to reflect on her newfound powers, time wasn't on her side — there was still much to do. She sighed softly.
Brushing off the dirt on her clothes, she took a deep breath. "I'll go get the others," she said. "They've been gone for a while now."
Joren gave a low hum in acknowledgment, eyes never leaving the flickering campfire.
"Just be careful. You still have a deal with me to finish."
She rolled her eyes lightly at his tone but said nothing, tightening her grip on her small satchel before heading deeper into the winding tunnels.
⸻
The deeper she went, the heavier the air became. The light from her crystal lamp trembled across uneven walls, revealing faint carvings — strange etchings of beasts, spirals, and crude faces that looked half like warnings, half like madness.
"Brent? Arven?" she called softly.
Her voice echoed, swallowed by the dark.
No response.
Then — a faint metallic scent drifted past her nose. Sharp. Coppery.
Blood.
Her heart sank. She quickened her pace, boots slapping against wet stone, the sound echoing louder as her pulse raced. She turned a corner — and froze. Her light caught a dark smear along the wall, then something else.
A torn scrap of fabric.
She recognized it instantly. "Arven's cloak…" she whispered.
Her steps grew faster. The tunnel widened into a small cavern hollow — and the sight before her made her heart twist.
Brent lay sprawled near the edge of a shallow pool, his arm half-immersed in murky water. His chest rose faintly — alive, but barely.
A few feet away, Arven slumped against a boulder, blood soaking his sleeve from a wound in his shoulder. The ground around them was littered with shattered arrows, broken stones — and an old man.
The old man was bleeding heavily, barely conscious, but his eyes still flickered with hostility when he saw her. His body looked like it had been through a brutal fight, yet his hand still gripped a knife slick with blood.
Dannie hesitated — but when she realized he couldn't even move, she rushed past him and knelt beside the two boys.
"Brent! Arven!" she cried, her voice trembling.
Brent stirred weakly, eyes fluttering open. "D-Dannie… you—you came back…"
She pressed her palms together, channeling Low Soul Heal, focusing on Brent first. Her mana pulsed faintly, the glow soft and uneven. But her healing wasn't suitable for this kind of wound — Brent was pierced by arrows and tainted by venom.
She needed Althea's power.
"Don't talk," she whispered. "Save your strength."
The realization hit her — her current power wouldn't be enough.
She didn't want to reveal this yet… but she had no choice.
"Damn it!" she muttered under her breath.
Dannie summoned Althea, her Queen Bee. A golden shimmer burst from her third eye, manifesting into the air beside her. Althea hovered gracefully, her glow illuminating the cave as Dannie quickly explained the situation.
"Focus on Brent. Heal him first," Dannie ordered softly.
The Queen Bee's wings vibrated with a gentle hum as threads of golden light spread over Brent's body, beginning to mend his poisoned wounds.
Brent, Arven — and even the old man — were stunned by what they saw.
A Specialist!
Noticing the mark on her forehead, the glowing third eye, their reactions mixed — shock, relief, envy, and fear blending in one tense silence.
Arven groaned, forcing himself to speak. "You… you're a Specialist…"
Dannie didn't answer.
He didn't push further, understanding that only she could save them now. Watching Brent's recovery, his expression softened with relief before shifting again as he whispered weakly, "The city… it collapsed…"
Her breath hitched. The city… Carreon City… collapsed?
"How do you know?" Dannie asked quickly.
"The old… man…" Arven coughed, "He came back first before us… said the city is done for. He was injured, said he barely escaped. If not for that, all of us would've been gone already…"
Dannie's brows furrowed. The old man did look strong. For the two boys to even survive against him was strange — almost impossible.
Arven coughed blood again, his voice fading. "That old man… he said… he's the owner of this shelter…"
Dannie turned sharply toward the old man. His trembling body and the mixture of regret and fury in his eyes made her hesitate.
Before she could speak, a familiar voice called out from behind.
"Dannie!"
She spun around — Joren stood there, breathless, crossbow drawn.
"I followed your trail," he said, scanning the scene quickly. "You were gone too long." His gaze landed on the boys — his face hardened. "Damn it… the venom's still fresh."
He turned his sights on the old man, who now coughed violently, blood pooling beneath him.
Dannie spoke quickly. "That old man… he tried to ambush them."
Joren's jaw tightened. "And you didn't detect him earlier?"
She frowned, shaken. "I didn't. It's like… he wasn't even here before. Maybe he's skilled enough to hide his presence completely. My detection ability… it didn't pick up anything."
Joren stepped forward cautiously, keeping his crossbow trained on the old man. "Then he's not just some hermit."
The old man gave a low, rattling laugh — weak, but mocking.
"You… you outsiders shouldn't have come here…" he rasped. "Even if you're a Specialist… you're still weaklings. You won't… matter… in what's coming…"
Dannie's heart pounded at his words.
"What do you mean?" she demanded. "At least we can still hide here, can't we?"
But before the man could respond, his eyes rolled back — and his body went still.
A heavy silence filled the cavern.
Only the faint hum of Althea's wings broke the quiet, her healing light flickering across the wounded as Dannie and Joren exchanged uneasy glances.
Something about those final words lingered in their minds.
Their last hope — gone, just like that.
What should they do now?
Where were the authorities?
The scouts? The hunters?
The guild members?
There were so many powerful beings in the city…
So how could Carreon City just… collapse?
Fear struck Dannie's heart like a cold blade.
She wanted to cry — to scream like a child.
The images wouldn't leave her mind — the beasts, the venom, the old man's words, the thought of an entire city reduced to ruin.
Her knees gave out. She sank abruptly to the cold cave floor.
Her face was pale, eyes unfocused. Fear, confusion, helplessness — all etched plainly across her features.
Despair unlike anything she had ever felt since arriving in this world.
She knew what despair was before… but this?
This was the real thing.
For the first time, she truly felt small — powerless.
Across from her, Joren remained silent.
His crossbow rested loosely in his hand, his gaze fixed on the ground as he tried to steady his breathing.
He didn't speak — not yet.
He was collecting his thoughts, forcing his composure to hold.
But the tension in his jaw said everything.
Even he was afraid.
A faint cough broke the silence. Brent stirred weakly, his voice hoarse.
"Let… let's just say there's no one we can rely on… for the time being," he muttered. "If that's the case, we have to make sure… that the seal we put on the entrance is strong enough."
His words trailed off, heavy and uncertain.
Dannie turned toward him — only then realizing that Arven had already fallen unconscious.
Althea's soft voice echoed in her mind.
'Mistress, Arven's condition is deteriorating. I recommend additional assistance.'
Without hesitation, Dannie nodded and summoned several Doctor Bees. The air shimmered briefly as the golden insects emerged, their hum low and steady as they surrounded Arven's body to begin their healing work as blood essence came pour to him.
Brent watched, eyes widening. Bewilderment mixed with awe — and something close to respect.
Dannie noticed the look but pretended not to. She wasn't used to that kind of expression.
Joren finally broke his silence, his tone calm but firm. "We need to explore this entire cave — make sure there are no hidden passages we've missed. If there's even one open entrance, that seal won't mean much."
He glanced at the others, then smirked faintly. "Sad to say, this task can only be done properly with your help. So, we're clearly under your wing, Miss Dannie."
His tone was teasing, but his formal address was deliberate.
"You still have the nerve to make fun, huh, Joren?" she muttered, shaking her head helplessly.
But he was right. They couldn't afford to waste time.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus. Despair won't help them now.
"Alright," she said quietly, her resolve hardening. "Let's move."
Dannie released the rest of her bees — not many, but enough to assist. They fluttered out in golden trails of light, forming small groups before darting through the dark tunnels.
"Go. Explore the whole cave. Report back anything unusual. I need all the information I can get. Conceal yourselves as much as possible."
The buzzing chorus faded as the bees scattered into the shadows.
Joren and Brent exchanged looks of disbelief.
"You can do that?" Joren asked, brows raised. "You just tamed them a while ago."
"I… don't know," Dannie admitted, rubbing her arm. "It's like… instinct. Hard to explain."
She sighed, pulling out her canteen and drinking deeply before looking back at them.
There was still fear in her eyes — but also determination.
"Let's discuss our next move," she said. "Before the cave decides to give us more surprises."