The exploration team from Silver City delved deeper into the ruins. Even though parts of the colossal dome had collapsed, it still felt spacious for the tall and sturdy members of Silver City.
"This must be a relic left behind by the giant race," said the Guardian.
"You sure know your stuff," the thin man chuckled, poking the Guardian in the side.
"Hey, that tickles, Mouse." The thin man's nickname was "Mouse." The Guardian turned his body, brushing away Mouse's mischievous hand.
Mouse took advantage of the Guardian's distraction to jab him twice more. The Guardian raised a hand to swat him on the head—only to freeze mid-motion, unsure of what to do. Seizing the chance, Mouse leapt up and smacked the Guardian's head instead.
"Be serious." Colin's steady voice rang out. His tone was calm, but it carried enough weight to silence both of them immediately.
"Yes, Chief," the Guardian rumbled in reply.
"Alright, Chief," Mouse said, lowering his head.
Colin sprinkled some unknown powder into the massive torch he held, then raised it high. The flames instantly turned a silvery-white, blazing even brighter.
Brilliant light spread from the torch, illuminating a circle with Colin at the center—roughly seven hundred meters in diameter.
"Don't stray more than three hundred meters from me." Though he had said it many times before, Colin gave the reminder again.
"Yes," everyone answered. Even Mouse, the most restless of the group, didn't dare fool around this time.
In response, a faint silver-white glow appeared on each of them, as though an invisible suit of armor had wrapped around their bodies.
From now on, within three hundred meters of Colin Iliad, all damage they took would be shared by him.
The six spread out a little. The Guardian, holding a shield in one hand and a warhammer in the other, led at the front. Behind him came Mouse and a man with a torch—the "psychoanalyst." Here, "psychoanalyst" was the formal title instead of "psychologist."
The only woman in the group was an "Appraiser," who stayed with a "Reaper" in the middle, between the three at the front and Colin at the rear. The Appraiser, Annis, and the Reaper, Borg, were a married couple. One held a torch while the other conjured flames in hand. The Reaper's prerequisite path was "Arsonist," once known as a "Pyromancer."
Colin brought up the rear, a torch in one hand and a greatsword in the other.
"Chief, I think there's something over there." Mouse pointed toward a mound formed from a cave-in.
"Annis, go with Borg and check whether there's anything useful in that heap. Stiyak, you and the others cover them." Colin gave the order from the rear.
"Understood." The Appraiser, Reaper, and Guardian replied in unison.
They kept formation as they approached the mound. Borg guarded Annis while she moved forward, with Guardian Stiyak and the two behind him maintaining a defensive line. Colin, meanwhile, turned his back to watch for threats from behind.
Borg carefully dug at the mound. As both a skilled "Hunter" and "Schemer," he was the most experienced among them when it came to dealing with unexpected dangers. His spiritual sight also made traps easy for him to detect.
As the soil was cleared bit by bit, something emerged: a weathered little box.
Borg didn't touch it. Instead, he backed away together with Annis.
"Anything?" Colin asked.
"I didn't detect any traps," Borg shook his head.
"I don't see anything either," Annis added.
Colin nodded and tossed a rock at the box.
Click.
Nothing happened.
Borg conjured a flame and sent it floating to circle the box once. Still nothing.
He took a deep breath and infused more spirituality into the fire before moving it closer to the box. The psychoanalyst, Anthony, hurried to Borg's side to observe his mental state closely.
When Borg dispersed the fire and opened his eyes, Anthony met his gaze, then squeezed his shoulder to ease the tension in his muscles.
"It's fine, it's fine. Relax. Your mind hasn't been tainted."
Borg exhaled the breath he'd been holding and signaled to his wife to proceed.
Annis activated her spiritual vision, moving forward cautiously, with Anthony and Borg shadowing her.
She picked up the box carefully, ready to throw it away at a moment's notice. Turning it over in her hands, she then opened it. A bright light spilled out.
"This is a beyonder item," Annis concluded. "Its effect is that, when opened, it releases light imbued with spirituality, capable of issuing simple commands to low-intelligence creatures. The drawback is that the light drains the wielder's spirituality and blood." She shut the box again.
"Leave it here. Keep moving forward," Colin ordered. In moments like these, it was best not to carry unknown items. They could always retrieve it after the exploration was over.
Without hesitation, Annis set the box back where she had found it. Borg then refilled the mound to make it look as it had before.
With that done, the group continued deeper into the ruins.
Author's Note:
This chapter feels too serious… doesn't quite sit right.
(End of Chapter)