Chapter 158. March of the Dead (5)
The Undead and corpses inside the passage began to swell.
Not only the bone fragments of the Undead scattered across the floor, but even the headless body of the dark mage.
"...!"
The suddenness of it all made Calia's reaction late.
No, even if she had sensed it immediately, nothing would have changed. From the start, the range was too wide, escaping was impossible.
Before she could say a word, the crimson light seeping from the corpses reflected in her eyes.
In that instant, Verden leapt forward and wrapped around her.
Immediately after,
Black-red flames, imbued with lasting burns and the curse of agony, burst forth.
KWAANG! KWA-KWAGWANG!
The chain of explosions thundered.
The flames of the curse and choking smoke filled her vision in an instant. The pressure pressing down through sound alone was unbearable, even for armor with high elemental resistance.
To be honest, Calia felt death brush past her.
...Yet even after the explosions ceased, she felt no pain.
Had she luckily been missed? No, that couldn't be it.
The blast encompassed the entire passage, leaving no blind spots. At least not around Calia.
No matter how heavily armed she was, in such an enclosed space it was impossible to endure the full brunt of the shock.
Even if she had miraculously avoided instant death, losing a limb or two would not have been strange.
'That must mean, could it be....'
Calia cautiously opened her eyes.
As expected, Verden stood firm, staff extended.
Turning her gaze to the side, she saw a translucent, dark-purple barrier surrounding them both. That it withstood such an explosion intact meant it was specialized in physical resistance.
There was only one attribute Calia knew of with such characteristics.
'Gravity magic...?'
As Calia thought this, Verden spoke.
"Are you unharmed?"
On Verden's face, visible at her side, there was not the slightest sign of surprise. He remained expressionless, as though such a thing could never hope to threaten him.
Calia, staring blankly at his face, snapped back to her senses.
"Ah... yes, I'm fine. Fortunately, it seems nothing's been blown off."
Whew.
With quiet relief, Calia continued.
"You saved my life, Asher. This debt, I will repay, aside from any payment──"
At that moment.
───KU-GU-GU-GUNG.
An ominous sound echoed from the far end of the passage.
Soon after, cracks spread across the entire tunnel, including where they stood, and small fragments of stone began to fall. It was the sign of imminent collapse.
"...It seems this is no time for leisure conversation."
Even as Calia finished speaking, the passage far ahead began to cave in.
The only retreat path led deeper into the mausoleum.
But with the tunnel's foundation collapsing, there was no order to the downfall. The weakened ground gave way, dropping boulders across their retreat.
If they were buried there, they would be entombed without a trace.
Calia drew her sword without hesitation.
"Stay close behind me, Asher."
Planting strength into her toes, she sprinted forward.
White sword aura cleaved apart the debris blocking their way. She carved a straight, safe path for Verden to follow easily in flight.
Of course, Verden did not simply follow behind idly.
He turned his head, watching the collapsing tunnel. The collapse was faster than their pace. At this rate, they would be buried before reaching the pit.
'
By nature, though its power had no strict limit, it was still third-tier magic.
Besides the enormous mana cost, the wider the range the longer the casting time. It might work for a cavern, but stopping a collapse of this scale was out of the question.
In such a pressing situation, it was no solution.
Activating his Mystic Eyes, Verden repeatedly raised walls behind them to hold up the passage. The outcome would not change, but it could slow the collapse, if only a little.
KWA-GWA-GWA-GWA-GWA!
...The landslide-like torrent of earth was nearly at their backs.
By then, the pit at the end of the passage came into view. Though wrecked by the nearby Undead explosion, it had at least not collapsed.
KWAANG!
Calia smashed apart the final boulder that fell. No more obstacles remained.
"Asher!"
Calia and Verden clasped hands.
The moment they leapt toward the pit, the torrent of earth and stone poured down, filling the tunnel they had just passed.
***
Verden and Calia returned to the second level's deepest chamber.
The knights rushed over as soon as they saw the two emerge from the pit. Vespa grabbed Calia's hand and pulled her up.
"It is such a relief you are unharmed, Lady Calia. Asher, you too survived."
"We almost died, crushed alive. But..."
Calia turned her gaze around.
Unlike before, utter ruin filled the place.
Verden quietly assessed the situation.
'
None of the coffins holding bodies remained intact, and even the Elemental Ghasts that had threatened the knights had vanished without a single corpse left.
With so many sacrifices fueling it, the shock must have been immense.
"Vespa, what is the current situation?"
"When the Undead and corpses exploded, many were injured, but fortunately, no one was killed."
Thanks to holy water, the curse's effect was weakened. Knights who had the curse seep deeply were cleansed with Holy Necklaces.
A few had burns so severe that potions could not fully heal them, but their lives were not in immediate danger.
However, one serious problem remained.
"...The exit is blocked."
They were trapped in the mausoleum.
Everywhere outside where the knights stood was packed with debris fallen from ceilings and walls.
"While the knights cleared rubble, Palos created safe zones with
"Palos..."
Calia repeated his name and moved toward him.
The earth mage Palos lay collapsed on the ground.
He had drained enormous mana, guzzling mana potions like water. Overuse had driven him into poisoning symptoms, yet he endured by sheer grit.
For it was not only his life, but his comrades' lives, at stake.
Calia knelt on one knee before him, speaking softly.
"You did well, Palos. Thanks to you, not one person died."
"I, I only did my duty."
Palos' breathing was irregular.
Having nearly exhausted all mana, he showed signs of mana depletion, utterly spent. If he attempted to cast even once more, it could mean death.
"Just... just a little rest...."
"Rest well."
Palos fainted with Calia's permission.
"But, what of the dark mage?"
"The dark mage..."
Calia turned her head back.
"Asher, you said earlier this was a trap. Can you give us your reasoning?"
Verden nodded, and revealed his thoughts.
Indeed, the suspicious points were enough to plant doubt in the minds of Calia, Vespa, and the knights.
However, one premise was problematic.
"It was Bishop Neviron who led us here. The handwriting was unmistakably his, and thanks to the diocese token he sent, we were able to borrow holy equipment. Circumstances may seem suspicious, but... to think that Glory of the Dead infiltrated the diocese and either swayed or controlled the bishop is difficult to believe."
"I think the same."
Thus, the only choice was to confirm directly with the diocese.
"Yes, that seems the only answer. But how do you plan to leave this place?"
Thanks to Palos, there were no deaths, but the problem remained.
They could not last here long. Supplies of food and water were limited, and it was almost certain no rescue party would come.
If they were missing for too long, the Marquisate would surely pursue Calia's trail.
Even so, reaching the second layer's deepest chamber, beyond the wreckage, would take considerable time. By then, all might already have starved.
For now, survival took precedence over the outside.
Then, Verden struck the Oculus into the ground.
"I will resolve that."
"What?"
FWOOOOSH!
Verden fully activated his mana circuits.
The density of pure mana heightened until it gained physical force. A storm of mana howled violently, the atmosphere trembling.
Though it was not mana oppression, the pressure felt overwhelming.
Mages including Haille sank to the ground, gazes filled not with astonishment but with fear as they stared at Verden.
Breathless under the pressure, no one dared to speak a word.
All trembling eyes gathered upon him.
Unbothered, Verden focused wholly on permeating the mausoleum with his mana. He extended mana detection to assess how far the explosion had spread.
In the central layer he found shattered fragments of Luas Church decorations and other debris, but otherwise intact.
The passage to the first layer was unharmed.
'That means the range of
That alone was already vast.
For Palos, creating an escape route alone had been impossible.
But not for Verden.
Having seized control of the deepest chamber and its surroundings with his mana, he drew a blueprint in his mind.
What was needed now was a passage leading to the central chamber.
He could pour more mana to forcibly open a path, but it was not ideal.
For he would have to shove aside the weight of stone and soil untouched by his influence, preventing delicate control. Moreover, with the ground weakened, even the central chamber might collapse.
Finishing his calculations, Verden's Mystic Eyes gleamed.
KUGUGUGUGUGU...!
The rubble began to move.
He fashioned pillars from the debris to support the weight, preventing further collapse of the ceiling.
Then he removed gaps between the rubble, securing the space needed to form a passage.
A ruined chamber was restructured at the will of a single mage.
An unbelievable spectacle that stole everyone's breath.
KUUNG!
At last, a passage leading to the second layer's central chamber formed.
It was only wide enough for two people to squeeze through, yet sturdy enough not to collapse.
"Phew."
Verden exhaled.
Even among all his uses of
But that was all.
Wiping his sweat with the back of his hand, Verden lifted the Oculus.
"Let us go."
***
No one had foreseen Verden's magic.
Thanks to him, all safely escaped the second layer.
"..."
From behind, the mage Haille stole glances at Verden.
It was irksome, but she was not the only one, the knights as well. On their way to the surface, none dared speak carelessly.
Passing the first layer's stairs, they finally arrived at the mausoleum entrance.
No battle seemed to have taken place, the armor of the fourth unit guarding the entrance was spotless.
They received the wounded knights and tended their injuries.
Thus, escape was achieved.
But the mission was not completed.
The core of the Orb of the Undead had not been destroyed.
'No, it is even doubtful such a thing existed in the first place.'
While Vespa reorganized the order, Verden asked Calia,
"What will you do now?"
"If, as you say, Bishop Neviron is the culprit... there is no choice but to go to the diocese directly and confirm."
With information so lacking, it was the best course.
Given the White Crest Order had nearly been annihilated, Calia's fury was evident. She calmed herself with a deep breath, then spoke.
"Asher, I owe you greatly. You saved not only me, but the lives of my knights as well."
"I only did as contracted."
"Even so. Once this matter of Glory of the Dead is resolved, I shall surely reward you. I do not yet know with what... but if there is something you desire, speak it. Within my power, I will grant it."
Calia met Verden's Mystic Eyes.
A mage who had mastered not only lightning, but gravity magic as well, possessing two high-tier attributes.
On top of that, skilled in other elemental magic, and holding unfathomable reserves of mana that encompassed them all. With sharp intellect, and even remarkable appearance.
A Genius mage overflowing with talent.
The other knights might have felt fear from him, but for Calia, positive feelings rose first.
'I must send a gift separately to Perne later.'
For it was thanks to him she had met Verden.
Smiling, Calia mounted her warhorse.
"Then, we return."
The group formed formation with Calia at the lead.
Undead wandered the graveyard, but their numbers were few. The wounded knights could be left in the city, while the Adventurers' Guild and Church were informed to handle subjugation.
Normally Calia herself would take care of it, but there was a more pressing matter to resolve.
They passed through the chilling mist, and left the national cemetery. The broken iron gate was replaced with a stone wall.
It was still dark dawn.
After reaching the plains, they turned their horses toward the nearest city, Keben.
At that moment──
"What is that...."
A small village lay engulfed in fire.
Alongside it, the constant cries of screams.