章 62: Chapter 62: Descent beyond Understanding
Two separate parties found themselves facing off against each other. And one completely overwhelmed the numbers of the others. One of the parties in question was obviously the gathered Beasts of the dungeon, surrounding the corpse of a tiger that was gradually turning into the familiar mist of mana.
And opposite of them, on the edge of the clearing that was scarred by the intense battle, was a party of five humans. Four of them were the members of the 'Cloaks' party, shown by similar emblems that were sewn on their clothes.
Their Ranger, Rob, was currently holding his rifle aimed in front of him, though his hands were trembling slightly at the unnerving scene in front of them.
And in the center of the formation was their fifth member, the former Tower Master Matilda, who was equally shocked at what she was seeing. She came here expecting a desperate battle, a struggle, but what she witnessed... It was an execution.
And just as this thought passed through her mind, she heard Rob near her mutter under his breath.
"What the fuck am I looking at here?"
The next moment her heart skipped a beat, as the gazes of every Beast present turned to the newcomers one by one. Apparently, Rob was heard loud and clear.
Because of this, Matilda tensed, and mana began to gather around her in preparation for a fight. And as she prepared to manipulate it, she wondered at the same time.
'Curses... Why exactly did I rush to get here?'
----------------------------------------------------
20 minutes ago.
Five humans rushed out of the camp that remained embroiled in battle. Their destination was the great forest to the east of it, as they pursued the Beast that brought this devastation upon their home.
At the forefront ran a woman in burnt robes, easily recognizable as the former Tower Master of Cypress Town. She seemed hurried as she rushed forward, boosting herself with the recently acquired Air Mana. The other four trailed behind her, keeping up the best they could.
"Damn, what's gotten into her?!"
"I don't know, and keep your breath steady!"
No one among them really understood the reason why the woman left behind the defense of the camp, instead following the seemingly escaping Beast. When they tried to ask her for an explanation, the only answer they got was this:
"No time to explain, just follow me!"
It didn't take the group long to reach the forest, as it was not that far either. What surprised the five, however, was the trail of devastation that carved through it. Knowing what they were pursuing, the culprit was obvious.
Matilda furrowed her brows further at this sight and the ominous feeling she felt intensified. Considering that she had started this chase because of that very same feeling, she sped up even more. Yes, however dumb it may have been, Matilda decidedly rushed after the Beast who nearly killed her because she felt something bad would happen if she didn't.
Thankfully it was easy enough to follow the trail. Numerous trees were snapped as if run over by a tank, and occasionally giant claw marks and pawprints on the wet ground could be seen. And the deeper they went the more severe the damage to the flora became.
Still, it seemed that they neared the target of their pursuit as loud crashing noises and roars came from the depths they headed into. The ground trembled occasionally under their feet. Consequently, the group slowed down. Matilda wanted to keep moving at their previous pace but was held back, by, unexpectedly, Leo.
"With all due respect, madam, I'd rather stumble upon a dying tiger than be caught up in a fight with... Whatever it is battling."
In the end, Matilda agreed reluctantly.
Only when the crashing sounds died down did the group speed up once again.
As the group of five neared the location they knew belonged to the clearing beneath the giant tree, the sights grew bizarre. Some trees seemed to be unnaturally intertwined with each other, and familiar scorched marks began appearing.
"Just what kind of fight went down here..."
A Warrior of the 'Cloaks', Emily, spoke up as the five stopped in front of what seemed like a solid wall made of trees that were twisted together, a still smoldering hole being burnt through it. As the group cautiously crossed it, the clearing came into view.
It too, bore traces of a battle. One that the human party couldn't even begin to visualize. Deep ravines were carved in the ground, as if long serpents emerged from it, and in many places, the ground was shattered. Strangely enough, only the towering tree stood in the clearing, no trace of whatever opponent the tiger could have battled.
"...Let's keep moving."
After taking a deep breath, Matilda kept moving forward. Others followed after her, though somewhat apprehensively. After carefully avoiding the gashes in the ground, the group found themselves in front of the entrance to the Dungeon, the place where the tiger supposedly went, evidenced by the echoing roars from within.
No further words were exchanged as the group delved into the underground domain that they were more or less familiar with. Their bodies tensed, as they either clutched their weapons or gathered their mana in preparation for any battle they might encounter.
Despite the group's silent objections, Matilda came in front once again, feeling the flow of mana around them as they moved down the path that led into the depths of the Dungeon.
Yet the group didn't encounter the slightest resistance, no Beast attacked them during their walk. Some amongst the group looked confused at this turn of events, only Leo and Matilda seeming confident in their knowledge. The master Mage spoke out soon after.
"The Beasts of the Dungeon are probably fighting the tiger..."
Leopold finished her thought.
"...Or they ran away from it."
Matilda merely furrowed her brows at his words, not stopping her advance for a second. The previously unsure members sped up, walking with a bit more confidence since they didn't need to expect a fight at any second.
Eventually, the group stood before the entrance of the corridor that they knew led into a 'Boss Room', where two wolves who claimed numerous lives dwelled. The most recent reports of the 'Dungeon delvers' before the beast tide told of a wall of fog that covered it. And yet what they saw was a light mist in the corridor...
As if something scattered the fog that was supposed to be there. The culprit was, once again, obvious.
Once the group moved through the fading mist, they entered the 'boss room'. Following the trend, they were once again greeted by no one. The two fearsome wolves were not there.
"...Guess even they didn't manage to stop it."
Matilda muttered quietly under her nose. She had fought the wolven duo before, and she knew that the tiger was probably stronger than the two of them. Still, she had expected them to put up a fight.
But the lack of signs and marks of battle, contrary to the surface, suggested otherwise.
Just then, a resounding roar echoed through the tunnel that led into the depths of the Dungeon.
"You fucking piece of shit!.."
The party of five froze at that moment, momentarily not daring to move a muscle.
"...It is far enough from us, probably close to the second floor. We are safe here."
Matilda's words let the group relax, but Rob then loudly whisper-shouted at her.
"It speaks?! Since when do tigers speak?! Why weren't we told anything about this?!"
Matilda opened her mouth as if to say something, but only then did she realize that truly, only she heard it talk in person, and the others were ignorant of this matter entirely. And they were right to be shocked, as no Beast was known to learn to speak human language. At least not to their knowledge.
"Sigh... I am sorry, but I don't think mentioning it would have changed much back then."
Rob then stayed silent for a moment before he grumbled.
"...Would have been nice to know what we were dealing with at least."
Minutes passed as the group stayed within the 'boss room' as crashing noises resounded from below. Breaking the relative silence, Emily spoke out the thoughts that the majority of the group had in their mind.
"Excuse me, Madam, but I wonder why are we even chasing this tiger in the first place if we are constantly staying away from it?"
Matilda thought for a second before answering.
"...We are here to assist in battle."
"Assist? Assist who?"
"The Dungeon. Or rather, the one that created it."
This revelation sent another wave of shock through the group, with members having starkly different reactions. Leo remained indifferent, Beatrice, the healer, and Rob was visibly shocked, and Emily looked conflicted.
Just then an even louder noise could be heard, followed by the tiger's roars and boasts.
"Save the questions for later, let's move."
As soon as she said those words, Matilda moved towards the darkness of the tunnel that led to the Dungeon's second floor. Her speed was not that fast, however, as she remained cautious, no one needing to slow her down. The rest followed after, the tunnel swallowing the entire group.
This time the group didn't dare be as relaxed as on the first floor, the tension being palpable. The familiar claw marks soon appeared on the earthen walls around them, yet another curious detail catching the Ranger's eye.
"...Have I gotten fat, or is the passage tighter than last time?"
This caught Matilda's attention, as she reexamined the walls and compared them to her memory of her last visit.
"Yes. Yes, it did."
The walls around them were no longer smooth and artificial, but now looked roughly carved out, as if someone, for example, a certain tiger, had just dug them out with its claws.
Followed by the 'change of aesthetic', the literal light from the end of the tunnel came into view, and the group soon emerged into the clearing that was the start of the second floor, the familiar forest and the pillar behind it becoming visible.
Sounds of a massive battle could be once again heard from the distance, a group of birds circling around the pillar, like crows over a battlefield.
"...Guess that's where we are going."
The Ranger's words were unneeded, as Matilda was already moving in that direction even without them.
"Ah, I swear, if not for my respect for the elderly..."
The Ranger and his teammates followed after her. Rob didn't even try reminding her that what she was doing was walking into a forest that lacked a path and was probably teeming with numerous deadly threats. He knew his words would fall on deaf ears anyway.
Still, he couldn't even begin to understand why in the nine hells would someone rush into the unknown this recklessly.
Nevertheless, the four partymates followed the Mage. They weaved between the dense trees, with the trail not being that obvious anymore. Only occasional clawmarks could be found along the way, forcing the humans to rely on sound rather than sight. It didn't help that the leaves and branches of the trees above them blocked out most of the light that shone down form above.
Thankfully the forest wasn't that big, and the sounds of battle grew ever louder. Roars, shrieks, and squeals became even more distinct. An unexpected obstacle appeared in their path, however.
"Webs?.."
They encountered giant spiderwebs woven between the trees. But through those very webs, the group could see glimpses of the battlefield on the other side. Still not enough to understand the situation though.
Matilda quickly turned around and spoke.
"Cut it, quickly."
Emily, who was spoken to, shared a glance with Rob and pulled out her sword after shrugging. The spiderwebs proved resilient, sticking onto her weapon, but she removed them soon enough.
This allowed the group to pass, though they then had to avoid the webs on the ground as well. And after all that, they finally emerged from between the trees, already tensing their muscles in preparation for battle.
But the sight that greeted them was a stark contrast to their expectations.
The tiger, the foe that was supposed to be the grand nemesis, was elevated on a small platform made of dirt, and earthy cuffs surrounding every limb. The bloodied fierce Beast howled in agony and the Beasts around it crouched down, seemingly in reverence.
And then, abruptly, a large feline flashed her claw, tearing open the tiger's throat, the blood staining the 'altar' beneath it.
And soon after, the group found themselves locked on by every presence in the clearing. Just as the humans were preparing for a battle, a mellow female voice rang out in their ears.
"Huh. It would seem we have more guests?"
Although the group had learned that the tiger could speak, opening the possibility for other Beasts to possess such an ability as well, it was shocking nonetheless to experience it firsthand, as feline eyes shining with intelligence locked onto them.
Following those words, the feline, the cougar, began walking toward the group at a leisurely pace, not being hurried at all. On the contrary, the five humans faced overwhelming pressure as she came closer.
Even Leopold had sweat form on his face. He, after being on the verge of death, understood best, that he was the closest to it than ever before.
Beatrice, being the most recent addition to The Cloaks, was shaking with her whole body. It was a wonder she hadn't collapsed. As if to add to her plight, the countless Beasts that were in the clearing soon began moving in the group's direction as well.
But then, to the shock of the humans, the cougar stopped around 5 meters from them. It-, no, she spoke out once again.
"The Master welcomes you this time, but as you can see, your aid is unnecessary."
The five humans breathed out sighs of relief, and Beatrice straight up collapsed to the ground, her legs betraying her. The feline continued speaking though.
"But do not overstay your welcome, for you ultimately do not belong here."
"...Who is the Master you are talk-"
"She, however, is invited deeper."
Rob tried to speak out, but the cougar did not pay him any heed, instead locking her eyes on Matilda. This caused the other group members to gasp and stare at the woman in surprise, not expecting such a thing.
Matilda herself was shocked, remaining silent for a good minute.
This hesitation seemed to gradually irritate the cougar though, as she spoke out in a lower tone, sending a threatening glare at Matilda.
"The Master might be patient, but I am not. Answer."
Just then the cougar visibly flinched, lowering herself to the ground and speaking out rapidly.
"Yes, Master, forgive me, Master."
This only caused the humans to get even more confused, though Matilda finally gave her answer.
"...Very well. I accept the... Invitation."
"But Madam!"
"What if it is a trap?! Think about it!"
This decision perplexed her fellow Explorers, but she merely shook her head, gesturing to the many Beasts behind the cougar.
"I have made my decision. Besides, if this 'Master' wanted to harm us, those Beasts in front of us would have long torn us apart."
As for the feline herself, she had regained her stature, as if that brief episode didn't happen.
"A truly wise choice. Follow me."
Having said her part, the cougar turned around, walking into the parting crowd of Beasts. Matilda immediately followed after her. The crowd then closed between them, cutting away the woman's line of sight with her teammates.
Despite moving at a brisk pace, the cougar was quite fast, and the duo soon arrived at the edge of the clearing. Matilda followed, while curiously studying the unknown territory she was now stepping into, where no expedition had reached yet.
She was led on a path that didn't belong to either part of the forest, going right down the middle. Matilda noted multiple large trees that stood to either side of it, similar to those that were growing on the other paths of the second floor. But no Beast was present to guard them, probably still remaining in the clearing.
The duo of human and beast advanced in rather awkward silence, which Matilda decided to break.
"So... Do you have a name?"
The cougar didn't seem to expect this, turning to Matilda.
"A name?"
"Yes, like a way to refer to yourself. I can call you just a cougar if you like but..."
"No, I know what a name is. This one is called The Huntress. Though I don't know what is this 'cougar' you speak of."
The conversation was rather brief and awkward, as the Huntress didn't seem to have much of an interest in keeping it up. Too bad for her though, Matilda's innate curiosity of the unknown awakened.
"Alright then, can you tell me about your 'Master'? Did he create this Dun- this place? Was he the one who named you? How did you learn to speak? Were you taught by him as well?"
An unending barrage of questions was unleashed on the poor cat. She nearly stumbled because of the suddenness of it. She looked as if she wanted nothing more to lash out and roar at the woman, but as if remembering something, she held herself back, instead answering the questions in a rather reserved manner.
"The Master... Is The Master of the Hunt. He is the one who created these hunting grounds, and he is the one who gave me this name."
As she spoke, the duo walked through a wall of fog, though Matilda didn't notice until she walked into it. They then emerged in a vast chamber with a shallow pond with many leaves floating in the center of it, a vast tree hanging over it. A green light shone from above their heads.
Matilda momentarily forgot her questions, instead admiring the view for a good moment. The Huntress paid her no heed though, continuing to walk forward, towards the roots where another wall of fog was visible.
The Mage hurriedly followed, though inwardly Matilda wanted to be given more time to look around.
'Sigh... I suppose I should be thankful I am allowed here without a fight.'
As the duo emerged within a dark tunnel that was leading to the next floor, Matilda asked the next question.
"So the Master can speak to you in some way, can he not? Why won't he speak to us in the same way?"
The Huntress answered without even turning her head this time.
"He could. But doing so would probably shatter your mind and soul, for his radiant presence is far beyond your comprehension."
Matilda briefly thought back to the tiger's cries of agony, though the wounds it had didn't seem that bad to scream that much. She shuddered as she linked the knowledge together.
"But you can hear him, right? And you look fine."
"We have... made an agreement. It now links us together."
As she said her part, the light gradually enveloped the two once again, and Matilda unexpectedly felt a wave of heat wash over her.
What then stood before her eyes was... A rainforest, for lack of a better word. She once again couldn't help but admire the view, the impossible wonder in front of her. As she gazed upward she saw what she could only describe as the sun shining out of an intricate cage on the ceiling, radiating warmth and heat.
The cougar walked in front of her and looked back at the woman with a feline smirk.
"The Master wields many powers. If just this much surprises you, then you are too easily surprised."
Waving her tail, she continued onward.
"Come, The Master eagerly awaits our arrival, and we still have ways to go."
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