At first, we didn’t notice. After coming to the rational conclusion that the way out of this underground labyrinth was probably somewhere above us, we tried going up, using Gorgie’s animal senses to guide us. If we don’t find the portal, then at least we can get outside ― or so we naively thought… Until we sensed an odd magical force that lasted just a few moments. After that, the force came again with dispiriting frequency. I had started calling them upwellings.
Because none of these upwellings had any effect on us, we soon started ignoring them. But we were wrong to do so… As it turned out, all this strange magic was affecting the labyrinth itself. After every upwelling, the huge tunnel network was warped by some invisible hand, shifting around in the blink of an eye. We noticed it when one of the tunnels led us back to where we’d spent the night, even though the harn’s senses should have made that an impossibility. When the same trick happened another couple times, Gorgie and I realized we were trapped. And that we needed to forget about getting out. All that remained was to continue wandering from cave to cave in hopes of discovering one of the portals Dobbess had mentioned. As an aside, as soon as we stopped looking for a way out, the intervals between upwellings grew longer. It was as if the labyrinth was giving us a hint that there was nothing for us outside.
“Look,” I called Gorgie. “They’re moving again right now.”
The harn lazily lifted his hefty noggin and glanced over where I pointed.
The thing was that, after each upwelling of magic, anomalies appeared in the most unexpected of places. Despite the fact that I had been warned by Pinebogey and Dobbess about this strange occurrence, the first anomaly I actually encountered made me nervous. How else should one react to two giant beasts appearing out of thin air an arm’s length away then, without making a sound, tearing each other apart ferociously. Gorgie and I turned tail and ran quickly out of that cave, not stopping until we’d reached a comfortable distance.
Later, when we realized what we’d stumbled upon, the appearance of other anomalies, in other words ghosts, we took more calmly. Furthermore, the first one we saw was the scariest. And most importantly ― the ghosts weren’t concerned with the living in the slightest.
Some of them were spectral incarnations of local creatures, reliving a sliver of their earthly lives. In most cases, it was the last moments before they perished. Some got eaten, others died for no apparent reason, whereas others still just took a couple steps and disappeared into thin air.
The anomaly Gorgie and I were seeing just now was noticeably different from the ones we’d seen before. The first difference was that these ghosts were sentient beings. And more specifically, gnomes. The second was that this was the fifth time we had seen this anomaly in the last few hours.
A group of six stout gnomes, rushing and constantly looking around in fear, were hauling a hefty sarcophagus on their shoulders. It looked very much like they were being chased. Honestly though, the labyrinth never showed us the bearded fellows’ pursuers.
And now, for the fifth time, the bearded men hauled their cargo across the cave where we’d made camp for the night, then disappeared down the farthest tunnel. Based on their gear, these guys were not poor. With their chainmail, shields, battleaxes and poleaxes ― they were armed to the teeth.
“I wonder who they were and where they were going in such a hurry.” I muttered.
“Hrn,” Gorgie called back lazily.
“You think we should follow them?” I asked, looking at my brother with surprise.
The harn stood up lightly, stretched out his back, grabbed Pinebogey’s shoulder with his teeth and tossed him onto his shoulders. Then he glanced at me and gave an impatient snort as if to say, “what’s the hold up?”
I was slightly thrown off by my buddy’s initiative and hurriedly shot to my feet. Gorgie gave a mocking growl and dashed off after the bearded ghosts.
We caught up to the anomaly in the next cave. When we hopped out of the tunnel, a silent battle was already underway. The gnomes, surrounding the sarcophagus on multiple sides, were fighting back the furious onslaught of a group of short rat-headed humanoids.
The gnomes fought valiantly, but the rat-heads were simply too many. Before disappearing, the anomaly showed us just three of the bearded folk dying but, based on the number of attackers, the outcome was predetermined.
“See, nothing interesting,” I said with a sigh when the ghosts started vanishing into thin air.
And I wanted to turn around to go back to “our” cave, but Gorgie stopped me with a short growl.
“What?” I asked in puzzlement, looking at the harn.
He was standing stock still, continuing to look forward. I followed his gaze and, when I realized what I was seeing, my heartbeat sped up. The sarcophagus the gnomes had been hauling on their shoulders, and which they had defended so fiercely, was still there. Honestly though, all that was left of its glimmering gold adornments and azure tinted marble were withered remains, half fallen off and coated with centuries worth of dust. If I hadn’t seen where the gnomes left the box with my own eyes, I would have thought it nothing more than a pile of rocks and sand.
Walking a wide circle around the sarcophagus, I considered it and decided to walk up closer. Running a hand over the lid, I wiped away a layer of dust. As it turned out, the gold adornments were still in place, as was the azure marble. Yet more evidence that gnomes are the greatest craftsmen our world has to offer.
While looking over the adornments, I came to the conclusion that they were not mere designs. Most likely, I was looking at ancient writing. After I’d cleaned off a good chunk of the inscription on the bulging side of the sarcophagus, I got an unexpected notification:
— Attention! Your Mind is high enough to activate the “Language of the Western Gnomes!”
— Would you like to activate it?
Of course I would!
As soon as the new language pack was loaded, I got to work. When the decorative angular symbols were completely free of dust and grime, a message appeared before my eyes:
“Here lies a great Warrior Woman of the subterranean people ― Gallia Longbraid!”
I felt a chill run down my spine. Was this the same Gallia as the legendary gnomish leader who had defeated and banished the Black Serpent to the depths of the Abyss? Old man Evid, who lived on the town square next to the Red Salmon hashery often told us tales of the gnomes and their heroes. It was said that Evid had a bit of gnomish blood in his veins. And everyone believed it eagerly. Evid was short of stature and broad of shoulder, with a long gray beard and a slate gray nose that looked like a turnip. The old man himself was in no rush to dispel that notion either. He just kept on spinning yarns about the undermountain folk and lapping up sour ale.
And this Gallia, vanquisher of the Black Serpent, was someone the old man had told us about on a number of occasions.
My magic vision showed no signs of life in the sarcophagus. But that didn’t mean anything just yet. The artifacts that were almost certainly inside could have been out of power.
“Shall we open it?” I looked questioningly at Gorgie.
I didn’t have to ask him twice. He knew perfectly well how I felt. Without particular strain, the harn used his right paw to push the massive sarcophagus lid aside and we both looked inside together. And then took an immediate step back in fear.
I felt the hair on my head stand on end. In the belly of the coffin there lay a woman approximately the same height as me, but broader at the shoulder. Her long fire-red hair was done up in two thick and tight braids. A look of tranquility was frozen on her pale face. Her up-turned nose and pale cheeks were dotted with freckles. Her thick lips were slightly cracked. If not for the clothes, which had turned to scraps of ratty fabric, and the centuries’ worth of dust on the outside of the sarcophagus, I might have thought this woman just lied down a couple minutes earlier for a nap. Hm… I forgot the most important detail. There was a dagger sticking out of her chest. The blade had been plunged in t
o the very hilt. Slightly curved, it glowed with flecks of toxic green in the soft light of the subterranean moss. But there wasn’t any magic in the dagger.
When the initial fear had passed, I hunched over the woman and listened to my senses. Externally the gnome seemed to be alive, but inside… There was no breathing or heartbeat. I risked touching her hands and felt a dead cold.
Examining the sarcophagus also bore no fruit. The only artifact was sticking out of the dead woman’s body. I came to the rational conclusion that it would be sheer idiocy on my part to turn down such a fine gift from the Goddess Fate, so in one sharp motion I removed the dagger from the dead warrior woman’s chest.
In the next instant, two things happened at once. Before I had enough time to properly admire my new acquisition, I looked on in disappointment as the blade slowly turned to sand and slipped through my fingers. After that, a message came before my eyes:
― Attention! You have the opportunity to resurrect a Primordial!
― You will need:
― Heart of a Primordial (1).
― Drop of Primordial blood (2).
I glanced at Gorgie, searching for support. But the bored look stamped on the harn’s face said that he would accept whatever decision I made. No matter if it was right or wrong.
My intuition wasn’t giving me much either. The crazy idea that this discovery was intentionally driven by the Labyrinth after five days and nights leading us to this place I dismissed out of hand. Though nothing would surprise me at this point…
One thing remained to be understood: is there any point in bringing a legendary Primordial back to life? Or rather, what’s in it for me? Beyond that, would she be dangerous? Fairy tales are one thing, but I have learned just what all these fables are really worth. The three hero brothers turned out to be idiots that had condemned an entire city to death. The kindly Woodwose kept me in the dark and used me. Though the Black Widow and her sister the Snake had fully lived up to my expectations.
Beyond that, bringing this ancient heroine back to life would cost me highly valuable resources. And though before I only knew the use for primordial blood, now I at least understood what the hearts were used for as well.
Although, looking at it from a different angle, if this works out, having an ally like Gallia would be a great help. Beyond that, I’m reminded that Takeda was none too fond of the gnomes. Although the Steel King was not opposed to having them in his capital city either. In one way or another, I had had quite constructive and businesslike relations with gnomes thus far. Hopefully Longbraid the heroine won’t be an exception. Honestly though, it does lead me to a question, in theory the most important one: why would six gnomes have been hauling her sarcophagus through the heart of the Labyrinth of Fright? Am I perhaps unwittingly getting caught up in something I shouldn’t be? Still, I didn’t want to just leave her here. Especially knowing I could help.
“It’s decided,” I whispered, taking out the required ingredients and giving my permission to the Great System. “I hope she’s exactly how the legends say.”
When the heart disappeared into the Primordial’s chest with a bright lilac flash, and the two drops of blood dissolved on her pale cheeks, the Great System spat back a curious message:
— Attention! The Higher Powers smile upon you! You have replicated the legendary feat “Resurrector!” You have brought a Primordial entity back to life!
— Congratulations! You receive:
— Iridescent Tablet “Life Aura” (1).
Intrigued by the odd tablet, I opened its description.
― Life Aura.
― Level: 0+5 (0/20).
― Type: Magic Aura.
― Rarity: Legendary.
― Description:
― Activating this spell allows a mage to create a magic aura around themselves, which will affect both them and all allies.
― Effect:
― Increases caster’s Life Supply by 50%
― Increases all allies’ Life Supplies by 40%
― Requirements:
― Intellect – 50.
― Expends 1500 mana points.
― Note:
― Duration: 5 hours.
― Radius: 170 feet.
I chuckled in satisfaction. So there’s my reward. I hope it won’t be my last.
After closing the spell description, I brought up my Will to one hundred sixty-four. Then, continuing to smile, I finally decided to glance at the gnome I’d just rescued and was startled. Two squinting blue eyes were staring up at me out of the sarcophagus.
“Mortal, you have exactly one minute to explain what is going on here!” Gallia Longbraid pronounced in a frostbitten tone.
Chapter 17
“UM…” the surprise made me pause.
“Is that all you know how to say, mortal?” the gnome asked, continuing to lay on the pressure. Grabbing onto the edge of the sarcophagus, she started to slowly get up. What was left of her clothes fell to dust, revealing a sturdy woman’s body. Female members of the gnomish royal family always seemed slightly plump and stout to me. Ghm… I guess that was all due to their outfits.
I gulped louder than I was expecting. My cheeks started burning in embarrassment. But I quickly got that momentary discomfort under control. Apparently, high will figures were no match for an adolescent boy’s embarrassment at seeing a naked woman’s body.
Instantly switching to magic vision, I Looked over Gallia’s body and immediately forgot she was nude. Her supply was nearly fifteen thousand points! And that was alone. With no crystals. Level hidden. Just like the Steel King and his court mage. This gnome was clearly an elder Primordial.
But panicking would be premature. I took a closer look and suddenly realized that Gallia’s supply was empty and in no hurry to fill back up. Something was stopping her Wisdom from accumulating mana.
The gnome took my silent staring her own way. Her eyes squinted menacingly. The muscles on her shoulders tensed up.
“It seems you have no idea who I am, mortal!” she squeezed out, her chin raised proudly.
I was prepared to activate shields at a moment’s notice. The fact the legendary warrior woman had no access to her mana didn’t mean anything yet. I’m sure someone like her could thrash any foe, even bare-handed. With her undoubtedly high characteristics. But I wasn’t going to grovel for her either. What good would that do?
“But why?” I answered, trying to make my voice as calm as possible. “I just brought you back to life. And by the way, you shouldn’t keep calling me mortal. I’m not the one sitting in a coffin. It was brought here by your compatriots, by the way. They were probably the ones who stuck that dagger in your chest, too.”
Based on the way her face grew longer, my rebuke clearly knocked the gnome off course.
“I had to use valuable ingredients to resurrect you, too, by the way,” I continued. “You don’t just find the hearts and blood of Primordials lying around on the side of the road, y’know.”
The jaw muscles started to twitch on the gnome’s cheeks. The edge of the sarcophagus beneath her fingers crunched and started cracking.
“So does that mean you’re a Primordial slayer?!” the ice in Gallia’s voice was scalding.
By the looks of things, we weren’t going to be able to have a constructive dialog. I had to toss on my chaos shield and prepare to hold back a possible attack from the angry gnome. Gorgie also spoke up. His warning growl echoed throughout the cave. He wasn’t warning the now battle-ready Gallia though, he was warning me.
The cave started to fill up with more and more sounds, which made a shiver run down my spine.
I quickly looked around and cursed out angrily. How had I forgotten about them? The rat-headed brutes that killed the gnomes who brought the sarcophagus here so long ago. Or more likely their descendants. Apparently, they stuck to the same habitat. And they had multiplied fruitfully since then. They were scurrying out of the little holes in the cave walls like bees out of a batted hive.
I estimated there to be around fifty of them. They ranged in level from twenty to thirty, though some were as high as forty. The highest-level ones were larger and cleverer, hanging back behind their weaker compatriots.
The Great System called them ratfolk. Not the best name. There was little human in them. The cave immediately flooded with scraping, squeaking and rustling.
I wonder why Gorgie didn’t sense them before. Did these brutes have some special ability?
Tossing a canopy of invisibility on and sharing my protection with the harn, I glanced at the gnome out of the corner of my eye. She greeted the ratfolk with a scornful smirk. Then something happened I had approximately guessed at. Gallia Longbraid’s body covered with stone in the blink of an eye and doubled in size, making her look like a stone golem. And after all, there still wasn’t a drop of mana in her magic supply. Seemingly, I was now watching the summoning of a stone avatar.
Labyrinth of Fright (Underdog Book #5): LitRPG Series Page 18
