Chapter 76: Altar (1/2)

To describe the village that lied before Arthur's eyes, he would use the word medieval only. Its huts gathered around simple roads with varying sizes, made from wood and leather. There also some fences for the animals but all that's left was eaten corpses. It seems that wild monsters have broken into the village after its residents disappeared.

Arthur placed his hand on the shoulder of the trembling boy, making him startle with a gasp. If they weren't mid-spring, Arthur would have believed the boy was shivering from frost. He turned his head toward Arthur and looked at him with tears threatening to fall.

”Be strong.”

The two words Arthur said made Dimon nod his head and wipe away his tears. He then proceeded to go down toward the village with Arthur and the goblins.

It was a ghost town, for sure. The doors were squeaking and flailing about as if they were vomiting whatever was inside. The wind was unhindered as it seeped through the trees to make a mess of Arthur's clothing.

”Kaka,” Some of the goblins almost tripped from the strong wind.

'Why is it so windy?' Arthur gazed at the sky and found some clustered dark clouds. He frowned at this since the weather was sunny a few moments ago. Would a chance in location cause this much change? He doubted.

”Is anyone here?” Dimon called out but there was no answer. They walked in the empty streets looking for any signs of life, but it seems life has abandoned this place ages ago.

Arthur walked into one of the houses as he began to examine its interior. Dust covered most of the tables and chairs, the beds were a mess, and the kitchen was clean. It's was as Dimon had said as if they disappeared in the middle of the night. Arthur opened some closets and found leather clothes and weapons. There was also some dried game that has been abandoned.

Seeing there's not much to be seen from this place, Arthur walked out and asked Dimon to guide him to the house of the mage. The boy was visibly shaken for some reason but still complied nonetheless.

The mage's house was like any other, except for it being tidier than the rest. Arthur examined the interior as he felt a weird sense of alienation.

”How did the mage hide this village?”

”He… used magic. Nothing can see the village from outside.” Dimon answered his questions after slight pondering. Arthur nodded his head and concluded this was some illusion ability at work. The question was why did the mage disappear?

”We should go to the cave,” Arthur said after seeing there was no hope of finding anyone here.

”Okay, I know the way.” Dimon declared and started leading the group through the forest. His gait was clumsy and he tripped several times, but Arthur was patient enough. After half an hour, they reached what looked like a cave. On their way, the wind was getting stronger and stronger.

'What is this?' Arthur took a step back when he felt the fear-inducing mana from the cave. It was too… dark. As if a monster has opened its maw in their direction, danger alarms were ringing loudly in Arthur's head.

”This is the place,” Dimon said as he tugged on Arthur's shirt and hid behind him. It was then that chills traveled down Arthur's spine at a sudden realization.

”Why don't you stay here, Dimon? We'll look inside.” Arthur turned around and said at the young boy who shook his head with resolution.

”I want bury family.” He said in a broken language. Arthur's eyes arched in a smile as he nodded understandingly.

”Then… let's go in together.”

***

The cave was damp and dark, barely illuminated by the sun outside. However, Arthur still had flashlights in his waist bag and he used them to see the interior. If not for the chilling mana seeping everywhere, Arthur would have thought it was a normal cave.

As they kept walking forward, the mana kept intensifying. Arthur's body was getting heavy just from being there.

”Are you okay, Dimon?”

”Mhm,” The young boy nodded with a pained face. The goblins were also breathing heavily as the mana weighted upon them. Arthur took out another bottle of healing water that he has been giving to Dimon for the past few days.

”Drink this, it'll help.”

Dimon took the bottle and chugged it down. As expected, his body felt better after he drank the healing water. It was then that they reached the end of the cave where there was a black crack in the wall.