Chapter 151: An Old Enemy (2/2)
Right when it seemed that they would have to make some sacrifices in order to travel to the capital in hopes of finding some decent requests, Morgan had pulled them aside. He explained that he was actually a retired Rank 4 adventurer, and offered to guide them through a higher ranking request, allowing them to take some of the reward money. It had seemed like the solution to all of their problems.
How foolish they had been.
”Um....Ophy....I-” Ruby started plaintively. The old familiar look of uncertainty and dependence firmly in place. Only this time, Ophelia had no stomach for it. In fact, simply looking at her old friend made her feel infuriated.
”Enough! I don't want to hear it. You abandoned us, left us for dead. From here on we are strangers.” She growled before whirling and facing forward.
The mage had stopped to watch the proceedings, and she detected the hint of a frown on his face, but it disappeared quickly. ”Keep up now.” Was all he said as he started casually walking, as if he feared nothing.
It wasn't long before they ran into more of the cavern's inhabitants.
A quartet of Goblin Warriors, muscular brutes a little shorter than an adult human, rounded the corner and issued the hooting noise they used when they spotted prey. Ophelia readied her spear, and started to give orders to the other two, but she needn't have bothered.
With a sweep of his hand, the mage unleashed an invisible blade made of compressed wind that cut through the leading two and injured the others. As pieces of viscera rained on them, the wounded Goblin Warriors started crawling away, screeching in fear and agony.
She could hardly believe her eyes. The man had not even bothered to use a chant, and seemed to be suffering from none of the ill effects of mana deprivation. With a sudden start, she realized that he had done the same when curing their injuries.
[A nonverbal chant? No, it was too fast. Chant Omission? Could he just be using free casting? What kind of monster could throw mana around like that?]
Although not a mage herself, Ophelia had helped Ruby through most of her lessons. As such, she had more knowledge about magic than the average adventurer. Everything she knew, told her that this hooded man was a phenomenally powerful mage.
[Why would anyone like this bother to take part in a Rank 4 request?]
To the shock of everyone present, the mage stepped forward while summoning a spear of hardened stone. With two quick strokes, he killed the wounded Goblin Warriors before resting the spear on his shoulder. ”Hm, these ones look a little different, but still nothing of value. I'm surprised anyone bothers hunting these things.” He muttered to himself quietly.
The mage turned to face them, causing Ophelia to momentarily take a step back. There was something imposing about his eyes at the moment.
”There are two passages,” He announced. ”Which one did you come from? Do you recognize anything?”
The three of them squinted in the gloom trying to see what he was talking about. The feeble, flickering light from Ruby's staff was barely enough to see the mage's outline, let alone the room behind him. Noticing their confusion, the mage spoke again, as if suddenly realizing the problem. ”Ah. You can't see what I'm talking about. Hold on a sec.”
A warm illumination filled the chamber, causing the adventurers to momentarily squint against the sudden glare. Hanging above the mage's head was a ball of light. Already growing numb to further shocks, Ophelia looked around and pointed at the entrance to one passage. ”We came out of that one. I remember the marks on the walls.”
The tunnel had a crudely manufactured appearance, as if the goblins had somehow carved a hole in the wall of the cave using their bare hands and claws. That should have been beyond the capabilities of any goblin, no matter how evolved, but considering the abomination they'd encountered in the depths of this lair, she suddenly felt certain that it had been responsible.
”Wait.” She called, stopping the mage before he entered the tunnel. ”Before we go, there is something you should know. Further down this passage, we might run into the monster which forced us to flee in the first place, a powerful and dangerous creature that has somehow managed to bind the goblins into its service.”
”Oh?” The mage asked, sounding more curious than anything. ”And what kind of creature is that?”
She licked her lips, feeling suddenly pensive. ”Morgan believed it was a type of depraved vampire, commonly referred to as a Vargul, only evolved somehow.”
The man looked startled for a second, golden eyes going wide. Surely even this powerful man would have second thoughts about going up against such a beast.
Rich laughter filled the air, erasing the tension that had formed.
”Don't worry, I'm quite familiar with them.” He replied before turning and confidently walking down the tunnel.