21 Deliverance (2/2)

”High Priest Yalin Velhinhem.”

”Yalin…” Gunthar spoke a bit sadly.

”So he did not allow them to turn him, good, he deserved to die with some dignity at least. I shall go gather what is needed, you may set him down in the middle of the courtyard.”

Gunthar replied without even inquiring the situation as to how Rainer came across the High Priest.

”Rainer, is this the best time?” Kara asked having just walked over.

”It's all I can currently do as a thank you,” he said before speaking once more.

”We cannot always be running and training. I thought that's why you planned that date that night?”

”It was, though the direction it turned was a welcome surprise,” she happily replied before walking towards Gunthar's direction.

”I'll see if he needs any help,” she said right after.

Rainer set down Yalin gently in the courtyard, still wrapped in his overcoat. Luna landed on Rainer's shoulder and just sat quietly.

Sitting down Rainer took out the journal from the space ring and began to read once more. The ring itself contained only empty vials he assumed were used potions. Specifically, he was looking at the runes dealing with the space portion of the spell. He wanted to see if he could glean enough to make even the simplest spell relating to Space-Time with the aid of [Spatial Manipulation].

Though soon once more he had to stop from a headache. It ended up bringing his thoughts towards his planned school and a major problem regarding runes: they could not be taught from only books. It's why amongst all these tomes the reference book wasn't particularly useful. To learn a rune required all your senses and more. The meaning, the shape, the feeling, and others all combined together for a purpose. Two runes combined in different ways could have far different results if one wasn't careful.

He quite liked Nalmar's way of training Paladins focusing solely on learning the necessary spells and nothing beyond that. But this would not produce mages capable of creating their own magic or learning truly powerful spells. It was a tool for building soldiers, not mages. He himself understood the irony of finding fault with their methods when he has been relying on his manipulation skills so heavily and also didn't learn magic properly.

Rainer was brought out of his thoughts by the quick return of Gunthar as he carried several boxes along with Kara.

Setting down the boxes and breaking some pieces off of them Gunthar turned away from Kara who had for some reason unknown to Rainer begun to shift. Her clothes changed into silver rings around her wrists and legs.

Even after they spent their nights together she was still hesitant to let Rainer see her shift. And when he finally convinced her to let him he understood. It certainly wasn't a flattering thing. Though once he got used to it he looked at it with just curiosity, even more so now having the [Demon Anatomy] skill. Wondering how such a small amount of Aura could produce such extra mass. He was half tempted to just save up more skill points to put into it but instead had already decided to save skill points for the [Faraan Runic Language] which required far more per level. An amount most would simply be unable to obtain let alone use on anything other than their class skills.

Kara gave Rainer a wary glance, still a bit uncomfortable with him seeing her shift, but seeing not even a hint of disgust on his face she grew content and went directly towards doing the task Gunthar asked of her, digging a grave.

Seeing what she was doing Rainer as quickly as he could manage covered his mouth and stifled his laughter.

Way too similar, way too similar.

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Kara paused for a moment, her improved hearing most certainly hearing his laughter before she continued. She didn't even understand what was so funny though she could definitely tell it related to her.

”Rainer, what's so funny. Luna wants to know, tell Luna,” Luna asked while pulling on his ear.

”I can't...definitely...can't say it.”

Kara still able to hear that from far away grew a bit nervous it related to her transformation but his next words eased that, though it did make her pretty angry. Comparing Wolfkin, and Demons for that matter, to similar animals was actually quite offensive, no matter how true. Though now remembering he wasn't from here eased it a little. Just a little.

”Tell Luna quietly, Luna won't tell.”

”Fine..she's digging exactly like a dog. It's identical, I can't even watch,” he whispered, not understanding Kara could still hear him.

Luna just scratched her head not understanding what was so funny as the other two continued their work.

It was still midday, though the sun was still obscured by clouds in the overcast sky when they finished their preparations. Kara was ignoring Rainer while he ignored Luna thinking she told on him. None were truly angry at one another, though. Rainer himself actually felt quite awful for what he said. He should have just shoved it down.

The funeral rites were quite simple in this case since Yalin had already prevented himself from being raised as an undead. A task that was usually performed by the priests in the form of a special carving and spell on the deceased. Something they could not do preventively on the living unless they themselves used a powerful magic to kill themselves in such a manner preventing resurrection.

Yalin was buried in the ground with a symbol carved from wood marking his resting place. Rainer noted it was the same as what was carved into his ring, though a bit less nicely. A single spear of light with a sun overlapping its center with Yalin's name on it, carved by Gunthar.

”May the Holy One receive this lost one towards his grace. To forgive his mistakes and accept his devotion.”

It was a simple burial rite. In reality for someone of Yalin's station, the entire city would be in mourning following a large funeral and a procession through the city before he would be buried within a tomb. Rainer thought to bring him there when it was all over. He himself only offered silent thanks for what was given and apologized for taking his possessions, leaving the rest for his true funeral.

The group walked away from the the fort of Dawn. They assumed their foes did not even know where they were now, having traveled so randomly and afar. Nor would they know they now had no more plans to capture more forts for at least some time. They were headed to a Dungeon that was once the training ground of Paladins. Ordinarily risking painstakingly trained forces in a Dungeon was a poor idea, but with the numerous enchanted gear on every member of the order it turned into a training gold mine. This was alongside the Dungeon the city of Nalmar was built around, one that had multiple difficulty levels even 2nd Class individuals could enter.

The one the party headed to had more facets toward being useful as a training ground rather than hunting for rare materials or even food.

Gunthar wouldn't receive benefits from the Dungeon and he would take up a space in the party but he could enter with them. Gunthar knew the Dungeon intimately and had suggested it. He considered them more than capable of completing it even with their smaller group. The rewards would not be anywhere near as plentiful since the Dungeon had long since been completed but they would still receive bonuses for having such a small party and for it being their own personal first completion.

They, however, weren't even sure if they could enter it, having been sent here for a Main Quest. Rainer personally saw no reason why they couldn't, apart from perhaps possible guards at the entrance.

They walked forward for several hours despite having intentionally chosen Dawn as the last fort they'd capture as it was the closest to the Dungeon.

”Kara, I'm sorry for laughing earlier. I can see how myself being compared to an ape would be unpleasant. Especially since they actually have smaller…” But she covered his mouth before he finished.

”I do not wish to know what is smaller about them. It is fine, I accepted it as a cultural difference. I was merely waiting for an apology.”

”Are Wolfkin of your world okay with such comparisons?” she asked right after.

”There's no such thing. Rather, Humans are the only race of actual intelligence,” he replied to both Kara and Luna's surprise.

”Oh! Then there are no Fairies either? Luna says your world is sad. Why would first hero want to return to such a silly world,” Luna piped in.

”Family, friends, loved ones,” Rainer spoke back a bit sadly.

”Luna is sorry...”

Seeing he unintentionally made the Fairy sad, Rainer put a smile on his face and picked her up.

”It's fine, I have new loved ones, besides, can something as simple as a boundary between worlds stop Rainer the Arch-Mage, Traveler of Worlds?” he said with mock arrogance while looking toward Kara as well.

”By accident,” she coughed out right after.

With laughter brightening up the mood, the group continued until they reached the end of the forest. They approached a large temple surrounded by several buildings.

They all hid behind trees seeing if the place was guarded. Even if they got in, if they were surrounded as they exited it would have been a pointless and deadly affair. However, Rainer saw the [Arch-Lich] as cautious and at the very least not stupid, having properly sent mostly classless undead against them.

The [Arch-Lich] likely now knew that he had killed a level 25 [Lich] by himself. By definition, a Dungeon that has a level limit of 20 would be useless if one thought by the common sense of this world. A [Lich] at level 25 was an ancient being having countless years to perfect his magic. Compared to a normal level 25 Human it was already a massive gap. Even more so for that Human to be low leveled. Without [Appraisal] it'd be silly to assume Rainer's level was below 20. Yet this also meant a far greater chance of a 2nd Class Undead being sent out to find them.

Feeling nothing with his [Mana Detection] and nothing to suggest undead connected to a master through his [Magic Detection], the group moved forward. Passing by the aged buildings, they quickly and quietly moved to enter the Dungeon. Rainer carried months of supplies within his spatial ring along with the journal as well as everything of use in the library. Even if they eventually got surrounded they could hide for a while.

Different from the entrance to the first Dungeon Rainer saw, this temple, or perhaps cathedral, had a peaceful look. Were it not for Gunthar telling him that this was a Dungeon he'd see it as nothing more than a well-built temple. The shape of it actually reminded Rainer of the cathedral-looking building they fought the previous Dungeon's boss in.

It seems this may be where they got their architecture from…

Giving one final look to their surroundings and with Gunthar a bit behind them covering their tracks they entered the temple.

Walking through its open halls they finally saw a portal at the end of it.

”Remember to follow me the moment we get in. I'll take us to a safe area. From there we can progress in the first stage I spoke to you of,” Gunthar reminded them.

And so they stepped forward, fully confident in their victory.

The view before them was not one reminiscent of a Dungeon but a wide open prairie. Gunthar had only begun his description of the first stage from after they reached the safe area so Rainer was surprised by this sight. Kara was already shifted and Rainer jumped up on her as she prepared to follow Gunthar as quickly as possible. Yet Gunthar just stood there frozen.

”Gunthar, what's wrong?” Rainer yelled out, worried that him being undead affected him somehow. But his guess was completely off.

”I...have never seen this place before…” Gunthar replied quietly as the sound of wings and loud screeches filled the air.