The clearing of Silveandria proceeded smoothly, albeit slowly. It took several days, but eventually, we neared the dungeon's entrance. There were large and tall stairs, surrounded by concrete, and once descended: the dungeon. It was indeed quite hidden.
"You again...?"
Apparently, the Prince's team was also there when we arrived. The loud girl was not happy to see me; her face literally twisted in disgust. What did I even do to her? I don't think I deserve to be regarded with such animosity...
The interesting girl with golden eyes approached me instead, with her metallic orb hovering around. "I believe we still haven't properly introduced ourselves. I'm Melissa," she said, extending her hand with a smile.
"Melissa, you're approaching her?!" the girl from behind shouted. "Abby, you too?!"
As I introduced myself to Melissa, the girl with striking pink hair and closed eyes approached me as well. "No quarrels," she said to the loud girl, before stopping in front of me and extending her hand. "I'm Abby. Nice to maketh thy acquaintance."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Argenta," I replied, shaking her hand.
"A verily wondrous name."
The way she spoke, in a way, disturbed me.
"Mereo, come on, introduce yourself," Melissa said to her, turning around with a hand on her hip.
The girl groaned, and grinding her teeth, she finally stepped towards me. "Fine..." she said. "I'm Mereoleona."
To say her handshake was less than unenthusiastic is an understatement. At least the Prince was somewhat better at this; he approached me, his long blue hair swinging with every step until he stopped before me. "You may call me Prince," he declared, his chin high and his voice proud.
"You may call me Argenta," I replied, giving a little curtsy in respect.
"You were at the celebration. I remember you," he continued.
I simply nodded, with nothing else to say, while Caligo also introduced himself. Crimson and Leonard were already acquainted with them, so they skipped the formalities.
"The travelling lamp is falling," Abby suddenly said, squeezing the fluffy ball in hand. "What about we sitteth around a campfire? We could consume together."
I really could use someone to decipher what she says...
"You're right. It's getting pretty late," Melissa replied. "Let's camp here for tonight. The monsters in this area are all clear."
Oh, she could understand her. The pink-haired girl is also interesting though, being able to see without opening her eyes.
"Huh? I have to camp with them?!" Mereoleona asked in disdain.
"No quarrels," Abby told her with an angry pout.
She groaned, scratching her head. "Ugh, fine..."
"Did something happen between you?" Leonard asked me and Crimson with a concerned, yet confused, look.
"No..." I replied, matching his confusion.
"She's just a troublemaker. Ignore her," Crimson shrugged.
Leonard didn't sound convinced by the answers, but accepted them nonetheless.
"I'll go fetch some twigs for the campfire," Caligo offered.
Leonard approached the Prince. "Your Highness, are you alright with us joining you for a campfire?"
He nodded. "You may call me Prince, Leonard. A campfire in company seems nice after so many days fighting monsters. Plus, Abby seems eager to have some company as well. There are no problems."
"Excellent. I shall lend a hand."
After some time, we managed to set up camp and gather around a crackling campfire. The sky had turned starry, and a gentle breeze swept through the air. The atmosphere was nice, and it would have been even more so if Mereoleona hadn't sat in front of me, trying to keep her distance while casting suspicious glances.
"We're really the first to reach here, aren't we?" Melissa asked. "We'll have to wait for the others before venturing inside the dungeon."
"We can't really blame them," Leonard commented, adjusting his glasses. "Clearing out monsters within the city's walls must be more challenging."
"I expected more from the guild with the strongest mage," Mereoleona added, probably trying to strike some nerves.
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"Don't remind me," Crimson groaned, adding fuel to the fire.
"Shouldn't you two rendezvous with the other coordinator?" Leonard asked, glancing at Crimson and Melissa.
"That won't be necessary anymore," Melissa replied, reaching for a small, straight metal tool with two small curves at the top. "Signalis," she then murmured.
From her orb, a brilliant blue light shot rapidly into the sky, breaking apart and transforming into a marvelous spectacle resembling a meteor shower.
"Now that this area is clear, we can signal the others this way," Crimson nonchalantly added, reclining into a more comfortable position and crossing her legs.
"What's that object?" I asked Melissa, eyeing the thing in her hand.
"It's a wrench; it's my divine weapon, along with this orb," she replied.
My eyes widened. "You have two?!"
She shook her head with a smile. "Not exactly; they're interconnected," she explained.
"Interesting."
"You're the interesting one," she said with a smirk. "No divine weapon?"
"Haha..." Obviously the conversation had to go that way. "Well, what can I say..."
"Shouldst we playeth some music?" Abby asked with her soft voice, drawing everyone's attention while she poked the fire with a stick.
"Sure," the Prince replied, sitting regally on the log. "I'll go fetch my guitar."
The Prince rose from his seat, directing his steps on a big backpack, pulling out a little guitar out of it before returning to its place. "Some music while we wait for the dinner to be ready. Does everyone agree?" he questioned.
"May I playeth it?"
The Prince regarded Abby with surprise, just like the rest of her team. "Abby... you can play guitar?" the Prince asked her.
She nodded, extending her hand.
"Ah, sure..." the Prince winced, carefully handing it to her.
Abby rested the fluffy ball on her shoulder and gripped the guitar with confidence. As usual, her eyes remained closed. I was surprised as well; this girl could do a lot without needing vision.
The fire crackled louder, sending sparks into the night sky while Abby cleared her throat. Wetting her lips, she started, her fingers gently strumming the guitar.
"Oh, whither hast thou gone, wise mage of old,
Thy stories, once told, now whispers untold.
From peaks to dales, thy legend did expand,
Yet silence now resides in this enchanted land."
Her voice gentle, and... at the same time, imbued with a faint note of wistful nostalgia.
"Oh, couldst thou tell me yet another tale?
Though I know them all, thy stories never pale.
They say thou brought deliverance, through trials deep and wide,
Ventured through the darkened night, with no need to hide."
A soothing melody, captivating everyone around the fire. Especially her companions seemed surprised, staring at her with wide eyes.
"I'll carry on thy legacy, with stories brave and true,
The light thou gavest us shall ever shine anew.
And when the moon doth shimmer upon the silent sea,
Thy memory shall linger on, in every heart, in me."
And as she sang, so did the nocturnal insects, accompanying her tune.
"In the stillness of the night, by the flickering flame,
We gather close and whisper, softly call thy name.
Thy tales were our salvation, our beacon through the storm,
We await thy return, to keep our spirits warm."
Her voice softened, her lips trembled.
"So, please, return to us, oh mother fair and kind,
Share thy light and magic, in the tales thou dost find.
I shall move the waters, as thou moved my soul,
Bringing hope and comfort, making broken spirits whole."
She took a deep breath before continuing, while her companions continued to watch her, breathless.
"And as the stars above us, paint the sky with silver light,
We'll remember thy stories, through every endless night.
Oh, fleeting mother, know thy light forever stays,
Guiding us through darkness, till the end of days."
She hummed softly, letting the final notes slowly dissipate, until her song ended. A profound silence fell over the campfire. A silence broken by a sudden and slow applause; Caligo's applause, slowly followed by the ones of the Golden Lucenti, while the Prince gaped at her.
"Wow, Abby... I had no idea you were so good at it," the Prince complimented.
Abby's face tinted with a delicate crimson.
"Yeah... amazing," Mereoleona breathed.
"If I may ask..." Caligo added with a smile, still slowly applauding with a chuckle. "Who was the song referring to?"
The applause stopped, and Abby's expression turned neutral.
"Yeah," Mereoleona joined. "Who's the mage? The mother...?" She tilted her head.
For some reason, I felt a sudden tension between Caligo and Abby.
"I'm also curious," Melissa said.
"Who is it, thee asketh?" Abby said with a faint smile, slowly bringing her finger to her lips. "That's a secret."
- - - - - - -
"That's a secret."
Not the answer I was hoping for... "Ah, I see. That's a shame."
That story clearly refers to the Silver Witch... The legend that expanded, the silence that reigns now... The shimmering of the moon, the silver light... Yes, without a doubt, it's referring to her. Or at least, I'm almost certain of it. But I can't press further; not with the members of the Golden Lucenti, with the Prince right here, and when I'm the newest member of my guild.
That would mean she's a follower of the Silver Witch. But why now? From the reaction of her allies, this kind of behavior is something new, even out of place. So... why? One does not casually decide to surprise everyone, unless for a good reason.
Glancing at Argenta, she seems thoughtful as well. Is she also surprised? Does she have something to do with the Silver Witch as I suspected? So, this is the reason why the girl sang? But... her expression seems too surprised, as if she barely understood the song at all... Am I mistaken?
The rest of the members also seem surprised, but mostly about the performance. The Prince is enchanted, to tell the truth. They do not know who the story is referring to. And they've already forgotten about it... they're now joking together with the girl.
So... am I really just imagining things? Have I misjudged her all along?
I took a deep breath, forcing clarity into my thoughts.
No, no, Caligo... Rossana taught you well about this; if you have two competing ideas to explain the same phenomenon, you should always favor the simpler one.
The others don't know, because they are simply ignorant of the truth. And Abby sang... because, just like me, saw the resemblance of the Silver Witch in Argenta.
How could she have seen it without even opening her eyes? I'm not aware... But now, I'm certain of it; somehow, Argenta is related to the Silver Witch...
"Hm..." A nervous chuckle almost escaped me; I managed to block it, and I clasped my hands together to prevent them from trembling.
Relax, Caligo... Not only are you in the presence of someone connected to the Silver Witch, but also one of Her followers. You must maintain your composure, and... inform Rossana about it.
"Wait, everyone, make silence," Leonard suddenly said, his voice low. "Something is approaching."