“The path to the Death Valley is blocked by a raging sandstorm this time of year, my lady priestess,” the old researcher says. “You’ll need to wait at least a month before the storm passes.”

“How far is this valley from the village?” Eleanor asks.

“Not far. It’s only a three-day ride from this village. The problem isn’t reaching it … it’s the danger that lurks in the valley itself.”

“Any hints?”

“I’m sorry, my lady. I am too much of a coward to venture into the valley, even after all these years. Although I had lost many good friends there.”

“Sounds promising,” Eleanor concludes.

“You can’t be serious!” Donna Day says. “What makes you believe a place called the ‘Death Valley’ is our way out, Ms. Eleanor? What if it’s a dead end? Or what if it’s a monster’s lair? Shouldn’t we search for another transport point before we run headfirst into the most dangerous place around?”

“No pain, no gain, freckles. Plus, if there’s another way out, Gramps here wouldn’t be stuck in here now, would he? Or do you think he and every researcher that was here before us were ‘that’ incompetent?”

“I didn’t mean it that way …”

Donna Day looks troubled, but Eleanor ignores her. Now that she has turned the old researcher into a conduit, she is able to walk around by herself.

Eleanor orders the old man to gather all the sick natives, and she starts performing her miracles on them. The more people she saves, the more powers she gains from them.

Donna Day looks at Eleanor’s action in shock. She has heard the stories of the Silver Angle of Ivory City, but to see Eleanor spamming out healing spells like it’s nothing leaves her speechless. To see the natives turning their wary gazes to reverence for the silver hair heretic makes her bite her lip.

“She’s not helping them—she’s using them like she used me. But still …”

Donna can do nothing but stand there like a fool as Eleanor plays out her machinations. Over the next few weeks, Eleanor slowly converts the natives into her followers. And without the existence of the Church of Ceram in this dungeon, Eleanor positions herself as their one true god.

The silver angel sits atop an altar as the natives dance to the sound of drums around a bonfire in her honor.

“This is a sacred rite in their culture, my lady,” the old man says. “They would normally dance like this during an eclipse to honor their animal god.”

“Is it a flaming snake, by any chance?”

“Indeed! How did you come to learn of this?”

Eleanor glances towards Donna, who is sitting silently nearby.

“We came across an abandoned temple on the way.”

“I see. Yes. You must mean the old town in the north. I remember my colleagues and I were quite shocked when we came across it for the first time. To think civilization could exist in the Amber dungeon!”

“I hardly call this civilized.” Donna breaks her silence as she watches the orange women dance naked before the orange fire.

“Hey, you ‘can’ be racist! Finally, some human-fucking-traits, freckles! I was getting sick of your goody-two-shoes act.” Eleanor laughs.

“I’m not racist!” Donna leaps to her feet. She points at Eleanor. “You’re the racist one for always picking on the only foreigner in our class!”

“Is that why you think I bully blondie?”

“I don’t know why you picked on Mr. Xenos—or why you do the things you do. I only know that you’re a spoiled, rotten, shameless woman who does whatever she pleases and will twist and lie and cheat everyone—including God!—for … for … Oh, forget it!”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Donna stomps back to her room.

Eleanor watches her go and shrugs. Despite her words, Eleanor doesn’t feel a sliver of hatred coming from Donna, so she can’t care less what the redhead has to say.

When it’s time for Eleanor to return to her room, she catches a prayer coming with the wind.

“… Lord Ceram, who rules over the stars above, please bestow knowledge upon me. All my life I believe a person’s worth is decided by her intentions. If one sets out to do good, then her actions must be good, regardless of whether she succeeds or not. And if one processes an evil heart, then everything she does … everything she touches would be tainted by her evil nature. Yet … now, I’m not so sure …”

The voice breaks into a whimper.

Eleanor ignores it and returns to her room.

After a month has passed, it is time to journey to Death Valley.

Eleanor and Donna bid goodbye to the old man and venture out into the red wasteland. They ride an armored horse, surrounded by the striped warriors who had volunteered to aid in their quest.

The warriors are able to fend off the two-headed vultures and the other horrors the red abyss has to offer. Although they have to stop often due to Eleanor’s silver blood acting up from the horse’s galloping motion.

After five days on the trail, they can see a steep, dark mountain range that stretches for the red sky like a black wall. A single valley is carved through the mountains like somebody had cut it with a giant knife.

The horses are restless as they get closer to the valley. A warrior has to dismount and guide the girls’ horse by the rein to prevent it from shaking them off.

Eleanor’s face is dirty with dry blood and Donna has to hold on to her to prevent her from collapsing. Donna squeezes Eleanor’s hand as the valley blocks out the sun. They are cloaked in darkness.

The warriors raise their spears. Their sharp gaze searches around the tall cliffs and black shadows. Everyone is tense. Sweat pours down their bodies despite the howling wind.

“They know they’ll die here,” Eleanor says.

“How can you say something so horrible?!”

“When the slaughter starts, I want you to keep your head and always remember—point, aim, and squeeze. Now’s a good time to put your finger on the trigger, freckles.”

Donna bites her lips as she prepares the silver gun.

The group moves quietly through the narrow path. The two cliff sides seem to narrow in.

Suddenly, a giant centipede-like creature pops out of a hole and pieces its sharp body through a warrior. He gurgles blood as the monster quickly reels back into the hole with its prey. The other warriors can barely react before it disappears into the darkness with their comrade.

The group quickly rushes forward as more centipedes emerge from the cliff sides. The warriors fend off the creatures, but their spears are no match for the centipedes’ speed and sheer tenacity. As one is cut down, ten more pours out.

Donna screams and squeezes the trigger, firing in random directions. But her shot still takes out its mark, since there are so many crawling creatures swarming on every surface.

On the other hand, Eleanor has yet to make a move. Her eyes glare forward, deep into the dark valley where she feels a dangerous presence.

“Why is it always so obvious when there’s a boss fight coming up?”

She grabs the reins and commands the horse to gallop, sprinting through the scene of slaughter.

The warriors are taken out one by one. The centipedes pierce through the warriors’ bodies and tear them limb from limb, wrestling their prey from one another.

Donna Day screams at the sight of blood spraying in the air.

“Focused, freckles! And don’t look back. I need you to clear the path ahead for us.”

“But … But I … But …”

“Donna! Listen to me. Aim and shoot, that’s all you need to do. You can leave the rest to me and I’ll make sure no harm will come to you. Can you do that for me?”

“Y-yes … Yes, I … Yes, Ms. Eleanor.”

“Less talking—more shooting!”

The silver gun in Donna’s hands spat fire at the creatures blocking their path.

Eleanor looked back at the hundreds of giant centipedes chasing after them like a raging black tide and dropped her bombs at them. They exploded into chunks of yellow goo, but their numbers don’t seem to lessen.

Clank!

The metallic clang of Donna’s gun indicates that it’s out of ammo. She fumbles with her pouch and takes out more mana bullets to reload. But a sudden jerk of the horse causes her to drop the bullet.

They explode with the ground on impact.

One bullet explodes right under the horse, sending both girls and the horse flying.

“Shit!” Eleanor struggles to get back up. Her ears are ringing and her blurry vision searches for Donna and the horse.

She spots Donna lying nearby, groaning. While the horse lay injured on the ground. Its belly is torn up, and it’s screeching in pain.

Eleanor pushes her torso up and sees that they are surrounded by the approaching centipedes.