I was going to check at least the layout of the place, but even then it would’ve probably taken a lot longer than it should, so I had to be content with just a brief overview of the place. Between the two of us, it wasn’t that much of an ask.

Besides the stretches of corridors and hallways, the place looked almost like a mix of Red Edge and Arbo. Probably closer to Edge though, considering.

Even our resident expert on that had a hard time believing what we were seeing, multiple times commenting on how eerie that was for her.

But the similarities weren’t the thing that caught my attention.

As we were exploring, I was walking blindly, as in I didn’t use any spells to light my path, solely using my enhanced vision to get my bearings, but, at certain points I noticed that it was not working. Some places had no mana I could see, making them completely dark.

Of course, that immediately interested me, and sharing that discovery with Il I tried pinpointing the location more closely: it was certain that it had to originate from somewhere.

Before that though, I needed to conjure a light.

It was a while since I used one, so just on a whim I used a fire spell instead of a light spell. Il wasn’t nearby and the place was definitely not going to be burned down with a stray spark, unlike Arbo.

-Usc fi geksu.

But, just as soon as the light flickered to life, it disappeared.

That definitely threw me for a loop.

Was my spell malfunctioning?

Hell no! It’s not like fire can malfunction. I get if that was some different element, like actual light, but my spell produced actual fire and just needed mana to burn, and I had plenty of that.

Was the environment somehow draining mana from it…?

-Usc fi mynu.

I switched to a light orb instead, but that stayed alive and well, without any sign of disappearing.

That rules out the mana issues.

So what was the problem?

I tried making fire again, but this time it didn’t even produce a spark.

First, to be honest. I’ve literally never seen that spell to react like that.

Wait.

What are the things that fire needs?

A fuel. And oxygen.

That was the problem?! A lack of oxygen?

Sure, we were in a pretty sealed place, but for it to be completely deprived of oxygen? That’s unusual.

Besides, shouldn’t I be feeling some effects…

Wait, I didn’t need to breathe any more. I guess that tracks.

What about Il, though?

-Il? How are you feeling?

The reply came immediately.

-Er…? Fine? Why are you asking?

I quickly explained to her what I noticed.

-Huh… I guess I don’t need to breathe either… - she said. - This is an unusual place then…

-I am glad that I am not with you, then - commented For, and I was pretty sure I felt a similar response from the rest of the party above the water level.

-You probably would be fine… the Crystal and all, but I agree, there are better ways to check that part of your changes.

-Hm.

-Well, I am more interested in those blank spots - said Ilma, up till now quiet. - If those really are mana-less, it might mean that we are dealing with another Crystal. Or better, a void artifact.

-Huh. I kinda forgot about that… - I replied, thinking out loud. - Let’s hope pinpointing the location won’t be a pain…

While it wasn’t exactly a pain, it definitely was not easy at first.

What I found wasn't just a gradual change in mana after all, it was just a handful of blank spots.

Those were scattered at a full length of a certain corridor, two floors up from where we came from, and three if we count the cell block.

All of them were scattered on a singular wall. Most of them next to doors, but some just also randomly on the walls.

We did check those rooms, but those were as empty as the ones before. The only difference was that inside them were even more of those blank spots.

The pattern those were scattered in reminded me somewhat of the desert, but back then there were a bunch of power spots scattered instead.

It definitely looked like whatever was the source of those, was behind the wall, a bit deeper in.

One problem, though: there was no corridor leading that way.

Not the first time, not the last time most likely. Never stopped me before.

First things first: a quick look to maybe find some hidden switch or door.

That was not going to be so easy, because whatever it was, it was not magical in nature.

I mean, of course it wasn’t going to be: after all we were looking for a space devoid of mana.

So, something more mechanical then?

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Most likely.

That was going to take a lot longer. We had a lot of rooms to check out.

Sure, some had more blank spots than others, but that wasn’t helping much: after all, the passage could be in a completely different spot for all we knew.

At least checking the rooms was easy. Them being empty eliminated the possibility of something being hidden behind a bookshelf or something similar.

On the other hand, we then had to inspect walls for cracks, irregularities or whatnot, so it still was taking time.

And having only two of us was also problematic. If the rest of the crew was with us here it would’ve taken a lot less time to search.

I mean, Kon did propose to come here and it probably would be possible for them: it’s not like they were so incompetent that they would be unable to get through the water…

But, there was still a problem of lack of oxygen.

Kon was the first one to check how possible coming to us was… and well…

He had a hard time.

As all of us were unsure how it would be with them and breathing, he did the simplest thing he could think of.

He dunked his head into the water and checked if he could breathe.

Well, he couldn’t.

He only choked on the water and got into a coughing fit.

In hindsight it was stupid.

I did tell him that. He could just try and hold his breath upstairs and it would’ve been proof enough. It’s not like I was able to breathe with the water anyway: I just didn’t need air at all.

Of course I wouldn’t let them just come in here and faint the moment they emerged from the water.

Yeah, sure, they could use magic to procure enough air to get through the water, but what then?

They would have to do the same thing constantly.

Sure, the mana wasn’t the problem, but what if something was to go wrong? Like, for example we’d find a spot that was disrupting magic?

That was very possible, as the blank spots in mana clearly were hinting.

Even if that was not the case, let’s say we find something that would knock them out. A trap, person, you name it.

The spell they would’ve been using to keep breathing would also be interrupted and just being knocked out would end in being dead.

Sure, it was possible that they would be resurrected… or rather converted, like me, by the Origin Crystal, but we were not going to risk that.

We had time…

Well, supposedly.

After that weird instance of teleporting magic of Il’s and worries about temporal problems… Who knew how much time it passed since we were back near the MIRE…

I was thinking about that while inspecting yet another empty and flat wall. That was also when Il contacted me.

We split, going opposite sides of the corridor, trying to cover as much space as possible at once.

-Mor. I reached the end of the corridor.

-And?

-Nothing. How about you?

-Also nothing. But you’re quick. I am barely half-way through.

-Eh, there weren’t many rooms on this side… I mean, they are bigger but…

-Yeah… I get you. It is tedious.

-...

-I’ll try to be quicker too.

-Don’t worry. Meanwhile, I’ll check the corridor itself… Maybe we missed something.

-Sure.

It didn’t take even two rooms for her to contact me again.

-What’s up?

-I know I said I was going to check the corridor… but I went towards the stairwell. I think I found something.

-Oh? What?

-I mean… the stairwell is weird. It seems like it ends weirdly. Come take a look.

A bit relieved that I won’t have to look at more flat walls and exact copies of the same room over and over I went ahead and started making my way towards her and the other end of the corridor.

She was waiting for me, kneeling at the end of the staircase where we entered the floor we currently were on.

-So… how is it weird?

-Stand next to me.

-...?

-The lower step.

-What do you…

The moment I stepped on the same step she was standing on, I realized something moved.

I wouldn’t even notice it if not for the light from the orb I had next to me did not reveal a puff of dust right at my feet.

-Now that’s something…

-It’s a pressure plate - she said, confirming what I was thinking. - But I was too light to even trigger it a little bit, that’s why I called you.

-Yeah, I’ve gotten pretty fat lately.

-Ha, ha.

-Your jokes aside - suddenly said For, who apparently was still observing and not bored with me looking through the same rooms over and over - why would you need so much weight? You think it was made for someone like you…?

-You think Axelrod? - said Kon. - I think only he has enough material in him to be that heavy…

-And maybe…

-Come on - I interrupted them. - It’s not that complicated. Noone in their right mind would create something like that. I bet it’s just jammed somewhere.

-That’s probably it - agreed with me Il.

-How do you want to open it, then? If it’s jammed…

-Just use force?

It was easier said than done.

Sure, I could try and force it open… that is if I even knew where exactly the door was. For now I only saw a puff of dust.

-Il, step back for a moment.

As she moved back into the corridor, I tried closely looking at the step that supposedly triggered the door, or whatever that was.

For all I knew, it could even be a trap.

I wanted to inspect it to maybe see some hint of a mechanism behind it, because that definitely had to be it. If it was magical, I’d already notice it before.

I tried pulling at the step, but besides scratching the surface, I didn’t do much else.

-So… brute force, eh…?

I guess that’s always one option…

Without thinking much, I slammed my fist into the step I was standing on, hoping to unstuck it.

It… actually worked.

Besides the loud crash of crystal against the rock and a groan from everyone watching it, be it directly or via a spell, we heard a click.

At the same time, I felt myself lower a centimeter or two, as the pressure place finally sunk under my weight.

I took a defensive stance, expecting everything and anything, but nothing came.

-Is it broken…?

But before Il finished that thought, a grinding noise filled the empty corridors and a wall next to me suddenly started opening, split in half, in a puff of dust revealing another passageway.

-That is a bit shitty place to put a hidden switch… - pointed out For. - Like.., what’s the point? If this thing was working correctly, it’d be opening every time someone was walking upstairs…

-Yeah… a weird mechanism, I do agree… - I mumbled to myself, looking towards the now open corridor.

It was a lot thinner than the rest of it, and while the stairway was not very wide, in comparison it was still at least twice its width.

Inside was strangely dusty.

Sure, you’d expect for a deserted place to have a lot of it, but so far everything was devoid of anything. And that included dust.

That made the new corridor look especially strange.

-I guess it's time to start exploring…

And I walked into the darkness of the hidden passage, followed by Il.