Lo and behold, they found one. Hidden beneath a filing cabinet and shrouded in a deceptive spell. The spell seemed relatively easy to find and break, though it was probably because of the skill level of the people that surrounded her. Noah, Iris, and Hye-Sung. Those three by themselves already had the competency of experts.

“Well. We found it.” She stated the obvious, but what else could she do? Compared to them, she was just dead weight.

“We’re getting close.” Iris tensed up. “I can feel... Something.”

“A heartbeat,” Noah clarified. “Whatever it is, the pulses we feel are its heartbeat. I assume something powerful is coming out of hibernation.”

They stopped in the middle. There was still quite some distance to the bottom, but they stopped nonetheless.

“Hmm.” Iris closed her eyes, deep in thought. “A Titan?”

“Possible, but unlikely. The gods killed them all before I was born. I don’t think Sylvana is able to find one, let alone a living one, before me. Besides, they’re made of earth. Doesn’t hibernate.”

“A dragon, maybe?” Frances suggested. It was the only powerful creature she knew.

“Nah,” Noah and Iris responded simultaneously. “Dragons are ferocious. They don’t deal with mortals.”

“Wait, what? Are we talking about the same dragons?”

“Dragons are rabid beasts. You can’t just forge a contract with them.” Noah shook his head.

“Huh. Alright then.”

Of course, that was false. If anyone knew about those mythical lizards, it was her. Herself, and... William. The Saint. He was a piece for later. Everything had its place, sooner or later.

As the two debated about mythical animals and beasts, Hye-Sung sighed. She was in a similar position; utterly clueless. Well, it wasn’t as though their knowledge compared to the vastness of time. Noah had a thousand years under his belt, and Iris? Who knew how many lifetimes she went through. It was a miracle she hadn’t gone insane.

“Can you analyse the mana?” Frances asked the daydreaming mage.

“As if I haven’t been trying to do that? And even for analysis, there are limits.”

“Like what?”

“Depends. But I can usually tell the age, identify it if I know the person, and more or less how complex the spell is.”

“So that’s what it does. Anything you’ve learnt?”

“Uh. It's fresh?”

“That’s it?”

“What did you expect? It's not a spell, Frances.”

Noah’s loud sigh pulled them back. They continued on, forwards. Even Frances detected the chill. But that was supposed to be impossible. She couldn’t detect mana. Then just what was that she felt? The placebo effect?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“This is it, then,” Frances said.

They were stopped by a heavy iron door. Even from her best estimates, it was thick. The metal wore its polish with pride, its body perhaps as shiny as it started out as. Solid iron too, with only a small hole for a key. Even then, that hole was small.

“Can it be picked?” Hye-Sung asked.

“Nah. One look at it, and it's obvious. There’s not enough space to do anything,” Frances answered.

She squatted down, and peeked inside. There was a faint white light beyond that door. Faint, but present. By now, they had gone past what could even be described as a basement. Walls of grey stone, and cool water condensed onto stagatites did not spell out civilization. It was far more cavernous. Every word they muttered, the walls said back twice.

“Break it down?” Noah asked.

“All in favour?” Frances raised her hand in conjunction with her words.

“Aye.” The others voiced their own affirmations.

“Then stand back.”

For Noah, it was easy work. His bulging body made it far easier. All it took was a run, and he slammed into the metal. Though it did provide some resistance, he was stronger. He was Noah, after all.

“Well. Has it been centuries since we met?” A wispy voice echoed. “And I thought you would have the tact to greet your brother-in-arms.”

It was a ghost. A person, more like. Pale, and translucent. Their hair was bleached white, or perhaps it was an aftereffect of the magic being used. In place of where human ears were usually placed, there were two knife-like ears. Every single movement of that phantom echoed volumes of grace.

“Sylvana. Explain yourself.”

“Quite rude, no? To ask your friend that you have not met for an explanation whilst you break into my abode.”

“Don’t play games with me.” Noah shook his head.

He clenched his fist. With an eerie calm, they stared at each other. The wisp crossed their arms, and wagged a finger.

“If you wish to speak of rudeness and tact, then should you not introduce yourself?” Frances interrupted. “I am Frances Rayleigh.”

“Sylvana. My surname is of no concern to either of us.” The elf returned her bow. “I suppose that I am the first elf that you have encountered. I certainly have not met any other of my kind for aeons now.”

“Yes, you are. Is this a spell you’ve cast?”

“Hmmm. Yes, yes, I suppose so. And that name... Rayleigh, Rayleigh...” The elf closed their eyes. “Ah. The beloved children of the Dragon God.”

“True Dragon, actually.”

“The times have changed, but our meanings do not. And might you happen to be the exotic halfblood? I sense far too little mana from you.”

“You could tell?”

“Child, there are mysteries in the world that you cannot even begin to perceive. And as a halfblood, you are cursed with a cruel body. Would you not sever your tie with the Dragon God?”

“The guy has a dragon.” Frances glanced at Iris for a response.

“How could you tell?”

“Long story short, but I’ve spoken to a dragon before. And made several contracts with him. And then dumped him onto Bahamut.”

“Your point being?”

“Sylvana wants me to get rid of the Bahamut connection, because it gives me some edge over a dragon. Control it, maybe. A dragon is infinitely more willing to work with my family than an elf.”

“No, I’d rather not. And as you said previously, I was born with a frail and weak body. Would you not spare us a break room for a cup of tea, perhaps?”

The elf laughed. With a wave of a finger, the damp walls began to slide. It seemed like an earthquake, more than anything else. The stone parted to reveal a set of stairs leading up. Thankfully, it was far shorter than the way down. The scent of fresh tea wafted down.