Elf attendant: Everyone! Bow down on the great priestess Camilla!

The other knights riding the horses stomp their poles to the ground and pounds their left fist to their right chest, synced salute as the woman in armored robes approaches Matias.It became more clear, the woman has a blonde hair, a hourglass like body but a bit muscular, green eyes, and an aristocratic aura.

Camilla: This place is under the rule of the Church of Ravine. You can now leave this place, in peace.

Matias: This ruin is outside of any territory. This is a place without any governing body, and we adventurers have every right to stay in here. If you want to explore with us –

Before Matias finishes his words, the priestess slaps him hard on the face making him tumble down. The other adventurers take an offensive stance, and the other knights of the Church responded the same.

Camilla: Now, now. As much as we want to avoid it, we only enforce extreme means when asserting our authority. This mundane matter shouldn’t end up as a bloodshed, so leave this place now before we resort to our extreme ways.

Kal assisted Matias on standing up. Akino tried to approach the priestess to negotiate, but she distances herself, about a meter and a half, just in case she slaps her unreasonably.

Akino: Umm, great priestess? Can we have at least some room for discussions?

Camilla: There will be no discussions or negotiations. This place belongs to the Church –

The priestess notices the crystal bracelet Akino was wearing. She points at it with a disgusted face.

Camilla: You – you have a dark affinity?!

Akino: Dark what?

The priestess points her lance towards Akino. This only intensified the situation; a reeking stench of battle is becoming more and more significant. Lyka jumps in between, but Akino tried to take over the situation. The priestess stares intensely at Lyka, and her expression becomes more disgusted.

Camilla: Men! Raise your weapons!

Akino: Woah, woah, WOAH!!!

Camilla: You! Creatures of darkness must be vanished from this world!

Lyka: Is it because we have affinity to dark magic?!

Camilla: Yes, filthy darkness-bearers!

Akino snaps after hearing what the priestess said, unconsciously covering her arms in metallic Kevlar. Everyone saw this, signaling a fighting stance to the adventurers and the knights of the Church.

Camilla: So, bloodshed it is.

Akino: You’re the one who started it!

Alexa: Yeah!

Everyone unsheathes their swords, raises their spears and lances, aims their bows, and prepares offensive spells.

The priestess strikes her lance as she dashes towards Akino, but Lyka intercepts and catches the priestess’ lance with her left cybernetic arm.

Akino: Wait, wait, wait!

Lyka successfully holds on to the lance, but she gets dragged away. As the two engages, the rest charges to each other and begins a fight. Akino and Alexa were left in the middle, dumbfounded of the current situation. Akino tried to stop Lyka, but her fight with the priestess was intense she couldn’t manage to make a gap in between them.

Akino: Great. FUCKING GREAT.

Alexa: What are we gonna do?

Akino: You know what? Just tranquilize as much as you can, target the hostiles of course.

Alexa: Aye!

Alexa reforms her flesh hair into tentacles equipped with stingers and her legs like a cheetah. She dashes to the knights of the Church and pricks one of them very fast, piercing even through their armors.

Akino takes a stance and quickly dashes to the other knights. She one-by-one hits the knights on their side necks, partially cutting off their Vagus nerves and knocking them out. The other adventurers were able to take down and incapacitate the other knights.

However, the elf attendant of the priestess, who’s also a mage casts a wide area magic spell. The whole ruins were covered with a magic circle. The other adventurers became weak and fells unconscious.

Matias: A faltering barrier! Mages! Gather the fallen and guard them with protection!

Akino: (Alexa, go for it!)

Alexa: (Got it!)

The adventuring mages and the other adventurers who were not affected by the spell gathers the fallen comrades in one place and retreats. Alexa manages to get behind the elf attendant and successfully pricks him with her stingers. The spell slowly dissipates but its effects still stand on the affected.

All of the knights were put down and tied. Only the priestess and Lyka were remaining on the field, fighting nonstop. Lyka is moving fast, casting spells and copies of herself. Despite that, the priestess was able to figure out the shadow clones, dodge the spell attacks, and keep up on Lyka’s moving speed.

Akino: (Lyka, need some help?)

Lyka: (I can handle it, thanks!)

Not really. Lyka seems to be struggling as she can’t connect her attacks on the priestess. The priestess strikes with her lance and almost hits her. As time passes by, the priestess is moving much faster, making Lyka stuck on defensive maneuvers.

Camilla: Hmm. Not bad demi-wolf, but this will be your end!

Lyka: I don’t think so!

Lyka casts her greatsword. The two clashes their weapons. The other watches in awe. Lyka seems to be in par with the priestess, but the priestess moves more faster than before. The priestess was able to hit Lyka on her waist. Lyka quickly reacted by hitting her lance and jumping backwards. She looks at her waist and notices a scrape on her clothes.

Camilla: Impressive.

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Lyka: Tsk!

The priestess casts an illuminating flash, making everyone look away and close their eyes. She then dashes forward to attack Lyka. Lyka barely dodges the attack, so she uses her left arm to block it. But the priestess used an excessive force, throwing off Lyka on her ground. Lyka holds on the lance with her cybernetic arm as the priestess runs and keeps on thrusting.

This made Akino react, kicking the lance and catching Lyka.

Akino: That’s enough! Look around you! You’ve got no one but yourself!

Camilla: Hmmp! Don’t you underestimate me, dark magic wielder!

Lyka: Aki, can you leave this annoying girl on me?

Camilla: How dare you address me like that?!

Akino: Just – just don’t kill her.

Lyka: Got it!

Lyka dashes away from the priestess. She created ten shadow copies to hold of the priestess, even a little. Of course, the priestess didn’t struggle to defeat the copies with ease. In three or four swoops, she cleared the field, but Lyka is already in position.

Lyka: Abyssal bind!

Black chains came up from the ground, surrounding the priestess. The priestess smiled and spun her lance, causing the chains to shatter and crumble.

Lyka: W-WHAT?!

Akino: But – that’s your strongest magic, right?

Camilla: Hmmp. Abyssal magic is a great feat but using it in a form of a binding spell is a child’s play.

Lyka: Grr!

The priestess once again positions her lance toward Lyka, and Lyka stances in defensive with her left arm.

Akino: You up for another round?

Lyka: I’ll come up a better tactic.

Akino: How about I join in?

Lyka: Your choice.

Matias: Can we stop this?! This will only drag us –

Akino & Lyka: NO!

Matias: O – okay…

The priestess laughs as she takes a step, then she collapses on the ground. The others were baffled, and then they saw Alexa, decloaking herself and standing near the body of the unconscious priestess.

Akino: What the –

Alexa: Sorry, ma.

Lyka: Eh?

Alexa: Not that I’m underestimating you or something, but this is getting out of hand. Like, you two are the only ones fighting in here! The others are lying on the ground, sleeping! Like, come on, can we just stop this?

Lyka: I – I’ll stop… thank you for that.

They tied up the priestess and placed her near the other knights who’ve fallen unconscious.

The night falls, the adventurers were done putting up tents and prepping hay for the knights of the Church of Ravine to rest on. Alexa’s neurotoxin has made the knights to fell asleep for a full day, but they made sure that none of them were gravely injured during the previous conflict.

They did their usual stuff during that night, but they were worried on what happened to the first group that entered the dungeon. The night already fell, and the first group is still nowhere to be seen.

Akino: Hey, Kal.

Kal: What?

Akino: Know why the first guys haven’t come back yet?

Kal: I don’t know… Finn, haven’t the mages made communicating orbs for this expedition?

Finn: We… we don’t have such equipment…

Diana: Then, should we go in and check them out?

They approached Matias who’s talking to Olguk’s group and the other adventurers that were eating.

Matias: Check them out?

Kal: Yeah, it’s been hours since they entered that place.

Matias: Don’t you guys trust them? I mean, they’re the HEAVY guards of the Dasman guild. Maybe nothing’s going on there and they just wanted to stay for longer for mapping the underground… but I’m a little worried as well…

Finn: Your orders, leader.

Matias: Alright, your group and the mage group of Hanna, prepare in one hour to enter the dungeon. If they’re alright, take the shift and tell them to go back. If the worse scenario comes, which we want to avoid, have them treated immediately and bring them here. Don’t hesitate to have two of your members go back here to call in reinforcements.

Kal: Got it. I’ll tell it the mage group and have our preparations.

Diana: How about you, Akino? Not coming with us?

Akino: I’ll interrogate the priestess.

Akino hands Diana a piece of a metal with a single button. She comes closer to Diana’s ear and whispers at her.

Akino: If you saw some weird things, like the one we brought in the guild or the one we fought in the underground arena, press that and we’ll come as fast as we can.

Diana: G – got it…

Akino: Good luck in there! And don’t get cocky, pretty boy!

Kal: You - ! Whatever…

The group left and went to their tents to gather their materials.

Matias: So… how are you going to interrogate the priestess?

Akino: I have my ways, team leader. Don’t worry, it’s not inhumane methods but I might resort to that.

Matias: WHAT?!

Akino: Just kidding! Come on, what’s with the serious face?

Matias: I’m serious because the Church of Ravine doesn’t seek territory. I don’t know for sure, but I heard rumors that their affiliation with the Altruis is becoming weaker due to political issues… so please make sure you can obtain any information on her, and to not hurt her.

Akino: Because it might end in a diplomatic dispute?

Matias: Not only that… the Church of Ravine is one of the many kingdoms that has advanced mage army. Soldier capable of doing magic. Just imagine them invading or attacking a city, fire will rain down for sure… it gives me shivers when I’m just thinking about it…

Akino: Alright, alright… you got it, team leader. I’ll do my best.

Matias: Please do.

Akino left Matias and went to their tent. Lyka and Alexa were waiting inside, along with the still unconscious priestess tied up on the chair.

Alexa: SOOO, detective Akino? How are we going to extract things? Nail peeling? Teeth pulling? Electric shocks? Hitting an arrow to the shin?

Lyka: Alexa! That’s brutal!

Alexa: Sorry…

Akino: I’ve already dampened her mana energy output to nearly zero percent. That will be enough for torture, I guess.

Alexa: Shall I remove the toxin, detective?

Akino: Yeah… and cut that crappy roleplaying!

Alexa: Yes ma’am!

Alexa stings the priestess on her neck. She jolts and wakes up immediately, seeing herself inside the tent surrounded by the three. She aggressively reaches Akino with a gnarling face, but she couldn’t since she’s tied to a chair. She chanted something from her mouth, a magic spell, but nothing happened. Akino pointed at her neck, seeing a metallic collar. Not any ordinary collar, it has a little red light from its side. The priestess struggled but it’s no use.

Akino: Calm down, lady. No use in getting out of here.

Camilla: You - ! Once I get out of here, I’ll start with you!

Lyka: You can’t even get out of those ropes…

Camilla: Says the one who uses Abyss magic for useless things.

Lyka summons her greatsword and points it at the priestess.

Lyka: Say one more word, and I’ll split you in two!

Camilla: I want to see you try it, wolfie!

Lyka: W – what?!

Akino: Ahem…

Lyka: Sorry…

Alexa: Want me to pull her nails?

Akino: That won’t be necessary.

Camilla: I won’t tell anything.

Akino: Can you guys leave for a moment? I’ll handle this.

Camilla: HANDLE ME?! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! HUH?!

Lyka: Are you sure?

Akino: Kal’s team will leave for checking out the first group that entered the dungeon. Go check them out. And oh, bring us something to eat.

Alexa: Doing bad stuff?

Akino: NO! You know what? Go with your mother and get some food.

Alexa: Yeah, yeah.

Lyka: Be careful, Aki.

The two left the tent. The priestess gnarled and tried to untie herself even she started to hurt herself.

Akino: Calm down, struggling won’t do anything.

Camilla: You bastard! If I ever get out of here, I’LL SLAUGHTER YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS!

Akino sighs as she extends her arm towards the tied priestess. Her arm opens-up with retracting metals where surges of electricity arcs on the arm’s metal plates. This startled the priestess, shocked and speechless as she stares at Akino’s weird arm.

Camilla: W – what are you?

Akino: A human. Was, human… wait, I’m supposed to be the one asking the question!

Camilla: Let me go! You don’t know what you’re doing with me! A powerful hero of Ravine! If word comes out that I’ve been treated like this, a war will spark on great nations!

Akino: I like those odds.

Camilla: WHAT DO YOU WANT?!

Akino: Why the Church of Ravine went here, that’s all.

Camilla: This place is under our jurisdiction!

Akino: Who’s jurisdiction? I believe that no one has ever claimed this area, not even the punks of Altruis.

Camilla: The Church decides what’s good for our people!

Akino slowly approaches the priestess. The priestess acts brave, but as Akino closes in with her arm cackling with electricity, her expression suddenly changed: from the angered and brave fighter to a trembling and frightened woman. In desperation, she screams.

Camilla: HELP! SOMEBODY! HELP ME!

Akino: People outside won’t hear you. Your knights are all asleep, and if you don’t cooperate with me, you’ll be sleeping with them, forever.

The terrified priestess tried to chant a spell, but it didn’t work.

Camilla: WHY I CAN’T USE MY POWERS?!

Akino: I placed a power dampening collar on your neck. Well, I can explain to you that at certain electromagnetic waves, mana energy is disrupted making you unable to cast spells, but you wouldn’t understand.

The priestess stares at Akino. Confused, Akino saw astonishment on the priestess’ face.

Camilla: Electromagnetic waves?... Maxwell’s electromagnetic waves, right? RIGHT?

Akino: You… how did you –

The priestess tears up a bit as she smiles at Akino.

Camilla: You’re from Earth, right?...