Talax gave the endless expanse of mirrors one last look and touched the glowing mirror. Immediately, he felt the unsettling sensation of being transported somewhere else through a magical portal. The disorienting feeling only lasted for an instant, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing at the center of a chamber.
The opulence of this chamber mirrored the previous one, with its gold floor, exquisite statues, and breathtaking decorations. However, the size of this room was distinctly different; it was still grand, but nothing compared to the previous chamber, where finding an end to the space was impossible.
Everyone had gathered nearby, their expressions reflecting bewilderment. Those most affected by the mirrors’ effects appeared as though they had just awakened from a deep slumber, blinking rapidly as if trying to clear the cobwebs of sleep. The rest of the group examined the new chamber with evident interest.
As soon as Edward noticed Talax's presence, he bared his teeth. In response, Talax, unable to contain himself, made a rude gesture. Edward's face registered confusion at first, but he quickly realized the insult, and his pulsing vein made a long-awaited appearance.
Talax walked over to his friends, ignoring the older man, and saw Franny massaging his temples. "Are you okay?" Talax inquired, concerned. With a grimace, Franny responded, "I haven't felt this way since Clemens and I stole our father's stock of elvish wine and drank until the roosters crowed in the early hours."
Talax smiled, relieved to see his friend returning to his original, uptight state. "Is this the final temple?" Talax mused, spinning in a circle to study the room. "I hope so, because I'm out of food," Qalo muttered, disgruntled.
Talax surveyed the chamber and quickly spotted four doors, each positioned on one side of the room. Each door bore a symbol of one of the four elements emblazoned on its surface. He had become so familiar with these symbols that he could discern which element of magic each door represented. As he took a step, he felt his boot graze the uneven floor and glanced down.
"Great," he exclaimed, drawing the attention of the others. "What's wrong, puppy? Are you hurt? Do you want me to administer some aid? You know from past experience I'm very skilled with my hands!" Edward looked up and barked a "Vesperine!" But the woman appeared unperturbed.
Talax, on his part, was studying the symbol at his feet. Its size was massive, making it difficult to discern the full design. He gently pushed aside a still-confused Callum, prompting a puzzled, "What is he doing?"
"Give him some time; he'll figure out some kind of puzzle in a moment," Franny reassured the group, and Talax smiled to himself, appreciating that Franny had come to know him after facing numerous challenges together.
Finally, the symbol's meaning became clear to Talax, and he sighed despondently. "We'll have to enter each door," he announced loudly, ensuring everyone could hear him. "Most likely, we'll have to defeat some kind of monster, and once we succeed, a portal will likely open where we're currently standing."
His announcement was met with murmurs, and Vesperine looked at him with a questioning shake of her head. "Puppy?" Edward seemed on the verge of making demands, but Franny interjected as he saw his uncle about to question Talax.
"You should listen to him. When it comes to dungeon affairs, Talax is always right," Franny said, looking almost proud of him and nodding encouragingly. Vesperine still regarded him with searching eyes, hidden behind the gems of her mask.
"Puppy?" She questioned again, but Talax gave her the cold shoulder, recalling how she had been avoiding him ever since they entered the swamp.
"So, how are we going to do this?" He asked, addressing Franny, who looked at him with a panicked expression. "I... Well..."
"We'll split up. Callum, take Ferdinand with you. Vesperine, you're going with the orc, and I'll take that one with me," he said with a bloodthirsty grin, pointing at Talax. He narrowed his eyes at the older warrior, wondering if this was the moment he would try to kill him.
"Oh, no! I'll take the puppy! He's mine!" Vesperine's face was hidden, but Talax was sure she was pouting behind her mask. Edward stared at the woman with a peculiar expression but ultimately relented.
"Fine! You can have the weakling. Besides, the beast might prove useful," Edward conceded. Qalo looked from Franny to Talax with a helpless expression, as if begging them to rescue him from going with the insufferable noble.
Talax growled upon hearing Qalo being called a beast, and Franny reprimanded his uncle with an exasperated, "Uncle!" However, the older noble simply beckoned Qalo to follow him and began striding toward the door with the symbol of light magic.
He paused for a moment and looked at Callum, who gave a nod, and said, "Once we're all finished, we'll meet up here to enter the last door." Then he continued his path with Qalo in tow.
"Puppy, which door do you think we should choose?" Talax pointed to each door in turn. "That one is dark magic, that one is life magic, and the last one is death magic," he explained. Franny looked at Callum and declared with an authoritative tone, "We're heading to the dark domain. I believe my light magic would be advantageous against creatures of the dark." Callum nodded meekly, his gaze fixed on the floor.
Franny wished them good luck and began walking toward his own side of the chamber. He raised his arm and, with an imperious gesture of his hand, motioned for Callum to follow him, leaving Vesperine and Talax as the only ones still standing in the center of the room.
"I guess we should head to the death door; it should have a skeleton or something," Talax said, starting to walk without waiting for a response from Vesperine. The woman trailed behind him, bombarding him with questions.
"Puppy? What's wrong? Did I do something? Are you cross with me? Why aren't you talking? Did you get bored with me? What if I changed my hair? I always thought I would look great in pink! What do you think?"
Talax grew overwhelmed by the barrage of questions and somewhat amused by her unhinged suggestions. Why would she dye her hair, especially when she never allowed her face to be seen? Nevertheless, he didn't respond, recognizing that she was merely trying to provoke him.
As they neared the door, Vesperine grabbed his arm to stop him. "We cannot enter a battle like this! Tell me, are you cross with me?" Her tone had shifted from cheery to serious. Talax turned around, revealing his true anger toward the masked woman.
"You tell me, Vesperine! Should I be cross with you? Why would I be angry with you when you abandoned us and followed Edward like a loyal follower? Do you think I'm an idiot? You think I don't know what Edward is planning?"
Vesperine patiently waited for his tirade to end, and then she did something she had never done before, she yelled! "You're acting like a brat! You think you know everything, but not everything revolves around you! There are things you don't know, and I can't tell you even if I wanted to! Everyone in this dungeon is trying to save their own skin, so stop bickering and act like a grown man!"
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Talax looked at her in stunned silence, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, unable to form any words. It was the first time the typically unflappable woman had shown any real emotion. She usually acted either deranged or aloof, skulking in the shadows by herself, but nothing in between. While she might have a point, he wasn't ready to let her off the hook for abandoning them.
"You are probably right. I don't know everything, but what I do know is that I can't trust you. For a moment, I thought I could, but... I was wrong," Talax admitted. The masked woman sighed and placed her hand on her head, as if she were battling a migraine.
"I don't know what to tell you," she finally muttered.
"You can tell me one thing. Am I in danger from Edward?" The masked woman froze; she didn't move or blink for what felt like an eternity, and then she nodded. The motion was so subtle that if Talax hadn't been actively searching for her reaction, he might not have noticed it.
He was about to pose another question when a force so overwhelming and fearsome descended upon them that Talax's core began to tremble, his void magic rattled, and it tried to break free to contend with the new power.
Vesperine cried out in horror and fell to her knees, her mouth open in a silent scream. "HOW DARE YOU? A CHILD OF MINE TO BREAK THE VOW OF THE ORDER! SUCH INSOLENCE, SUCH DISGRACE!" A thunderous voice boomed inside the chamber as a blood-red ruby descended from the heavens, bathing the golden chamber in its crimson light. Reflections danced on the walls, giving the impression of being underwater in a sea of red.
"YOU DESERVE A FITTING PUNISHMENT! I WILL NOT SIMPLY WRING YOU DRY OF YOUR BLOOD! I WILL MAKE YOU SCREAM AND BEG UNTIL YOU HAVE NO MORE WILL TO LIVE. AND THEN I WILL START FROM THE BEGINNING ALL OVER AGAIN!"
Talax observed Vesperine trembling in fear, all but squirming on the polished floor. He, however, was too absorbed in trying to wrestle control over his unruly void magic, which was fighting to break free. It took all his mental strength to keep it contained and hidden from Vesperine and her Goddess.
Throughout his struggle, he felt the oppressive power of the ruby bearing down on him. Yet, the protective shield established by his void magic prevented the divine power from taking hold of him. This shield blocked any attempt to restrain and control him.
Talax didn't fully understand why or how it worked, but it seemed to function only against divine beings and not ordinary foes. It became tangible to his senses when he encountered foreign powers derived from a God, much like when he had come in contact with the destroyed statue of the God.
Talax watched in awe as the goddess, in her blood-red manifestation as a colossal ruby, extended her facets of crimson light, each facet as sharp and radiant as a thousand blades. She loomed over Vesperine, her ruby form pulsating with malevolent energy.
As the ruby's liquid tendrils extended, they seemed to be alive, each one reaching out with a sinister intent of its own. They encased Vesperine's body in what appeared to be a viscous, blood-like substance. The substance clung to her like a relentless predator, constricting her, seeping into her very being. It was a cruel mockery of the life force it resembled, a mockery of the crimson fluid that flowed through all living creatures.
Vesperine's torment was far from swift; it was a drawn-out agony that seemed endless. The liquid tendrils squeezed and writhed around her, each movement causing her to writhe in pain. Her body contorted and twisted in response to the unrelenting torment. Her silent screams, choked off by the malevolent substance, became a haunting chorus. Her eyes, wide with pain and fear, pleaded for release.
The ruby's facets shimmered, as though they were eyes that never blinked, locked onto Vesperine. "THIS SHALL BE YOUR RECKONING," the goddess declared, her voice now resonating with a cruel edge, as though she relished every moment of Vesperine's torment.
Talax was held in place, both mesmerized and horrified by the goddess's display of power. The oppressive presence of the ruby intensified, making the chamber feel like a cage of torment, the air thick with despair and dread.
The overbearing power and the strain of containing his void magic made him grunt, which was enough to draw the attention of the enraged Goddess. He felt as though he were being observed, poked, and tested by an invisible force. The unsettling sensation persisted for several moments, and then he heard laughter, a joyous expression of the divine being's amusement.
"CHILD, I WILL BE MERCIFUL. I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED GUIDING A STRAY LAMB INTO THE FOLD," the voice turned sweet, like a ripe fig, but the next words sent a shiver down his spine. "BUT... NEXT TIME YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, YOU SHALL SEE MY SMILING FACE!"
The presence lingered for an instant, and Talax felt scrutinized once more. His heart raced in fear, and he anxiously awaited the Goddess's departure. Sweat soaked his back, and his hands trembled slightly after coming so close to a deity. His rotten luck, as always.
His gaze shifted to Vesperine, who was convulsing, and as the Goddess's power vanished, sound returned to the chamber. He heard the masked woman wailing in despair, her cries more horrifying than the appearance of the Goddess.
Talax rushed to her side and knelt beside her, doing his best to offer whatever comfort he could. He stroked her cloaked head and whispered nonsense, though she didn't seem to hear. Suddenly, her body stiffened, and her crying ceased abruptly. She looked up, and Talax could see her tears even through her mask. For a moment, her spirit guide appeared and hissed at him. The small snake coiled around her neck lunged to bite him with a silent hiss. Talax managed to pull his hand back just in time, hearing the hiss of a drop of venom falling to the floor.
"You!" She screamed. "Because of you!" She sat up unsteadily, still weak from her torment, and screamed in his face. "You and your righteousness!" Her arm shot up, punching him in the shoulder. "You! Always needing to know everything!" Punch. "You! Always trying to provoke and enrage everyone around you!" Punch. "You! And your absurd demands!" Punch. "You! Never considering the consequences!" Punch. "You! You! You! Always you, and everyone else be damned!"
The punches didn't stop. They kept coming, and Talax endured the abuse in silence. Bruises were forming all over his torso, but he allowed Vesperine to vent her frustrations. Finally exhausted, she let her arms hang at her sides and rested her head on his chest, sniffling.
After a few moments, he heard her murmuring. "I never meant to draw the Smiling Lady's attention. I never had ambitions for a higher position; I liked my life as it was, simple. Now, though..." She exhaled loudly and continued. "Now, I have her attention. For the rest of my life, I will walk on the edge of a knife. On one side, success, power, and everything one could want. On the other, death, painful and excruciatingly long death." She looked up, staring directly into his eyes, and Talax noticed something. Her mask had been dislodged when she snuggled into his chest, revealing a part of her face for the first time.
Talax was unsettled by what he saw but kept his face impassive, continuing to stroke her head. Vesperine nestled deeper into his chest and sighed contentedly. "Either way, those people don't last long. One day, they disappear and spend the rest of their existence on the Smiling Lady's playground. I don't want to be one of those people." Talax made soothing sounds, trying to handle her as delicately as possible. The woman was in a precarious state of mind, and the smallest thing could set her off.
"You don't have to be one of those people," he assured her with confidence, but he felt her shaking her head.
"You don't understand. Once you have the Smiling Lady's attention, there's no turning back. She doesn't forget, she doesn't forgive." Talax remained silent, not knowing how to respond. He didn't know much about the Smiling Lady or any other deity, for that matter. The concept of Gods felt somewhat foreign to him, as if his brain couldn't quite grasp the existence of such beings. He had come into contact with them several times by now, but it still felt absurd that there were literal Gods walking the world.
"What I don't understand is why she let me live. Despite her words, the Lady isn't merciful. In fact, she's notorious for her creative ways of making her enemies suffer. If I am a lamb, then she would be a bloodthirsty wolf!"
Talax froze, his hand suspended in mid-air as he was about to stroke her. "Lamb," that word... He had heard it before, he was sure of it! A memory floated at the back of his mind, attempting to get his attention. Where had he heard that word? For once, what he was trying to remember wasn't from before... before he had woken up in that temple. It was something that had happened more recently...
"What's wrong?" Vesperine asked, clearly concerned. Talax offered her a reassuring smile. "Nothing. But we'd better get up. It would be embarrassing if Edward and Qalo beat their monster before us!"
Vesperine returned the smile, albeit reluctantly, and then stood up, straightening her leather armor and cloak. She also adjusted her dislodged mask, sneaking a glance to see if Talax had noticed, but he pretended to be occupied with checking his weapons.
"Puppy," her voice returned to its usual cheery tone, and it was so abrupt that it caught Talax off guard. "You understand that if you utter a single word about my small... episode, I will use my very pointed daggers on you while you're sleeping." Her tone remained bright, as if she were discussing the weather.
Talax blinked in surprise, not entirely sure how to respond to her sudden change in demeanor. She clapped her hands with enthusiasm and announced, "Now, let's go kill some monsters!"