This has to be the worst adventure of all time," Zeke said for at least the tenth time in the last hour. Their adventuring had started off well, but how had it come to this? During their first week of travel, they found themselves in forests, mountains, plains, fighting monsters and saving travelers, everything else that Zeke had hoped he would discover. But after arriving in the small city of Baumgarten, it had started to rain. Now, a week later, it was still raining.
They had been stuck in this small city for a week, unable to continue their journey due to the relentless downpour. They had tried to make the best of it, exploring the city and visiting its various shops and inns. But the constant rain had dampened their spirits, and they were both growing restless and bored.
Zeke had hoped for grand adventures and thrilling battles. He had expected to see new places, meet new people, but instead, they were trapped in this dreary place, with nothing to do but wait.
He looked over at Viola, thinking that she must be agitated as well by now, only to find that the girl had fallen asleep again. He sighed and walked over to the window of the room they had rented in the local inn. He looked out and saw that it was still pouring down with no end in sight. This was not how he had dreamed of his adventure to go, already one of his precious three weeks wasted inside an inn. That only left him with a single week remaining. "This has to be the worst adventure of all time," he said again, with a hint of defeat in his voice.
Zeke sighed again and walked over to his backpack to retrieve one of the tools Maximilian had given him to train his mind magic during summer break. He might not have had any grand adventures yet, but at least his magic was making great progress, or so he tried to cheer himself up. He had, in fact, spent almost the entire time they were trapped inside training his magic.
Viola, on the other hand, seemed to sleep for the entire week since they had arrived. Zeke had his suspicions that Viola truly was more cat than human, she could just sleep for entire days with no care. He couldn't help but feel a bit envious of her ability to just sleep through this boredom, while he had to find ways to entertain himself. But as he sat down to train, he reminded himself that at least he was making progress in his magic, and that was something to be proud of.
There was a knocking sound at the door, and a young girl entered shortly afterward. The young girl in question was the daughter of the innkeeper, and Zeke and Viola had gotten to know her over the past week. She rolled in their lunch on a trolley, since the two of them hadn't even bothered going down for their meals anymore. The girl walked over to the bed and picked up a piece of fried fish from the table and carefully dangled it over the covers of the bed. In the next moment, there was a quick movement and the fish was gone from her hand. Silent noises of pleasure could be heard coming from under the covers as Viola devoured her prey. The girl, a little frightened, wiped the cold sweat from her brow and walked over to Zeke.
Zeke flicked her a silver coin and congratulated her on another day without losing a finger. The girl puffed up and seemed strangely proud. Zeke and Frida, the innkeeper's daughter, chatted for a while before Zeke complained to her that there was such a big adventurer guild in this small city, but nothing to do. Frida told him that it's because of the underground ruins. And Zeke just went along with her: "Yes sure, because of the..." but then he realized what she had just said. He screamed out: "What underground ruins!?" Frida was surprised by his outburst, but still told him that the city was built on the ruins of an underground civilization, that was supposed to have existed here long ago. Zeke took off one of his shoes and threw it at Viola to get her attention. She stuck her head out from under the covers and they both listened intently as Frida explained the underground ruins.
"Frida, I can't believe it," Zeke exclaimed. "Why have you never told me about these underground ruins before? The city is built on top of them, you say?"
"Jeez, that's the reason there are so many adventurers in town," Frida replied. "But yes, the city is built on top of the ruins of an underground civilization that is said to have existed here long ago. They're filled with treasures and ancient artifacts, but also with dangers such as traps and monsters."
"But why didn't you tell me about this before?" Zeke asked, still in disbelief.
"I thought you knew," Frida said with a shrug. "Why else would the inn be booked to the last room during such weather? People come here to explore the ruins, after all."
"Many adventurers have tried to explore the ruins, but few have returned," Frida said, her voice filled with warning. "But those that did return brought back immensely valuable treasures."
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Zeke and Viola exchanged excited glances, their hearts beating with anticipation. "This is exactly the kind of adventure we've been looking for," Zeke exclaimed.
"Thank you, Frida," Viola added, "We'll set out to explore the underground ruins as soon as possible. We're sure to uncover the secrets and treasures that lay within."
They both knew that this could be the adventure they had been waiting for. Zeke turned to Viola, his eyes alight with determination. "You go to the adventurer's guild and talk to everyone you can find about the ruins," he instructed her. "And I'll check the library for anything about that underground civilization I can find. We'll meet back here in three hours, okay?"
Viola nodded, her own excitement matching Zeke's. Without hesitation, she leapt out the window and into the pouring rain. A minute later, she returned through the door, drenched to the bone. "Forgot about the stupid rain," she muttered, before donning her raincoat and leaving through the window once more.
Zeke, meanwhile, had also put on his raincoat and obtained the address for the library from Frida. He set out on his own mission, determined to uncover any information he could about the underground civilization.
As the hours passed, Zeke and Viola scoured every source they could find, pouring over ancient texts and speaking with experienced adventurers. And as the appointed time for their meeting drew near, they both couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation building within them.
As he made his way back to the inn, he couldn't help but wonder what Viola had discovered at the adventurer's guild. He couldn't wait to hear her findings and plan their next steps together. It was clear that the underground ruins held many secrets, and he was determined to uncover them all.
As the designated three hours came to a close, the two reconvened in their rented room, eager to share the information they had uncovered. "So, what did you find out at the guild?" Zeke asked, his tone eager as he leaned forward to hear Viola's report.
She gave a summary of all the information she had gathered, from the layout of the underground tunnels to the location of powerful artifacts. Viola had eagerly set about speaking with each adventurer, asking about their experiences and what they had discovered. Some spoke of treacherous tunnels filled with traps, while others spoke of ancient ruins filled with untold treasure.
One adventurer, a young woman with a bow on her back, told of a great underground lake filled with dangerous creatures. Another, a burly man with an axe, spoke of a chamber filled with snakes that could spit their venom for up to 50 meters.
As she spoke with each adventurer, Viola began to piece together a rough map of the underground ruins. She learned of secret passageways, hidden chambers, and deadly traps.
Zeke shook his head in disbelief, unable to comprehend how Viola had managed to gather so much information about the ancient underground ruins in such a short amount of time. Adventurers were notoriously tight-lipped about their discoveries, but apparently, Viola had found a way to get them to talk. She explained to him how her raincoat had become uncomfortable, and she had removed it, revealing her, thanks to the rain, completely see through robes and the alluring curves beneath. Suddenly, everyone had been eager to talk to her and share their experiences in the ruins.
Viola explained that many of the adventurers had ventured deep into the underground ruins, and had returned with tales of mysterious artifacts and powerful magic. Some had even claimed to have encountered ancient guardians, powerful beings that protected the ruins from intruders. But despite the dangers, many were eager to return and explore further, driven by the promise of untold riches and powerful magic.
He thanked her for her hard work and eagerly recounted the information he had discovered at the library. "I found out that this ancient underground civilization was called the 'Baumgarten Underground Empire'. They were a powerful and advanced society that existed here millennia ago. Their technology was far beyond anything we have today, and they had a complex system of government and social hierarchy. They even had their own written language, which I was able to translate with the help of some old texts I found in the library."
Viola listened intently, her eyes wide with wonder as Zeke spoke. "Wow, that's incredible," she exclaimed. "I had no idea that such a civilization existed here. I only found out that the ruins were discovered a couple of hundred years ago and that they were still being explored by adventurers, but they had not found anything of interest yet."
Zeke nodded, "I also found out that the ruins were extensive and that they stretched far beneath the city. It seems that the civilization had built a vast network of underground structures, including grand halls, underground lakes, and even a system of underground transportation. But apparently, the ruins have been deemed too dangerous for further exploration."
"But that's exactly why we should explore them," Viola said with a determined look on her face. "We can't let the fact that it's dangerous stop us from uncovering the secrets of this lost civilization."
Zeke smiled, feeling invigorated by Viola's enthusiasm. "You're right," he said. "We have to see these ruins for ourselves and uncover the truth about the Baumgarten Underground Empire. It's the adventure of a lifetime."
As the day went on, Zeke and Viola set about gathering the supplies they would need for their journey into the underground ruins. They visited the local market, where they purchased lanterns, ropes, and other equipment that would be essential for their exploration. They also stocked up on food and water, knowing that they would be underground for at least a couple of days.
As the day drew to a close, Zeke and Viola returned to the inn to rest and prepare for the journey ahead. They went over their plans one last time, making sure that they had everything they needed. And then, as the sun rose over the city of Baumgarten, they set off into the unknown, ready for whatever adventures lay ahead.