Back to Gandor's city.
°°°
Fortunately for Nileera, she was the matriarch of the fifth family and her prestige hadn't completely gone down the drain yet. Upon hearing her rage, the dark elf mages in heated arguments and about to roll up their sleeves for a fist fight closed their wide-open mouths. They looked at one another anxiously. After venting their frustrations, the dark elves also knew that they were wrong to behave this way. They acted simply like moronic fans who hurled punches at naysayers to protect the image of their idols.
But the problem was that they had no form of 'worship' toward those enemies at all.
'What should we do?'
Nilerea kept considering this question. She hesitated whether she should pull out her forces, but even she wasn't aware whether she could do it in time. She also didn't know whether she held the authority to negotiate with the enemies because they were simply too powerful. Besides, judging from the situation, negotiation didn't seem to be able to bring the enemies any benefits. So what if she were to give them countless compensations? The enemies were still capable of barging into the treasure house of the fourth family and pillaging everything inside, wasn't it?
No matter what the situation seemed helpless. It was then one of the matriarchs opened her mouth and suggested.
''Let's just have them go to that 'place'.''
Red, straight hair tight in a ponytail reveals a thin, frowning face. Glinting blue eyes, set gracefully within their sockets, watch enthusiastically over the wildlife they've been isolated from for so long.
An old tattoo of a bear paw is subtly placed on the side of her left cheekbone and leaves a painful burden of redemption.
This is the face of Faith Evatt, a true pioneer among giants. She stands common among others, despite her delicate frame.
There's something obscure about her, perhaps it's her sensitivity, or perhaps it's simply her odd friends.
She is the matriarch of the seventh family.
''You can't be seriously suggesting that?" Another matriarch shouted.
''You have a better idea other than sending our men to their death? Frankly speaking, we don't the depth of their strength. Do you think that we could get rid of them without paying a heavy price?'' Faith said with a heavy heart.
The others couldn't disagree with what Faith said.
There was a momentary silence in the hall before the 1st matriarch, the most powerful matriarch decided to talk and approve Faith's idea.
Light blue, wavy hair tight in a ponytail reveals a chiseled, menacing face. Piercing gray eyes, set high within their sockets, watch longingly over the others they've seen grow up.
A tattoo of a wolf paw is subtly placed on the left side of her neck and leaves a fascinating memory of a former life.
This is the face of Lelselea Nightgaze, a true warrior among wood elves. She stands gracefully among others, despite her skinny frame. She is the first matriarch, the strongest among them.
''Let's follow Little Faith's suggestion. We can use this opportunity to gauge their strength while at the same time preparing for countermeasure.''
''Old Lelee, you mustn't be suggesting that we call for help right?" Another matriarch asked.
''Indeed. We can't be hesitating because it's our survival that is at stake here. The enemy is more dangerous and more cunning. I bet they are sent here to get rid of us using the excuse of investigation.'' Lelselea explained to the others, most of them had arrived at the same conclusion after seeing how violent Maria's group was.
Pa* Pa*
Clapping her hands twice Lelselea announced.
''Then it's decided. Let's invite them, no let's send Nileera and Faith to announce to them our decision to let them explore our named dungeon: The Cave.''
Both Nileera and Faith's face twitched and they both glared at each other before harrumphing. Even if they hated each other to the bone they couldn't go against the strongest matriarch's order, therefore they stood up and left to inform Maria's group of this decision.
°°°
Four hours later, Maria's and the other location.
Stars light the sky like snowflakes in the night, yet appear still, like an old photograph. Maria smiled, feeling the wind blow her hair into a tousled mane. Were she out there in space, riding the limits of the known universe, they would be a choreographed blizzard. How the stars would move, the galaxies tumble and dart. But for now, with her arms around the branch of a windswept tree and her head leaning gently on the bark, the starlight kept its familiar pattern. The constellations, who'd witnessed centuries and millennia just the same, watched over this tiny moment
As Maria was silently enjoying this peaceful sight. Sakuya suddenly appeared and sat beside her. She also watched the night sky and as if entranced she mumbled.
''Stars shone as sugar spilled over black marble, glistening in the sun. The night sky was such a welcome sight, appearing like magic at each sunset, promising to return as she faded in dawn's first light. There were times in the daytime, under skies of blue. When younger I would think of those faraway stars and how they'd return after the shadows blended into the dark.''
Maria stopped watching the stars and gazed at her friend for a moment. Sakuya became uncomfortable under those piercing blue eyes, so she couldn't help but ask embarrassed.
''What?"
''Nothing, I just felt like being a writer suit you more than slaughtering people and monsters.''
''Hmph!" Sakuya harrumphed at her sister's joke.
The two joked after that before Sakuya suddenly brought up the matter of the named dungeon.
''What do you think of their suggestion?"
''Obviously, we are accepting even if it is a trap. A group will go while the others will stay behind. You'll be going together with Gracier and Pandora.'' Maria informed Sakuya of her decision. The latter stayed silent for a moment before nodding. She seemed to have understood Maria's intention.
°°°°°
The following morning.
Sun rays come as nature's easel, giving brilliant color to what was hidden even under the passing starlit night.
Sakuya's group departed into the named dungeon under the dark elves' guidance.
They quickly entered and proceeded to the tenth floor in a flash, they didn't encounter a boss like it is usually the case but instead found the entrance to the eleventh floor, after passing through the door they appeared in what seemed to be a cave.
An underground limestone cave.
Sakuya, Gracier, and Pandora were walking along a limestone cave as they made their way up the silent underground.
It was completely silent around them, not a single noise to be heard. There was something shocking above their heads. Numerous statues above their heads.
Gracier looked up at the cavern ceiling and couldn't help but whisper.
"Bis sister Mio, I'm scared looking at these weird statues."
Sakuya and Pandora looked up.
The two of them looked up and examined the stone ceiling, it was filled with statues.
These statues included humans, beasts, elves, elementals, and various other species of the outside world. All of them had shocked expressions on their faces, clearly struggling to run towards the small path the trio was walking on.
However, their feet were solidly stuck to the top of the limestone cave, making it impossible for them to move, being forced to remain still.
If it was only that, Gracier wouldn't have been scared. The main issue was that they'd already been walking for half an hour, but there wasn't a single living creature in sight. The only thing above their heads were these statues, and the further they walked, the more of them they saw, making it impossible for her to not be scared.
"Sakuya, do you think they used to be alive, or were they carved this way?" Pandora asked, feeling a bit interested.
As someone who had seen her fair share of weird things, Pandora wouldn't feel scared just because of some eerie statues.
''Since they were all making the motion of fleeing, they must have experienced the same thing."
Sakuya commented after a moment of contemplation.
''What exactly did they experience then?" Pandora asked.
"I don't know, we will need to find out. This place seems to be holding a secret. Maybe it's because of this secret this dungeon became a named dungeon.''
Sakuya explained before disappearing and the next moment she was already in the sky silently hovering in the air in front of one of the statues.
The man's facial muscles were heavily distorted due to extreme fear, his mouth was opened wide as if screaming or crying hysterically.
He was using both his arms and feet, making a mad dash downwards, trying to land on the limestone cave on the path.
However, he had already been frozen completely still.
Sakuya reached her hand out to touch the man's statue. Indeed, these statues were too life-like, too real, forcing Sakuya to ponder, they almost didn't have any information on this dungeon.
Meanwhile, Pandora had her arms crossed, obviously bored.
But Gracier was still shaking a bit, even her face had gotten a bit pale.
"They're only statues, but they look very lifelike!"
Sakuya praised, then flew back down.
Patting Gracier's shoulder, she smiled: "I've seen some carve marks, their knife skills were seriously impressive, conveying such clear emotions"
Hearing that, Gracier patted her chest and sighed in relief.
"It's a mystery, who would be so bored that they would carve such things in a cave? Some huge pervert for sure" She muttered.
Gracier was no longer shaking.
Sakuya secretly winked at Pandora.
The latter was about to ask something but immediately stopped after seeing that.
Her expression became serious.
"So they were statues, I'm quite interested in statues as well. Alright, I'll take a look at them as well."
Pandora casually said. She was playing along.
The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on (f)reew𝒆(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦