Chapter 33: Arret's Secret

After taking the time to heal themselves, they decided to press on. Just like before, they heard the dungeon calling out to them “Feeee…! Forrrrr…!”

Harmony yelled back in response to it. “What are you saying?! I can't understand you at all!”

There was no response other than its usual echoing words. It sounded like it was full of rage, sadness, and hate. She knew the dungeon had something against her, but it also felt like it was trying to tell her something. What could it possibly be saying?

Vault led them down the pathway through the door at the end of the room. He felt the need to take the lead going forward, because it was obvious that this dungeon had something against Harmony. What that was, he still couldn't figure it out. He just knew he wasn’t going to take a chance letting her go first, out of fear that she might set off some form of trap.

She was someone who had strange ideas and an interesting thought process. She cared a lot for others, but she was also very impulsive. He felt if he didn't keep an eye on her, for even a second, in a place as dangerous as this, there was a good chance she would fall victim to a trap.

Her heart was in the right place, but her head was always somewhere else. “Harmony, I know this place is getting to you, and it's not helping that the enemies keep singling you out. Please, stay close to me. We need to have each other's backs out here, and we can't do that if you run on ahead. Okay?”

She stared at him in silence as they were walking. What he said was sinking in for her. She recalled the promise that they made to each other, and some of the moments they had spent together. She worried a lot about his well-being. The same could be said for him, but about her.

She didn't want him to worry, but she also wanted to finish this as quickly as possible, so they would stop being in danger, and could go back to the life that they were living before. The two feelings conflicted within her, but at the end of the day this was a survival game, and she needed to play her moves much smarter.

She nodded, “ I'll never go too far from you.”

He smiled a little, and they continued to press on through a dark tunnel. Once again, the only light source they had was the little flickering flames from his armor. Once they made it to the end they found their spectator sitting, with a bored expression on a throne made out of rocks.

She had her chin resting on her fist, and was facing the doorway to the room. It was a small room with several doorways around it. “The dungeon can change where the rooms are every now, and then. I wanted to drag this out a bit longer, but that's not what he wants. I was happy he was listening to me after so long, but he's getting way too antsy.”

Harmony got her weapons ready, and was about to launch an attack at her, but she noticed Vault observing her out of the corner of his eye. She nodded, relaxed herself, and sheathed her weapons. Vault turned his attention back to Arret.

“What do you mean it's not what he wants? Aren't you the one creating the golems and commanding them?”

She gave a so-so gesture. “In a way you could say I am the one responsible for creating the golems. In reality, if you want the technical answer, I'm responsible for creating this dungeon and so is your scarlet haired friend.”

Eunice switched out with Felicia. “How did you create such a thing?! What kind of skill could a representative have to make such a powerful creature?!”

She gave the merged being a puzzling look. “There is something different about you. It's almost like a completely different person is talking. Are you more than one person?”

Vault took a step forward. “What is it to you? Why are you singling her out in all the battles? What is really going on here?”

Arret began winding her hand over and over as she spoke “Question for a question, sold for a question, to be exchanged, for a question, and gifted…With a question…How about we actually start giving some answers. A question I would like to know, if you are a fused being. At least there are a lot of implications pointing to that conclusion. Followed by, what are you fused with? Again, my answer, but also a question…You're Eunice Edelweiss aren't you?”

Harmony shuffled back a little with an uneasy look on her face. She could feel the sweat dripping down her cheek as dread slowly began to sink in. Hearing her full name from someone Felicia was not associated with, could only mean one thing.

Arret stood up. “You probably figured out from me knowing your name, and knowing the fact that you're the loser goddess among the other minor deities, that I am also a minor deity.”

She began walking towards another doorway while curling her finger in a “Follow me” gesture. “Come on mortals, it's time for you to meet the final boss.”

They all hesitated before deciding to follow her. They didn't really have much choice. Just waiting in that room would solve nothing, and the only way they were going to get even more answers to their questions was by following her.

She hummed to herself while leading them down another hallway. She almost sounded happy to be leading them to their doom.

The hallway was lined with minerals, of various different kinds. They had entered a room that was several times larger than any of the ones they had been in previously. They looked up and saw the upper half humanoid body of the dungeon poking out from the wall in front of them. A look of horror rippled through their faces as it spoke. “Felicia Forge?!”

Harmony stared speechless. Even though it was Eunice now controlling the body, deep within the mental world, she could feel Felicia's shock. She had never told anyone other than Eunice her actual name in this world. There was only one way someone could know her name here.

There was only one person she could think of off the top of her head who could single her out, and hate her so much. A hatred, sadness, and rage that made them tremble to the point of having difficulty speaking.

It all made sense now, why it was called the Gray Dungeon. This creature was the boy that she accidentally helped send to this world. It was her fault he was here. It was all falling into place and making sense to her.

Eunice could feel Felicia’s consciousness slowly shuffling up to her own, with overwhelming fear, and guilt radiating from her. She knew she wanted to switch out, but she knew she would regret it.

Felicia took control of the body and tears filled her eyes as she took several steps forward. Her voice came out broken and soft. “Gary Gray?”