Light Beneath the Earth

(Elysia PoV)

“Beautiful...”

The whisper slipped softly from her lips, almost drowned in the silence of the cave.

Glowing crystals hung from the ceiling like stars trapped beneath the earth. Their light pulsed gently in turns, refracting, merging, and reflecting against the polished stone walls.

Some crystals grew upward from the ground in uneven shapes as if the earth itself were trying to grow its own light from deep within.

Elysia stepped inside with quiet steps and parted lips. Her eyes reflected the shifting colors that danced softly around her.

She had assumed the end of the second floor would be an empty chamber with stairs leading downward like the first floor. Yet all her assumptions shattered the moment she witnessed the hidden paradise lying within the silent depths.

Not far ahead, Celina and Irine had already placed their hands on every crystal they could reach. The other girls did the same, no different from the two.

“Woaaah. Look, Ely. This is amazing.”

“I take back what I said about this dungeon only having annoying things.”

Words of admiration poured endlessly from their lips.

Elysia herself could not deny she was equally captivated by the sight before her.

Mireya arrived with a warm laugh. “We are lucky. These are what you usually read in books as magic crystals. Natural mana trapped and condensed inside the dungeon. Depending on the purity of the mana, their light will differ.”

“So... we can tell their quality by the color?”

Mireya nodded. “Color and brightness to be exact. You can study the color meanings later after we return. But for now, the brighter it shines the better the quality.”

“Can we take a little?”

Mireya nodded but reminded them they could not bring too many because technically the crystals were the property of the academy.

“As seniors and members of the student council, we are responsible for reporting the magic crystals that appear in the dungeon every month. Once enough have formed and are ready to harvest the student council will mobilize members to collect them.”

Syrene added, “One third of the harvest goes to the student council and the rest becomes the academy’s budget.”

Emilia flinched slightly as if remembering something. “Ah, speaking of which, senior...”

Syrene smirked. “Yes. I am the student council president this year. Mira is the secretary. And...”

Irine clapped her fists together. “Ah. Then Elene must be the treasurer.”

“Huh? How did you come to that conclusion?” Syrene raised a brow.

“Uh... is she not?”

Syrene let out a long sigh. “She cannot even manage her own pocket money. How could I entrust such a huge responsibility to her?”

“B-but she is still a member of the student council, right?”

“Yes. More like my errand girl. I cannot give bigger responsibilities to someone as careless as she is. Even letting her join the student council caused controversy among other students. Some even accuse me of abusing my authority.”

Syrene propped her chin with boredom.

Mireya approached her and laughed softly. “Even so, you still trust her. As triplets, we know her strengths and weaknesses well.”

“You are right. She is good at easing tension. And... she keeps her word wholeheartedly.”

A thin smile bloomed on Syrene’s lips. Faint as it was, from any angle it was the purest sign of sincerity and acknowledgment from the depths of her heart.

Suddenly the smile faded, replaced by a sour grimace of annoyance. “But she is still foolish, irritating, noisy, careless, and mischievous.”

Mireya could not hold back her laughter. “You never know how to be honest, Syrene. You are hopelessly shy.”

“Say whatever you want.”

After the short grumble, Syrene instructed them to rest for one hour then prepare to leave the dungeon as soon as possible.

Irine and Celina protested, but Syrene immediately rejected their complaints. According to her they were not ready to face the third or fourth floor. The layers below were far more dangerous, filled with monsters that were not only strong but vicious and clever.

Without enough experience they would only become a burden. Mireya warned they might not even make it out without injuries if they insisted.

In the end obeying the order was the most reasonable choice for them now.

“Sorry for disappointing you.”

“It is all right, senior Mira. Besides, we are still weak. But can I-I mean can we make one request, senior?”

Mireya tilted her head slightly.

Irine raised two fingers. “Two hours. We want to explore this place for two hours.”

“Why?” Syrene asked.

“I think it is fair for the obstacles we faced. I mean... this place is breathtaking, and we endured so much with almost no help from you. So... so...”

Syrene smiled faintly as her younger sister stuttered. “I understand. Very well. Two hours.”

“Yeay.”

Irine jumped in excitement. Celina ran to hug her after successfully negotiating with their seniors. Now they could enjoy the place more leisurely without rushing.

“Come, Ely.”

Irine grabbed Elysia’s hand and led her around the area. Celina and Imaria followed behind. Meanwhile Arabella’s group did not follow perhaps preferring to explore on their own.

Elysia did not look behind yet her sharp hearing caught the conversation happening out of sight.

“Your name is Arabella, yes?”

“Yes, Senior Mireya.”

“Please do not touch anything carelessly.”

“But... why, senior?”

“Sorry, but I cannot tell you now.”

“A alright. I understand.”

“Then be careful.”

After that the voices faded. Yet the conversation she accidentally overheard lingered in her mind.

It felt like the moment in the library.

Her sister seemed to know something others did not. But... for some reason she chose to keep it hidden.

Elysia knew her sister was not the type to conceal important matters out of neglect.

Sister Mira... what exactly are you hiding?

****

A portal opened wide. Its soft spiral glow of blue tore through the suffocating darkness.

From within, a blackened silhouette stepped out. Broken bones jutted through torn flesh. His body was frail, his gait limp, with one missing arm. The stench of dried blood filled the air.

His grotesque form was enough to prove he was not human but a demon.

Panting heavily, he leaned against the wall.

“Ha... ha... damn it. Where is this?”

His glowing red eyes scanned the surroundings. His nose twitched, catching the suffocating stench from the pile of filth he had stepped on.

He looked upward. Clusters of stalactites still dripped with moisture. Several bats hung upside down observing him with gleaming eyes.

“A cave... no. A dungeon. I can feel the contaminated flow of mana.”

He turned forward. Only emptiness stretched as far as he could see. But he could sense something... a dark vortex of mana throbbing in the distance.

“So that is it... this is the upper floor.”

Suddenly his breath turned erratic. His chest tightened. Rage surged wildly through every inch of his veins. “That damned wolf. I... I...”

His fingers dug into the rough stone wall.

Crack.

The wall split and crumbled under his grip.

“... I will kill him.”

His gaze darkened with pure hatred. The bats scattered in fear as his sinister aura spread.

From the shadows, a massive boar lunged toward him with a deafening roar, its fangs bared.

With only an outstretched hand, enormous bones erupted from his body, impaling the boar until its form was no longer recognizable.

The demon brushed aside his long hair that covered his eyes. He paused before releasing a weary sigh.

“I am still too weak. There is no chance I can kill him in this state.”

He staggered forward leaning on the damp rough wall with his remaining arm.

“First I need to reach the deepest layer and heal myself there. I do not have a teleportation orb so I hope this dungeon is somewhere in a forest or at least far from human settlements.”

His steps dragged sluggishly. His grimace showed the pain from his wounds.

“I will send a signal for Lady Palacios’s subordinates to retrieve me later. For now... ugh... I should go down and recover.”

His footsteps vanished into the sound of dripping water. The scent of blood and rot thickened in the air. His silhouette faded slowly until it fully dissolved into the darkness enveloping the dungeon.