Cursed Explorer of the Arcana

A city… an entire settlement of gigantic proportions all abandoned and empty hidden from the world and now revealing itself to us. All the history, riches, tools, and legendary stuff that might be down here…

Curiosity is killing me to know who or what this place belonged to and what secrets it might hide below the remnants of the once majestic cave city. I just want to run free and explore what the creators of something as intricate as the traps we’ve encountered until now called their home.

The scenery is still glorious and breathtaking… but now there’s an eerie undertone to it. The shadows on the streets and derelict houses, the water and moss overtaking everything, and the possibility of something new inhabiting this place. Something that’s more adept at eating than tinkering.

“Should we loot this place like the rooms, see if they left anything useful?” Valka asks and in all fairness, a part of me wants to agree without a second thought.

“No, we won’t.” I declare instead of leaving it up for a debate.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize how the door might seal itself back, aka, pushing the elements back to their place with a simple touch.

“Wha- why?” Valka’s outrage is only dampened by her confusion as I walk up to the left side door.

“Because I don’t want to die, you brute. I had too many close calls today and that city looked like a death trap if I’ve ever seen one.” And I’m not willing to explain things any further. We’re looking for a way out not our graves.

I’d rather go back to the tunnels and wander around for another day to look for a way out, even the spike trap, rather than go down there. My instincts are telling me we’re not ready. Not yet.

The very left gate slides open just as easily blasting stale air into our face putting any abandoned cellar to shame. It’s dark in there, lightless and cold however a touch of fire magic is all the place needs to unveil the beauty hiding inside.

A staircase leading both up and down. Now, I’m mildly curious about what the mysterious ancient tunnels might hide even deeper than that city of dreams but not curious enough. The stairs leading up however are just what we need.

“It’s decided then.” I mutter before turning my gaze to the last set of doors.

Like, c’mon, it’d be lame to leave whatever secret is hiding in there. It’s been knocking on my sanity for hours now and I think I’ll hear that damn clinking noise even in my dream. And let’s not forget… a Mage always needs to be curious. Not stupid, just curious.

No quirky remarks from Valka either as I approach the last door, only bated breath and eyes basically sparkling in anticipation. Although I doubt I look any different with my mouth chewing on my tongue involuntarily.

“There’s something behind this?” Valka asks and I can feel my mind already digging its grave from the stupidity of the question.

“No, it’s only the Void on the other side.” I answer sarcastically before snapping at her a little. Pure stupidity is my weakness, my nerves just can’t take it. “Of course there’s something but I’m not a Seer to divine what it is. It makes noise, mana noise, so be prepared.” I huff like an angered bull before opening the lock.

“You could’ve just said yes.” Valka mutters quietly. Not that I care.

While grasping the four orbs of the lock again and sliding them to unlock the mechanism something weird pops up in my mind. Four orbs… Not three, four, and space for only a single limb… With only three Classes nobody should be able to access what’s behind these metal monstrosities… Right?

A bit late to think about that now with the chunky metal wings already opening up and flooding us with light. It takes a few seconds for our eyes to adjust all the while waiting for an attack with our guards up only to find this place just as deserted as the rest.

Not a living soul in sight, only four tubes with some swirling colorful liquid inside them and a central pillar adorned with more inscriptions than I’ve seen in my entire life. Almost too much I’d say.

Then I hear it again, the pulse, the noise, however this time more erratic than before, almost as if reacting to our presence. It’s obviously coming from the central spire yet that is not what draws my eyes as we carefully go deeper into the room.

Blue, brown, red, and green. These are the colors of the large glass containers, or more accurately the liquid inside them. The liquid that’s swirling and turning, following our movements.

Identify does not return with anything yet my guts are telling me that this place is wrong, like, seriously messed up. The tunnels, the traps, the doors, and now the containers… We have not seen a single piece of Hadron crystal yet.

“Do you think smashing this place would make things a little safer? Things here look important.” Valka masterfully assesses the room’s function yet her suggestion…

“Let’s do it.” I agree without a second thought before touching the glass on the container.

Help us…

The voice is like a dying whisper, quiet, weak, and desperate. It was not an actual voice I heard in face, nor an emotion like the ones Big Fluff sent me to communicate. No, it came through the mana.

Despite something weird speaking to me out of nowhere in a way beyond strange and asking for my help, I don’t panic. Don’t react at all actually. This is all just so absurd…

Please.

It could be something dangerous locked away in there, trying to trick me into freeing it before eating my soul and bringing chaos to the world. Although the blue goo doesn’t look like a demon to me, not that I’ve ever seen one, and besides slimes, every living thing needs something solid to house their mana vessel. And slimes are absurdly stupid.

Before however I can come to a decision I hear glass shattering as Valka’s fist smashes through the cylinder of glass holding the green goo. Or at least it did. Water rushes through the hole, completely clean transparent water, leaving behind something I’ve only ever heard of in tales.

[Spirit lvl ???]

[The general Skill [Identify] has reached lvl 67.]

The embodiments of mana and the elements themselves, somewhere between ghosts and elementals. Not that ghosts exist. Although I always thought the same about spirits…

Us mortals can be described as physical beings with mana to wield while spirits are kinda the opposite. They are the aspects of nature and the will of their surroundings come to life and while you touch them, their material body is just a result of the duality of mana.

Man, I always bugged Mom to read about them when I was little, the gentle and playful hands steering nature… But it is common knowledge that no more spirits are living among us, they disappeared thousands of years ago.

Or at least most of them did.

Despite Identify clearly hinting at this thing being well above my paygrade my instincts don’t react the way they usually do. The green wisp just remains floating there in the broken remains of its former prison, whispering only for me to hear.

Free… after three millennia… Unshackle the others, I must.

The voice doesn’t sound feminine or masculine, soft or harsh. It’s just… there.

Unlike me, Valka is not as reserved. Her fist is already on a collision course with the embodiment of wind only for it to fly through just as one would expect. This does not deter my brutish companion who keeps on swinging even as the spirit floats over to me, to the blue container.

Weak, drained.

The flickering consciousness mutters and I can’t help but ask. “Do you need a hand?”

All movement in the room comes to a halt and… this might sound weird but I feel the gaze of the spirit fall on me for the first time. There are no eyes to speak of yet I can clearly feel what people call the mirror of the soul being aimed at me with curiosity and wariness permeating the atmosphere.

Thou… can you hear me?

“Are you talking to the fart?” Valka asks in a straightforward manner.

“Yes.” I answer both questions with one word. “You are a spirit…” I mutter, still mesmerized by the being of legends floating right next to me.

Why free me? New masters?

As much as I’d love to answer the question I have no clue what the spirit is talking about. Mom and Dad could only tell me so much about how or why the spirits disappeared and throughout the years that piece of history seems to have just faded into oblivion. I really should look into it once I have the time.

“No, I just heard a noise and found you here. Why are you even here?” The longer I look at the thing the more questions I have and I think the spirit is no less confused than me. As confused as sentient air can look like.

Wouldst thou lend me a hand?

Why do I see puppy eyes before me when this thing is literally thousands of years old? Could it still be a demon disguised as… Nah, we’re too weak, it wouldn’t make any sense.

“Sure?” I’m still not entirely convinced but walking away now would be too awkward, I just simply can’t.

“Can’t you just kill it, the fart seems weakened to me?” As subtle as ever Valka, as subtle as ever.

Seemingly the spirit can understand us perfectly and backs off upon hearing the suggestion. Not that I haven’t considered attacking it yet.

The creature is made mostly of mana so magic should have no problem hurting it, even if just barely due to the enormous level difference. The fact that it didn’t just snap the glass container or Valka after saying something so stupid out loud just proves that the wind spirit should be unable to protect itself.

Killing an elusive spirit… just imagine the Class options that would give me… Although, that would be straight-up murder.

“Well, let’s do it. I’m hungry and had enough of this place.” I place my palm against the glass.

A tiny localized explosion is all that it takes for the container to shatter to pieces and for even more water to cover the floor. Not that it matters, we’re already barefooted. Now, I totally expected the blue one to be a water spirit and be the water itself however it turns out to be just another wisp of fart just like its cousin or however this works among spirits.

Free at last?

Oh great, are we about to go through this again?

“Valka, would you be so kind as to free the other two while I ask them a few questions? They don’t seem all that dangerous.” I know the old stories described them as friendly but I like to be careful.

“You really can talk to them huh? I don’t think that’s an elven thing so you really might not be human.” Her voice sounds impressed even if just barely as she moves to do as I asked.

“So you no longer have masters?” I ask the two… they really do look like glowing farts.

The two spirits have been doing what can only be described as hugging in the meantime albeit without limbs, or body, or anything that one would need to give a hug. Although it becomes pretty clear pretty fast that this is more than a long time no see hug after the two begin floating around me.

Our masters, dead and deceased, returned to dust.

But we were trapped in those prisons, sapping our energy away day after day for eternity.

Old masters, scaled and ancient. The first. Thou, however… an elf perhaps? Something more? The whispers of mana you can hear, a rare talent among the living.

Whispers of mana? Well, the pulses stopped now that Valka smashed the central pillar and… yep, all the containers. Those were anything but whispers. Also, the spirits are surprisingly talkative… after being trapped for thousands of years. Yeah, that was stupid.

With all four colorful farts freed they gather around for a group hug that also seems to be a special way of communication between them. Four elements and the four symbols outside… Too weak. The power the murder doodles outside displayed was nothing compared to what Identify tells me however at least their existence explains why I struggled so much when wrestling for control.

A miracle I even held on actually…

Actually, the longer I observe these four the more questions I have. How their magic works, why they were locked up in here and by whom, where the other spirits are, and whether or not those stairs can actually take us back to the surface. All questions awaiting answers if only I wasn’t considerate enough to let them have their moment. After thousands of years…

“Do you believe in good deed never goes unrewarded?” Valka steps closer as we observe the four anomalies.

“Unpunished you mean?” I chuckle sarcastically.

I don’t expect anything, expectations only bring disappointment. With that said I’d be happy for something nice even though this whole rescue was just a fluke on our way out.

The spirits mingle for a while before gathering around me again to convey their wish.

We are shriveled.

Starving.

Empty.

So we beseech you for strength.

Energy.

Life.

Okay, the way they’re finishing each other’s sentences is a bit creepy. Besides, I don’t feel like giving them my life or whatever they want just because they ask nicely.

“What do they want?” Valka asks, probably reading my reaction.

“My… life?” I’m uncertain myself.

“I told you we should kill them.” She cracks her fingers, eyeing the spirits dangerously.

Mana. Please share your mana.

One of them finally clarifies.

Your mana is pure.

Compatible.

Nurturing.

The sweetest.

Okay, this is beginning to sound creepy again.

“Whatever, eat.” I raise my arms and release my mana as I normally would when wielding my magic.

The spirits jump at the opportunity like starved dogs, sucking it up greedily before touching my skin and going a step further. Usually, my mana flows through me as fast as I allow it or rather as fast as my Intelligence allows but now… it burns. The spirits are basically sucking me dry, pulling mana through my body so fast that I collapse on the ground with my eyes going water.

“Stop it!” I scream as power slowly leaves my body.

The spirits on the other hand begin to solidify, their elements and bodies taking shape along with their distinct presences descending on the room that once was their prison.

Valka reacts quickly swinging at the earth spirit closest to her only for her fist to basically bounce off as it meets the rocks forming its body. Yet the elemental beings don't retaliate and just keep on feasting… feasting on me.

It takes mere seconds for my mana reserves to get completely emptied which comes as a relief with no more mana to be forced through my body. My everything felt like bursting from the amount of pressure… is this what giving birth is like?

“Why?” I whisper with hateful eyes.

Valka’s standing guard above me, acting as a shield in the face of the four spirits somewhat empowered now by sucking almost every drop of mana out of my body. We helped them, without any conditions or ulterior motives, and yet… good deeds really don’t go unpunished.

We’re sorry but trust is a luxury we cannot afford. Not anymore, not towards anyone.

The spirits speak in unison before forming a ring in the air and beginning to… hum. Their voice is otherworldly, resonating with the world itself. The melody despite being simple touches something deep inside me, something fundamental and ancient, something that knew these tunes since before my birth. Like nature singing.

At the crescendo of their little performance the air, or rather the space the four spirits surround ripples before tearing itself apart like a light purple wound. On the edges, the tear seems to be adorned by the stars while on the other side are shapes that my mind simply fails to comprehend however I try.

“Wait!” I didn’t get my answers yet.

Thank you and fare well.

The spirits speak as one before piling through the narrowing hole in reality. The hole they opened by simply singing and likely a portal hiding many of the answers researchers would sell their families for.

Yet before the tear can fully close, before the world can return to normal, something emerges from the other side. The world loses its colors, donning a grey hue the moment a massive arm covered in white feathers emerges with vivid purple lines running up and down its length in stark contrast with the faded reality. The colors and aura it emanates seemingly make the world shrink back, no, bow in reverence as it slowly reaches toward us.

“Did the world finally change for the better? For the lost lambs to be returned to the fold… You have my gratitude. Rest now.”

This time to voice clearly isn’t the result of some mana shenanigans and I clearly feel it transmitted through… everything. The air, the mana, and even the emotions.

Before I can react or even protest a finger gently presses against my forehead.

“To quench your curiosity and help you in the future.”

The voice declares and a light purple gleam escapes from the fingertip. I feel an indescribable energy flow through my being. It’s both hot and cold, rough and gentle, soothing and energizing… It’s something more.

Then the arm shifts toward Valka who raises her arms to protect herself although I’m pretty sure even Bennett would be powerless against whoever this is.

“To patch the gaping hole of loneliness.”

This time a round metal ball emerges from the massive palm before floating over to Valka and gently plopping down on top of her head.

“The debt is now settled, may the mana guide you.”

And with that the arm disappears back through where it came from, allowing the world to breathe again. Breath returns to my lungs along with the colors of the world, yet everything is not okay.

Who was that? A God? But which one? And what happened to me? And where did that portal lead to?

“Fuck!” I yell, breaking the silence upon remembering something.

“What? What happened? Did it hurt you?” Valka rushes over with distress in her eyes, letting the metal orb fall to the ground.

“I forgot to use Identify.” I slam my fist repeatedly into the ground no matter how much it hurt even the first time.