[ The G.o.ddess Clair. ] Alicia muttered as she gazes at the large gates.

( ... )

[ The G.o.ddess... Clair...? ] s.h.i.+ro repeated her words, baffled.

[ Ahh... Right. She's the G.o.ddes of life. ] she answered, turning her head to s.h.i.+ro.

[ She's the G.o.ddess who gives life to all. It was also said that she was the one who gives talents to people. Like how one will only have talent with the swords, archery, or maybe with magic; she's the G.o.ddess who gives people those talents. ]

[ ... ]

( A G.o.ddess, huh? ) muttered s.h.i.+ro, stroking his chin as he gazes his eyes on the carved figure of the said G.o.ddess.

( I died in my previous world yet I didn't meet any kind of G.o.d, Deity, or something... If she really exists and she's the G.o.ddess of life... Isn't she suppose to be the one who gave me my life here like any others...? ) s.h.i.+ro muttered inside his head with his serious gaze.

( Either way... I feel like she's related to how I was able to how I got in this world... )

s.h.i.+ro can feel it. He can feel that the G.o.ddess was somehow related to how he was able to get transported in this world.

( And now that I take a better look... I can recognize that figure of hers... It's like I have seen her somewhere... It feels like I already met her... )

s.h.i.+ro's senses all focused on the figure of the said G.o.ddess, a few seconds later and he felt alone together it. It was like the two of them were stuck in an Isolated room covered with nothing but darkness.

[ Master? ]

( ... ) s.h.i.+ro heard the call but did not respond to it.

[ Master...? ]

Finally, Sarah tagged s.h.i.+ro's clothes as if she was trying to take him away from his current daydream.

( ...! )

Only soon, s.h.i.+ro was able to snap out. To s.h.i.+ro, it felt like he was suddenly dragged out by the voice from the isolated room he was in.

With his head now clear again, he turns his head to everyone who has varied looks on their faces: Caiden and Alice were baffled, while the trio has their faces worried.

[ Sarah... Sorry about that. I doze off a little... ] with his hand stroking the back of his head, s.h.i.+ro a.s.sured them.

[ Un. ] Sarah nodded to his words.

[ Anyway, s.h.i.+ro-san, Caiden, and you guys, I hope you're all ready. ] as she turned her body towards everyone, Alicia muttered.

And after hearing her words, everyone nodded at the same time.

And so, except for s.h.i.+ro, everyone held their weapons tight in their hands and walked straight to the large gate.

***

The scene was dark. The sound of small rocks dropping on the ground and the sound of flowing water resounded throughout the dark, rocky cave that is the inside of the large gate they just entered at. Looking straight ahead, they weren't able to see anything but pitch-black darkness. It was the kind of darkness that makes the mind think that something evil will come out of it.

The only things that are keeping Caiden, Alicia, and the trio from running away from the cave were the bright light that was coming from the wide-opened gate behind them and the figure of s.h.i.+ro that stood still, unwavering and brave in front of them.

s.h.i.+ro is looking straight ahead to the darkness that is the source of the fear of his companion; he is looking straight towards it as if he can see what was at the edge of the very dark cave.

[ Nina, use your magic. ] s.h.i.+ro calmly ordered.

Nina already knew what he meant the soon she has heard his voice.

[ Yes, master. Glimmering Light! ] nodding to her master, she shouted her spell - she then raised one of her arms at the same height of her shoulder, and soon, a small ball of green light appeared on top of her hand and it immediately brightens up the small part of the area in front of them.

[ Alicia, can you use spells that can light up places too? ] s.h.i.+ro questioned Alicia who was standing beside him.

[ Of course. Luminescence! ] replying positively to s.h.i.+ro, she shouted the name of her spell. She raised her large staff and soon, the purple orb in its edge glowed white and s.h.i.+nes even bright than that of Nina's.

[ Good, Alicia, you stand in front, Nina, you light the back and watch out for anything. ]

[ Yes, master! ]

[ U-Un... ]

Nina replied with enthusiasm while Alicia replied hesitantly.

Alicia thought that she and Caiden will be the ones to lead s.h.i.+ro's group, yet right now, the one who is giving the commands was s.h.i.+ro. But even if she was hesitant, she accepted his words as neither she and Caiden has any experience leading someone, and seeing how well s.h.i.+ro initiated his command, she thought that maybe he has experience with giving commands unlike the two of them who has none.

[ Let's go. ] s.h.i.+ro muttered and started to walk.

s.h.i.+ro and Alicia are in the front while the trio and Caiden are at the back. s.h.i.+ro knows that this was not the most perfect formation, but it was currently the best that he can use to the current situation.

With this formation, they continued to walk, heading straight to the dark horizon.

~~~

( I wonder what is that... ) looking straight ahead, s.h.i.+ro muttered.

The edge of the room is far and dark but with s.h.i.+ro's vision, he can clearly see it as bright as the day.

A small bottle -

At the edge of the cave is a bottle filled with liquid that has the color of blood. It stood in a pet.i.te table in the middle of the circular room.

It was bizarre.

Why would such a thing be laid out so obviously in the middle of a large room? Just who would leave it there? Alone in the darkness? - these questions went over s.h.i.+ro's head as he stared at the bottle.

( Whatever it is... It will only lead to danger. ) s.h.i.+ro muttered with worry written on his face.

( But still... How am I not able to locate everything...? My Echolocation can't possibly be broken...! ) he shouted in frustration inside his head.

Using his Echolocation, s.h.i.+ro was only able to locate one corridor and one circular room, particularly, the corridor of the cave they're currently walking in, and the circular room at the end of the dark cave.

( Either way... the enemy is not just strong... but also smart... he might possibly be blocking my perception with an item... )

As he continued to walk, he felt worried and concerned. With these emotions swelling up inside him, soon, his group finally reached the room at the edge of the cave before he knew it.

...

...

[ Stop. ] s.h.i.+ro ordered.

SFX: Gulp*

[ Thi-This is... ]

[ What is this... master? ]

As the light touches the room, everyone gulped in amazement.

The room that stood before them was high and bats are flying everywhere. Tons of holes and doors are on the walls; every one of which leads to different rooms. Even though they still weren't able to see all that is possibly the room could offer as their lights only lit up a small range of area, they were still undoubtedly amazed by the strange structure of the room.

s.h.i.+ro, Caiden, and the trio stood still; not stepping another foot to the room as s.h.i.+ro had ordered. But of course, that was only the small part of why they had stood still, they are all really just amazed to see such a room.

But their amazement turns to shock when they heard the loud voice of Alicia as it resounded and echoed throughout the entire room -

[ That's! ]

Alicia is gazing her eyes to the small bottle that stood in the middle of the room.

She immediately walked towards it, shouting:

[ Caiden! I've seen this potion before in a book. It was said to heal any kind of injuries and mental illness! With this, maybe we can finally heal Arthur! ]

( ...! )

Seeing her do this action, s.h.i.+ro immediately tried to stop her.

[ Alicia! That might be a trap! Stay away from it! ] s.h.i.+ro shouted in panic.

...

...

But no matter what, Alicia only continued to walk towards the bottle with enthusiasm on her face.

( Tsk! She's not listening at all! )

[ Alicia! Stop that! ]

Soon, seeing how desperate s.h.i.+ro was trying to stop Alicia - Caiden, Sarah, Nina, and Lumi's faces started to form worried expressions.

They have never seen Vlad Alucard this worried about something before.

[ Tsk! ] with an annoyed but serious look on his face, s.h.i.+ro runs towards Alicia.

Alicia is already in front of the bottle, with her back to s.h.i.+ro and the others, the only thing she needs to do was to pick it up, and leave the cave with it.

( This is such an obvious trap! How could she possibly fall for it! )

s.h.i.+ro used his legs as fast as he could, looking at the back of Alicia -

But before he even knew it...

Alicia was already holding the bottle on her hands.

SFX: Snap* Crackle* Pop*

The ground shook and everything fell.

***

Together with the rocks, the sands, and the stones...

Alicia fell...

Blinded by her greed and selfishness, she ignored Vlad's voice and continued to take the bottle he told her not to touch.

( Haah... What happened to me...? ) she muttered inside her head as she continued to fall to the endless pit.

( All I wanted was to save a friend... A friend... Now that I think about it... that "Friends.h.i.+p" is now only one-sided... )

[ Haah... ]

( Am I really that stupid? The truth is... I think Vlad's not that really arrogant and selfish... Seeing how he treated his slaves... hearing what the people say about him... and how he tried to stop me... he might really be a good guy after all... )

...

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...

As Alicia continued to fall endlessly, she slowly loses hope.

( I'm gonna die now am I...? ) she muttered with a smile on his face.

...

...

But then that smile slowly turns into a cry.

As she falls, her tears also did.

( But... I... I don't want to die yet...! I'm still young and I still have many things I want to do! I want to return the friend that I lost! I want to become the strongest mage in the kingdom! I want to defeat Vlad Alucard! Heck, I want to lose my saved up virginity! I... I don't want to die yet! What was all those hard work for if I die here!? )

[ Someone... Someone! ] she shouted to the dark pit where she continues to fall.

[ Someone... Please... I don't want to die yet... ]

Closing her eyes, she started to lose hope.

...

...

( ...! )

As she started to completely despair and lose hope, a warm feeling covered up and hug her entire body.

( What's this...? It's so warm... )

She can feel it. She grabbed it with her whole arms. She grabbed it tight. She hugged it very tight.

...

...

[ How troublesome... ]

( ...! )

Alicia heard the voice very close to her ears. The voice was something she's now familiar with.

It was the voice of the person she truly hated.

[ I... It can't be... ]

[ If you just followed my instructions then this wouldn't have happened... ]

[ VlVlad Alucard!? ]

And so, they continued to hug each other as their voice resounded as they fall.