Chapter 19: Rohan’s Riders

“Stop botherin’ da boy with ya inflated ego.”

I looked over at the voice that had come from a cell opposite of us and various voices seemed to open the flood gates as multiple people spoke out.

“Don’t you mean we explored the Ruinous Temple?”

“You got lost from the company during our exploration of the Bad Keep.”

“This dumbass almost took a bite out of the apple from Eden.”

More and more voices seemed to come out until a growl was heard from one of the end of the hallways and the voices quieted down and I finally spoke up in a whisper.

“Do you know what is going on?”

I had asked the question to the large magi human in the cell across from me. He had whitish blue hair and was shirtless with various tattoos running across his body in what looked like tribal markings. A girl with the same hair color was laying across his lap sleeping.

“Hey, you can ask me, Mark Magnus, any questions you have.”

I decided to ignore him and continued to stare at the man. His light blue eyes meeting mines in a calm manner.

“Names is Jaecar Rohan an you lad?” The big man, Jaecar said while sizing me up.

My armor and equipment were gone, and I was left with an undershirt with swirl patterns woven in. My equipment including Malix who was still sleeping inside my bag was taken from me by the ghouls that had captured me at the city gate. Imagine my surprise as I came to the open gates only to be pounced on by the undead. I had already eliminated several packs in the effort to arrive at the city only to be quickly subdued and thrown in here as tier 5s and higher fought off the effects of my bloodline.

My shock was palpable and even when I condensed and blasted my ability out in an effort to kill them all an aura seemed to surround the beast and shrug off my bloodline. The last thing I saw before mana exhaustion took me was a grinning man standing on the top of a building just inside the walls. He seemed to be writing something in the air.

“My name is Terrence, Terrence Brown,” I said with no hesitation. I didn’t know these people much less trusted them even if they seemed like an odd but friendly group and I kept in mind my mother’s words when meeting strangers.

“What’s a strong lad like ya doing down ‘ere without a party?”

“Pilgrimage.”

An understanding seems to light up in his eyes and the sleeping girl suddenly sat up blue eyes starring directly at me in excitement.

“You’re on a pilgrimage to Redcoomshi?” Jaecar lightly tapped the girl on her head, and she lowered her voice but the excitement in her eyes did not die down.

“I’m Ryna Rohan, did you really start from the first level and make your way here? I heard the first level is mainly basic monsters and doesn’t really have resources the Empire needs nor is it really necessary for a pilgrimage. What was it like?”

I smiled at the girl’s excitement but in the back of my mind I was cursing myself out. There were several signs that something was wrong with the city but in my panic to get help for Shadow I hadn’t noticed the danger.

“Tedious would be the best word to describe it. I have to say the journey was worth it, however. I’ve learned a lot since beginning my pilgrimage and hopefully the gods take notice.”

‘The gods huh.’

My fist tightens as I thought about a certain being that changed my life forever.

The girl once again spoke up. “To answer your question from earlier a crazy necromancer attacked the city he kept spouting nonsense like Aegis Kan was gonna be here and how he was…”

My mind didn’t catch the rest and my body grew hot in nervousness and my thoughts drifted to the crazed man I saw earlier painting in the air. He was looking for me?

Shit.

My attention returned to the girl who hand stopped talking and her father who was staring at me curiously.

“… we’re the Rohan Riders a small guild based in the northern dukedom but we’re expanding! Say do you want to join? You must be pretty strong to challenge a pilgrimage alone.”

I couldn’t say I’ve heard of the Rohan Riders as I had barely paid attention to adventurers and EGER in general.

“I think I’ll pass but thank you for the offer.”

“What are the Rohan Riders doing so far from home?” I asked curious as that was some major teleporting distance.

“We’ll we’re based there, but we recruit from all over the Empire and of from all friendly sapient races. Right now, we’re in our annual recruitment and training drive as we pick up promising adventurers and train them.”

Did ‘small guilds’ have the power and capital to recruit all over the Empire? I knew the cost of teleporting was not cheap and for a group to be able to do something like this and afford it meant they were anything but small. Maybe Ryna was just being humble.

“Well, how did you guys get caught up in all of this and how long have you been here?”

A grumble came from a chorus of voices, and it came to my attention that the other Rohan Riders were listening in to our conversation now.

Mark Magnus who had been silent until now spoke up and I smiled as groans filled the dungeon.

“It was when me, Mark Magnus, was fighting gallantly that the suppression from not one but three rank one beings was felt and I rallied my comrades to charge the beast until Commander Jaecar called for a surrender since then we’ve been trapped here for over a week at least.”

“Let it be known however that I, Mark Magnus, did not give up without fighting to my last.”

I blankly stared at the human before I burst out laughing. He reminded me of an old cartoon I used to watch back on Earth. Mark Magnus was a human man of around 167 cm. He was honestly the shortest person I’ve seen so far in this world, and I wouldn’t be able to tell his strength until the runic cuffs on him were removed.

That's when it hit me, and I looked down to the cuffs that were on my wrist. It was the same cuffs I started this adventure with meaning my strength had been here all this time. I could easily break out of the cage.

As Mark Magnus opened his mouth to continue, I cut him off in haste.

“Does anyone know where the keys to the runic cuffs are?”

“Down the hall make a left then take two flights of stairs up. Once there turn right and leave the dungeon into the guard’s chambers. The keys will be on a hook to the left of the door. Our weapons are stored there and most likely anything you came with as well.” A voice from down the hall spoke out and I stood up and craned my neck by the bars trying to see who was speaking.

An elven man wave at me and I gave him a smile while slowly pulling the bars apart trying to make as little noise as possible, but my mind wondered how he knew exactly where everything was. His brown eyes widen in surprise and a toothy smile appeared on his face. Commander Jaecar stood up and Ryna was on her feet next to him. Both were looking at me in astonishment.

“How…? Runic cuffs cannot be bypassed no matter the tier.”

“That’s not possible.”

Slowly I pulled the bars apart until I had enough room to slip through.

Looking down the hallway I didn’t see any signs of our capturers and I turned towards the direction the brown-haired elf pointed out.

“Wait, allow me, Mark Magnus, to accompany you!”

Mark Magnus stepped out with excitement clear on his face and I smiled back.

*

Ryna stared in amazement at the young teenager who pulled the bars apart. It wasn’t the strength that surprised her as most of the citizens of the Catacombs could do the same as most were tiered. It was the fact that he had runic cuffs on which clearly suppressed his strength, yet he was able to do things that was beyond what a tier 0 could do. Either his runic cuffs where broken or he had some type of godly bloodline.

“Terrence Brown…” She watched as the boy not much older than herself left with Mark Magnus.

“Daddy… we must recruit that boy.”

Her father only responded with a grunt as he tried to do the same thing as Terrence and ply the bars apart. Her blue eyes sparkled as the boy rounded the corner, and she stumbled as the earth quaked. That had occurred frequently since their capture and Ryna and the Rohan’s were getting worried.

They had chosen to surrender instead of fighting for the hope that the Empire would respond and sent in a squad to save the city. Ryna knew that they could not hope to survive otherwise.

Her father caught her as she stumbled, and she put her hands together in prayer.

“Rirrypha Goddess of Fertility and Peace, I pray to you for protection for not only myself but the Rohan Riders and a boy by the name of Terrence Brown. I offer my faith in the hopes of receiving your divine favor.”

A soft glow emanated from Ryna as she spoke the goddess’s name and Ryna felt a warmth settle over herself. She watched as the soft glow appeared on the Rohan Riders before disappearing and a content smile appeared on her face.

*

Just after recovering from the earthquake a soft glow appeared on my body, and I paused in shock.

‘Detecting divine power… analyzing…’

The System spoke up and I paused in my steps with Mark Magnus only pausing after he noticed my hesitation.

“Never had a blessing cast on you before? Don’t worry I, Mark Magnus, can assure you it’s perfectly safe. Ryna has the blessing of the Goddess Rirrypha.

‘Analyzing complete. Detecting the divine domains of Fertility and Peace casted upon host body. Effects will include an increase in health and restoration of all physical, magical, and mental facilities. A calming aura has been casted around host body which will affect any hostile outside force.’

“Sorry, that was just surprising.”

More than surprising. I knew of Rirrypha as Priestess Stella who delivered me, and my siblings was underneath her faith, but this was the first time I had an actual spell containing divinity cast upon me. Spells for healing usually was done by a water mage under my fathers employ.

I could feel my body and mana pool completely restored and my mind felt well rested as if I had just woken from a nap. We returned to cautiously moving forward. So far, we hadn’t seen any of the undead and I was starting to get a sense of danger. I didn’t know if it came from my mana core or if it was just intuition, but it didn’t make sense how little we were guarded and how we were more than halfway to the guard’s chambers and still hadn’t seen an undead.

“We need to pick up the pace,” I said to Mark Magnus and slowly started jogging.

This sense of unease was picking up and we arrived at the guard’s room. I would have been here faster if not for having to pace myself because of Mark Magnus restrained power. The guard’s chamber was a large hall and was more of an armory as bows, shields, spears, and swords were all equipped on the sides of the chamber. I quickly looked left and spotted several sets of keys.

Grabbing them I rushed over to Mark Magnus who was searching through gear and weapons that had been tossed into a pile. I saw my own stuff as I rushed over. Tossing him the keys I quickly went about equipping my stuff.

It was then as I put on my armor a certain worm appeared on my shoulder as if she never left.

‘You need to run Aegis. NOW.’

Malix voice was urgent almost panicked, and Mark Magnus turned towards me in shock as his cuffs dropped to the floor and the aura of a tier 5 washed over me.

“No one is going to believe that I, Mark Magnus, helped saved Aegis Kan.”

Mark Magnus looked at me in a new light and I palmed my face as Malix looked between me and him in confusion.

‘It is dangerous. We need to go. Where is your shifty protector?’

“What is going on Malix?”

I pulled the worm from my shoulder and stared at her in curiosity and fear. The feeling I had started resonating in my core and Mark Magnus looked at me eyes wide before bolting down the steps keys in hand.

‘You may not be able to feel it, but a massive quantity of mana is building up. Some sort of human spell is about to erupt, and it is very dangerous. I don’t want to leave without you. MOVE.’

Shadow crept through the quiet city and moved in the direction of Aegis. Where were the citizens and why had the ghoul presence in the city significantly diminished. Shadow removed her power and reappeared in the city only to have a look of shock and horror appear on her face.

“Blood Magic. A sacrificial ritual.”

Her power exploded and she instantly appeared inside the castle anything that was in her way was blasted apart. Her face twisted into horror as she saw the massacre in front of her. Bodies crucified and chest cavities cut open with the hearts still beating. While multiple people huddled together starved and in runic chains. Shadow paused for a moment sending out a blast of power which disabled a few of chains before she moved through the castle searching for the entrances of the dungeon.

Finally, she was upon him, and she grabbed a surprise Aegis and turned to leave.

“Wait! There are other prisoners trapped here.”

“Your life holds more importance Aegis Kan. You cannot rescue those people.”

“We have to try!”

Shadow picked the boy up. No longer carrying for the emperor beast held in his hands before she took off running. Ignoring the people who had only just begun to move and attempt to free others. She stepped out the castle and her worst fears came through.

The necromancer was floating high in the air with an opaque crystal coffin and two rank one undead ghouls floating next to him. A bloody corpse floated in front of him chest and stomach cut open while various organs spread out. Shadow watched as the corpse lungs rose and fell and the heartbeat rapidly. Horrified at the torture in front of her Shadow pulled her crossbow out and fired several shots. Two for each ranked being, one for the necromancer and the other for the unlucky man.

The ghouls reacted instantly, and both appeared in front of the body and necromancer using their sharp claws to block the attacks.

“KehhHHH, KeeeHHhhh, Kehhh, yOur toooO LATe.”

*

At the same time a battle raged outside the city.

“{Greater Haste}, {Lightning Connection}, {Rage of the Thunder Dragon}.”

Octavia cast out three spells the moment she sensed danger.

“We must keep him away from the Quick Gate while it charges!”

Greater Haste was a tier 5 self-cast spell that allowed her an increase in movement speed and thought progression. While Lightning Connection was tier 4 spell that connected the minds of her party together allowing the instant transfer of thoughts. If they were to survive the undead in front of them, they would need all the advantages they could get. Rage of the Thunder Dragon was the only attack spell she cast the moment the party detected the creature. It was not much different than Raijin’s Spear except it was a 7th tier spell that fired off several smaller blast.

‘Augustus, flank. Try and slow it down while I build up a big one. Quaver, defend the gate we must not let it disrupt its charging.

Octavia knew it was her fault at least partially as she unleashed a massive spell which effects could be felt from the city for sure. Mother would still be hearing about this however as Augustus knew not to push his luck like this on missions this important and her irritation had been building up as they hadn’t had enough cooldown time since their last mission.

Quaver stomped hard and the ground shifted, and a new terrain appear with giant earthen pillars almost reaching the ceiling of the cavern and a dome covering the Quick Gate. With Quaver standing on top of it.

Augustus moved in flanking the ghoul spear thrust towards its neck. A savage sneer was on his face, and he grew excited at the prospect of battle. Just as his spear was reaching towards the ghouls neck its aura and bloodline was released all at once. Creating a field of darkness and despair.

Augustus flinched back and Octavia’s attack spell faltered while the spell she was building began to collapse in her mind space. Quaver step forward and released a bellow that didn’t break the affect but lessened the strain on his companions.

‘It’s aura is spreading despair brace your minds use the pillars for cover and lead it away from the gate.’

Suddenly a red light surrounded the city and Octavia’s spell once again faltered as shock and horror appeared on her face. Not even the bloodline activation of the ghouls could stop the light from piercing through.

“Blood ritual,” Octavia’s eyes widen, and her voice quivered. Her heart ached as she thought of the lives that would be lost if they could not stop the rituals activation in time.

“DIE.” Augustus who had risen into the air over the beast fell like a meteor spear extended and rage apparent.