Chapter 70: Calm In Numbers

Nothing happened during the night, either. Zach was disappointed. Had they struck proverbial gold or was it a dud? Was there a Locale at the end of the hole the Sentinel had burrowed or not?

After a quick breakfast, the trio confirmed that the hole had cooled and stabilized enough to try and slide down it. It was a steep angle, but the laser had made the surface smooth as glass. Unfortunately, that also meant they would be going fast.

However, they had tools, hands, feet, and familiars to push against the edges and control the speed.

"What happens if we get stuck?" Dukiel glanced at the hole before taking a step back while Zach and Dukiel prepared rope and picks.

"We won't." Zach's answer was too quick. It was almost like he had already asked himself that question.

"But what if?"

"The Sentinel can fly."

Dukiel was silent. The Sentinel certainly was strong enough to fly them up if they got stuck or if there was nothing at the bottom of the hole. But it was still uncomfortable.

They didn't know how deep the hole was or what could happen.

"I'm telling you this now, Dukiel, but I probably should have done it sooner. If you're claustrophobic or anything, Locale hunting is the wrong profession for ya'. Do you want to sit this one out?" Zach made sure to sound serious with his question. If Dukiel didn't want to come, he didn't have to.

Dukiel hesitated. It was an attractive offer. But if he didn't come, the Sentinel wouldn't either. How would they get up?

Dukiel shook his head.

"I'll come. It's better to stay together in situations like this. I'll just bear with it."

"Good. Don't worry and remember to stay calm at all times, no matter what. If anything can get us out in case something happens, it's keeping a cool head." Zach nodded and gave some friendly advice. He glanced at Julius as he spoke to make sure he also took it to heart.

Julius and Dukiel nodded.

It was easier said than done, but they would remember Zach's words.

When they were ready, Zach sat down at the edge of the hole with Yanael right behind him, her legs ready to fall under his armpits to prevent them from getting separated and so that she could stop them when they were going too fast.

After Zach was Julius and his Mannequin, and taking up the rear was Dukiel and the Sentinel. All of them were tied together with a rope. This time, it would be a little easier to untie. Sёarch* The ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Ready?"

"Yup."

"Can we—" Dukiel was interrupted by Zach jumping into the hole and dragging the rest along with him. Dukiel had to quickly follow along or risk going down head first. He wanted to curse but the air was sucked out of him as he entered the hole.

The air rushed past his ears, and he couldn't see anything. With his key senses suppressed and with his breath stolen from him, Dukiel quickly began to panic. If it hadn't been for the Sentinel's presence and the faint sounds of it bumping and grinding against the walls, Dukiel might have really gone crazy.

Julius was in a better state. He managed to stay calm knowing that Zach and his powerful angel maid were in front of him and his Mannequin, Dukiel, and the Sentinel were behind him. That knowledge was reassuring enough to keep him sane since he trusted his friends and their familiars.

Zach was enjoying the ride.

He had a barrier to block most of the wind but let enough pass through so he could feel the rush still. He had Yanael's legs around his waist. He was ready to cast a barrier to catch him.

There was nothing to worry about.

A moment later, Zach felt like he heard and felt something.

A moment after that, something opened up in the tunnel.

Yet another moment later, Julius was swooped to the side.

Before either Zach, Dukiel, or any of their familiars could react, the same thing happened again, and Dukiel was swooped away from the tube slide his Sentinel had made and whisked away into the ground to who knows where in complete darkness.

Zach vaguely felt the presence of his friends disappear like ghosts and instinctively tried to glance back, even when he couldn't see anything. Fortunately, Yanael turned his head forward in time to see the tiny prick of light quickly growing in size, announcing their sudden arrival at their destination.

'Shit.'

The rope hadn't worked at all, and the three friends had once again gotten separated on the way into one of the Underworld's Locales.

Zach and Yanael slowed their descent with barriers and Yanael's shield, that she stuck into the ground. Zach put up soft barriers right in front of him and took them down almost instantly after hitting them. He also used a barrier around him and expanded it until it ground against the tunnel.

But Zach's barriers were too smooth to be effective that way, so he mostly relied on the short barriers and Yanael until the tunnel ended and spat them out into a large square room with a floor of spikes.

"Hmph."

Zach scoffed and threw down a barrier at their landing spot, effectively making a floor for them to crash into and stand on. He made it soft enough that it wouldn't hurt but not so elastic it would bounce them away. After they got up, Zach hardened the floor and strengthened the dome barrier around them as they looked around.

Less than a second later, arrows burst out of all the walls and filled the room. They were powerful enough to make whistling sounds as they pierced through the room.

Zach had to exert even more effort to keep his barrier steady and prevent it from breaking. He glanced at Yanael, who had unsheathed her sword and taken out her wings and halo.

He couldn't do much other than defend. Yanael had to go on the offensive. She had to be outside the barrier for that. Zach had to open the barrier to let her out. If he did that, the arrows could pour in.

Zach could maybe cast another barrier while making the opening as small as possible. But it was taking almost all he had to keep his current barrier and the floor intact. A distraction or redirecting his effort might turn him into a red pin-cushion.

Their best bet was to hope the arrows weren't endless. It wasn't a bright hope.