"What did you use back there? Pagan wouldn't stop mumbling to himself," Ghost whispered into Lucius's ear as the group trekked back to the surface.
"A new spell, I'll show it to you guys later," he replied, before picking up his pace.
It was for their own good. How could he tell them about a power he can't even control? What if they wanted to learn it? Would they be able to deal with its psychotic effects?
~Still, I'll have to show it to them someday. I should be prepared for that eventuality,~ he realized.
As they journeyed, he couldn't take his mind off the 'alien' runes the curse had left on the wall. Sure he couldn't sense any hostile energy following them, however, he still found it strange that the rune had no effect whatsoever.
It put him on edge. All sudden movements were met with a readied gaze, every odd sound, with a readied battle stance.
"Is something the matter, Lighted One?" Pagan asked, now walking beside Lucius. He took a brief moment to glance at the Morrentor with disdain.
He was against the idea of the Lighted One toiling for such a creature, however, when he suggested that the furtong pull the cart, the Lighted One pointed out that HE was the only one strong enough to. Earlier, he had tried taking on Lighted One's burden himself but found that he lacked the needed strength and stamina.
"I can't place my finger on it, but something feels... off," Lucius said after some thought.
He was certain it wasn't just paranoia. The runes definitely did something, and he was certain that the 'something' was right under their noses. They just weren't seeing it.
"Wait, that's it. Have you noticed something odd with your earth sense? It feels artificial almos-" Lucius was about to say.
Too late.
The ground rumbled and the tunnel walls shook, the suddenness of it sent almost everyone stumbling to the ground. Only Lucius, Pagan and Ghost remained standing, staring at a spot on the ground a few meters away.
However, it wasn't the ground they were staring at, but rather the energy presence coming from a place just beyond it. Something powerful was approaching them, and at an impossible rate.
~How did it get this close without me noticing it?~ he wondered, though he already knew the answer. Whatever was approaching them had something to do with the curse.
"Excuse me, but could you move your... Morrentor, you're blocking our path," Lucius shouted out. He could just barely make out Ghost's outline behind the venari called Eilphyr.
"I have my methods, just as you have yours. Now let us deal with these pests before the Queen finds out that there was an escape attempt," Eilphyr replied.
~Deal with us? Well, that's our queue,~ Lucius thought to himself, before gesturing towards Ghost.
"Watch where you point that filthy thing," the other venari said, now regarding Lucius.
His partner was dead before he even had time to process what was happening. Despite Eilphyr being more powerful than Ghost, assassination didn't care whose head was being impaled.
"Pagan," Lucius said, pointing at the remaining venari.
It pulled out its crux, a green glowing ball around the size of a large pineapple, and began chanting something.
However, Ghost was already upon it.
It dodged backward, right into Pagan's solar beam.
And just like that, the threat was dealt with.
"Quickly, take out the other-" Lucius was about to say. Though it seemed that he had a knack for saying things too late.
Before Ghost could reach the group of mind mages, they had already managed to set one of their spells in motion.
The Morrentor roared in anger, its brown gem glowing brightly before the entire tunnel began to shake. Cracks appeared on the walls, first slow, then all at once.
In that instant, as the rocks began to break off from the walls, and the tunnel seemed like it would give way, Lucius could only think of how his children were going to die. Not because he wasn't there to protect them, no, but because he wasn't strong enough to.
"Stop!"