The godLeveling System in a godless world

The Catacombs Of Despair

Lily was on her knees, her head lowered as she pleaded with Arthur. "Please don't send me away," she implored him.

Arthur raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What the heck, Lily," he said, "why are you here?"

Lily explained that she had concealed her presence with magic, which was why he couldn't sense her. 

She went on to tell him about her own quest, to find the strongest man she could and serve him, hoping to grow stronger with her magic.

This girl, Arthur thought, is she some kind of lunatic that stalks men with an agenda like that?

Arthur rubbed the back of his head. "Is that so? Well... I don't see myself being that strong," he told her.

Lily disagreed. "You're wrong," she said, closing the distance and standing before him. "To me, you're powerful. Crimsonscale dragons are extremely powerful. It'd take a hundred skilled men to take down one Crimsonscale dragon, but you took down three all on your own."

Arthur was suddenly uncomfortable. She was too close to his face. 

"Whoa. Sounds like Crimsonscale dragons are a big deal?" he asked her.

Lily nodded, her eyes filled with awe. "Yes, they are. I've been watching you since I met you. I sense an overwhelmingly mana energy from you."

For a while, Arthur was quiet. He had an idea she wasn't just speaking to hear the sound of her voice. 

She must have a skill that senses the amount of mana a person has. 

Arthur then asked her, "Does Thomas know you're here with me?"

Lily lowered her eyelids. "Yes, he was the one who helped me into the bag. I explained to him before I joined his party that if I saw a stronger man, I would leave the party to serve under him. Thomas was very understanding."

Arthur thoughtfully looked at her. "Why didn't Thomas just ask me to take you along with me instead of going through all that trouble?" he asked.

Lily replied, "Because he thought you might decline."

Arthur rubbed the back of his hair. "Well, you're right. I wouldn't have agreed to have you tag along with me. But we've come a long way from Misthaven village. I haven't the heart to send you back."

Lily huffed and puffed, "Does that mean, you'd let me come with you on your quest? I'd be of great use to you, Arthur. I promise."

He looked at Lily, sizing her up as a magic caster. 

Having someone like her around to guide him around this strange world doesn't sound bad to him. 

"Welcome aboard," he said. "I'll accept you as my subordinate since that's what you want."

Lily stood up, beaming with happiness, and thanked him with a slight bow.

"I promise to live up to your expectation, master."

"Er...no just Arthur would do," he told her. 

Arthur viewed his adventure journey once more. 

He now had a pretty young girl for a magic caster. 

He wondered what her capabilities were and what they'd encounter on their journey.

                                 * * * * 

The next day, Lily led Arthur down the mountains to the Catacombs of Despair. 

Arthur and Lily stood at the entrance of the cave, peering into the darkness. 

The cave had a foreboding presence, with jagged rocks and a thick layer of moss covering the entrance. 

The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the tunnel.

"What do you know about this place?" Arthur asked, eyeing the entrance warily.

Lily looked at him, her eyes shaking with uneasiness. 

"This is the Catacombs of Despair," she said. "It's said to be one of the most dangerous places in all the land."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous? That's exactly what I was hoping for."

Lily chuckled lightly. "Well, you're in luck. This place is home to all sorts of creatures, from giant spiders to ferocious trolls."

Arthur nodded, his hand drifting to the hilt of his sword. "I can handle myself," he said. "But what else do you know about this place?"

Lily's expression grew serious. "The Catacombs of Despair are ancient," she said. "Some say they're over a thousand years old. And no man has ever entered the cave and made it out alive."

Arthur frowned. "What makes it so dangerous?"

Lily shrugged. "There are many rumors and legends about the cave." 

Lily paused, staring at her magic staff. 

"Some say that it was once the domain of a powerful wizard, who used the cave as a place to conduct his dark experiments and practice his forbidden magic."

"It's said that he created a horde of dangerous monsters to guard the cave and protect his secrets from prying eyes."

Arthur was only half listening. He was only imagining what they would be encountering in this cave. 

Lily continued, "Even after the wizard's death, the monsters remained, lurking in the shadows and waiting to pounce on any unsuspecting adventurer who dared to enter the cave."

Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "And what about this artifact you mentioned?"

Lily's eyes gleamed. "Ah, yes. The artifact. It's said to be buried deep within the cave, guarded by the most dangerous creatures of all."

"The artifact is called the Orb of Power, and it's said to grant its wielder incredible magical abilities."

Arthur turned to look Lily closely. "Is that so? What other abilities does it grants it's wielder ?"

Lily folded her arms, her mind thinking. 

"Some say it's the key to unlocking the secrets of the Catacombs of Despair, while others fear that it's a curse that will bring only death and destruction to those who seek it."

Arthur drew his sword, his eyes gleaming with determination and excitement. 

"Well, I'm not afraid of a curse," he said. "Let's go find this Orb of Power."

Arthur and Lily made their way into the cave, their footsteps echoing off the walls.

The labyrinthine system of the cave was complex, with twisting tunnels and winding caverns that seemed to go on forever. 

They moved cautiously, the cave feeling as if it was full of secrets and danger at every turn. 

Arthur was quick to notice the ground scattered with human bones, skulls and broken rusty weapons. 

He began to wonder just how many men like him had been foolish to venture into a cursed cave as this one. 

The walls and ceilings were jagged and uneven, with stalactites and stalagmites looming ominously in the shadows.

Suddenly, the walls of the cave began to shake, and the entrance sealed with a big wall of stone, trapping Arthur and Lily inside. 

Lily quivered in fear and embraced Arthur, "What's happening?!"

The darkness of the cave was overwhelming as the walls stopped shaking. 

Arthur was surprisingly calm, "Now I understood why no one ever escapes this cave."

"You do?" She asked, relaxing under his confidence. 

"Yup. The cave traps them inside, so in a scenario like this, the only exit is onward. We would have to keep moving until we find the exit."

Lily was mesmerized by Arthur's confidence as he held her hand and stretched out his hand, commanding "Fire." 

A floating torch of fire appeared in front of them, and Arthur told Lily to stick with him. 

They were going to face lots of dangers. The torch guided them, and they proceeded deeper into the cave, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Arthur and Lily cautiously ventured deeper into the cave. 

The air grew heavy with an oppressive aura as they navigated through the winding tunnels. 

Strange whispers echoed through the darkness, setting their nerves on edge. 

Unbeknownst to them, their presence had disturbed the cursed inhabitants of the cave.

As they turned a corner, a group of hulking figures emerged from the shadows. 

Cursed trolls stood before them, their forms twisted and contorted by the failed experiments that had brought them into existence. 

The trolls' skin was a sickly gray, covered in grotesque boils and scars. 

Their eyes glowed with a malevolent crimson light, seething with anger and hatred.

The head troll, a towering creature with bony protrusions jutting from its malformed body, stepped forward, blocking the path of Arthur and Lily. 

Its voice, raspy and filled with malice, echoed through the chamber. 

"You have trespassed into our domain, mortal. The penalty for such transgression is death."

Arthur squared his shoulders, his gaze steady as he faced the formidable troll. 

"Right. We're actually here for the Orb of power. Just tell us where it is and we'd be out of your way." he replied, his voice firm and resolute.

The head troll sneered, revealing jagged teeth stained with blood. "Such a big mouth. If you want the Orb of power, you must have to go through us. Prepare to face the consequences of your actions."

Arthur sighed and rubbed his temple. Why are these brute so goddamn stubborn?

"That's a bad idea, boys," he said. "Why don't we just settle this like real gentlemen?"

Without further warning, the trolls charged at Arthur and Lily, their heavy footsteps shaking the ground. 

The clash was imminent, and Arthur embraced the thrill of battle that surged within him.

"Fine," Arthur grin stretched across his lips. "You wanna dance? Let's dance."