Huff…huff…
Roland breathes in and out heavily as he slumped on the wall of the cave. He was exhausted after running away from the horde of monsters that were chasing him earlier. Feeling extremely thirsty, Roland took out his water bag to take a few sips of water. However…
“It must have been damaged by one of the monsters…”
Looking at his broken water bag, Roland felt irritated and had the urge to slam the water bag on the floor but stopped after forcefully calming himself.
“What good would throwing a tantrum do?” Roland thought to himself. “I must find a way to escape this place.”
Roland was a treasure hunter and was exploring a certain ruin when he accidentally triggered a trap after opening a treasure chest. The trap collapsed the floor that Roland was standing on, making him fall into the dark abyss below.
“I can’t believe I made such an amateur mistake,” Roland lamented. “I thought I found a hidden room that no one had discovered before. Instead, I discovered a trap…”
Having been a treasure hunter for so long, Roland was no stranger to dungeon and ruin diving. And with someone of his experience, one would think that Roland would not make such an elementary mistake.
“The guys would surely laugh their asses off if they hear about this.”
Upon remembering his fellow treasure hunters, Roland slowly stood up while dusting off his backside. Although he was exhausted and was in desperate need of rest, he could not stay in one place or risk being attacked by monsters.
“This cavern should be an unexplored part of the ruin. As long as I could get out of here alive and report to the guild, my name would go down in history as the person who discovered it.” Roland then clapped his checks with his two palms to psyche himself up. “Once I become famous, money would start flowing in, and then… I could finally get that elixir!”
Roland became a treasure hunter for just one purpose – to amass a huge amount of money to buy a miraculous elixir that was said to cure all kinds of ills and extend one’s life. The being said, the elixir wasn’t for himself but for the most important person in his life – his daughter.
His daughter, Rena was born with a weak body due to a certain disease that she inherited from her mother, who died shortly after giving birth to her. Being the only living reminder of his beloved wife, Julia, Roland loved his daughter more than his own life.
Afraid that his daughter would follow in his wife’s footsteps and die young, Roland did everything he could to find a cure for her. Over the years, he had searched for a said cure to no avail. And it was only recently that he found a breakthrough.
Panacea: A legendary elixir that was said to be able to cure all kinds of diseases. That was the name of the medicine that Roland wanted. The “all kind of diseases” part of the description was an exaggeration but it was true that the Panacea could cure many types of diseases.
Roland did extensive research on the subject and asked countless authoritative figures in the field of magic and medicine in his search for the cure for his beloved daughter’s illness. And only after countless years of searching, investigating, and bribing the right people did Roland finally get his hand on the legendary formula for the aforementioned elixir.
Unfortunately, although he was able to get the formula; gathering the necessary ingredient wasn’t easy. Besides the difficulty in finding herbs, there was still the necessary ritual that must be performed to complete it.
The ritual was the most difficult part partly because the ritual was very ancient, and partly because the person he found to perform the ritual was demanding an exorbitant amount of money.
Roland had made some money over the years as a treasure hunter but most of it was used for his daughter’s medication, their living expenses, his equipment, and bribes. And although he has some money left, it wasn’t near close enough to the amount that that certain magician was asking for.
It was for this very reason that Roland was desperately diving into dungeons and ruins in hope of finding treasures that could satisfy the amount needed for the elixir.
“I’m already this close so I can’t give now!”
Thinking about his beloved daughter gave Roland the necessary strength to carry on. The unknown underground cavern might be filled with countless dangers but Roland was determined to get out of the place alive.
Roland trod the cavern with measured steps. During his frantic escape from the monsters earlier, he had activated several traps that almost cost him his life. The earlier experience convinced Roland that the cavern was littered with all kinds of deadly traps.
As he carefully explore the place, Roland caught sight of several unmoving skeletons in the corners of the path that he was about to take.
“Not good!” Roland thought.
Roland quickly hid behind an earth pillar and tried to make himself as small and as unnoticeable as possible. After a minute of nothing happening, Roland let out a sigh of relief… It seemed like the skeletons didn’t notice him.
The skeletons that were standing unmoving in the corners were no ordinary skeletons. They were undead monsters that populate dungeons and ruins, especially catacombs.
“Could this place be somebody’s tomb?”
If this cavern was a hidden catacomb then the presence of the undead monsters that had been chasing him earlier made sense. After all, some crazy mages or even necromancers love to put undead in their catacombs to punish grave robbers and treasure hunters that dare to enter their final resting place.
“Judging by the amount of undead that was chasing me earlier this place might be a necromancer’s tomb.”
The frown on Roland’s face grew deeper. Necromancers have a nasty habit of not staying dead. If he encountered a powerful necromancer, it’ll spell great trouble for him.
“I need to find the exit quickly and scram from this place. But the question is… where’s the exit? I couldn’t possibly just walk to an undead and politely ask it for direction, right?”
Roland felt an incoming headache. Looking for the exit while measuring his every step to avoid traps would take a lot of his time and stamina. It would be one thing if he was well-prepared to take the challenge but with most of his equipment and tools gone; challenging this place would be no different from suicide.
“Not to mention that I’m out of food and water…”
Having lost his supplies and most of his equipment after the fall and the consequent escape from the undead, Roland was short on everything. If he could not find the exit soon or find a way to replenish his supplies, Roland would most likely die from starvation and thirst before the undead could even get to him.
“Think positive, Roland… think positive. It’s impossible for this place to not have an entrance or an exit. As long as I look hard enough, I should be able to find it.”
After psyching himself up, Roland carefully observes the skeleton in the corners. From where he was, he could see five unmoving skeletons. As long as he could rid of these five, he should be able to move forward.
Skeletons are weak to holy and blunt damage and are relatively slow. If he acted fast enough, these five should pose no threat to him. That being said, Roland couldn’t use holy-based magic nor does he have any equipment with blessings so that option was out for him. Fortunately, he’s surrounded by things that could cause blunt damage like the stones below his feet. What he needed to do was smash their skulls with the stones before they have time to react.
“Yeah, let’s go with that…”
Roland dashes towards the nearest skeleton and bashed its head with a stone before it could even react. A sickening sound was created as the stone ground the skeleton’s skull into thousands of pieces. Ignoring his handiwork, Roland rushes towards the next skeleton and did the same.
The third skeleton was a little more troublesome as it was made aware of the intruder’s presence. But it was only a little as Roland was much more agile and faster than it. Roland then move to the fourth and the fifth skeleton and destroyed their skulls one by one.
“Whew! I made it just in time,” Roland thought as he let out a sigh of relief.
Hearing his loudly beating heart, Roland finally realized how excited he was when destroying the skeleton. Well, considering that he was facing five opponents (although they were just the weakest of the undead) that was to be expected.
“Now then… what to do…”
Roland eyed the huge double-door at the end of the hallway and wondered if he should enter it. Through his instinct for danger that was honed after many years of experience as a treasure hunter, Roland could tell that there’s something dangerous beyond that large door.
Should he enter or should he not enter? That was the question that Roland needed to answer. If he chooses to ignore the door and turn back, he won’t have to face whatever was on the other side. But on the other hand, he would have to face the dozens of undead that were chasing him earlier. If he chooses to enter the large door, he would have to face what’s behind it but he would at least not experience being chased by dozens of undead again.
Either way though… he’s screwed.
“This like being stuck between a rock and a hard place…,” Roland complained out loud. “Tsk! Fine! Whatever! Let’s just enter. At least there’s still a tiny chance that I won’t get screwed if I enter.”
Roland knew that the chance of not encountering something dangerous on the other side of the door was abysmally small but at least there’s still a chance. If he go back though he would have to face the undead monsters that were chasing him earlier. And truth be told he doesn’t want that.
Summoning all the courage in his body, Roland pushed the large double-door open. To his surprise, opening the door didn’t require a lot of effort from him. It was as if…
“I was being welcomed, huh…”
Upon entering the door, Roland was greeted by complete darkness which was made worse when the door behind him suddenly closed by itself.
“Damn!”
Roland cursed as he ran towards the large door wanting to open it. It’s no use though. The large door was closed shut; it was as if the ease of opening it earlier was just an illusion.
“I’m trapped…”
While wondering what to do next, green flames suddenly lit up from the walls one by one much to Roland’s surprise. Out of instinct, Roland quickly turned around but wished he didn’t because what he saw made his heart quake. It was an army of undead monsters… and sitting on what seemed to be a throne made of stone was a lich.
Seeing what he was up against, Roland internally spews out all the profanity he could think of. And who could blame him? All he wanted to do was to get out of this place but it seemed like fate has other plans.
“Do heaven want me dead that much?” Roland thought in despair as he stare at the creature’s terrifying visage. “Rena; papa might not be able to go back to you anymore…”
He’s no hero from legend nor was he some sort of super-powerful adventurer so why does he have to be so unlucky as to encounter a lich and its army?
While Roland was despairing, the lich was observing Roland with its eyes of green flames as if finding the man that was drowning in negativity, interesting. Not long after, the lich spoke in a somewhat languid and gender-neutral voice.
“Welcome, adventurer,” It said before asking, “What brought you to my domain?”
Hearing the lich speaking to him startled Roland greatly. What he found more surprising though was the way it talked. He expected the lich to sound more threatening. It might just be his imagination but the lich seemed to sound rather… welcoming?
“Hmm? What’s wrong, mortal? Could it be that you cannot understand my words?” The lich asked after hearing no response from Roland.
“Err… yes. I mean no. I could understand your words but the language you’re speaking had already been extinct for centuries,” Roland explained.
“Centuries? …So it has been that long?” The lich murmured to itself as in loss. It didn’t stay long in that state though as returned its attention to Roland. “You say the language I spoke had gone extinct and yet you’re using it?”
“Well, my occupation requires me to study and learn ancient and archaic languages which is why I could speak the common language that was in used two centuries ago.”
“Your occupation?” The lich studied Roland for a while before nodding as if it understood something. “Grave robber?”
“I’m a treasure hunter!” Roland blurted out instinctively. “Please don’t compare me to grave robbers. My occupation is legalized by the kingdom.”
“What’s the difference? Don’t you go inside catacombs and ruins and take things that don’t belong to you as well?”
“Well, that’s…”
Roland wanted to retort that treasure hunters were different from grave robbers but upon hearing the description from the lich’s “lips”, he held his tongue. After all, the lich’s words ring true – treasure hunters are technically nothing more than legalized grave robbers.
“Alright, that’s enough. Surely you’re not here to argue about such a thing, right?”
“Y-yeah…”
Although still feeling slightly unsatisfied, Roland decided to bottle his frustration about his occupation inside of him. What he needed to do was to find a way to escape his current predicament. Since the lich hasn’t attacked him yet, there might still be a chance of escaping the place alive.
“So… I will ask again. Why did you enter my domain?” The lich repeated its earlier question.
“…It was by accident. I triggered a trap earlier and fell into this place,” Roland explained. “…And as I was looking for the exit, I stumbled upon this room, err… throne room.”
The lich nodded its skeletal head upon hearing Roland’s explanation. It then asked, “I see… I see…
“You seemed to be speaking the truth. So what are you going to do next? Should I lead you to the exit?”
“Yes! I mean… can you show me the exit?”
Roland was alarmed when the lich asked him if he wanted to be led to the exit and grew wary as he couldn’t tell if the creature was serious or not.
“I’m being serious, you know? I don’t mind showing you the way out of this place if you so desire,” the lich followed up as if able to read what’s on Roland’s mind.
“You would show me to the exit? But why?” Roland asked in confusion after realizing that the lich wasn’t trying to deceive him.
“Why you ask? That’s what you wanted, right? Could it be you doubt me because I’m a lich?”
Roland wanted to say yes to the last question but forcefully held his tongue in fear of angering such a powerful creature.
“I have no reason to stop you from leaving but as the first person to find this place after hundreds of years, I wanted to meet you before you leave which was why I’ve sent my undead to chase after you.”
“So that was your fault! I thought I would get killed by those monsters, you know?” Roland complained upon hearing that his early predicament was premeditated.
“It can’t be helped. I’ve been waiting for so long for someone to discover this place. But after hundreds of years, not a single person did.” The lich explained sounding slightly apologetic.
“You wanted this place to be discovered by someone? Why? You won’t tell me that you’re cursed and cannot leave this place, right?”
“In a way, you’re correct that to say that I am ‘cursed’ and could therefore not leave this place. But what’s binding me here was not an actual curse but a promise,” The lich explained in a much softer voice that seemed to be reminiscing. “You see I made a promise with a certain person not to leave this place till our next meeting. Of course, I could leave this place any time I wanted but I’ll be breaking my promise if I do that.”
“For real? A lich that could keep its promises? How strange…” A rude thought appeared on Roland’s mind after hearing the lich’s explanation.
The green flames on the lich’s empty eye sockets that were looking at Roland intensify as if hearing Roland’s rude thoughts.
“You want to tell me something, mortal?” the lich asked as it looked at Roland judgingly.
“N-no, it’s nothing,” Roland nervously replied after seeing the lich’s intense gaze. “A-anyways… I’m a little confused. Why do you want me to leave? How would my leaving benefit you?”
“Interesting… I thought you would instantly jump at my offer considering your current predicament. But it seemed that you can still keep your calm.” The lich praised.
“Very well, I’ll explain,” the lich started. “I want to open this catacomb to the public in hope that one of the visitors would be the person I was waiting for. After all, that person should be dead for a long time now.”
“Wait… Please stop for a moment… Are you telling me that the person you’re waiting for was long dead?” Roland questioned.
“That is correct,” the lich affirmed.
“You’re not pulling my leg, right?”
“I am very serious.”
“……………………….”
“……………………….”
“What the heck! How are you supposed to meet someone that’s already dead?!”
“Watch your language, mortal. It would be impossible for most people but not for that person since he could just return to the world of the living through reincarnation. Moreover, with memories of his previous lives fully intact.”
“So your friend’s a monster like you too, huh?” Roland said to himself sounding exasperated.
A lich and a reincarnator... Roland felt like he should stop bothering with things that are beyond his understandings. He could at least keep his sanity that way.
“Alright, I agree. But let me warn you though. There are very powerful people in this world that love challenging other powerful people. So don’t blame me if they come to challenge you one of these days.”
“Hah! Even better. I was already bored out of my wits so powerful challengers are always welcome,” the lich declared with confidence.
A battle maniac. That was the first thing that entered Roland’s mind after hearing the lich confidently declare that it welcomed a good challenge.
“You were thinking of something rude again, aren’t you?”
“You’re just imagining things,” Roland skillfully dodges the lich’s question. “Anyways, can you send me to the exit already? I’ve been stuck in this place for too long and I think I’m going to die of starvation and thirst soon.”
“Not so fast. I can’t just let you leave without rewarding you for finding this place,” said the lich. “Do you want wealth? How about power? Or maybe you want immortality? If so I could offer the ‘gift of undeath’ to you.”
“The two first offers are good but who the hell want the last one? I have no interest in becoming an undead. If you want to reward me then give me a panacea.” Roland said in a jest.
“Panacea? Hmm… I think I still have a bottle or two remaining. Give me a moment.”
The lich’s bony right hand sunk into the empty space in front of it, and when it came out it was holding two small bottles with golden liquid inside. The lich then hurled the two bottles towards Roland.
Seeing the two bottles of golden liquid being hurled towards him, Roland instinctively reached out to catch them. Only upon feeling the bottles in his hands did Roland finally remember what the lich said earlier.
Panacea!
Yes, without a doubt. The two bottles of golden liquid were no doubt panacea. With a shaking body, Roland embraced the two bottles like they were the most valuable treasure in the world.
“Thank you for the gift…” Roland gave his thanks in a quaking voice. Although the lich said it was a reward, Roland did not see it as such. For him, it was a very precious gift considering how important the elixir was to him and his daughter. He swears not to forget the favor and that he would find a way to return the favor to the lich someday.
Seeing Roland’s reaction and his heartfelt thanks, the lich finally realized the significance of the two bottles of panacea to the man. It might just be some expensive items to it but for the man it was worth more than that.
“You’re welcome.”
After saying a few more words, Roland was finally allowed to return to the surface …and to his daughter.
