Leaving behind that scary trap mace of doom, we continue to advance onwards and downwards with growing trepidation.

"Just how deep is this place? We must have been going for a couple of hours now." I ask.

"Yes, it will be dark outside now. To be honest, Elijah, I don't think anyone knows where the end is." Aria answers.

"They may never know." Seria adds. She is still pouting at me.

"I suppose that, if spirits can make an entire trap apparatus spring up from nowhere, what is stopping them from making an entire random rogue-like dungeon here." I ponder out loud.

"Um... I don't what a roa-guu-lai-kuu is... but that is basically right, Nii. A dungeon crawler mercenary’s job is never done. But Dad said it doesn't actually end well for most of them. There is always rumour of big treasure in these places, but that's really rare. It's more profitable, as a mercenary, to take escort jobs and monster hunting contracts. Every time." Kiku explains.

She's right. There hasn't been a single convenient treasure chest at all here. Stingy.

"But the romance of the unknown keeps people delving even then?" I guess.

"Eh wot? Um... is that what it is?" She shrugs.

"Maybe that, but primarily training, yes?" Kaede adds.

Yes, infinite respawns at least mean that, it is why we are here after all.

The dark passageway opens out onto a chasm like expanse. We have to stop promptly. Across the gap are rows of stone coffins laid atop one another. It almost appears a dead end, but then it becomes apparent that we're on a ledge running parallel to the expanse, so we follow it along, and at the far end is a set of further downward stairs. This itself leads to an arena like room with necrofire braziers, and the destroyed remains of several skeletons.

The centre plinth of this room has an elaborately painted circle with nine distinct segments of differing colours. Each segment seems to have a drawing of a person and a creature of some sorts, watching the middle, where there is the image of two muscled men fighting with spears. It evokes a piece of ancient art at its finest, including the classic lack of proper perspective that these types of things tend to have.

"The wheel of the old faith." Seria steps up to me whilst I am studying the edifice. "These figures are the nine gods, and their divine beasts." She explains.

"The gods are watching a trial by combat. They used to have fights in honour of the gods like this. Slaves in Syjil would fight to be recognised as one of the Nine Great Templars, representatives of their god. I believe the empire was the last place that had this practice, though. It is now gone."

"Hmmph. We still have to study it in school, though. The gods may be long gone from the world, but their blessings still manifest. Like in Aria." Rishya adds.

"Right. Sendervil is the god of light, right? What are the others?" I say.

"Oh... it is easy to forget you are missing fundamental knowledge like this, boy. Perhaps this can be revision for the princess." She turns to Aria who has sneakily sidled up to us.

"Eh! Ah... oh... eto... ahem... I forgot most of them, teehee!" Aria tries the cute 'teehee' pose again, with her tongue out.

Rishya chops her on the head. Poor Aria. Kiku snickers with Seria.

Suddenly, Kaede steps up to the plinth, and points at the 'gods' in turn.

Saulm. The fire dancer, forge mistress, the creator of life.

Garmere. The frigid justicar, wise magister, water reader, seer of all things.

Hezety. The sky princess of wind and rain, lady of logic, and master strategist.

Trieze. The golden delver of the earth, patron of wealth and arts.

Juna. The huntress, lady of time, growth, wood and fertility.

Kinah. The wanderer, he who rides lightning and ponders the world’s secrets.

Sendervil. The lord of light, healing, leadership and mercy.

Kanestus. The metal executioner and lady of agony, but also endurance and determination.

And Agon, the Void emperor, lord of the dead, the darkness and destruction.

Seria gives applause at our ninja’s apparently textbook recitation. Rishya and Aria are wide eyed.

"Very good, ninja-girl. Whilst most can recite the names of the gods, their portfolios are more esoteric. Wherever did you learn that?" Seria asks.

"Eh... I... I enjoyed reading the old scrolls handed down in the village, yes? One had this very image, with annotations. It was one of my favourites." Kaede explains, looking mildly embarrassed.

Well, I find all of this quite interesting, though I don't think I can suddenly remember all that like Kaede does.

However, it does make me wonder about something that has been bothering me for a while though...

"Why are there nine spirit types but only seven sages?"

Seria spins to look at me, gaping with an incredulous expression.

Was that... a bad question?