The tension inside the carriage was palpable.

After the whole debacle inside the briefing room, everyone was still rattled when they boarded the four-wheeled vehicle. They sat in silence, the carriage trudging its way across the streets and awnings, the golden city officially alive in the wee hours of the morning. The inside of the carriage itself was quite comfortable, its seats woven with styled cushions with aged dark wood making its walls. The space was enough to hold six people easily with Rexsi, Geoffrey and Lukas sitting on one side leaving Mira & Renesme on the other. Unfortunately Geoffrey had somehow found himself directly in between them while the girls were spared from the situation. The carriage drove down the road, carrying its silent passengers each mired with their own thoughts.

Up above the early sun was bright and warm. On any other day Lukas would have been busy taking in the view, enjoying the ride as he sat by the window, but his eyes barely focused on the passing homes and the changing landmarks. His mind swirled with thoughts of what he had just learned before he joined the rest of the group.

When he was left behind to report the truth of what had happened, that was precisely what he did. He iterated everything, from when the mission started, their suspicious conduct throughout their venture until he was finally abandoned, left to fend for himself within the forest. He obviously omitted a few details as he chalked up his survival to the classic tumbling down to a well hidden ravine where he passed out until the morning of the next day.

By then the representative had already gotten the gist of everything that had happened. He apologized once again for the matter and told him that when the guild was aware that he had survived, they had to get to the bottom of it. Not only was it eventually discovered that his previous members were under a disguise when they sought to become adventurers but they had probably joined the qualification mission with ill intentions.

But once the amber notice was issued for their real identities, they disappeared with a trace. While the guild would usually use every means possible to correct their blunder, they still had the responsibility to inform him as a precaution and so Lukas found himself learning about the true identities of mercenary trio who had almost managed to kill the previous host. Almost as if it wasn’t for his timely reincarnation, the original Lukas would have disappeared from this world with none the wiser. Yet with his limited strength there was barely anything he could do. What he could manage however was to take precautions from now on. He had a deep feeling that he hadn’t heard the last of them.

On the other hand, Rexsi felt as he got handed the short side of the stick. Not only was he humiliated in front of everyone, he had also made a fool out of himself. According to what he heard, the priest in question was not only weak in mind but he was also harmless. He deeply abhorred people who weren’t competent enough such that once he caught those rumors going around; he made it his goal not to be teamed up with someone who will most definitely pull him back, which turned out to be quite pointless because as soon as he raised a ruckus he was met with a thundering wall.

He had to admit his previous prejudice made him overlook quite a few details. Though his bruised ego didn’t want him let go of such thing so easily, he instinctively knew that no matter how much he tried to confront him now it wouldn’t work. He would be like a bard playing a lute to a goat who won't bother to listen in the first place. Not only would his efforts bear no fruit but he could also end up being punished for causing a mess right before the mission. Frustrated at the whole thing, he could only play with the knife on his hands, his eyes seemingly wanting to devour the priest whole.

Among the three, Geoffrey was the one having the hard time. The indifference from the priest and the murderous air from the rogue made him feel like a precarious boat caught in the middle of the waves. Unable to take it longer, he decided to break the insufferable silence with what he hoped would be a better choice.

“As we are about to work together for the first time, we have no choice but to familiarize with our strengths. The better we know what we are capable of, the easier this mission can be completed.”

He then led by the example by taking his right hand to his chest. “I’m Geoffrey, a late mortal ranked Knight from the Martial Sect. As the vanguard of this team, as long as I’m standing I won’t let anything pass me by.”

Lukas impressed by his valiant statement nodded before another followed. “I’m Mira of House of Fyre; a Late Mortal Fire Mage from the Tabernacle of Flames. As long as it blocks our path, my fire can burn it all into ashes.” She confidently smiled as she made a tongue of flame flicker into the existence on the palm of her hand. She played with it for a while before snuffing it out; showcasing just how much control she had over her strength.

Knowing it was better soon than later, Lukas went next. “I’m Lukas of the House of Raydore, a mid mortal priest from the Cathedral of Light.” He paused before he added, “I might not be as strong but I’m confident my spells will soon prove their worth.” He only had to point his finger and easily materialize a shadow of a resplendent screen directly in front of him before he snuffed it out. After he was done performing, he easily reclined back to his seat not phased by the impressed gazes. For the past few weeks he had practiced his spells so much that he could probably chant them in his sleep. Performing a simple demonstration came as easy to him as breathing.

“A noble family….”Mira muttered before something clicked. “Ahh the House of Raydore…” she intoned which made Lukas sigh with annoyance. If there was one thing more terrible than monsters in this world, it was gossip. The social circles of the revered nobles reveled on the rise and fall of various houses and the original host’s house was no exception.

In the past, the House of the Raydore was on the rise catching the eyes of almost everyone around. The Scion of the Household (who was the father of the previous host which in turn made him his parent) promised to bring their family name to the heights beyond. But after his sudden disappearance, his life or death unknown, the House of Raydore slowly deteriorated instead. Then his sister’s unimaginable talent was uncovered, and it soon became known how the House of Raydore sought to exile the two supposed untalented descendants only for it to blow up in their faces when it was discovered that one of them possessed a far greater potential than the predecessor. It didn’t take long for the House of Raydore to became a butt of a joke, its neighbors mocking them for being so shortsighted. Such a talented descendant was enough to return their name to glory yet with the existing strife between them, the other Houses sighed with relief. In the end, each noble family only looked out for themselves.

“Yes...that House of Raydore” Lukas muttered before he went silent. He knew the vicious circle of gossip and rumors will never end so he might as well get used to the burden that came with his current identity.

The rogue frowned in his displeasure when his turn came. “Rexsi late mortal ranked rogue from the Silent Assassins Sect." Every one seemingly nodded before their eye settled on the hooded figure.

After a moment of hesitation a dainty hand pulled away her green cape revealing a startling surprise. A beautiful face with glittering verdant eyes stared right back at them, her skin flair and delicate with lustrous viridian hair stirring through the breeze. But it was pointed end of her long slender eyes that caught them by surprise.

“A half-elf!” Rexsi muttered in disbelief, his grudge momentarily forgotten. Amongst the many races in the continent of Lush, some of the most known were humans, beast men, half Elves and the dwarves. Humans in part filled almost every corner of the continent while beast men were huddled in tribes, their presence noticed only once in a while. Known for their formidable strength and strong bodies, their lineage could be traced back to the ancient times where beasts of mythology mated with other races. With the avaricious nature of beast men where they copulated with anything alive once given a chance, most beast men stood the chance to inherit the powerful bloodlines from their ancestors. Even then a lot of time had passed and so with the inevitable decline of such bloodlines, most people can’t help but perceive them as lumbering giants with all brawn and no brain.

The Half-elves on the other hand were the rare breed. Said to be a hybrid between humans and the once pure elves, they are the most treasured amongst all races. Known for their elegance and beauty, coupled with their grace and their superior prowess in mana and magic, it made them susceptible to the greediness of human's nature. They were hunted down, enslaved and some even forced to breed due to many of the racial boons they possess. It was only at the dawn of the New Era that a worldwide ban was established that fiercely protected them from such vile acts. Yet years of malevolence had ingrained them to be careful and secretive thus they mostly kept to themselves.

“Renesme, a Late Mortal Magick Archer from the Vastsky Academy,” she said softly before she covered herself again. Everyone was completely stunned, altogether missing the fact that another candidate from one of the top institutions was also in their group.

Still what made Lukas sigh was the fact that he was truly the weakest of the group. Even at lower stages, a marked difference existed between each level of strength. The previous incident might have marked him as incompetent but he wouldn’t dwell on it. Currently, his foundation was stable and solid, and his mana was vigorous. He had learned enough spells to ensure he stays alive to the best of his abilities and still fulfill his expected role as a priest of light. He could hope everything goes well.

“We have arrived”

Those words tore through his reverie. Though the ride felt short, he was glad he would no longer be cooped up inside again. As they alighted, the first thing they noticed was the stark difference between where they were and where they came from. They left a bustling city filled hawkers selling their wares and peddlers looking to make a quick profit only to arrive at a desolate place with not a single body in sight. The solemn atmosphere lingered in the air and it made them all wary, almost as if they were walking on a dead street.

"Is this a Graveyard?" Mira made a face as she looked around. The carriage had arrived before a pair of rusted gates, with grayed-out walls encircling a huge area. The tall gates loomed over them, its archaic decorations aged beyond repair. Engraved above there were huge letters barely spelling out ‘The Graveyard of Sorrows’ with some of its characters broken and falling off whilst the ash colored ivy entwined the decaying metal.

The representative Malten swiftly stood before them.

“Welcome to the Graveyard of Sorrows.” He flourished his hands almost as if he was their designated tour guide. “In there lay the last hurdle in your efforts to become fully certified adventurers. The only important question is, are you prepared?” His eyes twinkled brightly, a sharp contrast to the oppressive atmosphere.

As Lukas raised his eyes to stare at their looming challenge, he was forced to appreciate their thinking. Counting in their ages, and their respective strength, this location was seemingly perfect as their testing grounds. Not only would their ability to work together be measured, their mental strengths would be evaluated as well. Rumors of ghosts and haunted places were not uncommon in the Continent of Lush. As the presence of magic made nearly all phenomena possible, the existence of such beings made them a tangible threat to the living. But what he feared the most was that they might not be properly equipped to deal with such kind of danger. After all who could have imagined the entrance to the Catacombs could found in a graveyard.

Met with silence, the representative only had to flick his fingers for the ancient gates to come alive. They creaked and groaned loudly under the heavy silence, the rusted hinges screeching in protest before they finally stopped much to the relief of the unwilling crowd.

For once all of them were huddled together. Dungeons placed in graveyard were never a good sign. The increasing feeling of dread Lukas felt slowly sneaked up on him before he took a deep breath and steeled his heart. In the future he will possibly meet even more challenges and come across even more dreadful places. Any earthling worth his salt knows a fantasy world came in full package, the wonder of magic and its fair share of monsters.

As they got inside representative Malten being a dutiful guide gave a short history. "The Graveyard of Sorrows might house one of the few entrances to the Great Catacombs of the Golden City but this place…" His right hand waved at the countless amounts of tombstones and plaques placed all over the area. "…holds a piece of memories long before the Golden City was established. From unfortunate young souls sacrificed to the maddened gods by the overzealous cultists to foolhardy adventurers whose bodies weren't even discovered. It’s definitely a place of remembrance..."

The somber atmosphere persisted as they silently made their way inside. Lukas saw lavished tombstones, decorated with marbles and dried bouquets of flowers while some only had a simple plaque and a lump of earth commemorating their life. His stomach dropped. By now, in his old world he would be nothing more but a tombstone in a place similar to this. Most people would have given up by now but Lukas stubbornly held on to the faint hope that one day he might just return. A thought in the back of mind mildly asked if he really desired to return to a world that had already thought him dead but he immediately squashed it, sending it back to the deepest recess of his subconscious. He was not ready to face the answer to such a question.

His attention was immediately brought back to the slight trembling within Mira’s voice.

“Cultists?” she asked unsettled.

“Hmm!” The representative nodded. “Before the arrival of the Golden Patron, this place used to be a dwelling place of the sectarian cultists. In the olden age, people still worshipped the old gods, with churches and synagogues helmed by countless Templar’s, Crusaders and Zealots, all who aimed to ascend to a higher plane through power of rituals and sacrifice. Of course the Divine Cathedral still keep some of the old ways…” his eyes briefly flickered to Lukas, “but depending on the nature of worship, some were bound to kindness and benevolence while some demanded offerings and rites in their veneration, their dogma filled with darkness and madness as they caused havoc and spread chaos everywhere they touched."

He paused before he continued "At least that's how it has been written. You should never completely believe everything you come across. For such an age to fall under the sands of time, there are only a few scholars and men of knowledge debating whether gods even exist anymore."

Lukas thought of the godly statue in his soul altar and endlessly sighed as he wondered if he was brought into this world by such a divine being. If it was true then he could count himself lucky. So far nothing strange had happened except when both he and his sister passed out after they came across it. He had received no demands of worships or even requests of offerings. But then only time would tell if the prospect of having a piece of divinity within him would be a boon or a curse. He wouldn't admit to himself how much that thought unsettled him but he was helpless either way.

In a short while, they arrived in front of 10 feet tall stone doors standing directly in the middle of the graveyard. During the short talk of old gods and crazy cultists, they had a passed through a cobbled pathway filled with statues, tombstones and patches of dry ground. The Old adage that rich and the poor will always meet in death rang in Lukas's mind as he was busy admiring, morbidly fascinated by the weathered sculptures decorating the lonely landscape. Some were of ancient beasts and winged figures but the one that drew his attention the most was placed directly above the stone doors they were directly under.

It was a large bust of a bare-chested man; covered by flowing robes with spread feathered wings on his back. An orb floated on top of his beautifully crafted mane and he had his hands cupped to the heavens. At first Lukas assumed it was in prayer until he saw the dark tears staining its face making it seem as if the statue was crying in supplication.

It spooked the rest of the group to their bones.

Renesme spoke for the first time, ever since she had introduced herself. “Then won’t it be regarded as a sacrilege to enter such haunting grounds?” her voice flowing like a musical lyre in their ears.

“It won't be…” the representative assured them “Considering what we are doing can also be regarded as a sanctimonious service. Yet as to whether the catacombs once held a shrine to the olden gods or not it shouldn’t matter. Your missive is aimed at keeping all of the vermin under control.”

He opened a piece of map in his hands before he showed them. “The Catacombs of the City are mostly a network of underground halls, rooms and secret chambers that span quite a distance. And it doesn't help that they are remotely connected to the city's sewers. So all you need to do is to just follow the marked path on the map and clean up the pests that dwell on your way.”

After he made sure they understood, he handed the map to Geoffrey then turned to face them with an ominous air. “Now a warning before you venture underground. Remember this is a routine, which means all of the old traps and curses have long since been resolved along with any valuable treasures. You won’t find anything of value within its walls. There have been too many adventurers who lost their lives to greed…” His hand gestured at something behind them while eyes most certainly settled on Rexsi this time, causing him to snort in response. “Many of the paths underneath are yet to be mapped, meaning taking them on you all risk losing yourselves to the dreadful maze below. Once noticed, you will all be immediately disqualified… if we ever find you still alive in the first place.” He smirked.

Rexsi sneered while Mira was lightly distressed. With her status as a noble, being sent to such a place seemed almost to be an affront to her prestige yet she had the presence of mind to stay silent. If she couldn't even handle a single dungeon then she didn't deserve to bear the name of Fyre as her family's name.

Finished with his explanation Malten waved his hand in certain configuration and the once dead stone doors lit up, almost awakening from their slumber. A few runes seemed to flicker and before they got even a chance to ask further questions the doors opened in a shower of dust and rubble.

“Once you step inside, you will only have a total of count of day before the enchantment on the entrance disappears. Do be careful and be mindful of time. Remember no matter whether you have finished clearing your respective path or not, make sure you return here before the appointed time lest you get sealed in these catacombs forever."

At the mention of their probable demise all of their expressions changed. Representative Malten chuckled before he sauntered away leaving them to their own devices. They all spent a moment staring at each other before they turned to the dungeon.

Looking around, Lukas nervously made a quick recollection of his surroundings whilst trying to calm his excited nerves. Whatever happens, he had prepared to the best of his abilities. All he had to do was to make he survived the next hours. Bracing his Starlight Staff, together with others they silently made way to the gloomy entrance that seemingly welcomed them in full arms before closing its stony maws behind them.