It's too quiet.

Not that I don't like some peace this quiet is a different kind from a peaceful quiet. The silent is leaning more to be uncomfortable than peaceful.

The only sound that persist in this solemn veil are our footsteps echoing against the walls in this vast and long corridor. The uncomfortable silence was brought on by a single peculiar person in our group.

"Shouldn't you be happier that it deescalate instead of escalate?" I asked master who has a disappointed aura looming around him like dark clouds. "It won't be good if something like Aedrox appears again, you know?"

"I know. I just..... thought it would be a lot more exciting since we put so much hard work into it."

"Hear...."

What master is referring to is the gate that prevented us from leaving. Master was prepared to destroy the gate with Indara should all of his ideas failed to open it but as soon as we gotten near to the gate, it gave a last glow of faint red light before crumbling away.

A truly disappointing pay off for a huge build up, per the words of Kai.

The biding energy within Indara that master prepared beforehand for the destruction of the gate was rendered inept by the scene before us. The wasted energy was unleashed towards a random unfortunate building.

The display was nothing but a fateful imitation of a child's tantrum. Everyone seemed like they wanted to chide master for being juvenile with his decisions but the reality is what it is. Master is still juvenile despite how many times we forgot.

Nevertheless, master has been walking with a gloomy expression.

A moment of silence took over again. To make it even more awkward, the path we have been walking on is a long straight path that extends as far as the eyes could cover. There are cyan vines growing here along the stone brick path and with the presence of Kirin, they shine even brighter. So we didn't need to worry about light source.

But I wonder why there wasn't any cyan vines back at where we stayed. Spirits of Nature do exists there but nothing something like a cyan vine was seen there. How curious.

Still, we begin to worry about some other trifle thing, the current quiet and awkward mood.

Lady Senna heaved a sigh and takes the initiative to break the stalemate.

"He's right, dear. We should be happy that it was easier instead getting more complicated."

"Hmm." Master promptly and vaguely responded. Then he stopped as if he recalled something enlightening. "Right, before I forget...." He said and took out a crate from [Vault].

Everyone stopped in their tracks in accordance except for Nilin who went on in her wisp form without noticing everyone has stopped. Nilin is tasked with leading to the exit since no one knows the way and has any idea on how long the path would be, and she decided she would lead in her most energy-conserving form, which is her wisp-form.

She was drifting further way from us until I called out to her. Noticing the distance she has created, she dashes right back in a jiffy.

"Mou~! You could have told me you were all stopping."

"I called you, didn't I?" I retorted.

Even though she's just a wisp now, I can tell that she's pouting.

"Here."

Each of us are handed a vial of potion with only Indara being exempted. A blood red liquid filled the vial.

"What's this?" Engrande asked as he gave a closer inspection. "I can feel enormous power from it. A potion to improve our capabilities in a burst?"

"A healing potion but extremely potent. It can regenerate missing body parts too and bring you back from the brink of death, maybe."

"Nn. Powerful." Kirin nodded.

"It is indeed." Lady Senna agreed with Kirin as she took a whiff at the potion. "Hmm? Smells familiar."

"It should be. It's made from my blood."

"Ah, how nice." Lady Senna said and snuggles her cheek on the vial.

We all give an appalling glance at her but only master seemed indifferent to her actions.

[Wrong....] Even the stoic-looking Djin has a negative impression.

Nilin is also handed a vial but it disappear as if she sucked it into her body the moment she was given it.

I thought Nilin would need help in storing it but it appears that she is still able to use the storage ring that master gave to each of us even while she's in her current form. Strange.

The other member who didn't receive a potion of their own is Citra. It wasn't that master didn't make one for her but since she doesn't have any way to keep it on her own, Bartholomew is keeping it for her.

"Don't get messed up with it, okay? Your names are written on it." Master told him.

"Why?" Bartholomew asked back. Cormac is still looking at the contents with curious glances and while shaking it non stop until Barthlomew smacked him right at the back of his head.

"Unfortunately, I can only make it to work specifically to each individuals. Fortunately, it can't be abused by just anyone in that way. So everyone on the same page here?"

And everyone nodded.

Weird, I didn't know what master meant with his last sentence but I somehow I understand master's intent behind those words. Is it the same for everyone else?

"I thought we were going with the syringe idea?" asked Lady Senna.

"For other potions, yes but this is different. I tested it a lot of times, direct oral ingestion is the best way for it to take effect. Tom had a heart attack when I injected it into him directly so..... oral ingestion it is."

Wait, I had a heart attack? How did I not know about this?

[People often forget about their traumas.] Master replied.

Say what?

[Don't worry about it. It's all in the past.....] and master proceeds to whistle.

What do you mean by don't worry about it? I had a heart attack and I didn't know about it.

"Anyways, let's get moving and.... what?"

I wanted to press master further about the heart attack but our attention was attracted to Kirin who was grasping tightly onto master's shirt hem.

"What's wrong, little one?" Engrande asked.

"Eerie." She said as she pointed at the crack in space. The crack in space is actually master's ability [Vault].

At first, I thought she mistook it as something else but slowly, I was also able to feel something ominous coming from the crack.

"I feel it too." Lady Senna said.

"I am of the same. I felt it too." Djin finally spoke ever since we departed. I don't think I have a heard him spoke since we woke up not counting our telepathy, of course.

It wasn't just eerie or ominous. It felt evil. It felt like destruction in its sheerest form.

Nonchalantly, master took out a sack made of cloth wrapping up together. Everyone flinched away from the sack immediately. Citra dove into Bartholomew's armor. Even Djin took some steps away while I was froze by the aura the sack produced.

"I guess this is the culprit?" Master said.

"What in the world is that?" Engrande asked as he slowly approaches the sack.

Master laid it on the ground and unveiled the sack. What is there before our eyes are clumps of absolute black metal of some kind. Even smoke are rising but I don't think it is because it was hot.

"Byproducts of the forging of Indara. Probably from the negative emotions that I had during the forging."

Indara who was in his original form being strapped to Djin's back turn into his human form and came trotting here. He pats master who looks slightly dejected.

"It's okay."

Master can only smile wryly back at Indara.

His other hand reaches out for the black clumps but it was stopped by master.

"Don't. I have no idea what they are, yet but as you all can already tell, it is not something good. I can't destroy it and I can't leave it laying around either. Which is why I'm taking it along with me."

"What do you plan on doing with it?" The giant asked.

"I'm sure I can figure something out." Master said as he wrapped it back up and tossed it back into his [Vault]. "In the long run."

Are you sure you should be tossing it just like that?

A stale and silent mood drown us as the crack in the space disappears. Despite the absence of the sinister presence, the traces of it still lingers.

"Come on, we should keep moving."

"Huh? Oh! Right." Nilin snapped out of her daze when she was flicked by master.

Once again, an awkward silent ensued as we travel down the ridiculously long and straight path. Do we still need Nilin leading the way if it's just a straight path down the road?

Nevertheless, we continued on but at least the awkward silent is slowly disappearing. We're making small talks now and Indara is walking in his human form as oppose to being strapped onto Djin's back. When asked, he responded that he dislike being carried like a luggage.

We let him walked on his own for awhile until we realize he is just too slow since he has small feet. This is the reason he was carried like luggage in the first place.

I never noticed but he's shorter than Kirin by half a head although he looks more mature then Kirin.

"Carry me, papa." Indara asked with his hands sprawled. Kirin who heard that jerked head towards Indara.

"Sure sure." Without any complaints, master carried Indara into his arms, not as a weapon but as a child. Master smiled at the surprised Indara. It seems Indara didn't expect his request to be granted so easily and he giggled in response. To make the atmosphere even sweeter, master rubs his head.

Hmm.... Indara sure does look like master now that I'm looking at them side by side. I guess his case and mine were the same. We were crafted in the image of master after all.

"Mwu~" Kirin got grumpy and sulked.

Surprisingly, the one who offered to carry Kirin is Lady Senna but master interceded. Of course, Kirin got even more unhappier but she relented when master remind her that Lady Senna is pregnant.

Now, Kirin looked guilt ridden.

"Djin?" Master looks toward the walking armor and he instantly understood master's notion. I still find it strange that Djin, me, and Indara are able to understand master's simple gesture without too much indication.

If this is the result of us having some sort of link with master, this is just too amazing.

Without any effort, Djin put Kirin on his shoulders. She even yelped as she was suddenly lifted up. "Forgive me if it's uncomfortable, your Highness."

Flustered, Kirin shakes her head rapidly. "Nn, good." She said in a voice lower than usual. At least she's happy now.

Cormac and Bartholomew stared.

I get it that it must be nice to have someone carry you but you two are not a small goblin anymore and aren't even kids in the first place, so Cormac, Bartholomew, please act your age and stop looking at Kirin with those envious eyes.

"Do we have any Onyx left?" asked Engrande.

"We do but it's only enough for a single sword." Master replied.

Although master didn't look at Engrande in the eyes when replying, no one seems to mind it. We have all gotten use to master's strange etiquette.

"Perfect. Just the amount I need to craft the weapon I have on my mind as soon as we got out of here."

"What kind of weapon?"

"Secret. For now." Engrande replied with a small laugh.

The word "secret" seems to hook on master's curiosity as he offered a quick glance at Engrande.

"Nil, how much further?" Master suddenly asked.

"Yeah Nil, how much further?"

Cormac sounded impatient. Seems like he has been itching to ask the same thing but was afraid of being boorish.

"Um.... we're halfway there?"

"Your tone carries uncertainty, Nilin."

Huh. Nilin is the only one got addressed by Djin normally without any fancy titles.

"I-it's just that it has been a long time, o-okay? B-but don't worry. I'm sure we are on the right path."

Um.... it's just a straight path all along. There's no way we can get lost, right?

Noticing Lady Senna's intermittent fidgeting for a while now, I come upon her with a question like a itch I just had to scratch.

"What's wrong, milady?"

I call her milady sometimes, advised by Kai and affirmed by master. Somehow, I'm doubtful but it's rude to distrust my benefactor and savior.

"It's nothing. It's just that the chain mail is kinda uncomfortable." she said, fidgeting a few more times.

"Sorry but it could save your life." Master retorted.

"Yeah, I know. Still, it's very uncomfortable."

By the way, only Bartholomew and Cormac are wearing armor, heavy and light, respectively. Djin didn't have to, of course. Master, Engrande, and I can't or rather, it wouldn't be optimal considering we have shifting forms. Lady Senna, Kirin, and Nilin are all wearing chain mails under their robes and dresses.

Apparently wearing armor especially metal types, will hinder magic efficiency unless one is a magic sponge like master, incredibly sensitive to Mana. Coming from that logic, a mage wouldn't really fare well in close combat since they don't have armor or lacking the finesse for evasive maneuvers. Also, most mages need to chant for each spell cast. Which is why a Mage Fighter is rare and a Battle Mage is incredibly impractical....

.... normally speaking.

Hmm.... if that's the case, master could be a Mage Fighter if he trains a bit more. No, he surely is able to be a Mage Fighter if we had more time.

While I'm thinking of the what if's like always, we have begun making long talks while walking this long arduous path. Before I realized, we came to an opening.

"Woah....." Cormac let out an amazed breath while Bartholomew and Citra feast their eyes.

Huge.

The opening we have entered into is huge. Remnants of battles could be seen in this area. There are corpses long decayed and some rusted battle equipment scattering over the place. There must be at least a hundred meter distance between the center and the walls.

Speaking of the walls..... what are those things on the wall?

Are those murals? Engravings?

No....

"What are those?" I asked as I pointed at those warrior-looking statues embedded into the walls.

"Can't you tell?" was the halfhearted answer I got from master.

I sigh and resort to using [Arcane Analysis] on the statues. The distance between is quite far so I need to strain my eyes and energy further to appraise it.

Huh?

"Sentinels?"

Master nodded.

"They are not going to come to live and stop us, will they?" I asked.

"I think whoever sets these all up seriously doesn't want us to leave."

"Didn't we already past the trial or test back there?"

"Who knows? Maybe whoever built and design this place have some disagreement with each other? Or maybe this part and that part were added and different times? We wouldn't know but what we do know is that, leaving here ain't going to be easy, that's for sure."

Maybe it's just my imagination but I kinda saw a glint on master's eyes. Don't tell me he's looking forward to it?

Nah, it can't be. Master likes peace.

"Hmph. Looks we have another obstacle in front of us." Engrande added.

"Advising to take battle formation." Djin is already reaching out to Indara for a weapon but Djin's open arms were refuted by Indara.

Although I don't sense any threat yet but seeing as how Sentinels act as a guardian or a warden, I don't doubt they would come alive any moment now to stop us from leaving.

"Nilin?"

Nilin shifts back to her human form with her back to master. "Yes?" she responded.

"Did you know about this room?"

"Y---yes-ss?"

"Care to tell us why you didn't mention to us about this room?"

Nilin gives out a nervous laughter before answering "I forgot?"

"And what is the true purpose of this room?"

"Ah.... I might have not been listening when they were telling me?"

Master sighed. "Tom."

No additional context needed and I understood what master wanted me to do.

I approach the trembling Nilin who is giving me a nervous smile. I smile back to her and her strained face loosened.... but it clamps back up when I drill my knuckles into her temple.

"Wait wait wait! That hurts... that hurts... that hurts!!!" She screamed with tears coming out of her face. Her dignity as a Spirit of Nature dropped past zero point with her tear and saliva stained face.

After I'm done with handing out her punishment, I look away from her face. Her messed-up face is kinda invoking a certain side within me.

[New fetish awakening]

Kai retort.

[No no no no! Nothing is awakening. Go back to your work. Shouldn't you be giving it your full concentration to withholding the soul unison? What if you make a mistake? Wouldn't something terrible happened to master then?]

[Sheesh. Just trying to have some fun.]

It has been quite rare for Kai to be talking with us these past few days. It's because he has been working hard to keep the monster within master restrained and suppressed. The unison of the souls within master is getting faster. No one knew what would happened should the unison complete but Kai guess that the master we know of right now, would no longer exist should it happen. So until master remember everything, we are keeping the soul unison from being completed.

"Kyu~!!" Citra cried out suddenly and we stopped in our tracks.

While we haven't the faintest idea to the cause of her cries, master moved fast as if understanding her language. I noticed the text [Foresight] appearing above Citra's head. Did she foresaw something? Master must have known it too since he has [Clairvoyant].

Using [Pyschokinesis], master lifts a large boulder and throws it at the entrance where we came through. The next second, a door comes sliding down on the boulder master threw, sealing the path where we came from. The boulder couldn't even hold the door for one second.

"Tch. Should have threw it after I enchanted it with some Mana."

"Ouch....." Indara cried.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, papa." Despie being thrown aside in urgency, Indara smiled back at the apologizing master.

Following the the closed path, Mana surged in the statues and ignited the magic within.

The statues, as I predicted, came to live.

"Seriously advising a battle formation, Lord Creator."

Master look over his shoulder at Djin and gives him a nod.

"Kyu!!"

Citra's shriek put us all on alert, even more.

What follows after her premonition cry is something that spells trouble all over. Sentinels embedded in the walls are coming out. They indeed came to live.

There weren't any struggle to break free of their encase. It was like they just phased out from the walls.

Sentinels are swarming from all the walls surrounding us. The numbers become something that I think even Kai would have trouble counting.

[There are eighty-five of them. Twelve of them are superior variants.]

Oh. Looks like Kai could count them after all but.... aren't you really busy right now?

[Counting things such as this is something I could even do with my hands tied while asleep.]

Nope. To the wise advice of master, I won't retort the flaws in logic stated by a super intelligent magic existence.

When I shrugged myself back to the current situation, flashes of images assaulted my mind for a few seconds. I almost lost my footing but the harsh training under Engrande taught me to act on my subconscious and instincts. I was able to stop myself from falling.

The images were of some red crystallized Spriggans. There was a man and a woman. They were being mauled and brutalized by these red crystal Spriggans. At the same time, I could feel the fear and despair being transmitted into me.

Wha.....

"Master?" I look to the source of the images, master. These are obviously master's memories. Master himself looked a bit nervous.

Looks like our current situation brought back some bad memories.

"Dear, it will be fine." Lady Senna assured master. Even though she couldn't read his mind, she could feel master's unease. "You aren't who you were. That's in the past."

"That remains to be seen."

Instead of the usual "I know", master retorted with a more ominous answer. It even made Lady Senna looked a little bit unease now.

Djin put Kirin down and took his battle stance. Out of all of us, Djin probably has the most intimidating presence from appearance alone.

"Wah~! They are coming." Cormac screamed as the Sentinels keep pouring from the walls. Some of them stayed at their position. They are archers. Their arrows nocked and bow drawn.

A text appeared beside the drawn bows. Before I could read it, another shriek from Citra caught my attention. Along with the shrieking Citra, master grimaced.

"Citra! Barrier, now!" Master shouted his command.

Citra nodded adorably and leaped from Bartholomew to Kirin who is in the center of all of us. Mana begin gathering and swelling with Citra as the epicenter. Moments later, a barrier, [Maven's Veil] is erected and covers us all.

"Uwah~!" Another incoherent scream came from Cormac as he witnessed the arrows being deflected away only inches before him.

The arrows are doused with magic of some kind. Normal arrows probably wouldn't have deal much damage to a peculiar group like us.

Citra's magic level isn't until the level of being able to defend against more than a dozen of attacks but by using Kirin as a battery, the barrier was able to hold against this much.

When their arrows failed, the variant Sentinels gave command to charge.

In response, I invoke the shadow flames. Engrande used his racial ability, [Shura]. Cormac summoned his black bow, Seeker through [Black Concert].

We all braced for the clash but that was an unnecessary action. Black and white balls of energy manifest around us. Each of the energy balls split into five beams that hit most of the Sentinels.

What the what just happened....

"Oh damn, woman..... You sure are scary." Engrande muttered with a cramped smile.

Cormac is clapping until Bartholomew stopped him.

Yes, it was Lady Senna. I wasn't paying attention to her so I didn't see the spell name but it was strong enough cut down the Sentinel numbers to less than a quarter of the original.

"You just make my worries look silly." Master said with a faraway look.

"Don't worry, that's not all of them. They're coming again."

Lady Senna is right. Another wave emerged and this time, they even came from the ground but luckily, none of them came from near the ground we stood.

Lady Senna's barrages of black and white are relentless but so are the Sentinels. They are equally endless.

If Lady Senna was alone in an open battlefield, it would be an understatement to say that it will be a cinch for her to wipe out every last one of the Sentinels in a blink of an eye.

But reality isn't so convenient. Any flashier attacks would bring the place down on us and not to mention she will have collateral to deal with.

Soon, the first line of our defenses, Lady Senna's barrages were broken through.

And much sooner, our second line of defense, master and Djin's magic and Cormac's [Dark Cluster] shots failed to hold them back.

Now, it has become a close quarter combat.

"Indara!"

Without a sound of defiance or complaint, Indara shifts into his true form and flies into master's hand. With Indara in his grip, he exits the barrier and lay waste to the Sentinels. Seconds after, Bartholomew follows after equipping himself with a shield and a mace.

It was miraculous and convenient that Citra's [Maven's Veil] protection does not work both ways. Which means, those who are on the inside can attack the ones outside the barrier. Truly convenient.

Engrande, Cormac, Djin, and I have considerable range even in close combat, so we stood inside the veil. Engrande is sending shockwaves with his ethereal limbs, Cormac switched to a whipblade simmered in his [Black Consert], Djin is unleashing red lightning bolts and strikes, and I'm using [Rage Spear] along with [Havoc Wreckor].

Lady Senna is handling the archer and mage Sentinels. Kirin provides all of us Mana to operate while Citra keeps the barrier up.

As for Nilin......

well.....

....she's cowering under Lady Senna who is hovering in the air with her black and white wings.

Is she not to use to battles but she kinda held her own back in the cave where we found Engrande.....

[Tom.]

[Yes, master?]

[Do what I told you about.]

[Ah.... that.... but....]

[It's not like you'll be lying, right?]

[Ah.... no. No, I won't be lying.]

I took a deep breath and faced the shivering Nilin but not before I burned a few Sentinels into cinders.

"Nilin."

She looks up at me, uncurling herself.

"After we get out of here, I'll take responsibility for what happened to you. You broken your oath, right? Then I will sure take responsibility for it. I want us to be together, forever."

Nilin stares blankly at me for a second.... before becoming bloated like a tomato.

"But I need your help to make that happen, can you?"

Strength seems to have found its way into Nilin as her eyes begin filling with determination while she is also getting redder and redder.

She stands up and spreads her hands.

[Rampant Growth]. The text appears beside her.

Cyan vines begin erupting from the ground and grew wildly. They form into a pseudo-fence surrounding us, controlling the flow of the Sentinels' assault.

"I-idiot. That's not something you should be saying at this kind of time."

Her small voice could only be picked up by anyone with keen hearing. So ya, I heard her but I was too busy to retort.

"Kyu~? Kyu! Kyu! Kyu!"

Citra starts making another series of sounds. She appears to have seen something with her [Foresight].

"Everyone, get ready. The leader Sentinels are making their move." Master glanced over to the variant who have been standing in the back line all this time. I can see the Mana flow around them is starting to shift. They are acting.

I can tell from my hunch that they won't be as easy as their canon fodder underlings.

Master who has been fighting with Indara in his hands, threw the living sword to Djin who caught it without even sparing a glance.

[Eh! Gentler, please.]

[[Noted.]]

[Mwu....]

There could be only one reason for master to give away Indara in such situation.

Master's skin is dyed as black as a cave without light.

Luminous traces of dark purplish lines covered his body.

His height and size grew.

His whole appearance changed as he took the true form of his race, --

-- Violet Tail.

"This has become all the more interesting" Engrande strengthened his phantom magic limbs. They are now gilded with a layer of whitish gold.

"Now, let's do this." Master said, his voice has become hoarse due to his transformation.

"All in a hard day's work."

Lady Senna beat me by a second faster to master's favorite line.