Inario Dungeon (2)
One unusual thing I noticed during our night watch: several four-legged animals that looked like large dogs coming and going from the dungeon.
I wondered if the dungeon had turned into a wolves' den.
"It's nothing remarkable. Wild animals frequenting the entrance of an unmanaged dungeon is quite common."
Inadia dismissed the report from me and Panash like it was no big deal.
Carnivores entering a dungeon meant there were other monsters to hunt inside, or plenty of food—or maybe it had become their den. Since those animals could follow us in after we entered, we'd need to watch our backs even once we were inside.
After finishing our preparations, we passed under the massive tree roots at the dungeon entrance and immediately found human bones.
A rusted dagger and armor nearby suggested it had been an adventurer.
"Looks like some adventurer who got lost and wandered in."
Inadia tried to brush it off casually, but Ashu, the saintess, wouldn't let it go.
"I'll pray for the departed soul before we move on."
Ashu knelt before the bones.
"Here, the light of Kalderan shines…"
"May this light reach those you longed for, and those who longed for you."
⟨ Prayer for the Departed ⟩
A sudden bright light blinded me. Within it, a figure that looked like a woman appeared, glanced at me and Ashu for a moment, then rode the light like a wave out of the dungeon to somewhere beyond.
Whoa, am I the only one seeing this??
Everyone else showed no reaction to the spectacle. Only Ashu, finishing her prayer, noticed my surprise and gave a gentle smile.
She must see things like this all the time as a saintess. If she'd been witnessing stuff like that since she was a kid, no wonder it must've been hard for others to treat her as normal.
But why could I see it? Because I'd gotten so close to Ashu?
After the prayer, we descended the sloping entrance path into the dungeon's first layer—or first zone, maybe. My first impression was of an unmanaged basketball or tennis court piled with sand and dirt.
The ceiling was like a natural cave, but the ground was relatively flat, forming a wide, straight space. Faint light like moonlight filtered from above, illuminating the interior.
As we ventured a bit into the broad corridor-like area, small animals—rabbits, horned deer, giant rats—scattered or hid.
This first layer was basically an extension of the forest. An abandoned zoo would fit, too.
We walked through such spaces for about five hours.
"Everyone, halt."
Inadia at the front raised his shield and drew his sword.
Ahead of him was one of those four-legged beasts we'd spotted during night watch.
Not just one. Pairs of red eyes began flickering to life in the darkness like will-o'-the-wisps.
Easily over ten of them.
My first impression of the beasts?
These were real monsters.
Their bodies were black as if swallowed by shadow, shaped like dogs or wolves, but their heads were elongated like crocodiles', crammed with fangs—or spines?—impossible to distinguish. And those two pairs of red eyes.
No way this was natural evolution. That's why they were just straight-up monsters.
We all drew our weapons and faced off against the dog-like monsters. Even I, at the rear, nocked an arrow to my bow, while Ashu gripped her mace.
"Princess Ashushikara, fall back."
Inadia stepped in front of Ashu, raising his stingray-shaped shield. The monsters took that as the signal to charge.
Inadia blocked a leaping monster's open jaws with his shield. An invisible shockwave blasted forward, sending the beast twisting away like it'd taken a counter uppercut before its teeth could even graze him. He then swung at a monster flanking from the side.
"In the name of Inadia, [Cut down!]"
Cut Down!
Swinging his sword while tacking on that pointless incantation. His tongue must be quick and flexible. Lots of practice, huh.
Panash thrust his halberd at the monster straight ahead. It dodged lightly to the side, but he'd anticipated that—he swept the halberd wide, axe blade severing all four legs mid-air.
Aiming for the next, he used the halberd like a pole vault to leap... then drew a long, thin sword in mid-air and drove it precisely into the monster's crown, pinning it to the ground.
Not very elven with the halberd, but that last move? Pure elf.
Hodo's attacks were crude but reliable.
He shot incoming foes with his crossbow, then closed in to cleave them with his axe if they staggered or fell. While swinging the axe, he'd reload by pulling the string, firing immediately at the next target. The string stretched insanely far shot after shot, yet never snapped—impressive.
If one got too close, he'd swing that heavy axe like a flyswatter, whipping up winds that made the monsters flinch and leap back. Then reload and fire again.
Hairil planted their staff...
"Fire! Become the blaze that scorches the plains!!"
⟨ Flame Burst ⟩
And at tremendous speed... a match flame flew at the monster and lit its tail on fire.
"Gahhh! Again!! Fire! Become the flames that devour the forest!!"
"Fire! Become the flames that devour the forest!!"
⟨ Flame Burst ⟩
This time, it was a slightly larger candle flame, if I was being generous.
This was bad. The tail aflame, the monster glared with all four eyes furrowed in rage and charged at Hairil.
"Gahhh!! F-F-Fire—!"
In the end, I fired from the rear. Boosting with my ability, I loosed three arrows in an instant, landing two hits.
Kyaaang!!
The monster tumbled mid-air from the arrows, and Ashu beside it smashed its lower back with a prayer-infused mace swing.
"Th-Thank you-da."
After taking down nearly ten, their numbers dwindled below ours. The monsters halted their assault and fled deeper into the dungeon.
A natural response, but something felt off. The timing was too late for a panic retreat, and they didn't seem frightened. A tactical withdrawal?
Anyway, victory in battle. We caught our breath, checked for minor wounds, and got healed by Ashu.
They didn't fight organized, but everyone held their own. Except Hairil. Their ancient tongue pronunciation was more precise than Lirisa's, yet the flames couldn't even light a campfire.
Inadia approached Hairil, who was slouched under their floppy hat, and said,
"I thought it odd that a mage came from Kataril, famed for valiant warriors. Lady Hairil, it seems best if you stick with the porter."
Polite words, but bluntly: you're useless, fall back—captain's orders.
Not wrong, but too harsh. No interest in probing Hairil's potential or repurposing them for support.
Inadia was confident the raid wouldn't suffer from one less fighter.
"Y-Yeah... Got it-da."
Hairil understood their place and trudged over to stand by me.
Odd. Hairil's pronunciation was fine, and the intent in their incantation clear. What was the issue?
After a brief post-battle rest, we pressed deeper.
"In our country, mages are rare-da. So I got high hopes. Wanted more experience-da. I'm too inexperienced. Sorry-da."
Hairil had become my walking companion. Treating me as an elder, they let me chat casually like with a kid sibling.
But their constant sniffling killed the vibe. Time to lighten the mood.
"Your ancient tongue was the most accurate in pronunciation and meaning of anyone I know."
"Really!? Kirgil knows ancient tongue too?"
"Fire, become the light that illuminates the corridor. Ring any bells?"
"Whoa! Incantation's spot-on-da! You know it better than me-da!"
"Exactly. So I'm wondering why your magic turned out like that. Fire's the simplest to visualize and cast, right?"
"Well... Truth is, big fires scare me-da. Just thinking of wildfires terrifies me-da."
"What about ice or icicles?"
"Th-That... Never seen 'em, so dunno-da."
No clear image, so even chanting ancient words, they couldn't infuse proper will. Lesson learned.
"Then chin up. Use this adventure to gain experiences, build clear mental pictures. I'll translate them into ancient tongue for you."
"For real-da?"
Hairil looked up with sparkling eyes so cutely that I absentmindedly patted their head.
"Ack!"
My sudden petting knocked off Hairil's hat.
And...
Twitch! Twitch!
Cute gray furry animal ears popped out!!
I'd vaguely thought they resembled a puppy somehow, but Hairil was a beastkin!? A beastkin!?
"Kirgil, what's wrong-da?"
Hairil picked up the hat and put it back on.
I was shocked they were beastkin, but no one else—including Hairil—reacted.
Wait, were all Kataril folk beastkin!?
No way!! I'd been clueless!!
Feels like I missed out big time!!
Suddenly, Hairil's long robe bugged me.
Was there a cute tail hiding underneath?
One wagging playfully?
"Um, Kirgil's stare is scary, like gonna hunt me-da. Did I... mess up-da...? Dunno what, but..."
"...Huh? No, no. Sorry. Got lost in thought for a sec."
Looking at Hairil, I suddenly craved petting a dog or cat after so long.
Ughhh, they're gazing up like that Puss in Boots cat from the cartoons. Still eyeing me warily even after I said it's fine.
Makes me wanna pet 'em more.
"Th-That much... is fine-da."
Whoops, must've slipped out.
Hairil whipped off the hat and...
Flattened their ears!!
That's a strong signal. Too tempting!!
A few minutes later, regaining my senses...
Hairil was purring contentedly under my hand.
Were they dog or cat kin?
And today...
I finally resolved one long-standing curiosity from my old world.
Beastkin don't have...
Separate human ears under their animal ones!!