107. The Queen Appears
Countless ancient ruins scattered across the continent are simply lumped together as "ancient ruins." Their builders and inhabitants are vaguely called "ancients." It's no different from grouping humans, dwarves, elves, and even orcs or goblins under the blanket term "people." Not entirely wrong, but hardly precise.
Ancient ruins vary wildly by era and region. The gap between the modern age and the Bellefok Era is smaller than that between the Bellefok Era and the Oboe Era. Ruins from the Oboe Era were already considered ancient even in the Bellefok Era.
This chapter focuses on one of the oldest civilizations: the Oboe Civilization. Centered in the northeast of the continent, around what is now known as the "Mountains," it flourished in a climate far different from today's. The warm, fertile central plains were then teeming with dangerous beasts, while the rugged mountains served as the cradle of that civilization.
Wyverns already inhabited those mountains back then. Unlike now, they were covered in fur and could speak human tongues, according to records. The Oboe people themselves were hairier and bulkier than modern humans, fostering a close bond with the wyverns, no doubt.
Bellefok explorers documented Oboe ruins. "A wyvern married a human." "A human married a wyvern." "In ancient times, it was commonplace, as humans and beasts were one."
Scholars don't take old records at face value. Humans and wyverns couldn't intermarry, not even thousands of years ago—irreconcilable species barriers. Still, it speaks to their intimate coexistence, likely tied to faith. The Oboe offered food to wyverns; wyverns protected them from fiercer beasts...
"We got chased by wyverns. Those bastards are insane."
That's what the adventurer named Jacob said.
"Lucky we found this place."
They'd been pursued by wyverns. Their original group of ten dwindled to five under the ferocious beasts' assault. In their flight, they stumbled into this underground ruin.
"Head straight down this passage to a big chamber—that's the central hub. Passages branch out from there. No idea what it's for."
No idea? With "wyvern altar" vibes, it screams suspicious.
I asked Pellelian. Know anything?
- The Oboe lived here and worshipped wyverns like gods. If they built this, what's the purpose? An altar suggests religion.
"Quest complete?" Jericho cautiously asked Jacob.
"Pretty much. We got it."
Jericho had said adventurers came for relics in ancient ruins. I hadn't fully bought it.
"Then why stick around? Passages lead out—you could've escaped!"
Jericho's voice seethed with anger. Fair enough; we'd nearly died dragging ourselves here.
Jacob snapped back. "Fuck, I wanted to leave too!"
"Then why?!"
"See for yourself. Damn it, we needed a mage! Someone who reads ancient script and casts invisibility."
Invisibility, fine. But we had a snake who reads ancient tongues and a mage right here.
I didn't reveal my ancient language skills. These guys felt off.
Instead, I scanned the murals on the passage walls. Hard to decipher, but one showed bound captives led somewhere. To an altar, sacrificed and devoured by wyverns. Humans offering prisoners praised the wyverns, hands raised high.
Suspicious as hell!
I wasn't the only one who noticed. "These murals aren't normal," Judgment muttered.
"Creepy, but what can we do..."
True—they hadn't wandered in for fun. Survival forced their hand.
Soon, we learned why they couldn't leave. After over an hour, the passage ended in a round chamber. Complex patterns etched the floor; several people sat within.
"Oh, you're here!"
The oddity: a cage like a birdcage in the center. Bars so dense only a hand could squeeze through. A man trapped inside.
"Hurry, get me out!"
Jericho grimaced. "That guy's..."
"Our leader."
"What? He's Umberto?!"
The adventurers gawked. Someone needed to explain. I nudged Judgment. He caught on quick.
"Umberto Yuman is an S-rank adventurer."
S-rank!
Only five in the kingdom. High rank doesn't guarantee strength, though.
"Umberto's different. He beat multiple knights solo with just a rapier."
Knights? Impressive, but I'd slain a paladin captain. Still...
"He's an Aura Blade user too."
Senior swordmaster. Umberto's prowess clicked.
But for such a legend, he looked rough. Why caged?
"Fuck, hilarious seeing me like this, right? Messed with the ruin wrong. So get over here and free me!"
Lesson: don't mess with ancient ruins. I'd smashed Pellelian's dungeons enough to respect traps.
"Ugh, the stench." Judgment pinched his nose.
The foul odor wafted from the S-rank senior. Days in that cage, no toilet—piles of filth in the corner.
Umberto's face flushed crimson. "Before I hurl shit at you, free me! Where's the mage?!"
Shit incoming? Ray him.
Someone had to break the bad news. "Uh... leader."
Jacob explained: the Adventurers' Guild sent no mage. Just net-gun wielders.
"Fucking how?!"
"They never listen."
"I—Umberto, one of five S-ranks—demanded it!"
Self-praise fell flat.
"Why send these scrubs?!"
"Scrubs? Harsh."
"Fuck!"
Umberto actually threw something. I dodged far back.
Splat! Brown muck hit where Judgment stood moments ago.
No need to ID it. Rage surged. Even Key Snake's leaves quivered.
Kill him, Master?
Umberto topped my hit list. Too filthy to bite, though.
Jacob sweated, calming him. "Leader, chill... for now."
They'd triggered something here. Umberto got trapped in the central cage—unbreakable bars, no key. His Aura Blade barely scratched it; rapier unfit for chopping. His mana drained fast.
Anyone else would've quit. But S-rank leader? They persisted.
"Fuck, how long this bullshit..." Jacob muttered, exhausted.
Leader or not, they'd flee this hellhole if possible. Quest done, relic secured.
"Leader, I swear." Jacob stepped forward, fearless of muck.
"Hand it over."
"What?!"
Umberto reached for more filth. Jacob pressed. "Can't leave without it. Guild doesn't know you're trapped—why no mage. We'll threaten: no relic unless they rescue you."
"You traitorous dog!"
Truth: they'd nabbed the relic; Umberto held it. Couldn't abandon him, nor would he yield easily—his life on the line.
But what's he got? Sword and belt pouch—gems at best.
Jacob pleaded; Umberto raged. I inspected the chamber.
- Shady ruin. Why the cage? For imprisoning something.
Pellelian's point. My instincts screamed danger.
Cage center—spectacle for viewers.
- Insightful. My world had zoos: caged beasts, crowds around.
This mimicked one. Monster zoo? Plausible, even sans Deshunan's madness.
- Check that wall.
I slithered over. Mysterious patterns—natural ripples, not carved.
- Not man-made. Residual traces... Ah!
Something dynamic happened—chamber moved up/down, etching waves.
"Fuck it, gang up!" Umberto bellowed behind.
No deal. "Grab him, snag the item!"
Jacob's plan: subdue Umberto, steal relic.
"Come at me!"
Ragged but S-rank. Rapier thrust through bars—Jacob clutched his pierced hand, screaming.
"Arrows! Crossbows!"
"Arghhh!"
These adventurers craved escape. Stench-filled brawl erupted.
I neared Judgment. Judgment.
"Yes, snake?"
Least savage; Choin Perang's disciple. Worth a lifeline.
What's the item? Truth.
"Secret, but..."
Yeah?
"Wyvern egg."
Straight answer. Good—you live.
Honest? Advice: run now...
Too slow writing.
Clang! All passages sealed—bars slammed down.
"Nooo!"
Umberto yelled, arrows in him now. Surrendering?
"Touch me, you're dead!"
He yanked open his pouch—oversized contents: sub-space pouch. Out came a black, massive egg like obsidian pearl.
"I'll smash it!"
"Leader, calm!"
"Calm my ass!"
Wyvern egg thieves. Bold.
- Oh dear. Pellelian chuckled.
- Depends whose. Wyverns hunt egg thieves to world's end.
Hence the wyvern frenzy. Many around, one egg?
- Mother's flock... or family.
Rumble—
"Wh-what?!"
Even Umberto noticed. Chamber rising. Wall ripples from motion.
"Ce-ceiling!"
It parted. Adventurers panicked.
"What the—?!"
Wyvern altar activated—prey gathered.
Dim pre-dawn. White clouds drifted high stone pillars piercing sky. Wyverns perched, screeching at intruders.
"Grraaak! Graaaa!"
"Graaaaa!"
Alarm calls. Thieves found!
From clouds descended a black, colossal wyvern.
"We're dead. All dead."
Jacob collapsed. Confirmed.
- That's the egg owner.
The arrival: a named wyvern queen. An extraordinarily powerful beast.