Underground Ruins (3)
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Mugura had shown signs of trying to escape, so they locked him back in his cell.
Where could he possibly go on this island? Still, the guy was so unpredictable that who knew what mischief he might pull.
Besides, the information he'd been spilling had started running dry anyway, so Owen didn't care.
The real issue was the ruins.
Owen had explained that the great chieftain was digging in the outer fortress area.
"At first, I thought he was tunneling under the inner fortress to collapse it. But he showed no interest in this side at all."
Karaku nodded.
"Your guess is spot-on. The great chieftain is definitely heading for the underground ruins."
"So you know where the entrance is?"
"I have to. Sigh."
He let out a heavy sigh and shared a story Owen had never heard before.
"Margel Island was originally abandoned. The orc fortress here hasn't even been up for thirty years. Before that, it was just an ancient ruin site—a half-buried collapsed temple."
"They built the fortress here for trade with the dark elves?"
"No."
"Pardon?"
Owen blinked in confusion at the unexpected answer.
Margel Island was a remote spot even in orc territory.
The only clans nearby were the ones fishing in the North Sea.
If not for trade, why invest in such a massive project?
"Building a fortress like that must've cost a fortune. Was the island a strategic hub?"
Owen asked, though he doubted it.
Humans, the orcs' main enemies, barely even knew about the place.
"Not that either. The fortress was built to thoroughly destroy the ancient ruins on the island."
"Oh...."
The unforeseen reply piqued Owen's interest.
Why would orcs destroy their own ancient ruins?
Curiosity drew his seated body forward.
"Back then, orc society was deeply wary of demons. They believed the previous great chieftain had been killed by demons."
Owen bristled a bit here.
"Duke Glendower took down the previous great chieftain."
"True, but orcs think the cunning Duke Glendower dug a trap with demons."
"Hah...."
Owen was dumbfounded.
His past self was seen as a scheming villain colluding with demons on the orc side.
Hold on—if that's the case, did the demons sow discord like this among all races?
They were no ordinary fiends.
Owen realized that true revenge meant unearthing the demons' plots.
"...Humans saw it differently, it seems. Anyway, that's how we viewed it. Naturally, eradicating Duke Glendower and the demons became our top priority."
The problem was purging the demons.
Duke Glendower was a constant wartime foe—just send the army.
But demons lurked in history's shadows.
No clear targets meant they couldn't just smash them with axes.
Sure, there was the fallen Demon King's castle on the human Empire's west side.
But after the Demon King's death, only small fry remained.
The real big shots had vanished.
"That's when this island's ruins came into the spotlight."
"Hm? Weren't these the ruins tied to ancient orc dragon worship?"
"Not wrong, but that faith twisted into demon worship."
"Ah...."
"Ancient texts say this island hosted countless human sacrifices to the Demon King. It terrorized the region, shaking many orcs with fear."
"How did it fall?"
"Simple. The Demon King died."
"Ah.... Hero Shata with Parma's Axe."
After ancient hero Shata slew the Demon King with Parma's Axe, the evil cult rampant on Margel Island met its end.
Shata stormed the island post-victory and smashed it thoroughly.
"So it was over, right?"
"At the time, yes. But ages passed after Shata's death. Remnants gathered on the forsaken isle again. We heard the rumors. For orcs pushing demon purges, it was a perfect target."
Surprisingly, hybrid lord Kaladashyr had been the most zealous in driving out demons back then.
"Hard to imagine from his current self."
"Same here. But it happened. And it wasn't during our war over the next great chieftain—we agreed and marched on the island together."
Leading armies to Margel, they found the remnants as rumored.
Countless orcs had been kidnapped and brutally sacrificed in grotesque rituals.
"The scene was so horrific we all wanted to vomit in rage. We razed the island after. Shata toppled pillars; Kaladashyr and I buried everything. To ensure no demon cult ever rose again."
"Buried" was literal.
They devastated the ruins, then entombed them in earth.
Not enough—they built the fortress on top.
"Fearing some future group might revive the evil faith, we erected the fortress. Plenty of stone from smashing the ruins."
"Then trade with dark elves later spotlighted it."
"Exactly. Started as just the inner fortress area. Trade brought wealth, expanded to this."
Karaku stroked his chin, lost in thought. Much later, he muttered,
"Thinking back.... That's when Kaladashyr started acting strange."
"What happened on the island?"
"Dunno. Just a hunch. Anyway, he helped destroy the ruins with me. He'd remember the buried temple's shape, entrance location."
"Whatever he's after, we stop him."
Bellatel, listening beside them, chimed in.
"Damn right!"
This chance might reveal more demon secrets.
But a problem: how to enter the underground ruins.
"Lord Karaku, the outer fortress entrance is heavily guarded—no approach."
"Don't worry. I have a way."
Karaku grinned confidently, spread paper on the table, and sketched.
A map of the area.
Marking inner/outer fortresses, ruins locations, he explained.
"Ruins are bigger than expected. Multiple entrances. See?"
"We can enter from the inner fortress too?"
"Yes. Issue is how far Kaladashyr's dug."
They'd started days ago.
They might've reached by now.
Or already exploring.
Karaku frowned.
"Bad. We might arrive post-endgame."
Bellatel scratched his head.
"If only we'd come sooner. Tsk!"
"Can't you magic-dig?"
"No such spell! Think magic's omnipotent?"
"Bellatel, your skill could invent one."
"Not overnight. Weeks minimum."
As they gloomied, Owen smirked slyly.
"No worries."
"Got a plan?"
"We have dragons."
Listeners gasped in unison.
"Ah!"
"Right!"
Silent Luke nodded too.
Most ground dragons lay eggs underground.
Dig for shelters too.
Masters of excavation.
Owen brimmed with confidence.
"Even if orcs ahead, dragons catch up easy."
"Good! Let's start!"
"Incredible!"
Karaku watched the dragon dig, awestruck.
Earth exploded upward like a blast.
A 30-meter whiskered dragon was at work.
This dig-master arrived with reinforcements.
A massive pit already yawned in the inner fortress.
Not just it—several dragons churned the ground.
They'd hit the entrance by day's end.
Owen had briefed Betshel and Arwen; expedition set.
Decoy op: surface army fights orcs; Owen blocks great chieftain underground.
Ruins team: Owen, Bellatel, Karaku, Luke, 22 dark elves.
Arwen's elite guards—expedition's finest.
"Arwen, you okay lending guards?"
Owen stood beside her, watching digs.
"Orcs scare me not without 'em. Just ensuring I face Her Majesty if you die down there."
Arwen haughtily lifted her chin; Owen grinned broadly.
"Thanks anyway."
"What? Uh...."
Disarmed by sincerity, Arwen bit her lip, turned away.
Her pointed elf ears flushed red—impossible to hide.
Digging ended that night.
Entrance blocked by huge stone; dragons cleared easy.
"Entering now."
Ruins team prepped, waiting.
Dark elf scouts led into ruins.
"Hyper, out."
"Kekek!"
Owen summoned small dragon Hyper.
For sensory sharing.
Hyper's night vision/smell perfect for dark depths.
Dark elves saw in dark; Karaku/Luke got Bellatel's magic.
No lights—intentional stealth.
"Orcs'll come torches blazing, noisy. We spot first likely."
Magic made Karaku's eyes icy corpse-blue.
Party moved silently.
Corridors damp, chill.
Seawater pooled some spots.
"Underground part of ancient ruins. Surface destroyed, but deep sections spared."
Owen nodded at Karaku's explanation.
Like Bris catacombs.
Rough pick-hewn paths.
Walls: old skulls, grotesque demon glyphs/ornaments.
Orc cultists once did sacrifices, cursed rites here.
"Sounds ahead."
Two hours in, scout returned.
"Approach quiet. Guide you."
"Understood, Heroicus."
Party crept, footsteps muffled.
Owen stripped armor of noisy bits like besagews.
Shoes padded soft—thief-style.
"Kek?"
Hyper, watching, mimicked in surprise.
Its eyes wide in dark.
Owen's heel-toe creep looked odd.
"Kekek?"
Stealth-native, yet aping human gait awkwardly.
Creak-creak.
Owner and all tiptoeing—so it must too.
Owen stifled a chuckle.
"Just walk, Hyper. Quietly."
"Kekek."
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Heading to danger, Hyper reveled like a pup on walk with master.
Descending stairs soon appeared.
Large voice boomed from below.
Great chieftain's, surely.
"Iser! Kaduru aser! Patar!"
Unintelligible, but demon tongue clear.
Party crept on; vast cavern emerged.
Dragon nest-like.
Hundreds of orcs lit torches—bright as day.
Orclings in weird robes prostrated, chanting odd spells.
Karaku scowled instantly.
"Demon sorcery...."
His voice dripped disgust, loathing.
Amid weirdness, Owen's eyes fixed elsewhere.
Cavern-end wall: massive dragon skeleton.
Half-fossilized in earth.
Much missing, but shape clear.
"A True Dragon?"
Wings confirmed it.
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