Deep Prison Part 7

As I slowly regained consciousness, I felt disoriented and as if I had been in a deep slumber for a long time. My mind was foggy, and my body felt weak and unresponsive, leaving me unable to move. Even opening my eyes is difficult, and I can only barely half open them. The world around me seemed hazy. My vision was fixated on the ground, where I could see the feet of several people walking by. It was then that I realized that I was being carried on someone's back. From the clothes, I think it's Seto who's carrying me.

I can hear the sound of many people walking around me. My mind raced as I tried to recall what had happened to me. The last thing I remembered was chasing after Gerald, but after that, everything seemed to fade into darkness. The memories that followed were fragmented and unclear, like puzzle pieces that refused to fit together. I vaguely remembered having a terrible nightmare and hearing Ophelia's voice calling out to me, but I couldn't be sure if these were real memories or just figments of my nightmare.

What had happened to me?

"D-Darx...? Darx, are you awake?"

That voice... is... Shalia's voice.

"Darx, thanks to [Imris], you finally woke up!"

Shalia came into my field of view, looking happily with tears in her eyes. Her words make me think that I really have been asleep for a long time. I can see that more people are approaching me, but it is useless. My body was so weak that I couldn't even muster the strength to speak.

As I struggled to keep my eyes open, they began to feel heavier. The weight of exhaustion was too much to bear, and eventually, I succumbed to it.

As in one of my typical nightmares, I was in a place of darkness. I tried to reach Ophelia, but it was impossible. She was nowhere to be found. This place of darkness feels different, with no sense of time or space. When I'm with Ophelia, it feels lonely, like floating in a void of nothingness, while here, I can feel the darkness in an almost tangible way. It enveloped me like a thick, suffocating blanket, threatening to pull me under its weight and drag me down into its depths. It was both peaceful and terrifying at the same time, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I might never wake up again.

I was in that darkness for I don't know how long until, once again, I began to regain consciousness. As I slowly became aware of my surroundings, I realized I was lying on a soft surface. Despite the intense cold, I could hear the crackling of a nearby bonfire, which provided some warmth. Unfortunately, I still can't open my eyes; however, I can hear the voices of people talking.

"We're pretty close. Tomorrow we should reach the bottom of the cave."

"Finally... I'm sick of this place."

As I strained my ears to identify the unfamiliar voice, I realized my friends were not alone. There were definitely other people present with them. My mind raced with questions as I tried to identify who these strangers could be.

"What are we going to do with the boy? We'll most likely run into difficulties at the end of this place. It would be best not to take him with us."

"Maya's right. The boy is still as pale as a corpse and doesn't look like he's going to wake up anytime soon. He'll be in the way if we take him with us."

"Darx will come with us. We won't leave him behind." I recognized Dante's voice saying.

Maya!? Is the Beast-Kind's S-Rank here? Why? The last time I saw her, she was about to fight Oblivion. If she is here, what happened to Syvis? Shit! Why can't I wake up? And how is it that we almost reached the bottom of the cave? How long have you been ****?

"Tomorrow, we can figure that out. For now, we have to sleep. Tomorrow we'll put an end to this place."

I heard how everyone moved everywhere. At the same time, someone lay next to me. From the scent, I think it's Shalia. She lay down, putting her arm over me and leaning her body against mine.

"This way, you'll be warmer, Darx," I heard Shalia whisper in my ear.

I could feel the heat of Shalia's body. It was a very pleasant and warm sensation. The sensation was so pleasant that I drifted off into a deep sleep once again.

The next day, as the rest of the group began to prepare to keep advancing, I woke up feeling a renewed sense of energy. Finally, I had the strength to move. I managed to open my eyes, and I was even able to get up, albeit with a bit of difficulty. As soon as Shalia saw me, she hugged me, and my other party members also got close to me.

"Darx!" Shalia said with a broken voice.

"Darx, how are you feeling?" Dante asked me, looking worried.

My body felt weak, and my vision was still blurry; however, being able to have control of my body again was a relief.

"I-I think I'm fine," I uttered with a feeble attempt at raising my voice.

"You really gave us quite the scare. For a moment, you made us think you wouldn't wake up again." Hisa spoke.

The moment I lifted my head and scanned my surroundings, I was taken aback by the unfamiliar faces staring back at me. My party members were around me, but behind them were unknown people looking at me with curious gazes. It took me a moment to register that some of these strangers were members of Oblivion. As I squinted through the crowd, I also noticed that several of the strangers were Beast-Kind. All their eyes bore into me with a mix of curiosity and interest. But amidst the sea of unfamiliar faces, one stood out - Maya, the S-Rank member of the Beast-Kind. Her presence commanded attention, and I could feel her piercing gaze focused on me.

"W-What's going on?" I asked, confused, looking for answers from my companions.

"Darx, how much do you remember?" Dante asked me, "Do you remember what happened when you went after Gerald?"

Before I could process Dante's question, Maya moved closer to me with another question, "What happened to the demons? What did you see?"

"Hey, Maya, before questioning him about the demons, let's give him some time to recover and-" Hisa tried to interrupt Maya.

"Demons?" I repeat, confused.

Hearing those words made a flood of memories rush back into my mind, causing me pain. I held my head in agony while all those memories I had forgotten returned.

"AGGG!!!"

"D-Darx! What's wrong?" Shalia said, surprised to see me hold my head in pain.

I-I remember... The three demons we met. The demon that used Caroline's body. Also, the demon called Olval and how he attacked me with a black beam which went through my water barrier and then... then...what happened after? I-I have an image in my head of fighting Olval, but I can't understand. I can't remember exactly what happened after I received that attack...

"Hey, talk! What did you see?" Maya asked in a more authoritative tone.

"Stop! Can't you see that Darx isn't feeling well!?" Shalia said, trying to stop Maya's questioning.

"I-I'm fine..." I said after my headache subsided a bit, "Before I say anything, I need to know what's going on?"

"Hum, weird things keep happening, so it's going to be a bit hard to explain," One of the Oblivion members spoke up. I think his name is Arthur.

Wait, if the members of Oblivion are here, that means that Syvis should... I turned my head around, looking for Syvis, but I didn't see her anywhere. My heart sank as I realized that Syvis was nowhere to be found. Panic set in as I frantically searched the crowd for any sign of her.

"Huh? Darx, is something wrong?" Dante asked me.

"W-Where is Syvis?" I said, still looking for her among all the people there, "They are the members of Oblivion, right!? Then where is Syvis?"

Everyone was silent as everyone exchanged uncomfortable glances. My anxiety skyrocketed as I began to fear the worst.

"Where is she?" I demanded, my voice rising with each passing second.

As I tried to stand up, my legs gave out, lacking strength, and I collapsed to the ground. Shalia rushed over to help me up, but my mind was elsewhere.

"Darx, calm down!" Shalia told me as she tried to help me.

The thought of something terrible happening to Syvis consumed me, and I couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that washed over me. The silence from the group only added to my growing sense of dread. I needed answers, and I needed them fast.

"This boy knows the Dark Elf? Hahaha, don't tell me that guy is her boyfriend or something like that." A blonde girl from Oblivion said in a mocking tone.

"Darx, I'll tell you what happened, but first, I need you to calm down," Dante told me while helping me to sit on the floor.

I managed to calm down, and Dante began to fill me in on what had happened. He told me about the earthquake that shook the cave and caused the bridge to collapse and Syvis falling with the bridge. But that wasn't all. Dante went on to explain that they had found the body of a demon next to me. Given the circumstances, the three guilds had decided to put their differences aside and unite to find a way out of this treacherous place. We had come here searching for relics of [Zrephia], but our mission seemed futile. Now that we know that there are no relics and there are demons involved, the main priority is to get out of here alive the fastest possible.

"Syvis..."

My mind was consumed with despair hearing what happened to Syvis. All I wanted to do was run out and search for her to ensure she was safe and sound. The mere thought of losing her filled me with worry and anxiety like nothing else could. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like without her in it. The fear of losing her was almost too much to bear. They say they haven't found Syvis or Kase, who also fell, so Syvis must be near the bottom of the cave, which we've almost reached.

"Now tell us what you know about those demons?" Maya told me in an authoritative tone.

D-demons..., wait. Dante said that they found a male demon body next to me. So what happened to the other two demons? There were two female demons, including the one that impersonated Caroline. What happened to them? Did they escape? Agg..., right now, I don't care about demons or anything else. I just want to go find Syvis. But they won't move until I tell them what I know. So I told them what I remembered, which was consistent with what Gerald told them; however, they were disappointed and upset when I couldn't give them information on who killed the demon since I don't know either. I have the image of me fighting against that demon, but it's not something I can say since I don't even know if that happened or if I dreamt it.

"What a nuisance. He doesn't know anything either."

"What a waste of time was to have brought that boy here for nothing."

Two members of The Stormbirds commented.

"It's not like you carried him, so shut up," Seto told them.

"He's just a low-ranked adventurer, so I don't know what you were expecting. Let's stop wasting time here and go to the bottom of this cave to finish this," The blonde girl from Oblivion said.

"What Valeria says is true," Arthus spoke, "The answers to our questions must be at the bottom of the cave, so let's keep going."

Everyone began to get away from me, getting ready to continue advancing, except for Maya. Her eyes were fixed on me. While everyone else seemed eager to move on, she remained rooted in place, as if waiting for something to happen.

"Are you sure you told us everything?" Maya asked me, this time sounding curious and not authoritarian.

"I-I told you everything I know," I answered her.

Maya remained silent, staring at me and then asking, "What's your rank?"

"Hu? C..."

"...How strange. You don't give me the impression that you are of that rank and you also have very peculiar eyes," Maya said before turning around and joining her companions.

With Shalia's help, I managed to stand up. My body felt heavy and weak. Despite my overwhelming desire to spring into action and search for Syvis, my physical limitations held me back. It was a frustrating and disheartening feeling, knowing that my own body was hindering my ability to act.

"Darx, lean on me," Shalia told me with a sweet smile.

"Hey, we won't wait for you if you can't keep up with us." The Oblivion healer yelled at us.

"Ignore them, Darx," Seto told me, "I'm glad you're okay, and we'll find Syvis soon, so don't worry too much."

I only attended with my head. Seto tried to help me walk on the opposite side of where Shalia was, but Neku got in the way, and she put my arm around her neck. In this way, with the help of Shalia and Neku, we began to walk.

As we ventured deeper into the cave, some blue crystals on the walls illuminated the cave a little more. However, the cold was getting worse. The eerie silence was only broken by the sound of our footsteps echoing off the walls. My thoughts couldn't help but drift to Syvis, wondering if she was safe and if I would ever find her. The weight of her absence hung heavy on my heart. We arrived at a bridge similar to where we battled against Oblivion. We crossed the bridge, and halfway across, Hisa's voice broke through the silence, informing us that she felt 2 people close at the end of the bridge.

"Are you sure?" I asked her.

"Yes!"

Everyone advanced cautiously while my gaze remained fixed on the darkness at the far end of the bridge. As we approached the end of the bridge, my heart began to race. Suddenly, two silhouettes appeared within the shadows. Everyone took out their weapons and got into a combat position. The tension in the air was palpable as the group watched how those silhouettes approached. However, they all lowered their weapons when they saw who it was.

Out of the shadows came Syvis first, followed by Kase. My heart leaped with joy at the sight of her. I had the urge to run to her, letting go of Shalia and Neku. Unfortunately, my body had other plans. As I tried to take a step forward, my legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed to the ground.

"SYVIS!" I exclaimed, with my voice choked with emotions.

Upon seeing me, Syvis shouted my name and rushed towards me, "DARX!!"

No more words were needed as we hugged each other tightly as if we hadn't seen each other in years. It was a relief to have her by my side again.

"Syvis, when I found out that you had fallen with the bridge, I..."

Syvis pulled back slightly, looking into my eyes, "I'm fine! I managed to soften the fall."

I could see in Syvis's face how happy she was to see me too. We were supposed to put aside our personal emotions while the quest lasted, but given the circumstances, neither of us seems to care about that anymore.

"But what happened to you?" Syvis's happy face changed to a worried one, "You are very pale! What happened?"

I said with a smile and hugged her again, "It is a long story."

"Aaggg, that is repulsive!" The Oblivion healer spoke.

"So the Dark Elf and the boy are a couple, after all. What a peculiar pairing." The blonde girl with a shield from Oblivion added.

"Come on, you two. What? Have you two never been in love? It's a cute scene." Arthus said.

"No, and no!" The healer answered Arthur, "But, I thought she and Kase were-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Elan interrupted her by shouting loudly at Kase, "YO, Kase! I thought you'd be a mess from that fall."

"Bullshit, that fall was nothing to me," Kase answered, "However, that Beast-Kind had bad luck."Kase pointed at a mangled body on the bridge.

"Shit!" I hear Maya say while looking at the corpse.

Elan moved closer to Kase and asked him, "After you fell, were you and Syvis waiting here together all this time?"

Syvis's response was sudden and unexpected. She interrupted Elan with a loud "NO!!" that startled everyone, leaving everyone momentarily stunned. Even I was caught off guard by her outburst. As the silence lingered, Syvis looked nervously at the ground, her hands fidgeting with her clothes. "W-We met up just before you guys arrived," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

There was a brief silence which Kase cut short by saying with a smile, "That's right," then he turned to look at Syvis, "Syvis and I met up moments ago, and she was showing me in detail how interesting these days have been, right, Syvis!?"

Syvis didn't answer and just turned to the ground.

"And what is all this? Why are you all walking around together instead of trying to kill each other?" Kase asked, looking disgusted.

Arthur, sensing Kase's confusion, decided to explain, "Hmm, Various things happened."

"What's with the complaining, Kase?" Maya questioned, her tone laced with a hint of annoyance. "If it weren't for that unexpected interruption, you would've been six feet under by now. You should be thankful that the earthquake stopped the fight."

Kase scowled, his eyes narrowing in anger, "Don't be a sore loser, Maya. You were the one who was seconds away from losing your head. If anything, that earthquake saved your sorry ass."

Maya rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed with Kase's arrogance. "Oh please, Kase. We both know that all you know how to do is hide in the shadows like a coward instead of fighting like a man."

"Hey, hey! Let's put that aside and avoid pointless fights," Arthur intervened once again, turning his attention to Kase and Syvis, hoping to avoid any further misunderstandings, "I guess it's best to inform you both of what happened before we advance to the end of the cave."

With Syvis's help, I was able to stand up and walk alongside the rest of the group. We continued, crossing the bridge and finding a place to rest. As we sat down, Maya, Dante, and Arthur began to recount the events that had led us to this point. I was listening, but my attention was soon drawn to Syvis.

Despite our emotional reunion just moments ago, there was something off about her demeanor. She appeared to be lost in thought, her expression tinged with sadness. I couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind. Had something happened that we were unaware of? Or was she simply overwhelmed by all this mess?

"Syvis, do you feel okay?" I whispered so as not to interrupt what they were explaining.

"Ah, y-yes... My magic bag must be at the bottom of the cave. I have potions that will make you feel better and give you back your strength." Syvis answered me with a smile that seemed ****.

"T-Thanks, that would be good...."

As the explanation continued, I found myself stealing glances at Syvis, trying to gauge her mood. It was clear that something was bothering her, but I didn't want to pry.

As Maya neared the conclusion of her explanation, Hisa sensed the presence of more individuals heading this way. We paused and waited patiently until the members of Dark Dragons arrived. Initially, they seemed cautious, but upon observing the three guilds standing there calmly without any sign of hostility, they relaxed their guard and inquired about the situation.

"Oh, for fuck sake, don't tell me we will have to explain everything again." The Oblivion healed exclaimed.

Arthur took a deep breath before elaborating on the events that had transpired once again.

"Darx, I need a moment alone," Syvis suddenly whisper to me.

When I turned to see her, her face was quite red, and her breathing looked agitated, "Syvis, are you okay? Do you feel sick?"

"I'm fine. I just need to be alone for a moment. I'll be back soon." Syvis said, standing up and walking away from where we were.

I thought about stopping her, but I thought maybe she needed to pee, and that's why she was red since she was embarrassed. So I decided to just wait for her to come back.

While I waited, I recognized Kiara. I approached her, and she told me about how they also encountered a demon. After the earthquake, a white-haired demon appeared, and they managed to kill him, although it was not easy, even though it was a whole party against only one demon.

A long time passed in which we, as Dark Dragons told what had happened, and in the end, it was time to move on; however, Syvis had not yet returned. I began to worry, and with difficulty, I started to walk in the direction in which I saw that she left, but luckily, she was coming back, and I met her halfway.

"Syvis, it's time to go."

Syvis looked shocked to not say afraid upon seeing me, which I thought was weird, "D-Darx!"

I noticed she was sweating, and her clothes and hair looked messy. Did she find a monster and have to fight?

"Is something wrong? Did something happen?" I ask, confused.

"E-Everything's fine. Let's move on." Syvis said, walking forward on her own without saying anything else.

I thought she would help me walk back but she didn't. As I started to walk behind her, Syvis stopped and, without looking at me, said, "Darx, when we return to the capital, there is something I have to tell you."

"UH?"

Syvis didn't even bother to wait for my answer before walking away and joining the rest of the group. As I watched her go, a strange feeling crept up inside me. Was it just my imagination, or was Syvis acting a bit out of character? Something about her demeanor seemed off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Perhaps it was the way she avoided eye contact with me, or her shoulders seemed tense as she walked away. Whatever it was, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

While I was lost in my thoughts, I felt that someone was looking at me from the way Syvis was coming, but when I looked back, there was no one. Hmm, maybe I'm the one who's acting weird.

I continued walking behind Syvis until I reached where the others were already ready to continue. There Shalia offered to help me, seeing that I still had difficulty walking , but Syvis interrupted her, saying that she would help me. Syvis, still showing a little indifference, walked next to me, helping me to move forward.

"Yo, Kase, where were you? It's time to go." I hear Elan telling him.

"It's none of your business. Let's move on then." Kase answered.

As I walked along with the other party members, I noticed that Kase was looking at me with that mocking smile that I hate so much. Syvis, who was walking beside me, also caught a glimpse of Kase's unpleasant grimace and appeared equally annoyed by it.

As we continued our descent into the depths of the cave, my heart was racing with anticipation. We finally reached the bottom. The sight that greeted us was nothing short of breathtaking. The circular area we found ourselves in was surrounded by walls of ice that seemed to stretch up into infinity. The flickering light of torches cast eerie shadows on the frozen walls, creating an ominous atmosphere. In the center of the circular floor lay a circular platform adorned with hieroglyphics strikingly similar to the ones we had encountered earlier in the cave. Standing guard at each of the cardinal points were four colossal statues of the goddess [Imris]. But it was what lay at the very end that truly left us speechless. There, before our very eyes, was a crack in space-time. It was a gaping hole of blackness that seemed to defy all logic and reason. The cold that we have felt all this time comes from there. What is that dark void? What kind of power could create something like that? We knew that whatever it was, it was something beyond our wildest imaginations.