"This is as far as I go, sir."
Zeke tore his gaze from the majestic mountain range and looked at the person who had come up beside him. Despite not even being ten years old, the guide looked like an old man with gray hair and fur.
"Is this already the spot?"
The boy nodded. "The Danger Zone is right ahead."
Zeke studied their surroundings. During the last few hours, the desert had given way to a dry savannah bordering a mountain range. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find a single sign indicating they were about to enter the Danger Zone.
"How can you tell?"
The boy pointed at the stack of scribbles he held in his hand. "It's the maps, sir."
Zeke nodded. He had long since inspected the documents the boy carried but couldn't make sense of them. They were either in code, or the boy had some hidden talents. Zeke thought the second possibility was far more likely. After all, they had reached this point without encountering a single monster.
"Very well," Zeke said. "Then let's do it as we've discussed. Also, if we aren't back in two weeks, you can leave without us."
The boy nodded jerkily. However, Zeke didn't miss the slight smile that had appeared on his face. Apparently, it wasn't uncommon for clients to go back on their word when the time came. Zeke had heard countless stories during the past week where such people forced the boy into danger.
Zeke had gotten to know the boy a little during their journey. He had been very interested in learning more about the different regions and Danger Zones, so they never ran out of topics to discuss. From their talks, Zeke had also gotten a glimpse into what it was like to be a guide. The occasional hints and anecdotes in the boy's stories didn't paint a pretty picture.
Zeke looked at the two people who were riding up ahead. "You two, stop."
Gravitas and Vulcanos turned in their saddle, waiting for further commands.
"It is late. We will make camp for the night and continue at daybreak."
"Yes, Master," Vulcanos said energetically while Gravitas merely nodded. Neither of them questioned his orders, even though the night was still far away.
His two guards kept watch in shifts, and Zeke was grateful for it. Even though Akasha could warn him, she would only notice an intruder once they were far too close. After all, her senses were restricted to the range of his [Perfect Spacial Awareness].
***
[Notice]
It's time to get up, Host.
As usual, Zeke was awoken by Akasha's voice. He had asked her to do so just before sunrise. As his eyes opened, he saw the first signs of the day through the flap of his tent. The darkness was slowly giving way to a mesmerizing red light.
Stepping out of the tent, he saw Vulcanos sitting by a fireplace — or at least, that was what he thought. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the warm glow didn't stem from a fire but a clump of melting rock the Chimeroi was juggling in his hands to pass the time.
Zeke watched in silence, mesmerized by the display. The ease with which Vulcanos handled the molten rock was something else. It seemed his charcoal skin was utterly immune to the heat. He was truly gifted in that regard. Even Maximilian hadn't been this skilled in his control of Lava.
Despite remaining still, Vulcanos noticed Zeke's presence. His head snapped toward Zeke in an instant. However, his alert expression softened when he recognized who it was. "Good morning, Master."
"Good morning," Zeke replied, shaking the trance from his mind. "It's time we break camp and be on our way."
"As you command," Vulcanos replied vigorously, already on his way to wake Gravitas.
Meanwhile, Zeke packed up his own tent. By the time he was finished, Vulcanos and Gravitas were waiting, their own packs strapped to the backs of their mounts. Zeke sighed. It was truly inconvenient not to be able to use [Telekinesis]. During his time in Tradespire, he had gotten used to it so much that he barely used his hands anymore.
Zeke secured his pack and mounted his sand strider. Just as they were leaving, he saw the guide peeking his head out of the last remaining tent. He waved at the boy as they exited the camp. If everything went well, they would see him again in two weeks.
***
The sun stood high in the sky when the Gemkar estate came into view.
The guide had given Zeke a detailed explanation of the best route, but it turned out to be unnecessary. The old road leading to the estate was still in relatively good condition, and the trio easily found their destination by following it.
When Zeke saw the estate, his creased brows relaxed. He had been worried that the building might have collapsed during the past centuries. However, from what he could tell, the structure was still serviceable.
The structure, which was built directly into the side of a mountain, seemed to have weathered the test of time admirably. The only sign of disuse was the overgrown vegetation covering the entire complex.
This made things so much easier, as the estate not only contained the fountain but also served as the entrance to the mine. With a smile on his lips, Zeke kept his eyes on the estate that filled more and more of his vision.
By the time they reached the entrance, the true majesty of the estate was on full display. It was a castle of humongous proportions.
Two massive towers lined the gate, appearing like giant sentinels guarding the entrance. The peak of their roofs reached halfway up the mountain. However, that wasn't even the most fantastical part, as most of the structure was hidden from the outside.
Through the open gate, Zeke saw a complex maze of stairs and courtyards. The castle's interior was circular, with different levels and a vast open space in the center. And despite being inside the mountain, the place was brightly lit. The entire complex seemed to be illuminated by strategically placed openings in the ceiling.
Zeke and his party remained at the gate while surveying the scene. It seemed the Gemkar patriarch had not exaggerated when he talked about the past glory of his family. This piece of architecture wouldn't lose out to a royal palace at all. In fact, Zeke found this far more appealing than the gaudy castle in the capital.
He would have to find out who had designed this building. Maybe the man had left some notes behind that Zeke could… peruse.
After he ascertained that there was no immediate danger, the group entered. They left their mounts near an old stable close to the gate and continued on foot. From here on out, they would have to be careful.
Thankfully, Zeke didn't even need to say anything, as both Vulcanos and Gravitas seemed to sense something. They were scanning their surroundings while forming a protective perimeter around Zeke.
"From now on, don't speak out loud," Zeke instructed mentally. "I've made it so we can all hear each other."
"Understood, Master," they both said in unison through their connection.
While the Chimeroi guarded him, Zeke coordinated with Akasha and the Dragon to cast [Blood Manifestation]. He had significantly improved the spell since his initial success, but it still took them a while to complete it. It took him way too long to be of any use in a fight, and Zeke doubted he would ever be able to get to that point.
After all, the spell was closer to a Ritual in terms of complexity, and even Akasha couldn't construct a Spellform like that easily. It was a minor miracle they even managed to do it in the first place.
Through a cut in his hand, the blood pooled in midair, and soon after, the tiny Dragon took shape. Zeke sensed that it was in a complicated mood, and in an instant, he knew why. On the one hand, the Dragon was happy to have a body once more, but on the other hand, it was grumpy since it had been so long since Zeke had summoned it last.
He hadn't summoned the Dragon even once since he reached the third circle in the Rings of Samsara — and that had been weeks ago. Of course, he wouldn't have minded letting it roam occasionally if it had asked, but the Dragon would never lower itself to ask for such a favor. All it could do was sulk in silence.
However, it was also Zeke's fault for not thinking of this sooner, and he was determined to make it up. "I am sorry for not letting you out sooner. I'll keep you summoned as much as possible while we are here though. Sound good?"
The Dragon snorted, but Zeke sensed its mood had brightened substantially.
"Do you have any idea what we are dealing with here?"
"I have several theories, but I can't be sure yet," the Dragon said. "I will know when we meet the enemy."
Zeke nodded and focused on Gravitas and Vulcanos. The two of them were curiously looking at the Dragon, who was sizing them up in turn. They couldn't hear its voice, as it was talking to him through the connection in their souls.
"Let's move," he instructed the two mentally.
"Can you go ahead and scout?" he asked the Dragon simultaneously. The Dragon didn't reply verbally but sped up its flight and soon disappeared around a corner.
***
Zeke and his group moved quickly.
In the tight quarters of this mountain dwelling, he was confident that his spatial perception would be able to give them enough time to react to any attack. For a while, they wandered aimlessly, not encountering anything out of the ordinary. However, they eventually came across something of interest.
Zeke's eyes shone as he saw the delicate metal construction before them. It was a well-preserved map of the entire facility, neatly placed inside a wall at the crossroad.
"Akasha?"
[Answer]
Construction of 3D Model in progress. Combining data from the map and spatial input. One moment… 10%… 35%… 57%… 89%… Model complete. Where would Host like to go?"
Zeke smirked. "Take me to where the fountain is. Also, I want you to provide the map to the Dragon as well."
[Answer]
Understood. Please take the leftmost corridor for 57 steps and then use the stairwell to the right…
Zeke and his group followed Akasha's instruction and soon found themselves in front of a heavy iron gate. Vulcanos tried to open it, but even his immense physical strength was useless. After a quick inspection, Zeke found that the mechanism to open the door was destroyed, and even the bolt holding it in place had been mangled beyond recognition.
This was clearly the work of a Metal Mage who hadn't wanted this place to be entered. Zeke wondered if this might have been the patriarch's own doing. After all, he had ordered the fountain to be left behind, believing it cursed.
The question was, what now? Zeke could [Teleport] past the gate without a problem, but he still couldn't take others with him. Maybe Vulcanos could melt it? Just as Zeke was considering this, Gravitas spoke in his mind.
"Master, let me."
Zeke glanced at her and nodded. It wouldn't hurt to let her try.
Gravitas motioned for them to step aside before pointing at the heavy iron gate with a single finger. Zeke wondered what she was up to, but his eyes nearly popped out the next moment. With a slight crook of her finger, the massive iron gate was ripped from its sockets and slammed into the opposing wall with a thud that could have woken the dead.
Zeke's stared at the scene, slack-jawed. His eyes went from the gate that was now embedded in the other wall to Gravitas and then back to the gate. What kind of power was this? It was only now that he realized she could have easily killed the Firebrand trio back then. The fact that she had merely forced them to their knees had been an act of mercy instead of the limit of her abilities.
"Well done," he said, and Gravitas nodded in response. She appeared as reticent and quiet as usual. However, Zeke noticed the small smile beneath her veil. He couldn't help but smirk as well. She had clearly done this on purpose. What a showoff.
It was only now that Zeke realized that Vulcanos had been awfully quiet. He turned to him and found the chimeroi standing motionless before the now open pathway. Zeke stepped up from behind and also froze on the spot.
There, he saw it — the fountain.