Chapter 3
107.
From a surprise thrill to a sloppy ending, the roller coaster of emotions is truly unpredictable. Based on observations, their soft conclusions for now are: Forbidden Rune can fuse to anyone at any moment. it takes time before it can fully corrupt someone. The contamination crawls from the part where the Forbidden Rune entered the body. Those who are severely corrupted go out of control. It may sound like a huge discovery for the group, but these claims can still be debunked if a better analysis comes up.
Since the Ratman Kemi can think rationally now, it's time for him to answer some questions.
"Are nyu alright now?" Hana worriedly asked.
"Yeah, I'm good. I just can't remember how I ended up here…" He confusedly answered. "By the way, I'm Raccus," Raccus added while wiggling his ears. The Catgirls also wiggled their ears as they once again introduced themselves.
"If this keeps on happening, I'll put us a name tag," Lulu said, pertaining to the part where they have to do introductions every time they heal a corrupted Kemi.
Without hesitation, FeLinE started to interrogate Raccus. "What was the last thing that nyu remember?" She asked.
FeLinE's approach startled Raccus. "Don't be scared, she's just straightforward," Yuna said.
"I don't know… She certainly wanted to knock nyu out earlier." Kita muttered.
"The last thing I remember… I was watching your group heal a Kemi. That time I realized that maybe you could help me. My right hand is turning violet that time and it badly hurts. And then, there's a voice in my head saying I must stop you… I went back home but it kept on going… Afterward, I can't remember anything else…" Raccus explained.
"So that means, Forbidden Rune truly corrupts someone's mind…" Hana mentioned.
"Soooo your talent is stopping motion? When did nyu start using your talent?" Yuna asked.
"Hai. It was only 2 days ago when I managed to stop motion, right after I touched a Rune." Raccus answered.
"Two days ago and you went cocoloco? I've been using my talent for four days now!" Furo reacted.
"Ridsae also took some time before she got corrupted," Lulu mentioned.
"Maybe those are different Runes? I mean, I should have been out of control by now if it is the same." Furo hypothesized.
"No…" FeLinE:1000X intervened, it looked like she once again remembered something. "Forbidden Runes affect differently…" She added.
"What do nyu mean?" Kita questioned.
"FeLinE just remember some events… It all depends on Kemi's mental fortitude. That's why the young ones had no escape…" FeLinE:1000X said, trembling from the frightening memory she remembered.
"What's wrong? Are nyu alright?" Hana worriedly asked.
"There… there was a time… A place where everyone was corrupted. The young ones cry endlessly from pain… That's all that FeLinE remembers…" FeLinE:1000X replied.
"Good thing you guys helped me. That story is indeed scary…" Raccus responded.
"I'm kinda scared too. Shouldn't I be healed as well?" Furo added.
"Maybe we should. There's no point in studying about the length if it all boils down to one's mental strength." Yuna said.
"Yeah yeah, let's do it." Furo reacted while panicking. He swiftly approached Hana, for her to heal him. Hana wastes no time, she controls the mixture and applies it to Furo's left hand. It's been a minute and nothing is happening. The Forbidden Rune is not coming out from his hand, even though that's the spot where it fused to Furo.
"Are nyu sure that nyu fused it with your left hand?" Hana doubted.
"Hai! I'm a left-handed Kemi." Furo replied.
"It should do something by now, but oddly, nothing changes," Hana mentioned.
"Maybe he needs to be corrupted first? I mean nyu cannot heal someone if he is not wounded, right?" Kita said.
"That actually makes sense… Hana healed Ridsae and Raccus while they were in terrible shape. Furo on the other hand, looks normal." Yuna agreed with Kita.
"So I have to be like that first? That's crazy!" Furo reacted.
"At least nyu can still help us carry our bags~" Lulu commented. With that being said, Hana puts back her mixture into the container.
"Welp, that's what you get for picking random objects scattered because of the explosion," Furo said as he immediately accepted his current state.
All of a sudden, the group was intrigued by Furo's statement. "Wait, what explosion?" FeLinE:1000X questioned.
"Well… When I was a bit younger around 6 years ago? I heard a loud explosion but it was a bit weird because it sounded like broken glass. No one believed me coz they said an explosion can't sound like breaking glass. Shortly, those Runes that you are saying, were everywhere. Crazy coincidence right?" Furo told the story as he laughed.
Kita and Hana look at each other as they remember something, specifically about the Queen's story. It is also too coincidental in terms of the timeline. However, the problem is they are not yet sure about it. That is why they decided to change the topic for now and return their focus to gathering the Mystical Runekey.
"I think we should get back to our mission. Maybe the lab already has answers about the Forbidden Rune." Kita suggested.
"Nyu can just wait for us at the village near the Ruin if nyu want further explanations. FeLinE is not good at traveling in a large group." Hana told Raccus.
"Hai. I'll wait at the village then. Thanks for helping me." Raccus replied. He then proceeds to his way, letting the rest of the group continue their journey.
"I found a beautiful stone, try putting our stuff here instead of sticks!" Lulu excitedly said as she handed over a polished stone to Furo.
"Haaaaaiiiii…" Furo responded.
The supposedly time for rest is now over. A lot of hours were consumed by this incident, though it was not a waste of time. Encounters like these slowly give them pieces of the puzzle for them to complete. As of now, one of their hypothesis about; "It takes time before the Forbidden Rune corrupts a Kemi," was debunked. Their claims are getting stronger as the group learns the truth about the situation. In the near future when everything finally interconnects, the Kemis should be prepared for the answers that they are looking for.
108.
The journey progresses and luckily, there are no further interactions with corrupted Kemis. It's been 3 days since they met Raccus, and the group finds it odd that Furo is still doing fine up to this day. Furo on the other hand is just enjoying their travel. A happy-go-lucky Kemi, just accepting the current state and will only freak out when the problem is right in front of him.
Eventually, the group reached a cave where the Relic was pointing to. It shows that the Mystical Rune is in the depths, buried somewhere deep in the cave. Exploring such places is not a stranger to the group, using only the resources available near them, they created a torch. This will help them see better and lessen the darkness.
While they are searching inside the place, Kita randomly says, "If Badi was here, we could have just created our own path."
"Yah! Badi loves digging!" Lulu responded.
"Some Rodents here also love digging," Furo replied.
"Do nyu?" Yuna casually asked.
"Me? Nah, not me. I wanted to but was too lazy to do it. Maybe that is the reason why my talent is creating an imaginary place inside a solid surface. It's like digging but minus the exhausting part." Furo answered.
"The scholars from our land said that our talent is deeply rooted in us. I guess the same thing can be said of Forbidden Runes, even though it does not require any compatibility." Hana mentioned.
Upon hearing Hana's statement, Yuna realized something. "In that case, that means there are a lot of similarities between Runecrytal and Forbidden Runes. I kinda wonder which one they used to create Evil Mimis…" Yuna replied.
"But I thought Rubi said it closely matches with Runecrystal? Does it automatically mean they used Runecrystals?" Kita questioned.
"Well, that's what we previously know. But remember, Rubi said it matches in some parts but not as a whole. There's a good chance that the Forbidden Rune also contains some parts of Runecrystals." Yuna argued.
"Meaning, they could have used the Forbidden Rune to evolve Tameable Mimis…" Hana added.
"Regardless of which Rune they used. It certainly was forced through a laboratory. Mimis cannot fuse to any type of Runes by themselves." FeLinE:1000X intervened.
"Wait wait wait, so you are telling me that someone out there, turned a cute fluff ball into a corrupted one?" Furo questioned as he tried to catch up with the conversation.
"That Kemi created a bunch of those, then cloned hundreds from it. Full-color violet, not just those half-corrupted Kemi that we encountered. Though they don't have talents, only extremely aggressive and want to kill Kemis." Kita answered.
"THAT'S JUST MESSED UP! WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING!" Furo reacted in shock.
"Zela told us that it was Cerono who created those Evil Mimis. She escaped last time and probably somewhere in the Underworld." Hana replied.
"So she's still roaming around? Then she could possibly be the reason behind this madness?" Furo said.
"She could be, but I doubt that she is doing everything by herself," Kita responded.
The conversation went long, and because of that, the group failed to notice that they were already in the lowest part of the cave. The group suddenly stopped as they saw a surprising difference in the place. The ground path comes to an end as the latter is made out of an old brick pathway, looking like an entrance to something.
"Woaaaahh! Looks like a dungeon! Let's check it out!" Kita excitedly said.
"Wait, are we seriously going to enter that? I feel like we should be extra careful from this point onwards." Hana responded.
"Having like this old temple style, I wouldn't be surprised if this place is loaded with traps." Yuna agrees with Hana.
"This means we really are playing a treasure hunt! I knew it!" Lulu commented.
"Chuu~ I hope we can find some shiny treasures!" Pily added.
"TREASURE HUNT! TREASURE HUNT!" Kita and Lulu celebrated while Furo nervously gulped in the background. FeLine approached them and asked Lulu, "Did nyu bring some of your crayons?"
"Aaahhh… Noooo?" Lulu lied as she turned her eyes to the left, looking guilty as charged.
"Bring them out, we can use them to mark the area that we've been through. Carving marks in the walls is prone to risk, it's better to just draw." FeLinE:1000X clarified.
"On second thought, I do have them! Of course for times like these, not for coloring leisurely." Lulu added as she chuckled.
Lulu handed over a red crayon to FeLinE. The plan is to put marks only on the left side of the wall. That will create a favorable situation for them in the long run. If the marks are on the right side, it means they are heading back. FeLinE explained this strategy to the rest of the group, and everyone was amazed at how wise the idea was.
When FeLinE approached the wall on their left side, aiming to put their first mark, she saw some carved writings and a hole in the middle. "There's a note here," she said.
Intrigued by what FeLinE said, the rest of the group walked closer as they read the writings. "Something that cast, something that lasts. It can shine brighter, fire is not the answer." The riddle says.
"A riddle… Okay, let's just move on." Kita said.
"Wait, I think this is not an ordinary riddle. It's not like someone just wrote it. It's perfectly carved at the wall like it's part of the dungeon." Yuna argued.
"Maybe we should try to solve it. Who knows what will happen if we ignore this." Hana added.
"A riddle before the treasure hunt? Isn't it too cliche? Can't we just do the fun part?" Lulu complained.
"It looks like this dungeon is made to test the seekers. I mean, a clueless wanderer will probably just get lost inside, while those who know what they are doing will be rewarded. There's even a hole in the wall to put your answer to!" Furo shared his observation.
"Fiiiineeeee… Let's solve the riddle…" Kita and Lulu sadly reacted at the same time.
Even though it is puzzling as it is, everyone agrees to solve the riddle before entering the dungeon. It may give them something valuable while they explore. This also proves that the Mystical Runekeys are no joke, they are valued and protected.
109.
It has been less than an hour of silence, and the group is having a hard time solving the riddle. Right in front of the group are the writings, "Something that cast, something that lasts. It can shine brighter, fire is not the answer." As they keep on reading it over and over again, the group thinks that the riddle somewhat pertains to an object.
"Maybe it refers to an item that can be used during our dungeon hunting?" Hana guessed.
"What are those?" Lulu asked.
"Hmmm… Torch, water, and rope, those three are the primary ones I think." Kita replied.
"But it says fire is not the answer, so a torch shouldn't be on the list," Yuna responded.
"But that's the only thing among those 3 that shines. Besides, how can nyu see inside a dungeon without a torch?" Kita argued.
"As per FeLinE's understanding, the riddle tells us that exploring the dungeon using a torch won't be enough. Maybe it's pointing out that we should use something as a replacement." FeLinE:1000X said.
"That actually makes sense, torches do cast light but it doesn't last for a long period of time. So the answer is something that can shine brighter than a torch." Furo responded.
"But what can outshine a torch?" Lulu questioned.
Everyone goes silent as they all think deeper. After a minute, Pily says, "Runecrystal!"
"Runecrystal?" They all confusedly reacted.
"Chuu~ Runecrystal shines bright remember? Especially when fusing to a Kemi. I saw those scenarios 2 times already!" Pily explained.
"Smarty Pily!" Lulu commented as she hugged Pily.
"That may be the answer!" Kita said.
"Is there a Runecrystal nearby?" Yuna asked FeLinE.
"Hai," FeLinE:1000X answered shortly.
"I guess we can test that answer, shall we get the Runecrystal first?" Yuna asked the group.
"Hai!" The rest replied.
Following FeLinE's Relic, the group proceeded to trace the location of the Runecrystal. Truly, this type of Relic is helpful for their journey. Just like FeLinE said, Sentient Kemis are paired with their very own Relic having unique features. It is indeed intriguing how coincidental everything is. Knowing the fact that out of all the Sentient Kemis in the Realm Sanctuary, FeLinE was the one that was transported to the UniPaws. Things could possibly be way more complicated if a different Sentient Kemi wielding a Relic that isn't suited for exploring was the one in FeLinE's shoes.
Eventually, the group collected the Runecrystal and returned to the so-called entrance. "Well, here goes nothing," Kita said as FeLinE put the Runecrystal in the hole below the riddle.
A few moments later, the writings slowly disappear as the hole closes. The group was amazed and frightened both at the same time, having mixed emotions regarding what was happening. In the next instant, the middle of the brick pathway glows, creating a warm yellow light all the way inside the dungeon.
"WOHOAH! THIS IS AMAZING!" Kita gladly reacted.
"The temple is indeed connected to the riddle, and the Runecrystal made the path glow!" Hana mentioned.
"Now I get it, this will help us to not be stranded in the darkness just in case our torches run out. Cast, lasts, shine brighter, and not fire! Pily nyu solved the riddle!" Yuna responded.
"Chuu!" Pily proudly reacted.
"What are we, waiting for? Le-" Kita was about to say her catchphrase before sprinting away, but Hana, Yuna, and Lulu grabbed Kita to stop her. "There's no way we will let nyu run off this time," Hana stated.
"Haiiii…" Kita replied well-behaved.
FeLinE leads the way as the group carefully trails behind her. It's time for them to check what's inside this dungeon. Fascinating and ancient-looking, the place is evidently old, like it was built centuries ago but still exists up to the present day.
Since the dungeon has multiple different routes, the group decided to assign roles for everyone: FeLinE leads the way since she is the one controlling the Relic to locate the Mystical Runekey. Kita marks the wall every couple of steps, making sure that they can go out easily later on. Yuna draws a map as they seek the dungeon. Lulu and Pily dictate the noticeable parts of the dungeon, that will serve as landmarks on the map. Hana monitors their resources, carefully distributing rations so that they can stay longer in their quest. Lastly, Furo assists by giving the group the items that they need, he is the one who carries the polished stone where their bags are stored.
Surprisingly, they are working effectively as a team. A lot of hours passed and the group's momentum simmered down as they lost a lot of energy. Continuing while exhausted is a bad idea, that's why the group paused and sat down for now.
"This place is really cool, I wonder how these bricks are glowing," Kita mentioned while they were resting.
"It also makes me wonder how it works. These are pure solid." Yuna responded as she knocked at the glowing bricks.
"Those are made out of Luminous Rocks, a rare classification of mineral," FeLinE:1000X replied.
"But, aren't those automatically glow when the place gets dark? Why did it only glow when we answered the Riddle?" Hana asked.
"Oooh, good question." Furo reacted.
"Those Luminous Rocks absorb enough daylight, so they glow automatically at night. On the other hand, there's no light source here. The Runecrystal served as the energy that these rocks need to absorb in order to light up." FeLinE:1000X explained.
"Cooool… Can I bring back a piece?" Lulu excitedly asked.
"Chuu~ I don't think taking something here is a good idea," Pily told Lulu.
"Bummer…" Lulu complained while pouting.
While the group is slowly gaining their energy back, the atmosphere suddenly changes into an uncomfortable one. For some reason, the group feels like someone is watching them from a distance.
"Do nyu guys notice other Kemi who possibly entered this dungeon as well?" Kita randomly asked.
"I haven't seen anyone since we entered the cave," Yuna answered.
"Yeah… That's what I know too…" Kita responded.
"Why? Is there something wrong?" Hana questioned.
"I don't know if it's only me, or maybe we are not the only Kemis here…" Kita said.
"FeLinE also thinks that there's someone else." FeLinE:1000X agrees with Kita.
"From Riddle to mystery, this treasure hunting is getting intense!" Lulu commented.
Instincts are one of the strong weapons of a Kemi, sensing danger and warning them from something miles away. The group is completely clueless about the surroundings, unfortunately, the quest is far from over.
End of Chapter 3