Saintess Summons Skeletons

“Poor Pareth, who knows when I’ll end up like this too…”

“Stop dramatizing, any skeleton is better than no skeleton at this point...” Sofia answered with Pareth perched on her shoulder. She didn't understand how there could be such a lack of animals in this region. Maybe they all fled from the green.

Summoned heroes (2 / 4)

• Lv.100 Pareth (Holy Chicken Eclipse Skeleton)

• Lv.100 Alith (Maiden Banshee)

Even like this he has more health than me, it's not that bad...

They had shared a meal with Tyrene before leaving, who served a whole roasted wild chicken to everyone. Sofia had been careful to set the bones aside, pretending to keep them to ‘crush into a homemade skin ointment’. They flew along the desert's edge rather than going inside at first. They needed to move to hold the Ritual for Pareth, who was now enjoying his avian form, but also to try one of Sofia’s ideas that she remembered from a book : triangulation.

Their general conclusion was that since the needle actually moved when Sofia flew them away for a bit, the thing they were looking for was far in the desert, but not so far that it was impossible to reach by foot. Sofia could have tried to go for a more accurate distance reading but the actual number didn’t matter much. All they needed to know was that it wouldn’t take months.

Because they couldn’t fly in. The red sand absorbed most ambient mana. It wouldn’t prevent someone with regular wings from flying, but for Sofia it was crippling her wings. Of course Alith could still fly in spirit form, but walking was faster. It also meant that while the sand wouldn’t absorb what mana you have stored in your body, mana regeneration would slow greatly, almost grinding to a complete halt. That was because most mana regeneration came from absorbing ambient mana.

There was also the option to try going around the desert, maybe the location was on the other side, but according to Tyrene, the desert was immense, and that would take months, even with wings.

So Sofia flew around until she found the spot where the needle was the most perpendicular with the desert’s border, and they ventured in.

The sand was hot and bothersome, it got everywhere, though Sofia was already used to that. They walked for five days and nights through dunes and dunes of red sand. Everything looked the same. No vegetation, no life, no rocks, only sand as far as the eye could see. They were starting to regret following the compass. At least there hadn’t been a sandstorm yet.

In the dusk of the fifth day, lit by the razing last rays of sunlight, a ruined city appeared on the horizon.

“Well?”

“Not here, needle’s still pointing the same no matter how much I explore.”

Great.

Sofia had slept in the first half-roofed ruin they could find. Although her need for sleep was very low thanks to her high level and to the [Saint’s indolence] gold chain bracelet, it was still something she needed every so often. Meanwhile, for Alith it was completely optional, as was eating, drinking, and everything else, so she went ahead and scouted the ruined city during the night.

“But I found something better.”

“And that would be?”

“Underground dungeon! The city had an underground level, and it’s a dungeon now!”

“Well, let’s go... I have a level debt to pay off.”

If it goes on too long we'll just stop midway. I also want to go back to Skyreach...

Well, it's been so long. So many years since the tide. What are a few more months...

Sofia followed Alith as she guided her through the collapsed ruins half submerged in sand, the dungeon’s entrance was a closed iron trapdoor, leading to some stairs and a tunnel.

[You have entered the dungeon : Ruined city of Azar - Lv. 200+]

Ok, no, that’s a no. “Let’s come back when we’re strong enough.”

Sofia climbed back up the stairs, not giving the dark tunnel a second glance.

“You’re not even going to try?”

“No thanks, I’d like to stay alive now.”

“Okay, wait. I have an idea then,” exclaimed Alith, “Very simple. You stay on the surface, move around all over the place, and that’ll allow me to follow underground in ghost form!”

Sofia had to admit that the idea had potential. It was quite safe and also faster if Alith could avoid monsters and go through walls. Just like that, they got to work mapping out the entire underground dungeon.

It was the remains of an underground level of the city, with houses and other buildings still mostly intact despite the obvious wear of time. According to Alith’s description, the dungeon was populated by sparse Earth golems about as wide as the tunnels, and not much else.

She had pilfered a good few antiquities by the time she was done. All she had to do was to find the things, turn back to a human, take it, turn to a ghost again, bringing the object with her.

She’s like the ultimate thief, won’t leave any trace, not stopped by any wall. Just that she can’t go too far from me.

She was in front of Sofia, only her head protruding from the sand, “Found the boss I think, but it’s too deep, can’t go.”

“Can we go there without fighting the golems?”

“Maybe if we cheat a bit…”

“Then… Let’s go find your chestplate. We better not fight without some real protection.”

Alith thought it over for a second, “Alright, I like that. Back to walking north then.” They resumed their march.

“You loot anything good in there by the way?”

“Not really, mostly decorations, most useful things didn’t survive.”

“Decorations for what?”

“Our home.”

“What home?” Sofia asked, taken aback.

“We’re gonna buy one. I’m the one locked with a level 100 [Accounting] skill. So I’ll make use of it. When we have enough money we buy a house. Nay, a mansion. Nay, a castle!”

“Sure…”

What are we even going to do in a castle? There’s only two of us plus a chicken… Better let her have big goals I guess. Actually if I sell blood again a castle might not be so far out… Wait do we really need to live in the same place?

And what about my old home? Guess I never told her about it... And it's not like I can live there.

I also wonder how the orphanage is doing.Must have been surprising that I suddenly disappeared... I should go back there when we're done with this, It'd be good to retrieve the grimoire too.

The desert was a lot less empty now. Still lifeless as ever, but there were at least many derelict and destroyed remnants of a civilization long gone. There weren’t any skeletons left. Maybe they had been buried by the sand, or perhaps the people had abandoned this place to rot. It was hard to tell.

One thing was for sure however, the inhabitants weren’t human. Everything was ever so slightly too big, disturbingly so. The large door frames, larger windows, the spaces between rows of house. It all felt out of place but still ordinary. Like a place secretly built for tall people only.

Not much else could be said about them, most things they had left behind long eroded to nothingness by the winds and sand.

Wind that had been picking up speed for a while now. It wasn’t dangerous by itself, but a sandstorm would be a real problem.

As they progressed, amidst the ruins started appearing something new, spears.

Long black spears. Stuck planted vertically in the sand. They weren’t made of any kind of metal, rather of some absurdly sturdy rock. Despite the wear and tear caused by the red sand, some of them were still in decent shape.

Sofia found one in a particularly good state, hidden in between two half collapsed walls. She didn’t know how to use spears but it was better than nothing. Especially in a place where mana was limited. She checked just in case, but it had the exact same eerie description as every other spear.

[Nail of dominance] : Domination granted its subjects weapons carved out of his very being. 'They too, shall dominate.' It is incredibly sturdy.

Item level : 99. Grade : Ancient.

Restriction : Must be in the tallest 10% of their respective race.

The restriction worked in a fascinating way, no matter what she tried, Alith couldn’t even grab the weapons, her grip sliding right off. The spears fled her hands like water chasing gravity.

It wasn’t so long until they reached the place the compass pointed to. They saw it in the distance. Gargantuan. Alith instantly recognized the structure, it was so famous in her world, even she had heard of it.

Surprised that she even managed to say it, despite the censoring that was usually so restrictive, she uttered a word.

“Pyramid”

It stood like a mountain in the middle of the desert. A pyramid of black stone blocks. So wide and tall, Sofia thought she might not even reach the top, was she able to use her wings.

Awed by the sight, they soon reached a straight road, leading directly to the gaping entrance of the pyramid. Surrounded by gigantic statues of spear wielding beastmen, it was the first time since they entered the desert that they enjoyed so much shade. There was no one guarding this place. Not a single soul. And despite that, the sand didn’t encroach on the black pavings of the alley. As if the soil itself dared not sully this sacred place.

On both sides of the entrance, a giant brasero was lit with blue flames.

In a trance, Sofia, Alith and Pareth strode towards the black mountain.

[You have been affected by : perception alteration. But your skills helped resist the status]

I CAN’T MOVE!!!

Her body was no longer hers, it was heading straight for the entrance of the pyramid with determined steps. Her mind whirred, the boosted analytical thinking speed of [Way of the Fool] was being used to its full potential. But she found no way out.

Unable to resist, Sofia had to powerlessly watch as they all entered the dungeon, moving like inarticulate brainless puppets.

Despite all her resistances, there was a status effect she could do nothing against.

[You have been affected by : Domination]

Followed by an even worse message.

[You have entered the dungeon : Lost pyramid of Azar - Certain Death]

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