Episode 94 – Sword of Ash (2)

The exploration team moved smoothly without needing detailed orders.

Kazar led the group in front, Albert and Jephroi guarded the sides, and Ernolf stayed in the rear, watching all directions. Wal, Elcid, and Helvina stayed in the center, protected while helping the fighters.

After narrowly escaping the chasing flame spirits, they finally reached the passage that led to the deepest floor. Before entering, they decided to rest there for a while.

“Hey, how do you even know this path? Did you get some divine revelation or something?”

Albert, as usual, asked casually what others were too cautious to ask.
Everyone waited quietly in the dark for Ernolf’s answer.

“Feeling better now?”
“Yeah, a bit. The fifth floor was hell.”
“I miss the air outside.”
“Me too.”
“Then rest.”

Ernolf skillfully changed the topic and leaned against the wall. Albert stretched his tired legs and closed his eyes.

‘That’s it? No explanation?’
‘He’s a master at dodging questions.’
‘He just slipped away like a snake.’

Elcid, Jephroi, and Helvina all felt frustrated that he avoided the question so easily and stared at him.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?”

Kazar, standing a little apart, turned his gaze toward them in the darkness.

“A-ah, it’s nothing. I was just wondering why this place feels colder than the rest.”

Jephroi covered up quickly, and Ernolf replied in a tired voice:

“This passage has good insulation, and many parts are sealed by magic doors, so heat doesn’t easily enter. Also, there are vents that circulate geothermal heat to the upper layers, and some of them connect here, pulling the heat away.”

That was why Kaluanui, though a northern region, was called “the Hearth of the North” — the dungeon’s heat leaked up to the surface.

“Really? Then couldn’t we have used those vents to go straight to the bottom without fighting monsters?”
“They’re not made for people to walk through. And since the vents also send heat to living areas, their structure is complicated and extremely hot inside.”
“Ernolf’s choices have never been wrong so far. He must have his reasons.”
“Yeah, I trust his words.”

Everyone agreed with Elcid. Ernolf just smiled faintly in the dark, unable to admit that he used to play around this dungeon when he was young.

After resting for half a day, they prepared to descend to the lowest floor. Even with heat-resistant gear and the cooler passage, the air became heavier and hotter the deeper they went. Still, the thought that their mission was almost over gave them strength.

“So, this ‘Sword of Ash’ — once Kazar gets it, it’s over, right?”

Jephroi recalled what Ernolf had explained earlier. From the front, Ernolf’s voice confirmed:

“Yes.”

‘Finally, this damned dungeon is almost over.’

Jephroi just wanted to escape alive and sleep on a soft bed.
Albert had similar thoughts as he waited for Ernolf to open the final sealed gate.

‘It was exhausting, but kind of fun too. I’ve had enough adventure.’

He wanted to drink cold beer outside and laugh about their adventures.

‘Maybe I should turn this journey into a book. What should I call it?’
‘Damn it… I really don’t want to meet Kashion again.’

Even though they still had to clear the bottom floor, Elcid and Helvina were also thinking about what they’d do after returning.

But Ernolf still hadn’t opened the last seal.

“Is this one different? It’s taking a while.”
“Well, it’s a treasure vault, so maybe that’s why.”
“Hmm, makes sense.”

They stood on the stairs, waiting for him to finish. But Ernolf, who usually removed seals with ease, stood frozen before the door like a statue.

“What’s wrong? Forget how to open it?”

Feeling something was off, Kazar stepped closer to him.

“Kazar, where did I say the Sword of Ash was?”
“You said it was on a small island in the middle of a lava lake.”

Kazar knew Ernolf wasn’t asking because he forgot, but he answered anyway.

“When I open this door, don’t look back. Run straight to the island and grab the sword, no matter what.”
“What? Why?”
“Because that’s the only way we live.”

Before Kazar could ask again, the Glayman brothers looked uneasy.

“What’s going on?”
“Why are you talking like that?”

Ernolf turned around and looked at them.

“Elcid, you said my judgments are always right, correct?”
“I did.”
“Then I’m afraid you’ll have to take that back. I made a huge mistake.”

At first, Ernolf believed that he and Kazar alone could conquer this dungeon.
He was confident because he knew the dungeon well — and because he’d read the story of the hero Siegfried, who would obtain the Sword of Ash here 200 years in the future.

‘But Siegfried never mentioned this…’

In Ernolf’s time, scholars had found fossils suggesting that Vulcanodon, a fire dragon, once lived in Kaluanui. But they couldn’t prove when. Since Siegfried never mentioned it, they assumed it had gone extinct long before his time.

Unfortunately, it hadn’t.

As Ernolf froze in realization, Kazar lightly tapped his arm.

“Is it because of what’s outside that door?”
“Huh?”
“I can feel it too. It noticed us — it’s getting closer.”
“What’s outside?”

Hearing that, Jephroi and Albert released their aura to sense ahead, but their energy couldn’t pass through the sealed gate.

Frustrated, Albert demanded an answer.

“It’s a legendary monster — born from flames and raised in lava.”

Everyone’s eyes widened.

A legendary monster meant a creature so powerful that its strength couldn’t even be measured.

“The Fire Dragon, Vulcanodon, is right outside this door.”

A massive dragon with four horns, four legs, and a long serpent-like body was sniffing the gate. Each time it exhaled, blue fire leaked out, wrapping the door in flames.

“H-how strong is it?”
“I don’t know exactly…”
“Guess! You know its name — you must have an idea.”

Ernolf let out a short sigh.

“Even if you combine every high-rank monster we’ve fought so far, they wouldn’t equal this one. None of us can beat it.”

He clenched his teeth. This was a huge mistake.
The bottom floor was small — nowhere to hide from the dragon’s senses.

Their only chance to live was to abandon the Sword of Ash and escape immediately. But if they left empty-handed, Kashion and the vampires would destroy them later.

“How did that thing even get in here?”
“It probably crawled in through a vent when it was a baby dragon. Back then it would’ve been small enough.”
“And now it’s too big to leave that way — so it has to go through here?”
“I guess our luck just ran out.”

Jephroi sighed bitterly.
They had barely survived this far, and now this?

“Looks that way.”

Ernolf gave a tired smile and nodded.

“So, do we go forward or retreat again?”

Elcid asked carefully. Ernolf stayed silent, thinking hard about how to convince them to leave without him.

“We’ll follow your decision, Ernolf. You’re our leader.”
“Yeah, just decide.”
“If we open that door, we might all die.”

Ernolf wanted to send them away. Even if they couldn’t escape the dungeon, at least they wouldn’t have to face Vulcanodon.

“I heard what you told Kazar earlier. You plan to face it, just the two of you?”
“Yes.”

Elcid stepped down the stairs.

“Even a clumsy healer is better than none. I haven’t used today’s healing spell yet.”

Helvina followed him quietly.

“I belong here too.”

When Elcid glanced at her, Helvina pointed at him and shut her mouth like a clam.

“To fight something that strong, you’ll need powerful spells — and someone has to distract it.”

Jephroi started walking down, but Albert grabbed his shoulder.

“If there’s going to be bait, better make it someone tough. I can last a second longer than you.”

Albert pushed his brother back and took the lead. Jephroi quickly followed.

“You think it’s just about defense? You need to be fast to dodge.”
“What nonsense— You two will melt in an instant—”
“Kazar.”

At Ernolf’s warning tone, Kazar fell silent. This wasn’t the time to tease them.

“If that’s your decision, I won’t stop you.”
“There’s no point running. Without you, we’d never escape anyway.”
“Even if we somehow do, Kashion and Maderil will kill us soon after.”

As soon as Albert finished, Helvina added bluntly, and everyone lowered their eyes.
If the twins didn’t help, they were all doomed either way.

Ernolf finally spoke firmly.

“Then, here are my orders.”

He told them to retreat up to the middle gate.

“The dragon is trying to get out through this path. We’ll lure it inside so Kazar can cross the bridge and grab the sword.”
“Oh, so you’ll trap it between the end door and the middle door?”
“Yes. It’ll only buy us a short time, but that’s all Kazar needs. Wal, give me your hand.”

When Wal obeyed, Ernolf drew a glowing blue magic circuit on his palm.

“This will let you open and close the sealing gate. Be careful not to break the pattern.”
“…Yes.”

To activate it required someone who could handle mana, and since Helvina’s magic power was too weak, Wal was the best choice.

“But Ernolf, someone has to stay here to open and close the gate, right?”
“Yes. I’ll stay.”

As soon as Ernolf said that, Albert and Jephroi stood beside the door.

“We’ll stay too. Maybe we’ll melt fast, but better than leaving you alone.”

Albert looked at Kazar meaningfully.

“I should’ve died back when we fought Paragol. The fact I’m still alive is just a bonus.”

Jephroi also stepped forward to protect Ernolf. Their faces were hidden behind purifying masks, but Ernolf could tell from their voices that they had accepted death.

“You misunderstand,” Ernolf said softly. “We’ll have to risk our lives, yes, but I don’t plan on dying here.”
“You think we can survive?”
“It’s not impossible.”

If Kazar could claim the Sword of Ash — then, and only then, they might stand a chance against the fire dragon Vulcanodon.