560 We Came Back To The Altar

We continued down the path, hoping to find more people along the way while keeping an eye out for any more threats.

Sometimes we would hear some weird sounds but nothing came along and there was one instance where we found a pool of blood but there was no trail leading away from it.

Yes, we looked up as well, but there was really nothing around but a pool of blood.

I wonder what happened but well, we moved on from it since there was nothing there for us.

I was just about to ask if we should find another route when a groan came from the front.

All of us perked up and I noticed a fat figure in the darkness limping their way towards us.

No… Correction, it was two Rejmars with one of them supporting the other with their arm around their shoulder.

They had a lantern that they held in their hand and they noticed us almost at the same time as we did because of my [Spotlight] hanging above us.

"Who's there?!" One of the newcomers shouted.

I raised my hand in greeting, "Hello there. Are you also Dungeoneers caught in the trap that teleported you down here?"

"Stop! Don't come any closer! Identify yourself right now!"

Huh… What's with that level of caution?

Even Olgar and Thorn were looking at each other in confusion. There should be no reason why this guy should be that hostile.

Especially if they have already encountered those Shadow Devourers which I assume they did considering one of them was in a relatively bad shape. So wouldn't it be a blessing if they were to find someone else that wasn't a Shadow Devourer here?

Still, Olgar seemed to be content to play along and shouted back, "Olgar Firestone, Vanguard of the Grottel Party. Is that good enough?"

The other side seem to relax a little, "By Ralaie am I damn glad to see you guys. Have you met any of those shadow bastards?"

"You mean Shadow Devourers?" I asked.

"Are those what those bastards are called?" He grumbled, moving closer to us while half carrying his friend. "Those things are fucking creepy."

Thorn frowned, "You don't know about Shadow Devourers? Have you been living on the surface all this while or something?"

The other Rejmar scowled, "I have indeed been living on the surface. My family moved to the Modgnik Republic if you must know."

"Huh… That would explain… So what happened to your friend there?"

He looked at the Rejmar he was supporting who seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness, "First, I don't know him personally, I just met him. One of those shadow what you call it got him. I managed to push him away at the last moment so he didn't get skewered but he still got a hole in his side for it. Don't suppose any of you got a potion?"

"I'm a healer, let me see," I offered.

The Rejmar raised an eyebrow but obeyed, lowering the guy on the ground so that I could take a better look.

Olgar tapped the shoulders of the other two, "We should keep watch. Never know when more of those things would show up."

They surrounded me with their backs to me, allowing me to focus on my patient.

I peeled back the cloth that was used to cover the wound and I winced. There were three nasty claw marks that tore through the Rejmar's armour and left three deep gashes on his skin.

I was deep enough that I could even see his muscle tissues.

Right, let's just try healing him.

I started muttering under my breath to act like I was chanting before I cast [Heal] on him.

The magic started working and I could see the flesh start the process of knitting itself together.

At least with this, he should be out of the danger of dying but he must have already lost quite a bit of blood since he was still unconscious and his face was quite pale.

"I'm done. He should be fine but he's not going to be able to fight for a while."

The newcomer turned back and nodded, "Thanks. Surprised to see non-Rejmar here though. You can call me Jurga."

"Ah, I'm Aster. That's Thorn and you already know Olgar. I don't suppose you know this guy?" I asked, pointing at the Rejmar I just healed.

He shrugged, "When I met him, he was already being attacked and I saved him at the last moment. Wasn't really that focused on learning his name at that point."

"How many of those Shadow Devourers did you meet?"

"Hmm… If you're asking about those long limbed shadowy monsters, I've met two so far. They seem to hate fire and light though."

I noticed.

Aside from Olgar who I had found just as he left the cell, everyone else who did not have a source of light were killed off by the Shadow Devourers.

Maybe they get weaker when exposed to light? Might explain why this floor of the Dungeon in particular was pitch black at least.

I was just about to affirm his hypothesis when a loud explosion came from somewhere up ahead, as if a bomb had gone off.

I picked up the unconscious Rejmar and hefted him over my shoulders while the others started moving towards the source of the noise.

Another loud crash followed by a scream came from the same direction a few seconds later that startled us a little but we maintained our advance.

Just as we were about to round the corner, something came flying past and crashed into the wall at the end of the corridor.

I shone my [Spotlight] on it to reveal a fallen Shadow Devourer with its head smashed in.

Ouch.

The monster soon dissolved to drop a Mana Crystal on the ground and we peeked around the corner to see a Rejmar standing in the middle of a rather spacious room.

Interestingly, it seems like we went full circle because this was the altar room that I first found myself in. Look, it even had a hole in the wall over there so I knew it wasn't just another room that looked the same.

The Rejmar had a lantern hanging on their hip and they were using a shield and hammer as their weapons, making full use of it to defend against another Shadow Devourer that was snarling at them.

On the ground near their feet, I noticed two dead bodies of other Rejmars, no doubt more victims that had fallen to the monsters.

Not too far away, I also noticed another Mana Crystal that was on the ground, meaning this person had been facing against at least three Shadow Devourer before we got here.

That was when Olgar prodded a finger on my arm to get my attention, "Is that your friend?"

I wondered why he would ask until I realised the Rejmar was wearing a maid uniform like myself.

Oh, it's Gwen.

I didn't realise that at first since the light on her lantern kind of made her look like a silhouette when viewed from this angle.

I didn't get to answer him as the Shadow Devourer leapt at Gwen, slamming its claws against her shield and causing her to skid back a few feet.

However, while she was skidding back, she managed to swing her hammer at the same time, catching the Shadow Devourer across the face and smashing it away.

Gwen managed to maintain her stance and charged towards the monster while it was still trying to recover from her attack, using the chance to smash the edge of her shield into the monster's face and driving it to the wall.

She then lifted her hammer with both hands before bringing it down on the monster, delivering the killing blow.

I thought she would relax after that but she immediately spun around with her shield facing us, "Show yoursel-- Ah? Young Mistr-- I mean, Aster?"

"Oh, hello Gwen~ Are you hurt?" I greeted her cheerfully, ignoring the corpses on the ground.

She straightened herself, "I'm fi-- Ah… I think I may have gotten a few bruises…"

I went up to her and quickly cast [Close Wounds] on her, "Better?"

"Much better. Thank you, Aster. Have you already gathered a new harem for yourself?"

I blinked at her until I realised she was looking at the three Rejmars I rescued.

I was going to deny it but she then let out a laugh, "Ahahaha! Don't worry, I was joking, Aster. I know you have no interest in men. Sorry guys~"

Eh? Who is she apologising to?

Olgar cleared his throat, "Ahem… Well, I suppose I can guess that the both of you are acquainted. Are you party members or--"

He didn't get to finish his words before Jurga pointed a finger at us, "Wait! Wait! No way! You two are maids of the Nilm Family aren't you?!"

"Oh, I'm surprised you know about us. Most people outside of the Lehcarouc Kingdom wouldn't have heard of our Family," Gwen remarked.

"How could I not?! You guys are the reason my family was driven out of the Frostiminir Kingdom!! For my family, I'll take you both down right here!!"

Woah, wait, seriously?

Oh damn, he's actually charging towards us, guess he is…

Err… How should we handle this?