Chapter 131: Hostility Triggered

The massive iron doors of the Dark Cathedral groaned shut behind Ewan and Lira, severing the last trace of warm afternoon sunlight. Inside, the air hung thick with dust. Slanted beams of light pierced the cracked windows high above, slicing through the gloom and casting long, distorted shadows across the vast nave.

They advanced cautiously toward the altar, their boots echoing softly against the flagstones. When they reached the dais, both froze. Where a holy icon should have stood rested a large stone coffin, cold and ominous.

“What do you think is inside?” Lira whispered, gripping her staff until her knuckles whitened. “Is this part of the dungeon’s trial?”

Ewan stared at the coffin, curiosity warring with hesitation. He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. We’re not here to grave-rob. Let’s keep moving.” He stepped past the altar.

“Ewan, wait!” Lira caught his sleeve. “Please, let’s go back. I have a terrible feeling about this. If you keep going, I’m leaving you here.”

“Come on, Lira,” he pleaded, turning with an earnest look. “Just a glimpse. We won’t even set foot on the first floor, I promise. Just a peek at the gateway, then we turn right around.”

Reluctantly, Lira released his sleeve and nodded, though her scowl remained deep.

Beyond the altar lay exactly what they sought: a wide, gaping staircase plunging into absolute blackness. Lira stared into the void, her face pale. Seeing her fear, Ewan reached into his pouch and withdrew a short stick. A quick spark later, a crude torch flared to life, bathing the steps in flickering amber light.

“See? Nothing to it,” he said with forced confidence. “Follow me.”

They descended step by step. The silence pressed heavily around them, turning minutes into what felt like hours. Eventually the stairs leveled out, opening onto the threshold of the first floor.

They stopped dead.

The entrance was a ruin. Massive boulders, shattered slabs, and collapsed masonry completely choked the archway, blocking any further passage.

“See? It’s destroyed!” Lira’s voice rose in panic. “This isn’t right. We have to leave...now!”

“Hold on,” Ewan said, crouching to examine the wreckage. “Maybe another party already cleared the way. That would explain the damage.”

“I’m going back,” Lira said flatly, turning on her heel. “If you don’t follow me right now, you’re on your own.”

“Lira, wait...there’s nothing to worry about!” he called after her. “This was definitely a high-rank raid by multiple adventurers.”

Before she could respond, Ewan dropped to his hands and knees and crawled through a narrow gap in the debris. The only source of light vanished with him, plunging the staircase into total darkness.

“Ewan!” Lira hissed, voice trembling. “Ewan, get back here!”

No answer came. Terrified of being left alone in the freezing black, she swallowed her dread and crawled after him.

The terrain inside was treacherous. Smooth flagstones gave way to jagged rocks, fallen masonry, and unstable boulders. They picked their way forward in a hazardous scramble. Lira’s boot slipped on a loose stone, sending her crashing hard onto the sharp debris.

Ewan turned back, lowering the torch. “Are you okay?”

“Ow…” She winced, clutching her bruised knee. “I told you we shouldn’t have...”

Something hovered silently behind Ewan, immediately she saw it, she froze in shock. Ewan noticed the look on her expression and was able to tell something was behind, slowly he turns to see what it was.

It was a sleek, volley-shaped drone encased in polished steel, roughly thirty-six inches wide and tall. A mechanical camera lens whirred softly, zooming in and out as it locked onto them.

What is that? Ewan thought, stunned. That’s no monster.

I knew we shouldn’t have come, Lira thought, eyes wide with terror.

“Ewan…” she whispered, voice shaking. “Ewan… Ewan!”

He finally grasped the danger. “We’re leaving. Slowly,” he muttered. “It’s not attacking. If we back off peacefully, maybe it’ll let us go.”

Lira scrambled to her feet. Keeping their eyes fixed on the machine, they took five careful steps backward.

The drone mirrored them perfectly, drifting forward to maintain the exact distance.

They stopped. It stopped too, hovering motionless.

It’s following us?, Lira realized, tears filling her eyes and spilling down her cheeks.

It’s not letting us leave, Ewan thought, cold sweat breaking across his skin.

“Ewan, what is that thing?” she sobbed, legs trembling.

“I don’t know,” he answered tightly. “But we can’t stay here. We run on three. Ready?”

She gave a shaky nod.

“1, 2, 3 Go!”

Ewan exploded into a sprint, sword drawn, leading the way. Lira bolted after him.

The drone accelerated smoothly, matching their pace without effort. In her panic, Lira tripped over a jagged rock and slammed into the sharp edge of a stone slab. She screamed in agony.

Ewan skidded to a halt and rushed back, but the drone was already hovering directly above her.

“Get away from her!” he roared. He leaped forward, swinging his sword in a powerful overhead strike.

Anticipating the blow, the drone withdrew just enough for the blade to whistle harmlessly through empty air.

Ewan raised his sword and shield, shielding Lira. “Lira, are you okay?!”

“My ribs…” she gasped, clutching her side. “It hurts…”

The drone’s optical sensor flashed red.

“Hostility triggered. Eliminate intruders.”

Mechanical panels snapped open along its underside. Two compact submachine guns extended, barrels locking onto the pair.

“Lira, we have no choice...we have to fight!” Ewan shouted.

“But I… I can’t...” she sobbed, staring at the weapons.

Ewan forced his fear down. “Support me from behind! I’ll draw its attention, you'll hit it with a spell!”

With a desperate battle cry, he charged, sword raised high.

“Target incoming.”

The barrels spun. A deafening roar tore through the ruined hall as a merciless storm of bullets ripped into Ewan. The high-velocity rounds shredded his torso from chest to groin in a fraction of a second. His sword clattered to the stone. He collapsed in a broken heap, blood pooling rapidly beneath him. His eyes rolled back, and he went still.

The drone ceased fire, barrels smoking.

Lira’s mind shattered. A raw, piercing scream of grief and horror tore from her throat.

The drone pivoted toward her. The guns realigned.

Another thunderous volley tore through the air. Lira’s body jerked violently as the bullets struck, her red robes ripping apart before she crumpled beside Ewan.

Silence returned, broken only by the slow drip of blood.

The drone drifted closer, its lens zooming in to scan both corpses for signs of life. Finding none, the weapons retracted with a mechanical click.

“Intruders eliminated.”

With a soft hum, the drone glided backward and vanished into the shadows of the ruined cathedral.

Deep beneath the cathedral, on the sixth floor...

Several drones and mecha constructs moved with authorised precision, relocating supplies and assets through a shimmering spatial sphere. In the summoning chamber Seth stood at the center wearing a simple white shirt, black pants, boots, and his signature black blindfold. A box of ritual materials lay open before him, and a sheet of paper bearing a complex magical diagram rested in his hand.

Piles of preserved corpses were stacked neatly in the corner by another Seth of bots.

Evelyn walked acrossed the chamber, her elegant off-the-shoulder emerald dress swaying with each step. The long bell sleeves and lace-up bodice gave her an air of refined nobility. She carried a small wooden box. She noticed Seth immediately.

“Boss?” she called softly.

“Hey, Evelyn.”

“Aren’t you coming? Did I interrupt something?”

“Not at all,” Seth replied. “Could you come here for a moment?”

She approached, her dress brushing against his clothing as she drew close. “What are you doing?” she asked, wrinkling her nose slightly at the faint raw stench in the air, what is that stench? She thoughts. Her eyes flicked briefly to the piled corpses. “And what’s that in your hand?”

“About that…” Seth extended the paper toward her. “I was going to ask Agatha, but she’s not in any condition for this." A pause, "Well, Evelyn, could you help me construct the ritual circle?” he asked in a genuine tone.

Evelyn took the sheet and studied the grim magical diagram. Her expression tightened.

Is this what I think it is?

She looked back at him. “Of course, Boss. I’ll help.”