Searching for Andromeda 82 Who is that Child?

A sword slashed into the last goblin that had attacked Yael's party. It was the goblin king, which now concluded the battle. According to the Book, defeating the goblin king would advance the adventurers to Necropolis, the City of the Dead. The City of the Dead—Necropolis—was what one could call 'mid-level' floor where adventurers could find a clue about the vessel.

The Book couldn't give more information other than that. Each Necropolis varies per dungeon that it was the book's last page. From there on, Yael and his party had to figure out how to get into the vessel. But of course, every Necropolis found in dungeons had similar monsters. 

The failed 'humans.'

Necromorphs.

The necromorphs are trial humans created by Wahid. Every dungeon has one, and strangely enough, they were the midpoint monsters in every oubliette. Necromorphs had an attribute of a rotten flesh with muscle fibers extending to their body. They typically have two arms, and claws extending from their backs. These monsters are menacingly thin, but they have an unquenchable thirst for the living.

Necromorphs have the power to generate hallucinations—but that only happens when death gets stronger. Once an adventurer commences a fight between this certain monster and is put into the state of delirium, there is a chance that death is coming for that person—or to the people around him.

Yael and his party were able to advance to the next level effortlessly. Their mana was still at its prime, and they were pretty much unscathed. As expected from the most powerful group of the Red Alaris Guild.

In Yael's whole life, he trained to be stronger with only one goal at hand. He became an S-rank adventurer to get more resiliency to the tougher monsters he would encounter in the future. Resiliency to be more qualified to be a dungeon conqueror. Resiliency to be able to attain his goals. People believed that if it was Yael, he—definitely—will go home triumphant.

The path was dark and was filled with uncertainties—scattered bones of adventurers from the past, ripped maps, and rusty swords hanging to vines. The path towards the city of the dead was sinister. The path was a bridge, and below them were dark-colored waters with lotuses possessing razor-sharp teeth. The grime spreading across the bridge from the dark waters had already spread through Yael's path. It wasn't a surprise at this rate. Alaris' dungeon was maybe a hundred—no—a thousand years of age. 

Through Yael's enhanced senses, he was able to pinpoint the dark aura emanating; its source from the path ahead of them. He, along with his party, remained vigilant. 

"We're getting close to Necropolis." Hosea exclaimed; his grimoire gleaming red. 

"Hooh, Hosea~ what's that? Why's your book gleaming?" Vashti asked in a sing-song manner.

"Don't call it a 'book' . . . !" Hosea murmured and then faked a cough. "It's not just a book. It's called a grimoire, Vashti!"

Vashti Aredhel, a Half-Elf that joined the guild just two years ago. And in that short amount of time, she was able to keep up with Hosea and the other older members. She possessed a significant amount of mana; and considering her origin, Vashti was natural-born talent. Her magic was strong. But not strong as a full-fledged Elf. 

Halfbreeds are often regarded as a disgrace. Especially Half-Elves, which considered Halflings as taboo. Elves are deliberated as higher beings; they have mortal souls with immortal bodies, as opposed to humans, who are immortal souls with mortal bodies (which would qualify them for reincarnation). 

Agins (half animal and half human breeds) are often discriminated against, but they were deemed normal by society as the years progressed. But Half-Elves, on the other hand, were seen as ignominies. Being a Half-Elf would simply mean to have a mortal soul with a mortal body. This means that the Halfling couldn't reincarnate, unlike humans who had immortal souls whose life would reset upon death. 

There wasn't anything about what would happen to a Half-Elf upon death. They have a mortal soul and a mortal body, a positive to positive component. It is deemed as unstable—something that opposed the laws of nature. A positive and negative component existed in all beings created by Wahid (mortal body with an immortal soul, or otherwise) which is why Halflings were taboo. 

Pelmon Brodwick, Arletha Bertland, and Hosea were all humans but they never displayed any discrimination towards Vashti. This is why all of them were comfortable with each other in a short amount of time and were able to create their own team. Yael wasn't a part of the team, considering he preferred going solo (despite him and Hosea having grown together in the past). 

Yael knew he chose the right group.

"Something's coming."

Yael stopped to his tracks and held his ax as he concentrated his mana onto the blade.

From the waters, a gigantic water-snake-like monster with nine heads risen towards them and blocked the path. 

"Hydra!" Pelmon exclaimed.

"It's just like the book had said, Yael!" 

Waiting in the entrance of the necropolis is a monster that had the body of a snake and was living in the waters, feeding on the dead bodies.

"It means we've come to the right place," Hosea said, and then hastened his hand forward, opening his palm. His grimoire glowed; and accompanying that glow is a hex forming below each of his parties. A transparent barrier formed around them. 

"As expected of our healer~" Vashti said, and then pouted. "I wish I could use protection magic too."

"Vashti, eyes ahead!" Pelmon said, and with both of his hands, he held his sword firmly.

All of the hydra's head raided the group, advancing its snake-like bodies to each of them. Five of the hydra's body attacked Yael, whilst the other four barraged into Pelmon—who had sliced the hydra's body in half, Vashti—conjured a spell to blast the hydra into crisp, Arletha—shot multiple arrows to the monster's body, and Hosea, who enclosed the monster into a barrier and compressed it until its body exploded. 

Yael rotated ninety degrees and swept his ax towards the five hydra's head at once; stepping to each of the hydra's five chassis, Yael jumped towards the monster's main body which was five times thicker than its nine, snake-like frames. He plunged his ax concentrated with his mana deep to the hydra's body as he slides down below to the grimy waters where the hydra had originated.

The monster collapsed back to the waters; the grime mixed with the monster's blood as Yael finally pierced its heart. 

[The only way to kill the Hydra is to take out its heart]

"W-we defeated them without even five minutes . . ." Arletha chuckled nervously.

"As expected from Yael, our S-rank adventurer . . . !"

"Everyone . . . look!"

Arletha, Pelmon, and Hosea glanced to where Vashti was pointing. Yael had gone back into the path and was standing before them with his large back facing the team.

"Yael . . . who . . . is that child?" Hosea exclaimed, seeing a boy in Yael's arms.

Chapter end