Chapter 456 - Betrayal on a Parchment

With an excuse to stop for a little while longer to catch their breath and trying to respect Kazer's differences too, Dilli Flury cracked the Journal open to the first page and started reading it all out loud. 

It's quite thick, so it might take a little while to read it through. Sitting on the Staircase, he heard Dilli narrate.

"Era 2, Year 1815, March 12.

Dear Diary... wait no... father doesn't like the word Diary. Dear Journal, today I've become 18 years old. Me Davidius 18 years old. Time flies by fast but I finally am old enough to go adventuring, that's what father told me at least. I heard a Rumour that there are two Ignite adventurers in Kintur's Tavern, I should go and talk to them."

"Era 2, Year 1815, March 14.

The Adventurers named Zadie and Johnson ignored me, they called me weak and young. But Kintur promised to spread a good name if I carry his Cargo, it took until dusk but I did it."

"Era 2, Year 1815, March 27.

Dear Diary, I am so happy!!! The Adventurers recruited me for a big quest that promises great riches. The Adventurer ill.u.s.tratian lady said that I have potential and the Ignite man just nodded, I know what they meant. Kintur said that they are just desperate for recruits, no one would take their crazy quest. But that's just nonsense, they need me."

"Era 2, Year 1815, June 3.

Dear Diary, I like these people, they are nice. There was this simple misunderstanding with Zadie, she told me to stop looking at her. Let this be our secret, I love her. I wonder if she and Johnson are married? If no, I will pick her flowers. She looks young enough, 30 maybe? I don't know and I don't care."

"Era 2, Year 1815, June 4.

Today we are looking for a new recruit in this place called Silver Kingdom, there are a lot of Ignites here. Maybe since the quest is based on them, they will join us. They better join us, we left the Capital in Meridionali Ignis over 2 months ago and our options are spreading thin."

"Era 2, Year 1815, July 29.

We did manage to recruit someone at Silver Kingdom, Annie. She is a skilled Ignite lady, knows how to swing a blade and has a lot of muscles. She is a bit moody, but will only help us to reach great riches. We have reached our destination as well, this ancient Ignite Castle supposedly over 6,000 years old. Johnson talks a lot about the Ignite Gem Cavern, I hope there really is one down there. We would be rich like Kings and Queens."

"Era 2, Year 1815, July 30.

We have camped near the Castle for the night, and early in the morning we went in the Ruined Castle. There isn't much here, a lot of passages are blocked and the Staircase that is supposed to take us to the Ignite Gem Cavern is blocked as well. We took a right turn, but only found a dead end. Johnson expected this, so he bought a lot of pickaxes and shovels in Silver Kingdom. We start digging today."

Era 2, Year 1816, January 12.

Dear Diary, I haven't talked to you for a while but I've been busy. We have dug a very long tunnel, it took me a month to adjust to all that work, everything hurt but we did it. We have found something bizarre, a room full of weird light blue walls. We will camp here tonight since it's fancy."

Era 2, Year 1816, January 13.

Something horrible has happened, we found a box of jewels yesterday and Annie had an eye on them although we agreed to share. Johnson explained that she became especially crazy after reading these strange books, I don't know what these books say and Zadie told me not to touch them either. Sad that Johnson had to shoot her, Annie did half of the work. That woman didn't know how to stop."

"Era 2, year 1816, September 12.

By the god of sources, we met with another dead end. Johnson saw it a great idea to dig down and seek for the Staircase that was blocked, the Caverns are supposedly deep deep underground. This took a lot longer than it's supposed to, but I think we are close to reach the Cavern. I feel so hungry, I'm sick of eating Rats."

"Era 2, Year 1816, September 19.

Dear Diary, we are on a roll. The hole we dug collapsed somehow and we climbed down to a Cavern, although there aren't any Ignite Gems here. We might have to dig another hole, but at least it's paying off. Zadie complimented my muscles, I got it from all that work digging tunnels. These two aren't married either so maybe there is some hope for me Davidius."

"Era 2, Year 1817, February 7.

We had to dig another Tunnel where Johnson feels like the Staircase is at. This has been the toughest journey in my life and it's not because of all the hard work and eating absolute crap. Johnson tells me about the foul act Zadie tried to do last night. I was granted the responsibility to carry the box full of gems but Zadie had enough and tried to steal them. Johnson explains how I was half awake, thanks to that Zadie tried to kill me in order to prove that she didn't steal anything."

"Era 2, Year 1817, February 16.

We have dug through that hole we started, we found the Staircase the hard way. We fell and I hurt my hip and Johnson hurt his wrists. We are so close, we can see the purple light down the Staircase but right now we are patching up."

"Era 2, Year 1817, February 16.

"Dear Diary, Davidius has died... a rock fell on his head. Sad, I wanted to have the pleasure of killing this annoying dumbass after we got a few bags of Ignite Gems out of here, that would be enough to get a whole better team down there. Oh well, at least Annie and Zadie died in my hand... Poor bastard, he really thought that those ladies are traitors."

Slapping Kazer across the face, Dilli shouted. "You better not be trying to kill me!"

Trying so hard not to cuss at this woman, Kazer hollered. "What the hell did I do?"

Recalling how Kazer talked a lot about mining, Dilli stated a fact. "You wanted to mine the Kyanite walls, how the hell would you know what those gems are?"

Grabbing her by the chin and giving a little push, he stood up and said. "Calm down lady, I love gems but I ain't killing anyone for it."

Yanking the journal from her hand, he cited. "But if this is true, Gaster Kingdom can become richer than ever. Even the two other places can, I hear they helped Gaster Kingdom a lot."

Finding a bit of relief and kind of liking how her chin got grabbed, she butchered. "This is where you prove trustworthy, you're thinking about debt. You didn't mention anything about Lan Zhe earning a ton of gold."

Trusting on what his people are capable of, Kazer weighed in. "My people don't need gold, we live without it just fine but King Michael has helped us more than anyone else would, his Domain prospering is going to be well deserved."

Bashing her hand around his chin as she reached her arm out and up, trying to push him away as well but with no success, she hummed. "Let's get moving now, the Journal says that the Cavern is just at the end of this Staircase."

...

Finally finding the end of the Staircase, their expectations have been shattered as there is no wide opening leading straight to the Ignite Gem Cavern.

It's not entirely bad, there is a small tunnel here as well but it necessarily means they have to crawl again, hopefully for a short time.

One thing that helped both of them feel better, is another Corpse right near the small tunnel. 

This Corpse stood buried underneath rock and dirt, obviously Jonathan's body. It would make one think that the Gods have put in work to bring this greedy bastard to hell.

There is a lot more flesh on this skeleton, but this has to be Jonathan although this corpse looks just a week old considering the body being 4/10 intact.

This is easy to explain, these people have died close to each other by date but one has died deeper underground than the other.

The temperature here feels a lot colder, and it wasn't that warm either in the Cavern above them so this can only point to that fact that cold and the shier lack of Humidity has contributed in to keeping these corpses mummified although all four of them are a bit over 210 years old.

"Looks like that bastard got what's coming to him." Dilli pointed and crawled in first.

Crawling about 20 feet deep into this tunnel, Dilli could see something that proved the 2 Century old treasure hunt true.

Faint purple light shone on her face, getting motivation she started crawling faster despite the sharp pain on her knees.