Sunny gritted his teeth and tried to shove his arm forward, but Olem's grip didn't weaken. The armored man eventually managed to pull his limb out of the golem's grasp, and he jumped back, putting distance between himself and the construct which now had several barrels aimed at him.
Now that Olem was here, Davi felt a little more focused and reassured. Now that his life wasn't being threatened, he took a better look at Sunny and realized he had made a mistake.
Sunny wasn't an elf.
The elves all looked like humans, save for their pointed ears, and in the case of royal elves, they had purple eyes. These two things were the only traits they had that made them appear inhuman. The purple eyes were often a royal shade, but the kind Sunny had weren't that. They were closer to pink or red. Not to mention, he had dark purple skin.
His flesh was colored a bruise-like purple, and he had a busted lip from an earlier attack he had taken, which was stained with blue blood.
"You're not an elf?" Davi said, a little stunned.
"Of course I'm not an elf." Sunny frowned. "The elves were killed long ago. Even my people know that. We are just byproducts of this dungeon. Beings who have called this place home and lived here our whole lives."
"Dungeon monsters that look similar to elves?" Davi rubbed his chin, trying to process that. "What are the chances of that?"
And yet, he knew that Sunny wasn't lying. He could tell because Sunny wasn't registering to him.
Storymaker, as well as a few other items, often gained his attention because of the elf soul that was in them. He could sometimes hear whispers of the soul or sense where it was. Just holding Storymaker would reassure him and make him feel like he wasn't alone. This was thanks to the Hoarder trait he had. At least that's what Storymaker had told him. That trait wasn't activating at all before Sunny.
Sunny might have looked like an elf, but he didn't have the soul of one. If his people came from elves, living in this dungeon for so long must have changed them to a new species entirely, though even that was something Davi doubted, and the easiest explanation was that Sunny was right and he was just a monster who looked like an elf.
Why? How?
Well, the world was weird like that sometimes.
"Sunny," Olem spoke up now. "Put your weapon down. Do not attack my guildmate anymore."
Sunny lowered his sword a bit but didn't put it fully down. "Master Olem, that man is an invader."
"He is not." Olem shook the closest thing he had to a head, and the golem folded his arms, the barrels pulling themselves back into his body, and his form clicking shut. "Davi Hawker is part of my guild."
"But the energy he has-"
"It isn't what you think it is." Olem cut Sunny off. "I can assure you, Davi is who he says he is. He is a trusted ally of mine. If you wish to keep fighting him, then know that I will get in your way. Need I remind you which of us is stronger?"
Sunny finally let out a sigh and then smiled. "I see." His sword glowed and then faded, turning back into a piece of chalk. He then bowed to Davi and then shot another one toward Ash. "Forgive me. If master Olem is willing to vouch for you, then it seems I was truly wrong. I know not why you have the energy of an invader, but I will trust in master Olem and accept that you're innocent. Please do not hold any grudges against my men; I alone was the one who ordered them to attack the invaders, no matter what they say. If you wish to issue any punishment, then I will ask that it all be placed upon me."
"Nah, we're good." Davi held his hands up and shook his head. "I don't like that you attacked me, but just don't do it again, and we'll be cool."
Sunny let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you. Please give me a moment to administer first aid to my men, and then I'll gladly escort you to the city."
"Okay?" Davi watched Sunny as the elf-look-alike crouched down next to one of the soldiers and pulled their helmets off. Like Sunny, they had blonde hair, elf ears, and purple skin. Sunny used a piece of chalk and began to write symbols across the person's forehead.
"What the hell are these guys?" Ash muttered as he put his bow away and walked over.
Olem hummed. "It's a little hard to explain."
"Can you try?"
Olem sighed. "The elves made the dungeons. The tyrant king Sylas created them as a way to store treasure and keep it from the humans. Later on in his madness, he turned his own people into weapons, grinding them up and ripping their Cores out. We don't know how he created the dungeons nor how he connected to the other side, but what we do know is that this dungeon was the second-to-last dungeon to ever be created by the king. Some people in the guilds speculate that these monsters were his attempt at creating a new elven species. Perhaps if he had won the war, Sunny and his people would have been the ones to take over the planet, but that didn't happen, and so instead, this dungeon, and this dungeon alone, contains them. They're content here and have called this place home."
"So they're like elf clones?" Ash looked a little grossed out.
"Not exactly, but also yes," Olem shrugged. "King Sylas likely wanted to perfect and evolve them, but he never got the chance, so they look similar to elves, but their biology is different, and their connection to mana isn't the same either."
"I see."
"That guy called you 'Master Olem'?" Davi knocked on Olem's side, hearing how hollowed out the man was. "What's up with that? You two acted like you knew each other? You met him during the last games or something?"
Olem shook his head. "No. Actually, Sunny and I do know each other. He was my finest student."
"Your student?"
"Yes. This place was where I was born."
"Huh!" Ash's eyes widened. "Wait, you're from this dungeon?"
"Indeed, I am." Olem went to say more but was cut off when Sunny called out to them.
"Alright!" Sunny was now on his weird horse, and his men stood around him, fully healed. They looked a little uncomfortable when they glanced at Davi, but none of them said anything else. "We're ready to move out! Please follow me. We only need to walk a short distance."
The scaled horse began to march, the soldiers following behind it. Olem walked after them, and both Davi and Ash struggled to keep up with his massive strides. They passed a large cliff face and a sloping hill, and once they were at the bottom, the city came into view.
It looked even bigger up close, and the iron wall that surrounded it was covered in thick slash marks and dents.
"Please don't hold a grudge against Sunny," Olem muttered quietly as they neared the wall. "He really thought you were an invader."
"I thought the invaders had to do with the evil seven, but now I'm not so sure." Davi shot his guildmate a look. "What are they, and why do I feel like them?"
"It's your cold mana," Olem explained. "You know how it feels like someone on the verge of becoming a mutant to most other people? Well, to the Licht-Fulk, it feels like an invader. The Licht-Fulk might be monsters, but they're very special ones, able to think and hold conversations as well as not have the desire to slaughter as the other beasts do. Invaders refer to other monsters. Remember, this is a dungeon, and so it's not uncommon for other monsters to sense this place and come storming in or for them to get thrown in here when this dungeon shifts to the other side. These monsters are mad, and they hate the Licht-Fulk. That's why the Licht-Fulk made me and the other golems. We were supposed to protect them while they learned to protect themselves."
"Oh, so the invaders have nothing to do with the evil seven?" Davi questioned.
"Likely not," Olem snorted. "For once, you're not tied to any plot. Most likely, a few monsters slipped into this place, and that's why the Licht-Fulk are being so cautious, and with how odd you are, I'm not surprised they thought you were one."
"Rude… I guess it all checks out, though."
"Does it?" Ash made a face. "That's pretty shitty luck."
"I'm in the Phoenix Flight guild."
"Oh, yeah, that's right. My bad."
They finally reached the massive wall, and Sunny pulled out a horn from a satchel that was strapped to his mount. He blew on it, and a rumble echoed out. Cracks formed along the outer layer of the wall, and then it started to rip itself open, twisting and unsnapping, revealing another wall past it, as well as a large group of people: Pantheon, Phoenix Flight, and even more soldiers.
"Finally." Myth grunted when he saw Sunny and the others. "Sunny, you've lost some touch. Max was able to get here before you found those three."
"I apologize." Sunny's mount carried him past the open wall, and the others followed, separating to meet up with their own groups. "In the end, I managed to find them, though."
"Did I miss anything?" Davi wandered over to Olivia, Ken, Sieg, and Falco, who were all waiting for him, while Olem walked next to the captain and whispered something to her, causing her eyes to narrow.
"Nothing happened." Sieg shook his head. "I was a little shocked to learn what these guys looked like, though." He glanced around at a few of the soldiers who had taken their helms off a while ago, before Davi's group returned.
"Who knew elf look-alikes existed?" Ken hummed.
"It's kind of cool," Olivia sounded really excited. "I never got to meet a real elf. You know, cause they're all dead and stuff."
"I imagine that would make it hard to see one." Falco chuckled.
"Question." Their group jumped when they heard the voice, and they turned, finding Susie was giving them all a sour look, mainly at Davi.
"Yeah?" Davi raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"No one explained it. What are we doing?" She demanded. "And why am I here?"
"Captain doesn't want you out of her sight, and I did explain it; we're competing in a game to save the world."
"That barely answers any questions…" Susie sighed.
"It's the truth, though." Falco smirked. "See, it'll be us versus Panthon, and I guess you're filling in for Tea and Dog. The games are random, and not all of us will be playing. It's random. There are ten games in total, and they do three a day, with the final day being the biggest one. It's pretty cool because we get a free place to stay, eat good food, and get to watch! This first day is never anything crazy, and the games wrap up by day five, so we never get close to the risk of it unsealing. Trust me, this is going to be epic."
"If you say so." Susie sounded unconvinced.
Another horn blared out as Sunny raised his hand. The second wall that was in front of them behaved like the last one and started to crack open. Sunlight streamed in, as well as waves of warmth, and the first signs of the city truly became visible.
"I hope you all enjoy your stay in our humble city," Sunny announced. "Enforcer City now stands before you. Please follow me."
Just like before, Sunny led, and everyone followed after. He made sure his horse moved slowly enough to let them all gaze at the city, and for everyone who was seeing it for the first time, it stunned them into awe.
From the outside, up on the mountains, Davi had seen the place from a distance, but nothing could have prepared him for the actual thing. This place was indeed a dungeon, for it simply defied all logic in how it was structured.
The roads were made out of a clear blue crystal that almost looked like ice from a distance. Many of the buildings were also forged out of the same stuff, and they resembled jagged crystals that stabbed all the way into the air, floating up. The buildings also floated. They hovered above the ground and had staircases that wrapped around them and went all the way to the top, where a door resided.
There were boring stone buildings also, scattered near the bottom. Those ones didn't float but were still carved out of a beautiful black or white marble, shaped masterfully.
The floor bore several cracks along it, and vines jutted and rose, twisting into mini forests, and most of those trees were also shaped into houses, with tall ones rivaling the crystal towers in terms of height. Finally, there were dozens of clouds, which looked like solid balls of cotton, flying high in the sky, with even more buildings placed upon them.
The entire city was packed and was so weird in how it was shaped, having so many different styles that were thrown together. People danced in the streets, some men, some women, and a few kids, all having the same flesh as Sunny, and there were various animals as well, like dogs, cats, and a few birds, but they looked as if they had been fused with lizards, having scales and claws.
Music was playing everywhere, a mix of various melodies that varied as they crossed into different regions of the city. There was also a delicious scent in the air, and hundreds of food carts were scattered around.
Far, far above, a golden ball of pure light radiated down toward them all, and from beneath it, a soft sprinkle of snow followed. Colors were more vibrant than they ever seemed, and newcomers to the dungeon were shocked to feel how light their bodies felt. As if they were finally, truly walking for the first time in their lives.
"It looks so strange." Olivia glanced at the many streets and houses, taking in the shifting cultures and changes. "I kind of like it."
"The smell is making me hungry," Ken admitted.
Sieg adjusted his mask and pretended to not look around, but his eyes darted back and forth. "Eh, I've seen weirder." He lied.
"I like this place." Falco grinned. "I always forget how strange and wacky it is. What we're all seeing is just a bit of the place. There's a rumor about a secret underground area the Licht-Fulk don't want us knowing about."
"What's down there?" Davi asked.
"No clue; it's a secret."
"So this is a dungeon?" Susie was in awe as she glanced around at the landscape. "It's just now occurring to me that I'm about to do a mission with Arcane Knights. As if I myself am I, Knight."
"Yeah." Ken snorted. "One who is in the worst guild."
"Yeah…" Susie sighed. "Not everything can be perfect, I guess."
As Sunny kept leading them through the city, the purple-skinned people stopped to gawk at them. Many cheered, and some threw flowers that were woven into necklaces. They seemed excited.
The further they got, the brighter the colors became and the louder the music, and soon they arrived at a massive colosseum. It looked identical to the Arcane Knight's one, being absolutely massive in size, and a huge crowd had formed outside of it as well.
Directly before the crowd, a massive stand had been set up, and various soldiers, dressed similarly to Sunny, wearing more than the normal ones, all stood along with a woman. She was elegantly dressed in a beautiful black and white gown, and a heavy crown was placed atop her head. Her hair was done up, and she had a kind smile on her purple lips. She was most likely the queen, if Davi had to guess.
She drew his eye, but it was the person next to her who really got his attention. She was a girl; that much was obvious, but her entire body was covered from head to toe. She wore a white gown, white gloves, and white boots, and a white sheet had also been thrown over her head, covering her up. It was a very bright fashion statement and not all that pleasing to the eyes, but the reason he instantly looked to her was because of the dull throb he got in his scar, followed by the feeling that there were a pair of eyes focusing on him.
Sadly, he didn't really get to think about it for too long. Sunny dismounted and kneeled. The crowd parted, allowing the queen to gaze down, and her eyes happily roamed over the various humans.
"My queen!" Sunny called out. "I bring to you the highest of gifts that I can. These are the players for the games! Phoenix Flight and Pantheon. Two mighty guilds."
The queen stepped forward until she stood directly at the edge of her stage. The lady in white also followed, standing next to her. The queen looked to each human, going from Pantheon to Phoenix Flight. For a moment, her eyes settled upon Susie, and a frown almost crossed onto her lips, but it was gone as soon as her eyes darted to the next guild member.
Davi watched the queen and the other girl, but something else got his attention. A soft voice that came from above.
'M-Mother.'
The feeling of being watched grew even more, and Davi glanced up, staring toward the orb of light that was far above him.
'Mother.' A soft voice whispered in his ear. 'Did you come back for me, mother?'
"Mother?" Davi glanced around. "Who's it talking to?"
"Whos' what talking to?" Olivia shot him an odd look.
"D-Do you not hear that voice?"
"What voice?"
Davi opened his mouth, about to answer, but then the queen finally began her speech. When she spoke, it was both quiet and loud. "Knights. Thank you all for gathering. I am pleased to announce that this year's games will be spectacular."
'Mother. Thank you for coming back to me. Let's slaughter them all. The men, the women, and the kids, let us feast on their insides.'
"Oh boy," Davi grunted. "That does not sound good."