Mutagen

Was there someone alive on the other side of the door? Both Diwata Danaya and Hieromano could not help but look at Mark. After all, it was him that said that he could not detect any sign of life on the other side of the door.

But then, as they looked at Mark, he had an odd expression on his face.

Of course, Mark would feel odd. He could hear the voice and understand it. However, Mark was aware that it was spoken in a language that Mark did not know at all. Furthermore, he was not lying when he said that he could not detect anything alive behind the door. The angry voice itself was ethereal, indicating that whatever it was that the voice was coming from was not something living.

"This feeling..."

Mark murmured as his eyes lit up. Suddenly some memories from the cultivator elder that he absorbed resurfaced.

"I see, now."

He said with a smile. Without hesitation, he pushed the large, heavy door. It was too heavy that he even enhanced his strength, making the veins in his body glow red.

"INSOLENCE!!!"

The voice roared in anger. Mark did not only ignored the voice but dared to open the door without care.

A strong gust of wind blew inside the enclosed hall. The sudden gust made Diwata Danaya and Hieromano shield themselves.

Mark still ignored it as he forced the door open.

BAM!

The doors banged loud as it was fully opened.

Behind the door was a vast hall filled with dark mist. It was kind of hard to see what was inside without entering. Along with the door\'s opening, the thick demonic aura was also released to the surroundings.

"THOU!!!"

The voice roared once more, both speechless and furious as to what Mark had done. At the same time, it had a little pint of fear.

And as Mark clapped his hands to for a job done, he finally decided to answer the voice.

"You don\'t have to be furious. An imprint like you can\'t do anything aside from threats anyway."

Both Diwata Danaya and Hieromano were surprised at how Mark was behaving. The two could feel the heavy pressure from that voice alone.

"..."

Unexpectedly, the voice went silent in an awkward manner.

"This can\'t beest happening." The voice echoed once more. This time, it lacked the ferociousness that it had before. "How didst a demon liketh thee reached this place."

And there, with a bright light, a ghostly silhouette of a woman appeared in front of them. She had greenish-black hair, crystal blue eyes with a face akin to a goddess. Her body was garbed with a white flowery dress and a crown of magical flowers. On her left hand, she held a two-meter tall staff made of winding wood adorned with a baseball-sized green crystal at its tip.

Seeing that ghostly apparition, Diwata Danaya and Hieromano were shocked to their cores. Without any other words, the two fell to their knees and respectfully bowed to that beautiful figure.

"Diwata Luwalhati, we had been graced by your presence. Please pardon our impertinence as we were unaware."

Diwata Danaya voiced out towards the figure in utmost respect.

Hearing those words, however, the figure showed a sad expression.

"A young Diwata and a descendant of the brave Duendes. Standeth up. As this Demon hadst hath said, I\'m nothing but an imprint unworthy of such worship." The figure then started to walk towards the two. "I\'m depressed to sayeth but the real Luwalhati hadst longeth been gone from this world."

Diwatas might be long-lived, but they would never live forever.

Still, despite that truth, Diwata Danaya and Hieromano did not dare raise their heads. Without any choice, the ghostly figure approached the two and helped them up, making them unable to resist.

Mark watched that scene unfold from the sidelines. It was a bit unexpected, though, that the imprint of that being called Diwata Luwalhati could actually interact with the physical world. This just meant that Diwata Luwalhati was a very strong being that was likely at the level of a Deity nearing Godhood. Furthermore, it was more than the usual imprint. It seemed to be sentient on its own.

Diwata Danaya and Hieromano were now standing. However, both of them did not dare raise their head and look straight at the imprint of Diwata Luwalhati.

And there, the imprint of the great Diwata from this fortress\' legend posed a question to the two.

"Please bid me the reason. Why hadst thee hath brought this Demon to this forbidden place?"

Along with that question, Diwata Luwalhati glared at Mark.

Her personality seemed to be an amicable person. However, it looked like that she had unusual prejudice towards Demons.

With Mark being treated as an enemy, Diwata Danaya and Hieromano felt complicated. As such, they had no choice but to explain the current circumstances, not only about the demons but also the apocalypse.

Learning about the circumstances, the imprint of Diwata Luwalhati was thoroughly troubled. Even so, she still looked at Mark the same way.

"It hadst been thousands of years. The truth shouldst hadst been buried along with the fabricated lore. Why? Just why wouldst this befall at this time yond the world wast in crisis?"

The imprint was in a dilemma.

Since Mark was being disregarded at the side, he shrugged his shoulders and turned around. Without saying a word, he entered the chamber, waving through the black mist and the thick demonic aura.

"STOP!"

The imprint noticed Mark, but it was already late. He already saw what was inside.

At the center of the chamber, a flaming red orb was suspended in the air. It was a bit larger than a basketball. The demonic aura that they were feeling was all coming from this thing.

Aside from the flaming orb, nine pillars were surrounding it filled with magical runes. It seemed to be the central sealing formation that kept that thing in this place.

At this point, the imprint of Diwata Luwalhati appeared in front of Mark, blocking his way.

"Step back!"

The glare from her eyes was too piercing that it felt quite painful.

Even so, Mark just shrugged as he turned around and nonchalantly walked back to the door. His business here was already done. All he wanted to know was what was the thing being kept here. Now that his curiosity was already filled, it was time for him to leave.

That gesture from him, however, surprised the imprint. After he saw what that thing sealed in the chamber was, his interest vanished all of a sudden. Was there really no other reason for him to come to this place but to fill his curiosity?

But then, Mark stopped in front of Diwata Danaya and Hieromano.

"I\'m not welcome here, so I\'ll go back. I already saw what\'s in there, and it\'s enough for me."

Mark said those words and vanished into a surge of black mist that flew back to the upper floors of the dungeons. He did not even give the two a chance to reply as he left.

It was not like the two had any reason to stop him. This situation, after all, was a problem that they needed to find a solution on their own. It was for the sake of everyone here in the stone fortress.

***

Mark arrived back at the entrance of the dungeon. It was quite a pity that he had no chance to hear the true story about the legend. Although he already had a vague idea, hearing it straight from the source was a different kind of experience.

However, even if he wanted to hear it, Mark doubted that that imprint would speak while he was around. She was extremely prejudiced towards Demons, after all.

Nevertheless, he was sure about one thing. The part of the legend mentioning the Demon being banished was nothing but a lie. It was dead, and what remained of its body was sealed within the depths of the Stone Fortress.

It was that flaming orb.

And without a doubt, it was the reason why the Demons suddenly started attacking this place.

With those thoughts in mind, Mark started to walk away from the entrance. But then, he shrugged his shoulders as he waved his hand with a chopping movement.

SNAP!

The sound of a hand hitting a bone was heard, and a figure that lost balance appeared beside Mark out of nowhere. It all unfolded in the eyes of the guards hidden outside the dungeon. And of course, despite being trained soldiers, they were surprised by this event.

Mark then looked at the slim-bodied man that fell beside him. He had two short horns on his forehead, dark skin, and black hair. It was, without a doubt, a Demon.

"You guys can hear me, right?" Mark suddenly spoke, facing the guards that were supposed to be hidden. "Imprison this guy and tell your King that some Demons already snuck inside the fortress when he comes out."

After saying that, Mark bent down on the unconscious Demon and took the pair of daggers strapped on his waist before leaving. The Duendes that appeared to apprehend the Demon looked at Mark\'s back, both amazed and looking strange.

After all, not only Mark captured an intruder without effort but also stole the Demon\'s weapons without care.

If the unconscious person was not a Demon and there were no witnesses, it would be hard to pinpoint who was the real criminal here.

***

But then, an uproar within the Stone Fortress started.

Several Demons were found either unconscious or dead within the premises of the fortress. The guards of the fortress were alerted to this fact. They immediately went to capture the unconscious Demons and cleaned up the remains of the dead ones.

Even so, the fortress being infiltrated by this number of Demons alarmed everyone that came to know about it while yapping rumors about the mysterious person that captured them all. No one knew it, after all, aside from the guards that were present outside the dungeon.

***

Morning soon came with the uproar not calming down. Warriors of the races could be seen running here and there searching for any suspicious individuals. Demons were already captured, and everyone knew that they managed to infiltrate the fortress. Without a doubt, they needed to bolster their security.

Mark\'s group did not care about this, anyway. They were currently busy doing their last-minute preparations before they left.

And of course, Mark was visited by Diwata Danaya and the King. They came to personally thank Mark for apprehending the intruders. They had no idea that the Demons had already snuck into the fortress this early. It seems like they started to prepare countermeasures for this.

Unfortunately, the two did not mention anything about what happened in the depths of the dungeon. It seemed that they were strictly forbidden to say anything about it outside.

Concerning that, Mark did not ask anything either. He only told that his group would be leaving soon, and their daughter would be coming with them.

Of course, Hieromano did not like it. However, there was no point in shackling his daughter either, and could only consent to it with a heavy heart. But of course, they would not let her go without receiving sermons about safety and stuff.

In the end, Felenia had to meet her parents before departing and returned looking tired. It seemed like the usually good wife also had her bad side towards her strict parents.

That morning, the people of the Stone Fortress bid farewell as the Black Dragon flew away with Mark\'s group on its back.