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Volume 3: The Underground Lair
Chapter 1: From Netcom to Telecom
"Where are we?" Nocturne in B-flat Minor approached me as I stood at the edge of the shaft, lost in thought. He glanced down into the abyss and whistled softly.
"Wow, it’s pitch black down there..."
"I’m new here too. I don’t know what’s waiting for us below."
"Do you want to check it out?" Nocturne asked, his eyes reflecting the flickering torchlight with a curious gleam.
"Hmm..." I mulled over his suggestion. So far, we hadn’t encountered any formidable foes. The swarm of bats in the tunnels had been pesky but manageable—our trio could handle them without breaking a sweat. By that logic, even if something terrifying lurked in this cavern, it probably wouldn’t be much worse than those bats. Pushing forward still seemed plausible...
"Ahhhh!"
Just as I was deliberating, Millionfold's shrill scream pierced through the air behind us. His high-pitched wail hit like an unexpected thunderclap, startling both Nocturne and me so badly that we nearly stumbled into the seemingly bottomless void.
"Ahhhh!"
Another scream joined the first—one sharper, more piercing, and somehow even more ear-splitting. If Millionfold’s voice carried the force of a sledgehammer, this one felt like a lightning bolt splitting the sky.
"Enemy attack!" That was my first instinct. Sword in hand, I spun around, bracing myself for battle.
What greeted me was... bizarre.
Millionfold had abandoned his massive wooden pole on the ground and was now shoving his head into a narrow crevice between two cave walls, oblivious to the fact that his enormous horns were sticking out awkwardly. He continued screaming as though his life depended on it.
On the other side of the room crouched a massive black bear, arms crossed tightly over its chest, eyes squeezed shut. Its posture radiated vulnerability, yet the bone-chilling shriek emanating from its mouth could’ve shattered porcelain.
Good grief, since when did bears learn how to mimic vampire bat ultrasonic screeches? And why did this particular bear have a name hovering above its head—a name unmistakably Planewalker-style: Fairy Dropped Face First.
What in the world was going on? This surreal scene left me utterly baffled.
"Ahhh..." I stared dumbfounded as these two clearly terrified creatures kept screaming their heads off.
"Stop—STOP!" I finally shouted, my voice echoing off the stone walls. Startled, the bull and the bear froze mid-shriek. Millionfold remained wedged halfway into the crevice, his rear end jutting comically outward while his tail twitched spasmodically. Meanwhile, the bear maintained its defensive squat, peering up at me with wide eyes. Together, they looked like avant-garde sculptures carved by some deranged modern artist.
"What’s going on here?" I cleared my throat and stepped closer, giving Millionfold’s backside a nudge with my boot to get his attention.
"I—I was just standing here—" He pointed toward the tunnel entrance. "You two went ahead, and when I tried to follow, someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around and saw... THIS THING!" He gestured wildly at the bear. "It scared me half to death! I think I might’ve had a heart attack!"
"I’m not a ‘thing’!" The black bear suddenly rose to its full height and spoke in a soft, melodic voice. Its tone sparkled like sunlight filtering through crystal—clear, warm, and oddly comforting.
Before anyone could respond, a shimmering green aura spiraled up from beneath the bear’s feet, enveloping its entire body. In moments, the beast transformed into an elven maiden clad in furs, wearing a feathered headband and holding a short staff.
"...I heard noises coming from here and came to investigate," she explained sheepishly, her cheeks still flushed from fright. "When I saw him"—she nodded toward Millionfold—"I tapped his shoulder to say hello. But then he screamed so loudly—and looks so scary—that I panicked and screamed too."
Her apology tumbled out in a rush of humility, making her appear both pitiable and endearing.
"Is that how you greet people? Sneaking up silently and looking like THAT? Even gods would jump out of their skins!" Millionfold huffed indignantly before launching into one of his trademark self-aggrandizing rants. "Thankfully, I’m made of sterner stuff. Anyone else would’ve dropped dead from sheer terror!"
Under his breath, he muttered, "And who’s calling ME scary? Look at yourself!" Despite his bluster, he couldn’t resist sneaking a few sideways glances at the elf girl.
"I’m sorry, truly sorry..." The girl bowed her head repeatedly. "This place is terrifying. There are all sorts of monstrous bats lurking about, so I’ve been staying in bear form for safety. I got overexcited when I saw you and forgot to shift back..."
"How did you end up here?" Nocturne chimed in curiously. "Surely you didn’t come alone?"
"I—I was brought here by someone. My friend ran into trouble nearby, so when I saw you, I thought maybe you could help..." Her voice trailed off shyly as she lowered her gaze, peeking at us nervously, as though fearing rejection.
"What happened to your friend?" Sensing her distress, I guessed her companion must be in serious trouble. Helping those in need is a hallmark of a true adventurer, so I offered gently, "Where is he? Take us to him."
The chamber wasn’t surrounded by smooth stone walls; instead, jagged lines formed alcoves large enough to hide small groups of people. Earlier, Fairy Dropped Face First and her companion had been hiding in one such nook.
This timid, easily flustered elf girl was a druid—a follower of nature and neutrality, beloved by Netheria, the goddess of the wilds. Druids considered mountains, forests, and plains their spiritual homes, living as wandering hermits attuned to the rhythms of the natural world.
As stewards of nature, druids wielded unique powers granted by Netheria herself. Unlike traditional elemental magic, their abilities allowed them to blend seamlessly with the environment. They could transform into animals—wolves, leopards, or bears—to embody the untamed spirit of nature itself.
Beyond their magical prowess, druids were also renowned healers. Though they lacked the divine blessings bestowed upon clerics, they could mend wounds, cure ailments, and ease suffering using the raw energy of the natural world. Every druid was a valued ally, kind-hearted and eager to assist—but only if you tolerated their occasional quirks about faith and philosophy.
Druidic teachings aligned closely with elven traditions, though not all elves embraced druidism, nor were all druids elves. Some haughty elves viewed druidry as merely “getting close to truth” rather than achieving enlightenment, while many druids regarded elves as mere products of natural evolution—not inherently favored by Netheria over other beings.
I refrained from asking Fairy Dropped Face First about her views on race and religion; given the sensitivity of such topics, silence seemed wisest.
To my surprise, her companion turned out to be an orc warlock.
Warlocks were among the least popular practitioners of arcane arts. They dabbled in metaphysics, agnosticism, mysticism, and nihilism. Believing that existence itself was rooted in randomness, they posited that gods were merely one possibility among countless others scattered across infinite planes of reality.
Their creed held that just as gods granted power to devoted followers, mortals could forge pacts with powerful entities from other dimensions. These beings, often referred to as patrons, demanded souls in exchange for their gifts. Warlocks argued that their transactions weren’t fundamentally different from those of priests, who offered faith instead of flesh. While priests cloaked their deals in sanctimonious rituals, warlocks preferred straightforward exchanges—souls traded directly for power.
Only the boldest (or maddest) dared entertain such radical ideas, yet astonishingly, evidence suggested they worked. Many brilliant but eccentric spellcasters successfully contacted extraplanar beings and struck bargains with them. These entities sent avatars known as servitors to aid their mortal partners, who shared in the spoils of conquest.
However, these alliances were perilous. Should a servitor deem its master unworthy, it would claim the warlock’s soul as payment. Consequently, most warlocks were ruthless killers indifferent to life—including their own—or anything else, including the gods themselves. Their actions often violated druidic principles entirely.
How Ding Ding Xiao Ge, an orc warlock, ended up traveling with a gentle elven druid baffled me. Yet judging by his relaxed demeanor, lounging idly in a corner scratching himself, he didn’t seem troubled.
"Hello," Nocturne greeted him warmly as he approached. To our surprise, the orc ignored him completely, continuing to scratch as if we didn’t exist.
"What’s wrong with him?" Nocturne frowned, feeling slighted.
"He... he’s lagging..." Fairy Dropped Face First replied apologetically, adding cryptically, "...he uses Netcom..."
"Oh..." Nocturne and Millionfold exchanged knowing looks, leaving me utterly confused.
"He- hello..." After what felt like an eternity, Ding Ding Xiao Ge finally responded in a dreamy monotone. Clearly addressing Nocturne’s earlier greeting, he turned toward where the gnome bard had stood moments ago—but of course, Nocturne had already moved.
"Brother, I feel for you. From Netcom to Telecom, that’s quite the journey..." Millionfold patted the orc sympathetically on the shoulder.
"Based on latency calculations... farther than Earth to Mars..." Ding Ding Xiao Ge murmured after another long pause.
Netcom? Telecom? What were those? Given the prevalence of bats in this cave, I assumed they were names for two particularly vicious species of bloodsucking predators...
"Just the two of you? How on earth did HE manage to get here? It must’ve taken immense courage—and dragging corpses galore!"
"Well... actually, there were three others helping us earlier. They were recruited to assist with his quest, but... they left..."
Through Ding Ding Xiao Ge’s sporadic, delayed interjections, Fairy Dropped Face First recounted their journey thus far.
Besides being a warlock, Ding Ding Xiao Ge was also an aspiring miner whose passion for metallurgy rivaled his interest in magic. A significant portion of his experience points—enough to reach level nine—came from mining skills rather than combat.
Thanks to his exceptional mining expertise, he accepted a professional task: retrieving the lost hammer of Robert Wilanster, a legendary dwarven metallurgist nicknamed "The Quencher," hidden deep within the abandoned mine’s underground labyrinth.
Including Fairy Dropped Face First, four adventurers answered his call and fought their way to the subterranean hall. Following precarious walkways along the colossal shaft, they encountered waves of mysterious skeleton warriors. Braving undead hordes, the quartet eventually located the legendary hammer at the shaft’s base.
Triumphant, they prepared to retrieve it—until disaster struck.
As Ding Ding Xiao Ge bent to grasp the hammer, his fingers inches from its handle...
...he "disconnected."
That was Fairy Dropped Face First’s exact phrasing. Behind the seemingly simple term lay layers of complexity. Disconnecting implied being unable to remain tethered to this plane of existence—almost as though Planewalkers navigated dimensional currents via tightropes.
Under relentless attacks from skeleton warriors, the group barely escaped with Ding Ding Xiao Ge’s rigid body in tow. Their mission failed, and the other three companions abandoned the quest once the orc reappeared.
Though I struggled to fully grasp Fairy Dropped Face First’s explanation, I gleaned enough to understand more about Planewalkers’ limitations. Their movements weren’t unrestricted; they seemed bound by some invisible "network." When their connection faltered, their minds couldn’t sync with their bodies, resulting in sluggish behavior akin to Ding Ding Xiao Ge’s.
"You’re incredibly kind to stay behind and protect him," Millionfold remarked sincerely after hearing the story. I silently agreed.
For an elf maiden to remain loyal to a partner rendered helpless—even burdensome—required extraordinary courage and resolve. Faced with ferocious beasts guarding her charge, she’d risked everything to keep him safe.
Blushing furiously, Fairy Dropped Face First lowered her head, embarrassed by Millionfold’s direct praise. Her rosy cheeks glowed like a luminescent blue flame blossoming in the darkness, igniting sparks of admiration within our hearts.
Awkward silence followed. Words caught in my throat, refusing to emerge. We simply gazed at the enchanting elf girl, dumbstruck.
"...She didn’t stay out of kindness..." Just as we regained our composure, Ding Ding Xiao Ge finally spoke up, ever tardy.
"...She was about to level up and decided to do it here before leaving. But once she leveled, she realized she couldn’t carry me out alone..."
"...I told her to go without me, not to worry about me..."
"...But honestly... she was too afraid to leave alone..."
"...Because... she’s scared of the dark..."
"...She refused to let me disconnect, forcing me to stay online and chat with her so she wouldn’t panic..."
"...She’s been pestering me nonstop for over two hours, not letting me rest. If you guys hadn’t shown up, I’d have collapsed from exhaustion..."
"...This is illegal detainment! Torture methods used by the Sino-American Cooperative in Chongqing pale in comparison..."
"...Noble heroes, please, save me! Take her away!" The orc pleaded dramatically, his face contorted in misery.
Fairy Dropped Face First’s head drooped lower still...
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