Davi looked around as he and the others followed Lucita. The Knight led them outside of the Underworld and toward the mountains in the distance, where a heavy set of stone stairs was carved into the opening of a cave, leading down.
Just like Underworld and Enforcer City, Davi was once again blown away by what he saw. What was beneath the mountain was an entire fortress. The stairs led to a series of twisting tunnels that all ended with large stone rooms. Red carpet covered the floors, and unanimated golems were lined up against the wall, along with paintings of various figures through history, like Haru, Sigurd, and so on. Several of the bandit-like guards also roamed around, each one shooting their group an odd look when they noticed the humans.
This place looked like it was closer to how Enforcer City was, rather than part of the Underworld. It was extremely clean, neat, and fancy-looking, and the smell of cooked food filled the air along with the sound of lovely music. While the people in Underworld were suffering to make ends meet, Himvel and his group were living in luxury.
Some rooms had weapons lining every wall. Clean and put together suits of armor. Ammunition for guns stacked in large piles. Other rooms were filled to the brim with barrels of clean water, ale, wine, fruits, vegetables, and all sorts of meat, various enchantments placed on them to keep them all from going bad. There was enough food to allow the Underworld to eat for at least ten or so years, and that was just one room.
"Himvel has been waiting for you," Lucita spoke up. "When he found out four Knights from above dropped down here, he became very eager to meet you all."
"You're lucky," Dominic spat out. "Otherwise, I'd gut you all!"
Once Lucita arrived, Davi followed her after he rounded up the rest of his group. They left High, the Princess, and any other Licht-Fulk behind, so he was only accompanied by Max, Sera, and Susie. Minori and Dominic had both woken up shortly after the battle and limped after Lucita. The one-armed royal guard was calm and collected, not seemingly bothered by the four Knights that stalked behind her.
Davi shared a look with the others. "Why are you guys attacking the people of Underworld?"
"We're not," Lucita hummed. "We're just ensuring that they follow the rules. Your lands have laws, do they not?"
"You attacked those people and threatened them."
"They failed to pay taxes." Lucita shrugged. "Besides, you do know most of the people who reside in the Underworld are criminals, right? I decided to come here after I was no longer fit to be on the royal guard, but all the people outside were forced to come. They committed crimes in our grand city and were placed down here."
"Most." Davi shook his head. "Not all. Sure, most of them might have been bad apples, but what about people like Mel, who grew up here since they were a baby? This isn't a prison. Don't act like you just threw all the bad apples down here to be punished. You created a second society that only exists to serve the first. You all live comfortably in this castle while those outside toil away trying to meet your ridiculous laws. If laws actively harm the well-being of the people, then those laws shouldn't exist."
"You know nothing of our culture." Lucita scoffed. "You're not even a ruler, are you? Just a Knight. So what would you know of laws?"
"I'm not a pilot either, but if I saw a helicopter crashed into a tree, I'd be able to tell something went wrong."
Lucita's lips thinned into a line, and she led them to a pair of heavy oak doors at the end of the hallway they were marching through. Two guards pushed it open, and past the doors, Davi spotted a large dining hall.
It was a bit too fancy for his taste. A golden chandelier hung above, covered in gems, and all the golems were made out of steel and carved with fancy symbols, lining the walls, waiting to be turned on. The floor was made out of white marble, and candles were scattered around, some floating in the air, lit up by magic. In the center of it all was a large stone table, big enough to fit a few dozen people. Chairs were placed all along it, and of course, at the head of the table resided a golden throne.
There were so many different plates of food. Steamed vegetables, steak, lobster, fish, chicken, boiled apples, and goblets were filled with wine, water, ale, or sometimes even a mix of all three.
The smell was kind of strange, as there were so many scents, all clashing together. It all gave off a vibe that was fake. A person pretending to be nobility and doing what they thought nobles did, but it lacked all sense of class or pride.
Davi didn't like it. Then he turned his attention to the man on the throne.
Himvel wasn't how he expected. The man he had been waiting to meet was seated in a relaxed manner, holding a book. He wore long purple robes, which covered most of his body, and the hood was pulled up, covering his head. Beneath the robes, a bit of armor poked out, such as his metal gauntlets or boots, and directly beneath the hood, he wore a knight's helmet. All of him was covered head to toe, and the armor he wore was made out of a golden metal, which complemented the purple robes he had draped over it.
Davi's eyes narrowed as Himvel slowly closed his book and looked up, taking in the sight of the group that now stood before him.
"Greetings." Himvel waved his hand out at the table of food. "Why don't you all have a seat. My people cooked us up quite the feast. We can negotiate with bellies full." Himvel spoke in a quiet voice. For some reason, Davi thought it sounded very familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. The tone was also off, sounding a bit echoy, and the elf was so soft-spoken.
"How do we know you didn't poison the food?" Max demanded, even as his stomach growled loudly.
"I'll make sure." Sera held a hand up and spoke her spell. "Row Size Alter." Her magic pulsed out, coating the food and drinks. "There. If there were any poison, drugs, or other substances that didn't belong, I shrunk them down by over a million times. They'd be harmless now, even if they were the most dangerous toxin in the world."
"You can do that?" Susie asked, a bit stunned.
"Yep," Sera smirked. "I'm kind of awesome."
"I guess so. Way to go."
Hesitantly, they all took a seat, though none of them began to eat the food. Himvel placed his novel into his lap and rested his arms on the table, quietly staring at them. Lucita and the others also sat down.
Two more ex-royal guards arrived. Like Dominic and Minori, they were both old-timers. One was a Licht-Fulk who wore extremely bulky armor and was freaking huge, being nearly ten feet tall. He kept his helmet on, but a section was removed showing his mouth. The armor was rusty and covered in the symbols of flowers, and he carried a mace and shield. His name was Florence.
The fifth and final member of the ex-guards wore bright red armor, unlike the others, and it had various spikes all along it. He had a massive greatbow, similar to what Sieg's full-powered bow looked like, but it was made of metal instead of lightning. His name was Valorn.
The royal guards all dug in, and then Davi was the next to follow. His Danger Sense never went off, which meant the food was good and he was kind of starving. The others followed after him. Only Himvel didn't eat. In fact, the man had no food or wine laid out before him and instead just silently watched them all.
When Himvel did finally speak, everyone stopped. "Allow me to cut straight to the chase," Himvel said softly. "I want you four to join me."
"Huh?" Susie made a face. "Wait, you want us to side with you?"
"I do."
"He's not lying." Susie frowned.
"What do you mean, you want us to join you?" Max questioned.
"He means work with us," Lucita carved into a steak. "You'll be part of the same group I am, working under me, alongside Valorn, Florence, Minori, and Dominic. You four will be my elite soldiers, and I will listen to orders given out by Himvel, directing them to you."
"And why the hell would we do that?" Sera frowned.
"Because Himvel said so," Florence grunted out.
"Yeah." Minori nodded. "You're lucky the mighty Himvel has taken an interest in you all."
"We're already the strongest force in the city," Valorn spoke up. "If we bolstered our rank with four Knights, we'd be even stronger."
"Not to mention you're humans." Dominic gave a disgusting grin. "They say humans were made to be breed with anything, and their offspring always surpass them. If we mixed our blood, the future Licht-Fulk would likely be able to leave the barrier placed around the great dungeon and enter the real world once more."
"That's disgusting." Susie sneered while Sera shuddered.
"It's called survival," Lucita corrected. "Our people have been stuck here for nearly one thousand years, all because of Haru, a human. Take accountability for what your ancestors have done."
"Sorry, but we can't stay." Davi placed the silverware down and wiped his mouth. He was still in his armor, ready for a fight to break out, and judging by the growing tension, it wouldn't be too long. "I'm told this place has a way out?"
"Indeed." Himvel nodded. "At the end of this room lies a pair of doors. Past those doors is the great wellspring of mana. It is what is able to siphon off a bit of heat from Enforcer City, allowing Underworld's buildings to be hot zones. The great well is how you escape. Of course, you'd need a way to access the Mother's Light."
"Already have that covered." Davi pulled out a piece of chalk, which High had given him. He stood up and pushed his chair back. "Now, if you'll excuse me, we have to leave. Our guilds need us back up top, but don't worry, we'll be back. I plan to tell my captain and Myth all about this place, and they'll come storming down and fix the mess of this place."
"You dare?" Lucita glared at him.
"I dare." Davi turned and began to walk toward the doors.
"I guess if you're truly wanting to escape, I should mention I placed a new rune on the wellspring, which makes that chalk you're holding nothing more than mere… Well, chalk." Himvel's voice caused Davi to pause. He turned back and stared at the robed man who didn't even bother to turn his head. "We had someone join our group and used their new position to enter the well and escape. Once that happened, I took action. I inscribed a series of runes upon the well, locking it down. Only with the key, which I have, can the well be unlocked, allowing a person to escape from this place. So, why don't you sit down and consider my offer? Become part of my personal royal guard. I am the king of the Underworld. Join me, and you'll be able to stay here where it is warm and eat all the food you want. You'll be safe and secure. Refuse, and well… No one is leaving the underground. Not now, not ever. I promise you that. So, you can either live in suffering or live like gods. Your choice."
"What about the third option?" Davi asked.
"Third option?"
"I beat your ass, take the key, and unlock the runes, so we can all escape."
Lucita stood up hard enough to throw her chair to the ground. Her arm wrapped around her lance, and she raised it up. She wasn't the only one to move, either. Florence grabbed his shield and mace; Minori readied her gun, the same for Valorn, who lifted his bow; and Dominic cracked his whip blades across the floor.
"How dare you?" Lucita spat out. "How dare you talk to the great Himvel that way?"
"Let us kill them," Minori growled. "These fools deserve to die."
"I'll rip them apart." Dominic howled. "Let me at them, boss. I'll make sure they don't insult you ever again."
"You fools have chosen your path," Florence declared. "I'll strike you down."
"Should we remove these pests?" Valorn asked. "I believe they're quickly becoming an eyesore."
Max jumped up onto the table, Susie created various golden orbs, and Sera jumped away, putting some distance between herself and the others so she could play support. Davi drew Storymaker and held it in his hand.
Silence filled the room. No one moved. They were all stuck in a standstill. Only Himvel remained seated. He looked as calm as ever and even opened his book back up.
"Are you going to let us leave?" Davi asked.
"I will not." Himvel read his novel. "If you want the way out, you must defeat me, but I warn you. The moment you lift your blade, the moment you try to strike at me, the moment evil intent clouds your heart, I will consider you my enemy, and not a single soul who has ever gained my wrath remains on this planet. So says I, Himvel, right hand of Sylas, follower of Haru, and the final elf. Think carefully, human. Use all your brainpower and decide here and now. Which side do you pick?"
"It has nothing to do with sides." Davi shook his head. "I don't know you, and I don't care for you. You're in my way, and you're stopping me from returning to my friends. We don't have to do battle; this doesn't need to end in a violent way, but if you continue to refuse to budge and you won't offer your aid, then I'll declare you my enemy."
"And is that supposed to be a threat?"
"It is."
"So be it." Himvel closed his book once more. "Deal with them-" Davi zipped across the room faster than anyone else. He appeared next to Himvel and swung his blade, ready to slice into the man. Himvel's hand shot out, and he caught the blade. Even faster than Davi, he lifted a finger. "Vil Atomic Transportation."
From the tip of the armored elf's finger, a pulsing black light erupted, filling the room. Davi felt himself go blind for a moment, and then suddenly he was standing at the peak of the mountain where Himvel's underground castle resided. He could see all of Underworld City, and he also saw Luctia, who charged at him with her lance, light swirling around her.
"The great Himvel has declared you an enemy!" The one-armed Licht-Fulk roared out. "You now face me, while the rest of my team deals with your friends!"
"He teleported us all away?" Davi winced.
On a completely separate mountain, Sera, Max, and Susie all appeared, surrounded by the four remaining ex-royal guards.
Davi raised his blade and blocked Lucita's strike as she aimed for his throat. She glared at him, and his eyes stared coldly back at her.
"Fine," Davi stated. "I'll beat you, I'll save my friends, and then I'll stop Himvel."