"Remember, we're here to kill the humanoid thaid. The Arthropods can be killed with a more relaxed approach later, but the humanoid thaid must be killed now," he reminded them. "Stay vigilant, stay quiet, and stay together. Let's do this."
With those concluding words, Erik led the group deeper into the bowels of the ancient city, where the menacing silhouette of its vast structures loomed ahead of them, anticipating their arrival.
The group crossed the door's threshold; their bodies cast long and spectral shadows due to the radiant sparkle of the Aclaitrium ore. Ahead, the city slowly revealed itself, its skeletal ruins rising from the cavern floor like the bones of some long-extinct beast.
The spooky echoes of a time when humans called this underground city home could still be heard as rusty beams, broken stones, and wooden husks whispered of an era that had long since passed away.
Both nature and time had staked their claims, and in their wake, they had left a monument to the brave fight that humanity had waged against the thaids.
"What in the..." Lucas, one of the villagers, stuttered, his eyes wide as he scanned the skeletal remains of the city. "This place... it's enormous."
The villagers' attention was drawn to a hulking metal structure that stood in the middle of the city; the symbol painted on its rusted facade was difficult to make out. It was a mark Erik recognized from the musty pages of history books that told tales of a world before mana, before superpowers—the symbol of the united earth.
Erik murmured, "This is the symbol of the united earth," as he pointed to a symbol barely visible on the towering metal structure. His tone was respectful of the subject at hand.
The ruins around them loomed large. Despite the ravages of time and the ceaseless decay, these structures held fast, their formidable heights bearing the weight of the underground city's immense ceiling.
As they moved through the desolate streets, windowless cavities in the dilapidated buildings watched him. The architecture, though ancient, bore the unmistakable hand of men. But the building ahead was distinctly familiar. Its plain, utilitarian design echoed the shelters above ground, silent testaments to human tenacity and resourcefulness against unthinkable odds.
As Erik made his way beneath these enduring sentinels, he experienced a peculiar feeling of awe. The city was a chilling reminder of a forgotten past, its isolation echoing with eerie whispers. Yet, there was a certain beauty to it.
The gentle glow of Aclaitrium wove a dreamy tapestry through the ruins; its spectral radiance kissed the silent streets and crumbling towers, the desolation humming a sad ballad of solitude and resilience.
As they took in their surroundings, the light from the Aclaitrium painted the city in a haunting, ethereal glow, and an eerie silence descended upon them. Samuel was the first to speak up after a prolonged period of silence.
"Our ancestors built this," he whispered, more to himself than the group. "Our ancestors built this," he said softly, more to himself than to the group. "I wonder what really happened during those days…"
"Maybe, after the village relocates here, we will find out," Erik said, looking at Samuel seriously.
"It would be cool… By the way, what do we do now?" Samuel inquired with an air of mild interest in his tone of voice. Samuel questioned whether or not they had a clue as to where to look for the humanoid thaid, even though it was abundantly clear that they needed to hunt the humanoid thaid.
"We should go there…" Erik said while pointing at the huge metallic military building. "The last time it was from there that it came from… I think it was the humanoid thaid that killed everyone here…"
As everyone in the group considered Erik's theory, the words lingered heavily in the air, and a silence descended over the entire gathering. Samuel, who was usually very talkative, appeared speechless for a brief moment.
His attention was riveted on the far-off military installation, and it was evident that his mind was wrangling with the implications.
At long last, he uttered some words, his tone soft but still audible throughout the vast, cavernous space. "Why do you believe the humanoid thaid caused this... catastrophe?"
Erik cast a quick glance in his direction, but his face was obscured and unreadable. "Because of what I found inside that building," he said, pointing to the enormous structure.
"Skeletons, frozen in the middle of a struggle, still clutching their ancient weapons. All dressed in military attire. It was clear they died fighting... something."
He paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "And there were markings on the walls, slashes deep in the metal," he continued. "They looked eerily similar to the ones on the entrance door. The ones the humanoid thaid almost tore through."
Samuel took this in, and his features became more angular. "So, you think that... thing attacked the people living here? But wouldn't they have fought back? They had the technology, weapons."
"They did fight back," Erik replied. "But to no avail. We must remember that the people living here didn't have mana yet, nor did they have brain crystal powers. Their weapons were advanced for their time but against a creature as formidable as the humanoid thaid... Besides, I don't know if you know this, but the weapons we have today only have a limited effect against thaids…"
He let the sentence hang, the implication clear. There was a moment of silence as they each digested this information.
"But then, why hasn't the humanoid thaid come after the village? Why did it stay here?" Lucas questioned, his eyes wide with fear and fascination.
Erik shrugged slightly. "Perhaps it is tied to this place in some way. Or maybe it simply didn't have a reason to leave. The city here provides ample food, thanks to the Acidspitter Arthropods and the other roaming thaids."
The group fell silent again, the weight of their task pressing heavily upon them. Samuel broke the silence once more; his voice filled with determination. "Regardless, we are here to ensure it no longer threatens anyone. We must find it and put an end to it."
"Yeah, and as I said, for that, we need to go there," Erik finished, pointing towards the massive military building looming ahead again. "That's where our hunt begins."
As they made their way through the ruined city, their boots crunching on the crumbling debris underfoot, they couldn't help but wonder at the structures around them. The cityscape was a hauntingly beautiful juxtaposition of decay and splendor, bathed in the gentle, ethereal glow of the Aclaitrium ore.
Towering buildings, their architecture a blend of the ancient and the futuristic, lined the once-bustling streets. Some structures were simple, their facades unadorned yet compelling in their starkness.
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