Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix
Chapter 1219 - 1219: Talk

Before long, the group finally reached somewhere after crossing the literal light at the end of the tunnel. They suddenly stumbled as they landed because the deceleration of the process wasn't perfect… Regardless, they found themselves in front at the entrance of a cave and, on the other side, a giant abyss.

"Welcome to my humble abode, dear guests. I hope that you have a good time here."

The group turned around and then frowned when they saw the origin of the voice… it was a massive sphere of ice that wasn't emitting any cold. When Rain approached it, he was unable to see what it was inside, but he could imagine that someone was there… frozen for some reason.

Rain observed his surroundings within the cave and noticed various objects arranged in a way that suggested humanoid craftsmanship. Dust-covered chairs and tables were scattered around, and there was even a makeshift bed fashioned from the fur of some unknown creatures.

The layer of dust indicated that these items hadn't been touched or used for quite some time, adding an eerie stillness to the atmosphere.

The abandoned state of the living area made Rain wonder about the person residing there. Why were they frozen in a sphere of ice? What had driven them to create these humanoid-like comforts in such a desolate place? The mysteries only deepened as Rain and his teammates cautiously explored the peculiar place.

"...Thanks for helping us out, whatever you are," Rain said. "My name is Rain, and it seems that you have been here for quite a while."

"I lost count of how many thousands of years I have been here. In the end, I was forced to stop my body from aging before it could grow weaker, all in order to find a way out of this place. By the way, I was once called Arel, but that was a long time ago."

No wonder Elisabetha wanted Rain to interact with this Arel… they were truly birds of a feather, beings that were forced to abandon their bodies in order to achieve their goals… Rain's only goal was to protect his family and friends, but it was a rather broad goal. For how long he wanted to do that? Not for all eternity since no one can live forever.

Besides, that kind of overprotection only causes problems in the long run.

"... We were captured when we had just escaped the enemies that we were investigating, and soon after, they destroyed a planet with a mana cannon," Rain said. "Before that, our planet was destroyed after having all of our energy and nutrients being stolen by some massive beasts that we called the first dragons."

"That is a story that I have heard many times," Areal said. "That kind of modus operandi is a bit outdated for them, so it seems that your people still managed to return and stronger at that. Nowadays, they are a lot more ruthless."

Rain already imagined that… Earth was invaded and destroyed one hundred thousand years ago, and it was hard to imagine that it had been one of the first planets to be destroyed, or would have been the last for that matter. Still, it was concerning… how much more time the enemies had in their hands to evolve their modus of operandi if they could use time dilation that much.

"What is your story, Arel?" Rain asked.

"I am a bit shit, so I don't like to talk about my past. I am sorry for that," Arel said.

Someone shy wouldn't invite strangers to their hideout of thousands of years, but Rain decided not to voice that.

Rain, after a moment of thought, decided to address the layer of dust that covered Arel's hideout. With a wave of his hand, he used a bit of his mana to clear the dust away, revealing the crafted objects beneath. The makeshift furniture, chairs, tables, and the bed made from the fur of creatures all emerged, now devoid of the thick layer of dust.

Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Rain took a step back and observed the transformed space. It was still a cave, but the cleaned-up surroundings gave it a more welcoming atmosphere. He then decided to take a moment to rest; the past few hours had been exceptionally demanding, and the air, while not as toxic as before, still posed a threat to his health.

Seated on one of the now-dust-free chairs, Rain leaned back and closed his eyes. His teammates followed suit, settling into the cave to relax and recover from the challenges they had faced.

"For how long you all have been here?" Arel asked.

"Around two months," Rain explained. "We have a large group, and we didn't want to leave anyone behind…"

"As far as I know, it is pretty common for large groups to crumble because they need the support of many people, and the first zones have a way of decreasing their numbers quite fast," Arel said. "It is impressive that you guys managed to do that."

"We have our moments," Rain shrugged.

"Lying to her is useless since she can essentially read your mind," Elisabetha said.

"I didn't lie. I just didn't deny it," Rain said. "Besides, we never confirmed the deaths of those people. They could be with Esmeralda and the others."

A weird silence followed that conversation… it was pretty clear that Arel had heard them and had something to say about it, but Rain didn't want to ask it. His head already had enough problems as it was… he didn't need any more troublesome confirmations until he began to reunite with the others.

"What kind of place did you come from?" Arel asked.

Arel, sensing Rain's reluctance to delve into the topic of the past moment, decided to change the subject. She could see that Rain wasn't eager to discuss the matter further, and she respected his wishes. However, as the conversation shifted to other matters, Rain couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.