Chapter 46

Chapter 46
Chapter: 46

Chapter Title: Shaman of the Wilderness (2)

—

In the humid gloom of the early morning, amidst a light spray of rain, Kadim finished his preparations for the journey.

His protective gear remained unchanged, consisting of basic leather spaulders. He secured his full arsenal: Mosquito, Salmon, and the Hellfire dagger. He carried a small reserve of frozen blood from the ice demon and a single draught of hydra blood. Though he doubted he would require them, the dwindling supply bothered him slightly.

‘Finding a decent demon on the path would be helpful.’

With a thought that would surely terrify his patron if she knew of it, he walked out to the inn’s entrance. Ilenia was already stationed there. Her attire was similar to the previous day, though she had added a charcoal cloak to shield herself from the drizzle.

“You’re awake early! Very punctual.”

“You were out here before me.”

“Heh heh, I rarely sleep well when I’m anticipating something grand. Shall we depart?”

Their goal lay within the eastern plains of Messen. Travel by horseback would have been ideal, but it was out of the question. Ilenia had adamantly refused, claiming she suffered from such severe motion sickness that she couldn’t even stand near a mount.

When Kadim inquired how she located the site, Ilenia searched through her pack and produced a stone tablet carved with peculiar glyphs. At its center sat a jewel the size of a fingernail, emitting soft beams of light that acted as a compass pointing toward the east.

“I stumbled upon it while traveling the wilds, but it glows more intensely as I approach the ruins. I never would have attempted to find the shamans’ ruins without it.”

Kadim’s expression tightened. He recognized the object immediately.

‘That… is a cursed talisman.’

Just as the followers of Elga made holy relics and sorcerers created magical apparatus, the shamans of the wilderness produced “cursed talismans” steeped in ancient power. The craft was immensely difficult, making these items rarer than almost any other magical artifact.

‘She “accidentally” found a cursed talisman that most people couldn’t find with a lifetime of searching…’

His distrust grew. Ilenia, unaware of his skepticism, smiled and continued to praise the tablet’s utility.

Guided by the light, they eventually perceived a faint shimmer on the horizon. However, dense storm clouds obscured the sunrise, leaving the sky a muddy, dark hue. The saturated ground released a damp, metallic odor. Beneath their boots, earthworms surfaced from the mud, twisting in the wet grass.

The light rain turned into a consistent downpour. Ilenia pulled her hood forward to stay dry. Kadim pushed his damp hair back and asked flatly,

“Did you go into the wilderness specifically seeking the shamans?”

“Pardon? Oh, yes! The wilderness is the ancestral birthplace of every Atala. If shamans still exist, they would be there.”

“What is the state of that place now? It was never a hospitable region.”

“The wilderness? Oh, it’s quite dangerous. There were days I almost perished several times. I dealt with thirst, starvation, extreme heat, toxic insects, beasts, and the occasional demon… but I’m still here, so it worked out, right?”

“……”

“Wait, have you visited the wilderness, mercenary? Not many Atalains go there these days.”

“……Yes. A long time ago.”

The route the hero’s party had taken to reach the Demon Realm had involved crossing the mountains and navigating the wilderness.

It wasn’t as hellish as the Demon Realm, but it was grueling. To Kadim, the wilderness wasn’t a spiritual home for Atalains; it was the place where he had taught a young magical prodigy how to swear like a deckhand.

He couldn’t understand how a lone woman had survived such a place. Since she was being vague, he didn’t expect a direct answer if he pushed.

Instead, Kadim tried a different angle.

“What sparked your obsession with the shamans of the wilderness? You aren’t even Atalain.”

“……”

Ilenia drew her cloak tighter around her body.

The mood shifted. She looked toward the distant peaks, remaining silent for a long moment. When she finally spoke, her voice had lost its brightness, becoming heavy and somber.

“They say history belongs to the winners. Their stories are decorated with gold and honor, kept alive for eternity. But the stories of the defeated are covered in grime and mockery, eventually fading into nothingness.”

“……”

“I simply couldn’t accept that. Why does that logic apply to deities and their servants? Some priests rule the lands and flourish, while others are hunted and forgotten, and nobody cares—who decides that?”

“……”

“……So I made it my mission to find and document the remnants of those who were discarded. As an archaeologist, that is my life’s work. Ah, I’m rambling! It’s not as noble as I’m making it sound, heh heh……”

By the end, Ilenia had regained her cheerful mask. Kadim watched her carefully.

The explanation seemed plausible, but something about it felt fundamentally wrong.

“……”

The feeling was too subtle to define. Ultimately, Kadim remained quiet and kept walking. Ilenia also went silent, increasing her pace.

They reached their destination at midday.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Upon seeing the site left by the final shamans of the wilderness, Kadim’s only thought was:

“……This is it?”

“Yes, or rather, I believe this is the way inside……”

Ilenia’s voice trailed off.

Calling it an entrance was generous. There were no stone gates, no tunnels, and no structures. The terrain looked identical to the empty plains they had spent hours crossing.

Ilenia persisted. She paced the area with her stone tablet until the light reached its peak intensity, then signaled to Kadim with excitement.

“Right here! Look! These are the ruins of the shamans of the wilderness! You can see the inscription mentioning an ‘entrance,’ can’t you?”

“……”

Buried in the dirt was a solitary stone slab, covered in ancient, indecipherable writing.

Kadim gave a short, cynical huff.

He had never particularly liked the shamans of the wilderness, even in his previous life.

They hadn’t been enemies; they were allies to Kadim, the champion of Atala, providing guidance and help. The issue was that their assistance was always unnecessarily complicated, indirect, and shrouded in riddles.

If he told them he was dying of thirst, they would provide a shovel and a map to a hidden guide—who was currently being held captive in a monster-infested cavern.

They claimed that Atala demanded struggle for any reward. In his mind, it was just terrible design meant to frustrate. He interpreted it differently:

‘……They hide their lack of actual power behind annoying trials and fake mystery.’

This felt like more of the same.

The slab wasn’t an entrance. It was likely some philosophical nonsense about life and death. Figuring it out might get them a small prize, but it wouldn’t be worth the headache.

However, there was a chance he was wrong. There had been one shaman who was different.

The one who possessed actual divine power and performed wonders without the riddles.

“……”

Ignoring Kadim’s internal monologue, Ilenia began her ritual to open the path. She pulled various talismans, strange metal trinkets, and a tarnished bronze bell from her pack.

“Ar, del- kia? Rosden ge- mra, s-deb……”

She arranged the artifacts and chanted gibberish, eventually crawling on the ground to inspect the soil. She looked completely mad.

Kadim watched with boredom. Seeing she wouldn’t finish soon, he moved to sit down. As he leaned back to brace himself, his palm touched the slab.

The world suddenly warped.

“……!”

Kiriririririk…

As if a layer of old paper was being stripped away, the gray sky and wet fields vanished. A deep, unnatural blackness took their place. The rain ceased instantly, replaced by a stale, heavy atmosphere.

As his vision settled, torches ignited along the walls. They were in a corridor of solid stone, smooth and perfectly crafted. He saw the archaeologist’s terrified face nearby.

“Wh-what? What did you do? What’s happening…… where are we……?”

“……”

In an instant, they had been transported from the Messen plains to this hidden realm.

Kadim stood up and gripped a throwing axe. He didn’t understand the mechanics of the transition, but his combat experience told him they were in a dangerous situation.

“Get over here. Grab your things.”

“Y-yes! Right!”

Kadim looked behind them. The path was blocked by a solid wall with no visible door. It was dense and silent. The only way was forward.

He saw Ilenia’s eyes shaking with fear, looking for an answer. Kadim frowned and spoke.

“I’m as in the dark as you are. Some kind of high-level sorcery triggered. We can’t stay here, so we move forward and find a way out. I’ll lead—you can stay if you’re too scared.”

“N-no, I’m coming! I won’t be safe alone……”

“Then stay close. Anything could be waiting for us. Don’t touch anything.”

“……Understood.”

Kadim moved cautiously, his senses sharp. There were no immediate enemies. Ilenia regained some composure and followed the barbarian. The torches provided enough light to see that the hall was carved from a single piece of rock.

However, the further they went, the more complex it became.

“……”

“……”

Vivid red symbols, twisted human shapes, jagged weapon drawings, and silhouettes of terrifying monsters and demons…

The walls and floors were covered in a chaotic, obsessive display of grotesque art.

Frightened, Ilenia grabbed a handful of Kadim’s cloak.

“Is this really… the site of the last shamans of the wilderness? I’ve never been able to enter before—why did it open now……?”

“……”

Kadim considered this. He had been wrong.

The slab was a literal “entrance.” It was a gateway to this magical pocket dimension. He hadn’t expected the shamans to be so literal.

He had many questions, but they had to keep moving. He pulled his cloak free from her grip and continued. Ilenia followed quickly behind him. The air grew thick with a sense of dread as a rhythmic sound began to echo from the dark.

…Thung, thung, thung, thung…

“Is that… a drum?”

“……”

The source soon became clear.

The hallway opened into a vast, circular room. It was roughly forty paces wide, lit by a ring of red torches near the ceiling.

In a far corner, a red-skinned drum floated in mid-air, with sticks striking it rhythmically without a player.

Thung, thung, thung, thung!

“Get back. This is a trap.”

“Eek!”

Kadim shoved Ilenia behind him. The room was clearly designed for a confrontation. He drew both his blade and his axe, his body tensed for a fight.

Right on cue, the floor began to shift.

Kuduk, kuduk, kuduk…

Soil rose from the ground, shaping itself into figures.

Kadim didn’t wait for them to manifest. He flung an axe into the nearest pile of earth.

Prarrarak, pa-gak!

The mound exploded into dust. But more piles began to rise throughout the chamber.

Kadim swept his arm in a wide arc, calling upon his strength.

Prarrarak, pu-geogeogeogak!

Salmon flew like a scythe. It tore through the rising mounds, turning them back into useless dirt.

He threw Salmon again and drew Mosquito. The blade hummed with a lack of blood but effectively shattered the earthen forms. He moved in a whirlwind of steel and grit, creating a storm of dust around him.

Pu-geogak, pufak, kwaaagagaga-!

But there were too many targets for him to hit them all.

The figures furthest from him finally solidified. Their earthen skin turned into leather, metal, and tan flesh. They stood tall on two legs.

Kadim’s jaw tightened. He knew these forms.

They were copies of his own people.

⚙ DIVINE MESSAGE ⚙
“Master of endless conflict, glory to Atala…” “Judge of the eternal struggle, glory to Atala…”
[Champion of Atala… If it is you, face the challenge and demonstrate your worth.]

The spectral warriors lifted their weapons, chanting to their god in hollow voices.

Thung, thung, thung, thung!

The drum vibrated in his chest. A command echoed in his mind.

Kadim ground his teeth.

‘Typical shamans, always with the same nonsense.’