Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties

Chapter 295: Hazy Watcher

The crashing waterfall sounded tyrannical and overbearing, drowning out the noise of most animals as the chilly night wind began rifling through his hair and spindrift shrouded his body in its thin brume.

A moment later, cuts bloomed across Vale’s skin from no visible cause.

The thin lines of blood only furthered Ximena’s panic.

"Vale, what’s wrong?!"

Vale’s head was pounding.

The feeling eating at his heart — his essence — was only growing more odious and repugnant by the second.

With a small trail of blood lining his cheek, Vale said:

"Nothing. Actually, I feel better than ever before."

Before, his purpose on Pandora hung by a tenuous thread permanently threatening to snap — he had no other claim to Pandora than survival; however, his purpose had become all too clear...

Revenge.

Revenge on those who’d dare to play god — his god.

In that pursuit he had to become something not even a god could control.

***

Cloaked by [Nevermore], Mias zipped through the air, keeping a watchful eye over his Master taking a joyride through the Scar.

With the odd way Mias sensed the world, he was able to ’see’ perfectly in the dark. Or more so, he could sense the intangible make-ups of everything.

And it was as he followed Vale and Ximena north that he started to sense something odd... something weird.

Countless inexplicable feelings strung through his being. Those feelings emanated from deep within the walls of the Scar — some further up, others lower. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what these formations were, but they were oddly similar to the horrifying scent given off by the Dungeon Core.

’Fascinating...’

Beyond that...

Mias was also curious as to what his ever so cautious Master was doing being so daring. It was very unlike him to take a meager ride knowing what his death would mean, especially considering the Akkuron forces currently holed up in the dungeon and Envy’s warriors.

Continuing after Vale, Mias began to ruminate upon Envy...

So far, he was the only one other than Vale to ’meet’ her. Just moments before the Council of Vice began, Mias had spectated Greed’s talk with Envy. Sadly, Greed took a precautionary measure and stuffed him back in the vial, so he couldn’t hear, but from gestures and the fluctuation of Envy’s essence, it was obvious that Greed had returned to Envy to tell her what she’d learned about Vale.

At the same time...

Mias learned a good deal about Envy.

First, exactly where her dungeon was and that it was on the floor of a basin. And Envy herself had a transformation ability, just like her warriors. Although, unlike the Warriors, her ability allowed her to mimic others’ abilities.

Then, from what he could tell, Envy didn’t have many Champions, but a whole mass of Warriors.

Swimming around in the basin of the cwm, at least a thousand warriors disguised as regular fish patrolled. Each was not particularly deadly in their own right, but if one was caught unawares, they’d be surrounded and executed.

As for the spies that had infiltrated Lust...

’They have no witnessable communication method.’

So, either they weren’t talking at all or had a method of talking in the mind — though it was most likely the former.

Meaning, their only way to transfer information back to Envy was by word of mouth; however, the sheer distance to travel for that led Mias to a different conclusion as to their objective...

Information didn’t have to travel back to Envy to be useful.

The Warriors’ current goal was to identify high-profile individuals or those most useful — like Legion commanders or skilled Workers — then, when the order came for the battle to begin, execute them.

Mias watched as the two he was following finally made it to the waterfall’s lowest tier, slipping off the bike and preparing to jump where the grand one fell.

Vale’s current plan — letting the Warriors act freely to mislead — was slightly misguided. His original intent had been to control what the spies saw, projecting a false sense of strength and luring Envy into rash, uninformed decisions; however, that wouldn’t amount to much if that information never even made it to Envy.

Still, what it did allow was presenting false leaders and directing their targeting. Something that openly acknowledging the spies wouldn’t allow because it would expose Vale’s potential precautions...

Mias was expelled from his internal tangent when he watched Vale bend down and pick up one of the many Lilac Liora’fen which refused to wilt.

It was also then that he felt a dreadful presence.

The same presence which had been in the back of his other half’s mind before it disappeared.

’The oracle?!’

Vale began to stagger around, awkwardly holding his blade, pointing it at the water. Then, Vale threw it away and fell to one knee.

Seconds later, minor cuts began to mar his body and his nails began to unnatural peel up.

Mias watched it all unfold in a matter of seconds.

While to most, this mysterious scene would fall under scrutiny, then pass in the mind as inexplicable, Mias knew of Vale’s [World Without Witness] — since Greed had talked about it with him on her walk home.

He also knew he was not mistaken in what he sensed.

Carried by the walls of the gorge, Mias heard Vale mutter:

"Nothing. Actually, I feel better than ever before."

Words that were clearly untrue, given his state...

Or at least should have been.

’Master Vale... you talked with the oracle, didn’t you?’

Furthermore...

’You knew. You came here with that intent.’

How? Why?

’Just what are you keeping from me?’

Mias’ entire being had been founded on the scrounging and unveiling of secrets. Never had he expected a secret like this to be hidden by the man he felt he had wholly deciphered.

’And why?’

And what did the oracle say to him?

As much as Mias wanted to trust in his Master, this oracle was cunning. So cunning that they had tricked even Mias.

Vale having an alone conversation with them was a scary thought. Because...

’What have they whispered in your ear?’

Sadly... Mias was also aware that if Vale hadn’t told him, he hadn’t told him for a reason.

Therefore, it was up to him and him alone to figure out the odd happenings.

Good thing that he nearly figured out the mechanism of the black door in Vale’s soul. Soon, he theorized he’d be able to send a small portion of himself into the Council of Vice.

The only issue would be getting it back.