Dungeon Raider System-Chapter 769: The big secret Part 7

Upon noticing Hathaway's presence Alice walked in for a hug in a gesture of both endearment and relief that it wasn't cryptids the ones who showed up, yet his so called friend remained still like a tree and didn't return the hug.

"What's wrong?" Asked Alice after lounging back.

"I'm sorry." Hathaway muttered in a voice so small even Alice could barely hear him.

"Are we saved or not? I don't know if I should be panicking or smiling anymore." Nika ruffled her hair.

"I think it would be safe to assume you're not here to kill us, Sam? I heard you saved my life at the beach." Uriel didn't part his eyes from the man who used to be his best friend and was now an open enemy.

"You're not even one bit curious as to how I made it out of the grave you buried me in? or what are we doing here?" Sam asked with genuine curiosity.

"Not really, Mark being here tells me everything I need to know. " Uriel shrugged, though when Mark had his presence acknowledged by Uriel an intense shiver crawled down his spine despite him being a heavenly rank hunter that should, in theory, be at least as strong as Uriel.

"Have you ever heard the saying between a rock and a hard place? That's you right now. I want you to open this place for us." Hathaway said in a cold voice. In spites of the dungeon Raiders having the numerical advantage, it didn't matter since they were all tired and were running low on flux even before they showed up.

"I don't think that would be a good idea." Uriel replied.

"If I wanted your opinion I would have asked for it, I just need you to open it for us," Hathaway insisted and although his choice of words was blunt, he still spoke with respect. "do what I tell you and I'll let everyone live."

"You have the key and Sam can fly over the keyhole and open the chamber himself, why do you even need us for?" Nika snarled.

"Because opening the door is only the first step and I'll need him to lead the way until the end of this place. Besides, if anyone can enter this place it would be an archaeologist." Hathaway explained.

"Or someone who already knows what the hell is this cave to begin with. I never heard of this place and I'm certain it doesn't hold any historical value whatsoever. If you want my knowledge to be of use, then I'll need more data." Uriel took a pause from what seemed like a glaring contest with Sam to look Hathaway briefly in the eye.

"This is Saint Michael's cave, I was named after him. It is said to be endless, but once the Mapple's corp mapping project took place they realized it wasn't and instead discovered an underground structure. Briefly before the arrival my family who had guarded this place for generations performed a ritual that was repeated each year, it was a sacrifice ritual.

I need to open this chamber and kill whatever it is inside so my family's curse can be put to an end." Hathaway replied.

"Then maybe Uriel's right, perhaps it's best if we let this place be." Sam stuttered, but both Hathaway and Uriel ignored him.

Uriel thought long and hard about his circumstances trying to find a way out of the situation. If it was Hathaway alone he could have easily taken him down by himself despite being tired, but Sam was an entirely different matter as the only way he could defeat him was with both time to prepare and help.

Without much of a choice Uriel let himself be carried up once more by Bella and placed the fishing spear on the keyhole and realized its shape fitted perfectly with an unseen mechanism similar to a door lock, though when he tried to twist it nothing happened. He tried a couple more times only to realize it wasn't a key, so much as a lever and when he pulled it something amazing happened.

Along with the accustomed sound of stone gears grinding came an earthquake that caused the walls to partially crumble revealing many new carvings that went all the way and a circular stone in one of the walls that resembled a vault safe.

"This is it, this is really it." Hathaway looked at the happenings like a miracle had taken place.

Without missing a beat Uriel activated his Dash skill to read the carvings, causing Hathaway who walked towards the safe to seem like he was stopped in time. It was flux intensive, but it soon proved to be worth it.

"This isn't right, this is no dungeon... it's an altar." He muttered to himself when the skill fizzled out once more due to lacking flux.

[System notice] Battery level low: Downgrading to ascended rank temporarily.

Despite technically becoming weaker, Uriel actually welcomed the message as it meant he was now able to cast Dash once more, albeit with a weaker effect but any second he gained could make the difference.

"Sealed behind these doors dwells a benign supernatural creature, protector of mankind..." Uriel spoke, though due to Dash being active the only one able to make anything of his words was Sam who also activated Celerity to keep up with his pace.

"Did they trap an angel?" Sam asked and though Uriel was surprised that they could speak normally he still casually replied.

"That's one possibility." Uriel replied.

"And you're still siding with them!?" Sam's sadness turned into rage as he asked that question and at the same time Hathaway was touching the sealed chamber causing it to move despite it looking way heavier than a single hunter could move.

There were endless possibilities as to what could they find once the chamber opened: Cryptids, another race, traps, treasures, anything and everything crossed their minds except it's true content which was...

"Nothing." Hathaway muttered as he dropped on his knees.

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