As the attackers regained movement in their bodies, they vanished into the horizon, swallowed by the descending sun, likely heading for the lower floors and eventually Pompeii.
Meanwhile, the moon ascended into the darkened sky, casting its ethereal glow over the camp of Team Goliath. The light danced upon the flickering flames of the bonfire at the center, enveloping everyone seated on one side in its warm embrace.
Across the fire, Adrian lay, his presence casting a shadow of uncertainty over the group. Anticipating the lingering effects of the Trectora herb, the team maintained a cautious distance from him, ready for whatever might transpire.
Alan perched on a nearby tree, his gaze shifting between the gate illuminated by the moonlight and Adrian. Armis sat nearby, cradling his head in his hands, his eyes fixed on Adrian with a mixture of hope and desperation, clinging to optimism amidst the uncertainty. Breaking the heavy silence, Alan initiated a conversation with a probing question.
"What do you think? Were they telling the truth about Adrian controlling their minds with his eyes?"
Armis remained silent in response, but Poduria, sensing Alan's intention, spoke up with a stern yet puzzled tone. "I've heard of the effects of the Trectora herb, but being controlled by someone else, especially just through their eyes, that's new to me too. But then again, I haven't ventured to the higher floors, so maybe..."
"Maybe what?!" Armis interjected suddenly, his tone laced with irritation. He shot a glare at Poduria, continuing in a heated manner, "Are you suggesting that my uncle is being controlled by some beast?! He's one of the best raiders in Pompeii, he—"
Before Armis could escalate further, Lyco intervened, stepping between Armis and Poduria with a firm voice and a piercing glare. "Calm down, Armis! Please step back. No one is insinuating anything about your uncle. She simply meant that we might be dealing with something beyond our understanding."
Taking a step back, Armis realized his irrational outburst and offered a sincere apology to Poduria before returning to his position.
Aurelia approached and sat beside him, offering comfort by holding his hand.
"They're right, Armis. Remember those students from the academy when Venatus was controlling them? It's possible that Adrian encountered something, a plant or a creature, that affected him unknowingly."
Alan listened to the logical explanations, then descended from the tree and gently lifted Relecta, who was dozing off, brushing the dust from her head. He settled her comfortably in his lap, his expression serious as he continued the discussion.
"Indeed. But then there's the matter of whether those men were truthful about Adrian's eye control. How would that even work? Is there a creature or plant capable of granting such abilities?" Alan pondered aloud, directing a glance at Lyco, prompting him to consult the manual.
As Lyco reached for the manual, everyone's attention shifted suddenly to Adrian, who began to groan in pain. Armis hurried to his side, but Adrian's eyes snapped open, and he leaped into a defensive stance.
Startled by the unfamiliar faces surrounding him, Adrian clenched his teeth and shot a sharp glare, but relief washed over everyone, seeing his eyes had returned to normal. Relecta, still half-asleep, stirred at Adrian's sudden movements, her gaze unfocused as she pointed and exclaimed, "Hey look, Armis, your uncle is awake!"
Adrian, startled by Relecta's sudden yell, attempted to lunge towards her and Alan, but Alan swiftly moved Relecta out of harm's way and assumed a defensive stance. Just then, Armis stepped in front of Adrian, halting him in his tracks.
Adrian collided with Armis's armored chest and stumbled backward onto the ground. Undeterred, Adrian tried to retaliate, but as he caught sight of Armis's face, his expression shifted from shock to humility, tears welling in his eyes. With a trembling voice, he uttered his first word to Armis, "A... Armis..."
Adrian rose to his feet, his steps unsteady as he walked toward Armis, his expression filled with humility, nostalgia, and longing. Despite his hands being bound, he attempted to reach out to Armis, his voice and expression conveying a flood of emotions. His once fiery eyes now glistened with tears at the sight of Armis after so long, and Armis mirrored his sentiments.
Aurelia hurried over and swiftly untied Adrian. As soon as he was freed, Adrian rushed into Armis's embrace, holding him tightly. "Oh, my boy... You've grown so much. How long has it been since I last saw you?"
Adrian's voice trembled with emotion as he released Armis but kept a tight grip on his shoulder, trying to contain his tears of joy. Despite his efforts, tears trickled down his cheeks as he continued, "You've become a man. And look..." Adrian's gaze fell upon Armis's armor, and he exclaimed in amazement and affection, "Your armor has changed! Someone's been grinding those stones, huh?" He added, teasingly, in a playful tone.
Touched by Adrian's words, Armis found himself unable to hold back tears and enveloped Adrian in a tight embrace, his own emotions pouring out like a flood. His grip tightened gradually, the pressure almost palpable even through Adrian's sturdy armor, until Adrian, in a muffled voice, requested to be released. Responding to Adrian's plea, Armis loosened his embrace, and they locked eyes, their emotions echoing between them.
Aurelia, on the brink of tears, watched the heartfelt reunion, while Lyco and Poduria clasped hands tightly for support. Alan observed with a fond smile, holding Relecta close as she too shed tears of emotion.
"Hey, kiddo, I'm starving," Adrian interjected, his stomach growling loudly. He scanned the surroundings before Armis nudged him towards their camp.
"Sure thing, Uncle Adrian. Come on, we have plenty of food. You can eat while you regale us with tales of your adventures, just like old times," Armis said, wiping away his tears and leading Adrian towards the camp.
"Yeah, ehh!!," Adrian agreed, but his demeanor quickly shifted. Grimacing, he gestured at Armis. "Boy, will you scratch this itch on my neck?"
"Of course, Uncle, let me—" Armis reached out to help, but his hand froze in shock when he saw a mushroom-like growth, green and purple, protruding from Adrian's neck. He recoiled instinctively, and Alan, sensing Armis's reaction, approached Adrian to inspect the anomaly. Confirming the presence of the fungi, Alan's urgency was palpable as he turned to Armis.
"We need to remove his armor," Alan declared urgently.
Upon Alan's urgent suggestion, Armis sprang into action, startling not only Adrian but everyone present. Armis and Alan pleaded with Adrian, "Please, remove your armor."
They attempted to assist Adrian in removing his armor, but as they applied force to remove the breastplate, Armis inadvertently exerted too much strength. With a sharp yank, they barely managed to dislodge the chest plate, causing Adrian to scream in agony. Pushing Armis and Alan away, Adrian writhed on the ground, his cries of pain intensifying with each passing moment.
Alan and Armis, joined by the others, rushed to Adrian's side, attempting to calm him down. With Alan and Armis holding him steady, Alan's eyes widened in alarm as he observed another unsettling sight. As they attempted to lift Adrian's chest plate, they were met with the horrifying sight of his skin peeling away with it, revealing traces of the same fungi underneath.
The group recoiled in disgust and concern, taking a step back from the gruesome scene. Lyco's voice broke the uneasy silence, his tone filled with disgust as he asked, "What is that?"
Armis observed Adrian's continued agony as Alan swiftly turned to Poduria, urgency evident in his voice. "Poduria, fetch the enhanced potion," Alan instructed.
Without hesitation, Poduria sprang into action, retrieving the potion from Lyco's knapsack. Alan wasted no time, taking the potion from her and carefully pouring it onto the area where Adrian's skin had been torn away with the chest plate. As Alan repositioned the chest plate, the potion began to take effect, emitting a gentle glow. Miraculously, the bleeding seeping from Adrian's armor ceased, and his screams subsided.
Acting swiftly, Alan poured a small amount of potion onto the fungi at Adrian's neck, prompting everyone to watch in shock and surprise. However, instead of withering away, the fungi dried out momentarily before regrowing with even greater intensity and in greater quantity than before. Disgusted and bewildered, Alan recoiled, while Adrian cried out in pain once more. Alan voiced his frustration and disbelief, "What on earth is that? It's unaffected by the Senita potion, even though it's enhanced."
Poduria hesitantly approached the now sobbing Adrian and examined the fungi on his neck closely. Despite her own revulsion, she managed to keep her composure as she replied, "I'm not sure. I've never encountered a plant like this before. It bears some resemblance to the Trectora herb, but I'm certain it's something entirely different."
Upon hearing Poduria's response, Armis clutched his heart tightly, striving to maintain his composure to avoid alarming Adrian further. He lowered himself to the ground and addressed Adrian, who was gradually regaining his composure with heavy breaths.
"Uncle, do you have any idea how this happened to you?" Armis inquired gently.
Adrian straightened up, his expression twisted with rage as he gritted his teeth and pointed towards the gate. "It's that! It's that creature!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with fury. With Armis's support, Adrian rose to his feet and continued after glaring at the door.
Softening his gaze as he turned towards Armis, Adrian recounted, "I remember everything now. I was heading to the next floor but forgot about the lord of the monsters here on the 20th floor. Initially, I considered turning back since I had no assistance, but..." Adrian moved closer to Armis, placing a hand gently on his cheek. His voice turned somber as he continued, "Then I thought of you and Layla. I couldn't bear to return empty-handed to the two of you. What would I have said? I didn't know any other way to earn a living, and I had no party to seek support from, so..."
As tears streamed down Armis's cheeks, Adrian swallowed his guilt and turned his gaze back towards the gate, continuing his account. "I ventured in alone. At first, I thought I could handle it on my own—it was just a plant. But then, it found my blind spot, and it struck. The last thing I remember is lying on the ground, with that thing wrapping its vines around me, almost swallowing me whole."
The group's attention shifted towards the gate, where the monstrous creature Adrian described was said to reside, their expressions a mixture of fear and disgust. Armis stepped forward, still struggling to contain his emotions, and gently guided Adrian towards the camp.
"Come on, uncle, don't worry. We'll find a cure for you, even if we have to kill that thing today!" Armis declared, shooting a determined glare towards the door before leading Adrian towards the camp, followed by the rest of the group.