The Demon Queen's Disciple
Chapter 2 - The Dark Side

“Uughh.... Where's this?” lucius said with a little awareness beginning to return to him.

He began to see around him there was only darkness. The atmosphere also felt so humid, and the place where he lay felt so hard.

“Damn.... What the hell's going on? Why am I here?” lucius asked himself once more. Of course, no one answered.

Only a silence and occasional drops of water hit the ground in this cave.

‘Tik! Tik!’

“Ignite.” said Lucius briefly while flicking a finger on his right hand.

A small fireball appeared at his fingertips. Become a light in the dark of this cave.

Around it, 4 stone aisles that each have a similar size. With his mind still not fully recovered, Lucius could only choose one of the four passageways nearby.

Hope one of them will lead him on his way out.

Step by step Lucius passed through in the middle of the dark and silent of this cave. I don't know how long he walked. But what he found was an increasingly narrow and humid road.

Shortly thereafter....

“I-this?! This mark?! Wh-why is it here?! Don't say...”

What Lucius saw in the middle of this dark cave, was a marker of terrible terror.

It was a wooden spear that at the end was stuck in a human skull. On the back of the skull there is a black flag that is torn and shabby.

“Do not say.... Goblin Nest?! N-no way.... But why am I here?”

At the moment of questioning that, his memory just before he was unconscious began to return. It was the sighting of a group of people and the pain in his head.

With that fragment of memory, Lucius finally understood what had happened to him.

“Edward?! But why?! Why did he get this far..”.

“KRAAAAAKK!”

‘Deg! Deg!’

Lucius' heart felt as if it had immediately exploded upon hearing that terrifying cry.

During his studies at the academy, as well as his life in the countryside, he knew very well the source of the shout.

Without hesitation, Lucius immediately ran over. Now he is heading in the opposite direction where he is conscious.

‘If this was all Edward did, he would definitely not go too deep in this cave. In other words, the place I was aware of earlier should be quite close to the exit!’ lucius thought in his heart.

Just a moment when Lucius was running, now from the direction in front of him came the sound of metal friction. Along with that, conversations with language that he could not understand could be heard.

‘Sreeet.... Oh klaaangg! Klaaangg!!’

“Karakh tharr Dur?”

“Durr gath varash.”

“Gahh, gath varr to terra.”

From behind the darkness, a group of creatures that resemble dwarf humans with a height of about 1.2 meters. His body had dark green skin with long claws on each of his fingers.

They wore simple cloth clothes that had been torn in various parts. Including lightweight leather armor and weapons.

But more than that, there was something that caught Lucius' attention.

One of the goblins was seen dragging the head of a girl. The girl's long brown hair looked covered with blood. His own body is no longer helpless.

‘Srruugg!!!’

Without a second thought, Lucius immediately hid himself behind the rocks. He also instantly turned off the fire magic he used to illuminate this place.

‘Damn it! Goddamnit!! Damn it!!! He really intends to kill me?! Butwhy? Whyyy?! What have I done to Edward and his family?! Why?!’

Regret and despair began to envelop his entire body.

And suddenly....

‘JLEEEBBBB!!!’

A wooden spear struck right on Lucius' left shoulder. It penetrates his skin and flesh so easily.

"Karrgh! Varak!" said one of the Goblins to his friend. Not long after, his partner also came and provided help for him.

'Jleebb!!! Zraaashhhh!!'

"Aaaaarrrrgghhhh!!!"

The pain reappeared. This time due to the stab and slash of an old sword in the Goblin's hand. Injuring Lucius's legs was severe.

Soon after, the two Goblins began to pull Lucius' hands together. Dragging his body on the ground, just like the girl he had previously seen.

'What will happen to me? Why would.... Why does it have to be like this? L'm.... I don't even know how my family is.... But now.' thought Lucius in his heart with mixed emotions.

Hate, disappointment, despair, and anger.

Without even the slightest bit of strength to resist, Lucius could only fall silent to whatever the Goblins were doing to him.

While the blood in his body continuously flowed along this dark cave road.

...........

In a place a little far from Goa....

"Sir-Master Edward? Isn't this long enough? Ha-days are getting dark too, aren't they?" ask one of Edward's followers.

"If Lucius was in danger, wouldn't that be bad enough for us?" ask other followers.

Both words are true.

During their time in the academy, all students receive the assurance of learning and protection they deserve.

And if there was a disciple who was injured, or even died, then the academy would take full responsibility.

Including punishing the perpetrator who caused it.

"Be quiet! Even among the commoners, he is also a student of Damacia academy right?! There's no way he's gonna die!" reply Edward was upset.

Everyone is silent too. It was so vividly drawn on their faces that everyone was worried for Lucius' safety.

After thinking about it for a moment, Edward finally collapsed.

"All right, I'll do what you want. I'm sure he's fine in there." continued Edward, who began to step on his feet.

Finally, Edward's group walked towards the cave. Little cave in the middle of the forest where they threw Lucius inside.

"Luminus" said several people in Edward's group. Instantly, a beautiful ball of light appeared on the palm of their right hand. Light up the darkness of this cave.

Step by step they went through with a relaxed feeling. There is no fear or worry for them.

After all, this cave is just an ordinary cave that is not inhabited by monsters. There is no danger in it. If anything, it was just a possibility to get lost in it.

Sure do....

It was just their mere supposition on the basis of the various rumors in the city.

And all that, it instantly collapsed after they found traces of blood on the ground.

"Sir Edward?! Th-this right?!"

Edward's eyes were wide open. Even his hair immediately stood up after noticing what was in front of his eyes.

"You guys.... There wasn't a trace of this blood before, was there?" edward asked in panic.

"Yes, there was nothing like this before...."

'!!!'

Quickly, Edward immediately pulled the sword blade on his left waist. Prepare for the worst possible.

"Prepare yourself. I don't know what's waiting for us but.... If this blood really belongs to Lucius...."

'Deg! The deg!'

Their hearts were all pounding. Fear began to fill themselves amid the dark and gloomy of this cave.

With the courage they forced, the six men went through this dark cave. Following the trail of blood that was on the ground.

'Lucius.... Don't die that easy.... It would be bad for me if you died.' Edward thought in his heart. I hope Lucius is okay.