Adventures Of Mina E. Marley - Fantasmical 2023

1st Story: Resetting 'Order' Is Not What You Think

Thundering rumbling. CRASH!

"It's probably safe now." A voice whispered, too close for comfort. Mina struggled with her breathing as she squeezed out that small crack in the wall. Five minutes more in there, and she'd have started hyperventilating.

"Go..." Mina coughed, "Go ahead. I'll be there in a sec."

The man nodded. He braced himself and carefully walked further along the maze-like structure. The temple of Zerulohem was a long-lost ancient temple, built over a thousand years ago. When it resurfaced last month, the entire Perevan Kingdom was shocked. Until this year, the temple of Zerulohem had been nothing but a children's fairy tale book. Belonging to the ancient clans of Zeru, the temple was built by it's people to hide away an ancient artefact.

According to legend, it is said that the clans of Zeru believed and worshipped several deities. So they structured an artefact, the first and last of it's kind, that could rival the power of the gods. However, that was the last straw of indulgence God allowed mankind; for within a year, the civilisation of Zerulohem perished and all traces of it.

Ever since, human beings born with the power of a single element emerged. Nobody knows why...

"A box?" The man flinched as Mina's voice echoed. She entered the dilapidated room.

Several days ago, a wide-scale earthquake shook the continent of Yelt. The temple emerged, but it seemed to have sustained heavy damage inside. Thanks to that, Mina and Odin survived death several times. Mina couldn't help marvelling the Zeru's engineering skills. The temple was more of a labyrinth with numerous deadly booby traps. 'Poisoned arrows, flesh eating bugs, hallucinogen grass, magically equipped motion detecting trap doors, and now this boulder half as big as the one in Bermuda...!' Mina mused in her thoughts.

The mission this time wouldn't be smooth sailing. After all, Odin was not a hero, nor was he capable of being one. 'Xx-199', as the Magneum Bureau had dubbed this world, had tilted more than necessary to the right side. Based on Mina's performance this time, the Bureau will determine whether she is fit for promotion or not. In short, Mina decided to place her bets on Odin. What could go wrong?

"Look at this..." Odin showed her a scroll. It wasn't in a good condition. Most of the words at the end had become murky and the entire scroll had the colour of an autumn leaf.

"Same language, good." Mina nodded.

Odin raised an eyebrow but didn't retort.

"Tread not whom unworthy, / Ledin's wrath ensue on those hateful / For the cost of bearer is a price to pay. / Precious in ..." Mina read the lines slightly confused. "So, who's Ledin?"

"Ha!" Odin snorted, "I don't know the dude personally, but I assume he's one of the deities the Zeru people worshipped."

"I see." Mina nodded, then tossed the scroll aside. With a quick motion she opened the silver box.

A ring.

Mina picked it up. Odin stared, wide-eyed in wonder. The hue emnating seemed to be chocolate dipped with honey. Was it really a gemstone?

On the other hand, Mina, who had seen plenty of smoky quartz up til now, happened to mindlessly slip her finger in the ring.

"...!!?"

"What?"

"IT'S CURSED!!!"

"Ah..."

"BESIDES, its for the King!"

"... it's stuck."

"WTF!"

Mina held her hand up and adviced, "Remember to pull really hard. Or it won't come off."

Eventually, Odin nodded to this ridiculous plan. He grabbed the ring and pulled with his entire bodyweight. In less than five seconds, Odin fell flat on the ground.

"Pfft! HA!"

Mina laughed until her stomach ached. Frustrated, yet fearful of the ring, Odin threw the little object at Mina.

At the entrance of the temple, stood two old acquaintances and a dozen soldiers. Upon seeing the pair's safe return, the duo scowled.

The wind mage, Ethel; and the Paladin, Zache.

Neither hesitation, nor words to waste. Both sides engaged in battle. Odin faced Zache and a few of his soldiers, while Mina faced Ethel and three soldiers. Had Ethel been equipped with water or fire element, Mina would've sliced her like a pie. Wind proved tricky.

Ethel's mastery with magic further burdened the half-siren when her Melody of Hypnosis worked partially. Yet, Mina drew the advantage here, from her mother's gruelling trainings. With Mina's wails increasing with each passing minute, Ethel's vision darkened... her nerves growing numb.

"Watch out!" Odin cried out in pain.

Mina dodged, seconds away before getting cut in two, by the long sword.

Ethel gained some sense. Without missing a heartbeat, the mage activated her defenses rapidly.

On the other end, Odin bled profusely. The Holy Sword had cut too deep and healing magic would be ineffective. Mina had to think fast. As she gained some distance from Zache, activating both Armed Defense and Sword Control skills, it dawned upon her that in the pouch on her waist was an ancient power-up. Since Mina wasn't of this world, wouldn't the curse be ineffective?

While she didn't feel particularly different from before, Mina clumsily still managed to stand her ground. First she buried the Paladin by raising the earth. Then she battled Ethel with water, until the wind mage created a wind barrier. So Mina switched from water to fire, and while the wind mage panicked, Mina took control over the wind simultaneously using Melody of Hypnosis. The barrier closed in.

Nobody survived.

Running back to Odin proved useless. The young, incapable villain laid on the mud, with eyes void of life.

Was it really the curse? Or the fatal wound? In the end, what horrible price was there to pay?

Regardless, Mina could only sob out one sentence: "I'm sorry... this time, it... really is stuck."