"The monsters around it are all level 125 and above, the strongest being level 135."
Ansi looked at him with a slight bit of indignation, "Why did you not tell us that it's this strong first them tell us about the type of creature it is."
Max looked up and considered if he should tell them, after all the bad news was not done. "I thought I would start with the good news, everyone needed it. So, let me get all the news out of the way. It has a dozen skills, including teleportation, that's how it got behind us, if anyone was wondering."
Arduo was wondering, that solves one mystery while adding to their list of things to be depressed about.
"It also has more than four thousand followers, good news is that it seems to only be able to summon ten, one is somewhere else or hopefully dead. It also has this thing called a power, but I cannot read those, as if they were forbidden, and I might die if I did. It also has a title, which are usually things reserved for beings meant to change the course of history, for those with curiosity, its "Vile Knight" … And another thing which might be good news based on how you view it. Its knowledge stats are the same as its power level, 105, which I am not suggesting as a plan, but… it means Folisha can talk to it."
Folisha gave him a stern look, "I don't want to go mad talking to that thing"
Arduo interrupted, "any more news we should know about."
"It can store things it its soul. That should be all. And can everyone, please keep in mind that I am merely a messenger, even I did not enjoy what I saw. Something even stranger that what I have mentioned until now, is that one of its skills is hero."
Everyone was at a loss, at the least that might be a good sign.
Before Arduo could speak, Folisha spoke, "The earlier sighs I mentioned, it seems like it was thinking about something and just felt disappointed or displeased. It did also say something, what was it? I was too wiped out to listen or hear much but it was translated to something like "I can't rely on that skill". It was a ranting of sorts."
Now it as time for Arduo to assume Nicks role, which she had been putting off, as leader for now and to try to help them escape or die trying.
"Guys, first we know is that this thing is not a monster nor human, but is a void being, which still kills humans, thus the difference is not that big for us now. It might be weaker than the minions, but it seems they obey it without question. Which means that it's the main issue. It might be weaker than them, but it is the only one that has intelligence, it's a given since it threw our stuff in here with us, hoping to make us live longer."
The others moved their hands around finally noticing, after all this cage was huge, probably meant for monsters not human.
"This thing is not human, as we have seen, but it is not a monster, as monsters are just mad mindless beings, but this thing actually has knowledge stats, which might be a blessing or a curse. It must want us alive for a while at least, but it's not diplomatic, so we cannot strike a deal, otherwise it would have not killed Nick…"
All seem to remember the moment Nicks body hit the ground for a second.
"But it did not take Nicks bag, meaning that it does not know about the stones, or does not care. I do not suggest we negotiate, but we find out how much it wants us alive, then try to get it to get the stones for us and then we can get out of here. Fighting is off the table. That is if you think you can do it Folisha, because I wouldn't. I hate to admit it, but I am afraid of this thing, terrified even, that overwhelming fear still lingers in me, otherwise I would not ask you. I could still try to get the stones using my soul form, but with how it can move so freely in the dark, I will be caught. The reason I am even talking freely is because it can't understand us, since it has not reacted to us, or at least I hope so."
Ansi shivered slightly and said, "Folisha cannot be risking her life, I can try to struggle, even if it's for a second, then you guys can give it one last sprint for the stones before…"
Folisha herself interrupted her, "I'll do it"
They all stared at her prompting her to explain.
"Don't get me wrong, I am terrified, even more so than all of you combined. That's why when Nick died, I panicked, almost shutting down, my body even did the moves I've practiced for, since I want to be a Knight, I train my body to overcome fear when I cannot. So, I jumped first because, my body knew what to do even if I didn't. After that, I slowly realised, because the Knight kept us alive, that I cannot be a shy little girl when it could mean death for me and my friends."
After a short pause, she continued "I am more scarred than I ever have been, probably will be for the rest of my life, however short it will be in the hands of this Knight. This also means that I will never experience anything more terrifying from now on wards. My fears have not left me, they just fail to move me, and talking to the Knight just means a faster death, meaning I will not have to endure anymore anyway. You guys made life in the village not as bad as I had thought it would be and you have brought me closer to my dream of being a knight. Granted this is not how I had thought I would meet a knight. You guys also did not mock me for having such wild aspirations. Plus, who knows it might work."
Everyone wanted to chuckle a little, but they were all scared witless to try. This whole thing was just one thing after another. Sure, everyone had just slightly uplifted the mood, but they were all still fighting the urge to submit and let the numbness permeating their body be the only thing that they feel. So, they ate some of the food rations they still had and then watched in silence as Folisha stood to confront the void thing.
Folisha could not see where they were or where they were going, but she could still hear the sighing of something without lungs, 'maybe it has an instinct built into it, strange.' She was still hesitant to disturb its thoughts, since it did not sleep, they would never get the chance. She sighed too, realising, in as much as she agreed to do it, she was wishing that her communication skill was not a two-way thing, she was sick and tired of the villagers asking her to tell their babies things and translate their responses. She did not think that she would be gambling for her life with the same skill but with a void thing, which by my account is even worse than a monster.
"Hey mister. Sir…" it seems he did not hear her, or she did not want him to hear her.
"Mr Knight sir!"
Then the cage stopped.
'Great. It can issue orders without speaking. Why not any more bad news, we already have enough.'
She had been ready to feel fear once more, but instead something peculiar happened, the Knight seemed confused that it could understand her. It responded and things got even weirder, that's because, she had not expected that. Special skills are earned like any other skill, but when it connects deeply with one's soul, it's known as a special skill. These need to resonate with the person and usually take years to discover. They are special because they are more potent. Like someone who learns how to use Nicks skill from him, they would never be able to do it with as much ease. While Nick could always stay 5 seconds in the future, those who copy him could only stay five seconds every hour, it's easier to just call special skills talents. Another thing about them is that once a level threshold is crossed, they evolve with the person. When Nick became level 10, he could see 3 seconds ahead from seeing just 1. Then at level 20 he could see 5 seconds, he was 2 levels away from being able to see 10 seconds in the future. At level 60 he could probably see a whole minute ahead. Normal skills evolve by training, not moving with levels, and will never be as powerful.
The communication skill for Folisha came because she was studying the languages from ages ago, most of them having almost being lost, the current versions in ancient textbooks are not even full. Once when studying these texts, they resonated with her, and she got the special skill/talent to understand things if she tried. When she reached level 10 her skill allowed her to translate things that were not written, like the cries of a baby. When she reached level 20, it allowed her to be able to communicate with other things, like telling a baby to be quiet, some did not care and just continued to cry though. So, imagine her shock when the language she finally heard coming from the Knights mouth was a more natural version of the language she had earned her skill learning. The last time she had not heard the Knight but now that it was addressing her, she recognised the language perfectly. She was shabby, but she was sure that she could even have a conversation without using her skill, she kept her skill active though, since it eliminates misunderstanding, which she cannot afford right now.
She was almost glad if not mortified. This however gave her a chill, because it could mean that somehow, this thing once was human. And not just any human, a human who could speak the ancient tongue fluently. Meaning it could be from over millions of years ago. That would explain its armour, and almost human like existence. After all nobody knows where the destroyers, or as Max has identified them as void beings, even come from. Maybe the fact that it sighs even though it has no lungs is a trait from its human origins, an unnecessary instinct of sorts. This also explains why it has a human amount of knowledge stats.
'If this thing really used to be human than what happened to make it this heaping monstrosity. What have we really uncovered down here. All of it is useless if we don't make it out of here alive, without a truth tool or skill, no-one would believe us anyway. But if we go to the nearest capital and verify it, we could very well make money by selling the information to the researchers. Then I could use the value points to apply for night try outs, that's after I get to level 50 at least, then my physical strength will at least be enough to pass. Oh my! Listen to me ramble about the future with such clarity, as if us surviving here is a given, who knows if I'll even make it through this conversation. It is the effect of having one last good thing in my life happen before I die, isn't it?'
It's not every day you get to actually find something this rare. 'And I could even ask this thing, if it will answer about how to become a knight myself.'
She was getting giddy because for her, an informatic, this was like running into your favourite idol on the worst day of your life, she knew idols but nowadays, people talk about heroes. Maybe her and her friends should just give up adventuring and become spies, it might be where the cards lie for them. She had almost stayed silent for too long which might anger the thing. She hurriedly remembered what it said.
"I can understand you? But you are not of the void, how?"
She leaned forward alleviating some of her fear, she still had not forgotten that this thing might seem human, but it is far from it. "I have a special skill that allows two-way communication. And since you are intelligent and want to keep us alive, we need the bag from that other man, it has some rations."
The Knight thought about it for a while and answered, "You seem to be convinced I am not a monster somehow, matters not, I do need you alive for quite a while, lest my cycle …"
She did not hear the rest, the cage had resumed moving deeper, but the Knight had vanished. A second later Folisha heard it return, and the massive skeletal door moved, and it threw in the bag and closed the door. It then continued its conversation.