Dungeon Raider System-Chapter 544: The shadow returns

"You really do sound like the Nika I know, but I'm not trusting you until we're out." Uriel grunted some more and continued walking, sometimes bumping blindly into the walls, until he finally reached the entrance.

Las time he only managed to climb back outside with the help of the second year hunters that came along with him, but now things were different. On one hand he wasn't an ascended anymore and on the other, now it wasn't raining climbing was extremely easy for him.

Nika, or the thing claiming to be her, didn't follow him which Uriel took as confirmation that it was actually a cryptid and not the real Nika. It wasn't unexpected, but Uriel couldn't help but feel distraught as he did allow himself to believe it really was her for a minute. However, everything changed when Nika poked her head out of his shadow with a smirk.

"Are you coming or not?" She chuckled after managing to startle Uriel for the first time since he became a heavenly rank.

Without even caring about his surroundings or the presence of any nearby cryptids, Uriel immediately entered his museum and rushed towards the ancient era exhibition which used to be Nika's favorite spot and a wave of emotions surged inside Uriel's heart. He felt moved by finally reuniting with her and for knowing she was safe.

His ethereal presence inside the museum could show no emotion, but his body couldn't keep the tears from coming out.

"Nika, let's go outside and talk."

"I'm afraid I can't do that..."

"Are you...?"

"Dead? Of course not! There's a lot we need to discuss, and I'd rather stay in here. Besides, you wouldn't want me to be seen by other people like this, or would you?" Only then did Uriel notice that Nika, as usual, wasn't wearing any pants. Her entire outfit was comprised of nothing but underwear and a white tanktop.

"What happened to your pants?"

"Really... that's the first question you're going to ask."

"What happened to you?" Uriel then asked, trying not to stare at her privates since he knew she would notice.

"I think Medusa used her trait on me and something happened to my body, but thanks to my trait I survived. I tried to make it back towards you in my shadow form by following your energy signature. I think my first stop was the headquarters and I tried to communicate many times with our pals, but they ignored me and ran away like they seen..."

"A ghost? What would you think if you saw a shadow moving on it's own?" Uriel glared at her, though Nika couldn't see him.

"That's understandeable, I think..." Nika muttered.

"How did you survive all this time? Without my flux energy you must have not been able to fight using your trait..."

"That's where things get more interesting... follow me." Nika said as she turned back to lead Uriel to a specific pedestal, letting a soft chuckle once she noticed Uriel was staring at her rear.

"I wasn't... nevermind." Uriel let out in surrender. It was only a glimpse, but it was well worth the embarrassment. The awkward moment didn't last for long, though, because Uriel was then presented with a sight he didn't expect.

"This is why I managed to survive all this time," She said pointing at her own statue that now stood atop one of the marble stands right next to the lewd magazine, without minding Uriel's mischievous glance. "You could say I'm now like the Ocelotl, your jaguar spirit.

There's a few differences of course, but since we're going to be stuck together for the rest of our lives we're going to have enough time to explore them."

"For the rest of our lives? I thought the contract we made only lasted until I finished the exploration on Chichen Itza. Setting you free is one of the reasons why I've been... saving myself, because if I can't enter that dungeon anymore the contract will never be fulfilled."

"Well, that's not the case anymore. When that thing found me, it explained to me that I'm tethered to this beautiful statue and since it's one of your artifacts, I'm forever bound to you. We're like a married couple now." Nika giggled.

"Your statue must have fallen to the abyss when the island collapsed yesterday," Uriel spoke trying to make sense of the situation. "But that doesn't explain where you've been this entire time."

"Have you ever wondered what's outside your museum?" She said as she stood outside,

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"Uh... why would I care about what's outside my museum? All my precious things are inside. What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm not a thing!" Nika said in mock anger then as soon as Uriel crossed the entrance and headed outside fumbled to herself. "Interesting..."

"What? What is it?"

"I finally know something you don't, can't you at least let me savor that for a minute?"

It was the same Nika Uriel knew and there was nothing suspicious about her, though Uriel could feel something wasn't right. He couldn't be sure if it was her demeanor or if it was the fact that her explanation as to how she survived lacked any sense at all, but his doubts would soon be cleared once Nika continued her explanation.

"First I should mention that you should never, ever, get far from your museum."

"And why is that?"

"It's because this isn't just an imaginary place like you always say, this place does exist and I'm almost certain it's in the southern hemisphere."

Uriel was left speechless at the possibility, but as crazy as it sounded, his gut was telling him it was the truth. It was the kind of feeling someone experiments when they stare at a stain without being able to make anything out of it, only to see a face or an image that is then impossible to unsee.

"Do you have any evidence?"

"Evidence, evidence! It's always about evidence with you, isn't it? After I failed to communicate with anyone in our company because I couldn't materialize without your energy I left the place, trying to follow what I thought was your energy signature.

I was stranded for days and I didn't know the way back, the only thing I could follow was this strange feeling that made me feel connected to you, until I realized I was in Mexico... or what used to be Mexico anyways."

"And how did you know it was Mexico? You just said you couldn't materialize." Distrust oozing from his question. Not because he doubted her identity, but some of Nika's claims were simply too outrageous to believe. At that moment, Nika's entire demeanor shifted and her face became dead serious.