Unlike the other floors, the lower ring was much quieter and rougher but it looked more organised. The air carried a mix of iron, smoke, and something faintly rotten.

It wasn’t the same as decay, more of the smell of blood that had been absorbed into the ground and truly never disappeared.

The paths became narrower as they descended. A group of men stood near a wall, their gaze following them like hawks with their voices lowered when they passed by.

Atheline glanced at them, assessing them. Unlike the upper levels where it was completely dark elves here, there was a mixture of all species each situated in a corner or two whispering to each other.

It seemed the lower rings were where all the real ones gathered.

"This floor seems freer," he said glancing at Zelpher, who had been quietly walking beside him.

"It’s meant to be that way," he replied, " if all the floors had strict supervision without giving them a place to breathe in this enclosed Court what do you think they would do?"

"Go outside. "

Zelpher nodded.

"Her majesty declared it a free area," he continued, " this means everything is free game here except unnecessary killings."

"If everything is still done in the mountains, her majesty has full control, " he explained.

Atheline’s gaze moved around, looking more clearly.

"Actually that makes sense, " he said, almost to himself, " dark elves are known for being violent so retracting them too much..."

"...Will make them feel suffocated," Zelpher finished.

He didn’t seem fazed by the fact that he had been called violent.

Atheline adjusted the edge of his cloak slightly as he walked. The illusion still held.

He passed by a small corridor, dark with spots of dried blood on the floor.

"You felt it too, didn’t you?"

A voice came, low and measured. He slowed, not stopping but slow enough just enough to listen.

"Don’t start," another replied, " you’re always sensing something.

"I’m serious, " the voice that followed had clearly lost his earlier bravado." The aether flowed differently. "

That made him slow to a crawl. Behind him, Zelpher raised an eyebrow as he also listened to the conversation.

"Yeah, yeah, you always feel something, " another mocked," let me guess, it’s from the upper level. The people from the upper levels are doing some kind of experiments on aether and taking us from the lower levels as experiments. "

"That...uuh," the man stuttered, unable to come up with a concrete sentence.

The other scoffed, trying to hold in his laughter. It was clear they were familiar with each other.

Atheline was just about to leave when another spoke.

"I went to the dark valley, today," the man said, changing the subject.

"Something happened? You didn’t bring any core or corpses as usual. "

There was a small pause before the man coughed slightly.

"Well..."

"We should move forward your highness," Zelpher harshly whispered, cutting off his hearing.

Atheline briefly glanced back at him.

"Just a moment. "

"You’re eavesdropping. "

"No, I was merely walking by and leaned against the wall."

Zelpher looked at him with something akin to both surprise and resignation. Atheline’s attention shifted back to the men.

"...I’m telling you, it tore through the three of them."

Atheline caught the ending after being distracted by Zelpher.

"Three," a skeptical voice asked.

"Three, and not weak ones either. C rank minimum."

"Then, why aren’t you dead?"

Atheline was also curious. From his facts, it seemed they probably went out and there was something that was killing hunters easily.

The man responded eventually his voice calm.

"Because I ran."

A few low chuckles followed but they weren’t mocking but knowing. Everyone here didn’t have the luxury of competing for honour, survival was the biggest priority for them. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"It wasn’t normal," the first speaker continued," the beast... it kept shifting. I swear I saw it, this time I’m not lying."

"That’s your excuse for not coming back with the shadow snake corpse."

"You think I’m lying? Why on earth would I do that, I’ve been hunting these things for who knows how long."

"I think you panic easily. "

Atheline continued towards them, his steps slow and quiet. He didn’t want to alert anyone to his presence.

Three men stood inside. Two men leaned against the wall while one crouched, idly drawing on the ground with a blade.

The last one was the one who had been speaking.

"Believe what you want," the crouched man said," but if anything is changing out there, you’d better hope you’re strong enough to deal with it."

His voice was calm, almost casual like he knew they wouldn’t believe it but wanted to say it so that he could say the " I told you so.

The others eventually shrugged him off.

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, you always say that. "

"Next time you’ll tell us the mountains are shifting too."

"Wouldn’t surprise me," the crouched man replied unbothered by their mocking.

The conversation dissolved. One man left, walking hurriedly, disappearing down the aisle after taking a left turn.

Then the other followed. He passed by them, glancing twice at the slow walking Atheline before losing interest.

The crouched man was the only one left, still in the same position.

"You’ve been listening for a while, " he said quietly without turning to look at him.

Atheline stepped to the entrance of the isle but left Zelpher in the shadows. He had cried about him being recognised but he was the one who stood out.

The man, softly scraped his knife against the stone. Small sparks flew.

Up close, he wasn’t imposing in size but his presence stood out. Atheline could already see that he was a veteran in his industry just from the way he carried himself.

The man met his gaze.

"You’re not a hunter," the man stated.

"No."

The man’s gaze finally dropped, a small sigh leaving him. His eyes moved back to his body then his face.

"Then you are lost," the man said, "or you’re curious."

Atheline tilted his head slightly for a moment, then stepped closer but not close enough to be viewed as threatening.

"Curiosity is the worst."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"I’ve heard that before. "

The man studied him for a second then sheathed his blade.

"Stay curious in the wrong places," he said stepping past him," and you won’t stay alive long."

A loud shout came from the other end of the aisle. They weren’t screams but just a sort of cheering.

Atheline’s gaze shifted there.

The man started to walk in that direction without noticing Zelpher. He stopped at the end of the isle glancing back at him.

"You heard what I said earlier." He said but he wasn’t asking a question.

"I did."

Another shout came again.

"And that is?" Atheline continued referring to the noise.

The man held his gaze for a moment then sighed.

"It’s the place," the man said," where people go when they want to test whether their curiosity is worth anything."

He left before Atheline could respond.

’Now that’s interesting’

He glanced back at Zelpher who had revealed himself from the shadows.

"Where is it?" He curiously asked.

"Let’s follow the noise," Zelpher quietly said," but your highness, don’t do anything reckless. "

Atheline chuckled.

"I won’t. "