Chapter 137: Finn’s Underground Hideout
Max felt the world disappear beneath his feet as he tried not to swallow dirt.
And in the very next second...
FWUMP.
He landed face-first on something soft.
Sand.
A lot of sand.
He rolled slightly downhill before coming to a stop, one hand partially sinking into the small mound he had landed on.
"Ack—!"
Above him, something was still falling from the ceiling.
Or rather...
Sand. Like a constant cascading waterfall.
Max quickly pulled his cloak over his head.
"What kind of entrance is this?!"
Beside him, Neros landed flat on his back with a heavy thud.
Seraphine descended with considerably more elegance, landing on her feet atop the sand.
And Dorian...
Dorian was laughing again, as if he were thoroughly enjoying all of this. While sand poured over his head.
"I swear, Finn never changes."
He stood up, still amused, and pointed ahead.
There was an open wooden door leading into a dim corridor lit by torches placed far apart.
"Let’s go through there quickly," he said, "before we end up buried alive."
That was all the motivation they needed.
The four of them moved almost immediately, escaping the rain of sand and entering the hallway.
Max shook off his cloak, still dusting himself off.
Neros looked to both sides, staying alert, one hand resting near his sword.
"Should I be on guard?"
Dorian shook his head calmly.
"No need."
He made a dismissive gesture with one hand.
"These are just childish games."
Max raised an eyebrow.
’That somehow sounds even less reassuring.’
He looked around as they continued walking.
Wooden walls. Reinforced structure.
Everything was far more spacious than expected.
"Wait..." he said. "Does this hallway lead to one of the rooms in the shack we saw above?"
"No."
Dorian answered without hesitation.
"The shack is just a front."
He smiled.
"In case the guards ever discover the black market."
He spread his arms slightly.
"Finn’s real hideout is down here, further along this path."
Max observed the place with renewed interest.
’It’s literally an underground bunker...’
Or some kind of hidden unlockable game room.
His excitement rose all over again.
’This is incredible. I wish I could take pictures of this.’
Seraphine traced the walls with her gaze, clearly analysing everything.
"This is quite an interesting use of sand trap magic as an entrance to a hideout."
A faint smile.
"I’ll keep this in mind for future use."
Dorian nodded proudly.
"Yes."
A confident grin.
"My friend is a genius."
They continued forward for a few more metres.
Then, the floor trembled. The walls vibrated.
Max frowned.
"Huh?"
And suddenly, the entire space shifted. The whole corridor tilted downward. As if it had transformed into a ramp.
"WHAT?!"
Seraphine reacted instantly. Her magic seal appeared beneath her feet, and she floated again immediately.
Dorian, on the other hand, simply sat down. As if this were completely normal. And began sliding downhill like a child on a playground slide.
"WOO!"
Max and Neros were not so fortunate.
"Again?!"
Both of them started sliding violently across the floor.
No control. No dignity.
Seraphine let out an amused laugh and floated gracefully after them. Absolute elegance.
Max shoved a hand into his infinite backpack. Pulled out his shield. Threw it onto the floor and jumped on top of it.
"Alright, time to improvise!"
He managed to stabilise himself like he was on a snowboard, descending with relative dignity.
"You could’ve warned us the floor was going to change!"
Dorian turned his head slightly while continuing to slide seated.
"I thought it would be more entertaining not to give any warning at all."
Max narrowed his eyes.
"I hate you a little."
Neros was descending in a completely different way.
Chest pressed flat against the floor. Arms stretched forward.
Sliding as if he were the board.
Without complaint.
Simply accepting his fate.
Seraphine looked down at him, amused.
"Aren’t you scraping your entire body?"
Neros replied with complete seriousness.
"No."
He didn’t look at her for even a second.
"This seems acceptable."
He took a deep breath, as if even answering her was difficult.
"Thank you very much for your concern."
Seraphine smiled.
Far too entertained by all of this.
Dorian shouted from ahead.
"We’re almost there!"
And right as he said it, they passed through a small opening.
A sort of horizontal window.
So narrow it looked impossible to get through.
But somehow...
They made it.
Pure luck.
And then—
CLANK.
Metallic sounds.
Chains.
Moving fast.
Straight toward them.
"What the hell—?"
The chains caught Dorian instantly.
Arms. Legs. Torso.
They lifted him into the air and suspended him in a crucifix position.
"Oh."
Dorian blinked.
"I had forgotten about this part. Or perhaps it’s new."
Max reacted quickly.
He raised his shield and the chains slammed into it.
CLANG!
He managed to block them and was launched forward, landing on his feet with a small spin.
"Yes!"
But Neros...
Was not so lucky.
He was stuck in the small opening.
Half in.
Half out.
Completely wedged.
"..."
Silence.
"I would appreciate some assistance, if possible."
Behind him floated Seraphine, watching the ridiculous sight of her ex-husband stuck in the wall.
She couldn’t hold back her laughter.
"I must admit, I am quite enjoying the view."
Neros turned red instantly.
"P-Please... lend me a hand. At the very least, push me through."
And then, a laugh echoed through the room. High-pitched and shrill. Like a mischievous child. Bouncing across the chamber.
Max immediately raised his shield and reached into his backpack for his hammer, looking around.
"Who’s there?"
Neros tensed as well, still stuck.
"Show yourself."
Dorian, hanging in a cross shape from the chains, simply chuckled and smiled confidently.
"You really never get bored down here..."
He looked into the darkness.
"Right, my friend?"
Max kept his shield raised, one hand still inside his infinite backpack, ready to pull out the hammer at any moment.
His eyes scanned the shadows.
Waiting for movement.
And then, a small light appeared at the far end of the room.
Faint at first.
Like a floating spark in the dark.
But slowly, it approached. Illuminating the room.
Casting long shadows against the wooden walls.
Seraphine narrowed her eyes, floating behind Neros.
"What exactly is happening down here?"
The same shrill voice answered immediately.
"That is precisely what I’d like to know."
The light kept approaching.
"Who are you people...?"
The laugh sounded again. Light. Playful.
"And what are you doing inside my hideout?"
Finally, the figure emerged from the shadows. Small. Much smaller than Max had expected.
A grey goblin. Short in stature. Slender build. Dressed entirely in black. Light, practical clothing. His hood was pushed back. Long, dark hair, so messy it covered most of his head and part of his face.
In one hand, he held a short dagger. Worn, but clearly well cared for. In the other, a small metal lantern. Inside, several fireflies glowed softly, illuminating his face from below in a rather unsettling way.
Max stared at him and blinked several times. Then immediately reached a conclusion.
’Yep. That’s definitely Finn.’