The Homeseeker: Elemental Adventurer LitRPG [Isekai] (Series Complete!)

"So, how far is this Depths of Despair place from us?" Zalan asked.

"At least a few days worth of travel," Rep said.

"Then we should get going," Zalan said, eager to get his next Elemental Power as soon as possible.

"After we gather supplies," Rep added.

"Supplies like what?"

"Food."

"Oh… right, yeah, let's get some food and then get out of here."

"Have you given any more thought about what Madam Hikma said about Morloch? We could defeat him and stop a great destruction to the realm," Rep suggested.

"I'm not gonna think about that before getting an Elemental Power. If we don't die on the next attempt, he might be able to kill every last Elemental before I get a new power. Let's just go to the mines, get the power, and get out," Zalan said.

Zalan could see the subtle frown on Rep's face. He was clearly reluctant to be going to the Depths of Despair, much less get going so soon. But he knew that Zalan was on a one-track mind now and nothing would sway his need for an Elemental Power. And Rep would do anything to keep Zalan from laying in bed doing nothing. Rep led the way to a nearby salesman, his feet moving slow.

Rep and Zalan gathered food from every table and shelf available. Stuffing their bags, they were putting together enough rations for weeks. Rep said it was to be prepared in case of obstacles on the way, like a monster blocking their way forward. But Zalan got the feeling he was more concerned about getting lost or trapped in the Depths of Despair. They placed their substantial amount of food on the counter and the salesman looked over their purchase with interest.

"Making an epic journey soon?" he inquired, rifling through the foods to get an accurate count of cost.

"Yes," Rep said dodgily.

"Where to? I love to hear what places people journey to beyond Oriton," the salesman replied.

"We're going to the Depths of Despair," Zalan said

At first the salesman laughed, thinking that Zalan was joking. Then, his laughter reduced to a chuckle as he realized they weren't laughing along with him. The chuckle faded with a clearing of his throat. He looked between Rep and Zalan, searching for humor.

"The Depths of Despair?" he repeated.

"Yeah," Zalan nodded.

"The home of the Mind of Madness? You are going in the direction of its home? Deliberately?" he clarified.

"Yeah."

"Willingly?" the salesman added.

Zalan rolled his eyes and nodded.

The salesman gave Zalan a quizzical look over. He had slight bags under his sunken eyes. His body stood like it was ready to fall if given a whiff of bad news. His face and skin had a slight paleness to it, his eyes listless.

"You look like someone that is leaving the Depths of Despair," the man said with a slight smile, trying to bring levity to the situation.

"No," Zalan said simply, not getting the joke. "Do we need to go somewhere else to buy our food?"

"No, no," the salesman said, deciding to drop his concerns for the duo to make the easy sale.

For the first time since Zalan had come to the realm, he was asked to pay more than a single gold coin. The food they purchased cost them three gold coins, one silver, and three bronze. Rep paid and Zalan wondered if he should be considering just how big a deal it was to be this fully stocked for the journey. They had never been prepared for more than a few weeks of travel. This food could easily last them a month.

"Enjoy your journey… I think," the salesman bid them off, scratching his chin in confusion.

They left the salesman and Zalan looked at Rep expectantly. Rep was staring out at the sky in thought.

"Which gate should we leave from?" Zalan asked.

Rep continued to stare, looking as though he'd completely zoned out.

"Rep?"

Rep was still lost. Zalan nudged him lightly.

"Hmmm?" Rep hummed.

"What's up?"

"I need to speak to Junill before we leave," Rep decided, his eyes following a cloud above them.

"Back at the forge? Why? Is there something wrong with your sword?" Zalan asked.

Rep's faraway look continued. He was chewing very lightly on the inside of his lip.

"Rep?"

"Hmm?"

"We were going to the forge?" Zalan pressed.

Rep finally broke eye contact with the cloud, blinking in thought. He looked at Zalan and forced a smile. The edge of his lips trembled, giving away the hint of another emotion brewing beneath.

"Right. The forge," Rep nodded, leading the way.

Zalan had never seen Rep so distant like this before. He watched him closely. Rep's face had grown a slight hue reddish as he traveled. He kept one hand on his hilt and the other on the pocket that held his funds. Zalan began to wonder if he was angry. He didn't know how to try and calm down Rep when he was terrible at calming himself. Whatever the case, Rep was definitely on edge by the time they were near the forge.

They stood in front of the forge, the closed door feeling like it was towering over Rep. He breathed in deeply, tugging at his tunic. He was gnawing at the inside of his lip with an intensity Zalan had never seen before. He breathed deeply through his nose, closing his eyes tightly. He gripped a hand over his chest and opened his eyes.

"Dude. Rep, you look awful. What's going on?" Zalan finally asked.

"Can you wait outside?" Rep asked.

"I can, but what are you gonna do?"

"I need to do it before I say it. If I say it aloud, I may realize I do not have the muster for it."

Zalan stared in shock, but nodded. He had no idea what Rep was doing. Rep rushed inside and slammed the door shut behind him. Zalan bounced in place impatiently, hating feeling like he was left in the dark. He wondered what they were talking about. What kinds of things did Rep need to go over without him present? He wasn't one to be so secretive before, but now he wanted private audiences with both Junill and Madam Hikma.

Zalan quickly concluded that they were talking about him, and that was why he wasn't supposed to be part of the conversation. It must have been the same reason he spoke to Madam Hikma alone, to get advice on how to manage Zalan. Zalan ran a hand through his hair anxiously and paced back and forth, considering his options. He could barge in and let Rep know what he's been saying behind his back. But Rep wasn't saying anything bad, he only cared about Zalan. Zalan huffed to himself in frustration and stamped toward the forge door. Closing his eyes, he leaned on the door, placing his ear against it. He listened intently, but couldn't make out any particular words. It was clearly an uncomfortable conversation. There were abrupt pauses on both sides.

The sound of coins spilling on the counter came clear to Zalan. Dozens of coins clinking as they landed on the countertop. More than Rep or Zalan ever paid for their swords. He tried to lean in further, and understand what kind of goods Rep was buying.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The door swung outward and Zalan fell backward. Rep looked down at him, with wide eyes. Rep's face was beet red and he quickly moved to throw the door closed behind him. Just before the door slammed shut, Zalan saw a glimpse of the scene within the forge. Junill was staring in shock at a pile of at least thirty gold coins on the counter. Her mouth was agape with an expression Zalan had never seen on her face before.

The door closed and Rep pulled Zalan to his feet without so much as raising an eyebrow at his eavesdropping. Without a word, Rep dragged him along, moving quickly. For the first few steps, Zalan waited for an explanation. The speed at which Rep moved along felt like he was trying to run away. Zalan got no answers from his flustered face, Rep's jaw was clenched tight.

"Well?" Zalan asked. "Are you good? What was that all about?"

"We need to leave that gate in order to go to the city of Nightfall," Rep pointed his hand ahead.

"Nightfall?" Zalan said. "I thought we were going to the Depths of Despair?"

"We are. The Depths of Despair are a series of underground tunnels and mines just beyond the city of Nightfall. Nightfall is where we will rest before journeying within the earth. The Depths of Despair are sometimes called the Mines of Madness, you know. But it gets confusing to say that the Mind of Madness resides within the Mines of Madness, so most people refer to it as the Depths of Despair. 'Mind' and 'mine' sound much too similar, I am sure you agree," Rep rambled.

"The Mines of Madness…" Zalan felt like he had a follow up question based on the name, but something more pertinent occurred to him. "You're trying to change the subject! What happened with Junill?"

Rep continued to rush away. He released Zalan's arm, but Zalan jogged to keep up with him. Rep's face was locked forward, his gaze determined to leave as soon as possible.

"There was a lot of money there. You've definitely referred to that many gold coins as a 'fortune' before. What was with that? Did you owe her that much?" Zalan pressed.

"I owed it to myself to give her that money without delaying any longer," Rep said firmly, sounding embarrassed.

"Why?"

Rep cleared his throat as he walked silently.

"Rep, seriously. Why? You were talking about me, weren't you?" Zalan said. "You were telling her how bad of an idea it was for us to go to the Depths of Despair even though it's what Madam Hikma told us to do!"

"Yes."

"Really?" Zalan said, genuinely surprised. His specific guess felt a bit too on the nose.

"Not quite all of that. But I told her that I may perish in the Depths of Despair," Rep's voice was growing quieter. He was rambling again. "So I paid her a dower today. I felt this was the right time to do so, to try and build some excitement before going to one of the worst places imaginable. In the case I made it back alive, it would be a welcome return. But if I do not return, I told her she is free to keep it. I did not think it would be fair for her to feel indebted to a dead man."

"Well, yeah. That was definitely like… a fortune of gold. You just gave it all to her?" Zalan said.

Rep nodded sharply.

"And you said it was a dower? What's a…"

Zalan trailed, a sudden baffled smile bursting on his face. He let out a loud laugh and Rep recoiled at the noise in embarrassment. Zalan was beaming at Rep, not expecting to be laughing with so much joy during the conversation.

"Did you just propose to her?" Zalan asked.

Rep gave a coy half shrug. He nodded bashfully, his face another hue of red.

"Wow! I had no idea! Congratulations, man! Ha! Wow, I don't know what to say. So, are you engaged now or something?" Zalan asked.

"No. Junill must speak to her parents first and then make the decision," Rep said anxiously.

"Okay, then what was the money for? Does she have to wait for you now?" Zalan asked, confused.

"No. She can take the money and wed someone else if she chooses. I just hoped to make an impression with the money," Rep said.

"Oh…" Zalan lost a bit of his enthusiasm. "But you at least made it clear that you were asking for her hand, right?"

Rep nodded, embarrassed.

"Great! Well, what did she say?"

"Not a word," Rep groaned. "She stood frozen the entire time that I explained my interest to her. And then I turned and exited."

"You didn't want to wait to see what she would say?"

"Absolutely not." Rep shook his head.

"Really?" Zalan said in a mix of a scream and a laugh. "You could have waited to at least get a read on her! Or you could have asked me to talk to her or something! You want to leave without knowing?"

"My heart was threatening to escape my chest. I could hardly hear myself speak over its drumming. No, I do not think I could withstand the answer right now," Rep sighed.

Zalan slapped him on the shoulder.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. You're great. Plus, I've seen how she lights up whenever you talk about the monsters you've killed with her swords. It's like she's waiting for you every second you're gone," Zalan said.

Rep smiled and nodded his appreciation.

"So how long has this thing between you been going on? I honestly had no idea," Zalan asked, curious.

"How do you mean?" Rep asked.

"I… I don't know, have you been together in some capacity this whole time?" Zalan asked.

"I do not understand what you mean by the question. I have only tried courting her today, if that is what you mean," Rep said.

"Right. I guess that does answer the question," Zalan said, wondering if that was how all marriages went in the realm.

Zalan blinked as something dawned on him.

"Rep, why did you propose to her now?" Zalan asked.

Rep's grin waned to a thin flat line.

"Was this like a last act of life? Do you think you're going to die?"

Rep suddenly stopped walking. Zalan waited as he searched for the right words.

"The Depths of Despair is not to be taken lightly," Rep said.

"We have the Homeseeker."

"The Homeseeker takes seconds to activate. Aggravatingly long seconds. Morloch almost killed us in the time it took for us to leave. Multiple times. Were it not for the Homeseeker returning us to the guild, we would surely have perished both times. The Mind of Madness need only look at us and we will be defeated. We may drop the Homeseeker and be left at its whims," Rep said.

Zalan considered his words. He was determined not to change his mind about getting an Elemental Power, especially after having listened to Madam Hikma. She said this was his only way to get Elemental Power. And it may have even been his next step to a way home. Either way, the Depths of Despair seemed like the next step.

"If it gives us enough trouble, we can just scare off the Mind of Madness like we did the Thalassic Terror," Zalan said with false confidence.

"You know it is not nearly the same."

Zalan knew that Rep was right. Zalan had only one previous run-in with the Mind of Madness and a single look made him break down in emotional pain. He'd never felt so broken and abandoned before. Like life would never repair itself. Endless despair. Like time would not heal wounds. He hoped never to experience it again, but now he was trying to convince Rep to travel to its home.

"Well, Madam Hikma said to go there," Zalan said, trying to convince himself as much as Rep. "Has she ever led us wrong before?"

"You were the one saying she's led us wrong before."

"And you were the one saying she hasn't!" Zalan said.

Rep bit his lip and sighed.

"I know. I just did not wish to take on the Mind of Madness," Rep said.

"I can… I don't know, find someone else to help me? Maybe someone from the guild? You can stay and get engaged or married in the meantime," Zalan said hesitantly. He didn't truly want to be separated from Rep, but was trying to sound supportive of his concerns.

Rep's face scrunched in amused confusion.

"Poor, tearless, stoic Zalan. You want to abandon me now that I have shown too much emotion for you," Rep teased.

"You know that's not what's going on here!"

"I know. And you know that I am your friend. I will not leave your side, Zalan. We are in it together until we find a way to get you back home," Rep said confidently.

Zalan smiled gratefully. He didn't know he needed to hear Rep say the words until they left his lips.

"Sure. Together to the end of all this."

"Though, I certainly hope our end is somewhere far from the Depths of Despair," Rep said, leading to the nearest wall with a gate to exit the city.

Waving to the guard at the gate, Rep signaled that they intended to go outside. The guard chuckled and instead approached them with a warm smile.

"Rep, Zalan," Sir Kilile said. "I heard you braved the Cliffs of Shadow and even Ma, herself. It brings me such joy to see you out there, Rep. And Zalan, you are such a formidable ally!"

Rep smiled bashfully and Zalan blinked at having been recognized. He knew Sir Kilile as the man that saved his life when he first entered the realm, but he had such rare run-ins with him, he thought his name would have been forgotten by now.

"Oh… Thanks," Zalan said.

"At this rate, you will be reaching the Death Levels in no time at all. Try not to get yourselves killed on the way there. We need strong men on the walls," Sir Kilile smiled and clapped Rep on the back.

"You would have me join you on the walls?" Rep asked, sounding enthused.

"Of course! With the reputation of your strength and Elemental Power, you would be a fine candidate. Where are you headed in the meantime?"

"The Depths of Despair."

Sir Kilile chuckled, looking between Rep and Zalan. Narrowing his eyes slightly, his smile dipped to a frown.

"No. Rep, no. Where are you headed?"

Rep said nothing, looking sincerely at Sir Kilile.

"Dear God, why?" the guard asked, slouching in desperation.

"We must. Madam Hikma says it is for the best for us."

"Did she say that you would both live?" Sir Kilile demanded.

Rep lowered his head. Sir Kilile looked to Zalan, whose face warmed in embarrassment under the scrutiny.

"We'll be as safe as we can," Zalan said, feeling like he had to say something.

Sir Kilile sighed and he opened the gate.

"Let me know when you return and I can let you know about a position on the walls, if you wish," he said somberly.

Rep and Zalan walked through the open gate. Glancing back one last time, Zalan couldn't help but feel like Sir Kilile was looking at them like they were part of a funeral procession.