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

Rep, Zalan, and Finnegan ran until they could no longer see the Obsidian Earthenbeast in the light that emitted from Zalan's hands. They took a short break, catching their breath for a moment. A thud echoed in the distance, and Zalan assumed that the obsidian creature managed to escape. They looked over their shoulder in apprehension and ran even further into the mines. After minutes of escape, they leaned against the musty walls, catching their breath.

"That… was… the most incredible fight I have ever seen," Finnegan said between deep breaths.

Zalan and Rep looked at one another in confusion. They shook their heads at one another, not understanding.

"We ran away," Rep answered, sounding confused.

"We didn't even win. Did you watch the right fight?" Zalan asked.

"You misunderstand. It was the way you operated with one another! You instinctively knew what to do. You would say single words to one another and somehow translated to a series of slashes and blasts!" Finnegan said, swinging his arms in the air to mimic the battle.

Rep and Zalan again looked at one another, exchanging a curious glance.

"Did we do that?" Rep asked.

"I don't think so." Zalan shrugged.

"You are making a joke at my expense?" Finnegan said, annoyed with Zalan.

"No, seriously, I didn't even notice," Zalan insisted.

"You fought like a single person. Communicating and attacking without a deep knowledge of where one another was. A team that trusted one another implicitly. It was sincerely very inspiring," Finnegan said, still trying to read whether Rep and Zalan were messing with him.

"I am honored to work so well with Zalan. Though it is strange that we only got to this level of cohesion in the Depths of Despair," Rep murmured.

"It's ironic," Zalan agreed. "Or maybe it's the only place it could have happened. This time, our lives were on the line."

"Our lives have been on the line several times! We fought nothing like this against the Elemental Dragon. We had almost perished the moment before we defeated it," Rep pointed out.

"You killed an Elemental Dragon?" Finnegan asked, even further amazed. "That does it! I want to be an adventurer. I will work to repay those I have done wrong and then adventure the world to help others! This sounds like such an incredible life you live!" He threw a few more punches in the air.

"There are many challenges that come with living this kind of life," Rep warned.

"But they're worth it if you can push through it all," Zalan jumped in.

Rep looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"What? You don't think it's worth it?" Zalan asked.

"Indeed, I would say this life has several benefits to outweigh the detriments. I just expected you to be the last one to express the sentiment. You seem to have regained your confidence since acquiring the Elemental Power," Rep said.

"Not the Elemental Power. It's a lot different now. I realized I don't need power anymore to find a reason to live well," Zalan said confidently. "Mom would want me to live my life."

Rep beamed with pride, having such grateful energy toward his close friend. Finnegan watched them speak with an attentive gaze, his eyes hanging on their every word.

"How do I get an Elemental Power?" Finnegan blurted. "Is there an easily accessible one? Elemental Light seems like the most incredible thing in the realm, but I will settle for something even as common as fire," Finnegan said eagerly.

Rep and Zalan looked to one another awkwardly, measuring how best to respond.

"What?" Finnegan asked, sensing their hesitation. He looked hurt, a frown joining lowered eyebrows. "Do you not think I am worthy of Elemental Power?"

"No!" Rep said quickly. "Nothing like that!"

"It's just that we don't know about how accessible Elementals are anymore. There's someone going around killing them," Zalan said.

Finnegan rolled his eyes deeply in his sockets, exaggerating a turn of his head. He exhaled in annoyance and looked at Rep, waiting for another answer. When Rep didn't offer one, Finnegan decided to be more explicit.

"Your friend here is a compulsive liar," Finnegan said.

"Zalan?" Rep said, confused.

"Yes, Zalan! First he told me he lost an Elemental Power, but now he tells me that Elementals can be killed," Finnegan said. "Next he will try and assure me that the miraculous cloud city of Aetheria exists in the sky."

"He speaks true." Rep nodded solemnly. "Zalan lost Elemental Power and we witnessed an Elemental as it was killed."

"Plus, I'm pretty sure Aetheria is real. We've met two people from there," Zalan added.

Finnegan's eyes narrowed on Rep, losing trust in Zalan's companion as well. He scoffed, shaking his head.

"How does one kill an Elemental?" he challenged.

"You must become 'ascended.' A state of being that comes about when you have gained five different Elemental Powers," Rep explained.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Five? I thought every challenge became more difficult than the last. They become almost impossible by the time you seek your third. How is one supposed to acquire five?" Finnegan asked.

"The guy we know stole most of his powers from students he trained. He's actually one of the two people we know from Aetheria" Zalan said. "I already told you about him, remember? His name is Morloch."

"So, the one who can kill Elementals and steal powers also happens to be from the mythical city in the sky?" Finnegan summarized, letting out a tired sigh.

Zalan nodded, happy to hear Finnegan was finally understanding the situation.

"Every answer leads to more holes in your narrative," Finnegan said. "I may find you incredible fighters, but that does not mean I will be so naive as to believe everything you say!"

"I guess a con artist becomes good at being skeptical, huh?" Zalan nudged Rep lightly with his elbow.

"I do not believe Finnegan is an artist," Rep answered, confused.

"No, I mean like a Confidence Man. You know? A con man?" Zalan attempted.

Rep shrugged, shaking his head. Zalan shrugged as well, not knowing how else to phrase it. Finnegan rolled his eyes.

"Can we continue the search for the Homeseeker now? I wish to escape if we can," Finnegan said, growing tired of the shenanigans he suspected Zalan was playing.

Rep and Zalan nodded in agreement and Zalan lit up the cavern with two spotlights of power. He scanned over the immediate area and looked at Rep. Rep looked back while biting his lips.

"How are we supposed to locate the Artifact? These mines are a maze. We have no idea where we came from nor where we stand relative to the entrance," Rep said.

"Maybe we can go back to our original plan? Stick to the right of the cavern? We should be able to find an exit regardless of whether we find the Homeseeker," Zalan suggested.

"I suppose that will work, but I was hoping you had a better plan. I still do not quite understand the logic of going to the right leading us to freedom. In addition, I do not wish to meet any other monsters that call the Depths of Despair their home," Rep said, looking forward into the abyss.

"We'll be fine. I have a huge advantage with my Elemental Light. I mean, listen," Zalan said.

The trio were quiet for a few seconds of silence. Rep and Finnegan looked at Zalan. He nodded, as though having made his point. Finnegan squinted his eyes, confused.

"I hear nothing?" Finnegan said.

"Exactly! Remember how there used to be monsters crawling around no matter where we were? They're gone now. Either killed or intimidated by the potential of the Elemental Light," Zalan said.

"That is just the Arachulas," Finnegan said. "None of the other monsters are taking such serious damage from your Elemental Light. You could not even defeat the Obsidian Earthenbeast."

"They're taking damage, but just not from the larger beam of light. But the power still works to hurt them when it's concentrated in one place. Like a…" Zalan tried to come up with an example that would be understood by people of the realm. A "laser" was way too specific. A "magnifying glass" seemed like it wouldn't fit with the tech of the realm. He tried the only thing that he could think of that might be fitting to the medieval peoples. "You know like when a crystal ball catches light at a specific angle and burns things? It kinda works like that."

"A crystal ball?" Finnegan scratched his head, confused.

"Perhaps he means like a magnifying glass," Rep said.

"Oh, I see. That makes much more sense." Finnegan nodded.

"Yeah, of course it does," Zalan sighed, defeated by his own assumptions.

"You are suggesting that the Elemental Light causes burns?" Rep asked, taking a half step away from the light to protect his fresh burn wounds.

"Only when I concentrate it to a fine point. I might also be able to form it together to be something like a hammer or something to pummel things with, but I haven't gotten the right feel to it. Otherwise, I think it's just a really bright light. But I've already found some uses with just the regular light that's not intended to burn. I can imbue things to be blinding. With enough power, I can burn things around me, even without concentrating it to a fine point. But it takes a lot of my own energy to do that, and I don't think I have the Wisdom to use that one for a long period of time," Zalan explained.

"Very well, we can have some confidence in your Elemental Light, but that does not bring much ease into my heart," Rep admitted. He raised his hands to the darkness at the edge of the light. "This is still the Depths of Despair."

"Ah, I think we'll be fine. It's a lot easier to navigate with light that's not constantly being eaten away in the dark," Zalan said.

"You are blinded by your recent successes," Finnegan said. "Get me out of here in one piece and I will admit that your confidence was not misplaced."

Zalan accepted the challenge, taking the lead and guiding them down the long hall of the mines. Occasionally, they could hear the skitter of an Arachula in the distance, but none popped into view, even with the considerable distance Zalan's light could show. They turned several times, twisting down seemingly endless halls into the darkness.

They lost track of time in the mines. No one direction looked different than another. The walls were all the same cracked, dark earth and the endless abyss ahead of them made no signs of becoming less of an abyss. Whenever Zalan pointed his light all the way down, he could never see an exit. The mines always turned far enough to keep him from getting a straight view ahead. He wiped light sweat from his brow. He was growing tired of constantly using Elemental Power.

"Watch yourselves," Rep said. "There are a lot more webs on the floor around here."

"Too late," Finnegan grumbled.

Zalan turned and saw the young man pulling hard to free his foot. Zalan blasted it with light, burning it clean off of him. Finnegan nodded his appreciation.

"This is a lot more webs than I remember seeing on the way in," Zalan said, taking in the scene.

The mines had webs along the floors, walls, and ceilings. It was a light coating, like spray paint across the walls and floor, with larger webs hanging like nooses above them.

"Are you suggesting we should turn around?" Rep asked, looking around.

"No, we didn't have much light on the way in. This could be where we entered from. We just need to stick to the right. If we turn around, we risk getting even more lost than we already are. Stick to the system and we're definitely gonna be out of here," Zalan said.

Rep nodded and continued ahead. Finnegan's eyes were flitting around more rapidly, shivering slightly at the sight of the webs. Without him saying so, Zalan could tell he didn't want to be wrapped in a cocoon anymore. It must have been a terrifying time to be wrapped, waiting for death in total darkness. Zalan watched the walls for anything that might jump around the corners. They stalked slowly forward, not wanting to rush into an ambush.

Something felt off to Zalan. He felt like he was being watched again. But where before he figured out he was being watched by the Bright Elemental, this felt more malevolent than slightly off-putting. His hair stood up. He wanted to run, but the Depths of Despair was no place to escape feelings of dread.

"Do you feel that?" Zalan asked quietly.

"I do. There is something here. Watching us," Rep said.

Zalan appreciated that he wasn't alone in feeling observed this time. They creeped forward even slower. But Zalan felt his body was tight with tension. He looked around the corners even more rapidly to no avail.

"Ah! Help!" Finnegan screamed suddenly. "Above! Above!"

Rep and Zalan spun around to look at Finnegan. They witnessed two legs flailing in the air, slowly sliding upward. Rep and Zalan looked up. A strand of web had attached to Finnegan's back and was slowly pulling him upward into the darkness. Zalan illuminated the ceiling quickly.

A giant Arachula about the size of a school bus was dragging Finnegan upward, its fangs twitching hungrily as he neared its mouth.