[Would you like to Spirit Bind with Skull of Ruin?]
Without thinking, I immediately clicked yes. However, to my dismay, an error appeared.
[Skull of Ruin has rejected the Spirit Bind offer.]
"Bastard! Accept it!"
I fumed, feeling annoyed at not having my curiosity satisfied at what this 'Spirit Bind' was, but I was pretty sure it was something good. Something great even.
Movarathos clicked his tongue, or atleast made a sound similar to that of a being tongue clicked.
"I told you, I'll only accept it once you free me. Do you have the key?"
I was still pissed, but after letting out a deep exhale, I calmed myself and shook my head. At the moment, all I had was the Abyssal Fragment left behind by the fake Isabella.
"I don't."
Movarathos let out a sigh. Something similar to a sigh, as he mumbled.
"I should of known it wouldn't be that easy…."
Then, he continued, his voice back to being even.
"Well, you'll have to find the key then. Before you ask— No, you cannot destroy this cage. It's impossible. You can try, boy. But it won't work. The key is the only way to free me."
I narrowed my eyes, feeling like he was underestimating me, but I let it slide. If Mova said that, I'll just have to trust him. Besides, wasting innate spirit trying to break this down, only for it to possibly leave no results, was just a waste.
"Alright, where do I even find this key?"
Movarathos cleared his non-existent throat and said.
"To find it, you'll have to finish this mission first. With you being part of the Dreadful Tunnels, it's impossible for you to get the key unless the river reveals itself."
I raised an eyebrow, now interesed.
"What river? Once the mission ends, will I even be able to find you again?"
Movarathos continued.
"You'll see it once you destroy the Abyssal Heart and end this mission. And yes, once you finish the mission, you should be able to find me. That is, if you get the key, of course. The key has a function that automatically points you to this cage, no matter where it is."
I nodded thoughtfully, taking all of this in. He was being a little cryptic, but with the information he was giving me, it was enough to motivate me to try and get this key. To get it, I have to finish the Dreadful Tunnels first, it seemed.
"Do you know where the Abyssal Heart is, then? Do you atleast have some advice for me to finish this quickly, Mova?"
Movarathos huffed at the nickname once again, but didn't say anything this time.
"Boy, I cannot help you with this. I do know where you're companions are, but trying to peer into the location of the Abyssal Heart is beyond me. My advice is to reunite with you're actual allies and stay away from that boy Nico."
My eyes shot up in interest.
"Why? Is Nico dangerous?"
Movarathos didn't answer. Instead, the skull leisurely changed the topic.
"Ah and also, you shouldn't be carrying around that 'Abyssal Fragment' it's a fake and can be used to track where you are. Give it to me, I'll destroy it."
I was a bit frustrated and annoyed by him changing the topic. I hated when my curiosity isn't satisfied. Ever since the beginning of The Mulligan, I have come into contact with so many mysteries without answers. But I didn't push the skull for answers.
Taking the Abyssal Fragment out, I threw it into the cage, squeezing it perfectly through the iron bars. That's when I saw the Skull open it's giant mouth, a scorching heat coming from inside it, as the Abyssal Fragment was swallowed, leaving behind not even ash.
I watched in fascination, as Movarathos closed his mouth and stared back at me with those pitch-black eye holes.
"What's you're name, Boy?"
I was surprised by the sudden question, but I answered honestly.
"Morgan."
Before he could say anything else, I continued.
"What are you, Mova? The Mulligan seems to refer to you as this Skull of Ruin. Are you also a participant of The Mulligan? A player?"
At my questions, Movarathos laughed.
"Ah, boy! You truly are ignorant. No, im not a Player as you say. Im merely part of The Mulligan. A Spirit. These things can be found all over and players can make binds with them, to use their powers and recieve their help in battles. It's sort of like creating a contract between a human and Spirit."
My expression morphed into one of interest at those words. Spirits….that you can make contracts with, fight alongside and use their powers. How interesting.
"Does this binding process have conditions? Since you compared it to contracts, im assuming it's not a servant–master relationship."
Movarathos responded casually.
"You're right. It's not. Each Spirit has a condition for allowing themselves to be binded with a human. My condition is simple— my freedom. That's all. While other spirits might have much stricter and complicated conditions for a binding."
He sighed and continued.
"The most powerful ones have the stricter conditions. The weaker ones sometimes have no condition at all and would rather being in the safety of being bound to a human."
I raised an eyebrow, my next words coming out teasingly.
"Since you're condition is so easy, are you weak?"
That seemed to really rattle the talking skull. I felt an intense pressure on me immediately. A pressure so intense that made me want to get on my knees and bow, my heart racing from fear, my eyes widening in horror and sweat falling down my forehead.
"I'm NOT weak, boy."
Then, the pressure relaxed and I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding in. My chest rising and falling, as I wiped away some sweat off my forehead.
"Message received."
I breathed out, calming myself. Then, I said;
"Now, can you atleast tell me where the real Isabella and zeke is? I need to meet up with them before the fake me does something to them."
Movarathos was silent for a few seconds, then responded in his usual nonchalant manner.
"Sure. You just have to memorize what I'm about to say…."
Immediately after that, my ears were bombarded with a complicated amount of information that I barely got hold off. Movarathos forcefully inserted where Isabella and Zeke was, as well as how to get to them.
My eyes went wide as I processed this information. Then, I nodded my head.
"Thanks? This will be useful…"
Movarathos chuckled.
"Of course it will, boy. Im impressed you were able to handle it. Maybe spirit-binding with you may not be such a bad idea. Just make sure to fulfill my condition first."
I bobbed my head seriously.
"I will."
And then, I looked around. Then, glanced up at where I climbed down from.
"How do I….get out of here, though?"
Movarathos responded indifferently.
"Just climb."
I groaned in annoyance, but I didn't complain. Walking over to the walls, I let my fingers latch onto the rocky surface and begin climbing. With my decent level of physical attributes for a start, I managed to climb up pretty easily, without much trouble.
Grabbing on to the surface, I brought myself up with one last push and sighed softly, as I sat down on the ground, dusting myself off. I stood up and looked back down at the cage once again.
"You better be worth freeing, Mova!"
I heard the skull cackle.
"And you better be worth binding to, Boy!"
Smiling to myself, I turned around and started walking away. But then I stopped myself and spared a look towards the lever. It was a little hidden after the dungeon opended up, but I managed to find it.
Reaching at it, I pulled at the level once again, this time upwards. Then, I stood still, watching the 'door' close by itself. I contemplated leaving it open, but im a greedy guy. I don't want to share Mova with anyone else. Im gonna find the key and make sure the Skull of Ruin is mine.
Once the door fully closed, leaving only the lever visible. I turned on my heels and left, making my way through the tunnels, to where Isabella and Zeke was. The real ones. I needed to be quick, because I was pretty certain that destroying the tracking 'Abyssal Fragment' definitely alerted them of me realizing they were fake.
As for Nico, I didn't care about him. He could be lured into the trap for all I cared and killed. That's none of my concern. My concern, however, was Isabella and Zeke. I have gotten ever so slightly close to them in this Mulligan, they have made me laugh, we had shared stories and smiles. I cant just abandon them here.
So, with the location Movarathos had told me and forced me to memorize, I began walking down the tunnels. Even without the torch— that broke when I summoned [Fool's Rapier] I managed to navigate the tunnels easily.
"59 steps straight…."
I murmured, while walking, counting the steps in my head so that I won't forget the memorized amount.
"90 steps to the left…"
I turned on my heels to the left and continued walking, counting the steps until I reached 90. Then, I turned right and began walking 43 steps. Repeating this process over and over again, I drew closer to where Isabella and Zeke was.
Looking down at my legs, I was distracted with the counting in my head, that was monotonous and boring. Still, I kept on doing it, in hopes of reuniting with Isabella and Zeke.
That's when I saw a faint orange light ahead of me inside a tunnel. Followed by footsteps and people whispering amongst each other.
I held my breath and abruptly halted. Moving away and hiding. I knew it was Zeke and Isabella, I knew their voices. But the third person? I knew that voice the best.
"Isabella, are you tired with the walking?"
"N–no, im fine. Thanks for the concern."
"Let's not talk too much. We might attract the attention of wild animals here."
"Wouldn't we already attract attention with the torch light?"
"Better than walking through these Tunnels in the dark."
"Yeah, you're right…."
It was Isabella, Zeke and….me. Not the real me, but the fake one. It sounded so similar to me that it was eerie, even the way he spoke was like me. If I showed myself, would they even believe I was real?
Mova said that these imposters inherit the memories of whom they pretend to be, along with their abilities. So, proving myself will be very difficult.
'What do I do? What I do? They are getting closer….'
I was tempted to just show myself and attack the other me, but the rational part of me one over and I held back these impulses. The only thing I could do now was to stealthily kill the imposter, without them being alerted.
But is that even possible? I can't underestimate how observant Isabella is and Zeke is full of mysteries, he might easily realize that another Morgan was trying to kill Morgan.
I heard their footsteps drawing closer and closer. I held my breath, still hiding in the dark. Once they get close enough, my body will be revealed. When that happens, there will be no going back.
Do i try and convince them? Or do I try to be stealthy and assassinate the other morgan? I sighed in frustration and shook my head.
'Fuck it. I'll just take the gamble.'
I thought in my head, before taking a step forward and appearing before them. My figure revealed from the dim light by the torch. Immediately, all three of them tensed up at my presence. Isabella's eyes wide, I couldn't see Zeke's expression behind the mask, but even I could tell he was shocked.
The both of them looked at me and at Morgan.
Before they could say anything, however, I had rushed forward and punched the other me in the face, intiating the fight.