As they continued descending with only the light from behind illuminating the area, their footsteps echoed off stone walls. The space was larger than expected but it was completely neglected and surprisingly it wasn't burned down.
Reinhard saw shelves lined the walls, sagging under the weight of old books whose leather bindings had cracked with age. Objects lay scattered across the floor in complete disarray and indication the area hasn't been disturbed in years.
Joseph raised his hand and pointed toward the far corner. "There."
Reinhard glanced near the edge of the room to see a hole, its edges worn smooth by time. They approached cautiously, peering down to see an old wooden ladder disappearing into darkness below.
"I am surprised the fire didn't come down here." Reinhard says.
"Maybe it got put out before it could burn through?" Joseph points out.
"Haha, the more we learn. The more interesting this town becomes." Marie said with a grin.
They exchanged glances, each reading the same determination in the others' faces before nodding in silent agreement. Reinhard went first as he gripped the ladder and felt the wood was far softer than he expected. Regardless he slowly began to climb down, making sure not to put a lot of force into holding on and climbing down.
"It's pretty dark here," Reinhard muttered while climbing down. "What can you see, Joseph?"
Joseph's swept the area below them. "Walls covered in dust and dirt. Marie, can you give us some light?"
Marie paused in her descent and stretched out her hand. Longinus appears and is light casted warm illumination that revealed the tunnel system stretching ahead of them. The walls were rough stone, and the air carried a musty scent.
When they reached the bottom, they began moving forward with Marie's light leading the way.
"I guess Anasha was right," Reinhard observed. "There does exist a tunnel underneath."
Joseph nodded while staying alert for any sounds ahead. "I'm surprised it wasn't discovered sooner. Or maybe they really didn't try to investigate this area until recently."
"But why not?" Reinhard asked in slight confusion.
Marie considered this while maintaining their light source. "Maybe they only rebuilt what was necessary at first, then slowly expanded until finally reaching this area?"
"The street performer juggler I talked to mentioned that. But it sounded odd to me because they could have just destroyed the area then." Reinhard says, leading Marie to hum.
"Maybe they wanted but lacked the resources to." Marie says.
"That's a possibility," Joseph agreed. "Or they did discover this area but left it alone because it might be dangerous."
Reinhard's expression grew more serious. "You think a Phantasm Beast might be down here?"
Joseph's face darkened. "Either that or something worse."
The implication hung heavy in the air.
Reinhard's grit his teeth as memories surfaced of the time, he was with the gang that he had worked hard to forget. He recalled the blood spilled, the violence enacted and the terrifying acts done.
All to establish that the gang wasn't something people can mess with, to protect their operation and dominate the area.
Thinking of this, Reinhard wonders what they will discover down here yet hope it wouldn't be as bad.
They continued in silence for several more minutes. Then Marie's illumination fell upon something that made all three of them freeze.
A figure leaned against the wall ahead.
The person was a small and motionless boy with blue hair spread over their pale face. The small boy wore black shorts, black shirt, and shoes that were all stained with dark patches that could only be blood.
The boy appeared to be around fourteen years old.
Marie rushed forward without hesitation, Joseph close behind her. Reinhard jogged after them, his heart sinking as he took in the scene.
Marie dropped to her knees beside the unconscious figure, her fingers immediately finding his wrist to check for a pulse. Her face went pale as she quickly says. "He's still alive, but it's getting fainter."
Joseph's expression was grim as he studied the boy's features. "This is probably Ven, Anasha's big brother."
Reinhard nodded and moved to lift the boy carefully into his arms. The child's body was light, and his breathing came in shallow irregular gasps. "We should hurry and find a clinic."
Reinhard eyes quickly swept the area around where Ven had been lying. A pool of blood stained the tunnel floor, some sections already beginning to dry and darken. "He's been bleeding out for a while. He may not have much time left."
Marie and Joseph's faces shifted from concern to alarm. They nodded and all three began running back toward the ladder. Once they reached the ladder, Reinhard held Ven with one hand while he began climbing with his other.
The climb up seemed to take forever with Ven's in Reinhard's arms but they quickly found themselves back in the cellar. Marie extinguished her light source to avoid detection and then hurried up the stone steps.
Once they find themselves back in the administration building.
"We need to sneak out first," Reinhard explained in a whisper. "Then we can ask for directions once we're away from this restricted area."
Marie and Joseph looked confused by the indirect approach but nodded at Reinhard. They made their way carefully through the burnt district, avoiding early morning workers while carrying Ven.
Once they passed by the barricade and entered back into the new sections of Mensis town, they abandoned stealth for speed.
They ran through the streets with Reinhard constantly glancing around for anyone. And then his eyes lit up as he saw an elderly woman sweeping her front steps. Reinhard approached swiftly, not bothering to hide the unconscious boy in his arms.
"Excuse me, where is the clinic?" Reinhard called out urgently.
The woman looked up, her eyes immediately widening when she saw the child. "Is that Ven? Oh no!" Her hand flew to her mouth before she pointed frantically down the street. "The clinic is this way! Hurry!"
Word spread instantly through the early morning crowd. Residents emerged from shops and homes, their faces showing recognition and horror at seeing the town's missing boy in such condition. Some called out shortcuts and alternate routes, while others ran ahead to alert the medical staff.
By the time they reached the clinic, a crowd had gathered. The building's door stood wide open, and a doctor in a white coat waited inside with obvious preparation for their arrival.
Reinhard carried Ven into the treatment room and placed him gently on the examination bed. The boy's breathing was barely perceptible now, his skin pale and cold to the touch.
A nurse immediately moved to escort them out while the doctor began his emergency assessment. "Please wait outside. We'll do everything we can."
As they stepped back into the waiting area, the gravity of their discovery settled over them.