My Daily Life With A Monster Harem

7 - The Prisoner Of The Hollow

And I pray that it doesn't become worse.

I slowly limped across the bottom of the ravine. I don't know where I'm going, but the Prisoner is here somewhere.

Another faint howl reached my ears, followed by a second one of a different tone.

My blood ran cold. There were more of them.

I started to limp even faster, moving through the darkness. The quicker I found this "Prisoner" the quicker I can get out of this place.

If only I had some way to light up my surroundings. Then I could much more easily move around.

All I can see is darkness. It's too dark, but light enough that I can tell when there is a wall in front of me.

But otherwise than that, I can't see anything...

Wait. What's that glow?

Up ahead. There's a glow. Sally?

"I'm not sure Host. However, it is quite likely that the Prisoner is down that way." Sally responded.

Alright. I'll trust you.

I followed the light, heading towards the small orange glow. I reached the mouth of a cave, lightly illuminated by the small, glowing, orange crystal in the ground.

It looks like the ones from the Corrupted's backs, but it was colored orange instead.

I picked it out of the ground, examining it. What is this thing?

"Put it into your inventory." Suggested Sally. "The System can then examine it."

"Got it." I grunted. Closing my eyes, I imagined dropping the stone into my inventory. As soon as I thought my command, I felt the stone disappear in my hand.

I opened my eyes back up. The stone was gone.

It worked!

"Sally...activate the System..." I slowly asked, wincing in pain.

"Of course Host." Sally replied.

The System menu popped up. Selecting [Inventory], I entered the tab for the second time. This time it wasn't empty.

[Inventory]

Fire Crystal - 1 - Crystallized mana in the elemental form of fire.

So it's a fire crystal...

I walked into the cave, following the path. There were more glowing crystals which illuminated the way, but these were too large to grab.

I continued to follow the path for a good couple of minutes, the crystals that littered the walls and ceiling slowly growing bigger until they reached the size of my leg.

Simply, they became large.

Eventually, the cave led to a room. It was large, vast, and mostly empty.

Giant pillars held up the ceiling, and there was an old carpet which had long lost it's color. It led through the large, open room to to a small altar at the end. Giant fire crystals littered the walls and ceiling.

Wait...is that a person?

I hurried across the carpet, limping as fast as I could to reach the end. I reached the altar, looking at the person.

They had their head down, staring at the ground. Chains were wrapped around their two arms, spreading them apart. The chains were wrapped around two giant square stones.

There was a stone pillar behind her which her body was attached to by a chain wrapped around her waist.

"Hello?" I asked.

I received no response. Not even movement. Is she dead...?

I checked her pulse. She was still alive. I let out a breath of relief I didn't know I was holding. In front of her was a strange stand. On its top, was an indent in the shape of a handprint.

"What is this...?" I asked.

I placed my right hand into the indent on the stand. For a moment, everything was silent, until chains launched from the stand, wrapping around my arm.

The chains burst into a white fire, searing my skin as I screamed in pain. The chains that held the Prisoner also lit on a white fire.

It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!

It hurts so bad!

Why?! Why?! WHY?!

My arm! My arm!

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" I screamed.

[Commencing Fusion...] a robotic voice rattled in my head.

But I was too busy being in extreme pain to notice.

[Fusing...]

...

[Fusing...]

...

[Fusing...]

...

[Fusion Complete]

...

[Integrating Fusion.]

...

[Integrating Complete]

...

[New Skill Acquired]

...

[Chains of Holy Fire]

...

The pain suddenly went away, as the chains broke. They uncurled around my arm, revealing it to be badly burnt.

The chains holding the Prisoner broke, letting her free from her prison. She dropped to the floor in front of me.

Slowly standing up, she looked at me.

"D-did you free me?" She asked.

"Uh..Yeah..." I replied.