亚洲综合中美

‘What is wrong with this place?’ they stood idly; the sun reached its peak. Returned from whence they came, the makeshift camp built and settled at an astounding speed. Leonard and Cole helped Ko and Tonza. Ila tried hard to get along with Miya, though, she kept pretty quiet and worked. Forgetting the social side of the scene, progress was being made – it was enough.

From a lonesome cargo chopper to have tents sprawl around, a sleeping area, preparation, storage, protection would be left to the AFR. The turret always moved side to side, none knew when it could rattle death.

Another tent stood as the briefing area. A command center of sorts. Julius was supposed to stay outside for the expedition. Letting the trained individuals do the fighting as he only watched from afar and controlled the pieces.

“I’m coming with,” said he stood before the gathered figures.

“If the guild leader says he wants to come,” interjected Ko, “-who are we to object.” The rest affirmed the decision.

An hour had passed, many were ready with armor and weaponry, potions, and scrolls. The moment of truth etched ever close. Anxiety filled the hearts of Ila and Cole. Leonard didn’t seem bothered, or rather, he was too focused to be scared. Igna’s mind went between ‘-Dungeon Style cooking and rescue.’

.....

“Tonza and I will lead the front,” said Ko, “-everyone else, stay a meter apart. Don’t be grouped up, spacing is important. Watch out for traps and dark passages. Monsters tend to use the darkness for ambushes.” Breaking twigs and pushing leaves, the doorway to Coria stood grandly. A post-sign had, ‘-enter at your own peril. Recommended Tier 9 +’.

“Sure, took the advice by heart,” commented Miya.

The first step inside sent chills down the student’s back. Xenon’s men were experienced and felt naught. From the soles of the feet to the hair on the head, a glittery, electric-like jolt struck the body. The smell, distinct and repugnant – the smell of the rotten corpse, blood, and organs. The outside’s brightest hour failed to impair the inside. Unlit torches hung at intervals; light sources that long gave their due. After the entrance came to an immediate crossroad. ‘-Floors 1-3’ was on the left, ‘-floor 3+’ on the right.

“We’re clearing the dungeon,” said Julius, “-let’s start from the first.” They followed suit.

“Cousin, what about my friends,” inquired Igna.

“Don’t worry,” he gave a gentle tap, “-I’ve sent my angels to seek them. We’ll have an answer soon. For now, don’t you have a cooking competition to be worried about? This is a great chance to experience the dungeon-style I’ve read so much about.”

“You had to add said detail?” the upper-floor was cleared swiftly. Certain parts, unattainable by normal means, were broken and smashed. Tonza spared no humanity in slaying the goblins and their offspring. A long three hours later, “back at the start,” said Julius.

“We went around in circles?” asked Cole.

“No,” refuted Igna, “-they purposely took the long-way around.”

“Good eye,” said Ko, “-we’ve cleared the first floor. The second floor is over there,” he pointed a few meters ahead, an oval-shaped tunnel. “Dungeon’s come in few types, first the labyrinth, the bane of fighters with the only brawl. Second, the never-ending battle heavy; a challenge of fighting monsters until the supposed end. Those are the two main types, there’s also the Void Dungeon, a place where no human needs to walk as they led to higher-plains, or so what the rumors say. The breeding group type, self-explanatory, and then the Hybrids.”

“Coria is a hybrid type,” added Scarlet, “-we should rest.”

“Let’s head outside then,” added Leonard.

“No, ” the heads shook, “-if we leave, the monsters might respawn and cause trouble. As long as the killers are present inside, the dungeon will not respawn the monster. Clearing a dungeon means killing the leader first, we’ll get higher monster drops and a chance at mythic level items. There’s a safe-zone on the stairs.” Led by a hip, Ko seemingly flows down the stair at how gracefully he moved. “Here,” paused at the center, “-you see?” he turned and tapped the top of a small walk-way, “-a safe-zone.”

“Damn,” inside laid vast nothingness. An orb of blue shone in the middle, the ground wasn’t spiky, few used kitchen utensils were left around a long-extinguished fire.

‘This is where many people came to rest. I’m not surprised if some of them lost their lives here,’ thought Igna dragging a rice-type bag.

“What are you carrying in that?” wondered Ila.

“Ingredients,” said he tossed it at the orb, “-I’ll get food ready, you guys have our sleeping arrangement’s readied.” He was left to do this own thing. Miya would sneakily cast her gaze onto the well-spoken man.

“Ko,” her face fell into stone-cold cement, “-is that a goblin?”

“Yeah,” he coughed, “-are we going to eat that?”

“I’m worried about the poison,” said Scarlet, “-someone should stop him.”

“Not going to happen,” voiced Tonza amidst their confusion, “-he’s a trained chef. Look at the way the hands move, look at how he treats the meat. On the right is the unused remains of the monsters, as on the left, the prepared meat. He must have access to that drug I’ve heard about.”

“The syringe,” approached Julius.

“Guild Leader, might I ask who the boy is?” wondered Miya.

“Are you, perhaps, interested?” he mischievously smirked.

“No, nothing of that sort. He’s just peculiar, silent, and mysterious.”

“Come on sister,” added Scarlet, “-then, he’s definitely your type.”

“Stop teasing me.”

“Cousin Igna isn’t silent by choice,” added Julius.

“I’ve heard you use cousin when addressing to him. I thought it is a nickname or show of affection. Prince, is he related?”

“Spot on, Tonza, great eye. He’s related to my father’s twin sister. We share the same blood, half of it. He’s noble yet doesn’t care. I only saw him get serious when he’s in the kitchen. Oh, and that time too.”

“What time?”

“He stopped Sister Eira from running amok during our new year’s visit.”

“He stopped her?” she coughed, “-impressive. Then, Igna must be powerful.” The conversation went on in questions and answers. From Igna, they jumped onto those accompanying him and the dungeon itself. They soon learned of the expedition. Ko swore to find the friends, even if it was the last thing he’d do.

Thirty-minute later, the sudden explosion in scent straggled their throat. The heads could but turn, a pot stirred, a pan-fried, and behind moved the skillful cook. “Cousin Julius,” he called, “-would you please?”

“I’m coming,” said he ambling to the station, “-anything the matter?”

“Help out with plating,” said Igna.

“Me?” he shook his head, “-cousin, you sure are gusty to ask royalty to perform chores.”

“Those the words from the man how said he didn’t care about being king?”

“You and that weird sense of humor,” they bumped shoulders in jest, “-what should I do?” Bowls filled with the soup, the bonfire lit, and the silence enchanted the minds. The more they ate, the fiercer they felt.

“Can’t believe this is goblin meat...”

“The babe’s meat. The adults are salty and don’t taste good. The children are more delicious. It’s cruel, I know, but hey, the survival of the fittest.” Put before the contest of deliciousness, a few goblin sibling’s dead isn’t much.

Rest took 6 hours, and the expedition continued. Inside, time made no difference, day or night, it felt the same. Clearing the first, three floors were easy. The challenge was on the fourth. They wound up into an open space. The pebbles would drop from the dark ceiling.

“I had an odd feeling,” commented Cole. Each step echoed, the entrance to the lower-dungeon stood in the distance.

“Slow down,” said Ko, “-an ambush,” the ears scanned left and right.

‘Come on éclair, show me something,’ he moved left and right, the interface showed nothing.

“WATCH OUT,” cried Miya digging her staff into the hard-floor, “-magical barrier!” the spell barely protected the team. Bolts of black flew left and right – one grazed Leonard’s arm.

“Protection of the divine, holy magical barrier,” he conjured another above Miya’s.

“Boy, come here,” said she, “-you’re working for me now.” The spellcasters retreated to a safer spot. The floor rumbled by the dance of countless monsters. The veil of the ceiling unfolded into an army of Wein. The bats perched upside-down. Projectiles came from their mouths which opened at intervals.

“We’re getting spat on.”

“Ain’t time for jokes, Tonza,” cried Ko laying waste to the coming forces. The fight didn’t seem hard, the pressure was handled by the elites of Xenon. The rumors stood true, although the numbers seemed infinite, they fought and killed with singular attacks. Their strengths were unrivaled.

“Good thing they’re on our side,” said Cole.

“Yeah, if we were stuck in this predicament...”

“We’d be dead,” added Igna. The fight reached the end quickly, or so it seemed. A sudden shockwave had his heart pound. ‘-my head,’ he cringed and fell to his knees, ‘-something is coming,’ he desperately tried to stare the opening.

“Miya, check on Igna,” ordered Julius, “-he’s feeling worst for wear.”

“Are you ok?” she asked caressing his back, “-were you hurt by anything?”

“MOVE,” he screamed, pushing her out the way *thud.*

“WHAT HAPPENED?” The bloodied face of Igna fell backward.

“Mortal,” said a hovering figure controlling floating orbs, “-you dare thread on my domain.”

“Who are you,” stood Julius, “-why is a high-tier demon residing in this dungeon!”

“How dare you address me with such tone,” she fired an orb that blinked to crash onto explode millimeters away.

“Answer me,” said he lowering his tone, “-else,” the hand shone.

“I see,” she stopped, “-I’ve come for one purpose only,” a blink later, “-it’s to take this boy,” she held Igna in a princess-carry.

“Leave him alone!” cried Leonard.

“Shut up, fool,” two orbs blinked, *magical barrier,* it stopped inches from the face and bypassed the barrier. “Don’t oppose me.”

“How about a deal,” voiced Julius, “-you must know of those who were sent here.”

“The cowards?” she laughed, “-they’re alive. The monsters haven’t eaten them yet. Go to the last floor. I don’t wish to fight you, currently, that is, Creation.”

“Who are you?” the tone lowered.

“A servant of the God of Time. Prince Julius of Arda, heed my word. Monsters are strong, we’re getting stronger. The demons have no involvement in the issue. Another being wants to topple over Hidros. The answers can be found with Eira, the Librarian of Nexsolium, heir to Qhildir; she knows the truth. Five years ago, the world changed, and it’s her doing.” She vanished into a separate portal. The pressure released – most of them passed out. The monsters disappeared, leaving Julius stunned and at a loss for words.

“What happened?” wondered Ko.

“A high-tier demon,” said he, “-we had no chance winning against her.”

“Where’s Igna?” asked Leonard.

“He was abducted.”

.....

“WHAT?”

“Slow,” said the prince, “-we still have to clear the dungeon. I have a suspicion the lower floors are going to be easier.”

“Stop jesting,” commented Miya.

‘They don’t seem to remember what happened. An encounter with such a powerful being. Igna, I’m a sorry cousin, you have to find a way out yourself.’

“Where am I?” he sat upright with an orangish purple glow coming from an opened window. ‘-This bed,’ thought he stepped into fully warmed and carpeted floors, ‘-is massive and covered by fine lines of cloth.’ Curiosity got the better as he walked toward the swaying curtain. ‘What the fuck...’ two suns set beyond inky-black mountain ranges.

“You’ve woken up.”