"Wish I had watched some ancient thriller movies, but who knew I would be reincarnated and imprisoned in an ancient dungeon,"
Roselyn pulled a long face.
Stepping out into the narrow hallway, Roselyn pressed her back against the wall, her breathing shallow as she strained her ears for any sign of approaching guards. Her bare feet almost made no sound as she navigated her way through the twisting passages.
Occasionally, she would press herself into alcoves or behind heavy wooden doors to avoid being discovered. But to her surprise up all the way through, she didn't encounter one single guard, Where were they? She wondered.
"Such a powerful witch, yet no guards on patrol eh?" Roselyn mumbled.
["She was a powerful witch, that's the reason nobody dared to stand anyway near her".] Replied the system.
"Don't you think you know a little too much about everything?" Rose expressed her amazement.
["I'm granted with all known and unknown information and I hold 100 times more power and knowledge than a normal human".] Responded the system.
"Tsk Tsk…. Yet useless, and dumb," clicking her tongue Rose continued "Such a pity".
["Master can you stop, taunting me. I have no access to help you unless you complete the given task".]
"With great power comes great responsibility, but you are utterly irresponsible of the power you possess". Roselyn mocked.
["Why don't you complete the task and gain some points and then talk about responsibility, rather than bullying me"] With these words the system disappeared into thin air.
"Hah! How rude", Roselyn gasped.
"Well you just wait little devil, I'll get back to you once I'm out of this creepy dungeon".
As Roselyn walked forward, the moonlight that filtered through the high windows served as both blessing and a curse, casting enough light to guide her path but also revealing her presence to anyone who might happen upon her. She moved with caution, her steps were deliberate so were her movements.
After what felt like an eternity of silent evasion, Roselyn's path led her to a grand, spiral staircase- a gateway to the unknown. She hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. She had no idea where this staircase would lead, but she know that staying in the depths of the dungeon was not an option.
In the midst of her clandestine dance with darkness and moonlight, she Cautiously began to ascend the stairs, one hand gripping the rough stone wall for balance. As she climbed, her mind raced with thoughts of freedom and uncertainty. But her determination swelled anew, urging her upward, towards the promise of freedom.
As she just completed a round of the staircase, footsteps of an unknown being grew nearer, and Roselyn's pulse quickened. She pressed herself flatter against the wall, willing her racing heart to stay silent. The guards torchlight danced across the stairway's uneven surface,
"Patrolling this tower is more dangerous than death itself," sighed the guard.
"And not agreeing to His Majesty's order is straight death" added the 2nd guard.
"Damn, our shadow is enough for her to kill us," even if we get a box of gold every day is very less, compared to the risk we go through" Complained the guard as he torched the way.
"Why don't you go to the basement and I'll go to the top, this way we can get away with our patrols quickly" suggested the 2nd guard.
"Is that a good idea? I know she is captured in a cell with powerful talismans hanging around, but..." After a long pause, the guard agreed to it. Separating their ways one went up and another went downwards to the witch's chamber.
"Gosh, not a good time…" Roselyn panicked hearing their discussion. She hurried and took some steps back hiding behind a large wooden door, she let them walk their path. Taking a clear look around the room she hid in, Roselyn found a few logs of wood lying around waiting for their turn to burn in the fireplace.
Rose hurried her steps and grabbed one of the logs, carefully placing the flaming torch on the side, that she carried with her to brighten the path, she took the wooden log with her and exiting the room walked towards the direction of the chamber where she just escaped.
Before the guard could reach the chamber and discover her disappearance, Rose swiftly moved forward, and with a "Thwack," she hit the back of his head, leading him to faint on the spot. Looking at the man who just hit the floor, Rose patiently waited for another guard.
"Hi, Brein where are you man. I'm done with the round, let's go buddy". Yelled the man from far.
"Brein? You there?" The voice grew closer, and so did his steps.
"What's wrong Brein? Answer me?" The man kept on calling his name until he reached upon his unconscious body lying on the cold floor. When the guard was within range, Rose lunged, her movements filed with determination and desperation. She struck him swiftly, her fist connecting with his jaw in a fluid motion that bespoke of a lifetime of battles won and lost.
The guard crumpled to the ground, his torch clattering and extinguishing in a plume of smoke. Rose acted swiftly dragging the unconscious guards towards the open fell door she had recently emerged from. With her herculean effort, she managed to maneuver them both into the chamber.
She quickly rigles through the guard's belonging, finding a set of keys that jingled with promise. Rose put it in her waistband and searched for something, her eyes displayed a sense of satisfaction of her intelligence.
"Huh? So smart, I am, yet died so miserably," she shrugged.
"I have the power to conquer the world," with that she raised her hands symbolizing her victory in her hand she held the shackle, that she put in her waistband while escaping.
With that, she bend over and cuffed their leg in the shackle in a way that bound them both in the same shackle.
Clapping her hands in pride, she took the keys and walked towards the corner, and picked up the lock that she opened a few minutes ago, walking towards the iron bars she secured the door behind the guards, the clang of the lock resonated like a victorious melody. It was a reversal of fortune- the captors were now imprisoned, Breathing heavily, Roselyn stepped back, her chest heaving with a mix of adrenaline and triumph. She glanced at the guards within the cell and smiled at her accomplishment.
As she continued her ascent up the ancient tower she felt her confidence building within her in a form of positive energy. But her smile faded as something stuck in her mind.
"Little devil, show me my status." She hesitated thinking about the time she got on her hand.
[System activated]
[Reloading Status]
[Bravery points: +2]
[Task completion status: 28%]
[Remaining quest: 78%]
[Time left: 5 hours 38 minutes]
[Reward for completion: New skills, + 1 command]
[Penalty: Death]
[Good luck Zhuren] [Zhuren= Master]
.
.
.
Roselyn's eyes were fixed on the time left.
"5 hours?" She gasped as she hung her shoulders in dismay.