Dungeons…
All have unique features about them, but most of them share their basic structure in common. They resemble Towers from the outside, ascending high into the clouds—with no end in sight.
Once one ventures into them, though, it almost seems like being transported into another world entirely. The inner areas are much larger than what the outer walls would have one believe, and the complicated architecture seems almost natural and primitive compared to the tower's sophisticated appearance.
Within a Dungeon, there are several Floors—each one usually distinct from the other.
A Floor can be as straightforward as a rather long tunnel, while another can be a complicated maze. There are Floors that can be conquered within hours, while others require days—each different in its own way.
But, there is one thing they all have in common.
… Horrors.
Monstrous creatures that dwell within the Dungeons and are extremely violent towards Natives were given that name; and it is no mere title.
They are grotesque and horrific in every sense.
An average Native can not hope to defeat even the weakest of Horrors, which is why only Dungeon Explorers are allowed inside the walls of the Dungeon. And even they often suffer fatalities at the hands of these creatures.
This is one of the reasons why Parties are so popular in Freedom Town, as well as other Dungeon Cities. Having a team to watch your back and balance out one's strengths and weaknesses is essential in challenging Dungeon Floors and facing Horrors.
Des knew all of this, yet he was still willing to enter the Dungeon alone if the situation called for it.
Of course… he now knew better.
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[23 Hours Into The Dungeon: 2nd Floor]
"Looks like we'll be able to reach the Second Floor sooner than expected."
As the party of six entered the rather large room—much larger than the other spaces they had previously found—Dredd's comment echoed within the vicinity.
The room had a very tall ceiling, and the walls were so far apart that he reckoned thousands, if not a hundred thousand people, could fit into the enormous space.
At the center of the room was a massive Pillar—the only one that touched the Ceiling.
Everyone knew what it was.
"Come on, guys. Let's go…" Dredd walked towards the pillar, and the rest followed his lead. They still had expressions of caution on their faces, but it was nowhere near as intense as it would normally be outside the massive room.
Even Des was more enamored by the surroundings than he was about his own safety, evident by how he gawked and gasped as he looked around him.
"First time in a Prime Premises?" He heard Beck ask, nodding almost immediately.
For every Floor, there was a 'Prime', which was the strongest Horror there. For some reason, Primes never roamed the Floors, unlike the other Horrors. Instead, they dwelled in a specific location—right where the Pillars usually were.
This location was known as the Prime Premises.
Before advancing to another Floor, one needed to do two things—kill the Prime Horror, and then touch the Pillar.
However, there was a reason why these Explorers had their guard down at this point.
It had to do with the first condition.
"The Prime is already dead, so there's no need to be so tense. Usually, this would be the most dangerous place in the whole Floor, but now there's nowhere safer."
In fact, a Prime Premises without a Prime Horror inhabiting it was probably safer than the popularized Safe Zones.
No Horror ever spawned here, and since—unlike the mobs—Primes never respawned after some time—there was really no threat in a Prime Premise that had already been conquered.
"I-I see…" Des already knew all of this, but he nodded at Beck's words.
The man was just trying to be nice, after all.
"It's a shame, though. Since the place was conquered, all the Ores and Treasures have already been stripped away." Beck added with a wry smile. "I heard the first Party to conquer this Floor made a fortune and even retired with what they got."
None of this was strange news to Des.
Explorers who were first in a Floor, or a particular area that remained undiscovered usually found one of two things—fortune or calamity.
Some hidden rooms contained Ores, Minerals, perhaps even Artifacts—treasures like no other. While others were filled with traps and powerful Horrors.
It was a coin flip, and no one knew which side they would end up on.
But, it was a given that any Party that cleared a Prime Premises was set for life. Not only would the corpse of the Prime go for a lot of money, but the treasures that could be found in the Premises would make anyone a fortune.
"I guess it's only fair, considering the dangers associated with it…" Des muttered to himself.
Beck heard this and nodded.
"You're right. No worthwhile thing ever comes easy…"
That was why there were those known as the Trailblazers, who challenged the unconquered Floors, and then there were the other Explorers who were content with the scraps they could find.
Dredd's team was one of the latter, but there was no shame in that.
Most Explorers were like them.
"Alright, gather around the Pillar, everyone." Dredd's voice caused both Des and Beck to pick up their pace, and they neared the monolith with extra vigor.
Before long, they all circled the thing and raised their hands—ready to touch it at the same time.
Des took a deep breath, preparing himself for what would happen next.
'It's my first time using a Pillar to warp…'
For the Exams, Des had gone to a Dungeon different from the current one, and he was shown around the First Floor. He even killed a few tiny critters there, but they never went past the First Floor.
This was his first experience in a Dungeon like this—a graveyard of Explorers.
'We should probably meet a few more Explorers in the second Floor.' Des thought to himself as he licked his lips in anticipation.
His Party didn't encounter any other Explorer on the First Floor, but that was normal. Most Explorers spent days, if not weeks per Dungeon Exploration, and they also took breaks in-between to rest and also enjoy life—since they didn't know if their next Exploration would be their last.
The First Floors of Dungeons were often the easiest, and this one was no exception.
Most Explorers were in the lower Floors, with many probably gathered on the 10th—at least, that was what Des heard from his Party Members.
'Apparently, they're waiting for the Trailblazers to conquer Floor 12, and Floor 11 is still very dangerous for most Explorers.'
As a result, the 10th Floor was the most lucrative spot at the moment. For Dredd's Party, though, that was still too dangerous. They had been to the 5th Floor before, but only with help from another Party.
As they were at the moment, the 3rd Floor was their limit.
"Ready… Go!"
Everyone placed their hands on the monolith at the same time, and a bright light instantly enveloped them.
According to what Des had been told, the bright light was supposed to be warm and glow with serene splendor. This was one of the most beautiful things one could experience in a Dungeon, so he was pretty excited for what would come next.
But…
~BZZZZTZZZZ!~
… Rather than a bright light, darkness was what enveloped them.
And before they realized it, they all sank into the abyss.
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[A/N]
Thanks for reading!
Okay, so the fifth chapter is where the real hook is, so read it before deciding whether or not you want to continue with this story. Thanks for making it this far.