"Don't come near me!" Max yelled at Piggy. "Can't you see that I'm peeing?"
"Max! Max!" Boorg called for him. "Faster, Max!"
"I'm coming!" Max yelled. "I can't even take a piss, can a man have his privacy?" He pulled up his trousers and headed towards Boorg.
Max couldn't shake the feeling that the dungeon was alive, watching their every move, waiting for the right moment to kill them.
They walked cautiously, the sound of their footsteps echoed off the stone walls. Piggy sniffed around, leading the way. Max kept a close eye on Boorg, who seemed to not know about his second state. The big warrior was back to his usual self, humming a tuneless song and swinging his axe as they walked, prepared to strike.
The corridor began to go downward, the walls narrowed as they descended further into the dungeon. The air grew colder, and the torches flickered more violently.
At the bottom, they encountered a wide stone door. The door seemed ancient, its surface worn and cracked, yet the carvings on it remained sharp and clear. Max approached, studying the door for any signs of traps.
"There might be a puzzle here," Max thought aloud. "Or a lock? We should be careful."
Boorg yawned. "Boorg smash door?"
Max shook his head quickly. "No! Let us not do that. We have no idea what is on the other side or if breaking the door will trigger something. We don't know anything Boorg!"
Max examined the door more closely, noticing that one of the carvings was a figure of some monster. The eyes were made of a different material, something that glowed faintly in the torchlight. Max touched one of the eyes lightly, and as his hand made contact, the door started to shake and slowly began to slide open, revealing another chamber behind.
Max stepped back, prepared the wand, and watched the door getting fully opened with a groaning sound.
The chamber behind the door was large, its walls covered with shelves filled with ancient tomes and scrolls. In the center stood a large table covered in a thick layer of dust. Above the table hung a chandelier, candles on it lit, welcoming them to the room. The air felt old and thick, with the smell of leather.
"This must be some kind of library or even an archive?" Max said, stepping inside carefully. "Maybe we can find something useful here."
Boorg followed. "Books! Boorg remember father had books. Many books. They have stories!"
"Yes, books can have stories, and they can also contain knowledge. Let's see if we can find anything that might help us."
They began to carefully search the shelves, trying not to disturb anything too much. Many of the tomes were in languages Max couldn't read, their titles and spines faded with age. Few of them were written in a familiar script, and Max carefully selected those, setting them on the table.
As he was examining the books, Piggy suddenly squealed. The pig was standing near a small pedestal in the corner of the room, on the pedestal was a glowing orb. The orb was shining in soft, pulsing light, shining on Piggy's curious face.
Max approached the pedestal. "This looks important," he said, reaching out to touch it.
Before his hand could make contact, the orb flashed brightly, filling the room with blinding light. Max shielded his eyes, and a strange feeling washed over him. When the light faded, he blinked, trying to clear his vision, little black spots were running in his eyesight.
The room looked the same, but something felt different. The air was warmer and the feeling of danger disappeared. The orb continued to glow softly, its glow now steady.
Boorg looked around, confused. "What happen? Boorg feel strange."
"Uhm, I don't know. Maybe the orb has some kind of magic that affects this room here."
He turned his attention back to the books they had found. One of them caught his eye. It was bound in dark leather, with strange symbols on the cover. The title read: "The Chronicle of the Forsaken."
Max opened the book, flipping through the pages. The text described the history of the dungeon, its creation, and the various creatures that inhabited it. There were detailed descriptions of adventures who had ventured into its depths, some successful, most not. The book also mentioned a powerful artifact known as the "Heart of Souls," said to be hidden in the deepest part of the dungeon.
"Boorg, look at this," Max said, showing him the book. It talks about an artifact called the Heart of Souls."
"Boorg slow read, Max read to Boorg!"
"I won't read you all of it, just the important things, okay?" Max said, turning the yellow pages.
"Chapter 1: The Creation of the Dungeon
The Forsaken Lair of Souls is not a natural formation but a deliberately constructed labyrinth, designed by an ancient order of sorcerers known as the Arcanium Keepers. These sorcerers created the dungeon to contain and study dangerous artifacts and entities. It is built using both physical architecture and powerful magic, making it a place of dark energy.
Our order chose a remote location, far from any civilization, to create the dungeon. By isolating it, we hope to better control the powerful forces within. The dungeon is constructed in layers, with each descending level becoming more challenging and dangerous, designed to stop intruders and protect the secrets held within.
Chapter 2: The Wardens of the Dungeon
These Wardens were summoned by the Arcanium Keepers to guard the dungeon. They are intelligent entities bound by powerful spells to serve as protectors.
The Wardens are tasked with guarding the entrances to deeper levels and maintaining the magical wards and traps throughout the dungeon. The Wardens are often cruel and merciless, driven by their binding to the dungeon's purpose. Some were once humans transformed or corrupted by the dungeon's magic.
Chapter 3: The Cursed Artifacts
This chapter details some of the many cursed artifacts stored within the dungeon. These items, collected over centuries, include cursed weapons, talismans, and relics, each with unique and dangerous enchantments.
The Sword of Sorrow: A blade that brings despair to its wielder, draining their will to live while granting immense power.
The Amulet of Shadows: A talisman that allows its wearer to blend into shadows and become invisible but at the cost of slowly losing their sense of self.
The Mirror of Lost Souls: A mirror that traps the souls of those who look into it, reflecting only their deepest fears and regrets.
Each artifact in the dungeon is described in greater detail, including its origins, effects, and any known attempts to use or contain it, in the book of Amulets Vol. 6.
Chapter 4: The Heart of Souls
The fourth chapter focuses on the Heart of Souls, the most powerful and mysterious artifact within the dungeon. The Heart is a crystal of pure energy, capable of channeling immense magical power. According to our research, the Heart is created using the souls of ancient sorcerers, who willingly sacrificed themselves to be a part of the crystal with their knowledge and power.
The Heart of Souls has the ability to control life and death, granting its possessor unparalleled magical abilities. However, there are dangers of using the Heart. It has a corrupting influence, capable of twisting the user's mind and intentions. The keepers hid the Heart in the deepest part of the dungeon, surrounded by powerful wards and guarded by the most fearsome of the Wardens.
Chapter 5: The Fall of the Arcanium Keepers
If you're reading this, I am the last of the Arcanium Keepers. Over time, the sorcerers who maintained the dungeon became corrupted by the very powers they sought to control. Internal conflicts and the overwhelming influence of the artifacts we guarded led to our downfall. The Keepers' last act is to seal the dungeon, hoping to prevent the spread of its corrupting influence.
I will end this book with a warning to any who might find the dungeon and seek its secrets. This is a place of great danger, where knowledge and power come at the cost of one's humanity. The Chronicle serves as both a guide and warning to this forbidden knowledge.
ꖎᒷᔑ⍊ᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ !¡ꖎᔑᓵᒷ 𝙹∷ i ∴╎ꖎꖎ ⊣ᒷℸ ̣ ||𝙹⚍"
Max closed the book. "Well, now I'm even more afraid than before."
"Dungeon scary," Boorg said. "Boorg going to kill warden!"
"Of course, what else to do with a warning like this," Max said, giggling. "But this fucker ended the Chronicle in some mysterious symbols or whatever this is. I'm worried about what it means."