It's been dark and gloomy without respite, and Javier knew for sure today was just not his day.
Eight shadows moved swiftly at breakneck speed as they jumped from the roof of one building to another.
There was a whirlpool plastered in the sky just above their destination. It was a black sinkhole for masses suspended in the air, so everyone knew better than to come outside and enjoy the great scenery the tempestuous inclement of the vortex presented.
Javier jumps from building to building with incredible speed as he racks his confused brain for answers.
"It's been a month since the case of these so-called 'dungeons' started materializing". He jumps off the tank of a building and lands on the roof of another. "Right, Nathan?". He asks the short red-haired boy running just behind him.
The fifteen year old looking boy almost rolled his glowing green eyes.
"Lord Javier, we've had four cases of these in the past two months". He rolls off the edge of a roof and jumps to another. "It's something the agents deal with".
"So what's the case this time, Sebas?". Javier turned his head to look at his blonde messenger.
"It appears a Royal family lost their daughter to an insubstantial realm in their valley ". The blond replied without change in expression or tone.
"An insubstantial realm eh?". Javier pondered. "It probably leads to a fake reality made from specters".
"And aren't the agents supposed to take care of this?". Mathias yawned. "Having to take up the responsibility for their incompetence is annoying". He propped himself up with one hand as he jumped over a pile of black mass almost camouflaging in the night. "Marl really might kill us next time, Javier".
Javier turned his head away and frowned. Mathias is right.
"Let's see the problem for ourselves, why the agents couldn't handle it". Javier said
They arrived at a prominent towering gate painted black and littered in gold.
Felix squinted his eyes annoyingly at the gate that glinted brightly at this unholy hour. "I'm surprised this gate hasn't been stolen already". He commented wryly, pushing back his silver hair that lazily drooped over his face.
Javier pushed the gates open and met with the King of the castle who showed them the way to the valley. He explained,
"My daughter was on her way to self training like any other day. But this time, she stepped into the garden and was about practicing when suddenly, the ground swallowed her! My wife and I hurried over but when we got there, there was nothing noticeable. We called the attention of the agents but all they did was 'observe' or so they called it". The king burst into loud sobs. And Javier wasn't too keen on the idea of listening to an old man cry.
"Alrighty, we'll see what we can do about your daughter". He said. I can't give false hopes, but I can comfort them if they have losses.
"It's been two days since her disappearance". The queen who had been standing by the side finally spoke up. "I need my daughter back!".
Javier picked his ear with his pinky finger and blew it. "Hold back your tears till when she's confirmed dead or alive". He smirked. " Either way, you're still going to cry".
Hearing this, the queen burst into another round of tears.
"Ugh!". He groaned. "Observe the garden". He commanded his vassals.
"Yes". In the blink of an eye, they all scattered looking for anything out of the ordinary.
An hour of search yielded no fruitful results.
Javier sighed and thought with a bit of suspicion. Did she perhaps trigger something?. "Reo, if you see a flower that's oddly different from the others, call my attention".
The purple headed dagger user who was closest to him at the time nodded.
"Like this one?". Reo asked
"Quick?". He came over to take a look
"Most of the flowers in the garden range from white to yellow, and many other brightly coloured petals". He explained "But what confuses me is this". Rouge pointed at the particular flower he has been looking at for a while. "There can't be just one of a particular flower".
"Not to mention it's well hidden". Javier thought, his hand on his chin.
Perhaps it was fair enchantment, or a creeping curiosity as Reo leaned forward to touch the petal.
"Hey, what are you doing?". Javier furrowed his brows
The next sounds that came were 'Tap' and 'whoosh' as Reo disappeared into thin air.
Javier was just too confused.
"Heyy!". He shouted at the others.
He looked to his right where Nathan and an equally short girl were kneeling as they chatted.
"Now that I think about it, why would she train in a garden, who trains in a garden?". The silver-blue haired girl asked.
"She was probably looking for attention, Kelvin". Nathan replied half heartedly
"Really? She was?". Kelvin asked back
"She was probably a loner with nothing better to do, using training as an excuse". He snickered as he plucked a flower and threw it down in annoyance.
"Woah, is it trending? ". Kelvin asked enthusiastically
"Yes, it's trending ". Nathan held back his laughter
Yup, Nathan has started again.
Javier turned to his left also to see Mathias and Felix walking about
"Turns out the princess has shoulder length hair". Felix said
"Tsk, I like them long". Mathias sighed
Javier's eye twitched.
"Heyy, Reo disappeared". Javier said exasperatedly, and all eyes turned to him.
Javier squatted. "A petunia black velvet". He murmured, attempting pulling out the flower when he also disappeared.
There was unconditional silence...
The blonde messenger, Sebastian simply came around and hadn't even attempted touching the flower when he also vanished.
"Lord Javier?". Nathan called out but there was no response
"Sebas?". Kelvin also called out
Still no response...
"Fuck it!". Mathias cursed
As if it were all planned, they all took to their heels and bolted at the same time abandoning their master and their fellow companion.
But as if it were to backfire, vines shot out from the ground and tied Felix and Mathaias' legs. It roughly pulled them in and then vanished leaving behind the two's signs of struggle.
Kelvin and Nathan paused for a while and looked back.
Hesitantly, Kelvin took a step forward, and every single existence of her ceased.
Accepting his fate, Nathan sighed and took a step back, also disappearing into thin air
After a few rounds of ominous melody, the black petaled flower dissipated.
The King and Queen: "...".
Slowly, they trudged back several meters for the nearest shade
"My daughter". The Queen sniffles.
"If it's Lord Javier and his vassals, they will make it back alive". The King said solemnly.
"And bring our daughter back with them, right?". She looked up at her husband
"Sure, why not?". The King smiled sadly
In each other's arms, they sat patiently waiting for their King to bring their little girl back home.
Meanwhile...
"Woah!". Nathaniel was the last to hit his head on the ground. "Ow!". He groaned
"Nathan". Javier walked towards him.
"You haven't gone ahead?". Nathaniel asked
Javier didn't answer, he hurried over and carried Nathan up.
Nathan's face immediately turned into a frown. "How many times do I tell you to stop doing that-". A bright red light enveloped his body.
"Sure enough". Javier frowned
"Before I give you a kick, explain what's happening? And let me down!". Nathaniel said through gritted teeth
Javier dropped him. "Seven seconds after each of us came down, we were enveloped by mysterious lights.
"What do you think they mean?".
"We don't know yet, but I think it just might be assessing us". Javier replied, his hand on his chin.
"Oh, that's why you got me off the ground." Nathan propped his chin up
"Let's group with the others first, they're looking around".
Nathan started a fire on his palm and Javier did the same.
"Everyone, regroup-".
Whoosh!
On the walls, lots of dim blue, purple and orange torches from ancient cups lit up and showered down on the entire dungeon. The light was very dim, but just enough to see.
"Well, that was unaccounted for". A smiling Felix walked over
Javier nodded
The others also came around.
"What did you find?". He asked
"It would seem someone else was here before us". Sebastian said calmly, his blond hair attempting to droop over his face which he stylishly slapped back
"Well, the princess was here before us?". Javier asked
"Ah". Sebastian looked confused
This stupid cute vassal! Javier laughs
"Anyways, be on guard against anything-". He tried to warn them but was caught short by a strange sound. "Did you hear that?"
The group looked around cautiously, and only then did they notice there were ancient scribbles and odd drawings on the walls.
"I don't like this melody". Reo frowned as he took out his daggers.
The off-tune composition was one to send shivers down a spine. No one knew where it was coming from as It resonated from all corners of the quoin.
"Look around". Mathias said, his hand making strange motions in harmony with his corresponding abilities
The enormous apocryphal slightly rumbled leaving pieces of rocks falling from the ceiling.
"What's going on? Ah, Lord Javier, my staff!". Kelvin panicked. The girl who couldn't control her disaster causing abilities needs a staff.
"You forgot to bring it again". Javier sighed helpless as he reached into his portal and five seconds later, brought out a short brown staff.
"You can still use your portal?". Reo asked
"That's the least-". Javier paused, he opened the portal large enough to fit a human person and entered with his hand first only to come outside at the other end. "As expected, no leaving this place".
The dungeon rumbled again, but this time more violently.
"Be careful, this might be more troublesome than you can ima-gine-". Javier's eyes widened. "Everyone! Duck!". He shouted at the top of his lungs
"Nah, goose ". Felix smirked
"Idiot!!"
Not a second too late had he shouted that knights in silver plated metal armor came crashing down. One for everybody, two for Sebastian, and three for Javier. Each having opposite abilities to their match.
"Wait wait wait, this is not fair!!". Javier screamed bloody murder as he avoided a swift blow that could have been severely fatal.
In the midst of the battle, we never noticed the drawings and scribbles on the walls glowing eerily.
There's more to this dungeon than its deadly knights, was something I only found out later.