The group stood at the edge of the dungeon's first floor, its labyrinthine paths stretching endlessly into the dark. The oppressive atmosphere did little to help Dakota's temper as he paced furiously, his fists clenching and unclenching. His voice exploded with rage, echoing through the cavernous chamber.
Dakota: "WHY?! Why did you do that?! Why the hell did you drag me into the village?!"
His fist struck the wall, leaving a deep crack in the stone. His voice was raw, trembling with fury.
Dakota: "I wanted to kill those bastards! Do you have any idea what they've done?! What they've taken from me?!"
Henry stepped forward, holding his hands up in a placating gesture, though his own unease was evident.
Henry: "Dakota, calm down. You can't lose control like this. We couldn't let you fight them—not here, not now."
Dakota: "Calm down?! You want me to calm down?!"
He spun to face Henry, his voice cutting like a blade.
Dakota: "You stopped me. Do you understand that? I had a chance to end them, and you stopped me!"
Before Henry could respond, Ava stepped in, her voice sharp but steady.
Ava: "Dakota, we get it. We really do. But there's something about those three people… something familiar."
Mia, standing close behind her, nodded.
Mia: "Exactly. The feeling felt… the same. Just like when I saw Michael, Mila, Alex, and Ethan."
Liam: grimly "Yeah. It was like seeing ghosts. That same presence."
Dakota froze for a moment, his rage momentarily replaced by a mix of confusion and realization. His voice dropped to a lower, more measured tone, but the edge of anger still lingered.
Dakota (thinking): damn this is making me think that they're my friends reincarnated even more.
Lucas hesitated, his expression conflicted as he stepped forward.
Lucas: "It's not just that… When I saw that girl, I had a strange feeling. Like… I don't know, like I knew her somehow."
Dakota's expression darkened, his gaze locking onto Lucas with a chilling intensity. His voice was ice cold.
Dakota (thinking): ...if Lucas is really Ethan's reincarnation... Then I must absolutely not let him get close to that girl, I will not let the Same mistakes happen in this life, no matter what.
Dakota: "Lucas, listen to me. Forget about her. Forget she exists. Whatever you felt, push it out of your mind. She's trouble—more trouble than you can handle. Understand?"
Lucas hesitated but eventually nodded, though his unease lingered. Dakota exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair as he tried to regain his composure. The group exchanged uneasy glances, the tension thick between them.
Mia: "So… this dungeon. What's the plan? How do we get through it?"
Dakota: gruffly "We need to find a ticket to get to the next floor."
Ava: "A ticket? What, like it's some kind of carnival ride?"
Dakota: "Not exactly. Tickets are found in something called a Ticket Cave. They're not easy to locate, but when you find one, you'll know. The aura around it is strong, almost suffocating. Dangerous. It's the kind of place that screams, 'Stay away.' But that's where we have to go."
Liam: "So, great. Not only do we have to find one of these caves, but we have to risk our necks just to get to the next floor."
Dakota: "That's how it works. If you're not ready to take risks, you won't survive here."
Henry: "And what about the abilities and skills? How do we get those?"
Dakota: "Those are earned. Abilities are powers, unique and rare. Skills are the same as in video games. To get either, you need to kill monsters that have them, or explore the regular caves scattered across the dungeon. Those caves sometimes hold scrolls or items that can grant abilities or skills."
Mia: "But both options are dangerous, right?"
Dakota: "Very. Monsters are strong, and the caves are filled with traps and illusions. Nothing here is safe."
The group nodded, their expressions a mix of determination and trepidation. Dakota's explanation hung heavily in the air, a grim reminder of the challenges ahead. He gestured toward the sprawling labyrinth before them.
Dakota: "For now, we focus on survival. No distractions. Stick together, and watch each other's backs. Got it?"
The group : in unison "Got it."
The group began to move cautiously through the dungeon, their footsteps echoing ominously. The labyrinth was eerily silent, broken only by the occasional distant growl of unseen monsters. The oppressive air seemed to press down on them with every step, the weight of the dungeon's dangers ever-present.
After what felt like hours of navigating the twisting paths, they turned a corner and froze. Two figures stood in the distance, illuminated by the faint glow of the dungeon walls. As the group approached, the figures turned to face them, revealing familiar faces.
Dakota: relieved "Father! Franklin!"
The two men nodded in greeting, their expressions a mixture of relief and wariness. Father, the taller of the two, stepped forward, his voice calm but firm.
Father: "We've been waiting for you. Took you long enough."
Franklin: grinning slightly "You guys look like you've seen a ghost. Everything alright?"
Dakota: gruffly "We're fine. What are you doing here?"
Father: "Same as you, I'd imagine. Figuring out how to get through this place in one piece. We've been scouting ahead, but this floor is… different. More dangerous than the others we've faced."
Franklin: with a smirk "Good thing we're all together now, huh? Safety in numbers."
The tension in the group eased slightly at the sight of familiar faces. Dakota, however, remained on edge, his mind racing with thoughts of the people he had encountered earlier and the dangers that lay ahead.
Dakota: "Alright. We move together from here. No one goes off on their own. Understood?"
Father and Franklin: nodding "Understood."
With their group reunited, they prepared to face whatever challenges the dungeon would throw at them next. But even as they moved forward, a lingering unease gnawed at Dakota's mind. The memory of those three figures, and the rage he felt , refused to fade.