Damien crouched over a blank piece of parchment, quill in hand, scribbling with intense focus. The Beginner Dungeon's first floor had been mapped to perfection in his eyes, each room and chest meticulously noted. His breath was steady, but the darkness of the chamber they stood in gave off a feeling of unease. He glanced up, where the treasure chest stood ajar, revealing the dull glint of a rusted iron key.
"Alright, so here's the second-floor key..." Damien mumbled, returning to his work.
Cass reached into the chest and plucked the key out. It dematerialized in her hand, vanishing into her inventory with a soft glow.
"Nice," she muttered, the faintest smile tugging at her lips.
"Is that everything, Damien?" Grizz asked, his deep voice rumbling in the dim light of the dungeon. His furred arms crossed, the faint clink of his heavy armor accompanying his movements.
Damien nodded, straightening up and folding the parchment. "Yeah, I think so. I've mapped out every room and chest on this floor. On to the next."
A notification flickered into Damien's view:
Mapping Mastery: Your dedication to exploring and documenting the dungeon's layout is enhancing your spatial awareness and planning abilities.
Mapping Mastery: 15% (increased accuracy in navigation and area analysis)
Spatial Awareness: 12% (improved awareness of room layouts and trap locations)
Strategic Insight: 10% (better planning and tactical positioning during exploration)
With the key secured, the party gathered their things, ready to descend deeper into the unknown.
The group made their way through the narrow, stone corridors of the dungeon, the faint glow from their torches casting long shadows on the walls. The air grew cooler, damper, the further they descended, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the ancient stone.
"Any idea what's down there?" Tyson asked, his voice laced with a hint of unease as he adjusted the strap of his mace over his shoulder.
"Nothing we can't handle," Grizz grunted confidently, leading the way with his massive axe resting across his back. "These beginner dungeons are just warm-ups."
Cass gave him a sideways glance. "Warm-up or not, we almost got skewered by that spike trap two rooms ago."
"Details." Grizz waved it off.
Damien walked a few steps behind, his eyes scanning the parchment again. He had every twist and turn memorized, every chest location marked. But the second floor was a different beast. "We'll be fine," he said, sliding the parchment into his pack. "As long as we stick together."
They arrived at the heavy stone door that led to the second floor. The key in Cass's hand glowed briefly as she pressed it into the lock, the door groaning open with a low rumble.
Beyond it, the stairway spiraled downward into darkness.
The deeper they went, the louder the sounds became—an unsettling mix of shifting stones, dripping water, and faint, distant growls. Cass gripped her sword tighter, her eyes narrowing.
"I don't like this," she muttered.
As they reached the bottom, the room opened up into a wide chamber, the air thick with the scent of mold and decay. Flickers of blue flame illuminated the walls, revealing towering statues of forgotten gods. At the far end of the room, a large, intricately carved door loomed—guarding whatever lay beyond.
"We're not alone," Damien said, his voice barely a whisper.
A shadow shifted from the far corner, and a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the darkness. Something slithered, its massive, scaly form scraping against the floor as it moved closer. A low growl rumbled through the chamber. Damien's breath nearly left him as his HUD displayed the monster's blue label above: Arnenian Serpent.
"That can't be right," Damien said, failing to hide his shock. "This is only the second floor, there isn't supposed to be an Arnenian Serpent here! It should be a Kobold Soldier! I was just here yesterday!"
"Doesn't matter now. Get ready," Grizz growled, hefting his axe. "It's time to earn that key."
The creature lunged from the shadows, a massive serpent with a body of dark stone and glowing cracks that ran along its scales like molten lava. Its jaws snapped open, revealing rows of jagged teeth. Without hesitation, Damien ducked, barely missing the strike as its tail whipped around, aiming to take him out from behind.
"Left!" Cass shouted, as she threw herself to the side, her sword flashing as she slashed at the serpent's tail. Sparks flew off the stone-like skin.
Tyson flanked the creature, his mace crashing down on its midsection with a loud crack. The serpent hissed in pain, coiling and whipping its body at him. Tyson jumped back, but the serpent was fast—too fast. Its tail smacked his side, sending him crashing against the far wall.
Grizz roared, charging forward, his axe held high. He brought it down with both hands, the blade sinking into the serpent's neck. The beast thrashed violently, throwing Grizz back, but his strike had landed deep. Blood—thick and dark—began to ooze from the wound.
"Focus on the weak spot!" Damien called, darting in, his sword slicing across the serpent's side. He aimed for the cracks glowing with molten light. The serpent howled, its body thrashing wildly in pain, tail sweeping dangerously low.
Cass sprang forward, using the momentum of the tail sweep to launch herself up. Her sword gleamed under the blue flames as she drove it deep into the serpent's injured neck.
The beast let out a guttural roar, its body writhing as it tried to shake her off, but Cass held firm, twisting the blade deeper.
Damien saw his opening. He dashed forward, blade out, eyes locked on the creature's exposed belly. One precise strike.
He leaped, driving his sword into the serpent's underbelly, piercing the glowing cracks. The creature froze mid-thrash, its eyes wide, and then—
Boom.
It exploded into shards of stone and molten energy, scattering across the chamber like fireworks. Dust and heat filled the air.
Cass rolled off its disintegrating body, breathing heavily. "That was… intense."
Damien wiped his sword clean, nodding. "But we survived."
Where the serpent had once been, four shimmering Epic Crystals emerged from the dust. They floated gently, bathed in a rich, violet light, labeled Twilight's Radiance (Epic). The four Crystals floated briefly in the air before vanishing into each party member's inventory.
They turned toward the now unsealed door, the faint glow of treasure and deeper dangers awaiting them beyond.
The third floor greeted them with a vast labyrinth of corridors, lined with uneven stone walls. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and a lingering sense of danger. Damien, Cass, Grizz, and Tyson moved in unison, weapons ready.
"Stay sharp. This place could be crawling with all sorts of things," Grizz growled, his nostrils flaring as if he could sniff out the danger.
They passed through the first few rooms easily enough, dispatching 10 weak Skeletal Soldiers that crumbled under the weight of their attacks. Every now and then, they'd find a small chest tucked away in a corner—mostly containing low-tier potions or simple gear. Nothing too exciting, but useful enough.
It wasn't long before things got more serious.
A low growl echoed through the chamber as they stepped into a larger room. Two hulking creatures—twisted, malformed versions of minotaurs— stomped toward them, eyes glowing red beneath iron helmets. Their axes were massive, sharp enough to cleave a man in two with ease.
"Take one each!" Damien shouted, springing into action. He darted left, leaving Cass and Tyson to flank the one on the right. Grizz squared up with the other, his axe glinting in the flickering torchlight.
Damien's sword clanged off the minotaur's thick armor, but he didn't relent, circling the beast and slashing at its exposed legs. Behind him, Grizz roared, ducking under a wild axe swing, before bringing his weapon down hard on the Minotaur's knee, forcing it to drop to one side.
Cass and Tyson coordinated perfectly, weaving in and out of the second Minotaur's range, wearing it down with slashes and strikes. Tyson's mace came crashing down on the creature's shoulder, leaving an opening for Cass to drive her sword into its neck. It toppled over, dead.
Grizz finished his off with a brutal strike to the throat, his axe biting deep into the flesh. The beast gurgled and fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Two down," Grizz muttered, catching his breath.
Eight Blazing Hope Crystals materialized in the air, glowing with a fiery orange hue. They disappeared one by one into each party member's inventory, their Rare status now confirmed.
The next room offered little reprieve. They barely made it a few steps in before the floor gave way under Cass and Tyson's feet. With a sickening slurp, they fell straight into a pair of gelatinous Slimes that seemed to bubble and writhe with hunger.
"Help!" Tyson's voice was muffled as the Slime enveloped him.
Damien and Grizz sprang into action, hacking at the slimes, trying to avoid hurting their friends. The more they struck, the more the Slimes shrieked, their gelatinous bodies splitting apart, until finally, with a burst of goo, the creatures disintegrated, releasing Cass and Tyson.
"Disgusting," Cass coughed, wiping slime off her face.
"Watch your step," Grizz grunted, shaking his head.
Eight White Crystals appeared, each glowing softly. They floated one by one into each party member's inventory, marking them as Common drops.
They pressed on. Damien's keen senses ended up saving them in the next room. As they were about to open another treasure chest, he held up his hand.
"Wait."
As Damien approached the treasure chest, his eyes narrowed on a subtle glint beneath it. A blue label appeared above a faint outline on the floor: Pressure Plate (Spatial Awareness).
He knelt down and brushed away a thin layer of dirt, revealing a pressure plate rigged to a series of spikes hidden in the walls.
"Close call," Damien said, grateful for his own efforts. They avoided the trap and claimed their reward—an enchanted sword for Cass, much to her delight.
The further they ventured, the more challenging the monsters became. Giant spiders descended from the ceiling, their venomous fangs dripping as they lunged. Damien fought them off with quick slashes, while Cass and Tyson covered his back. Grizz took on the largest one, severing its legs one by one before driving his axe into its head. It was worth it, because they received four Blazing Hope Crystals each, their orange shines providing closure to the intense battle.
By the time they cleared the last room, they were bruised, battered, and exhausted, but triumphant. Every chest had been looted, every monster slain.
They gathered around the door leading to the fourth floor, taking a break to rest and refill their HP.
Tyson broke the silence, "So, I've been wondering—what exactly is this game's plot? I never really looked into the Main Questline; I was always too into the PvP..."
Grizz nodded thoughtfully. "I wondered the same, so I asked some NPCs in Fort Keller. From what they told me, this world is called Planet Gaea. It's split into eight continents. We're currently in Arnenia, which is home to Humans, Beastmen, and Salamanders. Then there's Zeras, where Elves, Cait Sith, and Kitsune come from. Warsh is for Dwarves... and, uh, I forget the rest."
Damien, who had done his homework before the game's release, chimed in. "Sun Elves spawn in a snowy biome called Siva. Dragonians come from Magar, which is all volcanic. And Drows—yeah, they're from the Dark Continent. What else...?"
Cass spoke up, "I think I remember someone mentioning Angels too?"
Damien nodded. "Yeah, but Angels aren't a playable race. Only the Game Masters can be Angels."
Tyson, scratching his head, said thoughtfully, "If the GMs are trapped here like us, what do you think they're doing? Where do you think they're hiding?"
Cass grinned. "Maybe there's a secret area only they can access!"
Grizz nodded slowly. "That actually might be possible."
Cass smirked. "Bet they're just kicking back, watching us fight for our lives like it's reality TV or something."
Damien snapped his fingers. "Oh right, there's one more race—the Dark Elves. They live in a tropical region called the Scattered Islands. As for the Main Questline, I'm not too sure what's in store for us."
"Guess we'll just have to explore the world and find out," Cass said with a smirk.
Tyson whistled. "Are we really going to survive long enough to see all of it? It's such a huge game..."
Damien smirked. "Well, I definitely plan on it. If I'm going to be stuck in this world, I'm going to enjoy it till my dying breath. I want to see all the continents and meet every race. Every one." There was a passion in his voice that couldn't be mistaken.
Grizz smiled. "A noble dream, if I ever heard one. If you're in need of an axe on your quest to see all 8 continents, you can count on me."
Cass nodded, slinking an arm around Damien. "Yeah, I'd say all four of us make a pretty good team. Together, we might just be able to see every continent."
Tyson grinned, lightly scratching his cheek with a finger. "And maybe even live to tell the tale."
A chuckle circled throughout the group.
"That settles it then," Damien said, determination in his voice. "We'll go as far as we can. Together, we'll travel to all 8 continents and make our mark on this world."
"Are we ready to proceed?" Cass held up the key, the same as before. It dematerialized in her hand, and the door creaked open.
Damien stood tall, his hand resting at his side on the pommel of his sword. "Ready as we're gonna get."
As they made their way through the narrow corridors leading to the fourth floor, Damien couldn't shake the thought of the massive serpent they had fought earlier. Something wasn't sitting right.
"You know," Damien started, glancing at Grizz, "the second-floor boss is supposed to be a Kobold General, not an Arnenian Serpent. You think something's off?"
Grizz rubbed his chin, his brow furrowed. "It did seem strange. That serpent was way too strong for this level. Could be a bug or a glitch in the system."
Cass, walking a few steps ahead, turned back with a concerned look. "A glitch? You mean the game could be breaking?"
"I've seen it before in other games," Tyson chimed in, kicking a stray pebble as they walked. "Sometimes bosses spawn in the wrong areas or their difficulty spikes randomly. Could've been something like that."
"Still doesn't explain why a serpent was there," Damien pressed. "A Kobold General and a serpent aren't even close to the same type of enemy."
Grizz nodded slowly. "It could mean the dungeon's coding is off, or... there's something deeper happening here. Either way, we should stay sharp. If this place is glitched, who knows what's waiting for us."
Damien's grip tightened on his sword. He couldn't shake the feeling he had, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. Anticipation, maybe?
What am I anticipating, though?
The team stepped onto the fourth floor, the air feeling heavier as they ventured deeper into the dungeon. Damien immediately noticed the small, mischievous-looking creatures scattered across the room. Their glowing eyes flickered in the dim light—Friendly Imps.
"These things..." Damien muttered, his shoulders relaxing. "They're weak, but if even one survives, it'll revive the others."
"Seriously?" Cass groaned. "That's so cheap."
Grizz grunted, pulling his axe free from his back. "It just means we've gotta take them all out at once."
Easier said than done.
As the first Imp charged forward, Damien quickly cut it down with a clean slash, its tiny body dissolving into smoke. But just as fast as it fell, another Imp waved its hands over the dissipating smoke, reviving its fallen comrade. The Imp Damien had killed sprung back up as if nothing had happened.
Tyson clicked his tongue. "We've got a problem."
"They revive each other," Damien repeated, frustration lacing his tone as he hacked and slashed. "We can't let any of them live, or they'll just keep bringing each other back. Last time I was here, I used a basic bomb, but I'm out. Any one else got ideas?"
"Or bombs?" Cass followed.
Grizz stood at the center of the room, his eyes narrowing at the swarm of Friendly Imps darting around them. Their constant reviving was growing tiresome, and he knew they needed to end it all in one massive strike.
"I've got something," Grizz growled, gripping his axe and standing tall. "Stand back."
Damien, Cass, and Tyson exchanged looks, quickly stepping away from the towering Beastman as his muscles began to tense and his fur bristled. The Imps circled, unaware of the doom about to befall them.
Grizz inhaled deeply, his chest swelling as an otherworldly energy gathered within him. Then, with a thunderous roar, he unleashed a deafening bellow that reverberated through the entire dungeon. The sheer force of his voice shook the walls, sending cracks running up the stone pillars, dust falling from the ceiling. The ground trembled under their feet.
The Imps froze, their tiny forms visibly shaking as the powerful soundwave washed over them. Their health bars plummeted, draining rapidly. One by one, their bodies crumbled, unable to withstand the sonic onslaught. Within seconds, the entire room was cleared, the Imps reduced to fading wisps of smoke.
The echo of Grizz's roar hung in the air for a moment longer before silence returned to the dungeon.
Their reward: Twenty Verdant Veil Crystals (Uncommon).
Cass blinked, a look of awe on her face. "Well, that's... one way to do it."
Tyson chuckled, wiping the dust off his clothes. "Remind me not to get on your bad side, Grizz."
Grizz grinned, baring his fangs. "Don't worry, you're safe. Let's move on."
Damien glanced around the now-empty room and smirked. "Efficient."
With the fourth floor cleared and no Imps left to revive, they pressed forward, knowing they were finally gaining ground in this twisted dungeon.
The fifth floor was pure darkness, save for a few faint glimmers of light scattered like dying embers. Damien's eyes strained to adjust as he held his sword at the ready.
"This place is off," he muttered, stepping carefully over uneven stone.
Grizz sniffed the air. "Something's here, watching us."
Cass lit a torch, but its glow barely reached a few feet in front of them. "We need more light, fast."
They moved cautiously, sticking to the narrow beams of light from torches and glowing crystals along the walls. Suddenly, a low growl echoed from the shadows. Two glowing red eyes flashed, and before Damien could react, a Shadow Beast lunged out of the dark.
Grizz blocked with his axe just in time, metal clashing against claws. The creature hissed and retreated into the blackness, vanishing as quickly as it had come.
"Stay close to the light!" Damien barked.
Another pair of red eyes appeared—then another. They circled, waiting for a chance to strike. The shadows gave them speed, and every missed attack left the party vulnerable.
Cass swung her torch in wide arcs, pushing back the encroaching dark. "There's too many of them!"
Grizz grunted, teeth bared. "We have to draw them into the light."
Damien quickly scanned the area. Ahead, he spotted a glowing crystal embedded in the wall. "There! We force them toward that light!"
They pressed forward, fighting off the creatures while inching toward the crystal. One by one, the Shadow Beasts darted forward, but each time they entered the light, their forms solidified, and their movements slowed. The party's strikes landed true—Grizz's axe cleaving through one, Cass's attacks finding their marks, Tyson's strikes precise. One down, two down...
With a final push, the last Shadow Beast crumbled into the darkness, its body dissolving into smoke.
As the final Shadow Beast fell, its dark form disintegrating into a haze of shadows, the dungeon's ambient light flickered back to normal. The party gathered around where the beast had been, their breaths heavy from the fight.
One by one, twelve blue Azure Sky Crystals—Uncommon rarity—floated into view, their ethereal glow casting a soft, azure light across the floor. Each crystal hovered for a moment before dematerializing into the party members' inventories, three for each.
Damien glanced at his HUD, noting the newly acquired crystals. "So far, looks like we've earned 2 White Crystals, 30 Verdant Veil Crystals, 8 Blazing Hope Crystals, 3 Azure Sky Crystals, and a Twilight's Radiance. Not too shabby." The others nodded in agreement
Tyson exhaled, wiping his brow. "That was... rough."
Grizz gave a short nod. "And that was just the start."
Damien wiped the sweat from his brow, but something gnawed at the back of his mind. He glanced around the darkened chamber, the strange creatures they'd fought still fresh in his thoughts.
"What is it?" Cass asked, noticing his distracted expression.
"I'm just thinking..." Damien paused, weighing his theory. "What if this dungeon isn't the same every time?"
Tyson raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Like, the enemies... Maybe they're randomized. Auto-generated, even. It'd explain why we're seeing things that don't match what we expected—like the serpent on the second floor, or these shadow creatures."
Grizz scratched his chin. "So, every time someone enters, it's different?"
Damien nodded. "Yeah. It's possible. Maybe the dungeon reshuffles itself each time a party comes in, so you never know what you'll get."
Cass's eyes widened. "That would make things a lot more unpredictable. We could prepare for one type of floor and get something completely different."
"Exactly." Damien crossed his arms. "Which means this place is more dangerous than we thought. We can't just rely on what we know about dungeon rules anymore."
Grizz's fangs glinted as he smirked. "Sounds like a challenge to me."
Damien nodded his head, analyzing his makeshift map by the light of the crystal. "Thankfully, the layout stays the same—same rooms, same paths. But the enemies and traps? Those are different every time. It's like the dungeon's testing us in different ways."
Tyson grinned. "That explains why Damien almost got us all killed with those traps earlier."
Damien retorted in mock offense. "Hey, I saved us from those traps, remember?"
Cass snorted. "Barely."
Damien chuckled, but his focus returned to the challenge ahead. "Even if we map out the rooms, we can't assume the monsters or traps will stay the same. That means when we return with a raid party to take on the 15th Floor Boss, there's a chance it could be different then too..."
"Sounds like we got our work cut out for us," Tyson said.
Cass twirled her sword, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "On to the next floor, then?"
The party stormed through floors 6 to 14, wiping out kobolds, goblins, and everything in between. Each floor brought tougher fights and better loot, but nothing they couldn't handle. The Silverback Gladiator on the fourteenth floor was much less of a challenge with a party of 4.
Finally, they reached the Boss Room. The doors creaked open, revealing a massive, shadowy chamber. The moment they glimpsed the Boss, a chill ran down their spines. Before things got too real, Cass activated an Escape Crystal, and in a blink, they were outside the dungeon. Damien tried to hide his fear, but one thought pervaded his mind: Tomorrow, they'd face it head-on.
They stepped out of the Beginner Dungeon into the cool evening air. The sky was painted with shades of orange, pink, and blue as the sun set on the horizon.
"Good thing Cass had an Escape Crystal," Tyson said.
Damien nodded. "Perfect for scouting out a Boss Room. Now we know what we're up against when we come back for the raid... can't say I'm happy to be seeing a Bonewarden again."
"Again?" Tyson questioned.
"Yeah. I was in the beta," Damien explained. "Back then, there was no permadeath, so the threat was a lot less extreme, but running into one was still terrifying."
"I can imagine," Grizz said.
Cass stretched and yawned. "I don't know about you guys, but I need some R&R."
Damien smirked. "The Beginner Dungeon too much for you?"
Cass smacked his shoulder. "Shut up!"
Grizz glanced over at Damien. "So, what's the next move?"
Damien paused, thinking. "We head back to the Adventurer's Guild and spread the word. We found the Boss Room, so we'll need to rally as many frontline players as possible for the raid."
Grizz nodded. "Sounds like a plan. We'll need all the muscle we can get."
Fort Keller in the evening felt alive with a quiet energy. Lanterns flickered along cobblestone streets, casting warm, golden light on bustling merchants packing up their stalls. The smell of roasted meats and spiced ale drifted from nearby taverns, mingling with the scent of damp earth and evening dew. Horses clopped by, their riders exchanging hurried goodbyes with friends, while blacksmiths hammered out a few final strikes before closing up shop.
The Adventurer's Guild stood at the heart of it all, its tall doors open, spilling chatter and laughter into the night. Inside, the air buzzed with the clinking of tankards and the hum of conversations about quests and bounties.
Grizz stepped up to the large iron bell by the door. With one mighty swing of his fist, he struck it. The deafening clang echoed through the hall, immediately silencing the chatter and drawing every pair of eyes toward him.
He let the silence hang for a beat, then spoke. "Good evening, fellow adventurers. It is my pleasure to inform all of you that we've scouted the Beginner Dungeon's Boss, and mapped all fifteen floors. We're assembling a raid for tomorrow. Frontline fighters—report here at dawn."
The room quieted for a moment, then whispers of excitement spread like wildfire.
As the buzz of conversation filled the guild hall, Grizz crossed his arms, looking satisfied. Tyson leaned against a pillar with a smirk. "Well, that got their attention."
Cass scanned the room. "Think we'll get enough people?"
Damien nodded confidently. "Word spreads fast around here. They'll show up."
A few adventurers had already started approaching, asking questions about the raid. One, a lanky swordsman, looked eager. "What are we up against?"
Grizz answered, "Big one. Some kind of armored beast. Bring your best gear."
Damien chimed in, "And don't forget plenty of healing items. This thing hits hard."
Grizz raised his hand, silencing the crowd again. "We'll go over the details in tomorrow's meeting," he said firmly. "Be ready to fight."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the guild, adventurers nodding and exchanging glances, already forming strategies in their heads.
Cass gave a satisfied stretch, her longsword clinking at her side. "Feels good to have a plan."
Damien grinned. "A plan's only as good as the people in it. Let's hope this lot shows up ready."
Tyson chuckled, swinging his mace over his shoulder. "If they don't, we'll just carry them, like always." He glanced over at Damien. "So, what's the plan after the raid? We head for another dungeon?"
Damien smiled. "One step at a time, Tyson. Let's survive tomorrow first."