The Safe Zone – A Temporary Respite in the Endless Ruins
Mellali, Hadjer, and Korrak crossed the threshold into the Safe Zone, the heavy stone door closing behind them with a dull thud. The atmosphere shifted immediately—where the rest of the ruins had felt oppressive and dangerous, this space seemed to pulse with a soothing, almost calming energy. The air was warm and still, free from the tension that had plagued them since they entered the ruins. It was as though the very walls had been designed to grant a temporary reprieve from the dangers that lurked beyond.
The room itself was vast but far less grand than the chambers they had passed through. Low ceilings, carved from smooth stone, gave the space an intimate feeling. In the center of the room, a small fountain of shimmering, clear water bubbled quietly, the sound offering a sense of tranquility that was rare in these depths. Around the fountain, simple stone benches had been arranged in a circle, with adventurers scattered across them, their faces showing various levels of relief, exhaustion, and quiet contemplation.
The glowing runes that had once threatened their lives were still present here, etched into the walls, but now they served a different purpose. These runes, faintly pulsing with light, gave the room a gentle, magical warmth. Healing energy radiated from them, washing over anyone who entered the room, slowly restoring their vitality and regenerating their life force. It was not a permanent solution, but here, in this fleeting sanctuary, they could rest and recover.
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The Residents of the Dungeon – Merchants in the Safe Zone
As Mellali, Hadjer, and Korrak made their way further into the room, they noticed a few individuals who seemed out of place compared to the weary adventurers. These figures moved with a calm purpose, setting up small stalls and unpacking goods. They were merchants, but unlike anything Mellali had expected. Their clothing was a strange blend of rugged and mystical, as though they had adapted to the dungeon's environment over many years. Their eyes were sharp, gleaming with a mix of knowledge and wariness, and they seemed far more accustomed to the dangers of the ruins than anyone else.
One of the merchants, an elderly woman with silver hair and robes made of patchwork leather and cloth, caught Mellali's eye. She was setting out potions of various colors, carefully placing each one on a worn wooden shelf. Her skin had the pale, sun-deprived look of someone who had been underground for far too long, yet she moved with the ease of someone perfectly at home in the dungeon's twisted environment.
"Ah, new faces," she said with a raspy chuckle, glancing up as the group approached. Her voice carried a strange lilt, as if she spoke with the weight of centuries behind her. "Welcome to the Safe Zone. You'll find it's the only place in the ruins that won't try to kill you—at least, not right away."
Korrak grunted, already rubbing his sore shoulder. "How long does it last?"
The woman shrugged, her sharp eyes glinting. "Long enough for you to rest and recover, but don't get too comfortable. The ruins shift, always moving, always changing. The Safe Zones only last so long before the dungeon reclaims them. You've got a few days here, at best."
---
The Environment – A Fleeting Sanctuary
As they explored the Safe Zone further, Mellali and Hadjer began to understand how it operated. The space was minimalistic but efficient, designed purely for survival. A few small alcoves carved into the walls provided makeshift sleeping areas for adventurers to rest. The healing energy radiating from the runes was strong enough to restore wounds, but it couldn't completely erase the exhaustion from their souls. It was more like a patch—a temporary fix until they were forced to move on.
In one corner of the room, a group of adventurers sat around a fire pit, cooking simple meals over the embers. The smells of roasted meat and herbs filled the air, and for a moment, it almost felt like the outside world—like they had stepped into a tavern in a quiet village. Mellali's stomach growled at the thought of real food.
Hadjer found a place near the fountain, where the water was cool and crisp, surprisingly refreshing given the dungeon's oppressive nature. She knelt down, cupping the water in her hands, and took a slow, deep drink. "This place… it's strange," she murmured, wiping her mouth. "It feels like it's trying to lull us into a false sense of security."
Mellali nodded, watching the other adventurers with a mix of curiosity and caution. "It probably is. The dungeon doesn't want us to leave, but it needs us strong enough to keep playing its game."
Korrak, now sitting on one of the stone benches, grunted in agreement. "Doesn't matter. We take what we can get, rest up, and prepare for whatever's next."
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Merchants and Their Wares
The merchants, it seemed, were a permanent part of the Safe Zone, as much a part of the ruins as the runes themselves. They moved quietly between their stalls, offering goods and supplies to any adventurer who could afford them. Their wares were unique, shaped by the dungeon's magic and the countless adventurers who had come before.
One merchant, a man with long dark hair tied in a braid, approached Mellali and gestured to a table filled with scrolls and enchanted trinkets. "You've got the look of a sorcerer," he said with a knowing smile. "Need something to boost your spells?"
Mellali glanced over the items, his fingers brushing against a Scroll of Teleportation and a Potion of Arcane Enhancement. "How do you get these?" he asked, intrigued.
The merchant chuckled. "We're part of the dungeon, in a way. We don't leave, and we don't die—not in the same way you do, at least. We live here, and we sell what we can salvage from the ruins or create from the dungeon's magic. It's a dangerous life, but it's better than being forgotten."
Hadjer, who had joined them, frowned. "So you're like… prisoners of the dungeon?"
The merchant's smile faded. "Not prisoners. We're residents. We've accepted that there's no escape, and we've carved out our existence here. You, though—you still have the fire to leave. Use that while you can."
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The Temporary Nature of the Safe Zone
As the hours passed, Mellali, Hadjer, and Korrak felt the weight of the dungeon's magic slowly lift from their bodies. The healing energy of the runes had done its work, restoring their strength and mending their wounds. But the more time they spent in the Safe Zone, the more they noticed subtle changes.
The runic glow along the walls, once steady and comforting, had begun to flicker faintly, as if warning them that their time was limited. The merchants, too, seemed to understand the signs. They moved with a sense of urgency now, packing up their wares and speaking in hushed tones about the inevitable shift.
Korrak noticed it first. "The dungeon's waking up again."
Mellali nodded, his eyes on the flickering runes. "We've got to be ready to move soon."
Hadjer, sitting quietly by the fountain, sighed. "It was nice while it lasted."
---
A Brief Moment of Security
For a brief moment, the group found a sense of peace in the Safe Zone—a fleeting sanctuary where they could catch their breath, heal their wounds, and gather their strength. But they knew it wouldn't last. The ruins were always shifting, always changing, and the magic that protected them here was just as fragile as anything else in the dungeon.
Mellali stood, his mind already turning to the challenges ahead. "We'll rest tonight, but we need to plan. Once the Safe Zone collapses, we'll be back in the dungeon's grasp. Whatever comes next, we'll need to be ready."
Hadjer stretched her arms, her rapier resting on her lap. "I hope whatever's next is less 'giant stone monster' and more 'quiet treasure hunt.' But I doubt we'll get that lucky."
Korrak chuckled, his voice low. "Luck's for fools. We'll take whatever comes and smash it to pieces."
The three of them settled in for the night, knowing that this was only a temporary peace. The dungeon was a living thing, and soon, it would awaken, hungry and relentless once more.
The Merchant's Warning – The True Nature of the Safe Zone
Mellali, Hadjer, and Korrak had settled around one of the merchant stalls, resting and recovering after their intense battle with the Gatekeeper. The gentle hum of the healing magic in the Safe Zone soothed their aching bodies, but Mellali couldn't shake the feeling that this security was far too temporary. As they sipped from their flasks and examined their newly acquired items, one of the older merchants—a tall, wiry man with a wry grin and a glint in his eye—approached them.
"You three look like you're finally getting comfortable," the merchant said with a chuckle, leaning on his wooden staff. "But don't let the calm fool you. This Safe Zone won't protect you forever."
Mellali raised an eyebrow. "We already figured that much. How long do we have?"
The merchant's grin widened as if he enjoyed being the bearer of bad news. "Between 21 and 30 days, give or take, before this place starts attracting… unwanted attention."
Hadjer frowned, clearly not liking where the conversation was going. "What kind of unwanted attention?"
The merchant tapped the side of his nose knowingly. "Mobs. Lots of them. And the longer you stay here, the worse it gets. You might start with creatures around your level, but with bad luck, you'll get ones much stronger. The Safe Zone may keep the dungeon's magic at bay for a while, but eventually, the dungeon will send its monsters after you. And the more people crowd in here, the stronger those mobs become."
Korrak grunted, resting his chin on his fist. "That's why most people don't stay put too long, huh?"
"Exactly," the merchant said, pointing his staff toward Korrak. "It's why most of us don't stay for the full 21 days. By then, the dungeon will have built up its defenses, and you'll be dealing with more than just minor nuisances. The smart thing is to move on before the magic starts to draw in the higher-level monsters."
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The Hidden Truth – Teleportation and the Merchants
Mellali leaned forward, intrigued but suspicious. "You said 'most of us.' So why are you still here?"
The merchant laughed, a deep, throaty sound that echoed off the stone walls. "We're not like you. We merchants have been here for a long time—residents of the dungeon, you could say. We've learned how to survive. We can teleport anywhere within these cursed ruins whenever we want." He pulled out a glowing scroll of teleportation and waved it in front of them with a flourish. "It's our little trick. We don't wait for the mobs to find us—we move before they do."
Hadjer's eyes widened. "You can just leave whenever you want?"
"Precisely," the merchant said, grinning. "But it comes at a price. These teleportation scrolls aren't cheap. For most adventurers like you, they're a rare commodity. You'd have to drop more items than you can afford if you wanted to buy one of these from us. If you sell us enough, you might just scrape together enough gold. Or, if you're lucky, you could find a teleport scroll that leads to a permanent Safe Zone—but those are even more expensive."
Korrak rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "So, we sell our loot just to teleport away from the danger, but we'll need that gear to stay alive?"
"Exactly!" the merchant said, his grin wide. "A double-edged sword, isn't it? You could sell everything you don't need and teleport out of here before the dungeon gets too aggressive. But keep in mind, the items you sell might just be the things that save your life when you're neck-deep in trouble."
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Mellali's Dilemma – Dimension Door's Limits
Mellali mulled over the merchant's words, a frown forming on his face. Teleportation scrolls could be a way out, but they were far too costly to rely on. He considered his own abilities, knowing he had access to Dimension Door—a spell that allowed him to teleport up to 500 feet. It had already saved him and Hadjer more than once, but in the labyrinth of the ruins, 500 feet wasn't nearly enough to escape whatever dangers lurked beyond the Safe Zone.
"Dimension Door can only take me so far," Mellali muttered, half to himself. "I can teleport a decent distance, but we'd still be in the dungeon's range."
The merchant, ever perceptive, tilted his head. "Ah, yes. Dimension Door. Useful in a pinch, but the ruins? They're far too vast and unpredictable. You can't just teleport your way out with a spell like that. You'd need something much stronger—or a map of the exact place you want to go. The dungeon's magic bends space, warps it in ways you can't predict. Even we merchants can only teleport safely because we know the paths."
Hadjer crossed her arms, thinking aloud. "So, we can't rely on our spells alone. We need to keep moving, find another boss, and reach the next Safe Zone before things get worse here."
The merchant nodded sagely. "That's the game, isn't it? Beat the next boss, and you'll find another Safe Zone—one with water and food, a place where the dungeon's magic can't reach you for a time. But the deeper you go, the harder the bosses become. It's a race against the dungeon's hunger."
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A Temporary Haven – But Not for Long
The reality of the situation began to sink in for Mellali, Hadjer, and Korrak. The Safe Zone wasn't truly safe, just a temporary reprieve in an ever-shifting dungeon designed to kill. Every day they stayed here would only make things worse. The mobs would come, stronger and more relentless, until they overwhelmed anyone foolish enough to stay. And the thought of spending precious resources on teleportation scrolls was a dangerous gamble—they needed their gear to survive, but teleportation could be the difference between life and death.
Mellali looked at the Rune-Scribed Gauntlets on his hands, the power still crackling through the runes. They had been hard-earned, and the thought of giving them up for a scroll that might only buy them a little time felt like a mistake.
"No," he finally said, shaking his head. "We'll hold onto our gear. If we sell everything, we might not survive the next fight. We'll move before the mobs come. We've beaten one boss; we can take down another."
Korrak grinned, clearly pleased with the decision. "That's the spirit. No point in running if you're going to get killed anyway. Better to fight, take what we can, and keep pushing forward."
Hadjer nodded in agreement, though her eyes lingered on the merchant's teleportation scrolls. "Still… it wouldn't hurt to have a backup plan. If things go south, we'll need an exit."
"We'll figure it out," Mellali said confidently, though the weight of the decision still sat heavily on his shoulders. "For now, we need to focus on getting stronger and preparing for whatever's next."