Zarek's eyes burst open to a fierce gust of wind slamming into his face. Disoriented, he realized he was plummeting downward. "Why am I falling?" his mind raced.
A terrified scream pierced the air, and Zarek's gaze snapped to a girl tumbling through the darkness ahead. Without hesitation, he dove after her, wrapping his arm around her waist.
As they fell together, Zarek unsheathed one of his dual blades and plunged it into the rocky wall. The sword screeched against the stone, slowing their descent, but they continued to slide, picking up speed.
"Hold on!" Zarek shouted over the deafening wind.
Just as all hope seemed lost, the sword bit deep, and they jolted to a stop, suspended in mid-air. Gasping, they stared down at the churning blue liquid below.
Pebbles and rocks plummeted into the acidic depths, dissolving instantly. The liquid's deadly nature was unmistakable.
Zarek's grip on the blade tightened, but suddenly, the rock crumbled under their combined weight. They plummeted toward the blue river.
Just as they were about to touch the surface, a giant hawk's talons grasped them, pulling them upward. The summoned beast flew them to solid ground.
The landing sent them stumbling, struggling to regain balance.
"It appears you've made the fall," a voice cut through the din.
They turned to face the speaker, finding a man standing before them. He seemed around Zarek's age, with a confident smile and enthusiastic demeanor. His grey hair matched the color of the wolf that stood beside him.
The landing sent them stumbling, struggling to regain balance.
"I'm Grey Wolfclaw , the Beast Tamer," he announced, gesturing to the majestic wolf beside him. "And this is my partner, Hound"
Grey's gaze shifted to the hawk, now perched calmly behind him. "And this is Spikes, the one who saved you guys."
The hawk let out a soft growl.
"Thank you, Spikes. You've done great," Grey praised.
As he spoke, a warm yellow light radiated from the hawk's feathers, illuminating the surrounding area. The light intensified, and Spikes vanished into a brilliant flash, leaving behind only the faint scent of feathers and wind.
"You guys are lucky I saw you," Grey said with a chuckle. "Or you would've turned to dust if you'd landed in that river."
The silence that followed was broken by the girl's soft voice. "Thank you for saving us."
Her golden eyes, adorned with a subtle cross-shaped symbol, sparkled with gratitude. Her blue hair cascaded down her back, framing her gentle features. A delicate cross necklace rested on her chest, complementing her simple yet practical attire – the hallmark of a healer.
"I'm Cynthia Sigland," she introduced herself.
Grey's gaze lingered on Cynthia's cross symbol, his expression thoughtful. "A healer, huh? It appears you've gotten separated from your party."
"Do you know where the others are?" Curiosity filled Zarek's voice.
"No," Grey replied. "It appears those who enter the portal are appearing out of nowhere in the dungeon. I was also falling when I entered the dungeon. Thanks to Spikes, I was saved. When I saw you guys, it proved my theory."
"I've been following Hound; he was sniffing out others around."
Zarek thought to himself, considering the unexpected situation.
" This healer seems to be an A-rank; she has the mark of Goddess in her eyes. Healers above A-rank have marks like this on their eyes. This other guy seems tough, maybe a B-rank. I haven't encountered a Summoner Hunter before.whatever, I have no time to be fooling around; I must find Captain quickly before it's too late."
Hound's ears perked up as he caught a scent, and he darted towards a nearby cave. "Hound, wait!" Grey called out.
Cynthia, Zarek, and grey followed Hound into the cave's darkness.
"It's a cave!" Cynthia a exclaimed, her golden eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Your beast is truly amazing, Grey-san," she added, awe infusing her voice.
Grey grinned "Of course it is"
Turning to Zarek, Cynthia asked, "Excuse me, may I ask what your name is?"
"It's Zarek," he replied.
"Zarek-san, thank you for helping me earlier," Cynthia said with a smile.
"It's not a problem," Zarek said with a shrug. "Anyone would've done the same thing."
As they stood before the cave, Grey gazed into its pitch-black depths. "It appears to be dark in here."
Cynthia closed her eyes, her hands clasped together. "O, radiant Goddess of the Heavenly Realm, shed thy divine light upon us, thy humble followers. Illuminate our path, banish the shadows, and guide us through the darkness."
A soft, ethereal glow enveloped Aisha, and a small, sun-like orb materialized, illuminating the cave.
"Let's go," Cynthia said, leading the way.
Grey's eyes widened in awe as he turned to Cynthia. "Whoa, that was incredible!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine admiration.
Cynthia smiled humbly. "The Goddess's power is not mine to claim."
As they walked, a light emerged at the other end. "It seems we found a way," Cynthia said, relieved.
But their hope was short-lived. Upon reaching the other end, they saw Hound standing, growling softly. As they gazed ahead, their faces darkened at the horrifying sight.
Blood dripped from the Elder Ogre's club, splattering everywhere. Bodies of hunters were piled around it, a gruesome testament to its brutality. The ogre's green skin was a stark contrast to its white beard and bald head, stained with blood. Its grassy shorts barely covered its genital area. This was an A-rank monster, typically a boss in B-rank dungeons.
Cynthia's eyes widened as she recognized one of her party members among the bodies. Overwhelmed, emotions flooded her mind, leaving her unable to process anything. Her mind went blank as she screamed and collapsed to the ground.
The ogre noticed them and propelled a heavy scream.
"This is bad," Grey thought to himself. "I don't think I can beat that thing head-on."
Zarek unsheathed his dual blades without hesitation. "Hey, wolf boy, take her away from here. I'll stall it."
Grey swiftly scooped up Cynthia and retreated, Zarek launched himself at the ogre, blades slicing through the air. The ogre raised its club, and the two clashed in a burst of motion. The club crushed downward, deflecting Zarek's strike and unleashing a counterblast that hurled him across the ground.
Zarek landed hard, sliding across the dusty ground as he fought for balance. His eyes locked onto the ogre, now charging towards him. Boots scuffling against the earth, Zarek regained traction and launched himself forward.