Chereads / Hardfall and the Hero / Chapter 7 - Once more into the darkness

Chapter 7 - Once more into the darkness

"Wake up" a familiar voice called to him. Maybe he had imagined it or possibly a dream. Ether way it had pulled him back to his senses. He had been pulled under the water by unrelenting waves. Desperately he fought for air. Each time he got his head above the water another wave would pull him under again. Suddenly the water around him began swirling as a malstum formed. "Is this all you've got!" he yelled in defiance. "This won't kill me!" Under all the pressure to survive, Berry's mind had snapped. No longer able to cope with the ever growing danger he kept finding himself in

He bellowed in hysterical laughter as he was pulled down into the depths.

Berry hit the ocean floor hard. As he looked up he could see sky but was surrounded by viciously swirling walls of water. That's when a familiar light caught his eye. It was a dungeon door. A dungeon had spawned out here. Was it random, divine fate, or a cruel joke being played on him by the gods. Berry didn't have time to consider any of these points. As soon as he had noticed the dungeon door the walls of water began to crumble. Berry stood up to run but as soon as he did he realized his leg was broken. He hadn't noticed do to all the adrenaline coursing through his vains. He grit his teeth pushing himself, "I'm not going to die here!" Each step was excruciating but he made it. The door opened with a touch as he was blasted in by the cascading water.

Berry summoned his light, the last thing he needed was to be taken off guard. The entrance was very similar to the last dungeon he was in. A short hall led to a empty room with another path leading away from there. It was most likely a safe place to prepare before taking on the challenges of the dungeon. Satisfied that has wasn't in immediate danger he prepared to heal himself. The little red orb hovered around his leg forcibly resetting the bone. He then proceeded to remove the dagger from his shoulder. Blood gushed out in a spray but was quickly stopped by his healing orb. Berry's laugher sounded very unhinged. After talking care of his injuries, refilling his core and a quick purifying light he was ready to see what horrors awaited him.

He moved silently into the opening of the first room. Instead of entering he sent his light in to survey the environment. This dungeon was vastly different than the last one. The dungeon in the cave just looked like a cave but this one was so much more. It felt like he was in a temple. The floor was a deep blue tile with golden patterns crisscrossing throughout. There were pillars that reached up to like wise magnificent ceiling. Dim blue torches clung to the walls giving off eery shadows. As his light floated trough the room it caught the attention of a monster. It was a humanoid fish like creature. Blueish scales covered it body. It held a trident in it webbed hands. Berry used his light to lure the Fishman to a spot were he could ambush him. Me moved quickly sprinting up behind him. He made no sound as he leaped up onto its back. He began stabbing frantically until the Fishman burst into ash. Laying atop the pile of ash was the Fishman's weapon. Berry placed his dagger in to the sheath he had on his belt, happy it wasn't taken when they disarmed him before. He grasped the golden trident and gave it a few quick trusts. Grinning to himself he whispered "let's do this." He moved thought the dungeon slowly. One by one he picked off each enemy. He would use his light as a distraction before killing them as quickly and quietly as he could.

He was surprised at how easily he was clearing this dungeon. The Fishman weren't very intelligent, all falling for the same tricks. It was actually kind of boring but boring was good. He had collected quite a bit of coins and cores. A few armor pieces had also dropped along with a few more trident. Anything he couldn't wear he left. He had gotten a sturdy set of greaves and a maching set of vambraces but he had only the left pauldon. Each piece was a dark blue trimmed with gold. It didn't match very well with his gray tunic and brown pants he was given apon joining the military. He really wished he had a helmet. With the amount of times he had been hit in the head a helmet was a must. One walrus like monster had proven to be quite a challenge when he first encountered them. There fat body's were quite resistant to stabbing. He had found it more affective to use his dagger on them after jumping on their backs. When they died they almost always dropped chunks of meat witch he would cook using the wall torches. It had been a little over a month since he entered the Fishman's palace as he had been calling it but he had finally reached the boss room.

Berry placed his hands on the large double doors. Pushing the doors opened with little resistance. It looked like he had just entered a colosseum. The doors slammed shut behind him. Causuesly he continued in towards the center. He had brought a extra trident with him, gripping one in each hand. The ground began trembling as torches lining the walls blazed to life. A massive gate on the other side of the arena slowly opened. A large tentacle emerged from the shadows followed by several more. A large beak could be seen amist the tangle of arms. Berry charged throwing one of the trident with all his might. It sailed trough the air and stuck the mass of willing tentacles. A long tentacle wiped at Berry aiming for his head. He raised his arm deflecting enough to miss him. The monster unleashed flurry at him. Berry swung his weapon removing one of arms with ease as another slammed into his chest. Blood spat from his mouth but the pain quickly faded as the healing orb briefly appeared. As the battle continues he started to notice a pattern to the attacks and had less trouble avoiding them. By the time Berry had gotten close enough to deliver the killing blow he was exhausted. The boss monster had turned to ash just like the rest. Berry began laughing a hint of madness behind his eyes. To much time alone had took its toll. He summoned his light,"did you see. I've gotten better." At some point in the last week he had began taking to the light imagined its responses. "You've grown so much" a famanine voice replied.

He searched the bosses ash pile receiving its core. "This will make me stronger." He said holding it up. He then proceeded to the chest that had appeared apon the bosses death. It like everything else in the dungeon was blue with gold trim. Inside was a small amulet. It was silver with a blue gem set in it. "I wish these things would tell me what they do." He said placing it around his neck. Before he could retrieve his weapons he was telported out of the dungeon. Berry panicked as the realization of his surroundings set in. He was still at the bottom of the ocean. He didn't even have a chance to take a deep breath. He pushed off of the ground trying to get moving but was dragged down. His armor was to heavy to swim in. Quickly he undid it as his lungs began to burn. He kicked as hard as he could with his legs and pulled as hard as he could with his arms. It wasn't long before he couldn't hold it any longer. 'Is this how I die' he thought, opened his lungs to the water. But instead of water he was breathing air, normal air. He felt around his chest placing his had on the amulet and smiled. 'It must be a amulet of water breathing.' He still had a long swim to the surface but with the treat of drowning gone it wasn't to hard. Actually the most difficult part was his body couldn't keep up. Several times he had to stop and rest. Eventually he reached the surface. The sun was up and the sea was calm. He floated on his back for something soaking in the warm sunlight. As he looked at the passing clouds something caught his eye, it was a seagull. Where there were seagulls there was land. He followed the birds for a day and a half, when he finally seen land. A tall green hill set atop a little island. He pushed himself harder now having a goal within reach. "Finnaly" he said with a grin.