Eluzan had said the dungeon was nearby. But as they walked, Benjamin got the feeling that his perception of nearby and a god's perception of the same word differed slightly. But the walk gave Benjamin some time to process everything that had happened and that Eluzan had told him. He organized his thoughts and asked Eluzan questions.
"Can you tell me anything else about the dungeon other than that it's nearby?"
Eluzan didn't even glance at Benjamin.
"How much of your lifespan do you want to waste?"
"Really? You can't tell me anything?"
"Not that will be useful. I don't know what kind of dungeon it is, only that it's a pretty low-level one that you should be able to clear with your current abilities as long as you don't make a grave mistake. Oh, right, I can't follow you inside."
"Why not?"
"I'm a god."
"Got it."
"Well, I can tell you to be careful. But you seem like the type that's always careful. And angry."
"I'm not angry."
"Right."
Benjamin wanted to protest. But he had a feeling that it would only work against him. So, he stayed quiet until Eluzan stopped in front of a stone with a strange symbol on it. If Eluzan hadn't pointed out the head-sized stone next to their feet, Benjamin would have walked right past it.
"Is this it?"
Eluzan nodded.
"Yep. You just need to place your hand on that symbol and you will enter the dungeon. When you clear it, you will pop right back here. I won't bore you with what-ifs from various types of dungeons, so just do it when you feel ready, and proceed at your own pace. I have all the time in the world and then some."
Benjamin looked at the symbol that looked somewhat like a snowflake etched in the stone.
"...What happens if I don't clear it?"
Eluzan didn't answer at once.
"...You stay until you do."
"...Or I die, right?"
Eluzan nodded.
"I would prefer it if you didn't since it's not easy finding someone who to be my avatar. But if you can't clear it, you can't clear it." Eluzan shrugged
"Encouraging."
Benjamin didn't have a reason to stall, so he placed his palm on the symbol after leaking some sarcasm. A feeling of vertigo washed right through him and a moment later, he found himself in the same exact location with the same stone and the same trees. The only exceptions were Eluzan's absence and the presence of winter.
'Shit.'
Benjamin's skin turned prickly with goosebumps as the cold wind instantly attacked him and his summer uniform. He was poorly dressed for forest adventures and even worse dressed for forest adventures in the thick of winter. He only had a shirt and a pair of pants on him.
Benjamin looked around for shelter. As he did so, he also realized that he should start looking for a way to clear the dungeon. But he didn't even know where to begin looking for a clue other than the stone.
However, in the muted silence of the white wonderland, Benjamin heard something in the distance. He wasn't sure what it was. But as it got closer, it started sounding like barking dogs, faint whip cracks, and shouting.
Benjamin frowned and started walking toward the source of the noise.
Even if it wasn't necessarily something or someone benign, it was his only hope of not freezing to death in the middle of the forest.
Benjamin trudged through the dense forest with his stiff feet as quickly as he could. Fortunately, he didn't have to walk for long before he broke out of the forest and onto a vast field of white.
'Dog sleds?'
The trains of dogs pulling sleds weren't far from Benjamin, and he got a decent look at both the large furry dogs and their manned sleds. But as he left the dense forest, he also realized that the dim light wasn't just from the trees. The sun was about to set.
At that point, Benjamin wouldn't even need to struggle anymore. He would already be doomed.
"Hey!"
Benjamin refused to let that happen, so he started plowing through the thigh-high snow on an intercept course while shouting.
"Please help!"
It didn't look like they heard him. But one of the dog sledders saw him and pointed him out to the other two. After a few moments, that person veered off the path and, without slowing down, curved toward Benjamin.
He shouted something that Benjamin couldn't hear due to the barking dogs.
Benjamin cupped his hand around his ear.
"What?!"
The person held out their arm and patted it before clenching their hands together in a tight grab.
Benjamin understood. He started running closer while reaching out with his hand as the person got closer. The dog sledder couldn't turn too sharply without losing speed. And it seemed like the dog sledders didn't want to slow down.
Benjamin could feel the icy air clash with his iron-tasting breath from trying to run through such deep snow. But he couldn't give up. He pushed himself further than he ever did during PE and when the dog sledder swung by, he was barely within reach.
The dog sledder's leather glove slapped into his own. It stung. Benjamin didn't think he could hold on.
Fortunately, the dog sledder had strong hands and lifted Benjamin up and yanked him along like a sack of potatoes.
"Geez, boy, you don't weigh anything, and you're not wearing anything! Are you alright in the head?!"
The dog sledder's words were sharp, but his warm voice was full of concern as he opened his thick coat and hid Benjamin inside it, effectively preventing frostbite from setting in and reaping a few toes or fingers.
However, Benjamin's lips were still too cold and stiff to answer.
It had also been a long day. So, before Benjamin knew it, he ended up knocked out like a little lamb in the warm embrace of the dog sledder's fuzzy fur coat.