Chapter 27: What Do You Know About Dungeon Masters?

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: What Do You Know About Dungeon Masters?

The celebrations finally began to die down. Most of the village’s inhabitants had already returned to their homes, and those that remained gradually filed out of the square. Arin walked with Ayan and Saira. Behind them, the square was littered with remnants of the feast. Arin cast a glance at the house at the end of the street.

Adnan’s house.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Ayan asked. Arin nodded. "The hero invited us, after all." He said. The three of them arrived at the house, and Arin knocked on the door. Adnan opened it shortly thereafter. "Come in." Arin stepped inside. The interior of the house was surprisingly modest, with a table, several chairs, a bookcase, and a few weapons mounted on one of the walls. In addition, there were several maps lying on the table. Arin’s eyes immediately locked on them. "Those are maps, aren’t they?" he asked.

Adnan nodded.

Arin walked up to the table and looked more closely at the maps. They depicted various regions surrounding the village. There were mountains, forests, towns, roads, and a number of other landmarks. Arin’s gaze was drawn to one particular detail, tiny black circles located sporadically across almost all of the maps. "What are those?" he asked. "Dungeons." said Adnan. Arin’s eyes widened in surprise. "There are that many of them?" He asked. "These are only the ones that have been discovered and cataloged." Adnan replied.

Arin looked at the maps in stunned disbelief. Adnan walked up to the table and rolled up one of the maps. "There are those that appeared on their own and those that were found unexpectedly," he added. Arin frowned. "Appear?" "That’s one of the mysteries regarding the dungeons." Adnan said and shrugged his shoulders. Ayan remained silent, while Saira leaned against the wall. Adnan gestured at the chairs. "Have a seat."

Arin sat down, and Ayan took a spot behind him. Saira sat next to Arin, while Adnan took the opposite chair. For a while, no one said anything. Then, Adnan suddenly looked straight at Arin. "You asked about the Demon King." said Adnan. Arin nodded. "There is something else that you want to ask me, isn’t it." Adnan said chuckling. Arin gave a hesitant look at Ayan and then at Saira, before finally returning his gaze at Adnan. "Dungeon Masters." At this, Adnan’s eyes narrowed, and Ayan’s expression darkened. Arin noticed this but did not stop.

"I have heard about Dungeon Masters before." said Adnan and leaned back in his chair. "And what have you heard, exactly?" Arin asked. "Not much, actually." Adnan replied. He paused briefly before continuing. "I have heard that some of the dungeons were not natural, and that there are people that have control over them. Very few people actually know about Dungeon Masters." Arin’s gaze was fixed on him. "Why is that?" He asked. "Most of the existing knowledge about them comes from centuries-old records." Adnan replied. "How old?" Most of them are at least several hundred years old," said Adnan. He paused for a moment before continuing. "According to some of the records, Dungeon Masters are beings that possess some ability over the dungeon."

Arin’s expression hardened. "Ability?" "It depends on the record." He stood up and walked up to the bookcase. Picking up an old book, he dusted it off and placed it on the table. "This is one of the oldest books that I have." Arin looked at the book’s cover, but there was nothing written on it. Opening the book, Adnan looked at several pages that were filled with faded ink. "Most of the writings are incomplete." Adnan flipped through several more pages. "There are mentions of people that were able to communicate with the dungeon." said Adnan. He turned a few more pages. "Some records mention them as rulers of the dungeon." said Adnan.

Another page.

"While others refer to them as guardians. And some..." He stopped abruptly, and Arin looked at him in confusion. "And some records mention them as threats." finished Adnan. The room fell silent for a moment. Looking at the book, Arin turned to Adnan. "Why is that?" he asked. Adnan shook his head. "I do not know." He said. He closed the book and set it aside. Arin leaned back in his chair. "So, no one really knows what a Dungeon Master is?" He asked. "Not anymore." Adnan replied. Ayan’s expression remained unreadable as he looked at Arin.

Leave it be.

Arin sighed internally.

Fine.

He wanted to know more, and there was no doubt that Adnan knew more than he was letting on, but at least for now he would not press the issue. There were things that he had noticed ever since he found himself in the dungeon. The markings on his hand, the strange signs, the Dungeon System, the fact that the dungeon responded to him – all of these things were most definitely connected. Arin looked at Adnan. "Have you ever met one of them?" He asked. "No, I have not." "Then, how do you know that they exist?" Adnan tapped the book with his finger. "Records." "That’s it? That’s all that you know?" Arin sighed.

Adnan looked at Ayan. "You seem to know something as well." He said. Ayan said nothing for a moment. Then he replied. "Some knowledge is best left unlearned when gained out-of-context." Arin looked at him. "You mean me." "Yes," replied Ayan. Adnan raised an eyebrow. "You know something about Dungeon Masters." Ayan looked at him. "I know enough to know that this conversation should end here." Adnan studied him for a moment. "Fair enough." Arin leaned back in his chair. He was not pleased, but at least he trusted Ayan. If the dragon thought that there were things that Arin was not yet ready to know about, then there most definitely were. Still, there was one more question that had been burning in Arin’s mind.

"Are Dungeon Masters still around?" Ayan’s gaze seemed to shift toward him. Saira fell silent. "I don’t know." Adnan replied.

"But why are you so curious about Dungeon Masters. You know you can’t just become one. Besides you are a dungeon hunter adventurer. A dungeon master is born with a mark that distincts them from other people. Wait, are you asking me because..."

Ayan suddenly coughed interrupting him. Adnan watched Ayan closely, but the dragon looked away

That, in itself, was an answer.

Adnan narrowed his eyes.

There is something.

But he didn’t push it.

"Arin, there are some questions that are best left unanswered for now, and you will understand that one day." Arin glanced at Ayan. "Apparently." Ayan nodded. "Indeed." Saira smiled. "You really do listen to him." Arin looked at her. "Sometimes." Adnan shook his head. "You three are strange." Arin smiled. "You have no idea." Adnan turned to the table and t maps on it. "There is one more thing that I can tell you though" He said. Arin’s eyes were fixed on him. "What is it?" He asked. Adnan pointed at the maps. "If you ever intend to explore the dungeons, do not be surprised if you encounter something different than what you have seen so far." Arin’s gaze was fixed on Adnan’s face. "Different?" "Very different," replied Adnan. He tapped one of the marked spots on the map. "There are dungeons that are nothing more than the nests of monsters." He tapped another one. "There are those that are covered with strange symbols." He tapped yet another one. "And there are those that possess an ecosystem of their own."

Arin listened intently to everything that Adnan was saying. "And what about the other ones?" He asked. Adnan paused before answering. "There are also those that you should avoid if you do not know what you are looking for." Arin smiled faintly. "Sounds like a good piece of advice," he said. Adnan chuckled. "I suppose it does." Arin stood up. "Thank you for telling me all of this." he said. Adnan nodded. "You may return at any time." he said. Arin turned around and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped. Looking back at Adnan, he said. "One last thing. If you ever find out more about Dungeon Masters..." . "I will tell you." Adnan replied with a smile.

"Good. I will see you again soon."

With that, Arin stepped outside, and the door closed behind him. For a moment, he stood there in silence, before turning to look at Ayan and Saira. "You really do not want me to know." He said. Ayan walked beside him. "Not yet," he replied. Arin narrowed his eyes at him. "Why?" Ayan glanced at him. "Because there are things that you need to understand before you can move forward." "Like what?" asked Arin. "Like your own self." Arin stared at him. "Annoyingly vague response." He said. Saira smiled. "He does that sometimes." Ayan glanced at her and made a tiny smile. The two of them walked in silence for a while as Arin looked at his right hand. For a moment, he could feel the warmth radiating from beneath his skin.

There were a number of questions that he wanted to ask. About the System, the dungeon, the mark on his hand, about the Dungeon Masters and about Ayan and Saira’s past. Arin smiled faintly. He did not have the answers yet, but he knew that one day he would have them.