Chapter 33: The Dungeon’s Trial

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The Dungeon’s Trial

Arin opened his eyes. Darkness surrounded him. He slowly pushed himself off the floor.

"Ayan?" "Saira?" No answer. Arin looked around. He was alone. His sword was still in his hand. The Dungeon Master’s Mark continued to glow faintly against his skin. Arin stood. "Great." He looked at the corridor ahead. "Just great." A low growl echoed through the darkness. Arin froze. Something was nearby. He tightened his grip on his sword.

The growl came again, louder. Arin slowly stepped backward. Two glowing eyes appeared at the end of the corridor. Then another pair. Then another. Arin’s expression changed. "What the..." A massive creature stepped into the faint light. It had the body of a large beast, but its shape was unlike anything Arin had seen before. Its limbs were unnaturally long. Dark plates of armor covered parts of its body. Several curved horns jutted from the back of its head. And unlike the Chimeras above, there was nothing human about this creature.

It had been made for one reason, and one reason only. To hunt. Arin’s eyes narrowed. "You made this, didn’t you?" A voice answered from behind him. "Correct." Arin spun around. A blue projection appeared in the corridor. Zarl stood within it, wearing the same dark mask. Arin raised his sword. "Where is Mira?" Zarl smiled. "Still alive." "Then let her go." "You’re not in a position to be making demands." Arin’s expression darkened. Zarl glanced toward the creature. "That is one of my creations." Arin looked back. "Why?" "To see what you do when the dungeon stops being kind." The creature suddenly charged. Arin barely had time to react.

CLANG!

Its attack struck Arin’s blade, sending him flying backward. He crashed into the wall.

"UGH!"

Before he could recover, the creature charged again. Arin rolled to the side.

BOOM!

The creature smashed into the wall, cracking the stone. Arin stared. "That’s not normal." "No." Zarl’s voice was calm. "I designed it." The creature turned. Arin raised his sword. It charged again. Arin moved to the side.

SLASH!

His blade struck the creature’s body, but it bounced off. "What?!" The creature swung its limb. Arin blocked, but the impact sent him sliding across the floor. His arms shook as he pushed himself up. Zarl watched. "You are still relying on the abilities you learned as an adventurer." Arin gritted his teeth. "I don’t need your advice." "Perhaps." Zarl’s projection began to fade. "But you should hurry." Arin looked up. "What does that mean?" Zarl smiled. "Mira." Arin’s eyes widened. "Six hours till I change my mind." The projection flickered. "That is all you have." Arin’s eyes widened.

"What happens after that?" Zarl’s voice became colder. "She becomes a Chimera."

Arin’s grip tightened, the system was right.

"Don’t touch her." "I’m not the one you should be threatening." Zarl’s smile returned. "You should be threatening time." The projection began to disappear."Run, Dungeon Master." Arin stared at him. Zarl’s final words echoed through the corridor.

"Or perhaps you want to repeat the tragedy of the previous Dungeon Master." The projection vanished. Arin’s expression changed. "The previous Dungeon Master..."

The creature roared. Arin looked up. It charged. He moved aside as the creature’s attack missed him by inches. Arin struck its leg.

SLASH!

This time the blade cut through the creature’s hide. The beast stumbled back, surprise on its face. Arin’s eyes widened. "That’s it." He moved forward again. The creature suddenly twisted its body. Its tail slammed into Arin’s side, sending him flying.

BOOM!

Arin crashed into the ground, pain lancing through his ribs. He struggled to his feet, his legs shaking. "Too fast..." The creature approached. Arin forced himself up, raising his sword. "Come on..." The creature charged. Arin waited. Then he moved. He ducked under the beast’s attack and drove his blade upward.

SLASH!

The creature roared in pain as Arin’s sword cut through its body. Arin stumbled backward, his breath coming in short gasps. The monster wasn’t finished. Neither was he.

_____________

Elsewhere.

Saira slammed her fist into the wall. "Arin!"

She had been fighting for several minutes.

The Chimeras kept coming, one after another. Every time she pushed one back, another took its place. She could have killed them. She wanted to. But Arin’s voice kept echoing in her head.

Don’t kill them.

Saira gritted her teeth. "Why do you make things so difficult?" A Chimera charged.

She dodged, then drove her sword into its side with enough force to send it crashing to the floor. It didn’t move. Saira stared at the creature. Her expression softened for a moment. Then she heard footsteps. She turned. Nothing. "Arin?" Silence. Her fists tightened. "I have to find him."

___________

Another corridor.

Ayan stood alone. He slowly ran his hand along the wall. His expression was grim. The carvings, the architecture, the layout. It was all familiar. Far too familiar. "This cannot be..." He closed his eyes. Memories long buried surged forth. A house. A library. A long corridor. Someone walking ahead of him. A voice telling him to organize the books. Ayan opened his eyes. His expression had changed, becoming colder.

"Zarl..." He understood now. This dungeon wasn’t simply designed to trap Arin. It had been built by someone who knew about the Dungeon Master’s world. Someone who had studied it. Someone who knew things that should have been forgotten. Ayan’s fists tightened. "How dare you..." A sudden sound interrupted him. A wall began to shift. Ayan immediately stepped back as the corridor changed. Stone blocks slid past him, the path behind him disappearing. Ayan stared. "The dungeon itself..." It was responding to someone.

Zarl.

Ayan’s expression hardened. "So this is your game."

______________

Arin stumbled backward.

The creature stood before him, its massive body blocking his path. His sword was damaged, his breathing ragged. A deep gash ran along his side, and he could barely keep his balance. The creature charged again. Arin raised his sword.

CLANG!

His blade met the beast’s weapon, forcing him to his knees. "Get..." His arms shook as he pushed himself up. "...off me!" Mana surged through his body. "Mana Control!"

BOOM!

The creature was sent flying, crashing into the far wall. Arin gasped, nearly collapsing from the effort. But the monster was still standing. Arin stared. "You’ve got to be kidding me." It charged again. Arin tried to move, but it was too fast. The creature’s attack slammed into him, sending him flying across the chamber. He landed hard, his vision swimming. The beast approached.

Arin struggled to his feet, his hand brushing against the Dungeon Master’s Mark.

It glowed, but nothing happened. No power, no control, no response. Arin laughed weakly. "Right..." He looked up at the artificial dungeon around him. "You’re not mine." The creature roared. Arin slowly raised his sword. "Then I’ll beat you without it." He charged.

_____________

Far above him, Mira remained bound in the stone room. She heard footsteps approaching and turned as the door opened. Zarl entered. Mira looked up at him. "Where’s Arin?" Zarl said nothing. Mira’s expression darkened. "You took me to lure him here." "Correct." "Then you’ve underestimated him." Zarl paused. "Perhaps." Mira met his masked gaze. "He’ll come." Zarl’s face remained impassive. "I know." Mira smiled faintly. "Then you’re going to regret this." Zarl turned toward the door. "We’ll see." He stopped as he reached it. "Six hours." Mira’s expression changed. Zarl left, closing the door behind him. Mira stared at it. "Arin..."

_______________

Arin’s sword cut through the creature’s hide. This time, the beast stumbled back. Arin followed up, driving his blade into its side.

SLASH!

The creature roared in pain. Arin pushed forward, ignoring the pain in his side..One more strike.

SLASH!

The monster fell to its knees, blood tricking from a deep wound in its side. Arin stood over it, panting heavily. For several seconds, nothing moved. Then the creature’s body began to dissolve. Arin blinked.

"What?"

A blue message appeared before him.

[Trial completed.]

Arin stared.

"Trial?"

The message vanished. A doorway had opened at the far end of the chamber. Arin looked toward it, then noticed something on the ground. A piece of black stone, with a symbol etched into it. Arin crouched and picked it up. The Dungeon Master’s Mark on his hand glowed brighter. He looked at the stone. "What are you?" A sound came from behind him. Arin turned. The doorway had changed. Beyond it was a massive chamber. And in the center of it... A figure was waiting. Arin’s eyes widened. "Mira..." She was visible through a transparent barrier, still bound but alive.

Then a voice came from the chamber.

Zarl.

"You’re getting closer."

Arin tightened his grip on his sword. Zarl’s masked face appeared above the chamber.

"You have less than six hours." He looked toward Mira. "And she’s still human." Arin stepped forward. Zarl smiled. "For now."

Arin raised his sword. The dungeon doors slammed shut behind him.

BOOM!