Chapter 35: The Previous Dungeon Master

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Previous Dungeon Master

BOOM!

Another wall broke down.

Saira came through the opening. Ayan followed right behind her. Dust filled the corridor as they walked. They didn’t say anything. The words from Zarl were still echoing in their heads.

The previous Dungeon Master’s wife had been turned into a Chimera.

Saira clenched her fists. Ayan’s expression was calm as always. But something in his eyes had changed. They continued walking until Ayan stopped. Saira was about to take another step when she realized that he was no longer next to her. She turned around.

"Ayan?" She questioned. He was in front of a stone wall. His hand traced the carvings in the stone. He stopped. Saira knew that look in his eyes. "You remember," She said. Ayan didn’t respond. His gaze was locked on the wall. Then he closed his eyes. Memories flooded back to him. .

It had been years ago.

The dungeon had been peaceful. Ayan was walking the halls, several books under his arm. Behind him, a young boy struggled to keep up. "Ayan!" The boy called. The butler stopped. "Yes?" He asked. "Father said I could borrow this." The boy said, holding up a book. Ayan looked at the book in the boy’s hands. "That is his personal record." He said. The boy smiled. "So?" He asked. "You cannot borrow it." Ayan said firmly. The boy’s face fell. "Why not?" "Your father will notice." Ayan replied.

"Well, I’ll return it before he notices." The boy said. Ayan stared at him. "You have already made the mistake of telling me." Ayan had said. The boy sighed. "You are too serious." He said. Ayan continued walking. "I have been told." He said. The boy followed him until another voice echoed through the corridor. "Where is my son?" Ayan stopped.

The previous Dungeon Master walked around the corner. His long silver hair was slightly messy, and several papers were tucked under his arm.

He looked exhausted. When he saw the book in his son’s hands, he sighed. "I knew it." The Dungeon Master said. The boy took off instantly. "Come back here!" His father yelled. Ayan watched as the Dungeon Master chased after his son. Then he heard laughter. Saira was standing nearby, leaning against the wall. She had been watching the scene unfold. "You should have let him keep the book," She said. "He would have destroyed it." Ayan replied. "He is a child." Saira said. "He is a dangerous child." Ayan said dryly. Saira laughed.

"You’re terrible." Ayan looked at her. "I am protecting the library." The Dungeon Master eventually caught up to his son, lifting him over his shoulder. "How did you know he was going to take the book?" He asked Ayan. The dragon gave a small smile. "He told me." He said simply. The Dungeon Master narrowed his eyes at him. "You could have lied." "No." Ayan said. "Why not?" The Dungeon Master questioned. Ayan looked up at him. "Because I am your butler." He said. The Dungeon Master chuckled. "Sometimes I wonder why I keep you." He said. "Because I am useful."Unfortunately, that is true." Saira said with a smile.

Those had been better times. Simpler times.

The Dungeon Master may have been powerful, but inside his home he had been just another husband and father. His wife often joined him in the library, bringing him tea while he worked. She would complain about how long he was staying up. "You’ve been reading those reports for hours." She would say. "I need to finish them." He would reply. "You said that three hours ago." She would say. "I am almost done." "You said that an hour ago." He would say, looking up at her. She would stare at him for a long moment before sighing. "Fine." He would say. She would smile at him. "Good." Then their children would be running through the halls, screaming and yelling.

Ayan would whine about it to the Dungeon Master, but Saira would join them. The Dungeon Master would pretend to be upset, but he was always smiling when he handed out punishments. It had been a happy home. A real home. Ayan remembered it all. Saira remembered it too. But it had all been shattered. It had begun with a request. Someone had asked for a Chimera. The Dungeon Master hadn’t wanted to make one. He had no desire to hurt people. But the request had not stopped. It had grown, turning into demands. Then threats. Manipulation. And finally... something they could not stop. Ayan had been the one to find them that night.

The front door to the house had been open, and no one had answered his knocks. It was odd, considering the house was always filled with noise. He walked inside. "Ayan?" Saira asked when he entered. They said nothing as they entered the next room. It had been occupied, if the growling that filled the room was anything to go by. Ayan’s heart pounded in his chest as he realized what was happening. They stepped inside and saw the Dungeon Master in the center of the room. His wife stood before him, but something was wrong. The transformation had already begun. The Dungeon Master stared at her, his sword falling to his side. His whole body shook.

"Master..." Ayan said quietly. The Dungeon Master did not respond.

His wife looked at him, her eyes still holding some trace of humanity. "Master," The Dungeon Master took a step forward. "It is me." He said. Her voice was breaking. "It’s me." He took a step toward her. "No." Saira said, running over to him. "We can fix this." She said. The Dungeon Master shook his head. "I tried." "Then try again." Saira said.

"I already did." His voice was quiet. "I tried everything." He whispered. Then another voice came from behind them. "Father?"

They all turned around to see the children standing in the doorway. Their bodies were also transforming. Saira gasped in horror. "No..." The Dungeon Master looked at them, his hands shaking. His family was standing before him, but they were not his family anymore.

He stared at them for a long moment before whispering, "I’m sorry." One of the Chimeras lunged at him, but he blocked the attack, forcing them back. He did not return the attack. "Please." The Dungeon Master said. Another one of them attacked, but he blocked it as well. "Remember me."

Nothing.

They continued attacking, forcing him to step back. He did not want to hurt them. He could not bring himself to. Saria watched him. "Master!" She cried. He didn’t answer. The pressure was unbearable. He fought them, not out of desire, but because they would not stop. Ayan stepped forward. "I will help." He said.

"No!"

The Dungeon Master yelled, stopping Ayan.

The butler looked at him, his eyes filled with pain. "Don’t." He said. "I’ll do it." Ayan clenched his fists. He understood. The Dungeon Master did not want him to do it.

The Dungeon Master was making his own choice. The battle raged on, the former wife attacking him. The Dungeon Master blocked her, stepping back when she attacked again.

He could not bring himself to strike her down. One of the children ran at him, but he stopped, frozen in place. The boy was looking at him, and for a moment, the Dungeon Master saw the son he had lost. The one who had haunted his dreams. The one who had stolen books from his library as a child, and had laughed every time Ayan reprimanded him.

The Dungeon Master’s sword shook in his hands. "Please..." He whispered. "Come back." The creature attacked again, and for a moment, he closed his eyes. Then he moved. When the battle was finally over, the room fell silent. The Dungeon Master stood in the middle of it, his sword falling from his hands. He looked around at the monstrous figures surrounding him, then at the empty space where his family had been. Saira covered her mouth, her tears falling freely as the Dungeon Master sank to his knees.

Ayan stood in silence, watching as the Dungeon Master looked up at the ceiling.

"I couldn’t save them." He said quietly. His voice echoed through the room. "I couldn’t save them." Saira stepped forward. "Master..." He looked at her, his eyes empty.

"They were my family." Saira had no response. He looked down at the floor. "I promised I would protect them." His voice cracked. "I promised." Ayan stood behind him, saying nothing. The Dungeon Master remained like that for a long time before finally standing. Something in him had changed. He looked older, wearier.

Empty.

He walked toward the core of the dungeon, Ayan following closely behind. "Master." Ayan said. The Dungeon Master did not stop. He walked into the chamber, turning around to face Ayan and Saira. "I need you to listen to me." He said. Ayan automatically knew something was wrong. "Master?" He asked. "If another Dungeon Master appears..." He looked at Ayan. "Protect them." Then he looked at Saira. "Whatever happens." Saira’s eyes widened in horror. "No!" The Dungeon Master gave her a sad smile. "You two have done enough." He said. "You haven’t." She whispered. His wife and children were gone. His home stood empty. There was nothing left for him. He looked toward the core. "Seal them, erase their memories of what happened until the next dungeon master encounters them." He said. Ayan’s expression darkened. "Master," He protested. "Do it." The dungeon trembled around them as the walls began to shift.

Doors closed, sealing the three of them separately in the chamber. Saira pushed against the wall, struggling to get out. "Master!" She cried. The Dungeon Master was standing on the other side, smiling sadly. "When the next one comes," He said. His voice was growing quieter. "Protect them better than you protected me." The wall blocked her view of him. Ayan pounded on the wall. "MASTER!" He screamed. Saira screamed his name as well, but there was no response. The dungeon grew silent.

It was over.

Ayan opened his eyes, finding himself back in the present. His hand was still pressed against the wall. His breathing was slow and steady. Saira was standing next to him, tears streaking down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away. "How could he..." She whispered. Ayan looked at her. "We were too late." He said quietly. Saira shook her head. "We couldn’t save them." She said.

"No." Ayan looked down the corridor where the other Dungeon Master was fighting. "But we can save Arin." Saira’s expression hardened. Zarl had done this to them again. He had twisted their minds. Forced Arin to kill a Chimera. Threatened Mira. And now he was trying to make the new Dungeon Master do the same thing. Saira clenched her fists. "No." Ayan said. "This time is different." Saira nodded. "We’re here."

Ayan looked toward the darkness where Arin was. "He won’t be alone."

The dungeon trembled as they began walking down the corridor. They did not look back. The past had taken one Dungeon Master from them. It would not take another. Ayan’s expression darkened. "The tragedy will not happen again." Saira looked toward the darkness ahead.

"We are coming, Arin."