<<<...Entering dungeon's waiting room...>>>
His eyes lock onto Ansil. A smile curls on her lips—filled with expectation. Not of survival, but of death. Lux's gaze falters for a moment, then hardens, sharpening into grim resolve.
'I'll kill you. That's a promise.'
The moss-eroded walls, riddled with plants sprouting from every crack, fill his sight. The entrance behind them grows smaller and smaller as they descend deeper into the dungeon.
Switching his position mid-air to face the ground, he watches as the bright, green-covered floor rushes up toward them, closer with every heartbeat, promising death if they don't find a way to slow down.
'It's coming fast.' He grimaces. 'What do they think we are? Immortals?' He looks around for any hold, a way to slow his fall, but nothing.
Screams fill the air, sharp and desperate. Yet some remain silent as if trusting fate to intervene. And it does—a yellow magic circle flares to life beneath them as they fall. Golden specks burst upward like a volcano, the shimmering dust spiraling around them, slowing their descent.
"Is that pollen?" Someone sneezes, all their feet touching the safe embrace of the ground.
"Is everyone alright?" A voice rises above the silence, questioning the confused students. "I did my best to slow us."
'So it was him who saved us.' Lux locates the body to the voice.
__________
[Profile]
Name: Neal
Status: Commoner
Magic level: 2nd magic circle
Type of caster: Particle caster
Possibility: 88%
__________
"What are we going to do now!" A hysteric tone inquires.
Quiet envelops all of the students. The entrance to the dungeon is a tall wooden double door corroded with veins, looms over them.
"We stick together and clear the dungeon," Neal replies. "Dungeons are dangerous places; it doesn't matter if it is a 1st circle dungeon or a 20th circle one, they all hold treats, so it's best for our survival that we stick together."
"He has a point." Everyone gradually agrees.
'He exudes leadership qualities. The confidence and the tendency to help others.' He assesses him. 'If it were me, I'd let the rest die and find a way to survive on my own. People only weigh you down. However, in my case, it's best to stick with the group; it might just make me survive.'
"Do you know what type of dungeon we're in?" Another query.
__________
[Dungeon]
Name: Silken Maw
Dungeon class: 1st circle
Monsters inhabiting this dungeon: Spider mutants
Mini mission: Clear the dungeon to enter the Heritage Academy.
__________
"We're in the Silken Maw, a 1st circle dungeon." He responds softly, yet somehow every head turns toward the back—toward him.
'That was louder than I expected.'
He looks at them: no scorn, no disdain.
'It's more so as though they hope my words are true. In this moment if I want to live, I need to rely on them for now.'
He recalls his low stats.
'Because my skills at the moment, aren't enough on their own.'
"How do you know that?" Neal progresses towards him, his features softening.
"I studied a lot of dungeons before attending the academy." He replies.
'I forgot how good I was at coming up with lies.'
"And what beast would this dungeon have?" Neal asks again.
"Spider mutants." He states quickly.
'Thankfully the system provided it or else nobody would believe me.'
"Thank you." He nods, pivoting to face everyone again. "We move in a group. If there are any types of life casters, stay in the middle for support. The ones with attack-type casting move to the front, sides, and back; if you're exceptional in any fighting skills, that would also be of help." He points out the positions. "The rest make a circle around the life casters; they are our lifeline. To survive, we move as one and fight accordingly." He takes the initiative like a true leader.
The students listen as if his words are magic, taking their spots. Lux, a creation castor, takes position around the life castors, Neal and the other 'good' or attack-type castors form around them.
Before Neal opens the wooden double doors, someone stops him.
"Hold on. Everyone needs weapons." A voice chimes in.
A boy walks forward, from the hump of his shoulders to the full extent of his are not flesh but steel.
'Interesting.'
Raising one of his arms, he points it to an empty spot on the floor; three magic circles metalize around it as his arm begins to liquefy and mold into something.
Clatter!
One by one, weapons form and drop onto the floor. Spears, daggers, swords, and steel bows with few arrows—one by one, each student walks up and takes up a weapon, except Lux, who had his gun already formed in his hands.
'All I need is my gun, and I'm sure I can put up a fight.' He eyes his gun and looks back up at the boy.
__________
[Profile]
Name: Ichor Han
Status: Noble
Magic level: 2nd magic circle
Type of caster: Matter
Possibility: 60%
__________
'Ichor han. I'll keep that in mind. 'If he survives.'
"Alright. Let's begin. We don't have time to waste standing around," Neal says.
He takes the lead, stepping forward and resting the palm of his hand on the handle, swinging it open to reveal a vastly overgrown forest. Trees tower in the sky, grass reaches the knee, and to Lux's surprise, a radiant blue sky.
He holds in his gasp. 'I could have broken my cover.' He turns around, taking it all in. 'How is this even possible.'
[Entered dungeon]
[Achievement!]
[Dungeon information: Dungeons are limitless spaces. Time contorts to fit the environment, and space shifts or expands to accommodate the monsters inhabiting the dungeon. To complete one, you must pass a series of stages until you make it to the last. In each stage, you are to either finish a task or defeat all the monsters residing in the stage.]
'So now the system is giving me information on this dungeon.' He thinks as they push forward.
"It's astonishing."
"I've never been in a dungeon before."
"Don't let the scenery fool you," Neal grumbles out low enough for everyone to hear. "There are still monsters lurking at everyone's corner."
'He has a point. It may be beautiful, but beauty is always used as a facade. That's why I always take a hit on beautiful people. (Or was it because of jealousy? Ha. How can it? I was a stunning fellow in my days.)'
The grass crunches beneath their weight as Neal and Ichor sweep their gazes around, sharp and calculated, like elite special forces on high alert.
"I guess we don't have anything to worry about!" A boy breaks away from the formation. "Of course, the academy wouldn't put us in dangerous situations." He chuckles.
Then blood coats the floor in a thick sheet of red.