Vantias lowered his head, lost in thought.
"If I don't find my sister... then what..."
Gazel noticed Vantias's state. He placed a warm, friendly hand on Vantias's shoulder and, with a hopeful smile, said:
"Don't worry... you'll find her. I'm sure of it."
Vantias looked up at Gazel, a faint smile forming on his face.
"Thanks, Gazel."
Gazel smiled and replied:
"Alright, let's get going. The sooner we move, the sooner we'll find your sister."
They entered a dark, damp dungeon. The walls were covered in green, slippery moss. The air was thick, filled with the scent of blood mixed with damp earth and rot—each breath intensifying the sense of danger. Small, wild rats darted through the shadows, their trembling silhouettes on the walls amplifying the fear. A dim, heavy mist enveloped the space, making every step harder.
Vantias, holding a lantern, moved forward slowly. The yellow, flickering light of the lantern pierced the darkness. Gazel walked beside him, ears perked, eyes sharp—alert to any suspicious movement. The sound of dripping water from the ceiling mixed with their breathing was the only thing breaking the oppressive silence.
As they walked on, the old stone floor beneath their feet crunched and creaked, but Gazel moved carefully, calculating every step.
Suddenly, he said loudly:
"Stop!"
A small frown formed on Vantias's face as he looked at Gazel, waiting for an explanation.
With a calm tone, Vantias asked:
"What is it?"
Gazel knelt and touched the ground—it was cold and dry. The thick mist covered the dungeon floor. He picked up a stone and threw it a few steps ahead.
Hioooo!!
In the blink of an eye, dozens of arrows shot from the walls, aimed at where the stone had landed. Vantias instinctively stepped back, his breath caught in his chest, heart racing. Gazel exhaled deeply, more at ease now.
He turned to Vantias and said:
"You have to be careful where you step. In dungeons, dangers like these are everywhere."
Vantias, eyes wide, stared at the traps.
"Just one step... only one step from death..."
Gazel carefully stepped forward along the old stone tiles. A bead of sweat dripped from his forehead as he said:
"Step where I step, okay?"
Vantias followed Gazel's instructions closely, placing his feet exactly where Gazel did. Just one mistake could cost them their lives—the dungeon was filled with hidden, deadly traps that had taken thousands of lives.
As he cautiously followed, Vantias asked with curiosity:
"Gazel, how can you sense where these hidden traps are? For me, it seems impossible... is it from experience or something else?"
Gazel moved carefully and replied:
"Ah… right, I forgot to tell you. I have a skill called 'Magical Sense'. It helps me stay aware of almost everything around me..."
Then he smiled and added:
"I'm lucky to have it—it's really useful."
Vantias fell into thought:
"So it's like in video games? Where you get stronger by gaining new skills? I need to ask him more about it later..."
After passing the traps, they reached a fork in the dungeon. It split into two paths, and above each was a blood-written sign.
Vantias read them out loud:
The right path says: 'Release from the body'
The left path says: 'Release from the mind and soul'
He turned to Gazel and asked:
"What does that mean?"
Gazel shook his head.
"I don't know!... I've never encountered something like this before."
He set his backpack down, scratched his head, and began thinking. Vantias stood quietly, still pondering the meaning of the signs. He placed the lantern on the ground, insects buzzing around it. The dungeon remained cold and misty.
Both Gazel and Vantias stood staring at the signs. The messages stared back like deadly riddles.
"One wrong choice and it's over. We have to think logically,"Gazel said.
Vantias whispered:
"Release from the body... release from the mind... does it mean one takes your body, the other your mind?"
Turning to Gazel, he asked:
"What should we do? We can't just stand here forever. Doing nothing won't help."
Vantias shook his head and began pacing, hoping an idea would come. At that moment, a soft, motherly voice echoed in Gazel's ears—a voice that felt more like a distant memory than something real:
"My son... I'm here... haven't you missed me?"
Gazel froze, wide-eyed, stunned. He thought he was hallucinating, but something dark and tempting hid beneath that gentle tone.
He whispered:
"Mom... Mom... how is this possible?"
The voice pulled him closer. Without paying attention to his belongings, Gazel got up and started walking toward the left path. Meanwhile, Vantias pulled out an old coin and muttered:
"Let's see what fate decides..."
Then he noticed Gazel slowly walking away...
His brows furrowed instinctively, head tilting slightly, a strange mix of surprise, curiosity, and concern washing over him. He called out loudly:
"Gazel?!..."
No response. Again, stepping forward:
"Gazel?!... Gazel!!"
Still nothing.
Gazel suddenly broke into a run, chasing that voice as if his mind had completely vanished. Vantias quickly grabbed his sword, leaving his gear and lantern behind, and dashed after Gazel.
Vantias entered the long tunnel. As soon as he did, the text on the left-side sign changed into a single image:
A wide grin with bloody tears flowing from its eyes.
Despite the ominous sign, the tunnel itself seemed free of danger. At the end of the tunnel, a bright white light shone—and Gazel was running straight toward it.
Huff... huff... huff...
Vantias panted, breaths short and ragged, his dry throat struggling with every exhale. He tried to keep up, but Gazel was much faster. Soon, Gazel was near the tunnel's end.
"Damn it! What the hell happened to him all of a sudden?"Vantias shouted.
But once inside, he could no longer see Gazel—his vision overwhelmed by a blinding white light, like a thick curtain falling over his eyes.
Everything dissolved into an endless whiteness.