Cherreads

Chapter 44 - CHAPTER 41: | THE FORGOTTEN REALM

CHAPTER 41: | THE FORGOTTEN REALM

---

It's been days since then...

Astria had said nothing for the past few days, even when I asked, she would only nod.

The soft, gentle touch of her hand soothed me as she led the way down to the abyss.

Clack! Clack!

Astria halted, raising her hand, and I stopped too as a massive steel door materialized before us.

Its surface was cold and scarred, hinting at countless past encounters.

"This is our goodbye, my lovely child."

Her voice was sweet as she caressed her stomach, now bulging unnaturally, as if she were about to give birth.

I bit my lip, reaching out to her, but quickly realized I had no right to do so.

Clenching my fist, my gaze met hers.

I smiled, then embraced her, whispering to her.

"Be careful, Astria... for I have no knowledge if I could return as the same person."

Astria trembled, confused, as she caressed my face, then shook her head.

It seemed that this broken guy had smitten me in these past few days...

Such a shame that I couldn't truly love him, but perhaps...

I hoped he would...

Astria ceased her dangerous thoughts, smiling in response, then pressed her lips to mine.

"Such a shame indeed... that I didn't know you were such caring husband."

Astria was quite confused by his words about not returning the same.

Did he mean physically?

Clack! Clack! Clack!

Her footsteps echoed as she ascended the staircase, a faint smile visible on her face, slowly fading into the gloom.

"Truly... they truly love to leave me one by one..."

I clenched my fist, thinking of their betrayal, their 'love' of me, those who had backstabbed me even though we'd been best friends our entire lives.

Just... for their 'justice,' that I must be gone...

"Up until now, my life had been nothing but a series of bad decisions... so what more could go wrong?"

My palm creased the cold steel door, my muscles bulging uncontrollably as I pushed.

Creeeaaaak!

The sound of it opening echoed as I pushed again with more force, the ancient hinges groaning under the strain.

Gushhh!

Water surged into the gap, and the salty scent of ocean water filled the air, splashing against my exoskeleton.

The chill immediately seeped into my bones.

Creeeaaaaaaak!

Mana surged, tingling, imbuing my arms and legs.

With a final, forceful push, the door opened just enough for me to slip through.

Splash!

Without hesitation, I leaped through the opening, the cold water immediately engulfing me, pulling me down into the crushing darkness.

Boom!

The door slammed shut from the water pressure, sealing me in.

A grim smile curved onto my lips.

Astria had briefed me on the dungeon's location and how to reach it.

She said this place was called the Forgotten Realm because a mutant vine, a terrifying entity, had destroyed the settlement she'd established there.

I could see why she'd chosen this spot, it was a strategic location that allowed them to delve into or guard the dungeon from any intruders.

Some researchers of the past had explained much about dungeons, what they were, how they worked, and what they were made of.

From their research, dungeons were born from the very history of the world itself, often transforming influential figures into their Overseers.

There were, they clarified, two main types, organic and artificial.

Organic dungeons were fascinating.

These were dungeons that weren't built, but formed.

They trapped the very souls and records of powerful beings, legends, heroes, or even monsters, that were so deeply ingrained in the annals of the world history, that their very essence warped reality.

The Overseers within these organic constructs weren't just guardians,they were echoes, distorted reflections of those very historical figures.

Artificial dungeons, on the other hand, were products of design.

They were created in much more developed and stronger worlds, constructed with purpose and immense resources by civilizations far beyond this one.

Why, then, did weaker worlds prefer to create an organic dungeon?

It was simple, some researchers had said, it was far cheaper and easier to let them form naturally than to build them.

Even as a world grew stronger, the organic path often remained preferred.

There was an inherent efficiency to it, a natural, unpredictable power that artificial creations couldn't quite replicate.

The exact answers as to the resources needed for an artificial dungeon... well, I've forgotten much of that.

It's been a long time since I lost my authority and wisdom, stripping me of the intricate knowledge required to recount what resources, beyond the raw records and potent souls of historical figures, are needed to truly create such a thing.

Dungeons granted levels as a basic form of reward, depending on the delvers performance in each segment.

A world as young as this, one that Astria spoke of as only existing for a billion years, could only create dungeons with up to five segments.

And based on her report, how much she and her children had explored this dungeon was impressive alone.

Astria had expedited at least the second segment.

Based on her report, the first segment had five Overseers, one in each cardinal direction, North, South, East, West, and a central one.

She recommended I take care of the East, then North, then West, then South, before attempting the strongest of them all the one who guarded the passage to the next segment.

She didn't tell me the names of the Overseers or what their skills were, saying it wouldn't be 'fun,' and I agreed with her point of view.

Then, onto the next segment, there lay only three Overseers.

One was stationed in a ruined castle, one in a serene forest, and the last on an altar.

She had no knowledge of which prominent figure from the past that being was.

That was the overview she gave me.

She didn't reveal their specific information, their class, their stage, their Tier, or whether they possessed an Ascension skills.

But she mentioned that the vine-like monster that destroyed her settlement was a creature named Vinley.

She had said that Vinley was a terrifying existence, an anomaly, an abomination that shouldn't exist.

Astria trembled in fear, recalling the nightmare this being unleashed upon her, a nightmare that made even a woman of her caliber fear.

I gazed at the vine before me, wriggling intently, as eyeballs popped out from its tendrils, blinking slowly in the dim light.

"Even if Astria proclaimed you a menace, a nightmare... it would be useless, for I could burn you to death."

Thud! Thud! THUD!

The ground trembled as the heavy steps of something massive, something with an immense mass, drew near.

A smile broke across my face as I saw it, a being that shouldn't exist, standing inches from me.

Eyeballs, vibrant with countless colors, popped from its body, gazing at me with contempt.

Cores, tens of them, riddled its grotesque form, and tentacles, thick as tree trunks, sprouted everywhere, whipping the water into a frenzy.

Its form was a grotesque mixture of countless monsters, yet overall it took the shape of a crabman, one of Astria's offspring, twisted into something far more abominable.

"W-who... who are you... invader...? Pray... tell me... who... I... am...?"

More Chapters