The world around Zach flipped inward as he entered the Dungeon Gate. Up became down, and left became right. All his senses dulled as the portal pulled him through, and before he could even try to understand what was happening, he passed through to the other side.
A loud ringing buzzed in Zach's ears as he emerged from the Gate. He stumbled a few steps forward before collapsing on his hands and knees, emptying his dinner onto the grass. His sister and Kia were beside him in the same state, but with added snot and tears. Looking around, he found Aunt Christine wobbling on unsteady legs as she came out of the Gate. For a moment, she looked dazed, unsure of where she was or what had happened, before she shook her head and rushed to the girls.
Zach wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and pushed himself to a knee. As he struggled to stand, his mother's frantic screams came from behind him when she emerged from the Gate.
"LET GO OF ME!!!"
Zach turned to see his mother hoisted over Uncle Elias' shoulder, kicking, screaming, and hitting him. After moving a short distance from the Gate, he angrily tossed her off his shoulder. She hit the ground hard on her side with a cry of pain, prompting Zach to act. He hurried to his feet and staggered toward his mother, who was now trying to get to her knees.
"What the fuck, Elias!?" Aunt Christine said, rising to her feet. His sister and Kia were now on their feet, cowering behind Aunt Christine's legs. They struggled to hold back their tears as they watched in fear, unsure of what was happening.
"Shit, I'm sorry, Natalie," Uncle Elias said.
Sincerity was evident in his words, but there was something else Zach couldn't quite understand. Was it anger? No, it was obvious he was angry with his mom, but that wasn't it.
However, the shaking ground shook Zach from his musing. The portal to the Dungeon Gate winked out of existence, and the stone archway rattled before collapsing. He crawled backward to avoid the falling slabs of stone. His mother tried to rush for the Gate, but Uncle Elias tackled her to the ground before pulling her away from the debris.
After the dust settled, Zach rose and surveyed the Dungeon Gate. Huge blocks of stone and scattered pieces of loose rubble were all that remained..
His mother hurried past him to the remains of the Dungeon Gate. "June!" She dropped to her knees and dug through the pile of stones, only able to shift the small pebbles.
Zach had been so focused on what was happening that he hadn't even taken the time to consider everyone. He looked around at the group as a sinking feeling settled in his stomach. Where was his dad?
At the same time, Aunt Christine also came to the same realization. "Elias, honey? Where is June?"
Zach looked at his uncle, who simply shook his head in response. A flash of white-hot anger shot through him as he looked at Elias. But it soon faded, transforming into something else—he now understood what it was in Elias's voice. Shame and guilt.
A rock soared through the air, aimed directly at Elias's head. It flew past him to land with a thud on the grass as he skillfully dodged it before another hurled his way.
"You son of a bitch! Where is he?! Where is my husband?!" his mother yelled as she threw stones at Elias.
"Natalie," Elias started to say, but he grunted as a stone slammed into his gut.
That only served to enrage him. He lunged at Zach's mother, taking another hit to the shoulder before he reached her. Grabbing her wrists, he held her arms to her sides as she struggled to free herself.
"Stop it, Natalie!" Elias shouted at her.
"Where is he!?" she shouted back.
"He's dead!"
Elias's declaration left them speechless, as if a void in space had opened up, swallowing all sound. Zach retreated into himself, tuning out his mother's and sister's wails. His dad was dead. How? Were the monsters in the Dungeon that powerful? Would his dad still be alive if he had gone with them?
Anna spoke up just then, attempting to comfort him.
It's not your fault, Zach.
How do you know that!? If I had been there, then maybe he'd still be here!
Don't blame yourself, Zach. That is just another aspect of The System. When you seek power, you're risking death. Whether you live or die depends entirely on your will to survive.
Anger flared intensely within him, momentarily eclipsing his grief.
So you're saying that my dad didn't want to live anymore, and that's why he's dead!
No. Based on what I've seen, your father was a man willing to sacrifice himself to protect you and his family. Selfless people like your father often don't last long in The System.
Zach knew she was right, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that it was his fault, even though everything that happened was out of his control. After that, everything became a blur. He barely remembered the walk through the forest or the cries and whimpers of his mother and sister. It wasn't until the rising sun peeked over the horizon that he realized how exhausted he was. They had trekked all night through the wilderness of New York and had just now found an empty cabin. Elias led them inside, and he trudged like a zombie into one of the bedrooms, seeking escape from the nightmare his life had become.
___________________________________________________________________________
An incessant voice disturbed June's sleep as he covered his ears to block out the noise. "Five more minutes."
However, the voice still called out to him as loudly as before.
Wake up! June, you need to wake up!
Sarah? Then everything from last night came crashing down on him like cold water from a waterfall. His eyes flew open just in time to see an incoming spear aimed right for his head. Adrenaline pumping, he instinctively rolled out of the way as the spear buried itself into the sand where his head used to be.
The Leopard Manticore roared in rage, pulling its spear free before launching another attack. June continued to roll out of the way, enduring the pain radiating from his leg, as the spear thrust came. He narrowly avoided the spear, which landed right beside his head, and channeled Essence. As the Manticore yanked its spear free, June fired another bolt of Essence, this one containing more Essence and being highly condensed. Instead of exploding like all the rest, this Essence bolt pierced straight through the Manticore, leaving a large, gaping cavity the size of a soccer ball in the chest of its human torso.
June scrambled away from the monster as sand plumed from the weight of it falling to the ground. He only stopped when he was at a safe distance from the corpse, but that didn't mean that he was safe. Another roar from the jungle answered the dead Manticore's earlier roar.
"Shit!" June pushed himself up onto his feet.
He avoided putting any weight on his injured leg as he hobbled over to the fresh corpse. Bending down, he grabbed the discarded spear and used it as a crutch. Every step felt like stepping on nails; the pain was constant, radiating like waves. Yet he persisted, concentrating solely on taking the next step toward freedom and reuniting with his family. Limping as fast as he could, he made his way to their small island.
"Natalie! Get the kids and get to the Gate!" June shouted as he reached the other shore.
Back on the mainland, another Manticore came crashing out of the jungle. June threw himself to the ground, lying prone to avoid the Manticore's sight. The Manticore stopped suddenly when it laid eyes on the carnage on the beach. The ringing of steel echoed in the now still night as it drew its swords and prowled the beach, searching for whoever was responsible.
The seconds ticked by as June waited for the monster to leave. However, it made no show of abandoning its quest for vengeance as its gaze drifted toward the island. He would have to deal with it before he could get his family.
He channeled another Essence Bolt and fired it at the Manticore. However, the light from his attack immediately caught the Manticore's attention. It leapt into the air as his attack whizzed harmlessly beneath it, piercing a tree trunk before flickering out. The Manticore landed a few feet away from its original position, keeping its menacing, yellow eyes fixed on June. He was about to fire another bolt, but before he could, the Manticore sheathed its blades and retreated into the jungle.
Just great. Now it's going to get its friends. Fan-fucking-tastic.
Sarah interjected before he could continue with his mental tirade.
June?
His composure, soured by the pain in his leg and his failure to kill the Manticore, finally snapped.
What!?
Silence met his response. He had messed up. He knew that, and he chided himself. Sarah had only ever helped him. She didn't deserve his vitriol.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you.
Another moment of silence passed before she responded.
I understand you're going through a lot right now, and what I have to say might only add to it, but…
What is it?
She sighed before pushing through.
Your family isn't here anymore.
June's blood ran cold upon hearing her words.
What did you say?
Your family, along with Elias and his family, escaped the Dungeon before the Gate closed.
The world slowed to a crawl as June's mind struggled to comprehend her words. What did she mean by escape? Did they leave without him? They would never.
He slowly turned, afraid of what he might find. He had been so focused on ignoring the pain and his family that his vision and attention only tunneled in on the cabin. He hadn't spared the Gate a single glance. The archway for the Dungeon Gate remained standing, as imposing as ever. However, the portal within was not gone.
"No," June said, forcing himself to his feet. "No!"
He stumbled toward the Gate, ignoring the pain shooting up his leg with each step. Charging headlong through the archways, he passed without resistance and collapsed onto the soft grass beyond. This can't be real. It can't be happening. He got up and walked through the archway again, but once more, he simply passed right through to the other side.
"Sarah!" June yelled. "Do something! Open the damn Gate!"
I can't, June. We're trapped here.
"What do you mean you can't? You're part of The System. Just access the Dungeon Gate and override it!"
It doesn't work that way, June. I only have access to the information The System has amassed over the eons. Remember, I'm just a System Construct created to help you. Actually, I'm more a part of you now than I am of The System.
June fell to his knees, the pain from his leg long forgotten, her words crushing any hope he may have had. "Then when will it reopen?"
That, I do not know. It could take anywhere from a few days to centuries. But what I do know is that when this Dungeon reopens, it won't lead back to Earth.
"What!? Why!?"
There is a reason why there are two ways to exit the Dungeon. Killing the Dungeon Boss will open the Gate, and leaving it will set a respawn timer, letting you re-enter later. However, the Dungeon Core exists as an option to close a Dungeon on your planet permanently.
There is, however, a caveat to this. If a Dungeon Boss isn't slain within 14 days, the restrictions binding the monsters inside will be lifted and the Gate will open, allowing them to roam freely. This is called a Dungeon Break.
For example, suppose a Dungeon is placed on Earth, housing an army of monsters. A War Dungeon. Would you prefer to fight your way through the army to have a chance at killing the Boss, risking a Dungeon Break, or would you rather send in a small team with the goal of destroying the Core to eliminate the threat permanently?
It has to be a conscious choice made by the Dungeon divers. Once made, the System recognizes it and logs that Dungeon as completed on that planet. Since this Dungeon was closed on Earth, the System will never send it there again.
June's heart stopped as if he had just had a heart attack.
So you're telling me I only have 14 days until the Dungeons on Earth Break and monsters will escape to wreak havoc?
Yes, and no. It will take 14 days before Dungeon Breaks start occurring on Earth. But there is a time dilation in effect while you're in the Repository.
June's eyes narrowed.
What's the dilation?
For every second on Earth, 10,000 seconds would have passed by for you.
June ran the conversion quickly in his mind. That gave him roughly 383 years before Dungeon Breaks start occurring on Earth. It gave him more than enough time to return far stronger than he currently was.
You mentioned a Repository. Is that where we are now?
Yes, the Dungeon Repository. It's basically a pocket dimension that the System uses to store inactive Dungeons. Think of it as a storage unit specifically for Dungeons.
It was just his luck that he got transported into a storage unit for Dungeons.
And is it the Repository or the Dungeon that is causing the dilation?
The Repository.
June took a moment to absorb the information Sarah had divulged.
If I'm in a repository for Dungeons, can I move between Dungeons?
Yes, you can. But to what end?
If this Dungeon won't reopen on Earth, I'll need to find a likely candidate instead. Could you access the System logs for the Dungeons here and run an algorithm to identify which ones might open on Earth?
Sarah fell silent, perhaps to see if she could. A warm breeze brushed past, tickling his sweat-soaked skin. His adrenaline waned, and the pain in his leg reared its ugly head once more. Inspecting his leg, shock marred his face. The wound had already begun to heal on its own. He couldn't fathom how, other than his Soul Energy.
He crawled over to the archway, leaning his back against it, and closed his eyes to meditate. The surroundings faded as his mind sank inward. He focused on circulating his Soul Energy to his injured leg, willing it to repair the damage. To his surprise, it worked. But the accompanying pain pulled him out of his meditation. His flesh burned and itched, amplified a thousandfold, as his focus was all on himself.
"Fuck," he hissed through clenched teeth, clutching his leg.
How was he supposed to heal himself when meditating amplified everything he felt, physically and emotionally? He'd have to block out the pain, like a true monk, to fully heal. Taking a deep breath, he dove back in. He resumed healing his leg, and the pain returned, but this time he endured, his mind drifting to a memory.
Natalie turned to look at him, her wavy blonde hair flowing with her summer dress. Blue eyes shone brightly as her high cheekbones lifted higher when she flashed him her radiant smile, the same one she always gave him when she saw him.
"What?" she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice as she led them down an aisle of a big box store.
June followed, pushing an empty shopping cart. He gave her a warm smile as she stopped beside a crib on sale for $99.99. The bright yellow sign definitely caught attention, but the crib's design was relatively simple and not very refined by his standards.
"I still just can't believe it, you know?"
She turned to him and hugged him. "I know what you mean. But it's still happening, regardless."
"Oh, I wasn't protesting or anything. I'm actually thrilled." He pulled away from the hug and placed a hand on her flat belly. "I can't wait to be a dad!"
She smiled again, reaching up to pull him into a kiss. He enjoyed her soft, supple lips against his, and she left him longing for more when her tongue teased him lightly before she parted from him.
"You're going to be a great dad," she said before turning to the crib. "Now, what do you think about this one?"
He knew better than to give his honest opinion, so he answered her question with his own. "Do you like it?"
"Eh." She waved her hand side to side. "It's a little... boring."
"I couldn't agree more," June said, exhaling in relief.
She stared at him silently for a moment, her face expressionless, then she threw her head back and cackled. "I knew it!"
"Knew what?" June asked, slightly startled by her reaction.
She doubled over, still laughing. "I could tell you hated this crib just by the look on your face when you saw it."
June crossed his arms indignantly. "Then why bother asking?"
She straightened up and patted his chest, speaking to him as if he were a child. "Aww. Big mister soldier boy can't handle a little joke? Mama's sorry."
She let out a yelp before laughing again when he lifted her onto his shoulder. "Wait! June! Stop!"
June ignored her cries as he marched toward the exit of the aisle. "You've been a naughty little lady. I'm gonna have to teach you some manners."
She playfully swatted his back. "Wait, we still need to buy a crib."
Her laughter echoed, slowly fading just as the memory did. June slipped back into consciousness and stared at his leg. The once-crushed bone had reformed and reattached itself, and his mangled flesh sewn back together, leaving no blemish or scar.
He rose to his feet and breathed a sigh of relief, finding no pain when he put his weight on the leg. He strode toward the cabin and mentally called for Sarah.
Sarah? Are you able to find a Dungeon that might lead back to Earth?
Yes, and I did. In fact, there's one right next to this Dungeon.
Great!
However, before he could continue, Sarah dashed any hope he might have had.
I'd caution against entering that Dungeon for now.
Why?
Because it's a War Dungeon inhabited by an army of Kor'gar, the males of the Xarkor, a race of red-skinned demons, thank the System that it's not an army of Kor'valin—the females. They resemble succubi from your myths and are shape-changers. They will drain your Soul Essence and Energy through sex, regardless of your gender.
June shouldered his rifle as he stepped onto the porch.
Well, that sounds horrible.
He approached the door, which was wide open. The storm door swung languidly, its hinges creaking as it lightly banged against the wall.
Are there any other Dungeons?
Yes, but with the layout of the Repository, they're rather far away.
June braced himself against the wall next to the door. "Natalie?"
Only silence responded to his call.
"Zach? Sasha?"
Still nothing. June had hoped that what Sarah said wasn't true, but it seemed like it was. He made his way inside, clearing the rooms downstairs before moving upstairs. Empty. He was truly alone. He returned downstairs, closed and locked the door, then went back upstairs. Trying to use the shower only ended in failure as no water came forth. The cabin had an underground well, which was probably severed when the Dungeon pulled them in. Grabbing a bottle of water from the dead fridge, he washed his body as best he could before sitting on the bed in nothing but his boxers.
So, what's the plan, Sarah?
Your best chance for survival is to stay in this Dungeon for now. Gather Soul Crystals and Cultivate. Once you're stronger, we'll move to another Dungeon and keep working our way to the War Dungeon.
June's eyes widened at that notion.
Wait! I'd be facing an army of demons on my own! How do you expect me to survive that?
Once you break through to the Mythic Realm, armies of that nature would mean little against you.
June had half a mind to continue questioning her, but sleep beckoned him as he yawned.
We'll discuss this in full tomorrow. For now, I need sleep.
June lay down on the bed, and just as he drifted off into the realm of dreams, Sarah's last words put him at ease.
Good night, June.