Team 0 gathered at the AA headquarters in the early morning hours, gearing up for their latest assignment. Their briefing outlined their next destination: a newly emerged G-rank dungeon in upstate New York.
According to the preliminary reports, the dungeon was an expansive desert landscape, a significant anomaly given the region's usual lush greenery. It made it easy for normal Law Enforcement to realize mana was involved.
The most intriguing aspect, however, was the predominant inhabitants of this sandy terrain - a variety of golems and sand-based creatures. The officers who had found the dungeon first claimed to have seen massive snakes hiding beneath the sand, too, but James decided to take that with a grain of salt.
It could be any creature, really. Just because it's big and long doesn't mean it's a snake. Otherwise, the giant centipedes we fought in the haunted house would count as snakes.
Picking up the mana reading device - James had no intention of trusting anyone else's reading this time - he joined the others exiting the training room. They silently went down with the elevator, each lost in their thoughts.
As always, Mr. Robinson waited for them with his black van and respectfully greeted them, earning nods and smiles from everyone.
James reviewed the details once again as they drove to the location. According to the report, the golems were of varying sizes and capabilities, some resembling giant stone guardians, while others were more akin to insectile gnomes, small and ready to swarm.
The sand creatures were even more peculiar, able to blend seamlessly into the desert landscape, making them difficult to detect until they were right upon you.
The trip to the dungeon passed relatively quickly, thanks to Mr. Robinson's expert driving and his usage of the flashing lights when they risked being caught up in traffic.
It's not an abuse of power if we actually need to get to a dungeon. It's important.
Once there, having just left behind the sleepy hamlet of Ticonderoga, with the massive Lake George's shores that showed no sign of desertification, they finally started noticing a change in the weather.
Firstly, there was suddenly much less traffic. Secondly, the air became drier as the wind picked up, bringing small particles.
Finally, after another ten minutes of driving, they reached the location of what should have been Eagle Lake. Instead of the beautiful boating location, however, they were greeted by dark brown sand.
It wasn't just that the lake had dried out, but its surroundings had been swallowed up by what appeared to be a localized sandstorm. It was slowly expanding, which was why they had been assigned to this mission with such urgency. The Crisis Response HQ had gone so far as to set this as a split mission, meaning they would have to share the dungeon with another team.
And since the AA doesn't have another group of G-rank Awakeners conveniently lying around that are not already taken by more pressing jobs or involved with the preparations for the next deployment for the Kashmir Mission, we need to swallow our protests and work with a Guild.
As Team 0 got out of the van and arrived at the dungeon's entrance, they were greeted by the sight of another group already there. The insignia on their uniforms marked them as members of the Emerald Guard, a once-small Guild making waves with its sudden jump in capabilities. Somehow, they had managed to recruit a few heavy hitters, and from there, it had been easy to entice several more newbies to join them with promises of personalized tutoring by high-ranking Awakeners.
The Guild members quickly noticed them, and they soon exchanged polite but distant greetings, the air charged with a subtle undercurrent of rivalry and wariness.
Carter, the leader, was a tall, muscular man with a stern face that seemed etched from stone. His gaze was sharp and assessing, his posture exuding an air of authority and experience. He wore heavy armor that rattled slightly with each movement, suggesting a preference for close combat.
Maya, the team's archer, was lithe and agile. Her observant eyes missed nothing, darting around to survey her surroundings constantly. She carried a longbow, her fingers deftly playing over the strings, ready to react at a moment's notice.
Leon, a younger team member, had an air of confident arrogance. He was equipped with dual daggers, and his movements were fluid and practiced. However, his eyes held a hint of restlessness, a twitchiness that suggested an underlying tension or eagerness for action.
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Elise, the magic user, was quieter than her teammates. She held a staff strapped to her back, her demeanor calm yet alert, her eyes scanning the area with curiosity and caution.
It was the first time James had met a team of only four members, but he didn't make a fuss. If they wanted to take on the dungeon at less than full strength, it was their problem.
After the formalities, Carter laid out their plan: "We'll divide the dungeon. My team will take the north and west. It's more challenging, but we're equipped to handle it."
While agreeing to the division, James couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The sandstorm's main body was in the north part of the dungeon. The Emerald Guard team's insistence on taking it seemed to suggest they were either very confident - something James doubted, considering that their presence felt weaker than his own team's - or possibly aware of something Team 0 wasn't.
They then discussed the possible dangers more in-depth, sharing some of the information they had been given in the initial briefing at the AA. Carter mentioned the dangers lurking beneath the sands but remained cryptic about the details. "The scouts have encountered some... unusual activity in the sands." He said, his tone guarded. "Make sure to keep to the dungeon's limits and not to wander too much."
The warning hung in the air, adding to the mission's mystery and potential danger.
Soon, they said their goodbyes. They agreed that once darkness fell, if they were not close to the Boss, they would retreat to the clearing they were in and spend the night there to protect each other.
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As Team 0 set off towards the southern part of the dungeon, they strapped on their masks and observed as the landscape around them transformed dramatically. The usual greenery of upstate New York was nowhere to be seen, replaced by endless expanses of dark brown sand stretched as far as the eye could see. The ground beneath their feet shifted constantly, the sands seemingly alive with motion.
James focused his Thakinetic Awareness, scanning the area for any sign of danger. To his relief, the creatures of this sandy realm were far more distinct than he had anticipated. Though shifty, the monsters exuded a focused energy, an unmistakable predatory intent.
The golems, too, were a welcome surprise. Unlike the one they had encountered in their G-rank trial - whose absence of a mind had made it impossible for James to predict its behavior - these creatures' wills were more akin to insects, their presence in his Awareness more pronounced and easier to detect.
They only had to walk for a few hundred feet before the first opponent revealed itself. A massive dark brown golem, towering and imposing, stood like a sentinel amidst the sands, its stone body seemingly crafted from the very desert around them.
Team 0 approached cautiously, surrounding it to assess its capabilities. James noted its slow, deliberate movements, starkly contrasting to the agile sand creatures they had been briefed about. They decided to focus on whittling it down, observing its reactions, and searching for weaknesses.
Daniel led the charge, his shield raised, drawing the golem's attention. It responded with a slow, heavy swing of its massive arm, which Daniel skillfully deflected. James followed up with a powerful punch, his fist glowing with mana. The strike sent reverberations through the golem's stony form, causing small cracks to appear.
Maria and Lauren provided support from a distance. Maria's flames licked at the golem, heating its stone surface. At the same time, Lauren threw a few of the daggers she had recently bought for this specific situation - one where she'd need to keep her distance, as her usual tactics were not particularly effective on a being with no obvious weak point. She didn't do much damage with those either, but they managed to disrupt the golem's movements, allowing the others to maneuver with much more ease.
Ezekiel, too, contributed to hindering it, casting debuffs to slow the golem further, making it easier for his teammates to attack the lumbering giant from all sides.
Team 0 systematically broke down the golem's defenses. As they continued their assault, its movements became sluggish, and its responses delayed. Finally, with a grunt of effort, James landed an explosive blow that shattered the golem, its stone body scattering on the sand. The mana eruption was so intense as to send sand flying everywhere, making everyone groan.
Luckily, they had the good sense to wear their masks before entering the dungeon, or they would have been fighting to see the enemies coming.
Breathing heavily, they took a moment to regroup, scanning the horizon for more threats even as James scoured the ground with his senses, not wanting anything to ambush them from below.
The EXP isn't bad, considering how easy that was. It's probably not gonna be the same for all creatures, but this dungeon should at least earn me some levels.
They then ventured further into the sandy expanse. The environment around them seemed to teem with life as critters moved around, despite how desolate it looked at first glance. The sands shifted beneath their feet, creating patterns that danced in the wind. Just after they were hit with a particularly annoying gust - that was more of a wave of sand floating in the air - they encountered their next challenge: a group of smaller, more agile golems.
Unlike the massive stone sentinel they had faced earlier, these golems were swift and numerous. Their smaller statures belied their speed and ferocity as they swarmed towards the team, moving with an unsettling, insect-like coordination.
Daniel immediately took the lead, positioning himself at the forefront. "Form up! Let's handle this like we used to!" He shouted, his voice cutting through the desert air. He raised his shield, standing firm as the first line of defense against the onslaught.
James and Lauren quickly flanked him, ready to assist. Lauren moved with her usual agility, her daggers flashing in the sunlight as she darted in and out of the golems' reach. James' fists glowed with mana as he delivered powerful blows to any golem that came too close, his strikes breaking their rocky forms into fragments.
Maria and Ezekiel provided cover fire. The redhead's flames arced over Daniel's shield, scorching the golems and slowing their advance. Ezekiel cast a series of debuffs, weakening the golems' defenses and making them clumsier and more susceptible to his teammates' attacks.
The battle was intense; the air filled with the sound of clashing metal and crackling flames. Team 0 worked seamlessly together, their tactics honed from numerous dungeon dives - especially the earlier ones, where they constantly faced such swarms. They moved like a well-oiled machine, each member playing their part in the dance of combat.
Just as they seemed to be gaining the upper hand, James' Thakinetic Awareness picked up something massive approaching. His eyes widened, and he called out a warning. "Something big is coming our way!"
Immediately, the team increased their tempo, rushing to destroy the last few golems so they could focus entirely on the new threat.
James' expression was grim as he tried to gauge the nature of the approaching entity. It felt massive, its mind sluggish at times, but also entirely focused on its chosen target: them.
The sands around them seemed to tremble in anticipation, the air charged with a sense of impending danger.
"Get ready." James said, his voice steady despite the uncertainty. "Whatever it is, it's big."