"Not happening, Zion! Get your butt up, down a potion, and let's move!" Camila commanded, her eyes darting around the encroaching woods. "I don’t know what's in these woods, but it's not a Deathstalker. We need to leave."

That's when he noticed Beth's trembling limbs and the beads of sweat on her forehead. Both sisters stood rigid, their pupils tightly dilated, ignoring him completely. Their attention was solely on the surrounding forest. Fear radiated from them, palpable in the air and contagious to Zion, prompting him to grab a mana potion and gulp it down hastily.

"Okay, I really don't like how you two are acting," he stammered, struggling to find his balance. "I need a health potion for the dwarf. He's not with them."

Beth rushed over, grabbed a potion from her stash, and forcefully poured it down Jura’s throat. Even her usually gentle demeanor was replaced by urgency as she slapped the man, urging him to wake up quickly. They all knew a potion couldn't solve everything. Zion winced, feeling the continuous stabbing pain in his shoulder.

“It’ll be okay, you two. Other adventurers will respond to the distress signal,” he reassured them, moving to help Beth prop Jura up. “Whatever's out there will retreat with more people around.”

“No, Zion, they won't,” Beth said bluntly. “I overheard Randan telling the others that our group would handle it. No one's coming to our rescue.”

"Damn it!" Zion slammed his fist into the ground, the earth yielding to his touch. “We need to find somewhere safer. We're vulnerable out here.”

“No shit, Zion. That's why we're trying to wake your buddy up,” Camila snapped, her tone icy. “I won't let my sister die for some dwarf I don’t know.”

"Knock it off, both of you!" Beth intervened, her eyes wide with determination. “Yes, we need to leave. Yes, no one is coming. But no, we're not abandoning this guy. I'll drag his stumpy butt myself if I have to.”

“What about port stones? We could try to port back to the site. Jura might be conscious enough for that,” Zion suggested, reaching for a pouch on his belt.

“No chance,” Camila replied, shaking her head. “The site is still basic. They don't have any port points.”

Zion paced, his mind racing with thoughts of how to get them all to safety while protecting Jura. Anxious energy coursed through him as he considered their options, his brow furrowing with each passing moment.

Thinking of the mission, he recalled the dungeon Randan had mentioned, conveniently close to their location. With a sense of unease gnawing at him, Zion hesitantly voiced his idea.

“That dungeon is nearby if I'm not mistaken. I can carry Jura, and we can use it as a shelter for the night,” Zion proposed.

“Yeah, let's venture into an unknown dungeon with two injured people. Sounds like a brilliant plan,” Camila replied sarcastically.

“No, he's right, Camila,” Beth interjected, already helping Jura to his feet. “Staying here feels like death. Not sure why, but my very soul feels cold right now... and I like the cold.”

Zion didn’t waste time noticing the daggers in Camila's stare. He was pretty sure that if this plan failed, he wouldn't have to worry about dying in the dungeon—Camila would happily do the deed herself.

With a quick motion, he stowed Onyx inside his inventory and hoisted up Jura's barely standing frame. The dwarf was surprisingly heavy, akin to carrying a barrel of water. He felt his shoulder strain under the weight but pushed through, emitting a painful grunt to signal his readiness. Beth unfolded a roughly drawn map, and the group set off at a brisk pace.

Zion was grateful for his boosted stats; without them, he'd never keep up carrying Jura. Even with his enhanced abilities, his breaths came in ragged gulps as they covered the ground rapidly. Their pace didn't seem to deter whatever was pursuing them—the snapping of branches and the rustling of something clawed followed relentlessly.

“There!” Beth's voice cut through the forced silence of their march like a blade, startling Camila and Zion. “That opening in the ground, it's shaped like a skull. Just like the map said.”

Seeing their destination in reach, all three of them hastened their steps, even Zion with his burdened arms. The opening truly resembled a skull outlined by white rock. Within it, a set of ancient stone stairs descended, crumbling with age. At the end of the stairs stood a single wooden door; its metal rivets rusted with time. A soft red glow emanated from the decaying wood. Without hesitation, they reached for the door, feeling the red energy flow up their arms as they were pulled into the dungeon instance.

Instead of descending into the expected dark and musky dungeon, Zion found himself surrounded by blinding brightness, his eyes squinting against the overwhelming light. The room was devoid of anything except stark white walls stretching from floor to ceiling, a stark contrast to the darkness he anticipated.

A low buzzing hum filled the air, growing louder until a figure emerged from a tear in the blank expanse. Ki stepped into the room, her midnight skin stark against the pure white surroundings.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“It's good to see you again, Zion,” her voice echoed, enveloping the room in its enchanting melody. “I needed to talk with you, but I had to wait for the right moment when your group was safer to bring you here..”

“First off, what do you mean by safe? My party just landed on the first floor of an unknown dungeon. That's anything but safe, Ki!” Zion's frustration was evident in his crossed arms and furrowed brow. “And second, where exactly have you brought me?”

Ki smiled, her expression radiating kindness and patience. A gentle tilt of her head conveyed her understanding of Zion's concerns. “Do not worry, Zion. Just like the space you entered during the ceremony, this place also operates on a time delay. It's not as significant as the Weave, but it's far more potent.”

“This space is a null zone. It will serve as our meeting room. Bringing you here taxes the limits of my abilities,” Ki explained calmly.

“Okay, fine, that answers that. But what do you need, Ki? I really hope you didn’t pull me away from the group for a quick cup of tea. We're kind of in the middle of being hunted by something on day one of our time together. It's been a rough start,” Zion paced anxiously, his frustration evident in his restless movements.

“I know of all you go through, Zion, just as every other Deity knows of their charges,” Ki reassured him, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. “That's why I'm here. The dungeon you've entered is no ordinary one. It's a rare anomaly called a dark dungeon.”

“A dark dungeon? I've never heard of that from anyone… not even Dad,” Zion's voice wavered with a hint of sadness.

“No, I would think this would be your first time hearing of it, as these places are rare. To put it bluntly, the dungeon you've entered has been infected by leaking Void energy,” Ki's tone was grave, her eyes reflecting the seriousness of the situation. “Instead of facing simple mobs, the creatures within will be empowered beyond normal standards. I cannot foresee their powers as chaos clouds my vision.”

“That sounds like the last place me and two Chosen should have gone into. How screwed are we?” Zion's frustration was palpable.

“The four of you should be fine, Zion, as long as you work together. The first floor should be easy to clear, and then you must rest,” Ki advised wisely, her words carrying a weight of authority. “Take that rest and truly get to know each other. You'll need that trust for the deeper reaches.”

“Nope, not happening, Ki,” Zion asserted firmly. “We only came in here to rest on the first floor, not clear the dungeon entirely. We only have three members and one tagalong.”

“While I'm glad you've begun to talk to me less formally, Zion, I remind you that I am the Goddess, not your equal,” Ki's glowing eyes brightened, gently reminding Zion of the hierarchy. Zion swallowed and nodded, understanding.

“You must clear this dungeon, Zion. Within its depths lie the bodies of adventurers who have gone missing. Their deaths are not simply due to looting. These poor souls have been sentenced to join the Devastation in the most appalling way. If they are not cleared, Devastation will have its first stronghold from which to build,” Ki explained solemnly.

The weight of Ki's words settled heavily on Zion. The thought of a Sphere entirely in the hands of the Deities of Devastation was chilling. Not even in the chaotic times did a Sphere fall completely into their hands. The presence of so much Void energy in a Sphere could corrupt the surrounding ones, spelling disaster for all.

“As you know, when a dungeon breaks, a mob spawn is created. That is already a disastrous event, one that would mean a permanent spawn for any monsters within. Now imagine that but with those monsters being infected with potent Void energy.”

“Okay, you've made your point,” Zion relented, his shoulders slumping as he exhaled deeply. “How do we stop whatever,” he gestured vaguely, “is going on down there? Any advice?”

“I will always have advice, Zion. Sometimes, it just won't be words directing you, nor a quest. You must start to trust your instincts like I told you before,” she said cryptically. “In order to remove the taint, you will have to destroy the source. This dungeon will reveal an opportunity to share what is occurring around all of Nifell. Use this to spread awareness about the threat.”

“That doesn’t exactly answer my question, Ki. Actually, it raises more,” Zion said, frustration evident in his tone. “I get you have the whole higher power restrictions thing, but can’t you be more helpful than that?”

“Sadly, I cannot, Zion. I can guide you, give hints, and even sprinkle breadcrumbs for you to find, but I cannot give exact directions. Quests are the best you will get in that regard, and even they have limits,” she explained patiently. “This will open up the greater path you and the others must embark on. It will be perilous, and many will die. Have faith in your convictions, and more so, have faith in those you choose to bond with.”

“Now go, Zion, and make the first strike against our enemy!” Her words were interrupted by a collapse of the white room, walls and ceiling alike caving in towards him. Reacting instinctively, he summoned an arcane shield, bracing himself for the impact. However, to his surprise, nothing breached the barrier; instead, he opened his eyes to the dim flame of simple torches.

“Holy Devastation, did you see it!” Beth's voice quivered with terror, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. “That thing was right on top of us! We barely escaped!”

“Yeah, I saw it. Those claws were massive, and that green slime oozing from its mouth...ugh,” Camila shuddered, drawing Beth into a protective embrace. Sensing Zion's confusion, Camila's expression softened with concern. “Zion, what's wrong? Are you okay?”

“No, honestly, my head is spinning,” he confessed, noticing Beth's questioning expression. “I was with Ki, right when we entered the dungeon. It's kind of overwhelming.”

Zion raised his hands in a calming gesture, a faint smile playing on his lips. Despite being his age, Beth sometimes acted much younger. “It'll take a bit to explain, but here's the gist. We have to clear this dungeon. It's infected with pure Void energy, and if we don't stop it, the Sphere is in serious trouble. But,” he pointed knowingly at Camila before she could interrupt, “first, we need to clear this floor and regroup. Ki made it clear that we can't rush headlong into danger anymore. We need to become a real team.”

“That's a lot to take in, Zion,” Camila remarked, her tone reflecting her concern. “Are we supposed just to clear the floor with no more explanation than that?”

“For now, yes, I'm sorry,” he said apologetically. “I just have this feeling that we need to focus on the task at hand before diving into explanations. Let's clear this floor quickly, and then we can talk. We've been following others' orders for too long.”

“Let's get this done. But you're carrying our friend,” Camila insisted, her determination evident in her voice. “We can't leave him hereafter, risking everything to bring him along.”

“No complaints here. I'll put him down when we get into combat,” he reassured her. “Lead the way, Camila. Let's get this over with.

his over with.