Carissa didn’t know exactly what she been expecting when she had entered the glowing water portal with the young man calling himself Matthias but entering a locked metallic room with dim lighting with a wire enclosed red light flashing above a locked steel door hadn’t been the first thought in her mind.

The dampness and the sensation of the cold metal beneath her fingertips reminded her of a place she had been to when she was a girl, visiting a colleague of her parents. Even the air itself was stale and had clearly been recycled several times. There was almost a taste to it.

Combat for her meant that her group would be paired against others in an area or a place to display their own worth before the insane ocean gods which had stuck her in this place.

For his part, Matthias was proving to be an inquisitive young man if somewhat ineffectual given his lack of understanding of their environment.

‘A dungeon. The Ocean Gods have placed in a dungeon and we are to escape and kill enough monsters or fight players for our eventual success. Or a trial of our abilities to escape. Stand back a little, this metal door looks strong enough but it’s worth trying to break through it.’ said Matthias as he took the blade from his hip and stood in a combat stance.

He appeared prepared to try and cut his way through the door regardless of his present situation, Carissa had considered that the young man would have been trained enough to think regarding his surroundings but likely the same as her he was panicked a little and trying his best not to show it. The enemy of anxiety was action after all.

‘Stop it. I have an idea of where we are. Or rather the type of place we’re in. A rough idea at least and trying to smash through the metal door isn’t a valid one. Firstly, I don’t even remember the last time that I was hungry or thirsty. Do you Matthias? We should try and eat and drink even if to normalise ourselves a little before we take action.’ said Carissa.

Her words caused the young man to pause his actions for a moment before he released his grip on the sword with one hand and with a swift action put it back into his belt. He turned and bowed in her direction, the flashing red light above the doorway illuminating his platinum hair as his features softened slightly.

‘My apologies...Carissa. I considered that our immediate situation would necessitate combat. But I admit I am a little confused, we were told that we would be placed in a situation where we need to fight and we remain inside a locked room? Is there a strict time limit before we are released and a swarm of monsters attacks us or are we to fight our way through this dungeon to the final boss?’ said Matthias.

Carissa turned her attention to the walls and floor of the small room. She took several steps to gauge the size of it, it was several metres across and the ceiling was taller than both of them but only just. A fairly cramped space, pipes ran across the ceiling and the metal door showed no signs or any locking or opening mechanism.

There was a subtle vibration and a thrum of machinery beneath her feet. Through the grey suit her own senses were enhanced but still far more reduced than they should have been. Her own genetic enhancements remained disabled and placing a hand on her scarred abdomen covered by the suit the technological implants remained inactive.

‘I don’t know what type of world you’ve come from Matthias, but we don’t have dungeons where I’m from. Nor monsters, not unless you count the ones who take human form. As for final bosses it sounds more like a movie plot to me. Sit down with me and take a moment to think, you said you’d share your provisions with me. I’d appreciate a bottle of water and any form of protein which is edible.’ said Carissa as she walked over to the wall opposite the metal door and sat down with her back to it letting her legs hang loose.

As a second thought she focused her attention to her grey suit, willing it off her fingers and hands. The suit responded to her thoughts as it peeled back and revealed her bare hands. At least this time she had a measure of control.

She’d need to try her spatial bag next and then try examining with the rules of the system to get a better grasp on her situation. Even scan Matthias to try and get more permission as they were now in a designated group.

‘Yes, I…yes. I promised I would share and assist you with fighting technique and I. Forgive me. I am still lacking as a true Knight of Avalon.’ said Matthias as he followed Carissa's approach and sat down next to her with his own back against the wall.

He removed his sword and placed it on his side carefully, within grabbing reach if necessary. Then he took unclipped his own spatial bag from his belt and opened it, as he reached in, he pulled out two containers bottle shaped but formed of an earthy material and two dark green wrapped packages.

Passing one of each to Carissa he cracked open the top of one of the bottle shaped containers and drank deeply from it before peeling open the wrapped package to reveal a roasted fish and several other foodstuffs which appeared to be nuts of a type she failed to recognise. Familiar yet not.

‘I can eat and drink first, if to prove to you that none of this is poisoned. If you prefer you can wait and see if I have a reaction before you eat. I was given a variety of vittles by my...what would you call them. Like the man you called Mike, mine was a woman who was tough but fair. She rescued me from the rough sea before she gave me accommodation and we shared a meal. And then we were taken down below the surface of the oceans into the Deep Temple as she called it before she told me to wait until further instructions came.’ said Matthias as he alternated between bites of the food and taking drinks from his container.

Carissa accepted her own food package and opened it, the smell was fragrant to her senses with a hint of spice which was familiar but different at the same time.

Rather than pick at her food she took the roasted fish and bit into it, letting her sharpened teeth slice through and swallowed it almost entirely in several gulps before the hunger from her body kicked in and she devoured every last piece of the package.

Still hungry she decided to take a bite of the dark green wrapping to find it was made of seaweed. Carissa wanted all the nutrition she could absorb and found that her body was still hungry.

Licking her fingers clean she cradled the bottle shaped container in both hands, it wasn’t made of plastic but more like a clay like material. The top of it cracked open easily and she took a small sip as a taste. She had been expecting simple water but it had a sweetness to it, likely electrolytes or added minerals with a hint of mint.

Gulping down the entire container without taking a breath she set it to her side letting her body absorb the food and drink. The fact that she hadn’t experienced any signs or thirst of hunger since being taken below the depths of the water by Chas and Mike wasn’t a huge surprise to her. Likely another benefit of wearing the grey suit although she wasn’t clear if it only delayed her need for sustenance and water or offset it somehow.

Given their situation didn’t demand for immediate action, even the Ocean Gods would have given the player candidates a brief moment of respite before being forced into a combat situation she decided to first thank Matthias and satisfy her curiosity a little at the same time.

The vision from before had taught her that the ones calling themselves Ocean Gods had flooded a world and she had only seen the merest portion of it, normal people had been thankful and those in the military, armed forces or scientists had chosen to fight back with no result. That or she was simply being subjected to a propaganda message designed to indoctrinate her as a new player candidate. Not that any of it mattered.

The red light inside the room hadn’t dimmed and continued to flash during the brief meal Matthias and Carissa shared. She waited until Matthias had finished her own food before asking him a question.

‘Matthias, do you know the functions of your suit? Or even the Ocean Gateway System? I’m going to try something with your permission and ask it to give me an answer.’ asked Carissa.

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‘I believe that the…. system as you call it is a response to prayer to the Ocean Gods. As for the suit, it simply functions as both protection and guidance. Our armour in Avalon functioned much the same way. The Lady gave her blessings to us and we responded in turn. Those who disobeyed were suitably punished for their actions. My concern is leaving this room. Staying here longer will only bring more danger upon ourselves surely. I believe the more time we rest here the higher the number of monsters outside will increase.’ said Matthias as he took both his empty wrapping and both his and Carissa’s bottle containers and put them both back inside his own storage bag on his waist.

‘Well, I’m expecting a system announcement to begin. This isn’t right. When you want to run a series of trials or tests you need to give notifications to the test subjects in advance. No scientist would simply wait and see unless the experiment had been halted for a time.’ said Carissa as she stood up and walked towards the steel door.

Examining it and the red light above and given her earlier observations of the vibrations and quality of the air with its dampness she pushed the door to find it was securely fastened. Planting her feet against the metal floor she pushed even harder with no success.

‘I’m guessing we’re no longer being directed and need to find our own initiative a little once more. Here, come and stand by the door, just in case I get distracted or it opens suddenly. I don’t want to face a group of other player candidates rushing me without a little preparation.’ said Carissa.

‘Hesitation can kill as easily as direct action. Only by facing danger first can we truly learn out to fight.’ said Matthias as he stood to his feet and grasped his sword in one hand.

‘You need to take out your weapon and prepare yourself. I will assist you as best as I can but the best teacher is always true experience. I will stand by the door and be your protection but you need to be prepared first. I don’t believe the Ocean Gods would wait for us to stay in a dungeon cell as we starve to death.’ said Matthias.

‘This isn’t a dungeon Matthias. Not in the way you think it is, we’re underwater. Either in a facility or a submersible. You can tell from the damp and air that’s been recycled or filtered. Fine, we’ll play it your way then. I’ll take out my weapon and then we push the door together.’ said Carissa as she reached into her bag half expecting it being unable to open due to restrictions from the Ocean Gateway System.

Her hand sunk deep into the spatial pocket which filled her bag, a hilt came into contact with her finger tips as she grasped onto the bone weapon which Carissa had been gifted with.

She remembered the second life statue which was meant to act as a degree of protection and give her protection from physical harm at least once. Not that she had experienced any need for it since going beneath the waves.

‘A fine weapon. A club with teeth is a good weapon for any amateur. Ah, my mistake, I mean to say it suits you. I don’t think you need too much support in its usage Carissa.’ said Matthias.

‘I know an insult when I hear one. Like it or not we’re operating as a group. So shut up and stand there with your sword and the pointy end facing towards the door as I try to check my current control of the system.’ said Carissa as she gingerly touched the toothed edges of her weapon.

Matthias had been right in a way; she had not been trained in the use of hand-to-hand weaponry but had taken enough self-defence training to be able to fight away a single attacker or two.

Her sharpened teeth and altered mind would give her an edge when it came down to it. Most people had little inclination for violence in a stressful situation. For her, it would simply be clear survival and action.

When her hands were on the bone toothed club the description of it flowed into her mind’s eye. Keeping her visual senses on both the metal door and Matthias she took in the system description she had viewed in what felt like an age ago.

[Player-Candidate Designate: Carissa.

Weapon Received from Ocean Gateway System

-Bone Toothed Blade/Club

-Inflicts physical damage.

-Item cannot be transferred or sold to other players.

A simple weapon grown from a piece of bone, teeth and sheath included.

-Growth Potential]

The sheath for the club was one she had yet to see but likely it was what assisted her in placing it inside the spatial bag.

‘A moment Matthias. I just need one more item and then we’ll try the door together.’ said Carissa.

The entire metal room shifted, shaking both Matthias and Carissa nearly causing both of them to stumble. Grasping her hold on the bone weapon and tightening her grip Carissa put a hand to the wall to steady herself.

‘I believe the Ocean Gods do not want our hesitation, Carissa. With both of us, we can open this door and begin to face the true dangers of this dungeon.’ said Matthias.

Carissa knew that it wasn’t a reaction from insane water-based gods but another movement. Worse, the red flashing light above their heads had visibly dimmed. Sticking her hand inside her spatial bag her hands locked around the statuette which she had been given as a gift.

Without taking it out of the bag she viewed the description.

[Player-Candidate Designate: Carissa.

Gift Received from Player: Mike

-Second-Life Statuette

-Will absorb significant physical/mental damage.

-Single Usage only.

-Self-Destruction Upon Usage.

-Item cannot be transferred or sold to other players.]

A useful item, if she had any clue about how to use it. Ideally, given the game like mechanics which the Ocean Gods had created with their system and rules then it would automatically activate when she was injured. Or she could have been handed it out of pity to give her a false hope. Likely, Bonnie and Direk had both been given similar items.

Carissa knew that it would be best to rely on her own abilities and experiences to see her through rather than rely on others. She had forced the system to work for her at the cost of physical and mental pain and the ire of one of the Ocean Gods but it had worked.

The system they created had limits and the mysterious messages from her unknown benefactor lent credence to that idea. She had trained herself to see the messages not using her eyes but with her mind by using a soaking towel over her eyes, mouth and nose and a steady flow of water with practice.

‘I’m prepared Matthias. Why don’t we ask the system for an update on nature of this combat? As a knight you must have taken quests. I doubt this is any different, we just need to learn how to behave on our own terms.’ asked Carissa.

A sudden shift inside the room that had shaken them a little was a secondary concern. The metal room they found themselves inside though was modern, not packed full of technology as Carissa recognised it was bidden enough but still relatively modern. Given the apparent hatred of the Ocean Gods for any reliance on technology it was a strange situation.

She’d risk the pain this time for the sake of moving forwards.

‘I believe our immediate action should be to either force or open this door where we will fight. All dungeons have a starting room and this is ours. As for what manner of creatures we face I don’t have a clue but we will fight and win. We can ask later.’ said Matthias as he placed a hand on the metal door and began to push.

Carissa took her own free hand and placed it on the door and a creaking sound emanated from the door as it began to swing outwards. As she took in a deep breath and continued to push forwards a klaxon alarm began to ring out as a voice called out from an unknown intercom loudspeaker.