Ch.53 Derailed

In the border between the human and beastmen territories of the western continent, in the wastelands of Snake Nest, two armies are building fortresses. In the middle of both constructs, a ring of rune-filled stones circles a three-meter cave entrance. Many mages can be seen siphoning off the stored element mana inside the stones, glints of joy or greed appearing in their faces.

One of the mages with a staff adorned in numerous jewels walks to the entrance of the cave, a flattering smile on his face. "Respectable Priest and great Warriors, when will the Dungeon be opened? I wish to be ready to do my part and keep the monsters inside from bringing harm to the people!!"

The group guarding the entrance ignored the mage's question, they were more focused on keeping each other from entering the Dungeon. It wasn't until one of the priests saw the crest pinned on the mage's chest did it bothered to reply. "Elder of the Chestron nobles, we are not aware as to when the Dungeon would open, for now, the church wishes for it to remain sealed."

Hearing the priest talk made the largest of the warrior's scoff, making the mage focus on him. This beastmen was of the dog species, its brown silky fur highlighting the deep black eyes reflecting battle hunger. Turning his eyes back to the priest, he thanked it for his reply and returned to siphoning the element mana from the stones.

Behind the priest was a small temporary tent protected by four fully armored paladins, an elderly man sat inside it on a golden throne muttering to himself. "How much longer will it take for this Dungeon to collapse?" Taking out a golden orb, he whispers a short spell, his mind appearing in a grand and luxurious hall. "Reporting to his Holiness, it has been fifteen days since the Dungeon was sealed, no signs of collapse have been found."

The man addressed as his Holiness was surrounded by grand paladins and high priests, his eyebrows lightly frowning at the news. Raising one hand, a priest quickly came to his side kneeling before the stairs of a large bejeweled throne, beginning his report.

"Your Holiness, after going thru the records of past Dungeons, it is believed that a fairy has managed to stabilize the dungeons mentality. Much like the cases of Earth-type Dungeons, this Chaos Dungeon has access to elements the Shackles can't restrain allowing it to survive."

The old and dignified man began to ponder the information he had just gotten, as well as the strange actions of the fairy army. "What news have we gotten from the Fairy Army? Have they started to push us to remove the restraints or any backlash from the heretics?"

The priest bowed deeper and reply, "the Fairy Army has not raised any complaints as of yet. Also, from our informants inside the beastmen fort, we found that the fairy in command has ordered to not allow anyone inside the Dungeon."

The frown of the man on the throne grew larger, things were going too smoothly. It is understandable for the heretics to ignore a Dungeon, they see it as a plaything if not an amusing battle arena. They only want to use its restraint on the Lord's power to fight for territory and food. Although the hatred for killing one of their Beast Kings is also a driving force, after offering a food channel, they calmed down instantly.

After what seemed like days, he gave up thinking about it, he couldn't reason why those crazy fairies would ignore this generation's Chaos Dungeon. In the old testaments were records of the unrelenting actions done by the fairies to protect the Prismatic Dungeons. Now that a variant who is seemingly stable has appeared, it makes no sense for them to ignore it.

He moved on, "maintain the food trade with the heretics, send those priests we've been grooming to buy and distribute the supplies. Make sure you leak the information to those nobles and merchants." The priest receiving the orders got a glint deep in his eyes, as he excuse himself out of the hall.

Seeing the person leaving, one of the younger priests couldn't help but worried. Kneeling to the man on the throne he said, "your Holiness, forgive me for my insolence, but won't those greedy nobles and merchants raise the prices to where the Churches coffers would suffer? And what of the people's thoughts, what would they think of us if they knew we fed those savages?"

The paladins stared at this young priest in anger, how dare he question his Holiness decisions?! While the priest trembled in fear, the man on the throne wave his hand making the paladins back off. "Child, I understand your concerns but there's no need to worry. The Lord welcomes all who accept him in their hearts. If a bit of food can return some of the lost sheep back to his embrace, I would give it without hesitation!"

Hearing this, all of the worshippers praying around the halls seem to have gotten an epiphany, as their displeasure disappears, praying even more devoutly. The halls started to glow even more brilliantly, as a golden mist exited from the many worshippers unto the man on the throne.

Outside the large palace-like church, the priest who had given the report was talking to one of the mages raised by the church. "Yes, make sure the Beastmen know we are buying them off the nobles and at what price. Once that's done, sell it to them at no profit, make sure to trade with the greedier merchants. He-he, I'll make sure those little guys act pitifully to earn their gratitude."

While the priest and mage were choosing their targets, an emergency report came from the Chaos Dungeon Fort. Immediately reading the highest level report he had ever seen, emotions such as shock, confusion, disbelief, and horror passed thru his eyes. Like a madman, he ran back to the halls he came from, ignoring all decorum.

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Backtracking a few hours back, on Snake Nest, in the middle of the fortresses where the dungeon lay, a golden mist that gave a warm and soothing feeling to those around it started to overflow from the Dungeon. The shocked priest and paladins kneeled uncontrollably, praying to their lord. Many of the freelance mages and warriors, as well as some of the nobles, that came here to steal the dungeon's elements, were also believers joining the priest in prayer.

The beastmen grew aggressive, grabbing their giant swords or other massive weapons thinking the humans had prepared a trap. However, they also started to feel a comfortable and warm feeling from the mist. It wasn't until their leader put away the armor he condensed from earth elements did the rest of the beastmen and half-beastmen calmed down.

The large dog-type leader of these twenty or so warriors closed his eyes, a small moan escaping his lips. The confused Beastmen didn't know how to react to their leader's behavior at first, but it didn't take long for more moans to be heard. These men and women of the Beastmen tribe spent their whole life fighting and training their bodies for battle, leaving many hidden wounds.

Although on rare occasions they were born with magical talent, the golden element has only been seen in the royal bloodline of the Beastmen. The water element can only do so much to heal the constantly battered bones and organs of these warriors. Once they take an injury that exceeds the limit or worse lose a limb, they will be crippled for the rest of their life.

Only those warriors that make it to rank nine can use the elements they have an affinity with to regrow and heal their bodies. These low-rank warriors can't get the royal bloodlines favor, and would rather die than beg these arrogant butchers of the church! Therefore, the number of incapacitated Beastmen was always around fifty percent.

However, this was the first time these warriors felt their bodies slowly heal even the most stubborn and deepest of hidden injuries. It didn't take long before the Beastmen changed to night shifts, spreading the news about the golden mist healing properties throughout the fortress.

In only three days, the church was pressed by their worshippers, the clergy, and the Beastmen to open the Dungeon to the public. With no other choice, the church reached out to the fairy army. However, to their surprise, the faires refused to go inside and make contact with the Dungeon's consciousness. This became the first time since the faires grew in power that the management of a Dungeon was left to the invaders, bringing forth the ancient organization [Adventurers Guild] back from the grave.

Continuing the spree of first times, the Beastmen demanded a leader position in the guild. The church refused at first, nearly causing a war to break out. However, the increasing pressure of its worshippers as well as the Elfs ignoring the fairy threats and wanting a leadership position as well pushed the church to compromise.

After twenty days since the Dungeon was sealed off, a group of twenty people was getting ready to head inside. They were to map out the Dungeon and estimate the level of danger before opening the dungeon. Seven paladins, three priests, eight Beastmen, and two elves were the pioneers of the newly formed [Chaos Guild].

Descending into the depths of the Dungeon, they wonder what's hidden below their feet. The church, however, was able to get information from the army, it was why they were soon confused. After a few minutes, they should have arrived at a partially submerged room but they already walked for forty minutes with the golden mist being the only thing visible.

Luckily, after an hour of descending, they finally saw the narrow cave tunnel expand into a small but tall room. At the other end of the room were giant ornate doors that glowed in shimmering lights like jewels. One of the doors was partially opened, the golden mist and the sounds of running water were coming from inside it.

Preparing for battle, both groups sent one of their defensive warriors to push open the way. Inside the doors was a mirror-like hallway with golden waterfalls on both sides. The scene was majestic and daunting, as they peer at the torrents of water below them. Spreading their aura to the limit, they saw the pillars of water stretching endlessly.

The golden mist was finally revealed to be evaporated Holy water. The priest didn't know how to feel after seeing one of their sacred items being as common as air. They got enraged as they saw those dirty heretics scooping the Holy water with their dirty hands, drinking gallons worth.

However, their outrage was ignored by both the beastmen and there lord, as the element mana inside it refused to move to their pull. This was a big blow to these priests, as the lord's power would always follow their desires before. They were always the ones that guided the power to the believers, acting as the judges of the lord in this mortal world.

The red face priest and paladins marched forward, not willing to accept such an outcome as well as to run from the elf's and beastmens mockery. They soon passed by several sets of diamond-shaped lights inside the waterfalls, coming to the end of the hall. Peering thru the waters, they saw many gold and white structures illuminated by windows. Now close enough to identify them, they were many wings made from gold and white metals. Passing thru a gate adorned in those wings, a large circular room opened up before them.

Four large pillars supported the ceiling of this room, as many windows decorated the walls. In the middle of the room, an enormous statue of a four-sided star with numerous wings seemingly dancing and growing out from it glowed in brilliant but soothing golden lights. Seeing this statue touched something deep inside the priests' souls, as the lord's power inside them boiled in excitement!

The beastmen entered the room after having their fill, many of their hidden wounds disappearing as they digested the golden waters. The first thing they saw after passing the gate made out of wings was the priest and paladins praying around a giant statue. Although they felt warmth coming from it, they didn't really have the same reaction as them.

Moving around the halls, they saw four half-circle desks in between the large pillars, two on the left and right. Behind them was a small pool of golden waters. Searching inside them with their auras showed a network of tunnels leading to the waterfalls outside or deeper below past their senses.

On the other end of the room was a giant doorway with a pair of matching size windows on both sides. These windows look like wings, golden lights coming from them and bathing the room in even more warm and dreamy lights. The only thing left on these simple yet elegant gold and white halls were four doors that refused to open.

Eyeing the priest, the beastmen moved towards the giant doorway the elves following them. With the help of five of the larger beastmen the doors finally gave way revealing sunny skies and plains of green and golden beauty.

One of the red fur beastmen couldn't help but cry out, "is this the outside world? No! Is a Field floor! Holy Beast almighty, how can there be a field on the first floor!?" Although her voice broke the feeling of awe, she expressed what they were all feeling at the moment.

Why exactly was this Dungeon so different than those they used to play around with?