Travis appeared in a dimly lit room, the flickering torches casting long, wavering shadows on the cold stone walls. He turned in a slow circle, scanning for any sign of an exit, but the room seemed sealed on all sides. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he tried to process what had just happened. But no matter how hard he searched his memory, no answers surfaced.
Realizing his panic would do him no good, he paused, closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply. The scent of burning wood and damp stone filled his nostrils. Exhaling steadily, he repeated the process until his heartbeat slowed to a steady rhythm. With renewed focus, he unsheathed his sword, the faint metallic scrape echoing in the stillness. The weapon felt reassuringly solid in his hand as he forced his thoughts to order.
' Okay, so how do dungeons work again?' he mused. 'From the games I've played, I need to kill a boss or hit a certain number of kills to escape. At least, that’s how it usually goes. I hope that’s what’s happening here. But... that arrow—how was it fired? That’s the real mystery. Well, answers can wait. Right now, survival comes first. '
Steeling himself, Travis stepped forward into a narrow, stone-walled corridor that stretched out into the unknown. The oppressive silence weighed heavily on him, broken only by the soft tap of his boots against the uneven floor. He didn't allow his gaze to linger too long on the cracked walls or the faint streaks of red smeared across some of the stones—he knew better than to let his imagination get the better of him.
The hallway opened into a wide chamber, its walls lined with more torches. The flickering light created a disorienting dance of shadows, and Travis instinctively scanned the area, sword at the ready. Something felt... off. He couldn't sense anything—not movement, not a presence, not even the faint hum of ambient energy he usually picked up in places like this.
His grip on the sword tightened as unease crept in.' Alright, so far, so good. But there’s no way I’m letting my guard down in a place like this. '
As if to confirm his suspicions, a low, sinister cackle echoed through the chamber. Travis froze, his eyes darting around to locate the source of the sound. The laughter grew louder, more distinct, ricocheting off the walls until it seemed to come from every direction at once. He turned sharply, sword raised, when suddenly, three figures materialized in front of him.
They were tall goblins, each one a grotesque blend of wiry muscle and cruel cunning. Their greenish skin gleamed in the torchlight, and wide, toothy grins split their faces as they brandished wickedly curved swords.
Travis took a step back, his jaw tightening as he adjusted his grip on the hilt of his blade. His eyes flicked between them, assessing their stance and demeanor. ' These must be High Goblins, ' he realized, a chill running down his spine. ' I have no idea what they're capable of. I need to be careful '
The goblins began to fan out, their predatory grins never wavering. Travis held his ground, his mind racing. Whatever came next, he would need every ounce of focus and skill to get out alive.
Stolen story; please report.
Travis barely had time to think as the three goblins lunged at him all at once, their movements fast and coordinated. The sound of their swords cutting through the air was sharp and threatening. He raised his own blade just in time to deflect the first strike aimed at his head, the clash of steel ringing through the chamber.
The second goblin attacked from his left, its sword slicing horizontally toward his side. Travis twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the blade, but the third goblin was already moving, stabbing forward from the right. He brought his sword down in a quick arc, knocking the goblin’s weapon aside with a loud clang.
“Damn it,” Travis muttered, stepping back to put some distance between himself and the trio. The goblins didn’t give him a moment to rest. They pressed forward, their grins wide and cruel, their swords flashing in the torchlight.
The first goblin charged again, aiming a powerful overhead strike at Travis. He raised his sword to block it, the force of the impact reverberating up his arms. Sparks flew as their blades locked for a brief moment. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the second goblin circling behind him.
With a grunt, Travis shoved the first goblin back and spun, bringing his sword around in a sweeping arc. The second goblin jumped back just in time, but the tip of Travis’s blade grazed its chest, drawing a thin line of blood. The goblin snarled in pain but didn’t back down.
The third goblin used the opening to rush him, its sword stabbing toward his midsection. Travis sidestepped, letting the blade pass harmlessly by, then lashed out with a kick to the goblin’s knee. The creature stumbled with a growl, but before Travis could capitalize, the first two were already back on him.
The room echoed with the constant clash of metal as Travis parried and dodged, his sword moving in tight, efficient motions. He ducked under a wild swing from the first goblin, countering with a quick slash that caught its arm. The goblin shrieked, its grin replaced with a snarl, but the others didn’t falter.
The second goblin came at him low, its blade aimed for his legs. Travis jumped back, the tip of the weapon missing him by inches. The third goblin lunged at the same moment, swinging for his head. Travis ducked, feeling the rush of air as the sword passed just above him, then thrust his blade forward, driving it into the third goblin’s stomach.
The creature let out a guttural cry, its weapon clattering to the floor as it fell back, clutching at the wound.
Travis didn’t have time to celebrate. The remaining two goblins attacked together, their movements more desperate but just as deadly. He sidestepped a wide slash from the first goblin, countering with a quick strike that cut across its thigh. The second goblin tried to flank him again, but this time he was ready.
He pivoted on his heel, bringing his sword around in a tight arc. The blade connected with the goblin’s neck in a clean strike, and its headless body collapsed to the ground with a sickening thud.
The final goblin hesitated, its confidence shaken. Travis didn’t wait for it to recover. He surged forward, feinting high before dropping low and driving his sword into the creature’s chest.
It let out a final, wheezing gasp before slumping to the floor.
Breathing heavily, Travis straightened, his eyes scanning the chamber for any more threats. The only sound now was the crackle of the torches and his own ragged breathing. He wiped the blood from his blade on one of the goblin’s tattered cloaks before sheathing it.
“That was too close,” Travis muttered, his chest still rising and falling with each breath as he glanced at the three lifeless bodies sprawled on the cold stone floor. “Pretty good warm-up, though. I didn’t even need to use my mana. And this sword…” He looked down at the weapon in his hand, its black blade faintly gleaming in the flickering torchlight. “It’s damn good. It moves exactly how I want it to, almost like it knows what I’m thinking.”
He unsheathed the sword again and held it up, inspecting the dark surface. The blade seemed almost alive, its edges rippling faintly, as though responding to his gaze. He realized he’d gotten so used to it drawing on his mana that he barely noticed anymore. It felt natural—too natural, as if the sword had become an extension of his own body.
“Guess it’s just you and me, huh?” he murmured to the weapon before shrugging off the thought. Whatever it was, it worked, and that was all that mattered for now.
Sliding the sword back into its scabbard with a soft click, Travis stepped over the goblins’ bodies, their blood pooling beneath them and soaking into the cracks of the stone floor. He didn’t bother looking back; they were just obstacles, nothing more.
The hallway ahead stretched into darkness, but he didn’t slow down. The faint echoes of his footsteps filled the air as he pressed on, gripping the hilt of his sword lightly. This dungeon had more to throw at him—he could feel it—and he wasn’t about to let his guard down again.
TO BE CONTINUED