Lair

Chapter 028 - Moving On

By Skalsar

Gram was already waiting for days.

Mina told him she had to return home for a while, but didn't say how long it would take her.

So he waited.

And waited.

What did he even know about her?

He was adventuring with her, but she never was very talkative about herself.

Only noting that she was looking for something important.

Just what was it?

And why was she so desperately searching for it?

Nearly dying just one of the problems that occured because of that.

He really would like to ask her about it.

If she were to return, that is.

The past days he had gone exploring the first few levels of the dungeon alone.

Now that he knew about [Slimes], he could avoid them.

But it was boring without Mina.

While not being talkative herself, she always livened up the fight.

'Huh?'

He was looking around.

Were had he gone now?

'Shit. I lost track.'

Being deep in thought he continued to walk his circles.

Forgetting about his steps.

It was cold.

'[Dungeon Walk].'

The [Dungeon Walk] didn't work.

'Is there a monster?'

He drew his weapon and looked around.

'No. It's like that time.'

As he already had experienced it before, he now knew.

Something about this dungeon was very, very dangerous.

At some rooms, you couldn't open a [Portal].

When did he enter it?

From where to where would it be like that?

He had to stay vigilant and not panic.

You have found a hidden passageway.

'Huh?', it was weird. As he took a step, the blue box had appeared.

Was this a good thing or a bad?

The last time he found a hidden passageway, he had stepped in front of a [Dungeon Lord].

Should he step back?

But what if this meant treasure?

What if this time karma went around to help him?

How does this even work if you can't use [Dungeon Walk] here?

'No, this time it will work out.

I can't give up this opportunity!', he thought to himself.

When he went through the [Portal], he could see a dark, cold room.

It was freezing and hard to breath.

Pillars where everywhere.

Looking like a jail made within a maze.

Just that the pillars looked like crystals.

Weeping could be heard.

Someone was there.

In one of the squares made with pillars.

Naked.

Hanging on chains.

Through the darkness, he couldn't make out much, just the form.

>Oh my goddess. Are you a human?!<, he asked her surprised.

'Is she imprisoned here?!'

The weeping stopped.

>You have to run..<, a female voice whispered faintly.

'This is dangerous.'

He had done something stupid again.

Maybe he could save her?

No.

He isn't strong enough to break those pillars.

If anything, he has to run and get help.

There was said to be some strong retired adventurer in [Mafay Village].

Maybe he could tell Gram what to do.

With that thought, Gram turned around and run through the [Portal].

He had to escape.

Was he in danger too?

Monsters were drawing near.

He could somehow feel it.

No, he couldn't. Being afraid played tricks on him.

Feeling cold stares in the darkness.

But where had he ran now?

Finding a hidden passageway after losing the way was a bad thing after all.

He ran through some rooms.

This wasn't the right way.

>Argh!<, he shouted surprised as a rat bit him.

No, this wasn't a rat.

It had a green glow on it's fur.

'Oh goddess.'

There were more.

Dozens more.

Like a wave spreading on the sea, they were jumping over eachother to get to Gram.

He ran faster now.

To his luck, they were many, but slow.

When he finally had lost them, he tried to use [Dungeon Walk] again.

This time he succeeded and escaped through the [Portal].

But the surface shocked him.

It looked like a room.

Had he really returned?

The wall that was built to prevent the monsters from appearing outside the given space was altered.

It had a dark glow and marble-like structure.

And a ceiling.

It looked like a dungeon room.

Leaving that room, Gram held his breath.

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The forest around the room was being removed.

A treelike.. thing, was breaking down trees.

If he remembered correctly, it was called a [Treant].

Some high level monster.

>No way..<

A wooden sign was standing right on the way to the rooms entrance.

We are currently establishing a trading outpost. Please refrain from using the dungeon until further notice.

>Oh my, what a cute little boy.<, a beautiful woman said behind his back.

As he turned to look at her, he was taken in by the view.

Just like he felt when he saw Mina for the first time.

He was just a young boy after all.

Even if this world considered him an adult.

He knew nothing when it came to woman.

>Who..<, he couldn't even end his sentence before the woman kissed him.

Her long, black hair fell over his shoulders as his legs gave in.

A sweet fragrance entered his nose.

Why was he shaking like that?

'No, I have to run.

I have to help..'

His thought was disturbed as he felt the tongue of the woman in his mouth.

As he opened his eyes again, he could stare into hers.

Red as blood.

Her skin smooth, but pale.

Only now he realized the form of the woman.

She was nearly naked, with the exception of her feminine features.

The disturbing thing was the black wings on her back that looked like that of a bat.

Now that he looked at it.. there was a tail on her back.

Her hands more like claws.

This was without any doubt a monster.

>I'm lonely, you know?<, she whispered in his ear and bit it softly.

What was this feeling?

Gram hadn't experienced this before.

It wasn't like being attracted to someone.

This felt like being helpless.

Every time she touched him, he felt even weaker.

His mind didn't seem to work either.

'No, I wanted to.. What did I want to do..?', his breath grew heavy.

>Just who are you..?<, he asked.

The monster was slowly drawing him back to the dungeon.

When he entered the [Portal], he arrived to another weird room.

Had the monster opened the way to this room?

The ground was soft, the air was nice.

And again this sweet fragrance was everywhere.

The monster kissed him again.

>Please, just call me Sora.<, she whispered.

'She is a monster, but how come she is that beautiful?'

Slowly she started to play with him and his desire again.

Laying him down.

And as she kissing his body, going deeper, he finally noticed.

He didn't feel his limbs anymore.

>Poor boy.

Being bitten by my little [Skeevers].

Don't worry through.

I won't let you suffer from the poison.<

'The rats.. I forgot..'

He had thought about it for a moment.

The green glow.

But he wasn't worried because he had antidote with him.

Just that he had been waiting for a sign that they really poisoned him.

So he went on and forgot about it.

>I won't survive this.. Will I?<, he asked bitterly.

>Oh, you were given a chance before, by our [Broodmother], weren't you?

And there you enter our hive again and even enter the prison we built.

They would be mad at me if I just let you escape.<, she explained with a soft voice.

He wanted to laugh, but couldn't muster the strength.

On the bright site, even through he was slowly loosing conciousness, it felt amazing.

'Just why was I trying to escape again..?', he tried to grasp his thoughts before falling asleep.

Ignoring the weak blue glow before his eyes.

Your stamina and magic power have been forcefully depleted.

You have entered critical condition.

You have lost control over your limbs because of poison.

Your life energy is being drained.