Early the next morning, myself and a large group of workers headed into the forest. When we got to the swamp with the island, we started collecting wood and hauling it over to the island. My main task was to guard the group, but I occasionally joined in the work.

After a couple of days of work in which I lost no small amount of my accumulated contribution points to the government, credit to the alchemists, and hundreds of pounds of meat, we were finally done!

I slowly approached the chimera that had grown tired of threatening us over the last days, and with the help of my mana I lit a small branch from the tons of wood we had gathered.

"When you can't beat a chimera in a fair fight, beat it in an unfair one," my father Bartolomei Zlodar often said.

The fire began to grow, and I started pushing the heavier trees towards the chimera. At this point, fresh air began to come from the tunnel entrance. I had been summoning imps all morning until I finally gathered a group with individuals with a very strong affinity for air magic. They used their power to keep the fire from going out.

Soon, the heat became unbearable and I hurried out of the tunnel. All the while, the chimera kept calling me all sorts of names.

"You may be right, and I may be all sorts of things, but you're going to get barbecued," I thought smugly.

Hour after hour, the fire kept burning. Stinking smoke was coming out of the tunnel, and I kept glancing around.

"I hope some goblins, orcs or other scum wouldn't come from somewhere to ruin my fun," I worried.

I had pulled my raft onto the island and even tried to cover up the exit of the dungeon as well as the traces of my presence. Hoping for the best, despite all the damn smoke.

However, all went well and the next day I re-entered the interior of the tunnels.

"I'm glad these tunnels made with magic are so durable. If they were made on Earth, the concrete would 100% splinter and flood the chimera... Actually, that's a good solution too" I philosophized as I looked at the ravaged tunnel walls.

The hall with the beautiful lettering and intricate puzzle was also smoky and dirty. "If the alien organizers are watching, they might draw the wrong conclusions about our planet," I felt worried for a moment.

Then, feeling hopeful, I approached the chimera hall, having previously put water-soaked clothes on my face, with my bear walking in front of me.

Once I reached the chimera hall, I noticed that she had moved as far away from the fire as possible and was lying on the ground. There were claw marks all around her and I even noticed quite a bit of damage to the base of the chain.

I sent my bear forward, and was astonished to find that the chimera was still alive! "Not for long!" thought I, giving my bear an order with my hand.

“So I am a weakling, eh? Calling me all sorts of names, didn't ya… Let's see who is the weak one now!” said a little voice inside me, which I silenced quickly. "It's not right to taunt a tied up opponent like that.", I decided and approached my dying opponent with a huge wood ax.

During the remainder of the day, I slowly cut the chimera into pieces and tucked them into my ring. Periodically I would go out and rest in the fresh air, but in the end I was extremely satisfied. I had collected several hundred kilograms of poison from the chimera, blood from its heart, and numerous different bones and organs. These were all mighty alchemical treasures that could serve me well some day.

As I worked on the monster, my eyes often lingered on the heavy chain with which the monster was tied. "This chain is extremely strong, the materials it is made of must be quite valuable," I mused.

So, after processing the chimera's body, I began to break the wall the chain was coming out of. It was hard work, but my control over the bear was getting better thanks to it. It could now use a pickaxe, though every movement was slow and clumsy. Its paws were not designed for such actions, nor were its instincts.

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However, I had tied the pick directly to the bear's paws. Its blows were not very effective, and besides, it inflicted wounds and considerable pain. But on the other hand, the bear's strength greatly exceeded mine, so I summoned a large number of bears, and after many hours of labor, I finally managed to reach the base of the chain!

There was built a special structure that distributed the load from the chain over a large part of the hall wall. I naturally began to systematically demolish it, until finally, after I had worked all day, I managed to free the chain from the wall, and after inspecting it thoroughly, proudly stowed it in my ring.

So when I was finally done with my work in that hall, I made my way down the hall. There, however, a surprise awaited me. The corridor ended in a seemingly bottomless pit! "Now then, what am I supposed to do?" wondered I.

However, it wasn't long before I found a solution to the problem. I summoned various imps, which I forcibly threw in different directions. I soon found that at about a 20 degree angle from the end of the corridor, there was another corridor! I continued summoning imps, which I tied with ropes, and after several failed attempts I managed to send an imp to reach the other side! There I got it to scout and with a lot of effort I managed to get it to wrap the rope around the base of a heavy stone altar.

After sending more tied imps to go over the rope and secure the knot, I wrapped myself with safety rope, drank a weak elixir of strength, and started crawling up the rope bridge.

I progressed slowly and steadily, thanks to my battle-hardened and trained muscles, my mana enhanced and potion buffed body.

So, when I finally reached the other side, an incredible sight was revealed to me! I found myself in a small hall with many glowing columns. They looked kind of strange and as I looked at them I realized that they were not emitting light, but pure magical energy! Many symbols were inscribed on them and I couldn't tear my eyes away from them. I stood like that for a very long time and only thanks to the beings I had summoned, I somehow managed to keep a shred of composure.

With a tremendous effort of will, I got one of my imps to forcibly turn my head and also shield my vision with his body. I then brought out another imp that painfully dug its sharp claws into my shoulder. The pain helped and I shouted for more and more imps. I had to get away from this trap!!!

The imps tried to push me away, but every time I saw one of the many glowing columns, I began to lose my mind and my will. After multiple attempts, I was all drenched in blood. That was good, because it was hard to keep my eyes open. The pain helped me stay conscious and I paced aimlessly in the great hall.

"What if I fall into the abyss?", I thought desperately.

With a tremendous effort of will, I commanded my body to loosen and clumsily fell to the ground. Although I didn't hit my head as I had hoped, I nearly dislocated the arm I fell on. My control over my body was almost nonexistent and I was not able to protect myself.

After resting for a few minutes, I re-mobilized my strength and, with the help of my imps, tried to slowly crawl with my eyes half-closed, half-glued shut by the blood. I had no idea where I was going, I just wanted to be further away from that damn light.

Minutes passed, hours passed and time in this hellhole had long since lost its meaning. My imps had lost their powers and had vanished back into the dimensions from which I had summoned them. And I crawled and crawled, stopping, losing consciousness and waking, again and again. Finally, after an entire night, I slowly began to come to my senses.

It was an extremely strange state. At first I didn't remember nothing about anything. My head was empty and extremely quiet. I was like a child in its mother's womb. I felt an infinite bliss, and my body was warm and somehow completely satisfied. I didn't feel hunger, thirst, fatigue, or anything. Quite the opposite.

I slowly crawled while in this state and gradually my thoughts began to return. At first I thought of simple things. About the darkness in front of me, about the sensations when I hurt myself on some pebble, but not about who I was.

That was also interesting. I had no idea about myself. There was no self to speak of! It was extremely strange and hard to explain. I don't remember it well now, but I remember how good it felt. Somehow I knew that this was a very significant event for me.

Even now when I think of my feelings then, I want to experience that blissful state again.

This complete contentment, this detachment from everything. This existence, not belonging to anyone and detached from the rules of the great game called life. The laws of the great Tao didn't seem to apply to me.

There's a lot more I could say, for years when I was meditating I would often go back and try to touch that experience, sometimes I succeeded, sometimes I didn't, but I know I had touched something very significant.

Hours later, I slowly regained my senses and my train of thought. The pain of my many wounds, my exhausted body, my hunger and thirst. They came at me like heavy millstones.

Little by little my strength returned, and I frequently stopped, sending mana to circulate through my energy channels and improve the healing process. I felt terrible, but my will was unyielding. Despite the pain and hardship, I cleaned most of the large wounds on my body, treated and bandaged them. Some needed special attention, and I repeatedly lamented that I hadn't purchased any of the expensive healing potions from the store.

"Once I get out of here, I'll be much more careful... I'll stock up on all sorts of potions and even save some money for leather armor!" I thought to myself as I forced myself to treat yet another wound.

Eventually, though, I finished and drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.