Alaster stood before the cave entrance, his Undead in formation around him. Just a hundred meters away, lay the corpses of three Devil Patrols. That battle had been tough, even with all his advancements.
It had started out with him fighting a single Patrol, but before he could even finish off half of the first, a second Patrol rushed over. When Alaster and his Undead finally managed to defeat both Patrols, they weren’t given any time to recover before the third attacked.
His second and third minds were busy repairing and rebuilding the Undead while he looked into the dark stone mouth.
The cave was dark, and even with his [Dark Vision] Alaster could not see the end of the tunnel. The tunnel was only wide enough for two Minotaurs side by side, so Alaster decided that’s what he would bring. Two Minotaurs in front, four Blackguards behind, and the Summoned Undead around Alaster in the middle. Another five Blackguards were stored in his [Soul Domain], just in case.
The rest of his Undead would guard the entrance, ensuring nothing entered after him.
Alaster stepped into the cave, peering between the Minotaurs in front. The floor was rough, but more even than he would have expected from a natural cave. The tunnel sloped slightly downward, taking him deeper into the ground.
The young man continued walking for several minutes. Eventually Alaster suspected that he was several hundred feet below the ground, and yet, the tunnel continued straight. There were no twists or turns. Looking back, Alaster could see the tiny dot of light at the mouth, and yet, Alaster must have been at least a mile away.
Nonetheless, Alaster didn’t shy away. The Devils avoided this cave. There must be something inside. Probably a horrific Monster of some kind, but Alaster was curious to find out.
‘My mom always did say curiosity killed the cat.’
Alaster quickly shut down that line of thinking. But he still focused. Activating [Death Embrace] to help him move past the emotions bubbling up at the thought of his parents. He kept it active as he traveled deeper.
After what felt like several hours, Alaster looked back again, but there was no dot.
‘The Dungeon wasn’t this big. I should have hit the boundary a while ago. Does this cave go under the boundary? Is such a thing possible?’
Alaster considered it for a moment, as he continued walking.
‘No, someone must have attempted such a thing before. Not even portals can move through the boundary.’
Alaster’s mind filled with possibilities, but eventually they all proved themselves wrong. Yet it wouldn’t matter. Just a few minutes later, the tunnel abruptly leveled out. The tunnel continued for only a few more feet before it widened slightly, creating a room roughly ten meters wide and fifteen meters long.
At the end of the room, upon an Obsidian throne, stained with what appeared to be blood, sat a large horned man.
The man was at least three meters tall, muscled, and wearing what appeared to be a black suit, black pants, black dress shoes, black shirt, and red tie. His skin was a very light red, but certainly not pink. His black hair was short on the sides, and longer on top, just touching his pointed ears. Alaster noticed that his nails were sharp, like the small horns that came started the temples and sloped forward and down for a few inches.
Yet none of that was important. The moment Alaster stepped into the room, all he could feel was the power of the man before him. All encompassing, overwhelming power.
Alaster considered backing away and leaving, but the man had noticed him long before he stepped foot in the cave.
“Don’t run. I would really prefer not to chase you.” The man said, his voice so deep, yet ethereal, that Alaster briefly wondered if the mountain itself was speaking.
“What are you?” Alaster dared to ask, prepared to fight back, if necessary, regardless of how fruitless the endeavor would be.
The man leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his fists.
“That would depend on what answer you are looking for and who you ask.”
“And I’m asking you.”
The man chuckled, causing some pebbles near the Obsidian throne to bounce and shift, “My Race is called the Argalon, I am one such Argalon. However, your people refused to use such a noble name for an even more noble people. Instead, they called us Demons.”
Alaster immediately stepped back, recalling the discussion he had with Ebris, God of the Dead.
“Yes yes. Fear me.” The man, the sarcasm practically dripping from each word.
“You know, young one, if its anyone that should be afraid of who, its my people of yours.”
Alaster cocked his head slightly in confusion. Even before talking to a God, Demons were widely known throughout the land. Used a bedtime stories to frighten children into behaving. Ebris had been the one to turn the story into reality for Alaster.
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“Why?” Feeling the power of the Demon before him, Alaster could not imagine such a being fearing a human.
“Because you are the ones who invaded our home world. Of course, you were refugees simply seeking a place to live, so we allowed you settle in what was rightfully ours. We even helped your ancestors survive the world until they got back on their feet. And yet, the moment they did, they unleashed a plague, and used it to wipe out my people, driving us from our own homes.
Of course, we fought back as best as we could, but we weren’t prepared.”
“The Gods say that Demons are invading our world.”
The man chuckled again, this time in contempt, “I imagine they are. I wouldn’t know, though I wouldn’t be surprised. You see, I have been trapped down here since before we were removed. If my people are invading, it’s to take back our home from those that have stolen it.”
“If what you say is true, then you have been down here for eons.”
“I speak the truth little boy. I don’t care to lie to someone as weak as you.”
“What Tier are you? You are clearly stronger than an Expert, but I don’t think you are as powerful as the Gods.”
“Tier? Oh yes, that silly little ‘System’ of yours.”
“Of ours? It effects all living things.”
“No, it only affects you humans, and the sub races of. Why would it affect me or mine? You humans are the ones that created it. Your crutch against the harsh world you found yourselves in.”
Alaster’s eyes widened. If what the Demon was the truth, what sort of people could have created such a magical concept as the System, capable of granting such great power?
“Who created the System?” Alaster asked, hoping to learn more.
“I know not the original creator. The Humans brought a small portion of that plague to this world. Once released, they allowed it to rebuild itself, growing stronger. Infecting everything, including themselves.”
“But if the Humans that came to this world didn’t have the System, how did they come to this plane of existence?”
The Demon’s face showed genuine confusion, “Boy, do you really know nothing? This world is just one of many. Plane of existence? No such thing. Your people had advanced technology but knew nothing about life. They came here in a large metal vessal, crashing into the southern lands.
The so-called System, was able to copy the understanding of life, Magic, the Humans called it, and allowed the Humans to use Magic, adapting their bodies to do so.”
“And the System learns more about Magic by the person killing.” Alaster finished, what the Demon was saying, was beginning to make sense.
“That is the most effective way, though certainly not the most efficient.”
The Demon was right, those who didn’t have Combat Classes could still level up through repeated use of their Abilities and greater understanding in their work.
“If what you say is true, then why aren’t all Humans born with perfect understanding of Magic?”
“Do you really think its that simple? The biology of a living creature is not so simple that it can be changed so suddenly. That’s why the System only takes effect at fifteen. By then the System has analyzed your body enough to understand it, after all, even those of the same race and family are still drastically different. The System takes advantage of your Race’s puberty to ease into the changes.”
“How?”
“Most Races have a type of puberty, including mine. During the time of constant changes, the DNA, the building blocks of a living being, are extra malleable. Else the changes caused by simply growing up would cause such pain that few would survive.”
“So, the System grants the Classes during that time, but what about later? When they learn more Abilities or change Classes?” Demon seemed to enjoy talking to another person, which would make sense if he had truly been trapped for Eons.
“Your System implants the foundations during puberty. Then, adds onto it gradually over time. When you kill, the System is able to analyze the creature’s understand of life, and mold it to suit you. The System, while one great whole, is individualized to you. So, each person is independent of the rest.
Which suits the System just fine. Each person is so drastically different, and the changes made are too critical to do all at once.”
“But why would the System care about Humans?”
“Because Humans made it. I imagine they taught it to do so.”
“But what about the rest of the Races? Elves and Dwarves have access to the System.”
“Elves? Dwarves? Are you speaking about the Sub-Humans?”
“Sub-Humans?”
“Not as lower than, but as a category. Pure Humans, such as you, are the originals, then through editing the DNA, they were able to create another type of Human, a Sub-Human. I imagine you are speaking of the ones with bird eyes and insect chitin?”
“Yes?”
“Tell me young one, are Humans able to breed with these Elves and Dwarves?”
“Yes. It is difficult to birth a child of mixed race, but it is possible, at least the books say so.”
“That is because you are all still one Species. I am of a different Species. No matter how much my kind tried to breed with yours, it would be impossible to conceive.”
The revelation stunned Alaster, not just the part about the Elves and Dwarves being technically Humans, but the rest. It all made sense to him.
“What are Dungeons then? Why are you trapped here?” Alaster asked.
“This Dungeon, as you call it, was once a part of my world, a world your people now inhabit, however unrightly. When Humans began to slaughter the Argalon, we were unprepared, but we still fought back. The resulting backlash began to splinter the world.
Did you not find it weird that besides a few small islands scattered around the continent, there were no other landmasses? The rest of the world was just water? In order to protect these Splintered parts, still hoping to call this world home, my people transported them into other dimensions, creating the Dungeons you speak of.”
“What about the Monsters in the Dungeons, or the different types?”
“I know not the specifics, but I know what you speak of. Different dimensions have different rules of existence. And the Monsters? Some were placed by my people to protect that Splinter, while others simply wondered in, either before or after it was splintered and transported.”
“Then why do they reset when a person leaves the Dungeon and enters again.”
The Demon sighed, leaning back on his throne, “These dimensions are not whole. They are not suited towards life or sustainability. Leave a creature there long enough, and the soul slowly breaks apart. Yours included.”
“My soul is breaking apart the longer I stay in a Dungeon?”
“Correct. However, it is a very slow process. The stronger the soul, the long it takes. And the soul heals. So long as you don’t spend an entire year in a Dungeon, only to immediately do so again, you will be fine. At least as you are now.”
“What happens to those who get trapped in a Dungeon?”
“Those who don’t make it to the portal in time? I imagine they are instead sent to the world my People currently inhabit.”
“So, they are dead?” Alaster doubted a world filled with beings this powerful and were angry about losing their home would allow the people who stole their home to live.
“Quite likely.”
“How did you get trapped here? If my people getting trapped sends them to the world with the rest of your People. Why didn’t you?”
The Demon stood up, causing Alaster to move his Undead into position, “It was a curse bestowed on me by the very man you reek of.”