Down, down, down they go into the abyss known as the biodome. They went so far down, Zeke started to make pleasant conversation with Mikella.
Though the conversation was slightly ruined thanks to the constant screaming and panic coming from around him.
Their years of constant training and hustling against monsters, trying to improve themselves on a daily basis, to the point some would consider them part of the elite force of the kingdom–they were all now devolved into crying messes as they screamed for their lives and prayed for salvation–whichever seemed the most convenient for them.
Piker looked absolutely rigid. His face was neutral but his eyes betrayed him, going as wide as saucers while still trying to reign them in. Myra was no better, her face was a mixture of excitement, panic, and fear trying to war against each other.
Looking over to Mikella, she was currently fighting the bits of panic as well, but her excitement and giddiness took over most of the time as she couldn’t help a grin showing off on her face.
“Hehe, your hair’s just flying all over,” Zeke pointed out, childishly pointing at her long brown hair flying up from her scalp.
“That’s your own fault!” Mikella screamed back, but she still had a grin on her face. Noticing her slight hesitation when she spoke, Zeke hesitated before asking.
“Do you want to hold my hand?” He said while offering said hand. After a moment, Mikella held onto his hand, and grasped it tightly. It wasn’t a wrist to fingers kind of grasp, but a full on hand grab. She was a lot more nervous than she let on.
Then, a second later, she seemed to relax a little. Meanwhile, Zeke took a gander over to the Journeymen. He was able to move his head since he had more control, so he was able to perceive more of his surroundings. He had to–considering he was controlling the entire thing.
Zacharia was as always a stoic giant as before. He had his arms crossed while looking down, and half the time looking over at his own soldiers. There was just the slightest hint of disappointment at their panicking behavior. Something that Zeke could understand, but still felt that they can’t be blamed for.
Meanwhile, Cloud was just smiling goofily at the screaming Val, but not because she was panicking. She was having the most fun of her life, and if she could move, she would probably let her arms hang in the air like she doesn’t care.
“Whooo!” Valorie screamed like she was on a roller-coaster. “This is so fast! Oh my gods, Ana would love this!”
“Please don’t bring Ana into this,” Cloud said with a concerned expression. Turning over to Zeke, his look returned to that of a curious scholar. “So this is how you used it to get around the tower?”
“Yep,” Zeke nodded. “This is how I managed to survive getting around. I had no control over it whatsoever, though.”
“Fascinating,” Cloud looked around as best he could, but even he was affixed to avoid movement as much. “And by fixing everyone in place, they won’t suffer the harsh momentum and end up crushing themselves from the impact. Very clever.”
Zeke chuckled awkwardly at the praise. Coming from an experienced mage, he couldn’t help it. Mikella just smiled at him, and he swore her hand felt warmer by doing so. Somehow, he felt even more embarrassed getting caught.
About a full minute passed as the platform traveled down towards the bottom, possibly going at around 50 or so miles per second at this point. Then, he finally saw it.
The landing point.
“M-Mr. Zeke!” Nina shouted, her yellow eyes widening as her owl was currently being held by her arms in a strong grip. “We’re quickly approaching the biodome!”
“Got it!” Zeke called out, opening his fingers wide and calling the platform to a halt.
As soon as the bottom floor was seen, the barrier quickly ceased. There was now nothing but silence as the soldiers were finally able to relax after the horrid ride down.
Seeing the floor, Zeke disassembled the entire barrier, letting everyone land on the soft ground below them. Mikella breathed in relief as Zeke let go of her hand.
He honestly felt disappointed that the ride was over. That was something he hated to admit, but he couldn’t help it. Looking back, he saw the pitiful state of Zacharia’s group. While the healers looked decent enough, and the beast tamer was currently trying to calm her owl from the sudden fall, impressing Zeke that her priority was for the owl first and foremost, the rest of them didn't look so keen. Some huddled to their knees, hugging themselves and each other for comfort, and some just barfed away their fears and panic.
“Pathetic,” Zacharia shouted to the rest of them. “We’re about to head into unknown territory, and you lot are already losing yourselves to a joyride at best! Get a grip!”
Zeke grimaced at the poor team, getting a full earful of the general’s ranting. Cloud just shook his head as he went over to their side.
“You guys okay?” Cloud asked, mostly to Myra and the others on their side.
“Oof… I still can’t get used to it, Zeke,” Myra shook her head, holding her stomach and bending over slightly. “I feel like I’m gonna get sick.”
“You want me to heal you?” Zeke asked, but Myra shook her head. She wanted to power through it like a champ, so Zeke respected that decision.
“Well, it was slightly better than the Superball this time,” Mikella added, shaking off the shivers from the ride.
“I’d like to try that again next time,” Val said, smiling ecstatically at Zeke. “But can you make it slower? For Ana and Clara, of course.”
“I-If the time comes, sure,” Zeke nodded, but Cloud only let out a tired breath at his wife’s antics. Still, if it would make Ana and Clara have fun, Zeke might include that sometime soon.
Soon he looked at the surroundings. His mouth hung wide open at the sight as all the others followed his sight and did the same.
The scene could be described with a simple word; ‘Crystalline’. A wide expanse of several miles of earth riddled with crystals of different colors, ranging from the fiery reds to the oceanic blues, and everything else in between of the rocky rainbows. Between all those crystals were stone-like buildings that seemed to grow out of the walls rather than being constructed like normal buildings. The stones themselves were a mixture of both old and dusty to modern onyx shine, vines seemingly growing every which way that glowed a bright green color, lighting up the entire array that didn’t have the already glowing crystals shining bright.
At the distance, they could see several rivers falling over a cliff face that spouted all across the expanse, and even flying objects scattered about in the skies, or what was within the caves that might as well be its own sky from how enormous it was. While a strong scent of waterfalls crushing boulders filled the air, he tried to guess whether those creatures were bird-like monsters, but Zeke couldn’t see that far ahead.
“Gods above…” One of the soldiers exclaimed as everyone marveled at the scenery in front of them.
Zeke could tell now why this biodome was so deep underground–how else could it fit the entirety of itself within here? He guessed the estimated height of the entire location, and he swore that it could be right beneath Eve Glade under several hundred miles worth of rock. It sounded incredibly long and far, but in this world, it was possible that the distance was nothing for whatever lies within here.
“It’s so beautiful…” Val said in awe, her head swiveling to try to see everything in her sight, but it felt impossible to try.
“The biodome… it really was under Eve Glade this whole time,” Cloud said, almost unable to believe himself despite seeing the truth for himself.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Just as the others were exclaiming the majesty as well as the possible treasures within, Zeke noticed his icon blinking in his sight. Bringing it up, he saw the notification.
> You have entered the biodome: Elemental Prison
>
> Within this biodome, each of the four elements; Fire, Water, Earth, and Air, are increased by 25%. Any Mana suffused with these elements will be regenerated at an increased 25%.
>
> Quest Available!
>
> You have entered one of the world’s natural locations. Treasures and gifts of nature aligned with danger in your journey. However, to truly conquer the biodome, you must take charge of the fortress lying deep within, and take out the king that rests. You are allowed to leave the biodome at any time even if you accept the quest, and you can abandon it at any time, however, you will only accept and keep one quest at a time, and if you choose to abandon it, you will be banned from taking on the quest again.
>
> Do you wish to accept this quest?
>
> Y/N
His mind grew blank at the information. This was the first time he ever received any ‘quest’ like in an actual video game. As for the contents, normally, a gamer would be more than excited.
As a human being living through it, however, he had a bit of dread. Dread, and a tiny bit of excitement.
Turning back, he saw the others stare at a distance, possibly reading the same quest he did. Once that was done, a large clamoring resounded between them, including those who were just hurling at the backline for the past while, as if seeing the quest blew their motion sickness away.
“Cloud, is it true what it says? About conquering the biodome?” Zeke asked, the particular subject line in the quest standing out the most.
“Precisely,” Cloud nodded. “Unlike normal dungeons, where just owning it means no other territory can come and take any resources from it, this one meant exactly that. In a way, it’s like having a Unity Core within here. All of its resources, and the monsters populating this area, will belong to the ones who conquer it.”
“I’m guessing that goes for way more than just finding rare treasures and gear, right?” Mikella asked, prompting a nod from Cloud.
“But we need to focus up!”
Val shouted to the rest of the soldiers. They immediately silenced and stood at the ready. They normally follow Zacharia’s command, but it was clear that Val had her own authority in their minds as she faced them.
“It’s good to be motivated, but never forget–we are still in enemy territory. First and foremost, we must procure a base for ourselves and a proper channel between here and back to the town above. I suggest we don’t try conquering anything until we manage to cover every single priority we can have. I don’t plan on anybody starving or injured and continuing to fight. According to the quest, we can accept and leave, then come back. We just don’t have to abandon it. Thankfully, there’s no timer either, so let’s take all the advantage we have and prepare ourselves!”
The soldiers shouted with a singular ‘Yes, ma’am, in unison, their spirits uniformed in their response. On the other hand, Zacharia and Cloud walked towards Zeke and Mikella about their situation.
“Zeke, how are you holding up Mana-wise?” Cloud asked.
“Good enough if you want me to figure out how to easily get up and down the place,” Zeke responded, already figuring out what they plan on doing. That was the same thing he wanted to figure out.
“So while the mages figure that one out, Mikella,” Zacharia said. “You and the other scouts will go ahead and survey our surroundings. Do you have any skills related to stealth or reconnaissance?”
Mikella’s eyes widened at that, and she furrowed her brows. “No, I don’t have any stealth skills.”
“I see, then you’ll need this.”
Out of his own pack, Zacharia pulled out what looked like a dark cloak. Identifying the cloak got Zeke what he needed to know.
> Cloak of Darkness (Uncommon)
> Cloak created with the intention of hiding one’s presence. While it doesn’t provide any defense, its sleek black color could push prying eyes off of you with ease.
>
> Enchantments:
> Lesser Darkness
> Lesser Stealth
Mikella widened her eyes at the item, and while it wasn’t super impressive, it was rather useful. She carefully took the cloak and stared at Zacharia.
“You sure you want to let me borrow this? It looks precious.”
“It’s cheap considering our circumstances, so do with it as you will. With your high Dexterity, it should be easy enough. However, Zeke will be staying here for his barrier work. Do you think you can handle that?”
Zeke grimaced when he noticed Mikella’s face twisted slightly into fury. Her eyes narrowed as she pressed her lips to contain her anger.
“Yes I can,” Mikella said curtly.
“Good, I’ll let the others know.”
As if he hadn’t made the situation worse enough for them as it is, Zacharia left to go report to the other soldiers. Mikella took the chance to let out some steam by kicking the ground with the sole of her boot.
“The nerve of that asshole…” She growled. Zeke wanted to comfort her, but the look of Cloud’s shaking head forced Zeke to lower his hand.
“Don’t worry,” Cloud said, his tone just as heated, but Zeke felt that it was mostly for Mikella’s sake. “Just prove to him that you can do the job easily enough. We all know that you can handle it. He’s just trying to goad you.”
“Ugh…” Mikella growled, then turned her glare at Zeke. He nearly flinched as he thought he was gonna get yelled at. “You’re gonna be okay, right? Don’t let that guy use you like some sort of tool!”
“I’ll only do as he said if it’s for the benefit of everyone,” Zeke raised his hands. He wanted to be truthful, even if it wasn’t exactly what Mikella wanted to hear. “I’m more worried about you. I know you can handle it… but honestly, I’m still worried.”
Zeke gave a slightly passive look at her. He had every confidence that she could make it through if she had her head straight.
He’s only worried because half the time, she doesn't have her head straight.
Mikella only rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll be fine. I’ve been trying to learn how to survive without your barrier this whole time. So unless we’re dealing with more of those undeath monsters guys again, this will be good training for me.”
“Yeah, but you also took on a lightning sword to your soul. That's still not exactly safe.”
Mikella glared at him hard at that comment. He could still recall how she looked like she was barbequed in all the wrong places back at the tower. He didn’t let up as he kept staring back at her glare.
“You promise me you will stay with the team, and not get hurt?” Zeke asked decidedly. After a moment of silence, Mikella responded.
“I’ll stay with the team,” Mikky finally admitted, only just the first promise while not answering the second question at all. Zeke only glared back at her as she looked away from his hardened glare.
“Hah, you’re so much like Val, I’m starting to worry about your future,” Cloud commented. “But I’m certain you’ll be fine.”
With that out of the way, the group of scouts consisting of Mikella, Paul, Nina, and several other Dexterity-based soldiers went ahead of their original position. One of them happened to have a skill relating to cartography, so they were also able to make a map as they went ahead.
Meanwhile, Zeke stayed behind with the others to create a base of their own, and what better way to create a temporary base than with his own barriers?
…..
A few hours passed, changing over to the next day, much to Zeke’s guess. Some of the soldiers took the chance to rest and relax while the others focused on creating their base. It just mostly consisted of the same tent-like area as the small cave they were at before. But considering how much time it might take for them to conquer this biodome, they decided to expand a little.
Zeke’s barriers helped plenty with the small construction. Cloud actually brought something called a Mana Generator, a convenient item that looked like an actual generator worked on by smiths, enchanters, and runists all at once. Basically it was nearly the same as a Unity Core, except deeply downgraded.
It only encompasses a small range, definitely not enough for an entire town. At most, it could fit more than fifty people within the range at even distances, so they had plenty of room. With Zeke’s runes, they had vastly improved its functions to make it work slightly better.
Cloud had this for a long time now, and it served him well. He always brought it on expeditions in his past, so he never left without it. Zeke could tell from Val’s exaggerated expression that Cloud is the sort to bring his own camping set no matter where they go, just in case they end up being lost somewhere.
Needless to say, Zeke was a fan of that. He wondered if Mikella would be along with it, or just as exhausted about Cloud’s insistence on bringing the engine everywhere as Val would be. Still, it was incredibly useful to have.
Once Zeke put his hand on the generator, much like with the Unity Core, it accepted his skill and a large dome barrier was put in place. Much like back at the town, it provided a relief for the soldiers who didn’t have to worry about any sudden ambushes in their bases.
And once again, another surprise waited for him when he finished.
> The Barrier of Elemental Prison has granted you a buff: Your Mana regeneration has increased by 15% of its total Max MP.
“Huh,” Zeke muttered aloud. “That’s neat.”
That easily got the soldiers riled up at the news. It was already good enough to have something like this back at town to train themselves, so even if the regeneration was massively decreased compared to the town’s 50%, it was still decent to have around.
“It looks like your barrier comes in every time,” Cloud said, seemingly already deciding that his barrier was a gift from the gods. “We’re still not finished yet, though. You ready?”
“As always,” Zeke shrugged. “A lord’s work is never done, eh?”
Both Cloud and Val nodded deeply to that. He wondered whether he hit something close to home with those words.