"I see you are enjoying my gifts," Malikap's voice oozed malice, sending a shiver down my spine. My fingers twitched as he traced his bony, blackened wood finger against the blob-like goblin. I sighed, tensing in anticipation of him killing another assistant. I knew he would sacrifice them for me, though I had never asked for it. He didn't care.
"Relax. I am not here to collect my due… yet. That will come, boy, that will come." His smile twisted his face, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Instead, I am here to ask you something. I know you have fallen victim to my glory like so many others. But are you sure this is the path you want? Are you on my side or theirs?" He gestured behind me. Over my shoulder, Aurentum and Bonrellum stood close, watching and whispering.
I stole a glance at the two gods behind me. Aurentum, the god of light and justice, and Bonrellum, the god of balance, their eyes boring into me with an intensity that made my skin crawl. Their presence felt like a judgment, a constant reminder of the precarious tightrope I was walking.
"Have they been there the whole time? Don't you have anything better to do than watch me struggle? This is beyond absurd… it's ludicrous. Why me?" My eyes widened as I took in the insanity of it all. My heart pounded in my chest, and I could feel the walls closing in. Three gods, one dead urchin. Two giant monsters turned into quasi-magical battery/murder demons. I just wanted it to stop!
A memory rushed in, unbidden, dragging me back to a time I wished I could forget. I was at home. My parents were screaming at each other. Dad threw a pot of food, and Mom shattered the kitchen table trying to get at him. They were despicable. Wrong. I couldn't take it anymore. I just wanted it to stop! The idea formed then. Money was the problem. If I could steal enough, I could fix everything. I knew it.
I took a moment to listen to my parents. "I've had it with this, Gerrick. Every day, you ruin the food we should be eating with your drunken stupor. I don't care that you drink or take Blaze; just don't do it before you need to do something! It's not that difficult." Another crash, this time, a shelf or a chair. My heart broke as what was left of my innocence shattered like the water mug I had just destroyed. Not caring about the noise, I slammed the door to our house, its hinges rattling, and took off. My parents deserved each other; that much was certain.
~ ~ ~
"Rod… Say something," Crystal urged, her voice barely a whisper, like she was trying to speak without a mouth.
“I’m sorry, what?”
"Are you joining Malikap, or staying with Bonrellum? It's your final test for the second floor. The test of Morals. Are you ascending or descending the tower?"
"I get a choice?" I shook my head, stunned. I had assumed that once my anger took hold, my fate was sealed. I glanced at Malikap, then at Aurentum and Bonrellum. Truth be told, I hated all of them. They were using me, manipulating me for their own ends. I just wanted to scream, but that was precisely how I got into the Malikap test in the first place.
I could feel the anger simmering, ready to burst out in self-righteous fury. But I bit my lip, like in the memory, willing myself to calm down and think critically. These gods, with all their power and influence, had turned my life into a game. I was a pawn, a tool in their hands. They didn't care about me—they cared about what I could do for them.
Sure, the absolute power Malikap offered was tempting. His spells, the sacrificial power boosts—everything was easily within reach compared to the immense effort required with Aurentum. But Malikap was a villain. No matter what I did, it felt like I was being forced to rely on evil to advance. All the teachings from school and church said this place was meant to cleanse us of sin, to guide us away from it. Instead, it was pushing me deeper into anger, greed, and sloth. The other sins were almost laughably easy to ignore, but why was this place designed this way? It was as if they didn't want people to get better; they didn't want anyone to win.
My mind flashed back to all the times I had been thwarted from making easy progress in the dungeon. The countless traps, the deceptive allies, the relentless challenges—it was as if every step forward was designed to pull me two steps back. I know I'm slow on the uptake, but once I learn a lesson, it sticks. Penance was not about repentance; it was about growth. It was about recognizing our sins and gaining the tools to face them head-on. Bonrellum, duplicitous as he was, led me to this realization. Just because the source of power was evil didn't mean its use had to be. It was the way it was used that mattered. Here was my chance to grow beyond the influence of the most evil god and prove that I deserved my place here, to become the man I needed to be.
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"It's a rather generous offer, but a deal is a deal," I said through gritted teeth. There was no need to show my hand too soon. "I promised something to Aurentum, and while I can't seem to remember it, I know I made it. I need to keep my word before I become something I don't want to be."
As I walked toward the blue robes and kneeled before the Gilded God, a wave of uncertainty washed over me. Could I trust Aurentum? Would he betray me as Malikap surely would? The gods were fickle, their favor fleeting. But I had to make a choice. "I am here to serve, Aurentum," I lied.
A smile curled Aurentum's lips. "Finally, you see the light of reason. After this run, I can restore you to the glory of the gilded ones." He waved his lantern, sending magical sparks flying in my direction.
Crystal's whisper broke through my thoughts again. "Rod, are you sure about this?"
I nodded slightly, not wanting to give away any hesitation. "For now," I whispered back, barely moving my lips. "One step at a time."
As the sparks enveloped me, I felt a strange mixture of dread and determination. This wasn't just about surviving the dungeon anymore. It was about shaping my destiny, one difficult decision at a time. I had to stay vigilant, had to keep my wits about me. And as much as I hated the gods, their trials, and their manipulations, I knew I had to play their game to find my way out.
Malikap's eyes narrowed, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "Interesting choice, boy. But remember, every path has its consequences."
I didn't stare at Aurentum; instead, I watched Bonrellum, gauging his reaction. The duplicitous god's expression was inscrutable, a mask of mild interest. Why were all three gods so focused on my journey? What did they stand to gain from my struggles? I needed to stop playing into their hands.
Summoning a flicker of defiance, I winked at Bonrellum while Aurentum was turned away to address Malikap.
"You know the rules, Malikap. Rod is mine to do with as I please. You may not interfere with his journey any further."
"Fine, then I shall take my leave and remove my gifts. No harm, no foul."
I sighed, knowing what was coming. Here comes the god to ruin my run and make things awful.
“Stop.” Bonrellum's voice echoed through the room, freezing everything—not just in a turn-based pause or time freeze, but more. My eyes couldn't move, the blood in my veins halted, and a trickle of sweat down my neck stopped mid-fall.
The sensation was suffocating. Panic surged within me, but I couldn't even twitch a muscle. Bonrellum’s power was terrifying, a reminder that the gods were far beyond my comprehension or control.
"Do not make me repeat the rules, Malikap. You do not want to increase my power today of all days."
"I do not understand why you give them so many chances; they never improve."
“This one might, and that is what matters.”
Malikap’s disdain was palpable, a heavy weight pressing down on me. His words cut deep, fueling the frustration and helplessness simmering inside me. I hated that he saw us as nothing more than pawns, disposable and insignificant.
"Fine. He may keep his powers for this run only, but when he dies, he shall never taste of my powers again."
The shadows and gods vanished. I collapsed to the ground, frustration boiling over. I struck the ground with my fists and screamed, unable to contain my anger.
[Wrath 2/7]
By the time I calmed down, the third wave was nearly finished. I had thought the reason I never experienced memories on previous runs was due to the Memory Tokens being divided among us or not being earned as easily with a group clearing the dungeon. But as I stared at the notification, I noticed a glaring and obvious change.
It was the damn emotions. Losing my cool, relaxing too much, being lazy or greedy—it all hindered my growth. The things that helped us grow were opposed by falling into old patterns, relying on old behaviors, and deliberately doing wrong.
The system's strictness almost made me want to give up and lose points, but I picked myself up and moved forward. It was time to blow off some steam.
I rushed forward using one of my movements and launched two fireballs from a single spell. The magic welled up and burned both of my hands, damaging me as it came out, but the result was definitely worth it.
The two spells split off into four fireballs as promised, cruising through the air like I had used aim and burning through goblins, which each fell over dead. The wounds on their chests were cauterized by the flame, leaving behind no gore.
I shook my hands from the pain, my anger abated, and I waited for my minions to clear the last three mobs. It took a little time.
The mini-boss rush was swiftly handled as well, and I honestly think it would have been handled better were it not for the interruption or my time spent trying to reinvent the wheel.
Grendelkin chomped his food in two, and GluttyKnee ate his rolled Goblin candy. And I ran right into the face of the Goblin Knight and breathed all over him. Err, um, I mean, I used my ice spell. It fueled up from my stomach, coming out as a mist through my mouth as if an angry dragon was propelling icy fire from my mouth.
The ice burned through the Goblin Knight, breaking his shield and freezing him to the spot. I jumped in the air, cheering.
[Fight complete!]
Crystal made a little musical trill that was pretty catchy as I patted my minions on the back.