Soldier of Fantasy Book 2

Prologue

Dawson was Completely lost. He had been talked into a stupid game by his two friends and now he would never see the light of day again. He felt like he had been down here for months. Unlike his idiot friends, he had taken his training seriously. He could handle the critters of the cave with no problem. He always wanted to be the best fighter in the land. He would finally win the heart of the beautiful Lily. She had captured his heart from the first time she substituted in his final year of school. She had taken over for old Gretchen when she fell ill. Dawson had known from that moment he would one day marry her.

Dawson Crept down another endless corridor, this one looking the same as any other he had passed through. This time however he saw a dim light up ahead. He must have finally found an exit he thought. it opened up to a small cavern. On the opposite side of the cavern embedded in the wall was a glowing door. He thought he must be seeing things but as he drew near still the door stood. It was featureless with no handle to open it. He placed his hand upon the door and it felt slightly warm to the touch and a message popped up is his vision. A scroll appeared much like many he had seen before from the wondrous system. He read the scroll and gasped.

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“Welcome Traveler, here lies a challenge dungeon. Beware, Traveler, what lies behind this portal is a great challenge only matched by the rewards within. Do you dare pass beyond? Only one challenger allowed at a time.”

Dawson had heard of these dungeons. His friend Brad had spoken about how the royalty kept these dungeons as a closely guarded secret. They used these dungeons to train their royal guard. No one but the royal guards we ever allowed to use a dungeon. A challenge Dungeon was the stuff of myths and legions though. It is said that a challenge dungeon could only be completed once before it would disappear to a new location. Great heroes of times past were said to only have gotten such great power from completing one of these challenge dungeons. It was rumored that if one could pass a challenge dungeon with the power gained one could defeat an army.

Dawson stood there, contemplating his options. The temptation of power, the opportunity to become one of the legendary heroes was tantalizing. But more than that, the chance to be deemed worthy by Lily, to win her heart, was what truly made his heart race.

He recalled the days when he would train for hours, trying to surpass his limits just to get a glimpse of Lily's approving smile. This could be the chance to win her over, to stand out among the rest. But the dangers of the dungeon also weighed heavily on his mind. What if he never returned? Would she ever know he dared to take on this challenge for her?

Taking a deep breath, Dawson decided. He couldn’t let this chance slip away. If he managed to get out of this, he could be the hero Lily always read about in her favorite tales.

Approaching the glowing door, he said aloud, "I accept the challenge."

The door vibrated and began to glow brighter, illuminating the entire cavern. It slowly began to open, revealing a path beyond. The air became thick with anticipation and danger.

Steeling himself for what lay ahead, Dawson entered the dungeon. The door closed behind him, sealing him in this new world. As he ventured forth, he promised himself that he would come out of this as a victor, not just for the power or the glory, but for Lily.