I’m level 14 now, and my equipment is undamaged. I’ve used Foresight five times already, and HP and MP are full thanks to rest and potions.
I guess it’s showtime.
She hates being nervous, so she tries to channel the energy into anticipation instead.
Today is the start of our sixth day in the dungeon. Killing the boss will clear it, which will set a new speed record, and that means possible bonuses from the system.
When her hands stop trembling so obviously, Eric signals them all.
Here we go.
Taking a deep breath, Lexi follows the redhead out of the safe zone.
----------------------------------------
The necklace Elise had given her months ago functions as a light source in the creepy, derelict hall once the doors slam shut behind them, this large area at the top of the tower completely devoid of windows or any other illumination, the air stale and heavy as the party cautiously moves into position.
Eric parries perfectly, Lexi’s Foresight and his own honed skills and senses making him well-prepared for the sudden strike from the darkness on his right.
Vena, who’s standing at the head of the group given her night vision, takes her cue and looses two arrows - one imbued with fire, despite her natural fear of the element, and the other with wind.
Here we go.
The arrows fly true, landing on a tapestry Lexi had foreseen in the corner, and they know they don’t have much time before everyone but the masked sage smothers to death.
All around them now are rotting beasts that appear as though summoned from an unholy realm, and Lexi wonders again if...
No time for that. We need to finish this.
She’s already prepared the variables to be input into Flow, and now she wields Bend to force the flames to rage, burning the undead all around them and creating a ring of fire no doubt filling the chamber with putrid stench, though Lexi is protected thanks to her mask.
Vena must be suffering, even though she wrapped a damp cloth around her nose and mouth.
The half-elf’s senses are the keenest among them, after all.
Let’s hurry this up.
Raising Akara, she flings the blade at the other end of the hall, before Ray picks her up - Eric grabbing Vena - as the knights coat themselves and their cargo with aura and dash through the flames.
As soon as they’re out of fiery circle, unscathed thanks to the Imperial Knight officers, the attack on the dungeon boss with its 'Lich - Level 72' label begins in earnest.
The hooded figure hasn’t budged from its spot, sitting on a throne made of withered branches and crumbling bones as it summons more undead beasts with a skeletal hand, thin strips of splotchy flesh hanging perilously.
With the fire raging behind them, Lexi knows the knights don’t need her necklace as a light source, so she turns and engages with the zombie animals on her left.
It takes them precious time - as smoke fills the hall and Vena starts to gasp for air, before Eric is right there in front of the boss, swinging his aura blade in graceful, deadly arc just like he’d planned, until...
The loud clang startles Lexi, as the cloaked figure parries with a solid bone covered in writhing black smoke that seems to sparkle, and then she blinks through the smog as Eric is forced back when the boss rises.
“Heh. Not too shabby for a level 72.”
She’d shake her head at the feral grin if Vena hadn’t collapsed right at that moment.
We don’t have much time. I could only see the future up to that attack, and the smoke is getting too intense without an outlet. I need to do something.
Rushing to Vena’s side, Lexi whispers to the scout to hold on and watch her back for a few more seconds, before focusing on the wall closest to them.
Flow: factor wind, rain, heat, cold, and impact over time.
Now activate Bend: make a hole.
Calculating probability of success for Bend [https://i.imgur.com/KTnJDI6.png]
C'mon, c'mon...I haven't got all day.
Bend success rate: 81% [https://i.imgur.com/M6a76ip.png]
Stingy bastard.
Despite the lower success rate, the stone crumbles enough and at last blessed fresh air sweeps through howling as Vena looses arrows at the beasts rushing towards her and Lexi.
Thank you, Vena.
Now that the smoke has cleared somewhat - Lexi hurriedly drinking her last MP recovery potion then using Flow and Bend to put out the fires as Vena covers for her - they can focus on the dungeon boss, who’s stepping into the light, hood fallen back thanks to the force of Eric’s aura strikes, and who’s...
Oh. My. God.
----------------------------------------
Lexi had had a friend once, when she’d been younger.
He’d come from a poor family, but since his father worked for her father, the boy had managed to get into the best schools via recommendations, and he’d never forgotten the fact that he owed Lexi’s dad everything - working hard to get the best grades, becoming a top athlete, winning prizes in every science competition he participated in.
And all the while he’d stayed by Lexi’s side as much as possible to keep her company and help her whenever she got into trouble, no matter how cruel or childish she might have been with him, especially whenever others around them made fun of her for hanging out with her dad’s driver’s son.
One day though, he’d simply disappeared, after she’d sent him on a silly errand after dark as a means of testing him once again. His body had never been found, despite her father offering a large reward for information, and a few years after that both of the boy’s parents had committed suicide in despair.
She remembers because she’d heard about it on her way home for summer, remembers how she’d quickly made up an excuse to miss the funeral because she couldn’t bear to show her face when they’d lost their only child thanks to her.
“Ch...Chris?”
“Lexi, what are you...”
“Chris! It’s me, Lexi!”
Eric grabs her arm quickly, holding her back from advancing further even as he watches the eerie figure standing absolutely still less than thirty feet away.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Lexi! What the hell is wrong with you?!”
“That’s Chris! I grew up with him! He disappeared years ago when we were fourteen, we never found his body no matter how hard my dad looked or how much money we offered, but it’s him, I swear!”
“Lexi...” She doesn’t need to look to know that the redhead is absolutely dumbfounded, her eyes focused on the only real friend she’d ever had.
I know it’s you. Your hair and eyes may be a different color now, the skin on your face may be rotting and falling off, but I KNOW you. You haven’t aged a day since you walked out the gates to go to the bookstore for me.
“Chris! It’s me! It’s Lexi! Remember? We played together since we were kids - you broke your arm saving me when I fell out of that big tree in the garden when we were eight. You got that scar on your forehead when...”
“...Le...xi...” Freezing, she tries to reconcile the disconcerting whisper with the warm voice she’d always known. “...Le...xi...”
It sends chills down her spine, and Eric quickly pushes her behind him as Ray destroys the last of the summoned beasts.
“...Le...xi...” Staring when those green crystals start to shine, she’s dimly aware of Eric shouting instructions, then the force of the wretched howl pushes them all back as something starts to take shape between them and her old friend, smoke writhing before dark blood drips and solidifies into a wriggling, wailing mass, and then Lexi can’t help the gasp when a cerberus appears.
How can a druid summon a monster? Unless he’s a summoner? But even then, they can’t summon monsters - their only upgrade from druid is the ability to summon spirits.
No, now’s not the time for that. Each of its heads emits elemental attacks - either fire, poison, and lightning - and it’s resistant to physical attacks. Only aura, wind, ice, or holy magic work on it.
Eric and Ray can attack it just fine, and Vena still has ice and wind imbued arrows left. As for me...
She doesn’t have time to think more, not when one head spews a torrent of flames at them, leaping to the side while flinging Akara and praying her Luck holds once more.
It does, though Akara misses Lexi’s intended target, slicing two glowing red eyes instead.
OW!
The furious, pain-filled howl almost shatters her ear drums, and Lexi claps her hands over her ears as she struggles not to scream.
Something takes the opportunity to grab her, and belatedly she remembers that druids can summon plants too.
“HELP!!!” She’s shrieking as the zombie vines whip her up, then she’s gasping for air as they tighten dangerously, barely having enough presence of mind to call for Akara, who flies to her hand while destroying vines thanks to the plant’s violent swinging and Lexi’s Luck stat.
> Ping!
“Lexi!” Eric is there in a heartbeat as soon as Akara is back in her grip, aura blade easily cutting her free as he grabs her and backflips easily, slashing at decaying tendrils before leaping backwards as soon as his feet touch the ground.
“Vena, the plant’s yours. Lexi, don’t get caught. Ray, with me.”
They break off then, Vena’s fleet-footedness making her a hard target for the snarling vines that whip through the air, while the knights engage Lexi’s old friend as she does her best to dodge zombie creatures.
Chris...did you get brought here as a player? I heard the system sometimes brings in players as young as twelve, and you were almost fifteen when you disappeared. You made it to druid, that’s a rare rank, just below summoner, and you’re level 72 too. But why are you here? Why are you a dungeon boss? Why are you a zombie, summoning undead plants and animals? Is it to do with your welcome package?
You disappeared more than fifteen years ago. We did our best to find you - dad offered so much money, hired private investigators for years even after your parents passed - but there wasn’t a single trace, as though you vanished into thin air on your way to the store to buy me another of those comic books mother always gave me hell for reading.
I’m so sorry, Chris. If I’d gone with you, if I’d just treated you better no matter how much others made fun of me, then maybe...
She’s tackled by Vena all of a sudden, one thorny branch flying dangerously close past her eyes, and then the half-elf is back on her feet in a heart beat, wielding her dual blades to keep plant and beast from a prone player.
Scrambling to her feet - mind too consumed with questions and guilt to think about technique - Lexi taps Vena on the shoulder before sprinting away.
A loud sound makes her pause, and when Lexi turns she sees the knights have successfully downed the Lich King, Eric raising his sword to deal the final blow.
“Wait!”
Later, she’ll think that her actions are reminiscent of the panels that make her facepalm at annoying female characters in comics, but right then all she can think about is the fact that Chris is here, and he’s hurt.
Dashing forward, she kneels next to the mortally wounded figure, dimly aware of Eric and Ray standing just behind her ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
He won’t hurt me. He’d never hurt me, not if he’s thinking straight. And even if he did try to harm me then, I’d absolutely deserve it.
“Chris! You remember me, I know you do. What happened to you? Why are you here? Why are you like this? Don’t worry, Chris, it’s gonna be fine, I have...I have...”
As she fumbles to retrieve the last of her healing potions, Lexi realizes the green in his eyes is fading, the crystal irises turning back to normal.
Chris...I knew it was you. I’d recognize you anywhere. Don’t worry, I have the best healing potions in the world thanks to Jordan.
“Lexi.”
Why is Eric...? Oh. NO. I wasn’t trying to kill him!
“I just...I just want to help. I don’t...I don’t know what to do. He’s hurt.” Dropping the bottle, she cradles the back of a skull sparsely covered with blond hair that’s turning black. “You’re gonna be fine, Chris. Don’t worry, okay? I’m here, everything’s going to be fine now, I promise.”
“...Le...xi...” His voice is starting to sound like it always did, and she’s distantly aware of moisture on her face as a bony hand barely covered with rotting flesh rises weakly. “Le...xi...”
Chris.
He’d been her one and only friend back home, even though her mother always told her he only hung around for the family money, that he only wanted to seduce her and gain access to their wealth. But despite the painful guilt that accompanied them, Lexi had revisited the memories on occasion as an adult, though only ever in the dark of the night after copious amounts of alcohol.
All the times Chris stepped in to defend her from others’ cruel remarks and snide insults, the times he’d protected her from would-be kidnappers and her own foolishness, the times he’d taken her harsh words with a smile and done whatever she’d asked if it’d make her feel just the slightest bit better...
“I...missed...you.” Chris. When he smiles like that, even with more than half his face decomposed, he looks just like that warm, caring boy who’d always been willing to drop everything for her. “Lexi...” I’m here, Chris. “Lexi, you...must...live.”
Huh?
“Don’t...die.” He’s starting to crumble now, and she grabs desperately at ash. “Don’t...become...like...me.”
“Chris! What are you saying?!”
Don’t leave me. Not again.
A single tear from a familiar brown eye, then he becomes dust in the wind with one last gentle whisper and tender smile.
”Thank you, Lexi.”
“CHRIS!!!”
----------------------------------------
Dungeon #6,290,544 cleared. Player #2,342,592’s exit recorded at 1441 hours on the 13th day of the 5th month of the year 601L [https://i.imgur.com/JbQMKCi.png]
Go away.
Congratulations on setting a new record 🎉 Achievement: Fastest time to complete two-star dungeon Reward: Speed + 20 [https://i.imgur.com/HhUORT9.png]
Go. AWAY.
Congratulations on setting a new record 🎉 Achievement: Fastest time to complete two-star dungeon with only one player in party Reward: Luck + 10, Vitality + 10 [https://i.imgur.com/jG0mcTa.png]
GO AWAY!
Congratulations on setting a new record 🎉 Achievement: Fastest time to complete two-star dungeon with half your party below level 30 Reward: 10,000 bonus EXP [https://i.imgur.com/TjGZL9w.png]
“GO AWAY! GET LOST! LEAVE ME ALONE!”
“Lexi?”
“My lady?”
Sobbing, she curls tighter on the hard ground that’s starting to turn mushy thanks to light rain.
Chris.
She realizes now that he’d tended to make himself scarce whenever her father was around not because he was hiding or scheming anything, but because Chris knew that seeing him put her on edge as they grew older, and he’d wanted her to enjoy her time with her beloved father.
I shouldn’t have let them get to me.
If she’d been a bit stronger...she could’ve held her head high and ignored those insidious whispers, she could’ve been a better friend and daughter.
Even though I was cleared of any suspicion, so many people used to bring Chris’ disappearance up and try to use it against dad and I. Then when Chris’ parents committed suicide, and when I refused to go to the funeral, it all put dad in a tight spot but he kept protecting me, even from mother and brother.
But I just got more and more unstable, and I’d even lash out at dad as I aged and used the stress from work and relationships as excuses. And then, when he got sick...
She hates crying like this, because it doesn’t change anything - she knows because she’s tried - but the agony in her chest is too great to be contained, so she just wails harder, screaming as she beats the ground in a futile attempt to distract herself from the emotional torment with physical pain.
When at last she’s calmed down somewhat, Lexi realizes the sun is setting.
You used to accompany me every sunset, when I waited by the gates for dad to come home from work because mother made the house intolerable without dad around. Even if I tried to chase you away with insults about your family, you always lingered nearby, holding an umbrella and shawl just in case it rained or I got cold.
Unbidden, another sob wrenches itself from her throat.
No matter how mean I was, you never stopped caring. And yet, when you couldn’t see anymore sunsets back in our world, I continued chasing them anyway, drinking and smoking and playing stupid games while trying to forget you as much as possible.
A slight warmth by her side, and then the heavy drizzle stops its harsh pattering on the back of her head. Looking up, Lexi bites her lip to try and prevent more tears from falling.
Vena...
The half-elf is standing absolutely still, holding her cloak over Lexi to protect her from the rain, even as green eyes gaze resolutely into the horizon.
I only saved you because of Guide - because you’re someone who’ll help me as a player. I’m only using you now, just like I used Chris.
This time she can’t stop the tears, choking as she struggles to breathe through a hoarse but clogged throat.
I’m no good. I’m no good.
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CHAPTER 27 END