Immersed in an endless abyss, I have never experienced anything but pitch-black darkness. The sound of silence has been my lifelong companion, and a constant reminder of my seclusion. The void I am trapped in seems to be devoid of any emotion or sensation, leaving me with nothing but a hollow emptiness. I can't help but wonder, how much time has passed since I've been held captive in this desolate realm?

"The Forgotten Dungeon" is a story about a person whose life started with the sudden appearance of light and sound. They could see cracks in their surroundings as the noise grew louder. Finally, they heard someone say, "Ha! I found it. That old dwarf was telling the truth!" These were the first words that the main character had ever heard.

As I tried to make sense of my surroundings, I realized that I couldn't see anything - it was pitch black. However, I could sense that there was something around me. Gradually, my perception adjusted to the strangeness and I could make out a small room, about 20 by 20 feet. In the center of the room lay a broken coffin, and to my left and right, there were two statues that appeared to be damaged. I could hear faint sounds of destruction, and I realized that the noise I had heard earlier was probably caused by the destruction of the coffin and statues. As I looked around, I noticed that strange symbols covered every surface of the chamber. They were etched into the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling. I couldn't make sense of them; I wondered if it was some kind of ancient language.

As I sat in the eerie environment, I felt grateful for the change from the never-ending darkness and silence that I had experienced before. The sense of calm that enveloped me was a welcome reprieve from the monotonous routine of my life. Suddenly, my tranquility was disrupted when a large, grey hand wrapped around me and pulled me along. The grip was tight, and I could feel the roughness of the skin, an odd sensation considering that I don't have skin of my own. Panic and confusion set in as I was dragged out of the chamber without warning. The person who had taken hold of me seemed to be in a hurry, as if being chased by something. The pace was frenzied, and it felt as though we were thieves who had just stolen something valuable. I couldn't help but wonder if I was the valuable object being stolen. Overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty, I had no idea what was happening or where I was being taken.

As my peculiar new companion darted through the twists and turns of what appeared to be a complex maze, I noticed a curious development - a high-tech screen materialized before me, displaying intricate details and interactive elements that left me in awe. The screen presented an opportunity to explore and engage with my surroundings in a whole new way, adding an exciting new dimension to our adventure.

You have entered Asgard's lower levels. The previous owner is no longer present. Would you like to claim this dungeon?

Strange, but let's see what happens. I said, "Yes. — Nothing?"

Insufficient Mana, Required mana 100,000- current mana 0

I will put that on pause for now. Nevertheless, on the plus side, I know where I am. So, where am I going?

"First, let's take a look at the rock napper. I double-checked, and I am, in fact, a crystal - a brown crystal, to be exact. But how am I able to talk to this stranger? No, focus Nalle, wait, where did that name come from? I decided to set these thoughts aside for now and return to my new friend. Suddenly, another screen popped up."

Scan complete.

Name: ?? (*) Race: Undead Human (*) Class: ?? (*) Level: ??

"That was informative," I thought sarcastically to myself. Suddenly, a strange man caught my attention and let out a laugh. "That was rude; you could have asked," he said. It seemed that I had to be more careful when scanning people. "Well, little Nalle," he continued, "My name is Therlion Illiarth. I am an Undead Human with a class of Reaper and a level of 99. That should fill in that box," he said with a grin, looking down at the little rock.

"Am I the one being referred to as Nalle here? It seems so based on the context. I was surprised that he shared all his information with me, but I guess he is not too concerned about me doing anything with it given his level. Besides, I cannot really share it with anyone else as I lack the ability to speak. Anyway, his screen now displays the following information."

Name: Therlion Illiarth Race: Undead Human Class: Reaper Level: 99

As I was 'meticulously' analyzing his updated status, a sudden and alarming notification popped up, catching my attention. The notification was in a bright red color and had a flashy animation, indicating the urgency of the matter. It informed me that there were only 23 hours and 49 minutes left until the mana reserves would be fully depleted, which meant that it was imperative to take immediate action. The notification further instructed me to claim a territory at the earliest to initiate the extraction process and secure the 'Essance'. It was clear that any delay in taking action could have serious consequences, and the situation required my full attention and swift action.

As I am unable to speak, I rack my brain to come up with a way to let Therlion know about the pressing deadline that looms over me. I try to force my thoughts towards him, but to no avail. However, a glimmer of hope appears as I suddenly notice a screen pop up in front of me. Excited yet puzzled, I wonder if this screen could be the answer to my communication problem.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Would you like to share a notification with Therlion Illiarth?

Therlion paused for a split second after I said yes, but then a smile spread across his face. He reassured me not to worry and said that once we're out of the annoying fellow's territory, he will find a nice hole in the ground for me.

"Okay, while you worry about that, I will analyze myself. I am bound to learn something useful. Also, I am going to talk, think, whatever, as if you can hear me. Is that okay with you? Great, here we go."

Name, Nalle. Race, Dungeon core, (no rank) (all attributes locked

"So that's how you knew my name. How can my core be unranked? Maybe things will change when I build my dungeon. Or as you so eloquently put it my own hole in the ground."

Therlion sprinted through the winding tunnels for about an hour. While he moved quickly, I tried to scan and take note of everything I saw, although there wasn't much to see. I did, however, manage to memorize some of the strange symbols carved into the walls. There was a peculiar feeling that I had seen them before, which isn't too surprising since it seems that I was once buried down here. Despite my distraction, I couldn't help but wonder how the crazy undead managed to remember all the twists and turns.

Therlion abruptly stopped, his face contorted with frustration and anger. "We've been wandering in these depths for too long. We should have found the exit by now. Why can't we locate it?" he exclaimed, both confused and irritated. He gazed at me, and his scowl transformed into a manic grin. "When you're lost in a maze, just keep moving in a straight line," Therlion said, bursting into laughter. He then stretched out his hand, and a black and silver scythe, emitting a bright glow, materialized in his grasp.

As we walked through the tunnel, I sensed that something powerful was focusing its attention on us, particularly on Therlion. I kept my focus on the glowing scythe that had suddenly materialized out of thin air. It was an eight-foot-long weapon, with a three-foot blade - not exactly practical for fighting in a cramped space, but still impressive nonetheless. I tried to scan it, but all I got were question marks. Suddenly, Therlion let out a mad laugh and swung his scythe, destroying the wall in front of us. We could see that the walls were repairing themselves at an alarming speed. As I stared at the diagrams that seemed to pulse with power, I realized that the more energy that flowed into the designs, the faster the walls repaired themselves.

"I am starting to notice more patterns in the diagrams. For example, on Therlion's right side, there is a gap in the designs that looks like a door. I wonder what is behind that hidden door, but I know he can't hear me. Obviously, there was no reply. I wish I had a face so I could scowl at my undead friend."

Therlion launched himself forward with lightning speed, careening towards the end of the tunnel. My heart raced with anticipation as I watched the magic of the walls blur past us. Suddenly, he slammed into the wall with a resounding thud, causing me to gasp in shock. "Be careful!" I shouted, worried that he might drop me. But he paid no mind to my concerns, and we continued onwards, hurtling through the darkness at breakneck speed.

After what felt like an eternity, we burst out of the side of a cliff, soaring through the air with nothing but empty space below us. My stomach churned with excitement and fear as we hurtled towards the unknown. But just as suddenly as we had started, Therlion brought us to a stop in midair, turning to wave at something behind us.

And then, as if from nowhere, a voice boomed through the air, sending shivers down my crystal spine. It was a sensation unlike any other, and I couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead of us on this incredible journey.

"Therlion! What are you doing in my territory?!"

"Hey, stop yelling. You'll damage my core," I silently retort. I wish I had a mouth.

Therlion waved his hand and chuckled. "I stopped by to grab a gift for my lovely daughter. I'm sure Thorgan wouldn't mind."

Thorgan exclaimed, "Stop talking nonsense, Therlion. You don't have a child!"

"Maybe not," huffed Therlion, "but I have descendants." Then he looked at me and said, "Well, my little rock friend, it seems I won't be getting out of here without a fight." After a pause, he added thoughtfully, "Maybe I should have coughed up those five coppers for that old ratty map. However, the man selling it looked a little too shifty to trust. Besides, how did he even get a map? Last I heard, Aleana and Darnath are the only ones who searched the entirety of Asgard." Therlion looked back at Thorgan, and with another fit of giggles, he started humming with power.

"I haven't had a good fight since you left me here five hundred years ago, Therlion! This is going to be fun!" he exclaimed with a laugh before hitting Therlion in the face with a massive stone fist. As he dropped me, I finally got a good look at the loud person - or maybe "rock man" would be a more apt description. I tried to analyze it, but unfortunately, I was falling too fast.

"I may not have witnessed the battle itself, but I can imagine that there were earth-shaking explosions happening all around. Although I have no ears, I can sense the vibrations caused by the explosions. Unfortunately, the fight was always outside of my line of sight. However, I did come across a few diagrams that seemed to be present throughout the entire area. It was fascinating to see that every time there was an explosion nearby, there was a noticeable increase in the energy coursing through them." Giving a mental shrug, I tossed the mystery to the back of my crystal mind.

As per the annoying timer notification, it seemed that the battle between the two boys had been going on for over twelve hours. I couldn't help but think that they had way too much energy to be spending so much time on a single activity. Despite the length of time, the atmosphere seemed jovial, and I could hear them laughing and making corny remarks like, "trying this one out," and "I have been working on this one for such-and-such time." Even though they were engrossed in their game, I could tell that they were not being too serious about it. Finally, after several hours, the battle came to an end, and I heard the familiar voice of Therlion and a much more subdued Thorgan giggling not too far away. It was almost as if they had forgotten about my existence while being fully invested in their game, I mean fight... yeah a fight deffinatly a fight.

"How are the rest of the gang? This is the first time one of you came by since they bound me to this old ruin," asked Thorgan.

Therlion stood with his arms crossed and addressed Thorgan, "You have been confined here due to your previous berserk behavior. The adjudicators allowed you to continue living only under these circumstances. We considered sending you back to the earth plane, but the do-gooders believed we would summon you back again after a few years. I suppose they had a valid point."

What happened? Could you please give me details? Or if you prefer, you can ignore me. Went Berserk, adjudicators.

"Besides we all have better things to do than babysit someone as dense as you," Therlion said as he retrieved me from where I landed.

"So, what's the deal with the rock? I can sense it has a soul, but that's all."

Therlion responded, "It's a dungeon core, cant you read? Darnath, that eccentric old dwarf, sent me to retrieve it. However, I suspect that there may be something else going on here. Why was a dungeon core buried in Mathews's grave, and how did Darnath know of its existence?"

"Oh, how is he doing? Still trying to clean up that rot in the capital? Now, that's a thankless job!" remarked Thorgan. "Also, you know that the system doesn't work the same for elementals, right?"

"Therlion shrugs and responds, "The situation in that area has improved. I can move around freely now without being targeted by the cleanse undead spell, as long as I avoid the light mages." He completely ignores Thorgan's last comment.

"How did Darnath manage that? Last time I checked, that Pope had a significant influence on the mainland," asked Thorgan.

He killed the pope, burned the temples, and ordered them to leave. I don't know where they ended up as no nearby island nations accepted them following Darnath's stance. He ignored other religions since they weren't trying to control the world but gave them a firm warning by destroying the Church of Light.

"They kept me entranced with their conversation for hours. I tried to interject and ask for more details a few times, but neither of them seemed to hear me. Unfortunately, their reminiscing took too long, and my timer hit zero. As I felt myself losing consciousness, a mysterious voice spoke, 'Rest for a while longer, my little Nalle. It is not yet time for you to begin your adventure.'"