Loki Irminsul
August 23, 2225- Entrance to Onyx Academy
As the warm breeze tugged my scarf, leaving its ends to flap elegantly in the wind, the hundreds of eyes piercing into me only fed the flame that was my laughter. If they thought this little display was crazy now just wait until I actually have the time to plan something!
Wiping away the tears of laughter, I turned and face the loud-mouthed professor called Ludo who stood there in a daze. ‘Oh the look on his face, hahaha if only I could take a picture with my Vox.’ My inner voice chortled.
As the last of the fits slowly left me, the first of the complaints began to echo at the entrance.
“Bullshit!! This is complete bullshit!! There no fucking way that's his name, either the stones damaged or he tricked it somehow!! As I focused in on the voice I found myself facing the Tamer goon I defeated earlier. Seems like he wasn’t all too happy with what I did to his face but in my defense, it was a was an improvement.
His didn’t seem to be the only complaint as many others began to rally behind his words. Even the scary redhead Nike seemed like she wanted to give her opinion but instead shook her head, and looked directly at me as I saw her eyes begin to light up as a red hue surround them turning the pupils into lizard-like slits.
Within seconds the hair on my arms, and neck rose as goosebumps spread all over me, and feeling similar to the Naming Stone’s scan seemed to flow over my body.
My back shivered as I realized what she was doing. ‘She has a way to look at my status!’ Not even a second later her eyes quickly went wide, as well as having her mouth form an O before she instantly closed it, a dangerous look appeared on her face, and low and behold I was the target of that gaze. It wasn’t even a few seconds later until I felt three more scans go over me, with an intimidatingly powerful causing a mild case of suffocation. What fun.
A stream sweat began to slowly trickle down my back as the last bit of mirth from earlier faded. I was really fucking lucky no one scanned me before I used Ygg’s pen. One can only imagine having all their plans ruined before they could even start on them? What shit luck that would have been.
Hearing the complaints from the rowdy group of students Ludo's eyes focused back on me as his serious face broke down, and a smiled surfaced on it. “Well aren't you a special little bastard!” His hearty laughter probably indicating he wasn’t going to continue pursuing the subject, at least for now that is.
Though not satisfied with Ludo’s response the rest of the students begrudgingly calmed down realizing they wouldn't be getting the answer they wanted, which in turn left them facing the entrance to the academy.
Still rattled from before, the glimpse of the massive white Gates on the contrasting black walls made for a splendid sight. The handcrafted doors were covered in ornate carvings of all manner of beasts, locked in mortal combat with what looked like humans.
“Now everyone come forward quickly! Anyone not at the designated area will be left behind for the night as punishment!”. Why does he have to be so fucking loud I wondered, as I made my way over to the gates with ringing ears.
As the gates open before my eyes and the rest of the students, a swirling white mist is all I could see inside. I turn towards Ludo, and curiously ask, “Why’s it so foggy on the inside the academy?”
He smiles, and I see a humorous glint in his eyes as he responded. “Since you gave us all an interesting surprise earlier I guess it's my turn.”
“The academy that you’ll all be going for the coming years actually exists within a dungeon!”
My thoughts stuttered for a second as bewilderment filled the faces of all the students once again but this time mine was also among their ranks.
“Welcome to Onyx Academy your new home!” laughed Ludo as he snapped his fingers and I felt a force pull me towards the gate. Within seconds without even being able to resist the swirling mist surrounded me as I briefly became weightless, and had everything around me flash white until a status screen popped up in my face causing my smile to return.
Welcome to The Dungeon of the Onyx Tortoise.
Yggdrasil’s Inheretier trigger! Additional information provided - "One of the Five Mythical Dungeons of the Rank 2 planet known as Earth. While the first 5 Floors have been excavated and turned into a City of Learning, many secrete’s still hide within its depths." Current owner: Evanora Ward - Rank SS - Type- Underground Labyrinth
New title! Dungeon Diver!
As this is the first dungeon you have ever entered you gained the Title Dungeon Diver. The Profession tab has been unlocked. Current equip limit of 1/1 has been filled with Dungeon Diver. Allows the use of Dungeon features. +5 stat points to spend.
"The age-old profession of countless worlds"
“Well, things just got a lot more interesting!” My maniacal giggle echoing throughout vast white expanse, as the swirling fog entirely consumed me.
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Ludo’s Perspective
“Oh, it never gets old regardless of how many times I do it hahaha.” Ludo smiled as he saw all 1000ish students disappear before his eyes into the white maw like fog. Taking a pipe out and taking a big puff, Ludo felt the tenseness Lester had caused him to fade into the sweet bliss of industrial grade nicotine.
Saying his farewells to this rotation of gatekeepers, Ludo went rummaging around his pockets until he pulled out a small ruby gemstone. Bringing it to his mouth, he spoke the words. “Principle Evanora’s Office.” while facing the milky portal.
The small gemstone lit up brightly as he felt the irresistible pull from the portal. In an instant, his scenery changed as the grasslands, and towering black walls were replaced with a dark cavern containing a large underground lake beneath the cliff edge he stood on. Before him, an out of place mahogany door about 3 meters high made for a strange sight compared the rough cave wall surrounding it. Opening the door, Ludo entered what was likely one of the most unique rooms in the dungeon.
Evanora as the owner of the dungeon key had gained control of one of the dungeons various peculiar hidden treasure rooms. At the moment the academy was only privy to the location of 3 others, one which happened to be Ludo's personal training room. Evanora’s was extra special though since it had the remarkable ability to move anywhere under Evanora's control.
The treasure room turned office was quite spacious, boasting the size of a small gymnasium. Rows upon rows of books made their home amongst the walls and bookshelves creating a maze, and a headache for anyone that wasn't a frequent visitor. At the center of the labyrinth of texts, Ludo caught sight of Evanora's desk.
Crafted from the pitch black material called Titan Wood, the desk would probably be worth enough to cause a middle-sized company to go bankrupt trying to obtain such a chunk. With a close to unmatched durability, and rarity, the mythical wood played its part as but a mere desk.
Sitting on a standard sized chair was one of the most beautiful women Ludo had ever had the pleasure of meeting, and that's saying some considering the number of pleasurable sessions he had in his youth. Her ebony black hair pooled around her shoulders as thick streaks of royal purple intertwined with the black. Her vivid violet eyes were focused intensely on a floating screen as he saw a lovely smile bloom on her face.
“Liked the show, Nora?” Ludo asked as he held back his laughter. Nora wasn’t the largest of fans of his hearty laugh. She always complained it reminded her of someone she was better of forgetting about.
At the sound of his voice the trance that held her as she scrutinized the screen broke. Her gaze focused in on Ludo, and her smirk blossomed into an even wider smile.
“Quite the show indeed, this year's batch seems to be 'extra' special.” Her smooth voice agreeing with him.
Ludo nodded as he took a seat on an open chair, which he found to be both expensive, and comfy. The luxurious black leather molding perfectly to his shape forcing out a satisfied sigh from him. As for the disorganized desk, it set a stark contrast to the neat and tidy woman sitting at it.
“So what are we going to do about our interesting new student Lester the Jester’s identity issue?”
Though it wasn’t noticeable to any of the other students, the stone had taken a quarter a second longer than usual to complete its identification of Lester, which was Ludo’s clue to believing he had somehow tricked the Naming Stone. He wasn't sure how he accomplished it, but it was quite a dangerous ability to be left running around.
“Though I like the kid's spunk, and I don’t sense any malice or dangerous ill intent from him we can’t exactly let someone run around without knowing who they are, so what do you propose we do?”
Putting his thoughts on the table, Ludo watched as Nora picked up a wine bottle, and poured herself a small glass. Her wide smile slowly growing to its limits as she gazed at an image of the black scarfed Lester while taking a sip.
Her laid-back attitude was starting to annoy Ludo, so he was about to ask her again when she suddenly spoke up voice full of mirth. Her purple eyes seem to radiate power as her next words perplexed Ludo.
“No need Ludo I already know who he is, so I’ll handle it personally.” Her smile was blinding as he turned to also stare at the youth on the screen before him.
‘Just who really are you kid’? Ludo's interest, now fully peaked.
Nike's Perspective
Startled and agitated. Those two words would be the best description of Nike's current mood.
Was everyone a goddam clown? First, that stupid and may she add dangerous hidden lunatic called Lester. Then the blasted professor who's personality essentially screamed: "THE VIGOR OF YOUTH HASNT LEFT ME YET." Both treating everyone around them like a joke!
But that freakish Lester was what was really bothering her. What she saw with Profound Vision was terrifying.
Profound Vision- Passively improves the user's ability to detect danger around them. When activated the user's eyes will become dragon-like, and begin to glow red. The user will be able to see the Status Names of anything directly within their vision, and with the breath of life. It will also show the user a rough estimation of the capabilities of the target with different colors representing their specialty, and the hues level of danger. (Current Cost 20% of the user's mana/s.) Arete Tier-Mythic
All Profound Vision showed her was a chaotic iridescence that left her with a stabbing pain that made Nike really want to strike the floor as hard as she could hopefully ridding herself of the affliction tormenting her brain.
It was as though he could be as strong or weak as he wanted, yet unable to make up his mind. The only thing Nike could make out was that his specialty seemed to be geared towards speed, but that much was obvious considering he got first place in the race.
She'd be wary of him, but at least it didn't seem like he was a terrible person, just not all that right in the head.
None the less if he did prove himself to be someone with malicious intentions she'd deal with him regardless of the danger he might pose. She would always come out on top when it came to bringing justice of the sinful.
Nyx's Perspective
The Omni Codex fluttered inside Nyx's soul before finally addressing her.
"Don't approach that monster disguising itself as one of you humans. I've studied beings that could destroy your world with the flip of their hand, but I've yet to in my entire existence find myself in contact with whatever that 'thing' is. Once I find a countermeasure we'll rid it of its life.
With a quite agreement Nyx accepted the explanation. If she was one thing, it was patient. In the end, she'd accomplish her goals.