The fight had begun as multiple canines launched their offensive. Their fangs glistened as their jaws opened menacingly, preparing to bite their prey. Lilithra maintained her composure, feeling reassured by Ascalon’s mere presence, and swung her battle banner in a crescent, horizontal arc. This caused some of the wolves to stop, and others to change course and circle around, leaving her unscathed for the moment.
She planned to keep the beasts at bay with her weapon’s long reach, and if she managed to hit one of them in the process, all the better. Selorien, on the other hand, had turned around and covered Lilithra’s back, avoiding a few bites as he launched counter-attacks with both his daggers barely grazing his targets.
“Lady Lilithra, get your back to that wall.” Ascalon suddenly exclaimed, pointing past her to a rocky structure near her position.
Both she and Selorien understood Ascalon’s strategy, and she quickly sprinted towards it. Meanwhile, Selorien smirked and jumped a few steps back. Now free of guarding Lilithra’s back, he could now focus on fighting in the ways he was accustomed to: stealthily.
He activated one of his skills, his appearance beginning to sway as if it were a mirage. Slowly, his shape blended with the surroundings and banished from the wolf’s view, leaving them momentarily confused.
Stealth+.
—Skill info—
Miscellaneous skill
Rank: C - Level 62.
Potential: A.
Attribute: Illusion.
Effects:
The user blends in with their surroundings, gaining momentary lower invisibility. The effect ends when the user attacks another being, or is attacked.
Additional effects:
* Has a 3% chance of erasing the user’s sounds, such as clothes rustling or footsteps.]
Yet what the wolves' eyes couldn’t perceive, their noses and ears could, so Selorien didn’t have the leisure of remaining hidden for long.
Lilithra, on her side, was already with her back against the wall. She showed a bold smile, now that she didn’t have to worry about threats behind her. Shooting a quick glance at Ascalon, she noticed he was still petting that wolf, which flailed around trying to escape his affection. She averted her eyes as fast as she could and took a deep breath, doing her best to remain calm and not laugh.
At that moment, two wolves closed in on her. But she now had a good sense of her weapon’s range, so she quickly exhaled and swung the banner once again, and one of the pointy ends managed to connect by piercing a wolf’s torso. The creature cried in protest, and slipped away bleeding, while its companion stopped and looked at Lilithra with caution in its eyes.
A second later it growled, and jumped toward the girl. “Sorry, pooch!” She exclaimed with confidence, as she changed her posture and brought her arms back before piercing forward with all her might.
The spear atop the banner punctured the wolf’s head, whose momentum helped the blade force its way in. A helpless cry left the canine’s mouth as it fell to the ground motionless, blood gushing from its wound.
Lilithra sighed heavily while her hands trembled slightly, as she didn’t rejoice in taking its life. But she needed to steel her resolve, because another pair of wolves were approaching fast, their eyes bloodshot with rage. Suddenly, one of the beasts groaned as blood started to stain the fur on its neck. A dagger appeared out of thin air, firmly lodged below the canine’s jaw.
Following suit, Selorien emerged from stealth, and removed the dagger from the unmoving creature. At that moment, Ascalon’s voice pierced the air, some of the wolves freezing in place, taken aback by the sudden shout.
“Do not linger in the light! A rogue should strike and return to the shadows before the target can finish blinking!” At the knight's words, the elf opened his eyes wide in realization. He felt a tingle of excitement at what Ascalon implied, as it sounded incredibly cool. He also couldn’t help but find it amusing that someone much younger than him was instructing him.
Guided by the knight’s advice, Selorien’s figure started to distort once again. Two wolves growled and lunged at him, their jaws snapping close on nothing but cold air, biting down on the elf’s afterimage. In an instant, one of the canines fell with a thud, a huge wound open on its back.
Lilithra gasped in amazement at Selorien’s skills, smiling as she kept a few wolves at bay by swinging her banner around. Though she didn’t take joy in battling the doggies, she felt truly hyped up by the situation. Ascalon’s advice was short, somewhat obvious, and concise. Yet it was turning the fight in their favor with ease. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the amount of experience Ascalon had under his belt.
The action continued for a while, as more wolves were felled by the pair. Some managed to flee, wounded and weak, due to Lilithra’s compassion, and partly to her hesitation. And soon enough, the battle was over.
The girl sat exhausted, her back against the cold, rocky wall. She gasped for air as her body lost its tension, relieved that it was finally over, and smiled contently. She had gained four more levels, twice as many as when fighting against the harpies. Maybe she had gained more experience because she battled mostly by herself? She certainly wasn’t going to complain.
Selorien leaned against the same wall, and sighed while he cleaned his face of sweat. His expression was an elated one, as he read a blue screen in front of him.
Phantom Stab
In the deep shadows a blade glimmers, striking true at the heart of evil!
—Skill info—
Selorien L'adariel unique skill.
Rank: F - Level 1.
Potential: S.
Attribute: Darkness.
Effects:
The user strikes with a powerful, precise strike that makes use of both the user’s strength and agility.
Additional effects:
* Has a 30% damage increase when used while in a state of invisibility.
* Has a 5% chance of dealing double the damage while in a state of invisibility.
* Has a 5% damage increase when properly timing consecutive uses.
* Penalty: Has 40% reduced damage when not properly timing consecutive uses.
It had an awesome description and all, and relied on him actually fighting with finesse rather than simply spamming stabs. Selorien couldn’t believe the knight’s advice had led to him developing his own unique skill in such a short time. And as a bonus, he had leveled up once, too.
He decided to share his excitement with the group, as Ascalon approached with a wolf under his right arm. “Check out my new skill! Also, you can’t keep that.” He stated energetically, before changing to a more serious expression and pointing at the dismayed canine.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
Ascalon frowned as he read the screen that appeared before him. “Hmm. These effects are astounding, congratulations Sir… I mean, Selorien.” He said, stuttering over his words.
Then, Lilithra chimed in with joy in her voice, having also finished reading it. “That’s so cool Selly! Nice job!!!” She stated, getting up and clapping happily. Selorien smiled and let out a smug chuckle.
“No, but really you can’t keep it.” Said the elf. At that moment Selorien's expression looked like a thorn mixture of feelings, between his satisfaction towards the skill and the praise it was getting, and his worries about Ascalon’s furry acquisition. Ascalon sighed, putting the wolf down, which hastily scurried away.
“Farewell, Moonstone...” At his words, Lilithra and Selorien looked a bit conflicted. It seemed Ascalon was really attached, as he had even given it a name! But they couldn’t keep a dungeon wolf, so maybe they could get him a puppy or something back home.
For the time being, they had won, and everyone had acquired something valuable thanks to their growth. Lilithra had leveled up, gaining more stats, and Selorien also had a new, unique skill. Ascalon didn’t get anything tangible, but enjoyed the satisfaction of having contributed to their growth. He smiled at them, as a familiar feeling enveloped him.
Was it pride? Perhaps. It was something he felt when he trained with his knights back at Excadia, a happiness that came from helping others grow. He stopped reminiscing and spoke.
“You both were marvelous, I commend your bravery!” He put a hand on their shoulders, Lilithra looking bashful and Selorien a bit pleased. “I am glad you listened to me and put up with my selfishness in that situation.” He continued with a more gentle tone of voice.
Lilithra shook her head and interjected. “No, we have to thank you! Your tips are so easy to understand and to the point that even I could follow them! And look at the result: four more levels!” She exclaimed excitedly, as she shared her profile with the others.
Level: 16
STR: 95 CON: 50 AGI: 50 DEX: 25 INT: 50 WIS: 50 CHR: 50
Selorien looked perplexed, and Ascalon let a curious 'hmmm'. To the elf, her stat growth seemed incredible. Particularly, her strength and wisdom had quite the jump from before. It was also amazing that she managed to get four levels. He was happy to have gained one too, since he didn’t even remember the last time he did. But truth be told, he hadn’t done much training lately.
Selorien stretched his arms out and let out a satisfied sigh, Lilithra smirking at the sight. Then both of them agreed to fetch their backpacks. Lilithra rummaged through her belongings and took out her water bottle, promptly gulping it down in a rush, seemingly needing that hydration. Selorien was one step ahead, as he had simply manifested it from his inventory and drank leisurely.
She glared at him, who was breaking the rules of adventuring! But since their clothes were also a ‘cheat’, she kept quiet and finished up her water.
“That’s the stuff!” She remarked, satisfied, smiling from ear to ear. Even in such a chilly environment, cold water was the best after exercising! Ascalon chuckled at the sight. The elf also sighed in satisfaction, and sent the bottle to his inventory once again.
Then, they repeated the last fight’s ritual and started looting the corpses. This time they could gather some wolf pelt, though it was the same as the harpies feathers: cheap and not that exciting. Also very, very uncomfortable and… bloody. After a few minutes, Lilithra gave up, and her friends followed suit, kind of thankful about it. They rested a bit more and cleaned their hands thoroughly.
After regaining their composure, they all exchanged looks, and Lilithra took the initiative. “Alright, let’s continue!” But just as they nodded in agreement and were about to take their first step, a notice appeared before them.
The boss monster - Lord of the Peaks - has been defeated. The dungeon will close in: two hours. Reopening in: Eight hours.
Lilithra opened her eyes wide in surprise, and then swayed her head from side to side as she grumbled.
“Nooooooo! We were just starting!” Her expression was a mix of disappointment and sulkiness. Selorien sighed in frustration, before joining in on the complaints.
“Damn, they really went and rushed the boss, huh?” At these words, Ascalon recalled the other guild that had come in moments before them: the Fluffy Warriors.
It seemed they had taken down the main beast of the dungeon, and now they had a limited amount of time to continue their adventure. He let out a soft 'hmmm', a bit curious about how that worked, and decided to ask.
“What does this mean? Is this timer a warning?” He asked, thinking that maybe if two hours passed they would end up stranded in the dungeon.
Lilithra sighed as she came to terms with the situation, and focused on reassuring Ascalon. “Don’t worry, it just means it will take us back if we’re still here after two hours!” She explained, as understanding washed over Ascalon’s face.
“It’s so you can gather the loot leisurely I guess…” Added Selorien, in a sulking tone of voice. Lilithra’s face was overcome with regret.
“Ugh~ we didn’t get any loot! No chest, no drops aside from some bloody feathers and wolf fur! I wanted something shiny and that sold for tons!” She complained once again, Selorien agreeing with her as he patted her shoulder.
Ascalon understood that riches and treasure were expected at the end of an adventure. He had claimed gold stockpiles from vanquished dragons, and plundered vaults filled to the brim when sieging corrupt lord’s castles.
But this time around, it seemed they were going home empty-handed. He remained thoughtful, as Lilithra and Selorien chatted to each other, and came across a good idea. Though he sought his friend's permission.
“Hmm. Perhaps I can gather some loot, if you will allow me to venture ahead by myself.” He suggested, as they both appraised him with intrigue and suspicion.
“I know it goes against the ‘authentic adventure experience’, but I am certain I can find you both a most fine reward.” He added, his confident visage backing his words.
The pair didn’t doubt the knight for a second, knowing that if he said he could get some awesome loot, he would deliver. But still, a sense of guilt surfaced.
They exchanged knowing looks and smiled gently before Lilithra responded. “No, it’s okay. But thank you, Ascalon!” She said cheerfully, the elf nodding in agreement.
Ascalon showed a gentle expression and bowed respectfully, understanding their intentions. “This is just our first adventure after all! There’s gonna be many chances for us to get some cool loot!” Explained Lilithra with optimism.
Selorien chuckled mischievously at her words. “You could’ve also said it wasn’t all about the loot, Lil. You greedy goblin.” He added smugly, and Lilithra puffed her reddened cheeks.
“It’s not all about the loot, for real!” Seeing them banter like that, Ascalon chuckled softly and decided to not pursue the matter further.
She was right; this was only the beginning of their adventures, maybe the first of many. Who knew what tomorrow and beyond held in store for them? As he watched over his friends peacefully, Lilithra met his gaze.
“So, wanna go back? I don’t feel like continuing with a timer ticking over my head.” She spoke while looking around, the orange hue of the afternoon beginning to settle in. It was indeed a good time to go back, since time constraints would make for hasty decisions.
Selorien yawned with his eyes half-closed, slipping back into his usual laid-back demeanor. “Yeah, I wanna go back and get some rest. What do you say, Ascalon?” He asked, directing a half-smile at the knight.
Ascalon nodded, but was concerned about the time it would take them to travel back to the entrance. “I agree, we should go back. But won’t the journey take longer than two hours?” He asked, his doubt clearly showing on his face.
At the sight, Lilithra smiled smugly. “Hehe, only if we were truly following the rules of the authentic adventure experience!” She exclaimed, as she fiddled with her invisible screen. Then, a blue notice appeared before the knight.
An ally in the vicinity has activated - Dungeon Escape - and invited you to join them.
Accept / Decline
He gasped in surprise, and looked to his friends for confirmation. As they nodded, he pressed the accept button. A few moments later, he felt the same sensations as when he crossed the vortex to the dungeon earlier that day.
The swirling mass of colors converged into a familiar view: the inside of the tent that housed the dungeon portal. The group blinked a few times as they got accustomed to their new surroundings, and promptly headed for the exit.
Now, they were anticipating a peaceful and enjoyable evening before it turned into night, a good time for relaxation. But fate always had other plans. They stepped outside only to be met by a shocking scene—a multitude of wounded individuals being treated by people dressed in white attire.
Among them, Ascalon could recognize the girl with the cat ears and a fluffy tail: Lyra, who belonged to the Fluffy Warriors—barely standing upright as blood dripped from her forehead.