Written account by the name of Dimas of the Dragon’s Pride Clan
“1st Day of Descent: I’ve heard of this kind of job before, and as far as I can know I can’t see why it was so damn popular; To risk your life exploring a dark and by all accounts, creepy cave. Not going to complain too much. What we plan to do in this Dungeon is not too difficult, just very tedious.
In any event, we decided to try our hand at Dungeon Crawling once more and decided to investigate this new Dungeon that seemed to have showed up out of nowhere outside of this seemingly innocuous town called Greyfield, located at the southernmost edge of this kingdom’s territory, and so with the largest party Reynauld could muster, the sixty of us agreed to tackle this new challenge. Admittedly, I don’t think anyone in the world has ever conquered a Dungeon before and I have heard many stories of those that have tried and failed, but that’s not what we’re doing. In fact, that’s something that never came to mind when we decided to try some Dungeon Crawling. What we decided to do was map it out as much of the floor as we can.
As for the Dungeon itself, the most anyone could guess is that it was probably here for some time, and it wasn’t known until the miners accidently dug it out. Still, whatever the reason we are here now and it’s my job as acting cartographer to map out the paths as we make our decent.
So far, today has been uneventful which is understandable since the Beasts that reside in the first stratum within the mines have already left to the surface and have been slain. Even so, the bodies of those that worked here, their bones have been strewn throughout the entrance and blood still stains both the floor and their remaining shovels. They never stood a chance.
Our theory about the dungeon being dug out by accident has pretty much been confirmed. After an hour of exploring the mines, we found a torn down hole in a wall, an entrance to what we believe leads into the actual Dungeon itself. Once inside the difference becomes very noticeable. The walls of manmade support beams have been replaced by walls that were clearly cut through by claws as the paths twist and turn into every direction, some leading to dead ends, while others break apart into multiple branching paths. It’s going to take a long time to map out every pathway. Man, my job is never going to be easy. In order to speed up the process, the party was divided into three groups and we will meet up with each other tomorrow.
As stated earlier, today had been uneventful, despite the fact that we spent nearly the entire day inside the Dungeon, we should have run into some form of Beast or another, yet as far as we can tell it’s empty. Just where did everything go?
2nd Day of Descent: We have finally faced the Beasts at last, but…they were not the same ones that were described to us. They were, to put it in a single word, disturbing. They were human like in their figure, standing on two legs with pitch black leathery skin and the height of two full grown men. However, they didn’t have any noses, ears, or any body hair for that matter. Their eyes were a blank stare with no pupils, and a full set of rather large teeth that consisted of nothing but molars, their mouths peeled back into a permanent and disturbingly sinister smile wide enough to reach the point of where its ears would be. My god, what in the hell are these thing! The pair we found were feasting on what we later found out was the remains of one of the miners, bits of his flesh was torn from his body and discarded, but the remains of his bones were nowhere to be seen, such a mess. I feel sick even when writing this.
Even so, due to our superior numbers our Sub Party Leader ordered a handful of us to ambush the two. What came next was a bit of a surprise. The group was able to fell one of the beasts by aiming for its skull and smashing it with a single combined stone missile, but the second one put up quite a bit of a fight. The Beast shrugged off most spells and arrows, and our steel swords was only barely able to pierce through its thick skin. After a few minutes of casting spells, slicing with blades, and bashing with hammers the creature suddenly grabbed its dead comrade and dragged it off with surprising speed deeper into the darkness. Though we decided not to chase the surviving Beast, many claimed to have heard a faint crunching sound emanating from deeper down the paths it went through.
We mapped what we could and proceeded to meet up with the main group today. Upon hearing our story, another group confirmed what we found, forcing us to be even more cautious. The longer we stay here the more anxious I become. Can we just finish mapping and be done with it already? This darkness is playing tricks on my mind forcing me to hear noises, and it’s causing me to lose sleep!
3rd Day of Descent: What is with these things! All day we wandered aimlessly, drawing out this increasingly complex labyrinth and marking any potential dangers and pitfalls, yet it is clear that there are creatures lurking just out of torch light. Every so often we would come across a pack of those ‘Devil Hounds’ that were described to us, only for them to run away almost immediately. Then sometime after running into them, they would come back and stalk us. It has gotten to the point that a separate party was formed just for the purpose of hunting these beasts and driving them away.
God I can’t wait for this campaign to end. That’s right; it has turned into a campaign. Reynauld has decided that we are going to be frequenting this Dungeon for a while. Though I doubt this place would have any treasures yet, our money will be coming from selling the rights to our map if all goes well, since I it would be too risky to attempt to claim the bounty for conquering it. A golden opportunity and one that does not come by often, yet I can’t shake this feeling of dread. I couldn’t even sleep properly; it’s going to drive me insane. Reynauld believes that this will be our most profitable venture yet and his confidence gives me faith. Even so, I just want it to be over.
4th Day of Descent: Another tedious day. We march, we map, we scout, and we rest, repeat the process until we run into more Beasts.
The real problem isn’t boredom. The problem is the lack of light playing tricks on us. We have only been here for a few days, and already the men miss the sun light. Even the shadows look like they are stalking us, ready to pounce at any moment.
The worst offender of this new growing paranoia is Nitton, much to everyone’s surprise. We all knew him as a rather quite man, never needing to say more than he needs to. In fact, it was as much of a surprise if he spoke at all, much less what he said during our nights at camp. As for my interaction with him, I like to think that I have at least some connection with him. Though he never really talks all that much, I still often chat and make small talk towards him regardless, asking rhetorical question with the knowledge that he will most likely respond with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ if at all.
However, tonight he was rather…restless. Those around him found that he was constantly fidgeting and was mumbling something to himself. When I finally decided to ask what is wrong, I expected him to simply wave his hand to in confirmation. Instead he gave us this little speech.
‘May god shin his light, protect us from the darkness. May he guide us from our inevitable slumber.’
God, I did not take him for a religious man at all! I’ve seen him do things to bandits and brigands that would make any hardened soldier sick, and he picks now to give us a sermon!
To make things worse, he pulled off a circular amulet from his neck and gave it to me. It was the three pointed star, the symbol of the church. He took it off and gave it to me, saying that he knew I wasn’t much into religion, but I could think of it as a good luck charm.
Damn, what is with him? I am grateful that he gave me the amulet as some sort of protection, and even more so that he was trying to give us some peace of mind, but instead he nearly scared the crap out of us. What was all that talk of ‘inevitable slumber’? I can’t even sleep. I’ll finish today’s report tomorrow.
5th Day of Descent: How can this happen! We are of the great and powerful Dragon’s Pryde Clan! How can we have been so unprepared? How can we have made such as choosing to enter this forsaken Dungeon! Here my comrades lay, Riley, Mathas, even Nitton, lifeless with horror etched on their faces as they let out their last breath, here, the proof of our failure.
We were attacked in our sleep. Those dammed Beasts. Laying in wait to ambush us all this time! We had an over watch ready to alert us but it seems even they were killed. Those horrid smiling creatures. Stop smiling! They did not stop. They could not be stopped. Barreling straight towards us. Our defenses gone, smashing anybody they could get its hands on. Picking people up and snapping their bones in half as if they were made of nothing but twigs! And those ‘Wretched Hounds’. Trampling in a single mass wave. Tearing into flesh and dragging the remains into the shadows. God! I can still hear their pleas for help, as the soft sounds of meat being torn apart silenced those poor souls for good, as I stood, doing nothing. Then the spikes. Something in the darkness was hurling these spikes made of bones at us. Picking us off one by one!
Someone, I don’t know who, sent a flare in the air by magic, my god! I truly wish he didn’t do that. The sheer number of those Beasts, there were so many! Their eyes! So many dead eyes! They came. Wave after wave, so many dead. Dying. Yet the most we could do was push them back. They just kept coming and coming and coming and coming….
Hours. Days. Years. Don’t know how long. The horde just stopped attacking. They retreated, leaving us alone. Those that have been left standing were few, far too few. Two hundred. Two Hundred of us started. Two hundred in an effort to make some money, now, a measly nine.
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. We had no choice. We had to leave them behind. There is nothing we can do for their remains. Even Reynauld, our indomitable Leader, was not spared from the massacre.
I don’t know what will happen to the rest of our clan. Don’t care; Just want to leave this god forsaken place. I want to forget. Please let me forget. I want to forget their voices. I want to forget the sea of blood and anguish. I want to forget the evil that marks that place as its own. I want to forget it all.”
Deckard finishes reading the journal. This is what remains of the written account by the sole surviving member of the Dragon’s Pryde clan that dove into that Dungeon nine days ago. As for the Dimas himself, he has been found only yesterday, limping back from the mines, battered and bleeding.
Deckard looked over the paper once more. It can still be read, however many of the pages prior had either been torn out or were simply damaged to a point where the letter could not be read. Even so the description of this other creature is what his attention the most. So far, those hounds were the only monsters anyone as ever encountered, but to think there are more of those things.
Deckard sat in the center of the compound just outside of said Dungeon, looking over the rest of the man’s belongings. He had been asked and accepted the responsibility of being captain to the outpost just outside of Greyfield coal mines.
He looked at what little the writer had left. His bag had nothing more than a partially drawn map, an empty canteen, and a single amulet that belonged to the Church. Disappointed, he placed these things back inside and turned his attention back to the journal. As he read more of the journal a man in iron armor approached him with a salute.
“Captain Deckard. Rilic reporting for duty, sir! I am ordered to pass some news!”
“…”
“Captain?”
“...”
Deckard simply stares at the last pages, before briefly snapping back to his senses.
“Hmm? Yes, what is it?”
“Erm, as I said, I’m here to pass a message!”
Deckard sets down the journal back with the other belongings they have recovered.
“I’m headin’ back to town, if ya wanna talk, do it on our way back.”
“I-I understand sir.”
Deckard leaves steps out the outpost’s gates accompanied by the man in amour. After a few minutes of walking back to town and once they came under a comfortable walking pace, the man gave his report.
“Sir. Our currently residing Lord expresses great interest in…”
“Rilic, why do ya use such honors, just Deckard is fine.”
“E-Even so, it wouldn’t be right , sir.”
“Hmph, if ya say so.”
Faltering slightly the messenger continues.
“Erm, as I as saying our current Lord, Lord Virisin, has expressed great interest in the resource known as coal, and as such, has placed a twenty-five thousand gold bounty on the submission of the Dungeon.”
“Gold? Really? Why’s he so interested in that lump o’ rock.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t say, all I heard is that Lord Virisin wants it.”
Wondering as to the why there is an unusually high bounty, Rilic interrupted, “Captain Deckard. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I heard that you were the first to investigate the mines. Just what happened? What exactly did you find down there?”
Deckard’s face becomes contorted in anguish as the thought of that damnable cave. So many bodies…so much…blood.
“...Nothing, no need to worry about it, It’s just…I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Oh…I see. Forgive me for asking.”
An awkward silence fills the air. Panicking the man attempts to change the topic.
“B-By the way, how is your son? Heard a bit of general news about him.”
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Deckard gave a stern glare at the man.
“What kind of news?”
“W-Well, it’s mostly just positive, but I haven’t heard all the details, s-so please don’t give me that look.”
"Mostly?"
"S-Sorry! I meant entirely! Entirely positive news!"
Deckard stern and dark disposition crumbled at this, as it is soon replaced with a bright and cheerful one.
“Ah, I see. I that case, he’s doing great! Been helping out at the Apothecary, and already made some friends. He’s even been getting lessons in cooking in exchange for doin’ some chores for one of the families in town.”
“He sounds very… diligent for his age.”
“I woulda’ said smart, but that works too.”
The armored man nods in affirmation. “Yes, from your description he sounds like a good child.”
“Praise my son more Ha Ha!” After a good laugh, Deckard drops his sunny attitude.
“Still, sometimes I wonder…” Deckard becomes melancholic as his thoughts drift form his son to himself. “I can’t stay here”
“Pardon?”
“This town, it was nice enough at first but with this new cave. I can’t leave him here any longer. I’ve been lucky, far too lucky to have such a life. I admit. I wasn’t really into the whole idea of bein’ father before I had him, but once that boy came into this world,” He softened his expression even further. “All I ever did was to live from one job to the next. Doing what I wanted. Even when I joined a party for a bit of adventurin’, I did as I pleased… what a careless and stupid life I had.”
Deckard looks around. They have long left the outpost and the two men are now half way between the mines and the town, with nothing but the trees winds, and the empty road, giving them company. The very same road he found Mrs. Burrough.
“Every time I think about what woulda’ happened if Mrs. Burrough wasn’ there.” He clenches his fist, and furrows his brow. “I…don’ ever want to see that again.”
“…So…what do you plan to do?”
“Who knows? I’ll figure it out,” Deckard shrugs.
After a few minutes go by, Deckard finally makes it back to town. As he is walking through the now crowded streets of the town’s center, he comes across a very welcoming sight. He spots a young boy running towards him in a full sprint, with an excitedly happy expression on his face.
“Yep, I sure am lucky.” Deckard says, smiling happily as he opens his arms embraces his son.
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“That’s IT! Enough is enough! You people cannot walk in here for every little scratch you get! For the past three weeks I have been flooded with far too many patients with such superficial injuries. So anyone who isn’t going to die in the next five seconds, GET. OUT. OF. MY. SHOP! ”
Eiso had been stuck inside the Apothecary treating wound after wound non-stop all day as a massive line of patients poured out from the shop and into the market out front, garnering many stares from other passersby. Even he had to agree with Ms. Marle that the situation was absolutely ridiculous. He could barely tend to eight patients on a normal day, but now there were hundreds of patients in front of him that he had to take care of. Eventually he was forced to drink mana vials, whose taste was not pleasant in the slightest. It wasn’t until one of the patients approached him with a question did Eiso finally manage to figure what was going on.
“Say kid…you wouldn’t happen to know when Sister Diam will be in, do you?”
Their excited looks upon entering followed by disappointment after a thorough look around as of the shop. Eiso thought it was safe to assume that they all pretty much injured themselves in the hopes of getting treated by Sister Diam herself. A mixture of amusement and annoyance overcame him, unsure as whether to laugh or not. While he thought it was funny, it couldn’t be denied that they were all wasting valuable time.
Hearing this man’s inquiry, Ms. Marle became red in absolute fury. “I have had it. OUT! Everyone OUT! Where closed for the day. Just get out and bleed somewhere else!” A collective groan was let out by the mob as Ms. Marle shooed them out. It wasn’t until the last man left and the doors were slammed shut did she unleash her pent up frustration. “IDIOTS! This town is filled with IDIOTS!”
She continued to shout obscenities to no one in particular for what felt like several minutes, and did not stop until she noticed Eiso sitting patently on a nearby stool waiting for further instruction.
Collecting herself she turned to him, “ *Cough* Well then. It seems we’ll be closed for the rest of the day, so you can go on home early today…just…do me one favor.”
“What is Ms. Marle.”
She grabbed Eiso by the shoulders, looked at him directly in the eyes, and spoke in a completely serious tone.
“Don’t. Ever. Become a skirt chasing moron like them!”
“Y-Yes ma’am.”
“Good, *sigh . Why did I agree to help that damn woman and her church.”
Collecting his things he left the shop and out the front door.
With the warm sun overhead, he began to walk at a calm pace to the usual tree he would often find Tynan and the others. It’s been several days since Eiso became friends with them and they had continued to meet at the same spot every day after he left the Apothecary. Every day the four of them would either practice their spells or they would play a plethora of games.
As he was halfway through the center of town, a welcoming sight caught his eye. “Ah! Dad!” Eiso shouted, as he ran towards his father with a bright smile on his face.”
“Ha ha. How are ya’ doin’ my boy. Shouldn’t you be helping at the Apothecary?”
“I’m doing great! Ms. Marle closed the shop early today because the customers started to get on her nerves.”
“Yes, that does sound like something she would do.”
“Anyway, right now I’m going to go find Tynan and the others!”
“Is that so? Well be sure to take care of yourselves. Oh and when you are done, come straight home, I need to talk to ya’ about somethin’ .”
“Of course! Bye Dad.”
With a final wave of goodbye, Eiso left, dodging and weaving through the crowd of people.
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Eiso finally made it to the tree, only to find that none of the others have showed up yet. Not wanting to waste time, He sat down and laid out a book on the soft grass, opening it, and then began flipping through the pages. It did not take long for the others to arrive, as he heard a voice call out to him.
“Hi’ya Teach’. Didn’t know you were out early. So, what are we gonna do today.”
It was Tynan with both Rikka, and Papri in tow.
Shaking his head, Eiso waved back to the three, however only Rikka and Tynan responded in kind, as Papri once again completely ignored him, choosing only to give him a side glance.
“Sorry, Eiso, I still don’t know why she’s doing this.” Rikka whispered, pointing to her sister. “I keep asking her, but she refuses to tell. She must really not like you for some reason.”
“Meh, forget about that, Rikka, we’ll figure it out eventually, so Eiso, what do you wanna do today.”
“W-Well… I was hoping you guys could help me practice my spells.”
“Heh, of course! Whatever you need, we’ll do it. I mean, I did have something in mind as well. But you know, you did help us a lot! So, it’s only fair.” Tynan smiled widely. “But…aren’t you already good at using them.” he asked while rubbing his arms for the non-existing burns.
“N-Not really, I saw Sister Diam use her magic, she is much better than me so I wanted to be as good as she is.”
“Not gonna be a problem, Eiso, I got you covered,” Rikka smirked as she slowly walked up to Tynan.
“Hmm? What is it Rik-.” Suddenly without warning, a fist flew directly into his face, knocking him to the ground.
Papri instinctively ran forward and cried in panic, “Are you alright?”
“I’m okay, see, barely felt a thing.” Rikka answered coolly,
“She was talking to me you idiot!” Tynan retorted as he slowly got back up, cupping his right eye.
”Details, who needs ‘em, anyway, Eiso, do your thing.”
“Don’t ignore me!”
As Tynan was ignored, Eiso approached him and placed his hand over his eye, which was already swelling.
“[Restra]”
The usual glow cloaked Tynan as Eiso began his test.
While still casting the spell, Eiso slowly backs away from Tynan. The white glow grows weaker and weaker with every step. So to keep the process up, Eiso pours out even more mana. Soon he reaches his maximum range which he estimates to be about three meters. After a few moments of this, he stops the spell, completely healing Tynan.
‘As long as I have enough mana, I can extend the range of my spells. Can probably do other things as well’
”Good, now that that’s over, you owe me, so you have to come with us to the forest. I have something I really need to do there.” Tynan said, rubbing his eye.
“Didn’t you say you’d do anything for him?” Rikka asked.
Disregarding this Tynan grabbed Eiso by the shoulders, with a bright twinkle in his eye. “Please, you have to join us.”
“I-I don’t think that’s a good idea…sure it’s safer now, but there are still all sorts of…monsters there.”
Eiso couldn’t help but think of those wolf-like Beasts, those ferocious fangs, and horrifying blank eyes.
“Come onnnn. It’ll be fine, we’ll be fine by ourselves!”
“I-I’m not sure.”
Suspicious, Rikka asked “Why do you want to go so badly?”
“M-Me? Uh…I … uh…just want to forage around for some goods that’ll sell. Just wanna earn a little bit of money that’s all.” Tynan said as his cheek started blushing slightly.
“Money? Why would you want money all of a sudd-.......Ohhh, is this about that girl you were talking to the other day.”
“What girl?” Asked Eiso out of curiosity.
“Yeah, what girl?” Papri piped up, in a very skeptical tone.
“J-Just some girl, y-you don’t need worry about it. Heck, I barely remember her at all.”
Rikka joyously decided to remind him, “Well I do. During those nights when the hauled us off into one of those safe houses, I saw you talking to her the day those things attacked town, and then, practically every day from then on. Man, I almost forgot about those days.”
“Oh yeah, I almost forget about that too, man that was the scary, right.” Tynan said, attempting to change the subject.
Refusing to let go, Papri pressed on, “You were with a girl that whole time?” she said as clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes in disgusted.
“I wasn’t. She was scared so I just…tried to comfort her, that’s all.”
“Comfort her with your lips more like.”
“Shut up, Rikka! You’re not helping,” Tynan shouted clenching his fists.
“…Tynan…” Papri’s face was turning red, something that Eiso hasn’t seen before, “….you were doing that sort of thing….”
“W-What’s wrong with you Papri. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“ …You were doing that….when we couldn’t sleep…..when we were so scared….when he was…” She muttered quietly, barley containing her anger.
Seeing Tynan cower before the tiny Papri made Eiso pity him, still Eiso suspected what Tynan was planning but decided to ask anyway, “So, why do you need the money?”
With a great look of relief Tynan took the chance, “Easy, I want to buy her a gift, of course! I found out her birthday is coming up, and she says that she still has nightmares of those days, so figured I’d get her something to cheer her up! “
“Birthday? That would men she’s turning fifteen. Remind me again. How old are you?” teased Rikka.
“Shut it, age is but a number.”
Eiso ignored this and continued, “Couldn’t you borrow the money instead?”
“I told my dad about it, he laughed and said a man should do these kinds of things on their own. That they have to be earned, not given. Besides, she deserves nothing but the best after all she’s been through. Especially since she’s kind, and …pretty~.”
“Wow, you can even SEE the dream clouds around his face,” sneered Rikka.
“Shut up! Any way Eiso, you help me out right? This is something you should understand as a man. Right!”
“I-I don’t know, we would need some way to protect ourselves.”
“No problem, I snuck out with my dad’s hunting knife. Besides, we can use magic. Look, I can even make a FIRE BALL! Check this. [Fledare].” Tynan summoned a small ball of burning orange fire in his hands. “See! With this I can defeat any Beast that comes our way.”
“…Isn’t that just a signal flare spell?” Eiso asked.
“It’s the same thing.”
“Not really, sure it’s bright and I suppose you could burn someone, but it’s still not the same.”
“Tch, fine, I’ll just stick with the ‘Spark’ spell then, just say you’ll come.”
“Y-You don’t need me. You guys should be fine on you ‘re own.”
With a wide smile, Tynan gave his reasons. “What are you talking about, it would be much more fun together! Besides, we can’t just leave our friend behind.”
……
‘….to leave a friend behind…’
Eiso’s chest flooded with a great pain of both gratitude and regret. He doesn’t know what will happen in the forest, but he does know that he’ll regret it if anything does while he was gone.
“Come on Tynan. Don’t try and guilt him into this. If he doesn’t want to then…”
“I’ll do it.”
“…say what?”
“ALLRIGHT! Now that we have a Eiso as the Cleric completing the party, we can finally accept the quest! Let’s go, the sooner we find some goods, the better.”
“Um, I’m not a Cleric though. I don’t remember too well, but I think Clerics are approved by the church.”
“Whatever, the point is with you as our healer, Rikka as the brawn, Papri as the support, and me as the Leader, we can finally make a party.”
“The hell! Why am I the brawn!?"
“Shut up! You know why! Enough talk, now march!”
And so, with Tynan singing joyously in the lead and Papri, Rikka, and Eiso tailing right behind, the four of them made a beeline towards the forest, armed with nothing but their wits, and a few basic spells.