Time-Smith - Chapter 20: Dungeon - Dangerous Activities - Part 1 (Patreon)

Gideon was bored. He was watching the end of a universe, a hobby of his, from his domain. It changed from second to second, billions of actions from billions of people setting a tsunami of events in motion that often resulted in the end of everything.

Time was funny like that—it ebbed and flowed and shifted, yet remained stationary. He watched as moments blurred and distorted, some stretching out to infinity while others flashed by in an instant.

It lost his interest.

He looked to the right at his sister and her familiar, in another dimension, and watched as they embarked on a journey through different spiritual dimensions, encountering vast spiritual beings, exploring the mysteries of the universe, and discovering their true selves. Gross.

Time could give a man a sense of purpose and direction, it also made a person feel responsible for the fate of the world. But what was the fate of one world when there were so many? He had seen the births and deaths of countless gods and universes, each one less interesting than the last. A man had once told him that he had to be careful with his sight, because even the smallest action could have far-reaching consequences. What a fool.

He grabbed a large spear the size of a tree, from a large pile stacked on his balcony. And aimed at the sky, pulling his arm back taut before he flung with a burst of might, the resulting sonic boom shook the foundations of the platform as the giant spear disappeared past the horizon and through the clouds.

He turned and looked to a reality where the only form of existence was sound, and the worlds were a symphony, and saw music. It helped him relax as he worked.

Walking back to his chair while still listening to the dimensional symphony, he sat down and remained still, turning his head to gaze at the spear flying across landscapes and causing devastation in another land as it struck the earth.

Gideon gazed past his balcony, watching the chaos unfold miles and miles away.

The giant spear had hit a house, striking it at sonic speeds and killing a young man. Now, Gideon observed the aftermath with detached curiosity, using his only skill, [Omni-Sense], and his vast array of sensory abilities to perceive the devastation in all its forms.

He saw the heat waves generated by the explosion and tracked the spread of the flames. The fire engulfed the surrounding buildings, leaving nothing but charred remains in its wake. He detected the temperature changes caused by the explosion, including the heat signature of any living beings in the area. Sadly, he could see no one who was still alive.

Gideon squinted, and gazed at the time-lapse of the impact, viewing the explosion in slow motion. He saw every detail of the blast and its aftermath. He could see straight through the debris and rubble, and attempted to locate any survivors or hidden objects.

But there were no survivors, and the only objects he saw were fragments of what once were people's homes.

He could see the entire area around the explosion at once, and had a full view of everything occurring in the area including any hidden or obscured regions. He watched the microscopic debris and particles generated by the explosion, including the pathogens and pollutants they contained. The toxic fumes generated by the explosion made his nose tingle, and he was momentarily stunned by the immense damage he had caused.

He hadn’t thrown it that hard.

He could generate a mental three-dimensional model of the explosion and its effects, allowing him to explore it in detail from any angle, and did he so, while time was slowed down. He peered at the molecules that made up the materials involved in the explosion and tracked their movement and reaction. It only added to his curiosity, as he saw the destruction he caused in such vivid detail. It was like a painting trapped in time, infinitely complex.

As he observed the destruction, he also perceived the emotional impact of the explosion on the people in the area, sensing their fear, panic, and grief. He could sense the residual psychic energy left by the explosion and any psychic disturbances caused by it. He paused, feeling their pain, confusion, and sorrow in great detail.

And he smiled. Killing a [Hero] always made him feel better.

"We possess art lest we perish from the truth," he muttered to himself, absentmindedly.

He glanced idly at the past, and saw himself meeting- and killing- an interesting boy, in a past that had both happened, and hadn't really happened at all.

He had just seen something he had never seen before. Where was the boy now—in a dungeon?

Now that was interesting.

Gideon stood up from his chair, and made to leave his domain.

***

Evan, Lucia, and Markus stood at the edge of the Godfell dungeon. A gaping maw in the earth. The deep rocky gash in the earth appeared like a large crater with pitch-black depths, an imposing hole in the ground the size of a large mansion that reached up to form a crack in a large rocky hill at one end. They were not adventurers, the suicidal lot, and two of them weren’t even registered hunters, but they had a mission - to explore the depths of the dungeon.

Markus and Lucia were stunned; their jaws dropped in unison when they saw the changes Evan had made to his body, seemingly overnight. In their eyes, he now looked as if he had spent years running or tirelessly chopping wood. It was a stark contrast to the unassuming form he had the day before. They exclaimed as they noticed the scar tissue in crisscrossing patterns reaching up from beneath his armoured neck.

"So you can just... change your body however you want?" Lucia looked thoughtful, and, was that jealousy he saw? That was a first.

"Well, you definitely took the concept of a 'gleamup' to a whole new level," she added with a sigh as she traced one of the scars on his arm with a finger. It tickled.

Markus, caught off guard by Lucia's remark, furrowed his brow in confusion. "a glow-up?"

Lucia instantly responded "No, that's not what I said. Look at him, it's like a phoenix. And in just one night, too. Evan, that should take months. Your body looks like it's been through some serious adventures."

Catching Lucia's gaze, Evan responded with a wry smile. "Adventures in the mirror, you mean. What's funny? Hey- not like that, stop being dirty-minded. Ew." His smile quickly turned to dismay.

Evan waved his hand dismissively, feeling slightly uncomfortable with all the attention on him. "To be honest, the scars are just battle scars, in a sense... or at least, they're supposed to be."

His two friends grinned in the face of the deep scar in the earth, taking in the deep cracks in the strange rocky hill on the other end, and fought back the giddy nerves that threatened to consume them.

Markus raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, facing Evan. "Battle scars? Is that why you stopped halfway up your neck? Didn't want to ruin your good looks?"

"I wanted to look like a good hunter, not someone who shouldn't be alive," Evan explained, trying to justify his decision. "And besides," he held up his bone ring. "I'm cursed, remember?"

Evan had used [Flesh smith] the night before to alter his body, refining the process and greatly strengthening himself. He had drastically altered his genetic code once more and transformed his body to become stronger, faster, and more resilient, with specialized muscles and structures capable of generating kinetic energy, dragon-scale fiber interlocking muscle, and the ability to breathe a young dragon's flame. His body now had a tough and scarred appearance, like a seasoned hunter, although the dark red scars stopped halfway up his neck.

He felt ready.

Evan, Lucia, and Markus stood before the entrance to the dungeon, their eyes fixated on the dark, imposing hole in the ground before them. "Are you sure you want to follow me in there?" Evan asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

"Of course," Lucia replied, her tone confident and unwavering. "We're prepared. We're ready for this."

Markus nodded in agreement, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's now or never," he said.

Evan's stomach was a tightening knot of tension. He suspected they both were underestimating the danger. They would have to prioritise their safety over everything else.

As they approached the entrance, a gust of strong wind burst out from the crevice, buffeting their hair in all directions. The wind was strong enough to make Evan, who stood closest to the entrance, stumble back. Markus caught him, and Lucia reached out to steady him.

The wind was periodic, a forceful gust would burst out of the crack every few minutes, the winds causing the trees in the surrounding area to sway violently. Evan felt like he was standing amid a raging storm, his heart racing with fear and excitement.

The group stood in silence, contemplating the depths of the dungeon. The darkness was unnaturally black, as if it could swallow them whole.

The silence was deafening, punctuated only by the periodic gusts of wind from the entrance.

"This is it," Markus said, breaking the stillness. His voice was barely audible above the howling wind.

As Evan looked down into the darkness, he thought of the stories he had heard of the few survivors who fled the dungeon and the stories of the deaths of their teams.

Stories of unspeakable horrors that lurked within the depths of Adras's Breath, waiting to claim the lives of any foolish enough to enter. The stories had one thing in common; the instant deaths and screams of their party. The survivors often had not seen much and fled when they found themselves alone. Evan would have to use his enhanced senses and speed to catch any danger before it was too late, and decided he should lead the way.

That would be the key to making it back with their prize.

The three youths stepped closer to the dungeon, the darkness of its depths unnaturally black. Evan could feel the weight of the moment, the seriousness of what they were about to do. He took a breath and stepped forward, his foot hovering over the threshold of the dungeon. They had planned to use ropes to safely traverse the steep incline of strange dark rock that threatened to send them tumbling into the unknown depths below.

Evan took another step forward, his heart was pounding. He could feel the wind tugging at his clothes and hair, threatening to twist his footing and pull him into the darkness. He held his breath and steadied himself before stepping closer. His foot touched down on the uneven and sharp rocky ground within the dungeon, and the sound of six footsteps soon followed, echoing off the jagged walls as the darkness enveloped them in a thick billowing cloak.

The trio moved forward, the darkness pressing in on them from all sides. They could barely see their hands in front of their faces; the only light came from the occasional glowing moss on the walls. As they walked, they carefully navigated over the jagged rocks and steep inclines using their ropes to keep themselves steady. The dark rocks that jutted out around them were strange and foreboding, like the very essence of the dungeon was trying to keep them away. They paused as the howling winds buffeted them again in the darkness, clinging to their ropes and planting their feet. A fall here would result in broken bones or worse among the steep jagged incline. He could imagine many people being thrown by the winds and failing before they’d even set foot in the dungeon.

They pushed forward, deeper and deeper into the dungeon's steep depths; the darkness became thicker and more oppressive with every passing moment. Looking forward, peering into the abyss, Evan saw a faint white glow in the distance.

The wind picked up again, making it difficult for them to stand. They held onto each other, using their combined strength to stay upright.

As the wind died down, Evan took another step forward, his hand outstretched toward the distant light. He could feel the cool air coming from the dungeon, sending shivers down his spine.

“Let's do this," he said, his voice determined. "Follow my lead."

The rocky surroundings widened, and the ground began to even out with each step as the incline lessened, and Evan noticed a change in the environment. The jagged and steep rocks gave way to smooth, polished walls, and they continued until they finally found themselves in a large stone corridor with torches lit with faint pure white flames spread along the walls on either side of them. The temperature also seemed to have dropped, and Evan could feel his breath fogging in the air in front of him. The air carried the scent of decay, and strangely, freshwater. The winds continued to buffet them periodically, racing through the dungeon and causing their hair to ruffle and their equipment to sway. They walked on in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Lucia looked around nervously, her eyes darting from side to side. "I don't like this," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Markus scoffed. "What's there to be afraid of?" he said. "We've come this far already."

Evan nodded in agreement, too distracted by dancing shadows to muster a response.

Evan, Lucia, and Markus walked through the silent halls of the dungeon, their footsteps echoing through the empty corridors. The winds assaulted them periodically, the gusts racing through the dungeon and causing the flames to peter and stutter. In the tense atmosphere, the faint sound of crackling flames was the only thing that broke the silence.

As they proceeded through the large corridor, the ceiling rose with each step until they were among high ceilings and pillars. Evan noticed murals along the floor and ceiling.

Lucia's eyes darted nervously around the room as they walked, constantly scanning the moving shadows for any sign of danger. "This place is giving me the creeps," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

Markus nodded in agreement, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "There are too many shadows, and anything could be hiding behind those pillars. I have [Density Control], and Evan's muscles are armoured. Stay between us."

"Can you imagine the kind of power it would take to create a place like this?" Evan asked, his voice hushed with reverence.

Lucia shook her head, still looking around nervously. "They say dungeons are formed from a large release of mana. Usually, when a beast dies, their mana is released and absorbed by the earth or the people nearby, strengthening their mana reserves. That's why large battles usually create legends. A large release can sometimes form dungeons if the mana warps the earth. But it takes an insane amount. I can't even imagine what must've died to create this. I don't even want to think about it."

Evan was deep in thought, his eyes flicking from the murals to the shadows. "We need to keep moving, find an artifact or relic, and leave. The longer we stay here, the more vulnerable we are."

Markus stopped suddenly and raised his hand, signaling the others to be quiet. They listened intently, but all they could hear was the sound of flames petering.

"Did you hear that?" Markus whispered, his eyes darting around the dimly lit hallway.

"Hear what?" Lucia asked, looking around nervously.

"It sounded like a whisper," Markus replied, his voice barely above a breath.

Silence followed as the three of them strained to hear a sound. They pressed forward through the silence, the only sounds they made being the faint whispering of their hushed voices as they marvelled at the murals on the walls, floor, and ceiling.

The three continued walking, taking in every detail of the murals with their eyes. Evan stepped closer to a mural and studied the images closely. "Look at this," he said, pointing to a group of armoured men with blue flames beneath their armour. "They're fighting against all these other races, even ones that usually war with each other."

Lucia nodded and followed his gaze, whispering in awe. "It's strange to see them all fighting together like this," she said.

Evan squinted at the murals, attempting to identify the different depicted creatures. "I see Dwarves, Djinnii, Merfolk, Undead, and even goblins. And there are some strange races I don't recognize."

As they continued to examine the murals, the wind picked up, causing the flames on the torches to stutter and flicker. Suddenly, a gust of wind flew past, rustling their clothes and blowing out one of the torches, briefly plunging their section of the hallway into darkness. The torch then strangely burst back to light on its own, with its hypnotic white flame burning even brighter.

Markus jumped, startled, and Evan reached out and grabbed his arm. "It's okay," Evan reassured him. "We just need to keep moving."

Lucia pulled out a torch from her pack and lit it with a match, casting a warm glow on the murals. As they continued down the hallway, the murals depicted the metallic armoured army with blue flames fighting against even more powerful enemies, including dragons and giants.

"Look at that. Dragons," Lucia said, pointing to a mural depicting dragons and giants battling the army of flames. "How could they even stand a chance against those creatures?"

Markus furrowed his brow. "I don't know, but it's clear that they did; otherwise, why would they create these murals?"

Evan nodded in agreement. "Someone wanted to leave a record of what happened here. But why?"

As they continued to walk, they reached a dome in the corridor's ceiling. "Look at that," Markus said, pointing up to a mural in the center of the dome of a giant being with blue flaming eyes and long streaks of blue flaming hair, holding a sword in each hand. "That must be the leader of the army of flames." Another dome appeared above as they walked, showing the leader taking out dozens of living races with each swing of its hulking weapons.

Who was this giant being that could battle the endless races?

They stopped and stared upward, mesmerized by the strange sight.