Chapter 12- Reunited in the Dungeon

Chapter 12- Reunited in the Dungeon

Elsa didn't take my hand.

Instead I got teleported along with Grady to an unknown part of the dungeon. We ate standing in a random passage, neither of us have moved yet. I think he realizes that we could unintentionally activate traps if we're not careful.

"Hey, your name is Julie, isn't it?" Grady asked me.

"Yeah. That's right."

"Do you have any idea how deep we are in this dungeon?"

"No."

He took a step forward. "Screw it. We can't be deers forever."

"Be careful, we don't know if there are any traps in this area."

"Would you rather just stand there all day?"

He has a point. I have to move.

"Do you have a plan at least, Grady?"

"Of course I don't have a plan. I'm more of a hack and slash guy."

Yes, he's very brutal. I'd say I'm shocked, but I've seen Elsa act brutal from time to time. These two are cut from the same cloth in that sense, they both live for battle.

If we're going to progress through the dungeon I should probably put away my wings. They're pretty big, a huge target down here. To this extent I activate one of my skills, Humanification.

"Hey, what was that?" Grady asked as he looked at where my wings had been.

"It's a skill called Humanification. It can turn non-human characters into humans." I explained.

"I didn't know a skill like that existed."

Realization suddenly jolts in my mind. I look at Grady's face, but I don't see the same kind of spark in his eyes.

If I have a Humanification skill than it's possible whoever attacked Grady might have one as well. I already know Elsa lied about having Ice Magic. After all, our first day in the dungeon she cut open a giant bee with an ice shard. She didn't realize I saw and believed I was still recovering from being rammed into. She managed to trick Grady because he was unfamiliar with how an Elemental Saber works.

I don't want to think the worst of Elsa, but if the shoe fits. Too many coincidences line up. I'm not judging her for going after other players. No, I don't have a right to. This is all just a game, she can play however she wants.

Elsa has been nothing but nice to me. I don't have any issues with her.

It was near moments later that we heard horrific screeching emanating from just around the corner in front of us. Giant dungeon worms crawled out, they had mouths with rows of razor sharp teeth and bodies coated in thick slime. They were disgusting to look at, I wanted to vomit at just the sight of them. Why did it have to be giant worms?

Grady charged forward, bringing his ax down on the body of one of the worms. The worm regenerated instantly from the wound, smacking him away with its body.

"Grady! Look at their levels!" I pointed this fact out, he should've checked before rushing in.

"No! What level are they?" Grady asked as he got back up, brushing himself off.

There were only two worms, but that was all that was necessary for the likes of us. They were both around level 115.

"Run." I told him.

It didn't matter what we did, I doubt we could even land much more than a scratch on these worms. They are nearly triple our levels.

"How do we know we're not running deeper in the dungeon?!" Grady shouted as we ran, worms giving chase.

"We just have to hope." I replied.

"Aren't players like you supposed to have a broken cheat skill?"

"It won't help us here."

Truthfully I wanted to keep that skill for a more dire situation, like on a quest. Right now if I died it wouldn't hurt me as much, my pride would take the biggest hit.

As we ran I'd occasionally throw wind or light magic at the worms, but it didn't faze them. The fact Grady didn't use any long range attack must've meant he had no long range skills.

When I looked back at Grady I saw him breathing heavily and losing pace with me. Our SP, because it's so realistic I forgot our exhaustion is tied to our level. My level only being a bit higher than his means I'll be feeling the effects of low SP any moment now.

Not good, not good at all. The worms aren't slowing down no matter how many corners we turn. At this rate we'll run into a dead end or be unable to move from low SP.

"Julie" Grady suddenly said my name. He stopped running, standing there for the worms.

"Grady, what are you doing? We have to keep moving."

"We're not going to out run these things. I'm going to give them hell if I'm going down. Julie, I think-"

A worm snatched him in its mouth. Blood spilled out from his body, where it's razor sharp teeth had dug into his flesh and I could hear his bones cruntching. The worm picked his body up with its mouth and tossed him in the air before swallowing his bloody and broken body.

I thought I was next, but the worm staggered. It ran against the wall, slamming its body several times back and forth against the walls..

It appeared Grady hadn't met his end so easily. He was doing something in there, probably cutting it open from the inside. I don't envy the position he's in right now nor do I ever wish it upon someone.

The worm became bloated for a moment, its partner backed up. It all happened so fast and before I knew it chunks of worm flesh were splattered all over the dungeon walls, on the other worm, and on me.

It felt so nasty, I wanted it off. I quickly brushed the chunks of worm off my body. It appears that Grady had somehow detonated himself or the worm. Whatever he did it was dead and so was he. I'd assume Grady respawned outside the dungeon already.

Unfortunately for me the problem was that there was still one giant worm and nothing between me and it. I don't have any skills capable of exploding a worm.

It looks like this will be the end.

"Move out of the way!"

I was suddenly pushed away. When I looked to see who pushed me I saw Grady's friend, Sam.

"Water magic!" He shouted, showing the worm in a torrent of water. At this rate he'll run out of MP in a matter of minutes and the worm will push through his attack.

"You'll die!" I shout at him.

"Yeah and what are you doing about it? Run! Get out of here!"

"I can't just leave you!"

"You have to, go!"

I didn't feel there was any other choice. I ran farther into the dungeon. This death trap would claim all of us one way or another. It's hopeless to run, I know this yet my legs continue to move.

I skid to a halt when I hear a hissing sound in front of me. A giant serpent slithers its way toward me, I hear footsteps from behind it.

Something is different about this serpent. It stinks, like something rotten. The smell is so overwhelming I have to turn off my smell sensory system. The serpent is also gray, as it gets closer I notice patches of skin are missing. It's a corpse, undead. That's the only explanation.

I back up from it and it slithers toward me. I close my eyes, holding them shut tightly but the serpent completely ignors me. I hear it rush past me. When I open my eyes I see it has gone after the worm instead.

It coils itself around the worm's body, the worm tries to bite it, but the serpent breathes purple flames into the worm's open mouth. In a matter of moments the worm is charred and the serpent rips its flesh apart. I have to avert my eyes. I can't bear to watch the carnage.

Sam ran over to me. "Why did it go after the worm?"

"Look at its level. We didn't even qualify as snakes." No, this is odd. NPC monsters are programmed to target players over all else. Not only that, but a creature over level 300 shouldn't be in a part of the dungeon for monsters only around level 100.

Before I could think about it some more someone threw themselves on me, hugging me from behind. "Julie!"

"Huh?" Elsa!?

Author's Note

It's been about a week since I posted. Been busy. I wanted to do a chapter from a different character's prospective, I hope you liked it.