novel
| ← Ch.091 | Ch.093 → |
According to the data Lena had obtained from the books in the Count's library, there were four famous dungeons in this world. Although there were other, smaller dungeons in which monsters would also appear, these four were the most mysterious as adventurers would often go missing in their pursuit of the legendary treasures they supposedly held.
These dungeons were named, Jeduth, Kilion, Pali and Barr after the Fallen gods which had chosen to follow Metatron. The legend goes that these gods had been sealed in the deepest region of each dungeon, but to date none have been able to confirm these stories as no one has ever made it so deep.
We decided to head to Jeduth first, as it was the closest of the four, being only four days walking distance from Gartmar. After stocking up with more than a month's worth of supplies for by visiting Gartmar's stores, we set out for the Jeduth dungeon.
'I have about two months until my agreed meeting with Daryl, I just need to be back by then. '
Right now I should focus on leveling up and increasing Viezda's power. I should also secure some more magic stones.... '
In the previously timeline, when I had become the owner of the Wetheros Mountain range, their hadn't been any mention of this Jeduth dungeon. Obviously someone had already conquered it by then.
'Since it wasn't part of the future timeline, there shouldn't be too much of an impact if I were to choose to complete it myself first. '
By completing this dungeon I could gain some experience from the monsters, as well as gain enough treasure to solve all my money issues. Perhaps even my recent chess venture wouldn't be as profitable as taking down one of the four legendary dungeons.
"Johra, do you want me to carry you over there?"
"No. This is human world. If we do that it might create quite the commotion."
The Jeduth dungeon was quite renowned, so it was sure to be crawling with adventurers, so if Lilinor were to arrive in her dragon form it was sure to lead to complications.
"By the way Lilinor, do you have a way to hide your status? It might cause a bit of a problem if others can view it."
"Sure, no problem."
"Huh? How did you do that so easily?"
"My little secret"
Her status went to being that of an ordinary nine year-old girl.
'Hmm... I can't detect the difference. Was her previous status her true one, or had it already been modified?'
I gave her a suspicious look, but had no choice but to give up as she let out a small innocent laugh.
'She shouldn't have been hiding her status from the very start right? Maybe I'm overthinking things, but I'm still a bit curious and should get to the bottom of this later. '
Travelling along with Viezda and Lilinor, we kept a good pace and were able to arrive after only one and a half days of travel. However, despite the dungeons supposed renown, there weren't any adventurers in sight.
"Is that the Jeduth dungeon? It looks more like a...."
"It looks like a flower garden instead."
"Nice! If I ever get bored I can simply come here and play! There are so many beautiful flowers."
Lilinor ran around playfully and then laid down in the field of flowers. For a second I was worried that she might get stung by a few bees, before I burst out laughing. I had completely forgotten what she really was for a second there.
"Johra?"
Seeing my smile, Viezda asked questioningly, but I simply shook my head.
"It's nothing."
The entrance to the dungeon was a large flower garden, and after that started what looked like a giant maze.
'Such a large structure, this definitely wasn't here when I took possession of this mountain range. I would have definitely noticed this with my ownership view. '
Walking inside we came up to what appeared to be an endless labyrinth. The walls were made of solid granite, 20 meters tall with ivy-like vines growing on top of them. Looking up, above the walls permeated a thick, permanent fog, and we could only see thanks to certain stones in the dungeon's ceiling which gave off a faint light.
"What a crazy labyrinth, it's so big that if one were to get lost in there they could die of starvation. Have you been here before Lilinor?"
"No, it's my first time coming here, but it does appear quite large."
Lilinor smile excitedly, whereas Viezda as half-hidden behind my back, scared by the imposing looking labyrinth.
After walking around for a little while, we often encountered some low level monsters like Goblins, but between my experience with the sword and Viezda's magic, we made quick work of them.
"It doesn't seem too special, I expected something different."
"Same, I thought there would be a lot of strong creatures here."
Viezda had a relieved expression.
"No, you'd best be more careful. This place smells of some powerful creatures which could threaten you."
"At worst I'll simply run away, there no reason to put my life on the line."
"Well... it isn't that simple. There are certain magical restriction in this place which make it difficult to find the way out."
Lilinor smiled mischievously.
"What? You should have told me earlier!"
We had been wandering around the maze for almost a day not but just as Lilinor had cautioned, we had pretty much just been going around in circles.
"Damn, how annoying. Lilinor, if we get into a life and death situation, you have to make sure to help."
"Well, I wouldn't let you die, but as for your servant...."
"No, protect Viezda as well."
"Not interested, she isn't even a friend of mine."
"Even if it's a request from a friend?"
"Oh, what? Sorry I can't hear you!"
She plugged her ears and ran away yelling nonsense.
"Ugh! What a child."
"Don't worry about me master. I don't want to be a burden, so if we run into any trouble just leave me behind and escape yourself."
"I would never even consider that as an option."
Holding her hand gently, we advance through the labyrinth.
"It's coming! Johra careful!"
Lilinor cried out anxiously as she leapt toward us.
"What?"
"An incoming magic spell, get down!"
Heeding her warning we both shot down towards the ground.
Zziiiing
A laser beam passed over our heads.
"What was that?"
"It might be a paralyzer. It's characteristics match those in the literature we studied."
Lena spoke to me just as Lilinor answered.
"A Beholder! Dammit just what is one of those doing over here?"
"Beholder?"
"It is capable of negating any magic within a certain range of itself, as well as shooting out beams like the one you just witnessed. It definitely quite the nuisance, but fortunately this one isn't fully grown just yet."
"What? It totally sounds like it should be a boss class monster."
Lilinor however was completely unfazed.
"Could you win against it?"
"Normally yes, but I'd need to polymorph and given the small area, if I were to do so, both you and your servant would be flattened against the walls."
Tch!
A giant eye was floating in within the fog. It's eye had a 2 meter radius and was surrounded my 5 socketed gems which looked like magic stones. Its pupils was looking every which way, searching for its prey, until it locked on to us and floated over.
"Damn, it's coming!"
"Lets run away!"
Standing up we tried to escape, just as an orange beam was fired from the center of the Beholder's eye.
"Shit! Cough!"
"Master!"
We fell back down to the ground, completely paralyzed and unable to move so much as a finger.
The large eye floated above us, looking down menacingly.
'I can't move, what's going on?'
"Sorry Johra, I activated the Rohim's shield but it seems to be bypassing it...."
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Lena's voice was cut short as the eye monster tried to body slam us with its weight, but the Rohim's shield thankfully held strong.
'Well, not much I could do right now. I'll have to put my faith in Lena's ability. '
"It seems to be emitting a certain wavelength sound which is interfering with your nervous system causing you to go into shock. Will attempt a light voltage shock to reactivate your nerves."
"Oh? I can move?"
Lilinor and Viezda watched me, only able to blink their eyes. It appeared that Lena had managed to successfully cancel whatever had caused me to be paralyzed.
"There might be a 1% reduction in your motor skills as a side effect, please be careful Johra."
"Understood."
The Beholder continued to slam itself against the shield, but it remained unaffected by the physical attacks.
"I'll have to get out of here right away."
Picking up and carrying the two girls on each shoulder, I began to ran away as quickly as possible.
"Luckily they are both quite light, they shouldn't be more than 40 kilograms right?"
When I had finally created a safe distance between us and the slow moving Beholder, I placed down the two girls up against the granite walls of the maze.
"Let's see, I should have a potion here somewhere to cure their paralysis...."
After searching for a short time I finally found what I was looking for and took the first gulp.
I then tried to give some to the girls, but they weren't able to swallow due to the paralysis.
"I was only able to help you swallow through the use of the nanobots, Johra. First put your hands on her throat.
I grasped Viezda's neck as instructed, and let Lena guide me through the assistance of the nanobots.
"Just keep massaging her throat for about 5 seconds in order to relax her muscles."
I counted to 5, and then poured the potion down Viezda's throat."
Kolkak kolkak
Even if some spilled out, she managed to swallow most of it.
"Viezda, lie down until the potion can spread throughout your body."
She blinked her eyes. in response
"Now it's Lilinor's turn."
When she woke up her eyes betrayed the deep anger she felt. She couldn't believe that she had been paralyzed after being hit by a lowly being like the Beholder. Perhaps it was just karma, as she had only been in her human girl form when she suffered the attack.
When I held her neck to help her drink the potion, her eyes narrowed into slits. Certainly for a dragon it might be a great blow to their pride, being held by the neck like this. Now that I remember, Valenor's neck had also always been very sensitive.
"I can't help it Lilinor, it's the only way to help you swallow the potion."
"I understand Johra, please proceed."
Gulp gulp!
Perhaps because she was a dragon, it was more difficult to massage her muscles and she had a harder time swallowing the concoction.
"Sorry Lilinor, it's a bit hard to control, why don't you just lie down and have a rest."
Still anger evident in her eyes, I helped her lay down and pulled out a blanket from our bags to help cover both Lilinor and Viezda. I sat down and looked attentively, watching out for danger.
"I can't seem to make out any monsters approaching."
"There are no signs of life within 100 meters. Still, this fog seems to somehow distort my scanners so I can't see as far as I normally can."
"Distorts?"
"Yes, it can somehow distort my sensors, focusing on my probes as if it had a will of its own."
"Then how much of the path have you managed to map out?"
"I can't see past the fog at the top, but by using sonar waves I was able to map out the maze. I'll project it to your cornea now. Simply follow the blue light which should be the correct path."
"Great, I couldn't have asked for more. Can you keep in on display in the upper right corner.
"Sure, no problem."
When I came back after having looked around, Lilinor and Viezda were both sitting upright and looking much better.
"Master, I thought I was going to die."
"Hmph! I wasn't in danger. If it ever attacked me directly I'm sure I would have taken my true form."
Lilinor snorted as she exclaimed confidently.
"Then what would have happened to Viezda and I?"
"I'm sure it would have somehow been fine."
I stopped pressing her despite the obvious inaccuraccies. She was still riled up about suffering at the hands of a lesser creature. If I were to say more it wouldn't improve her mental state.
"I'm not going back until I kill that thing."
"Just follow me, I know how to find the entrance."
Lilinor walked beside me, still peeved by here previous helplessness, whereas Viezda would often glance back, still scared of being followed by the beholder.
"Huh, why is that? I thought the illusion magic in the maze made it impossible to navigate?"
"Well there's a certain trick to it."
"Looks like we're back to the starting point."
"Yeah"
"Let's go and try and solve it one more time."
But just as I said that I realized the tried expression on both the girls faces.
"Okay, I have an idea so I wanted to try it out. Why don't you two stay here and prepare the camp while I go and try it out."
Leaving Lilinor and Viezda and the entrance of the maze, I go outside into the garden of flowers.
"Would that work Lena?"
"In theory, yes. But you should be aware that there are some risks right?"
"Yes"
| ← Ch. 091 | Ch. 093 → |