• Welcome to ZD Forums! You must create an account and log in to see and participate in the Shoutbox chat on this main index page.

Through the Dungeons

Azure Sage

March onward forever...
Staff member
ZD Legend
Comm. Coordinator
Zelda Dungeon fan fictions are getting quite popular lately, so I wanted to try my hand at writing one myself. Unlike how ZD fanfics usually are, mine will be more serious and story driven. I'm just using the site and some of its members as a base. I'm not sure how much of this I'm actually going to write out, but I hope you guys enjoy this all the same! Let me know what you think!





Through the Dungeons


In the faraway land of Xencordia, there exist many dangerous dungeons filled with devious traps and bloodthirsty monsters. To deal with these threats, a Dungeoneer Network was established. People called ‘Dungeoneers’ chose code names for themselves and joined guilds associated with the Network to raid the dungeons, defeat monsters, and even collect precious treasures. There are many across the continent who make their living as Dungeoneers, and starry-eyed children look up to them as heroes of the people.

“Do you have what it takes to become a Dungeoneer? Now, let us take you through the dungeons!”


Chapter One
The Avalon Runners


Daybreak broke over the horizon of a small town in the country. The cobblestone streets were already clamoring with the footsteps of people and horses. Vendors were selling their wares at prices that seemed too steep, and mothers rushed their children to school. A small coach rolled into town and parked next to a pile of hay. The horse that was pulling the cart lowered its head for a snack.

From the back of the coach, a young man stepped down, disrupting the morning mist at his feet. He strolled over to the front of the coach to pay his fee.

“That will be thirty rupees, young man.” the coach driver said.

“Here you go.” the lad said as he pulled out his wallet. “By the way, do you happen to know where the guild hall in this town is?” he asked.

“The guild hall? Why, it’s over yonder.” The coachman said, pointing to the west.

The young man followed the coachman’s pointing hand with his golden eyes, and his mouth hung agape. Just outside of town, a large building that could only be described as a wooden bird blotted out much of the morning sunlight. Even farther beyond that was an enormous temple, which appeared as nothing but a black shillouette in the morning.

“Wow, it really is shaped like a bird...” the boy said.

“Yep, that’s the guild hall for the Avalon Runners, the Dungeoneer guild of the town of Balena.” the coachman said. “Sure is somethin’ else, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s amazing... Thank you for the ride. I’ll be fine on my own from here.” the boy said.

“Sure. G’bye, now.”

The young man adjusted the black leather sash keeping his sword strapped to his back before making his way through the streets of Balena. He dodged pedestrians who were in too much of a hurry for their own good and workers carrying large platters of goods balanced on their heads. Despite it being dawn, the town of Balena was bustling and noisy.

- I have to wonder if the town is thriving so much because of the guild.

The young man pondered this as he stumbled through the crowd of people. As he turned a corner, he bumped into someone and fell to the ground.

“Owch! Hey, watch where you’re going!” the man barked.

“Oh, sorry. This crowd is just intense...” the boy said hastily.

“What are you, new here? Oh, you must be. Live long enough in this town, and you’re able to navigate the crowd without any trouble. Now get out of my way!”

After saying as much, the man leapt to his feet and hurried away. The boy struggled to avoid getting stepped on as he stood back up himself.

- Man, everyone here is in such a rush.

* * *

“W-wow...” The young man said as he stood in the entrance of the Avalon Runners guild hall.

The hall was vast. In the center were several rows of wooden benches, and strewn throughout these tables were people eating and cheering and guzzling booze. Smiling servers wearing blue dresses danced throughout the crowd of people, passing bread and ale around to everyone. In one of the far corners, a bard was singing songs of glory while a small band played behind him. On the far side of the hall, a giant request board stood tall, covered in leaflets of paper. Several people dressed in weapons and armor were fighting to get the best jobs from the board. The atmosphere was absolutely festive.

Overwhelmed by the incredible sight, the young man took a nervous gulp before taking careful steps into the hall. His eyes darted around the room, looking for someone important. Near the request board was a counter, and behind this counter stood three marms to approve jobs for Dungeoneers. Next to them stood a tall man with dark red hair. He wore the symbol of the Avalon Runners, a veritable bird, on his breast.

- That must be him. The Administrator of the Avalon Runners.

The Admin looked intimidating. The young man was nervous about approaching him, but he’d come this far. He was resolved to see this through. After making his way through the crowd of people, which wasn’t that much different from the crowd in the streets, he caught the Admin’s eye. To his relief, he was greeted with a warm smile.

“Can I help you?” the Admin asked.

“Um, yes. A-are you the Administrator of the Avalon Runners?”

“Yes, that’s me. You can call me Repentance.”

- So that’s his Dungeoneer’s code name, huh? I wonder how he came up with that.

“Yes, um... You see...” the boy began.

“Ha ha, there’s no need to be so nervous. I’m not gonna bite your head off or anything.” Repentance laughed.

“Right...” the young man sighed. “I, well... I came here to join your guild. I have all the paperwork ready and stuff.”

“Oh, you have, huh? That’s good. Let me see them.”

The young man removed papers from the pouch he carried over his back, handing them over to Repentance. He quickly skimmed them over, and smiled.

“Well, everything seems to be in order. Now, you don’t have any previous record of employment. Is this your first time joining a guild?” Repentance asked.

“Yes.”

“I see. In that case, I’ll need to ask you a few questions before I approve these. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Okay, good. Now, first. What is a Dungeoneer’s mission?”

“To explore the dungeons and keep the towns safe from monster attacks, and in doing so help meet the needs of the townspeople.” the young man answered.

“That’s correct. Next, you are aware that as a Dungeoneer, you could die on the job at any time?”

“Yes, I am aware of that.”

“Alright. Since you’re so green, I’ll need to prepare a test for you to make sure you’ve got what it takes. But, we’ll get to that in a bit. Next question. Do you agree to devote yourself to this guild and this town as long as you live here, and work for the betterment of yourself and others?”

“Yes, I do.” the young man answered.

“Do you understand that by being a Dungeoneer, you will be called upon without choice to risk life and limb to defend the town if need be?”

“Yes, I understand. I’m prepared for that.”

Repentance smiled. “Good, good. You seem pretty determined. Alright, let’s finalize the paperwork and I’ll get you started on your first assignment.”

“R-really? It’s okay for me to join?” the boy asked.

“Of course it is! We accept anyone and everyone here if they can meet the challenge we provide.”

“That’s great! I was worried that it’d be stricter around here.”

“Well, do know that if you fail your first mission, you get the boot.” Repentance laughed.

The young man gulped.

“Alright, we’re almost finished. Now we just need to decide on a Dungeoneer’s code name for you. What will it be?” Repentance asked.

“I’ve had one picked out for a while now. Azure Sage will be my code name.” the young man said.

“Azure Sage it is.” Repentance said as he jotted the name down on the sheet.

At last, the papers were stamped with the Avalon Runners sigil, and Azure Sage was now officially a Dungeoneer of the Avalon Runners.

“Welcome to the Dungeoneer Network, Azure Sage!” Repentance said. “I look forward to seeing what you can do!”

“Thank you!” Azure Sage said excitedly.

- Finally! I was able to become a Dungeoneer! With this, maybe I really can accomplish that...

“Now, we need to have your initiation test.” Repentance said. “I want you to raid the nearby dungeon of Aquamentus and gather some valdrian ore. About five chunks will be enough.”

“That’s it? That kinda sounds a little on the easy side for an initiation test.” Azure Sage said.

“Ha ha! I wonder how long you’ll be able to say that.” Repentance laughed.

- Well, that sounds foreboding...

“Of course, since you’re a newbie, you won’t be going alone. I’ll have you partnered up with someone more experienced. Hey, Snow Queen, come here!” Repentance shouted across the hall.

“What?” a female voice shouted back.

- Snow Queen? That sounds kind of cliche. Well, Dungeoneer names usually are...

Azure Sage looked over to where the voice had come from, and a young woman who appeared to be around his age approached. The first thing he noticed was her eyepatch, but he tried not to stare. The next thing he noticed was her long blonde hair braided back and the freckles that dotted her cheeks. She wore a silver breastplate and other pieces of armor over her clothes, much like the others in the hall. She carried two daggers on each end of her waist.

“Who’s this kid? He smells new... Wait a second, don’t tell me you’re gonna have me help with an initiation test or something?!” Snow Queen said.

- Wow, she could at least try to hide her disappointment.

“Yeah, sorry, that’s exactly what it is!” Repentance laughed.

“Ugh. That’s such a pain in the ass. Can’t you find someone else to do it?”

“You’re the first person I thought of. From what I’ve seen of this kid’s personality, you two should work well together. He seems very submissive!” Repentance said, roughly placing his hand on Azure Sage’s shoulder.

“S-submissive?!” Azure Sage said.

“Hm. Well, I guess I don’t have anything better to do. Hey, newbie, what’s your name?” Snow Queen asked.

“U-uhm, Azure Sage. But it’s fine if you just call me Azure.”

“Yeah, I see what you mean about him being submissive, Rep.” Snow Queen said.

“R-really...?” Azure sighed.

- Wait, did she just call him “Rep”?

“Fine, whatever. Azure, let’s get this over with. Come on. We’re leaving now.” Snow Queen said.

“R-right now? We’re going so soon?” Azure said.

“Don’t you start whining on me! Let’s go already!” Snow said as she grabbed Azure’s arm and pulled him away.

“Ow, hey, that hurts!” Azure said.

“Good luck, you two! Come back alive!” Repentance waved with a smile.

Snow Queen dragged Azure Sage through the guild hall to the far end, where a large gateway stood. After they crossed the threshold, Snow tossed him forward, and Azure stumbled.

“Hey, don’t be so rough!” he complained.

“Oh, get over it. Come on, I wanna get this done.” Snow said. “You better not drag me down.”

“You’re kinda rude...” Azure sighed.

“Excuse me? Is that any way to talk to your superior?” Snow barked.

- What a bundle of sunshine.

“Well, I guess I don’t really blame you for being annoyed... I mean, you’re getting dragged along on an initiation test for someone you don’t even know. I can understand how that would bother someone.” Azure said.

“Wow, you’re taking submissive to a whole new level, kid.” Snow said.

“I-I am?”

“You better get it together. You get walked all over too easily. Now, let’s get moving.” Snow said.

She pointed ahead, and the dungeon of Aquamentus was more clearly visible to Azure Sage now. Several miles away stood what appeared to be vast ruins. They looked to be sunken into the ground part of the way, and they were covered moss and vines. The structure was very archaic, and the brick used to build it appeared blue in the morning light.

“Come on. Your first assignment as a Dungeoneer of the Avalon Runners begins now, Azure Sage.”



Next: Initiation Test
 
Last edited:

Jirohnagi

Braava Braava
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Location
Soul Sanctum
Gender
Geosexual
Will the Young Dungeoneer ever learn to not be Submissive is Snow Queens Heart as frosty as it appears, WILL I EVER WEAR PANTS.

Stay tuned for the next thingasode of Through the Dungeons.
 

Azure Sage

March onward forever...
Staff member
ZD Legend
Comm. Coordinator
Thanks for your comments, guys! I pretty much have the next chapters up to 8 or so planned out. Basically, this is the first arc of the story, and it'll run until about chapter 5 or 6. Then we'll have the second arc, which will introduce some more characters based on people from ZD and a new guild. I haven't planned much more out than that at the moment, though. For now, though, look forward to how this first arc plays out. c;





Chapter Two
Initiation Test


Azure Sage and Snow Queen embarked together from the Avalon Runners guild hall, making their way down the winding path to the dungeon named Aquamentus. The landscape was quite green, and vines hung from the canopy of trees overhead. Birds fluttered and chirped among the lush plant life, and vibrant flowers dotted the dirt road.

“So, what kind of initiation test did Rep give you?” Snow asked.

“He asked me to bring him five chunks of valdrian ore.” Azure answered.

“Hah, really? Wow, he’s got a sick sense of humor, making that your first mission. And now I know the real reason he sent me along.” she sighed.

“Um... What do you mean by that?”

“You’ll find out.” Snow said with a wink.

“Why does everyone keep saying that? ...” Azure sighed.

“So, tell me. Can you use any magic, Azure?”

“Yeah, I use strength magic.”

“Huh, that’s pretty rare. I use ice magic, myself.”

“Is that why your Dungeoneer’s code name is Snow Queen?”

“Yes. And just so you know, it’s poor Dungeoneer etiquette to ask about code names.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s okay. Oh, and by the way, it’s also poor etiquette to ask for Dungeoneer’s real names.”

“Yeah, that one I knew.”

“Okay, good.”

The two became silent for a little while. Azure Sage began to zone out and stare at the trees, watching the birds fly by and perch on the vines. Then he looked back at Snow Queen. From his angle, he could only see her from the side of her face with her eyepatch. He couldn’t tell what she was looking at, or what she was thinking. Azure thought she seemed rude, but something told him that she wasn’t as mean as she seemed.

“So, you’ve got that sword and you can use strength magic...” Snow said, snapping Azure back to reality.

“Uh, yeah.”

“So that makes you a paladin class like me.”

“P-paladin class...?” Azure asked.

“What? You don’t even know about the classes of Dungeoneers?” Snow sighed. “Listen up. There are four main classes of Dungeoneer. A Paladin, which is what we are, is someone who uses a combination of weaponry and magic. A Mage is someone who primarily uses magic. A Cavalier is someone who uses bladed weapons, and a Gunner is someone who uses projectile weapons. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, I think I got it. Thank you.”

“Good. This is important, so you’d better remember it. Don’t make me repeat myself.” Snow said.

“Yeah, okay.”

She spoke like she was annoyed, but at the same time she was still taking the time to explain these things for him. Azure couldn’t put his finger on her true nature. He found himself wanting to get to know her better, but he also didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by asking any personal questions. Besides, they were here for his initiation test, and Azure didn’t want to distract her with his curiosity.

Just as he was thinking about that, Snow Queen stopped him. “We’re here.” she said.

Azure Sage was once again drawn back to reality, and he looked up to see that they were in fact standing at the entrance to the dungeon of Aquamentus. The air was still and quiet. There were no more birds chirping. Even the animals knew to stay away from this place. The enormous threshold of the dungeon looked as if one could fit an entire caravan through at once.

“So, this is a dungeon...” Azure gulped.

“It’s too soon to be nervous, kid. We haven’t even gotten started yet.” Snow warned. “Are you ready?”

Azure took a deep breath. He was scared and anxious, but he felt better having someone at his side. He had come a long way to join the Avalon Runners, and he wasn’t just going to quit and turn back now that they were here.

“Yes, I’m ready.” Azure said. “Let’s go.”

The pair exchanged looks and nodded. Together, they took their first steps into Aquamentus. The air became stagnant and stuffy rather quickly, and their footsteps echoed in the darkness as they descended a length of stairs. Soon, the darkness was filled out by the light from magic-fueled torches on the walls.

The stairs ended after several feet, and their boots touched the dirty bricks that made up the floor. The room opened out into a large chamber. Branches and vines hung down from the roof, and small openings in the roof allowed rays of sunlight to find their way inside.

From this one large room, there were several passageways one could take, each either leading down a staircase or down a dark corridor. There was no indication of which passage was the right path. Azure was beginning to feel dizzy.

“This is kinda overwhelming...” he said.

“Yeah, that’s a normal first reaction. I’ve been through here dozens of times, so don’t worry. I know where to find the valdrian ore, so follow me.” Snow said. “And stay close, there are some traps along the way.”

“Okay. Let’s get this done.” Azure said.

Snow Queen led Azure Sage across the room, to the second passageway from the right end of the room. This passage led down a few flights of stairs. The walk was in almost total darkness. Azure felt his skin crawl with anticipation. He had no idea if they would suddenly set off a trap, or if a monster would strike out of nowhere. He began to feel himself shaking.

It seemed that Snow Queen noticed his fear, as she turned and put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s okay. I’m with you.” she said.

Azure was genuinely shocked by her action. That was the nicest she’d ever been to him. He had to wonder if she was showing compassion to him because she, too, had been the one shaking in the darkness at one time. It wasn’t long before Azure was able to calm down.

“Yeah... Thank you. I’m okay now.” he said.

“Good. Now, let’s keep moving. We’re getting close to the first traps.” Snow said.

Azure nodded, and continued to follow her down the stairs. At the bottom of the flight, they found themselves in a wide corridor. More magic torches lined the walls, so their visibility improved greatly. There didn’t appear to be anything in this room, which made Azure Sage highly suspicious.

“There are traps in this room, aren’t there?” he asked.

“Yep. You’ve got good instincts. Follow behind me and step where I step, if you don’t wanna end up sliced to pieces.” Snow said with a wink.

As they progressed further into the hall, Azure Sage noticed that there were grooves all across the walls and floors. Taking what Snow Queen said into consideration, he surmised that there must be blade traps in this room.

There were also very pronounced bricks across the floor. Snow Queen took her time stepping from one brick to another, taking care to avoid touching specific ones. Azure mimicked her, now getting a grasp on how to proceed through the room.

*click*

The back of Azure’s heel grazed one of the bricks behind him, and a razor-sharp blade tore through the air from one of the grooves on the wall at lightning speed. It almost sliced Azure’s arm clean off.

“Wah!” Azure yelped.

He stumbled forward, setting off another blade. He barely had time to bend back as the razor edge whizzed past his nose. He lost his balance, and as he fell backwards, Snow Queen caught his arm and pulled him to safety.

“Be careful!” she scolded.

“Th... Thanks... You saved me...” Azure said, gasping for breath.

The two continued across the room, and this time Azure made sure not to give any wrong bricks even the slightest touch. They managed to make the rest of the trip across the room safe and free of further incident. After reaching the other side, Azure stopped to take a few breaths.

“Man... This is really nerve-wracking.” he said.

“Yeah, it really is. It’s hard to get used to, even for me.” Snow said. “Do you want to take a short break?”

“No, I’m fine. Let’s keep going.”

“Okay. We’re getting close to the room with the valdrian ore.” she said.

Together, the pair exited the corridor and followed a winding path of stairs and slopes. This path, too, was almost completely dark. It was hard for Azure to avoid tripping, although this time he felt more calm. He felt like he was beginning to get used to traversing a dungeon.

Just as he thought that, the next room they found themselves in left Azure Sage in shock. The room was wide, and made up of stepping stones over a pit of wriggling, crawling creatures.

“Ew... What are those things?”

“Salva bugs. If you fall in, they’ll devour you whole.” Snow said.

“That’s disgusting.”

“Believe me, it’s more disgusting to actually see it happen.”

Azure Sage kept his mouth shut after hearing that, quickly realizing that Snow Queen was speaking from experience. Quietly, he followed after Snow Queen, who had already hopped to the first stepping stone. Together, they carefully made their way across the living pit of carnivorous insects.

On their way across, Azure noticed a faint sound. He couldn’t quite make out what it was, and stopped to listen.

“What are you doing?” Snow asked.

“I think I hear something. I can’t really tell what, though.”

“Worry about that, later. It’s dangerous to linger here.”

“Okay. Sorry.”

They continued their trek across the stepping stones, and before long, they reached the other side. Azure Sage did not need to stop to catch his breath this time; he was preoccupied with the sound he’d heard.

Snow Queen led Azure Sage through another tunnel of sorts, and on the other side was a wide room with a domed roof. There were many other passageways around the edges. In the center appeared to be a nest of sorts, and it was at this nest that Azure caught his first sight of a dungeon monster.

Nestled in the nest of straw and branches were several bird wyvern monsters, each about as big as a person. When the intrepid Dungeoneers entered their den, the creatures stirred and began to screech. They leapt to their feet and began approaching Azure and Snow, baring their fangs and claws.

“M-monsters...” Azure said nervously.

“Yep. Valdrie wyverns.” Snow explained. “Take a look at their snouts.”

Azure looked where Snow had indicated, and the valdrie wyverns had rocks attached to the top of their snouts.

“Valdrie wyverns... Wait, don’t tell me... That’s the valdrian ore? It’s found on monsters?!” Azure said.

“Yep. And you have to take the ore from them while they’re still alive, otherwise it’ll break.”Snow explained. “This is why I said Rep had a sick sense of humor for making this your first assignment.”

“How the heck are we supposed to get the ore from them while they’re still alive?”

“I can freeze them to hold them still. That’s probably why Rep chose me, not just because our personalities are a good match.” Snow said.

“Oh... Well, that’s a relief.”

“Hold up, I’m not gonna make it that easy for you. Show me what you can do first; try taking one on your own. Then I’ll help you.” Snow said, backing off.

“What?! How?”

Just then, one of the valdrie wyverns lunged. Azure stepped out of the way, drew his sword, and took a backstep. The other monsters began to surround him, all of them screeching and growling at him.

- Damn it. I guess I’ll figure something out.

Azure Sage brandished his sword, and prepared himself to counter any of their attacks. Another wyvern lunged at him, and he dodged while slicing through its hide. Blood was released from the creature, and it yelped in pain. It tried to run away, but Azure closed in on it. He sent a slice from his sword hurling toward the chunk of ore on its snout, but his blade only ricocheted away.

- Damn. It’s not gonna be that easy, huh?

“How about this!”

Azure’s blade began to glow blue, and a trail of light streaked through the air as he sent another swipe of his sword after the ore. This time, his blade severed the ore with a loud clang, and the wyvern was knocked to the ground.

“So that’s strength magic, huh?” Snow observed. “Magic that increases your physical strength and other capabilities. So he can power up his sword strikes like that...”

“That’s one!” Azure shouted.

“Nice work! I guess I’ll join you now!” Snow replied.

Snow Queen drew her daggers from her waist, and an icy blue mist began to waft from the blades. She took a few swipes, sending streaks of ice cold air flying to their targets. Three valdire wyverns found most of their bodies encased in ice.

Azure did not pass up this chance to strike. Using his sword imbued with strength magic, he lopped a chunk of valdrian ore off of each of the frozen wyverns. A fifth valdrie wyvern attempted to pounce on Azure from behind, but a spear of ice stretched from Snow Queen’s feet to impale it before it reached him.

As the fifth one was killed instantly, the ore on its head shattered into bits. The pair began to target the two remaining valdrie wyverns that had not yet attacked. Frightened, they tried to flee, but they did not get very far. One of the wyverns found its feet frozen by Snow Queen, and it could not move. The other was knocked out by Azure, who leapt across the room in an instant by focusing strength magic in his feet.

The one Azure Sage had attacked was killed by the impact, and its ore shattered as well. Azure quickly turned on his heel and swiped at the ore on the last remaining wyvern’s head. It was cut clean off, and a spurt of blood poured from the creature’s wound. Snow Queen allowed the ice to melt, and the valdrie wyverns that lost their ore fled in terror.

“Alright, that makes five chunks!” Azure said excitedly. “We did it!”

“Yeah. You were pretty good out there, kid. Better than I expected. You might make a fine Dungeoneer after all...” Snow said quietly.

Azure didn’t hear her words of praise. He was too busy collecting the valdrian ore they’d harvested into the pouch he carried on his back.

“Great! Now we just need to take this to Repentance, and I’ll be an official member of the Avalon Runners!” Azure said.

“Yep. Let’s get going. There’s a shortcut we can take that doesn’t have as many traps.” Snow said, leading Azure out of the room.

As they reached the exit to the valdrie wyvern’s den, however, the room began to shake, and a loud rumbling sound echoed. Streams of dirt and dust began to trickle down from the ceiling, and the two Dungeoneers were shaken off balance.

“What?! What is this?” Azure cried.

“I... I don’t know. Something’s going on. Something bad.” Snow said warily.

“Wait, that rumbling... “Azure began. “I think that’s the sound I heard earlier!”

“Well, whatever it is, it can’t be good. Let’s hurry out of here-”

Just as Snow Queen said that, the roof of the valdrie wyvern’s den shattered. Rocks and debris collapsed to the ground and the floor shook. The pair were knocked to the ground, and, to escape the falling rubble, they rolled over into the threshold of the passageway.

“What the hell is going on?!” Snow said.

“Wait, there’s something coming in!” Azure said, pointing to a large figure emerging from the dust and debris.

As the dust cleared, the two were horrified at what they saw. The red eyes with slit pupils and yellow sclera, the pale blue scaley face with webbed ears, the thick curled horns, the flared nostrils puffing with smoke, and the rows of razor sharp teeth in its maw could only indicate that it was a dragon. And it was a very large dragon, at that. Its head almost took up the entire den.

“Oh God... Why is that here?” Snow whispered in horror.

“What is that thing?” Azure asked.

“That’s the boss of this dungeon. Aquamentus.”

Their ears were then pierced by a ferocious roar, and the two Dungeoneers were blown away down the corridor. Everything went black after that.



Next: Gathering of Monsters
 
Last edited:

Azure Sage

March onward forever...
Staff member
ZD Legend
Comm. Coordinator
Thanks for your comments, guys! Things are starting to pick up now. c; I hope yo enjoy the new chapter!






Chapter Three
Gathering of Monsters


“... up!”

Darkness filled the young man’s head as his consciousness slowly returned to him.

“Wake up!”

The voice was clearer now. The young man’s vision was blurred, but his sight was returning. The face of a panicked girl with an eyepatch and freckles gradually took form before him.

“Come on, Azure! Wake up!” Snow called out again.

“Ugh...” Azure stirred.

“Oh, thank God! You’re still alive...” she sighed with relief.

Azure Sage found himself laying on his back, with his upper body propped up in Snow Queen’s arms. He felt drips of the blood running from her forehead hit his cheek. His stomach felt cold, and when he tried to feel around for it, his palm was smeared with crimson.

Azure began to panic when he finally realized the situation he was in. He started struggling and squirming to sit up, but Snow held him tight.

“Stop moving! You’ll just bleed out more!” she cried.

“My... My blood...!” Azure choked.

“Don’t worry! I’ve stopped the bleeding with my ice. It won’t last long, though, especially if you move around like that!”

Azure finally calmed down a little. He knew she was right, and tried to hold himself still. He took a few deep breaths, and finally relaxed.

“Thank you...” he said. “What happened to us?”

“Aquamentus blew us away with its roar, and the tunnel collapsed.” Snow explained. “We almost got buried alive, but I kept us safe from being crushed with my ice. I carried you as far away as I could. We should be safe here for now; that thing hasn’t come after us.”

“I see...”

Azure took some time to examine Snow’s wounds. She had a trail of blood leading down her face from her forehead, and her right sleeve was soaked with blood, as well. She had bandaged herself as best she could by ripping her left sleeve off.

“You’re hurt, too.” Azure said.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a scratch. You’re in worse shape than I am, kid.” she replied. “We need to get back to the guild hall. I can probably carry you there, but it won’t be easy.”

“No... I can walk.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! You can barely sit up!”

“Just watch...”

Azure’s body began glowing with a blue light. A sheen of light washed over his body, and his golden eyes turned to blue. He began to sit up on his own, without any problems.

“What...?” Snow said.

“Body strengthening magic. It’s only temporary. I’d give myself about ten minutes before I collapse again.”

“Then we’d better hurry.” Snow said, pulling him to his feet. “We don’t have any time to waste. Let’s go!”

Together, the two left the tunnel they’d taken shelter in and entered a wide cavern. This room consisted of an open ceiling and a bridge of land crossing a wide chasm. There were small bat-like monsters fluttering in the air above their heads, but these creatures paid no heed to the injured Dungeoneers.

Azure and Snow each left a trail of blood dripping in their wake as they crossed the bridge. On the other side, a passageway dug itself into the wall, and the pair followed it downward. Like the other passageways, it was mostly dark. In Azure’s condition, he found himself tripping down the stairs frequently.

“Are you okay?” Snow asked.

“I’m fine. I still have a few minutes.” Azure said.

They continued down the passage and found themselves on a path wrapping itself around the edge of a cliff. As they ran along this path, their ears were assailed with the sounds of screeching and writhing.

“What is that?” Azure asked.

“Oh my God... Azure, look down.”

Azure followed Snow’s eyes, and found himself face to face with a sight even more gruesome than the pit of salva bugs.

Far below the cliffs, the floor of the chasm was flooded with monsters of all shapes and sizes, growling and bellowing and crawling all over each other. Some of them scratched at the face of the cliff, others fought amongst themselves, and more still devoured each other.

The pair stared down at this depravity with horrified expressions. “So that’s why...” Snow said.

“Why what?”

“That’s why Aquamentus was so far away from its den in the heart of the dungeon. That’s why there are so many monsters gathered here. They’re... They’re gathering to attack the town.”

Azure felt his heart stop for a moment as he inhaled sharply. “No... You can’t be serious... All of those things are gonna attack Balena? All at once?”

“It’s not unusual for boss monsters like Aquamentus to raise an army. They’re very intelligent, after all. They know about us. That’s why defense of the town is part of a Dungeoneer’s duty. The dungeon monsters will sometimes leave the dungeon to attack us directly.”

“That’s horrifying...” Azure said with a dry swallow.

- Balena has thousands of citizens... If those monsters were to attack right now, there’s no telling how many people will be slaughtered... We have to make it back and tell everyone. We can’t let them be caught unprepared. We have to warn them!

Azure turned and quickly dashed down the remainder of the path. He didn’t stop when Snow told him to wait up. He continued running down the next passageway. Even when the ice keeping his wound closed melted away, he force the blood back in his body with his strength magic.

- I can’t let this wound slow me down! I have to warn them!

After sprinting down the twists and turns of the passageway, Azure found himself back in the first room of the dungeon, exiting from the passageway on the far left. He only left himself rest for a second before he continued toward the exit. Halfway across, though, he hit the floor.

“Damn... Why did it have to wear off now?!” he gasped.

Azure’s body strengthening spell had worn off, and he could no longer move. What’s more, the blood he was forcing to remain inside began to spill out from his wound again. He lay helpless on the ground, as nothing but a bloody mess. He slammed his curled fist onto the dusty floor in frustration.

- Damn it. Not again! I won’t be late again!

His eyes became heavy as tears began to flow. He felt himself getting choked up. The pain from his wounds began to mix with a nostalgic sense of helplessness as he struggled to crawl toward the dungeon’s exit.

“Not again... Please, not again...” he cried.

Painful scenes flashed through his mind as his blood-soaked body dragged itself across the floor. The flow of tears became stronger as his body left a smeared pool of blood behind itself. He was panting heavily, occasionally coughing up bits of blood. His mouth tasted like iron, and his strength was quickly fading away.

“Damn it... I can’t... I can’t be late again...”

He felt his collar pull back, and a warm arm wrapped itself around his waist. The hand gently touched his bleeding wound, and the blood froze in place with a sharp chill.

“You idiot.” Snow’s voice said, inches from his ear. “I told you to wait for me.”

“Snow...” Azure said, barely managing to get the words out.

“I don’t know what happened to make you cry like this, but don’t worry. You won’t be late. We’ll get back there together in no time at all.” she said, giving him a wink and an encouraging smile.

Azure could barely hold back his sobs any longer. “Please, hurry...” he said, clinging to Snow as she lifted him over her back.

“Eesh, you’re heavy.” she complained. “Let’s get you out of here. We’ll tell everyone of the danger that’s coming. Just you wait!”

* * *

After trudging along the path back from the dungeon, Snow Queen and Azure Sage collapsed as a bloody wreck in the Avalon Runner’s guild hall. Concerned gasps filled the air, and people ran over to check on them, one of whom being the Admin.

“Snow! What happened to you two?!” Repentance asked.

“We ran into a bit of trouble out there... Namely, Aquamentus and an army of monsters.” she replied.

“An army...? So, they’re gathering to attack the town again?”

“Yeah. Please, get everyone ready, and see to his wounds.” Snow said, tapping Azure’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry...” Azure said. “We got the valdrian ore, but Aquamentus... I lost my bag when it attacked... We failed the mission... I’m sorry... Just please, protect everyone.”

“What are you talking about?” Repentance said. “You survived after being attacked by the dungeon’s boss on your very first day, and you even made it back here alive to warn us of the impending attack. You’re more than qualified to be a Dungeoneer of this guild. You haven’t failed anything.”

Azure’s cheeks felt hot as tears trickled down from his red and puffy eyes. “Thank you...”

“Spirit! Come here and see to their wounds!” Repentance shouted across the hall.

“Coming!” a female voice replied.

A woman with black hair in a pixie cut hurried through the crowd of people, and knelt down beside Azure Sage and Snow Queen. She was dressed in black, lacy clothes that looked like a nurse’s outfit. She gave the two injured Dungeoneers a soft smile.

“Don’t worry, darlings. You’ll be just fine. I’ll fix you up right away with my healing magic.” she said with a wink.

“Everyone, listen up!” Repentance’s voice boomed. “The monsters of Aquamentus are gathering to attack the town! Work together to spread the news, and get all non-combatants to safety! It is our duty to make sure the evacuation and defense of the town goes smoothly! I don’t want to hear any excuses! Get to work!”

A resounding “Yes, sir!” echoed throughout the hall, and everyone scampered to warn the townsfolk. Meanwhile, Repentance helped Spirit carry Azure Sage and Snow Queen to Balena’s hospital.

- THE NEXT DAY -

Azure Sage woke up in a hospital bed to the sounds of a crowd stampeding outside the window. He could hear various construction sounds on top of the shouting of the crowd. The town was being fortified by the Avalon Runners members, and the evacuation appeared to be on schedule.

Azure let out a sigh of relief, and looked over at the hospital bed next to him. There sat Snow Queen, who was quietly reading a book. Azure was facing her side with her eyepatch again, and just like yesterday, he couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

“Snow?” he said.

The girl in the bed perked up, and turned her gaze toward Azure. A look of relief washed over her face.

“Oh, you’re awake. That’s good. Listen to this! With Spirit’s healing magic, we should be able to join in the battle to defend the town!” Snow said.

“Oh, really?” That’s a relief.” he said.

The two became quiet. Azure began to feel a number of emotions welling up inside him. He had to express them, so he once again called out to her.

“Snow?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I wasn’t late again.... I’m sorry for breaking down like that yesterday. It’s just, this whole situation reminds me of...”

He got quiet. Snow watched his pale face carefully before she spoke.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it. I can tell it must be something really traumatic. I won’t press the issue, okay?” she said.

“Thank you.” Azure said.

More scenes flashed through his mind, and he bit his lip. He felt himself beginning to shake. Snow noticed this, but before she could say anything more, the door to their room burst open. In walked Spirit.

“Pardon me, darlings! Just checking up on you.” she said.

Azure felt his shaking body calm down, and the memories faded away for the time being. “Hello.” he said.

“You both seem to be doing well.” Spirit said, examining each of them with her eyes. “Let me give you each another dose of healing magic to perk you up.”

“Thank you.” Snow said.

Spirit approached Snow, and placed one hand on her forehead and the other on her chest. A lime green light began to glow from her fingertips, spreading out in pulses through the air. Snow’s body was encased in a similar glow, and the air became thick. Azure watched the performance of healing magic in awe.

After a few moments, Spirit removed her hands, and the light ceased. “There. You should be healed enough to return to duty. Get your butt out there and help.” she said playfully.

“Heh, thanks.” Snow laughed.

She sprung up to her feet out of bed and stretched. She then looked over at Azure, and smiled.

“You hurry up and get better too, okay? I’ll be waiting for you out there.” Snow said.

“Yeah. Thank you. Good luck.” Azure said, smiling back.

- She’s been acting really nice to me lately. I’m glad she isn’t as mean as I first thought she was.

Snow Queen hurried out of the room to prepare to help the others fortify the town. Meanwhile, Spirit approached Azure’s side and repeated the healing process she had done for Snow on him. After a few moments, she retracted her hands, but her expression wasn’t as cheerful as it had been for her previous patient.

“Sorry to tell you this, darling, but it looks like you’ll need to rest for at least another day.” she told him. “There’s only so much healing magic can do, after all.”

Azure clenched his fists. “I see... Thank you for all you’ve done.”

Spirit nodded, and left him alone in the room. Azure laid back down in the bed, determined to recover as quickly as possible.

“Just one more day. Just one more day...” he said as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Late that night, Azure was awoken by the loud clanging of a gong and the ringing of a bell. He shot up in his bed, and looked out the window. The purple of the evening sky was darkened with smoke.

“Oh no... Are they here already?”

Azure didn’t wait to find out. He leapt out of bed, ignoring a sharp pain in his gut. He rushed to find his clothes and his sword.

- I have to go! I have to help them fight back!

The memories came flooding back again as Azure dashed down the halls of the hospital. He bit his lip and shut his eyes tightly. He stopped running for a moment. He shook his head and clasped his hands on his cheeks to snap himself out of it before continuing on. Injured or not, he was determined to defend the town of Balena.



Next: Defense of Balena
 
Last edited:

Jirohnagi

Braava Braava
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Location
Soul Sanctum
Gender
Geosexual
Will Azure be ready for a battle, why is the ever mysterious Snow so kind now, WHY is there a pixie bob cut and will Aquamentus' army destroy the castle?

FIND OUT IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOF

THROUGH THE DUNGEONS!!!!!!!!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom