The Stranger From Underground Part 3

It felt like floating rather than falling. I took the moment to straighten myself out. When I did, my feet touched the obsidian ground that appeared below me.

That single obsidian ground lifted the fog as an island quickly showed itself. It was made of a material I had never seen before. Something completely undocumented or written about.

The side of the island had a large cave dug into it. It was clearly man made and rough around the edges. I felt like going there was the first place I need to be.

As I walked on my way down the odd stairway on the side of the island, I heard a roar. It wasn't from a creature I could see as one side of me was an endless void and the other a cliff wall.

Whatever it was, scared me. I dashed down the stairway to the open cave entrance.

It was larger than I had thought it was. The room had an armor stand of netherite but had a glow to it. much like ancient enchanted items. A sword of netherite was on a desk to the left.

I grabbed it, lifting it up to look at the inscription on the blade. The letters were ancient script, a thing that no longer existed. These were a unique ancient script. One that was said to only be read by the hero and no one else.

Of course, I wasn't a hero. I didn't understand any of the letters on the blade.

This was something that couldn't be decoded by anyone. No amount of ancient texts, hard work or determination could change that. After all the letters were carved with magic. A type of magic that changed how it looked in everyone's eyes.

Under the blade was a button. By this time, I knew that buttons were actually a good sign.

I quickly pressed the button and up popped two notebooks. One in the same thin style as the other books in the previous rooms. The other was worn out, torn and pages were obviously missing.

I picked up the scientist's book first. It's pages were not as well kept as the previous ones but were in good condition and readable.

...

If you see this, I am so sorry...

I came here thinking I could save the hero. Oh how wrong I was.

The dragon above isn't as strong as Experiment #22-0 but it is certainly not lacking in it's attacks. It breaks anything it flies through. Everything except the strange obsidian towers. Towers with no purpose for as far as I can see.

I managed to save the hero's things. Unfortunately, the hero perished. He no longer stands to fight this dragon. He lost his test and I am not strong enough to finish it. Someday the new hero will finish it.

...

I closed the book shaking my head in denial. This couldn't have been the end of the scientist. There must have been more.

I put down the thin book and opened the worn out and torn book. There was only three short pages.

...

Day 1,

I start this adventure with great expectations and a good understanding of everything around me. I am, as I understand, the 71st hero to come to this world. Each hero before me has failed the test to become the true hero. I will not fail like the ones before me...

Day 216,

I haven't made much progress. I did meet someone who wasn't supposed to be here. Strange words came from my mouth when I saw them. All heroes are summoned with knowledge they need to understand the world and become the true hero. However, I didn't know anything about this person. Nothing came to my head when I looked in their direction. It was like a glitch when I looked them in the eyes and said "You're not apart of the code."

Day 442,

Something is wrong with this world. It's not functioning how it's suppose to. Everything has become glitched since I met the scientist. I fear something is will go wrong If I can't beat the dragon... However, I'm too weak... but I will try again and win this time!

...

After closing the hero's journal, it felt like the sword held more weight than before. Not physical weight but a sense of responsibility.

Something happened here. Something the hero predicted and something the scientist felt. Something was wrong.

The only thing I could focus on right now was taking down the dragon. Possibly even getting back to my world if I could do that.

With the sword in hand, I walked up the stairs.

In front of me was a dragon with cuts and scratches everywhere. Nobody was here and it had been a long time since anyone showed up. However, the cuts on the dragon did not heal.

The tall monsters stood around. They showed no expressions but the air was filled with the lingering feelings of fear and anger.

The air felt cold as the dragon circled around the towers of obsidian. There seemed to be an alter of some sort in the middle. It was made of bedrock and looked like the safest place.

I ran to it, ducking in to keep myself from the monsters around. I could tell they weren't aggressive. Some saw me but none of them attacked.

I stayed there watching the dragon swirl about. I wanted to see what the dragon would do. How it acted before I did anything. After all, I only had this sword and nothing more.

The dragon did another swirl before circling around the bedrock pole that I was leaning against.

It lowered slowly, it wings creating a strong wind. The strong wind was like feathers passing by me as the armor I wore protected me.

I saw this as my chance. I took the sword and aimed it right for the dragons head. My hands moved on their own as if something were guiding me.

I aimed straight for the only cut on the dragon's head. The sword pierced through and the monsters around all made a screech as if they were celebrating.

Rays of light shot up in 8 light pillars around the island. My vision went blurry as the dragon lifted up and my sword had a glow to it.

I stepped out from the bedrock alter and looked up at the blurry shape of the dragon. rays of light sparked out from it and sounds of explosions could be heard.

Almost like snow, specks of light fell down from above. I walked around scooping them up in my hands. The sounds they made were so pretty as they disappeared. Like bells ringing.

My vision did not clear up, I wondered if this was caused by passing the test without being the hero.

I could see something in the distance. Something clear but blurry. I knew it was a person but who could it be?

They looked like the hero that the scientist had been chasing after.

It didn't look to be human. He had white glowing eyes and held the air as if he was holding a sword. A smile on his face as he say the portal open next to me.

It traveled fast and my blurry vision could hardly keep up. I followed after diving into the portal after it.

Unlike the other portal, I could see the large skyscrapers and the clouds below me. I floated down slowly and I could hear the hero bells ring throughout the city.

When I got to the ground, my feet touched the quartz flooring and my vision cleared.

There was an inventory bar in sight. It was similar to playing one of the new vr games. It made me smile as I laughed to myself.

People gathered around cheering as they saw me standing on the sacred hero's alter. An alter that kept normal people from stepping up the stairs.

When I looked at the blade, I could clearly read the ancient script that simply said 'The protector'.

When I squinted, an item description showed up telling me the different enchantments on the blade. Looking around, I could just tell what every material around me was.

It was wonderous, I knew how to do everything that had been forgotten from the heroes time. I could make anything that nobody knew anymore.

But as I thought back to the person I saw from before, nothing came to my mind. I understood what the hero felt when he had seen the scientist. There was nothing, no information at all.