Ships Passing in the Night (2)

The dilapidated stone hallway stretched out before Cody, its ancient walls bearing the weight of forgotten tales. Torches flickered sporadically along the passageway, casting dancing shadows that played tricks on the mind. The air was heavy with dust.

In the distance, Cody's eyes caught a glimpse of a small, lifeless form. As he approached, the dim light revealed a small, bipedal lizard-man. The creature lay crumpled, its scales dulled and motionless, blood oozing into puddles on the stone tiles.

Taking a deep breath, Cody pressed forward, his senses alert. The ruins echoed with eerie silence, broken only by the occasional snapping crackle of fires as they burned in the metal sconces along the corridor walls. He moved cautiously, glancing around every corner, his footsteps muffled by the layers of dust that coated the floor.

The search for the other adventurer led him through desolate chambers and abandoned corridors, coming upon more reptilian bodies as he followed the zig-zagging halls. The torches offered limited visibility, creating pockets of darkness that seemed to harbor secrets. Cody's heart pounded in his chest as he pressed on, uncertain of what lay ahead. 

As he ventured deeper into the ruins, the air grew colder, and the architecture hinted at a history long forgotten. Strange symbols adorned the walls, telling tales of an ancient civilization that once thrived within these crumbling walls. Cody's determination to find his fellow adventurer intensified, fueled by the need for answers and the hope that they were still alive.

He wouldn't hope for long. As Cody rounded a corner, he discovered the fate of the adventurer. He felt like there was a lump in the back of his throat as he swallowed, {Adventurers, plural.} 

A grim atmosphere hung in the air as he approached the distant shapes lying motionless on the floor. As he drew nearer, the harsh reality revealed itself—two fallen humans, lives extinguished by the savage brutality of lizard-men.

The small, reptilian creatures surrounded the lifeless bodies, tiny clawed hands picking through the belongings of the corpses. Their crude weapons left no doubt about the fate that befell the explorers. Stab wounds and a crossbow bolts marked the pair's demise, and a surge of sorrow and anger welled up within Cody.

Cody's grip tightened on his sword, a realization dawning upon him. The lizard-men he initially dismissed as minor threats had proven lethal to a pair of Power Enabled people. As he stared at the fallen duo, a newfound resolve ignited within Cody. He would become an avenging force, and finish what they started. 

With a swift motion, Cody drew his sword, the blade gleaming in the torchlight. Approaching the lizard-men near the body, he moved with a purpose that transcended fear. The creatures hissed and lunged, but Cody's movements were fluid and decisive.

Cody willed himself lighter, and moved with deadly grace, dispatching the lizard-men with swift strikes and calculated moves. His sword cleaved through their scaled forms, and the creatures fell, writhing in the dim light of the torches. The realization hit Cody—there would be no challenge for him in this dungeon.

Cody knelt beside the fallen adventurers, two men not unlike Cody himself, his eyes somber as he inspected the stab wounds that marked their violent end. A quiet determination settled within him, mingling with a sense of reflection. Creatures like the lizard-men, seemingly weak compared to the challenges he had faced before, had managed to overcome not just one of them, but two.

Cody couldn't help but contemplate the extent of his own strength. He had conquered dungeons far more formidable than this one: gryphons, skeletons, wolves, and that wasn't even considering the terrifying Lich. The thought dawned on him—perhaps his abilities surpassed the norm among the Enabled. {The woman earlier, Maya, had said that loners don't last long… this is what she meant.}

The silence of the ruins around him rang with a quiet intensity, the torchlight flickering as if acknowledging the gravity of the moment. Cody's mind raced with questions about his own capabilities and the significance of his journey thus far. Had he underestimated the potential dangers within the Breaches, or was this a testament to his growth?

A sense of responsibility weighed on Cody's shoulders. {If creatures of this caliber posed a threat to other Enabled people, what could they do if they escaped a Breach and attacked normal people?} The fallen adventurers' deaths became a catalyst for Cody to acknowledge not only the dangers involved in clearing the Breaches themselves, but the consequences of failing to do so.

With a determined gaze, Cody rose from beside the fallen men. The labyrinth of the ruins awaited, and he moved forward, driven by purpose. The echoes of his footsteps mingled with the shadows, and as he ventured deeper into the ancient corridors, Cody contemplated the grand scheme of adventurers, {Where do I fall in that spectrum? Am I ahead of the curve already? Mark said that there have been people who developed their power months ago, teams closing those breaches on the map. There's no way I am going to be on par with people who have six months of training closing Breaches.}

As Cody ventured deeper into the ruins, the encounters with lizard-men became more frequent. Sword in hand, he practiced combining his agility and amateur swordsmanship along with his gravity manipulation powers. With some effort, and a lot of initial clumsiness, he began to alter the forces around him, sending lizard-men stumbling or soaring through the air with each swing of his blade. A simple kick carried the force of a car crash, sending bodies careening down the passage. A quick stab could penetrate bone. 

The dimly lit corridors echoed with the clash of steel and the hisses of the reptilian adversaries. Cody's movements began to show a bit more polish as he wound his way through the ruined halls. Lizard-men fell before him, their crude weapons no match for the combined force of his enabled abilities.

As Cody pressed forward, the ruins revealed a central chamber where a portly lizard-man awaited. The creature, unlike its smaller counterparts, wore threadbare robes that seemed out of place. Its stature and attire produced a grotesque twist on the traditional image of a spellcaster. Cody chuckled to himself, {A lizard-wizard.}

The creature raised its clawed hands, conjuring elemental forces in a primitive display of magic. Arcane energy crackled as bolts of raw lightning shot toward Cody. Reacting swiftly, Cody attempted to evade the electrical onslaught. However, the lightning arced unpredictably, and instead of avoiding the attack, Cody found himself inadvertently intercepting it with his sword. The metallic clash resonated through the chamber as the lightning surged into the blade, coursing through Cody's arm like a numbing shock.

His arm trembled under the unexpected surge of energy, the numbing sensation spreading through his muscles, and causing him to lose his grip, the sword clattered on the stone floor. The lizard-wizard seized the opportunity, capitalizing on Cody's momentary vulnerability. It hissed triumphantly, preparing for the next onslaught.

Undeterred, Cody gritted his teeth against the lingering numbness. With a determined effort, he gestured, willing the gravitational field around the creature to intensify. The creature stumbled, its movements slowed by an unseen force bearing down on it. Cody closed the distance quickly, lessening the gravity on his own body and leaping forward, he lashed out with his good left arm, increasing the weight on his fist as he brought it down onto the creature hoping to crush it with a single blow.

The lizard-man, however, was not one to be underestimated. It chanted in its guttural tongue, summoning a shimmering barrier of arcane energy. Cody's strike met an invisible wall, the force of impact rippling across the mystical shield. The lizard-wizard cackled, confident in its defensive measure.

Cody adapted. He intensified the gravity manipulation, feeling himself begin to sweat with the effort. The arcane barrier wavered as the gravitational forces became overwhelming. With a burst of energy, Cody shattered the shield, leaving the lizard-wizard vulnerable once more.

As the battle reached its climax, the lizard-man, desperate, unleashed a final, potent spell. Dark orbs of energy materialized, homing in on Cody with malevolent intent. In a last minute decision, Cody tried to propel gravity in a burst outward from himself. For a moment it seemed like he was caving in on himself, and then he felt the force release and begin to expand, like pulling back on a rubber band and then releasing, the energy shot out all around himself, sending the orbs spiraling harmlessly into the distant corners of the chamber.

With the wizard weakened and spells exhausted, Cody seized the moment. Extending his good arm out, he focused on the blade laying on the floor, clearly picturing the sword rushing towards his outstretched hand. {COME ON!} A mixture of triumph and confidence welled up as Cody watched his sword lurch through the air, he managed to catch the sword, and brought it down on the lizard-man in a clean stroke, its grotesque form crumpling to the cold stone floor.

The chamber fell silent, the remnants of magical energies dissipating into the ancient air. Cody stood amidst the aftermath, his breathing steady, but feeling like a tube of toothpaste that had been squeezed out. The lizard-wizard defeated, the ruins seemed to inhale, a cool breeze rushing in and relieving the tension that had gripped the central chamber. {Another full clear.}

Standing over the lizard's body, Cody inspected the creature's tattered garments, his eyes fell upon an unexpected treasure—an elaborate patterned leather belt engraved with intricate designs of fire and dragons. Despite its weathered appearance, the belt stood out, a stark contrast to the crude, stained, and torn attire the lizard-wizard had been wearing.

Intrigued, Cody reached down and picked up the ancient belt. The leather felt cool to the touch, and as his fingers traced the engraved patterns, a peculiar sensation tingled through his fingertips. The air around him seemed to vibrate with a soft hum, reminiscent of the mysterious amulet he had discovered in an earlier dungeon.

Curiosity piqued, Cody focused on the humming sensation, realizing that the belt held a resonance similar to the enchanted amulet he'd found among the gryphon's nest. The vibrations seemed to echo with latent magic, suggesting that this artifact carried its own mystical properties.

Intrigued and cautious, Cody decided to don the dragon-patterned belt. As he secured it around his waist, the humming sensation intensified, resonating through his being. The designs on the belt shimmered faintly, as if responding to the connection between the artifact and its new bearer.

A sense of empowerment washed over Cody, and he couldn't shake the feeling that the belt had in some way increased his potential. Where a moment ago he had felt exhausted to the extreme, he felt a boost of energy, like the discovery that there was just a little more toothpaste left in the tube.

The elation on finishing the dungeon was short lived, Cody's thoughts went to his next move: that he needed to retrieve the fallen adventurer's bodies and get them out of the Breach.

With his sword in its sheath, and using his good left arm to try to rub feeling back into his numbed right arm, Cody quickly backtracked through the dungeon, {Lucky this one was pretty linear.}

The grimness of the task ahead made the journey back to the bodies feel like an eternity, but as he rounded a corner he saw them. Two lifeless forms lay on the cold stone floor, their fate sealed by the reptilian menace.

Undeterred, Cody approached the fallen comrades. Awkwardly, he hoisted the first adventurer onto his shoulder, feeling the weight of the lifeless form press against him. The task was challenging, especially with the lingering numbness, but determination fueled Cody as he moved to the second fallen adventurer.

Carefully, he repeated the process, hoisting the second body onto his other shoulder. The weight of the dual burden bore down on him, a physical and emotional reminder of the dangers within the labyrinthine dungeon. He could have used his powers to further lessen the weight of the bodies, but something inside him felt like the effort and struggle was more respectful, it made it feel more real.

The torches lining the stone hallway cast flickering shadows as Cody, carrying the fallen adventurers, retraced his steps. The once-menacing ruins seemed to lose their hostility in the wake of Cody's triumph, yet the burden he bore served as a solemn reminder of the price paid in the pursuit of discovery.

Despite the challenges posed by his numb arm and the cumbersome load, Cody pressed on. The portal that had brought him into the dungeon awaited, a shimmering gateway back to the outside world. As he reached the portal, Cody adjusted his grip on the fallen adventurers and stepped through the threshold.

Emerging on the other side, Cody found himself back in the park in the dead of night. The ambient glow of lamps along walking paths crisscrossed the vast expanse, casting pools of light amid the shadows. The transition from the ancient ruins to the contemporary park felt surreal. With the portal behind him, Cody carefully laid the fallen comrades down, offering a moment of silent respect. 

As Cody took a final glance at the fallen duo, the pair of men didn't look much older than Cody. A seed of contemplation sprouted within him. The weight of the dual burden and the lingering perils prompted him to consider the path ahead. {What if I were to fall inside another Breach? Shouldn't I have a teammate, someone to watch my back and carry my body out?} 

Cody stood, and after a moment's hesitation, walked away. Someone would find them in the morning when the sun came up, and he could text Mark later and let him know what happened, but for now this was the most he could do for them. Any attempt to contact the authorities would inevitably end with his arrest, and he didn't want to be left trying to explain about Breaches and monsters and super powers.

{Loners don't seem to last long,} Cody repeated to himself, and picked up the pace, jogging as he made his way along the paths back towards his car.