Dungeon (Part 3)

Meanwhile outside the dungeon.

"I heard Doom went ahead to investigate this Axel guy?" (Bollin)

"And why aren't you going ahead to investigate this Axel guy Bollin? Oh let me guess... Money?" (A-Rank, Tank, Rinn)

Bollin walked up to the dungeon door.

"Hey, Rinn, don't mock me. If this guy isn't even worth money then why should I bother." (Bollin)

"But the Grand Master asked us all personally. Shouldn't that mean something?" (Rinn)

"His word doesn't mean shizz. Besides, we got more important things to do. Like conquering this dungeon." (Bollin)

---

Axel stood in front of the giant Ogre. Gabriel stood laying on the lava.

"After I kill this thing? Is the game over?" (Axel)

"Not exactly, there are two more levels after this one, but the doors seem to be hidden somewhere." (Gabriel)

Axel closed his silver eye and pointed at the Ogre.

"How far back is Doom?" (Axel)

Gabriel shrugged.

"Remembered I'm not an all-knowing deity. I'm just a figment of a memory in your head that gained sentience. I only know what I know when I know it." (Gabriel)

Axel opened his silver eye.

"Third Dimension. Vast Escape!" (Axel)

A perfectly shaped hole formed in the Ogre at the exact point where he was looking. Red gooey blood and organs spilled out and onto the stage.

"Ewww gross." (Gabriel)

"What? I thought the whole Ogre would disappear." (Axel)

Gabriel magically floated across the lava. He stepped on the Ogre's corpse, he looked into the hole.

"Funny. Look here. It seems the trap door to the next level formed inside the hole you created in the Ogre." (Gabriel)

Axel climbed on top of the Ogre with a serious face, as if he was going to jump into the hole.

"Are you really that determined to win?" (Gabriel)

"When I want to win, I will win!" (Axel)

He jumped into the hole. Gabriel turned away in disgust from all the squishing and squashing.

"Yuck. Maybe I should just go back into your head." (Gabriel)

---

Mel and Gen are sitting in the darkness surrounded by statues of ash. Between them is a small fire pit.

Gen is roasting a bar of some Adventuring food, as Mel is laying back with her eyes closed.

Suddenly the voices of a man and a woman echo from up above.

"This is a rip off! Wheres the loot! And all the monsters are already dead!" (Bollin)

"Are you sure the Grand Master was right about this being an A-Ranked dungeon?" (Rinn)

"One hundred percent. He said I could have it until the tenth." (Bollin)

Rinn facepalmed.

"You know today's the eleventh." (Rinn)

Bollin paused.

"Whaaa... Shit..." (Bollin)

"Welp it looks like the place was already cleared out, wanna go back?" (Rinn)

"No no, there could be some stuff here. It's only been a day since the permit expired. It's not like the whole place could already be-" (Bollin)

Bollin looked into the hole leading to the second level. He saw Mel and Gen eating snacks next to a makeshift fire. Mel looked up with tired eyes.

"Oh... Hey!" (Mel)

She squinted closer.

"Is that Rinn?! Long time no see Rinn!" (Mel)

Mel waved. Rinn waved back. Bollin jumped into the hole as Gen fell back from seeing so many A-Ranks in one place.

Rinn jumped into the hole.

"So what are you doing here Mel?" (Rinn)

"Well the Grand Master told me that I could have this dungeon from the eleventh to the fifteenth, but I didn't know it was already reserved?" (Mel)

"It's this guy's fault. He's a procrastinator." (Rinn)

Mel sat up with a bar of some mysterious monster meat. Gen fell forward again at Mel's familiarity with all these high ranked individuals.

Bollin sat down he looked at all the destroyed statues.

"So you two came here alone? How much you want for the rest of the dungeon?" (Bollin)

He pulled out a bag of coins. Mel slowly pushed it away.

"No sorry. My friend is already up ahead and... Well you know Doom? The A-Rank. He's here as well but I kinda lost him." (Mel)

"Ohhhh Doom..." (Rinn)

"Doom?! Oh is that Axel guy here then?" (Bollin)

Rinn slapped him across the head. Mel turned confused.

"Umm. Yeah... You know Axel?" (Mel)

Bollin tried to come up with an excuse.

"Oh yeah... Yeah, I've met him before. I also know that you know him. Yup." (Bollin)

"huh? Then... Do you mind if I ask you guys a question. It's out of the blue so don't take it personally." (Mel)

Rinn sat down next to Bollin. The two stared at Mel then at the foaming Gen in the corner.

Mel pointed at the two adventurers sitting close to each other, at their good looks and nice chemistry.

"Are you two dating?" (Mel)

A long pause.

---

The fourth level.

Lava flowed from the ceiling, dripping into rivers. Layers of black-rock forming from steamed ash.

Axel looked around him. He heard the quiet pitter-patter of footsteps in the distance across wooden structures. He heard axes and sharp metal tools banging against eachother. He walked up to a small ledge leading to a cacophony of trolls and goblins, that littered wooden structures that hung above flaming pits of magma.

Gabriel floated above the thirty-foot drop to lava and goblins. He laid back looking out into the distance.

"Lucky you Axel. You found a hidden goblin camp under the earth." (Gabriel)

He readied himself to fight the hordes of trolls and monsters below.

"Yeah yeah, you could fight all those monsters down there. Or you know what would be faster. Sneaking?" (Gabriel)

"I don't know... Sounds slower to me." (Axel)

"Not if you have an invisible ghost to help lead the way." (Gabriel)

he thought about it. he looked at the abandoned pathways that crossed through the megastructures built in the back stone walls. He looked at the massive door sitting in the distance guarded by two huge trolls.

"Lead the way." (Axel)

---

Mel, Bollin, Rinn, and Gen are all walking throughout the second level. They pass by brutally mutilated monsters of varying sizes and strengths. They pass by treasured gems and golden ingots of extreme riches.

"Sooo Axel... Cause you know I've met him before, but... You know I kinda forgot what he looked like? Is he human?" (Bollin)

"Well yes. But sometimes I wonder if he thinks like a regular human." (Mel)

They reached the third level. they passed by more monster dead and horribly exploded by Axel's strong punches and kicks.

They reached two massive open doors leading to a colosseum of lava and blood

"Damn, he's brutal." (Bollin)

Rinn stepped on top of the Ogre.

"He ripped a hole straight through it..." (Rinn)

She looked closer into the hole.

"Oh... I think I found the next level. But..." (Rinn)

Everyone else jumped on top of the Ogre. They looked inside the hole. Mold, flies, bugs, small insect monsters comping on flesh and bone.

Gen leaned over about to puke.

"Mel you said this dungeon would be easy?" (Gen)

Mel remembered what she said. She still agreed with what she said.

"No yeah it's been pretty easy. Guys?" (Mel)

She turned to Rinn and Bollin. They turned to Gen with words of encouragement.

"Gen don't give up now." (Rinn)

"Just think about how much money you could make." (Bollin)

"Why are you two trying to edge me? That's not... That's not even funny. I... I think I'll just wait here you-" (Gen)

Mel jumped into the monster hole.

Splishing splashing.

Her voice echoed from inside.

"Gen don't forget to stay close to the hole so if you're under attack you can hop on in." (Mel)

"I'd rather die!" (Gen)