Chapter 2 – The Narrator

As the masses headed to join the Great Dungeon Selection, a lone young man sat alone in a vast library.

"What do you think will happen when 100 elites enter an unconquerable dungeon? Can the Kings and Gods defeat it?" He asked himself.

"Of course they can't!" The young man laughed to himself. Opening up a nearby book, the young man scanned its contents. Putting it back on a shelf, he moved on down the aisle.

"Yes, yes, Lavilin, known as The Demon. He is probably on the fourth floor of Hell by now…" The man muttered out loud and picked up a nearby book.

"Are you talking to yourself again?" A metallic voice called out on an intercom amidst the piles and aisles of books. 21 looked up at the intercom.

"Soon, our preparation will be complete. Lavilin, the twin soul, has played his purpose. Now that Hell has opened prematurely, we can commence the next stage of our plan." The young man closed the book he was holding and continued browsing. It was a common occasion for the young man to converse with the vault's security, who watched him write and read on cameras.

"The Authorities won't stand for our futile involvement, don't you think?" The intercom voice protested jokingly.

"Let the Lords in the high tower pout and whine. They took everything from us. Our universe, our very existence, has amounted to this one last chance. One chance, one hope, to save the world." The young man was not in the mood for jokes and continued looking through the mountain of books around him.

"The Gods above the Gods, the Authorities, are all locked up in the Three Great Dungeons. If we live our lives to the fullest, we can ignore their games, don't you think? Ryko can exist in peace without them." The metallic voice continued to play devil's advocate.

"Never!" The young man slammed a book onto the nearest shelf.

"The Ruler of Hell will not rest until he takes control of Ryko. Until the plan is complete, we will never find true peace." The young man shook his head and continued browsing the books again.

"Is the book you're writing complete yet, 21?" The intercom man questioned the perusing librarian.

The young man, known as 21, smiled.

"Together with Lavilin, I will make my book a reality." 21 grinned relentlessly at the camera.

"As the orchestrators of this future party's fate, it is really our only chance to save the world?" The intercom voice teased.

"No, we cannot become the orchestrators, nor can we be the main characters, we are just pieces of this vast puzzle." 21 shook his head and got back to looking through the books.

"But 21, we've planned everything out in great detail. If we are not the heroes, what is our role in all of this?" The metallic voice asked, confused.

"I am the Narrator, and you, are just a side character. Don't get yourself down Xano. You should know that from what I've showed you in the book." 21 said and continued looking for a particular book.

"Narrator huh? I would've thought the term, Guide, would be more fitting for you." Xano exclaimed.

"Guide? Can I guide Lavilin to the 100th Floor myself? No, I am not strong enough, but I can narrate his journey to the audience." 21 contemplated.

"Audience?" Xano asked. It was always interesting to speak with 21, even over an intercom with cameras. This librarian could flip his mood on a dime.

"Aha, here it is!" 21 picked up the book he was looking for with joy.

"We are always being watched Xano." 21 read the book carefully and looked at the audience while smiling.

"This isn't some book 21, this is real life. Lavilin and the Authorities instigated the massacre of millions during the Dungeon Break." Xano scolded 21, who used magic based on the books he'd written.

"Everything is a book, my dear Xano. Everyone's story has its beginning, middle, and end. Just because there isn't anyone actually here doesn't mean I can't write about our conversation later in this book." 21 shrugged and brought a bunch of books near to him with telekinesis. Moving down the aisles, 21 picked up more books as he scanned the titles of the books. Xano remained silent.

"An audience may not be here currently, but Lavilin will read about this encounter someday. Lavilin is the anti-hero this world needs. His heinous deeds will be eclipsed by the conquering of Hell, don't you think?" 21 tilted his head at a nearby camera. Xano frowned in the security room.

"21, do you think your ends justify the means?"

"To save the world, I will do whatever it takes." 21 glared into the camera with determination.

"I've devised the perfect story, my dear Xano. The main characters, the supporting cast, the villains, and the glorious outcome of defeating Hell. This is my book that will come true, due to our extensive preparation." 21 held up his book up to the camera. Its cover read, Dungeon Conquerors.

"If your book's ending comes true, a new Authority will be born." Xano looked at the book with curiosity. For years now, 21 had fed Xano bits and pieces of Dungeon Conquerors.

Xano knew the ending of the story:

Of the 100 participants of the Great Dungeon Party, less than 10 would survive, but Hell would be conquered. Even more importantly, Lavilin would transcend the laws of nature and achieve the Realm of the Authorities.

"You're right, my friend. As I narrate this story, the 100 will become the fuel that will nurture the soil to sprout the birth of the last Authority. Lavilin, The Demon, will become the final Authority and will save the world." 21 smiled.

"Lavilin, just a naïve kid, is being manipulated by multiple Authorities. Will your plan really work?" The skeptical Xano asked the librarian. They went back and forth like this regularly, but both loved to banter.

"I am just a man, my dear Xano, but even a lone librarian like myself can change the world. Although the Authorities have power beyond the imagination, I have knowledge and preparation.

The rigged chess board set up by the Authorities will be overturned by a singular, book." 21 threw Dungeon Conquerors onto a nearby table and sat down at the table, reading a passage to Xano.

"Chapter 30, Lavilin's Perspective…

Opening his eyes, Lavilin felt rejuvenated.

'By my estimation, about five years have passed on the outside. Wow, I'm making great time!'

Lavilin stretched and skipped around happily. His efforts had paid off. All of his injuries were healed, his Shade Core was under control, and his aura capacity had increased. No longer would the ambient spirits alive in his Shade Core torment him and fight for his body! All it took was about 33 years inside the dungeon to settle his extenuating circumstances." 21 read out loud.

"That's your entry for today, my friend. This is referring to Lavilin's experience on the first floor. We'll see Lavilin shortly. Soon, the powers of Ryko will unite, and the Dungeon Party Selection's roster will be decided. I'll see you on the outside, in the party, right, Xano?"

21 smiled.

Xano sighed.

"I can't hide anything from you, 21. Even though we've never met in person, you know I'm planning to infiltrate the Great Dungeon Party. Maybe your plan will really work."

"It will indeed work. When I meet you in person, I'll give you a book from the library to congratulate your efforts. Follow my instructions closely if you wish to save this world."

"Ahh, you're trying to rope me in on your delusional plan too?" Xano joked.

"Delusional? Wizard King Xie's orders are absolute, are they not?" 21 glared.

"I guess you're right. Because of him, I'll take heed to your schemes." Xano submitted.

"Good. Now, I'm leaving. I came not just to collect Dungeon Conquerors but the other prophetic books I've been writing as well. See you soon!" 21 waved to Xano's camera and walked out of the library with dozens of books hovering around him. Hands in his pockets, 21 laughed to himself as he walked outside the library.

"Soon, soon, my main character will enter the Dungeon Party Selection. Lavilin and Clico, together at last." 21 thought gleefully.

***

Lavilin sneezed. He was currently on the fourth floor of Hell.

"Damn, who was talking about me?" He grumbled.

"Whatever!" He shrugged and continued his seclusion. He was currently tempering his body in the raging storm of Floor 4. Once his body and soul broke through to the Deity Realm, he would for sure clear the dungeon much faster.

***

Xano was no fool. In fact, he was once the subordinate of the great human Authority Cipher. When Cipher was locked up in Purgatory, Xano became the keeper of Cipher's private vault, the Vault of Ryko. Its purpose was to hold extremely dangerous artifacts, knowledge, and legacy skills meant for the eyes of the future wizard kings only. When Wizard King Xie brought 21 into the vault, Xano vehemently protested, but Wizard King Xie convinced Xano otherwise.

Preparing his subordinates and completing his preparation, his strongest soldiers were sent to enter the Dungeon Party Selection to follow his, 21's, and Wizard King Xie's strict orders.

"Side character, huh?" Xano laughed to himself. As one of the strongest existences in all of Ryko, being called a side character was a bit insulting and unrealistic. Although Xano's existence was kept a secret by the Wizard King and his predecessors, he was still considered to be a formidable power that worked behind the scenes at the discretion of the current Wizard King. Because he treasured his time with Cipher, Xano continued to curate the Vault of Ryko despite being overqualified. At his current power, he was even on par with the current Wizard King Xie. If he had to take a guess, Xano thought his main body was among the top three strongest in Ryko.

Apart from the Party Leader of the Great Dungeon Party and Wizard King Xie, Xano was confident in his victory in any fight. Yet, the weak librarian and schemer, 21, treated Xano like a chess piece for his friend as well as his friend to be played around with while he was in the library. This didn't make Xano mad, in fact, he found 21 humorous and his insubordination refreshing.

Every Wizard King Xano met in the past treated him with respect, and Cipher himself treated Xano respectfully. 21 was an enigma to the Vault of Ryko and a cunning planner. With the level of preparation put into 21's plan, Xano felt that 21's intricate, unfathomable, and ridiculous gambit could actually work. He would never say that out loud, of course.

Every piece was in play for the Narrator, and the side character laughed to himself. The true main character picked out by 21 was a normal Sage with no secret power or huge talents. The main character was just a guy given a tough hand by fate and a middle-aged veteran of the Shade War. The main character should be The Demon, Lavilin, the leader of the Great Dungeon Party, or even the plotting mastermind 21, for that matter, not this plain veteran.

"Good luck to your party Clico. 21's tragic story is about to unfold." Xano spoke out loud.