Choices

Pain exploded through her body like wildfire.

With every ounce of strength she could muster, she pushed herself upright, her gaze locked defiantly on Dylan's form as she braced herself for whatever came next.

As Zenith lay sprawled on the ground, Dylan loomed over her like a dark specter, his face twisted into a sneer of contempt.

With callous indifference, he delivered blow after blow, each kick driving the breath from her lungs and sending waves of pain rippling through her battered body.

His words cut through the air like poisoned arrows.

"I've always hated you, you know," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "When Asuka first left me, I wondered what kind of dude she found to take my place. Someone richer? Stronger? I wanted to know, why him? What do I have to do to get my spot back, you know?" 

Zenith gritted her teeth against the pain, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break.

He crouched in front of Zenith, emotionless red eyes peering back at her. 

"And then I saw you and, I gotta be honest, I lost my fucking mind. You're gloomy, boring, and every time I spoke to you, you were an awkward mess. I refused to believe it. I asked Asuka, I begged her, to tell me who she was seeing, just so I could compare a little. She said she was single every time, and then I saw you. I don't know what you did to make Asuka look at you the way she does, but you don't deserve her. You have no right to stand by Asuka's side," he continued, his voice laced with scorn. "Not then, not now, not ever."

As he kicked her again, Zenith felt the weight of his hatred pressing down on her like a suffocating blanket. She struggled to push herself upright, but each blow drove her further into the dirt.

"This is your fault, by the way," Dylan told Asuka, then. "I don't understand why you refused to leave this bitch alone," Dylan taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "You turned down everyone who tried to hit on you, including me. Over and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again!" 

The barrage of kicks continued, relentless and unforgiving, each blow a testament to Dylan's twisted rage.

With each kick, her strength waned, her body growing numb with pain. She felt her vision swim and her breath come in ragged gasps as Dylan's relentless assault continued. She could taste blood on her tongue. 

"So, yeah, I'm going to kill you slowly," he hissed, his voice a sinister whisper in the darkness. "And this time, I'll make sure you're dead for good."

Zenith's mind reeled.

She knew she was no match for Dylan's strength, but still, she refused to surrender to the darkness that threatened to consume her.

A voice broke through the haze of pain and despair, a voice tinged with uncertainty and doubt.

"Maybe you should leave her alone, Dylan," the boy—Henry—suggested, his tone hesitant.

But Dylan's response was swift and merciless.

"Shut up, Henry," he snapped, his voice a sharp rebuke. "You want to get your head cut off next?" 

The onslaught of kicks continued, each blow driving Zenith closer to the brink of unconsciousness.

She felt her body growing weaker with each passing moment, her vision fading as Dylan's rage consumed him.

Suddenly, a howl pierced the air, freezing Dylan in his tracks. His foot hovered over Zenith's head.

The group tensed, their eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of danger.

Seconds ticked by like an eternity, the tension thick in the air. And then, with a guttural snarl, a pack of rabid wolves descended upon them, their feral eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Kobolds!" someone shouted, their voice tinged with panic.

The group sprang into action, weapons flashing as they fought off the savage creatures. But Dylan's voice cut through the chaos, his words a grim realization of their predicament.

"The boss is a roaming boss," he whispered, his tone grim. "There's no boss room."

Zenith struggled to turn her head toward it. 

Level 35

MP: 200/200

The kobold stood tall and imposing, its muscular frame towering over the other kobolds that flanked it. Its scales were a deep shade of crimson, gleaming ominously. Jagged spikes protruded from its back. Its eyes burned with a fierce intensity, glowing a fiery orange. Its claws were razor-sharp, glinting in the dim light as it flexed its fingers in anticipation of the battle to come.

As the boss kobold let out a guttural growl, its maw curled into a sinister grin, revealing rows of sharp teeth that glistened with saliva. Its breath came out in ragged puffs, filling the air with the scent of sulfur and decay.

With grim determination, Dylan made a fateful decision.

"We need to run," he shouted, his voice barely audible over the din of battle.

"W-Wait, but, what about-" 

It was a complete reenactment of what happened last time. 

Tears in her eyes, Asuka stretched an arm out in Zenith's direction as if she'd be able to reach her, but Dylan picked her up and ran off. 

The kobold boss, and a few of its allies, chased after them. 

Zenith was still struggling to get up. 

Tamira chose now to speak up. 

"Um, Zenith." 

[I know.] 

"There are still two very, very powerful enemies nearby staring in your general-" 

[I KNOW!] 

Zenith felt a surge of panic grip her heart. Smaller kobolds began closing in, she knew she had to act fast.

Summoning every ounce of strength she could muster, she pushed herself to her feet and began to run, her footsteps echoing in the crimson darkness as she fled for her life.

But fate had other plans in store for her.

As she fled, her foot caught on a loose stone and she tripped, falling in such a way that the gods that started the Unity Trials probably had a good laugh. 

But, her fall sent her tumbling headlong into the bloody river that gave the dungeon its name.

For a moment, she lay submerged in the crimson waters, her heart pounding in her chest as the kobolds closed in.

[Yeah... I can't outrun those things. I'm just screwed.]

But to her surprise, they hesitated. 

[Huh?] 

A message appeared. 

Status Effect Resisted

Cursed 

Two facts became apparent.

One, these waters were cursed, obviously.

And, two, Death Knights were immune to curses.

With a gasp, Zenith pulled herself from the water, her body bruised and battered but miraculously alive. As she staggered to her feet, she felt a surge of relief wash over her.

The kobolds had left as well, likely figuring their efforts would be better spent catching up to Dylan's group. 

For now, at least, she was safe.

As Zenith lay on the shore, battered and bruised, Tamira's voice filled her ears, her once soothing tone now dripping with malice.

"Now you see why I urged you to grow stronger before chasing after your friend," Tamira whispered, her voice sending shivers down Zenith's spine. "Strength is the currency of this new world. Those who possess it hold dominion over all."

Struggling to push herself upright, Zenith listened as Tamira continued, her words like poison seeping into her mind.

"Dylan and his ilk are the rulers of this world now," Tamira hissed, her voice laced with contempt. "Weaklings like you have no place in it."

[I know,] Zenith told her.

"Good. So, do you plan to simply roll over and die as he hopes you will? Will you become content with this pathetic place you have in the-" 

[Tamira.] 

"Yes?" 

With a grim determination, Zenith reached into her Inventory, her fingers closing around vials of healing potion.

[Can you shut the fuck up for two seconds? Please.] 

Without hesitation, she downed them all in one swift motion, the taste as sweet as honey, though it mixed with plenty of blood. 

Tamira honored that request, remaining silent while Zenith's wounds healed. 

Staring up at the bloody sky, Zenith asked:

"How long can I stay in this dungeon?" Her voice was steady despite the turmoil raging within her.

Tamira's response lacked the malice she'd just been putting forth. 

Had it been an act?

"You could theoretically remain here forever, so long as you do not kill the boss. Well, provided you don't waste time toying around with opponents that are far weaker than you, of course. But... I doubt that's going to be something you have to worry about here." 

[I see.] 

Memories flooded Zenith's mind, then. Tears stung her eyes. 

The years she spent wallowing in her own sorrow from losing her sister. The years she'd spent trying to heal that grief away alongside her closest friend.

She remembered the day her world shattered, the day her sister passed away. The weight of grief had crushed her spirit, leaving her feeling lost and alone. But then, amidst the darkness, she felt Asuka's comforting embrace, a beacon of light in her darkest hour.

The memory of their late-night sleepovers brought a smile to Zenith's lips, despite the pain coursing through her body. She could almost feel the warmth of Asuka's presence beside her as they huddled together, sharing laughter and tears as they watched cheesy movies long into the night. In those moments, it was as if the world faded away, leaving only the two of them wrapped in their own little bubble of companionship.

Zenith's heart swelled with fondness as she recalled the countless conversations they had shared on the rooftop of their college. Asuka's animated complaints about her disastrous dates never failed to bring a smile to Zenith's face, her friend's unwavering honesty a source of comfort and amusement.

But perhaps the most poignant memory of all was the day they had visited her sister's grave together. Standing side by side, Zenith had felt a sense of peace wash over her, knowing that she didn't have to face her grief alone. Asuka's silent support had been a steady anchor in the storm, grounding her and giving her the strength to carry on.

Then, that whole situation flashed before her mind once again. 

The way Dylan looked at her like she was nothing but an insect. 

It was all so...

Infuriating. 

"No matter what," she declared, her voice ringing with determination, "I will save Asuka. Even if it's the last thing I do."

Tamira's question pierced the air like a blade.

"Do you truly care for Asuka that much?"

Zenith's response was unwavering. 

"... I love her." 

That was the first thing, the very first thing Zenith had said since she'd met Tamira that looked like it genuinely surprised her. 

And, she kept going. 

"There is only one purpose for me," Zenith said, her voice steady despite the tears that streamed down her cheeks. "One reason I'm alive. To ensure Asuka's safety. And I will see it through, no matter the cost."

As the weight of her words settled upon her, Zenith felt a newfound sense of determination coursing through her veins.

With Asuka's safety as her guiding light, she knew she would stop at nothing to see her friend safe and free from harm, even if it meant facing the darkest depths of this cruel and unforgiving world alone.

As Zenith lay there, battered and weary, Tamira said: 

"... Do you truly believe you can do this on your own?" She asked quietly. "That you need no assistance at all? Aside from me, of course." 

By now, Zenith had learned something about Tamira. 

Although it was hard to know where her intentions truly lied, whether she was actually on Zenith's side or not, Zenith had come to understand one thing. 

Tamira rarely gave outright bad advice. 

[Ah, I see what you mean.] 

"Do you?" 

[You're talking about the paths.] 

"AH! So, you didn't forget them. Good, good," Tamira sounded pleased. "So, which one will you choose?" 

This was it. 

As Zenith, her biggest choice had already been made. She was going to protect Asuka. That was all she cared about. 

As a Death Knight, she would now choose her path. 

[... I want to cast everyone aside,] Zenith admitted, the liquid from the river hitting her legs still. [I want to kill every single person I see, if it gets me closer to killing Dylan. But...] 

She pulled up those paths from before. 

The Path of the Vengeful Spirit

Rejected by those you swore to serve, your blade has gone from being used to uphold the virtues you believed in to burning down the society that spurned you. Monsters, humans, they are all the same. Anything that breathes is an affront to your existence and must be eliminated. 

To follow this path, break your oath, kill anything or anyone you see, and desecrate corpses. This is the most direct way to gain strength as a Death Knight but naturally will result in the highest amount of enemies made for you. 

The path of the Vengeful Spirit leaves little room for diplomacy, but with the strength you will acquire, perhaps you will not need diplomacy. 

---

The Path of the Scorned Servant

Though the heavens have rejected you, you have not rejected the heavens. Your love for purity is one-sided, given your own impure state, but in continuing to serve divinity even in your tainted form, you may yet acquire forgiveness. 

To follow this path, kill the undead, give those who have passed a proper funeral, and ensure that you never break your oath. Put as much of your heart and soul into working toward your oath as you can, and you will be rewarded. That said, you are still impure. There is a very low chance you will change how others see you. 

The path of the Scorned Servant is an arduous one, but regardless of what god is being discussed, one thing is true for all of them. 

Hard work rarely goes unrewarded. 

(This path requires that you make a separate oath to a deity of your choosing. If you already have one, you do not have to do this. If you already have a pact to a non-deity, you do have to make a new one, and you will have two oaths to uphold now.)

[The Vengeful Spirit path makes no exception. Following that, I'd have to kill Asuka too, wouldn't I?] 

"If she ever stood before you again, indeed you would have to. Otherwise, you'd lose whatever power you'd gained through that path," Tamira stated. "The description is not vague. You must kill indiscriminately. You could, however, protect her from a distance, you know." 

[I don't want to be distant from her. I want to stand by her side. I want to be her shield.]

"Ah, well, in that case..."

[Then, the choice is obvious,] Zenith continued for Tamira in her mind. [I might not care about anyone else... But I care about her. So, fuck it.] 

With a heavy heart, she reached out and selected "Yes," under Path of the Scorned Servant, acknowledging her need for help. As the prompt disappeared, she closed her eyes, waiting for Tamira's response.

"Well, there you go," she said, sounding strangely satisfied. "I knew I'd picked someone interesting. Listen, as this particular type of Death Knight, you will walk a path fraught with challenges and obstacles," Tamira continued. "But, now, you'll have a bit of help. I'm gonna go see if there are any bored deities looking to assist you. Be right back!" 

With those words, Tamira began to fade away, leaving Zenith alone once more with her thoughts.

Dylan's face appeared before her mind's eye once again. 

As cold as Zenith had felt since she'd resurrected, she felt a burning flame in her heart now.