After leaving the safe zone, Lucas and Evelyn stepped into a corridor that felt far too large. The entire space was constructed from a smooth white stone, lined with rooms of varying sizes. Some were blocked by stone slabs, others by shimmering magical barriers, and a few were simply open.

  “What do we do now?” Lucas asked. Despite the oddly calm nature of the surroundings, he knew better than to move forward blindly. Coward’s Eye wouldn’t work without a specific target to focus on, so he looked to Evelyn for a lead.

  “First, we shall determine the layout of this dungeon,” Evelyn responded, her eyes scanning the hallway. “With some luck, it is a single-level construct with an exit in reach.”

  “And if we aren’t lucky?”

  “If the universe feels particularly spiteful today,” she said calmly. “It is multi-layered - in which case, we might expect to spend several months wandering these corridors.”

  “Months? How are we supposed to last for months without food and water?”

  “The dungeon is quite generous to those with the stomach for it. The beasts are edible, provided you don't mind the lack of spices, and even if one fails to find the water source, conjuring water is a triviality. Either way, this is an opportunity for you. Each challenge will earn you a chance to become more than what you are.”

  Lucas got excited for a moment, but it faded as soon as he remembered everything he had been through so far. He’d seen enough to know better. Even the thought that this dungeon could be anything but deadly felt absurd.

  “And what are the challenges, exactly?” he asked.

  “Let us find out.” Evelyn walked toward a chamber sealed by a translucent magical barrier. She leaned in and examined it closely until she found a line of shimmering text. She clicked her tongue. “Unlucky. I cannot read the script without my magic. Do you wish to enter?”

  Lucas frowned, but still considered the offer. According to Evelyn, completing these challenges was how he would grow stronger. But the problem remained: he was too weak to risk entering any chamber without information.

  He stepped closer to the barrier, focused his mind, and activated Coward’s Eye.

  [

  Name: Magical Barrier

  Tier: ????

  ]

  He snorted. Evelyn shot him a puzzled glance at the sound, but he ignored her, pressing his face toward the transparent barrier to see what was beyond.

  Inside was a small, open field of short, vibrant grass. A single tree stood in the center, its branches sagging under the weight of red fruit.

  [

  Name: Apple Tree

  Tier: Common

  ]

  “An apple tree?” he muttered, puzzled.

  Evelyn pressed her face against the barrier, squinting into the artificial light of the chamber. “There is a serpent on the branch as well. See?” She focused more intensely. “It does not look like a magical creature. Even you should be able to dispatch it without causing yourself an injury.”

  Lucas ignored her remark and took a better look at the tree, searching for the serpent. Finally, he saw it - a green-scaled body coiled tightly around one of the branches.

  “How did I miss it?” he murmured as he activated Coward’s Eye.

  [

  Name: A Snake

  Level: 15

  ]

  He blinked, surprised that it really was a normal creature and level 15 at that.

  “It must be a trap,” he decided, glancing toward Evelyn.

  “Unlikely,” she said. “Two distinct species of such varying strength almost never share a chamber unless one is currently being digested by the other.”

  Lucas considered his options. If the snake wasn’t a trap, he could kill it. It wouldn't be easy with only a knife, but he doubted he would find an easier target in this dungeon, and he wanted the XP. Besides, the hunger and thirst were starting to settle in. Even if Evelyn hadn’t said anything, he was certain she was feeling the same.

  “Let us check a few other chambers first. We can always return if others prove to be more treacherous than the snake idling on a branch,” Evelyn suggested with a faint smile, noticing his hesitation.

  “Alright,” Lucas nodded. He followed her as she walked toward the room on the opposite side.

  This one had no barrier at all. It was a small, open swamp obscured by a thin green mist, filled with overgrown grass and vines that hung down like snakes. Perhaps it was just the effect of the creature he’d seen before, but Lucas felt certain that the moment he stepped into that swamp, those vines would try to choke him.

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  In the center of the swamp, a large flower with yellow petals was coated in a green haze, though the vapor was much denser there compared to the rest of the chamber. For some reason, neither the haze nor the smell of the swamp drifted out into the corridor, as though held back by an invisible wall.

  Lucas focused on the flower and activated Coward’s Eye.

  [

  Name: ????

  Level: ????

  ]

  “Evelyn, what is this?” he asked, though he had already decided not to enter.

  “I don’t recognize it. It is best we move on; I have no desire to see how our lungs react to that particular shade of green.”

  She continued without waiting for him. The next chamber she stopped at was also transparent, but much larger than the previous ones. It was an open field of colorful flowers, cut in half by a shallow, fast-moving river.

  Lucas tried to find anything that stood out, but failed. Using Coward’s Eye on the water and the flowers yielded no results either.

  Still, he decided to enter.

  “The field is open, so the odds of a sneak attack are low. Who knows when we can find another source of water,” he said and unsheathed his knife. “I’ll go first.”

  Evelyn took one more look at the chamber and nodded. She hadn’t found anything either.

  Lucas took a step inside. The transition was strange; one moment he was on the stone floor, and the next he was walking on soft ground. As he crossed the boundary, the rich aroma of grass and flowers hit him - it smelled like spring. With each step, the sound of the flowing river got louder. It was soothing.

  Still, Lucas didn’t lower his guard. He walked with his knife in hand, eyes darting around. He headed straight toward the river, stopping to scan the surroundings every few steps.

  The river was fully transparent. Coward’s Eye named it ‘Clear Water,’ so he wasn't worried about drinking it. The water only came up to his knees, and since he could clearly see the bottom, he didn't think anything could jump out at him. It was strangely safe.

  He glanced back at the entrance where Evelyn was waiting and gestured for her to follow.

  “It’s safe,” he called out.

  He crouched at the riverbank, leaning forward to cup the water in his hands, when he noticed something sparkling on the bottom. He rolled up his sleeve - the last thing he needed was wet clothes - and reached into the water.

  His fingers brushed against a smooth surface. As he pulled, he realized it was a staff, almost as tall as he was. He hauled the wooden shaft out, with a dark emerald gemstone set into the top.

  [

  Name: Staff

  Description: Stores one minor water element spell

  Tier: Uncommon

  ]

  Lucas’s eyes widened. He had planned to give it to Evelyn, but now he hesitated. His talent for magic was abysmal, but if the spell could be activated without the caster’s mana, it could become his trump card.

  “Where did you find it?” Evelyn asked as she approached. Her eyes were fixed on the staff like a child looking at a new toy.

  “It was in the river,” Lucas said. He saw no point in lying.

  Evelyn traced her finger along the wet wooden shaft, then rose onto her fingertips to look closely at the gemstone.

  “Unfortunately, I cannot appraise it without my magic,” she said. “Keep it for now. Even a blunt instrument is an improvement over that knife, and the reach alone might compensate for your lack of experience.”

  “Won’t it break? The wood looks fragile.”

  “Magical artifacts are considerably sturdier than steel - and far more temperamental,” Evelyn said, a small smirk betraying her pride. “And this particular gemstone happens to be sharper than ordinary steel…”

  Lucas nodded and turned back toward the water. “But why was this staff on the bottom in the first place?”

  He took a long look at the riverbank, checking the soft ground for footprints. The staff wouldn’t have just appeared in the water, and despite the wooden shaft, it clearly didn’t float. Still, he found nothing, but Evelyn did.

  “There. Do you see it? Something is caught against the stones.” She pointed toward a spot a few dozen steps away.

  Lucas frowned. This was the second time Evelyn had managed to see something he had missed. He squinted against the light reflecting off the surface, trying to find a break in the glare.

  “I can’t see anything,” he said, shrugging.

  Lucas walked toward the spot. As he got closer, he noticed a dark shadow on the bottom of the river. Soon, the shape became clearer, and he saw long white hair flowing with the current.

  It was a man’s corpse.

  “Go get it,” Evelyn ordered, crossing her arms.

  Lucas paused, glancing back at her. The two stared at each other for a brief moment.

  Then Lucas grumbled, “Fine.”

  He removed his clothes and boots first, stripping down to his underwear, and stepped into the river. The water was cold enough to make his skin break out in goosebumps. He moved toward the corpse, swinging his hands as he struggled to keep his balance against the large, slippery stones on the bottom.

  Finally, he reached out and grabbed both legs.

  “Why didn’t it float on the surface? Did the fabric get stuck on the stones?” Lucas wondered. He pulled at the body, and it moved quite easily, feeling almost weightless in the water.

  Lucas dragged it onto the shore and then crouched to turn the man over. Based on the dark red shade of the clothes, he had clearly suffered.

  He turned the corpse and immediately jumped back.

  The man’s face was rotten and melted, the bones visible beneath the chunks of flesh. His forehead was gone, skull exposed.

  “How long was he in the water?” Lucas asked through clenched teeth.

  “Don’t you recognize him?” Evelyn asked coldly as she approached the body.

  Lucas took another look, though he tried to avoid the face. He noted the long white hair and the robes stained red. Then he saw a book with a violet leather cover peeking out from the man's tunic.

  “Roland of Frozfield?”

  “Precisely. Roland of Frozfield. It seems his Nullcraft could not save him!” Evelyn said, already beginning to scavenge the corpse.

  Lucas watched her, but his mind was elsewhere. He connected Roland’s wounds with the state Evelyn’s face had been in. It was undoubtedly the work of that cloaked figure’s spell.

  But he clearly remembered that Roland had been fine when the green portal pulled them in. That could only mean one thing.

  Lucas gulped and hissed, “That bastard is with us in the dungeon.”

  Sorry for the late chapter everyone, and also for not responding to comments & DMs. My health hasn't been improving even slightly - nothing serious, just a virus that will take time - so I had to pause writing/editing because I physically couldn't.

  Yesterday was the first day I managed good, refreshing sleep. Hopefully I'll be back on track soon.

  The next chapter on Friday!

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