Chapter 2: Ruins And Altar

After walking for a couple of minutes, I reached the other side of the dark tunnel. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to walk properly in the darkness, but the floor of the tunnel was perfectly flat and solid. I had no trouble walking there. Once I reached the end of the tunnel, what I assumed to be the bright exit was actually a room— no, it was a giant hall.

The walls of the hall were made up of large rectangular-shaped greenish-yellow stones. They might have been white originally, apparent from a few missing moss patches which seemed to have come off of it, but now they were mostly greenish-yellow from all the dirt, vines, and mosses growing everywhere.

The air inside felt humid and stuffy, which was probably because there were small channels of water around the border that seemed to have been stagnant for ages. That must have been why mosses and vines were growing so much. There was a layer of dirt spread all over the surface. I had to wipe the floor a little with my shoes to bring out the real floor. The floor was made up of some greyish marble and had cracks here and there.

I looked above and the ceiling was dome-shaped, with some window-like holes that led light inside this massive hall. Part of the hall was still dark but the center was quite bright. It also made me realize that it was morning already. I had spent my entire night in that void somehow. I couldn't quite tell what time of the day it was though, since the light seemed as if it came from all over the place.

"What kind of place am I in right now? Looks like some sort of hall but it's freaking ginormous. Who even lives here… no, judging by the dirt, nobody. It's clearly a ruin. But still, why would someone need a place this huge?"

Nothing answered my doubts.

Before proceeding forward, I turned back to look at the tunnel I came from but to my surprise, there was a solid wall standing from where I had just come out with the same moss covering most of it.

Every time I turn a person or a door keeps disappearing! What is with this weird cliché? And now I'm trapped too. Just great!

Just where did that little loli send me to?!

I tried kicking and pushing the wall to be sure but it definitely was a solid wall. After I was sure my entrance to this place had been blocked—more like, disappeared—I turned back and started to walk into the center of the giant hall where a circular podium-like structure, with pillars surrounding it, was located. Some of the pillars were in ragged shape while others had broken down completely, probably from old age. None even reached one-third of the distance to the ceiling.

After I climbed to the top of the podium, I noticed there was a lectern-like stand made out of stone filled with strange engravings on the sides, with dust accumulated on its surface. It was laying down, pretty much broken, on the ground. But it still held a stone tablet on it.

I blew on it and immediately regretted doing that as the dirt spread all over and entered my mouth and eyes. I coughed and minced my eyes to get rid of the dirt and then with half-teary eyes saw there were strange letters inscribed on the now somewhat clear surface of the stone tablet.

[tenpiswo wharacic wer unfortunate sepa di vi wielgtor urathear de vin fossk drong ago. ekess wer woari xiekiv svaust nishka finally visit nomeno ruin ir kear persvek wer distant papref ini accident usv vi twisted haurach, majak jacioniv wer sulta jaciv zyak tuoric. persvek return, wux nishka receive wer goodwill vur rasvimi di wer annyo zezhuanth ithquant drekim de wer Vs'shtak race. -XXXX] (A/N: Generated by https://draconic.twilightrealm.com/)

What language is this?

I had never seen such characters anywhere in my life. I wasn't knowledgeable about various languages and scripts after all. Only English.

There was no way I could read this foreign, possibly ancient language from the looks of it… or at least, I wasn't supposed to. But…

Wait… I can understand this now!

For whatever bizarre reason, I could suddenly read the letters.

It read:

[Here lies the unfortunate soul of a fallen deity from an era long ago. To the lost person who shall finally visit this ruin one day in the distant future by accident or a twisted fate, give her the end she so desires. In return, you shall receive the goodwill and treasures of the ancient divine being from the draconic race.

–XXXX]

Ancient divine being? Draconic race? What?

The signature is still not readable. How peculiar… Perhaps I am in some kind of tomb after all? Yeah, that will make a lot of sense. Oh crap, please don't tell me I'm in Egypt or something!?

Once again I was mildly panicked. But it also soon disappeared. Once again, in a calm(?) mood, I focused on the place.

And what do you know? There was suddenly a giant black rock standing on a pedestal in front of me! My heart almost came to my mouth but fortunately, I didn't squeal or anything.

I swear this sudden appearance and disappearance is gonna give me a heart attack soon.

I observed the rock carefully after taking a few steps back. I was being naturally cautious. But the rock seemed to be naturally in its place. Acting nothing out of the ordinary, except it did come out of nowhere.

I carefully approached the rock on the pedestal. After getting closer I noticed it wasn't just a rock. There was something stuck on it too. It looked like a hilt of a sword.

Is this where I think it is going? Is this a parody of King Arthur? Lol, no way.

My mind had started weaving fantasies.

I placed a finger on the now close-by rock, then my entire palm. It was surprisingly warm. And it was also vibrating a little. That surprised me as I retracted my hand back.

Weird.

The rock still seemed as inanimate as it could be, other than the warmness and vibration of course.

I was once again attracted to the hilt, the only visible part of the sword stuck there. The rest was completely inside the rock and barely visible.

I had seen swords in museums, in movies, in games, and in anime. But I never actually held one in my hands.

I looked at the black rock once again. It was bigger than myself and probably weighed a few tons at the very least.

"Hmm, what do—"

"Is… anyone th're…?" (Unknown)

(Is… anyone there…?)

?!

I was surprised by a sudden voice close by. I looked around to see the source of the voice, but couldn't see a single soul.

From just the voice, I could tell it was a female's. Quite possibly middle-aged. The voice felt weak and didn't have much life to it.

"Is th're someone out th're? …please replyeth. I begeth of thee." (Unknown)

(Is there someone out there? …Please reply. I beg of you.)

Hearing the urgency of the voice, I decided to answer it.

"Umm, hello? I am here. My name is Rio. Who is speaking?"

"Oh! at longeth lasteth! someone finally cameth! I can finally endeth this suff'ring of solitude! I thanketh thee. Thou art the savi'r of this po'r fusty self." (Unknown)

(Oh! At long last! Someone finally came! I can finally end this suffering of solitude! I thank you. You are the savior of this poor old self.)

The voice seemed elated at finally hearing my response. But it didn't answer my question.

"Wait, wait! First, where is this place? Second, who are you and where exactly are you speaking from? It feels like your voice is coming directly into my head like some sort of telepathy. But that sounds like something out of a fantasy. Also, I met this foreigner-looking loli—I mean, a little girl in a black dress. She had black hair and black eyes and she disappeared after showing me a bizarre door that led to this place. Also, how exactly am I supposed to go home? I would be really grateful if you could answer my questions."

I showered her with a barrage of my own questions since I felt that my circumstances took precedence over anything else. Things were starting to feel very weird and I was starting to miss my boring room.

"… I doth apologizeth, but I doth not has't answ'rs to most of thy questions. Thee'll has't to leaveth this lodging and wend outside to findeth t out. I shalt ope the exit once thee fulfill mine own one bawbling requesteth." (Unknown)

(... I do apologize, but I do not have answers to most of your questions. You'll have to leave this place and go outside to find it out. I shall open the exit once you fulfill my one small request.)

The voice replied to my questions in a very gentle and kind voice. It felt motherly as if it would cuddle me and keep me warm. My heart felt nice and calm from just hearing it.

"A request?"

What sort of request does this person have? And also, why isn't she showing herself to me?

I was bewildered already from the strange turn of events and now I was supposed to help some invisible woman with something. I found it quite ironic but I decided to listen to her request anyway.

"Sure. I'll listen to you. But you have to promise to send me home."

"I wisheth f'r thee to endeth me." (Unknown)

(I wish for you to end me.)

Without wasting a single second, she stated her 'wish'.

"What?!"

What the fuck?! Isn't she asking me to murder her? Why on earth would I do something like that?

The voice answered my thoughts as if it could read them. She said in a kind and comforting voice:

"You misund'rstand, issue. I am not asking thee to killeth me. I am already dead. I has't been seal'd in this lodging f'r an extremely and unbearably longeth timeth, so longeth yond m'rtals liketh thee can not coequal beginneth to fathom. Mine own corse hast longeth been hath lost and all yond is hath left is this shell keeping mine own soul from being 'ras'd from existence. I has't nothing hath left in this w'rld anon and wisheth desp'rately to beest releas'd from this mis'ry. Of course, I promiseth to giveth thee all I possesseth. Th're isn't much I has't to off'r, but ev'rything I possesseth, I'll giveth to thee." (Unknown)

(You misunderstand, child. I am not asking you to kill me. I am already dead. I have been sealed in this place for an extremely and unbearably long time, so long that mortals like you can not even begin to fathom. My body has long been lost and all that is left is this shell keeping my soul from being erased from existence. I have nothing left in this world now and wish desperately to be released from this misery. Of course, I promise to give you all I possess. There isn't much I have to offer, but everything I possess, I'll give to you.)

Sealed? For what reason? This is too much like a fantasy story.

It was also at this point did I realize that the voice I was hearing was somehow related to that strange black rock. Right as the voice started talking to me, the stone started to glow a little. The vibrations had also started to increase. There were strange balls of lights inside the rock that moved in a rhythm as if they were trying to communicate something.

I thought of the content of her request and wondered.

Should I trust her? It's not like I have any other choice. This hall seems to be a closed space. I can't see any doors and such leading outside. The windows on top are way too high and there's nothing like a rope to climb to there. The vines are one option but they don't seem very strong. I can try pulling on them and then try climbing out but in case I fell from up high, it would be a painful death for sure.

"Issue?" (Unknown)

(Child?)

The voice asked as I was pondering on what actions to take.

"You can at least tell me your name, right? Surely you have a name?"

That's right. I don't know anything about this voice so I should at least acquire some information on her first before moving any further.

"Mine own nameth, thee sayeth? aye, longeth ago I hadst one. Alloweth me tryeth to rememb'r." (Unknown)

(My name, you say? Yes, long ago I had one. Let me try to remember...)

Just how long were you stuck that you even forgot your name?!

I wanted to retort but didn't. Something inside told me that now wasn't the time to joke around.

There was something else that also bothered me at that time. She did mention it was a very long time that she was stuck here. And she said mortals couldn't comprehend the length. So was she not mortal? A god, maybe? It was hard to believe.

"… Ah, I bethink I rememb'r anon. Entranos. That's what mine own children hath used to calleth me." (Entranos)

(... Ah, I think I remember now. Entranos. That's what my children used to call me.)

"Entranos… That's a unique name."

I said so casually, without thinking too deeply.

"So, Entranos. Am I correct in assuming you're inside that black stone?"

"Aye." (Entranos)

(Yes.)

"Are you a human?"

I asked, out of curiosity.

"Nay, I'm a fustian and palmy dragon deity! … Or at least I hath used to beest. Anon I'm just a po'r soul." (Entranos)

(No, I'm a proud and mighty dragon deity! … Or at least I used to be. Now I'm just a poor soul.)

"A dragon?!"

Woah. Woah! Hold on. Did she just say Dragon? Like one of those popular fantasy species which are said to be at the top of the food chain and have a lot of magical power and are often wise creatures revered as deities by ordinary races?

At least such was an image I had of Dragons from what I read in novels.

"Aye, I wast forsooth a dragon. The strongest dragon to ev'r existeth." (Entranos)

(Yes, I was indeed a dragon. The strongest dragon to ever exist.)

There was a hint of pride in her voice, but for most parts, it was still calm and comforting. Perhaps there was a hint of nostalgia as well, but I wasn't sure of that.

"Wow… So, you're saying you're a real dragon? That's... kinda awesome. I guess?"

I was too confused to be amazed. I didn't have any reason to believe this woman­— or Dragon, as she claimed— would make up things. Besides, whether she was a human or a dragon has little to no consequence to me.

By now so much weird stuff had happened that meeting an ancient female dragon was kind of like the cherry on the top. It was a memorable adventure that I would most likely remember for years to come.

No one will believe me if I told them but that's fine. I know this is real and not some lucid dream.

Thinking about such things, I asked her some important questions that started bugging me a while back.

"Why were you trapped here? And who trapped you?"

I needed to know this.

Regardless of how unfortunate her circumstances seemed and how hopeless and gloomy she sounded, I couldn't just do as she asked without thinking properly.

I was actually nervous. The reason for it was my knowledge of stories. There had been plenty of cases in fantasy stories where a careless and unassuming traveler ends up finding undiscovered ruins or dungeons where they are asked by a mysterious voice to do something like pick up that conveniently placed shining stone or sword on a pedestal. The unassuming, curious, or greedy, traveler would follow the voice and take it. But almost 90% of the time, it was a terrible decision. Most of the time such a thing was kept there to seal an entity that could cause chaos and evil. Of course, the unassuming traveler never realizes it. And even if they do, their curiosity or greed gets the better of them.

Most of the time, there would be a text left nearby that would warn people to stay away from the item. But they would conveniently ignore it.

I wasn't so dumb enough to cause such a disaster, even though such a thing was indeed fictitious and there was no logical reasoning that said it would really happen like that. But then again, logic wasn't exactly present today. It seemed to have gone on a holiday or something.

"..."

There was an ensuing silence.

I was starting to get a little uncomfortable from the prolonged quiet but fortunately, she soon spoke again.

***

A/N: Entranos talks in Shakespearean English, in case it wasn't obvious.