The Floor of the Imp

Zain awoke on the fateful day not wanting to wait but he knew the time he had set in front of the guild official just two days ago. The time that was set was noon and as of right now it was just after dawn. So, Zain got dressed in his usual adventuring gear and headed to the guild to look busy. The only weapon Zain wore visible was his rapier on his left hip. This was not unnatural as he was right-handed, and most people would use magic with their off hand ensuring that their natural fighting abilities were not impaired.

Zain opened the door to the guild and walked over to the kitchen and got a quick bite to eat in exchange for a little bit of silver. Zain knew it would be a long day, if not even a long venture lasting more than a few days. He knew he needed his strength and his stomach full. After he had ate, he made his way over to the shop in the guild and procured enough rations for two weeks knowing full and well if he was to make it through, he'd need at least this much if not more but if more was needed then he'd have failed but his space was limited by his satchel on his back. A ration contained the equivalent of a pound of dried meat usually like unflavored jerky, some dehydrated fruit and vegetables, and a piece of bread. They are bland but efficient. Zain also purchased a never-emptying flask of water that he would use to keep hydrated.

Zain felt as prepared as possible as the sun hit about the spot for mid-morning, and he set off for the dungeon door. Once Zain arrived at the door, he laid down the clay he had made the previous day along where the hinges would have been opposite the door handle and stepped back. Upon his step back he bumped into Damascus who had a smile on his face, then Zain looked around and saw his mother with a solum look upon her face, his dad with a stern expression exuding from his whole body and then lastly Sophia who looked rather different in regular leather armor and wielding the glaive he had made and sold to her. "Step back." Zain said calmly, laying the fuse on the ground and pulling out a match, he lit it and stepped back.

Within seconds of the fuse being lit the flame reached the clay and they all heard it fizzling as if being suffocated then nothing for three seconds. Then BOOM, the clay had exploded throwing the door downward and making an opening. Zain looked into the blackened abyss with molten-like glowing veins flowing through the darkness and saw a ladder that he used to proceed down. Soon after everyone else followed him knowing what they were doing could be seen as a direct violation of guild and kingdom protocol if they were caught and the official that had guided Zains parents and Sophia to the city that they had all just left.

Zain continued further in with heat like the forge he had grown to love beating on his skin and the smell of sulfur beginning to reach his nostrils. He turned around and spoke to everyone, "This is as far as you can go before officially entering the dungeon. Any further and nothing can save anyone."

"Honey we all showed up knowing that already." Zain's mother retorted towards him.

Turning around, Zain pressed forward and reached the official double archway doors to enter the dungeon. They were obsidian black to they eye yet the only cool touch to be found in this area. Zain gave one good push, and they creaked open slowly just enough for them to slip through one by one. Zain took point in the line up with his parents and Damascus forming a triangle in the center of the group and Sophia bringing up the rear guard holding her glaive in her dominant left hand as she started illuminating the area with her free hand. Zain's mother turned to her and shook her head as a few red fairy-sized creatures started to appear and Zain drew his rapier. He made quick jabs at each of them, quickly eliminating them one by one. Sophia extinguished her light as they continued, and the creatures still appeared just not as often as when Sophia had had her light going.

As they kept approaching the end of the first flood of the dungeon, Zain was still in the lead as a group of the small red creatures rushed them again but this time there was an Imp leading the charge laughing and throwing small darts towards them. "Get the little ones, I'll focus down the Imp." Zain instructed and before Sophia could even rebuttal about his lack of magical power, he drew his five-shot revolver across his body with his left hand and used it to motion to the Imp, taunting it and drawing its attention from their group. The imp drew its dagger and started stabbing at Zain while his light foot work made it easy to dodge, he would occasionally throw a jab with the rapier at the imp to keep it on its toes. It was like a precise dance that had been rehearsed prior to them witnessing it and when Zain noticed a pattern he stabbed once more with the imp flying back a hair to avoid the rapier and Zain's gun was lined up perfectly with its head and BANG the imp fell to the ground with the hole in it's head starting to ooze black viscous liquid from it.

After that commotion, Sophia was in shock with the noise still ringing in her ears and asked, "Zain what is that in your left hand?"

His look was that of pure intensity as he looked her way and responded with two words. "Bullet magic."

Zain turned around and looked up and then they all saw the giant door with a chubby figure on it holding a pitchfork. "Looks like we made it to the floor boss already huh?" Zain spoke nonchalantly.