Chapter 7: Cathedral of Dread

Arlow and Dudrag ascended the winding stairs of the Cathedral, their heavy boots echoing against the ancient stone. A sense of foreboding hung in the air, suffocating and growing heavier with each step they took towards the inner sanctum. The interior of the Cathedral was a twisted blend of gothic architecture and decay, with towering arches and shattered stained-glass windows that cast fragmented, colored light onto the cracked marble floors. Dust motes danced in the beams of light, adding to the oppressive atmosphere of eerie abandonment.

Arlow's hand tightened on his weapon as they approached the next landing, a shiver running down his spine. "You ready for this?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Dudrag flashed a cocky grin, but there was a hint of fear lurking behind his bravado. "Born ready, buddy. Just keep your eyes open."

The air reeked of old incense and decaying flowers, tainting every breath with a sickly sweetness. Each step seemed to echo with the weight of forgotten battles fought and lost in this cursed place. The silence was deafening, as if the very walls were holding their breath in anticipation.

As they reached the final steps, Arlow's screen lit up with a warning: "Monsters have appeared!"

"Damn it," cursed Dudrag, his voice booming off the stone walls. "This game doesn't even give us a moment's respite."

With a bone-chilling cackle, four skeletal warriors materialized from the shadows, their rusted weapons at the ready. Their eyeless sockets seemed to bore into Arlow and Dudrag with malicious intent, grinning with an unholy thirst for battle.

Monster Name: Skeleton Soldier

Health Points: 50/50

Skill: None

Monster Name: Skeleton Archer

Health Points: 50/50

Skill: None

Dudrag wasted no time. His powerful Bio Construct ability shaped a large shield to cover his own body. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of the material needed. With quick thinking, Dudrag tore a scale from his own tail to activate his skill.

"Arlow, I cover you! Move! Hide yourself first!" Dudrag taunted the monsters to focus on him since he was a big target. Arlow hid himself using his Invisible Umbrella from the Skeleton Archers' sight.

"You got it! I need a weapon too! So, crush that Skeleton Soldier first! Compared to your strength, they are just small fries!" Arlow's voice was tense but steady.

Dudrag crushed one of the skeleton soldiers into pieces using his Giga Wrench, shielding his body from the skeleton archers' arrows. "Arlow, don't show yourself yet! My skill is still on cooldown!"

"Don't worry, it's enough! From my calculations, it will take 3 more seconds until the cooldown runs out!" Arlow called out. Using his Invisible Umbrella, he slipped behind the two skeleton soldiers. Arlow shouted and deactivated the umbrella. "Now!" Dudrag quickly used his skill again, creating an axe-shaped construct, then lobbed it to Arlow. Arlow crushed the two Skeleton Archers with precision.

One by one, the skeletons crumbled to dust and bone shards. As the last one fell by Dudrag's might, their screen flashed: "You've got an item drop!"

Dudrag picked up a helmet that was sturdy and had a design reminiscent of modern rugby headgear.

Item Name: Hardhead Helmet

Item Status: DEF +5

Item Category: Equipment

Requirements: 5 STR

Details: A helmet created from hardwood

Arlow found a badass dagger.

Item Name: Bone Dagger

Item Status: DMG +3

Item Category: Weapon

Requirements: 5 AGI

Details: A dagger created from Soldier skeleton's bone

"Not bad for some walking piles of bones," Dudrag chuckled, catching his breath. He pocketed some of the bones for future use in his Bio Construct ability.

"Yeah, but still, it's hard for me because I got no skills to attack. I also realize that my class was not suited for combat," Arlow muttered. "But at least I got a dagger now." Arlow smiled, feeling a bit relieved since he got something he could use to fight.

Their respite was short-lived as they ascended to the next floor.

Arlow whispered, "Stick to the plan. We can't afford mistakes here."

Dudrag nodded, his usual humor replaced with steely determination. "Let's make this quick."

"Mini boss on sight!" Arlow's screen warned as a towering werewolf lumbered into view, muscles rippling beneath its matted fur. The creature's eyes glowed with a menacing red hue, and its snarling revealed rows of sharp, yellowed teeth.

Monster Name: Werewolf (Quest Mini-Boss)

Health Points: 100/100

Skill: Moonlight Beastly Claws (10 DMG)

The werewolf wasted no time, unleashing a flurry of slashing strikes that Arlow narrowly dodged.

"Your health points decreased by 3! First time you've ever been hit! Now you can see the Health bar and Mana bar," the screen suddenly showed up after Arlow narrowly dodged the werewolf's strikes, a small wound on his shoulder.

Dudrag tried to bind it with his constructs, but the beast's feral strength proved too much. They were pushed back, rattled by the werewolf's terrifying onslaught. Seeing no other option, Arlow grabbed Dudrag and led them retreating down a side passage.

"We can't beat that thing head-on!" he shouted over the werewolf's enraged howls. "We need to use the environment!"

Dudrag's eyes narrowed as he grasped Arlow's plan. Twisting into a narrow alcove, they found themselves in an ancient catacomb, the dusty air thick with disuse. The catacombs were lined with ancient tombs, and the ceiling was supported by crumbling pillars.

As the werewolf's thunderous footfalls drew nearer, Arlow hurriedly scanned the area with his analysis: "There! Those unstable pillars!"

Working in unison, they used their abilities to further destabilize the pillars until they teetered on the brink of collapse. Then, they fell back towards the entrance as the werewolf skidded into the chamber, chunks of stone cracking beneath its immense weight.

With a deafening rumble, the pillars gave way, burying the werewolf beneath tons of unforgiving masonry. Its anguished howls faded to silence as the dust settled.

"Let's not stick around to see if it can dig itself out," Dudrag muttered, already turning for the stairs to the final floor.

"Well, I'm pretty sure that bastard is dead already," Arlow answered as he followed Dudrag's steps from behind.

Before he took his second step, Arlow's screen flickered again: "You've got an item drop!"

Item Name: Illusion Dagger

Item Category: Skill Book

Requirement: Level 4

Details: Add 2 illusions of the dagger you throw at the enemy, dealing 8 DMG for each illusion dagger that lands. You need to throw at least three real daggers at the same time to activate this skill.

"Would you like to learn it? Yes/No"

"Wow! A skill book!" Arlow was happy since he wouldn't be a burden to Dudrag at the very least. "Dang, I'm not level 4 ye—" Before he could finish his words, another screen showed up.

"Skill book?!" Dudrag stopped and hurriedly came to Arlow.

"You have leveled up! You are now Level 4!" Arlow realized that maybe the werewolf had already succumbed to its death.

"Hahaha! What luck! Then let's learn it!" Arlow tapped the screen, and suddenly a vision of technique showed up in his head. Then his muscles twitched as if muscle memory also adapted to the movements of the technique vision that Arlow had witnessed.

"Wow, looks like something changed in you. Your eyes turned white for a moment," Dudrag was amazed by how the skill integrated with Arlow.

"For real? I saw a vision inside my mind and lost my consciousness for a moment. After that, I felt awake and felt as if the technique and I are one."

"Well, let's get going then." Dudrag then took the lead again up the stairs with excitement and determination.

The atmosphere grew heavier, more oppressive with each step until they emerged into the Cathedral's nave. There, bathed in multicolored light filtering through stained glass windows, sat the Oracle. The air was thick with the scent of old incense and rotting petals, and the silence was so profound that every step they took seemed like a sacrilege.

"Welcome, foolish adventurers," the Oracle's voice was a haunting melody, dripping with contempt. "You dare challenge me in my domain?"

Monster Name: Oracle (Quest Boss)

Health Points: 100/100

Skill: Vine Grip (8 DMG per second), Noxious Spores (10 DMG per second)

The battle was immediate and fierce. The Oracle's vines lashed out, coiling around them with the force of steel chains. Arlow's heart pounded as he narrowly managed to dodge, feeling the burn of the spores in his lungs.

At one point, Arlow found himself separated from Dudrag, the dragon swallowed by a towering thicket of thorns. His spectral voice echoed as if from a great distance.

"Arlow! I can't... get free! You have to... find a way!"

Arlow gritted his teeth, his body battered and his gear in tatters. He felt the fight leaving him even as the Oracle's taunting laughter rang in his ears. But then, clarity struck.

"Dudrag! The vines, they're biological!" he shouted, his voice raw with desperation.

Dudrag's eyes flashed with understanding. "Bio Construct!" he roared, activating his skill. The vines around him disintegrated, transforming into construct material while the Oracle looked on in confusion.

"You've met your match now," Dudrag taunted, summoning two spears. "Bitch!" He hurled them at the Oracle.

One spear struck true, digging into her flesh and causing her health bar to drop. The other was obliterated by her vines. The Oracle retaliated with a storm of thorns and noxious spores.

Monster Name: Oracle (Quest Boss)

Health Points: 60+/100

"This wound is nothing! You think you are tough?! You are nothing!" she shrieked, the chamber reverberating with her rage.

"Back at you, dumbass!" Dudrag laughed, deflecting her attacks and keeping her focus on him.

In a burst of speed and stealth, Arlow vanished behind the Oracle using his Invisible Umbrella. Reappearing with daggers in hand, he hurled them with all his might, each one an illusion-enhanced missile of lethal precision. The Oracle staggered but stood firm, her health bar stubbornly high.

Dudrag caught Arlow's eye and read his intent. Summoning his last reserves of strength, he swung his Giga Wrench in a mighty arc, battering the Oracle relentlessly until her health bar dwindled to zero and her reign of terror ended.

The chamber fell silent save for their ragged breathing. Exhausted but triumphant, they watched as the Oracle disintegrated into a pile of vines and spores. A notification appeared:

"You have acquired the Dungeon Chest!"

They claimed their hard-earned rewards—gems, gold, and tomes of power.

Breathless but victorious, they made their way towards the exit portal, which shimmered in the distance. As they stepped through, the weight of the Oracle's final words lingered in their minds—revelations about the game's true stakes and the dangers that still awaited them.

Leaving the Cathedral, they were greeted by the sprawling city before them. Despite their newfound strength, doubts weighed heavily on their minds. They had won, but their victory was laced with uncertainty. Yet, with renewed resolve, they pressed forward, knowing their journey had only just begun.