1
***
Deep within the heart of a desolate and foreboding wilderness lies a sinister cave that exudes an aura of malevolence. It is a place of primal darkness, where the air feels heavy and suffocating, and an unsettling silence engulfs all who dare to venture inside. The cave's entrance is shrouded in dense, ancient vines that seem to writhe with a life of their own, warning any who approach of the treacherous path ahead.
There stood a lonesome figure, towering at an impressive height of about 2.75 meters, his presence dominating the surroundings. The armor he wore seemed to be more than just a means of protection; it was a work of art and enchantment.
His helmet, shaped like the fearsome visage of a guardian spirit, concealed much of his face, leaving only his piercing eyes visible.
Atop his head, hair like golden wheat cascaded in long, flowing locks that extended past his broad shoulders. Each strand seemed to possess a life of its own, swaying gently with a captivating grace as if caught in an otherworldly breeze. The radiant hue of his hair illuminated darkness cast upon by the starless night sky.
This lonesome figure, with his golden hair flowing like a radiant cape and his enchanted armor emanating an ancient power, grinned as he stared at the cave.
The man took a step and another until the sky bereft of stars was hidden by the cave ceiling, darkness enveloping him.
[Congratulations! You entered a mythical easter egg dungeon]
Lo, this was the moment of longing, the very purpose for which he was brought into existence. He felt an innate calling, as his destiny wished to be fulfilled.
The taste of wealth lingered upon his tongue, and the aroma of opulence filled his senses, while an insidious smirk marred his celestial countenance.
[You're objective is t- Sorry... Something went wrong]
Deep within the cave, the treasure chest vanished as if glitched out of existence and the once empty chamber was filled with bones and dust of unknown origin.
Unbeknownst to him, the runes on the walls glowed for the first time in millenia, glowing brighter as they fed on the ethereal energy his body produced.
'Huh?'
[[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your first trial.]]
'Nightmare Spell my ass'
The man grumbled. After all this year the game seemed to have finally encountered its first bug.
With a decisive and dramatic spin he chose to exit the cave and examine his situation, but the exit he entered previously was replaced by wall of rock alongside an eerie dark mist.
[Incandescent Beam]
In an instant, he drew forth his longsword, and with a swift motion, aimed its gleaming tip towards the wall, causing the cave to ignite into a blinding blaze of light.
Yet, in the very next heartbeat, the encompassing darkness swallowed the surroundings whole, leaving only the eerie glow of crimson runes to dimly illuminate the cave.
'What even is this'
Amidst his expectations for the earth to quake and the cave to succumb to his divine blaze, he stood bewildered as it remained unscathed.
An unsettling feeling gnawed at his core, yet eluded his grasp, leaving him unable to discern its source. Something was wrong.
The tips of his armor took on an ethereal essence, and its once vibrant enchantments dimmed. In response, the crimson runes radiated with an intensified glow, multiplying with every moment, though he remained unaware of these subtle changes, lost in his thoughts.
Not long after…
[Sorry something went wrong]
He kept spamming the system…
[Sorry something went wrong]
[Sorry something went wrong]
Until the system responded with one ominous word.
[Sorry]
Undeterred, he persisted, spamming the mental command without pause. Yet, silence echoed in the cavern of his mind, as if the void itself held no answer to his fervent call.
Finally, after realizing he can't exit out, he slowly faced the descending cave.
The air inside was thick with an otherworldly aura, and the darkness seemed to stretch endlessly as he stared down at the descening cave. He tried to open his status, but he found no sign of any sound or prompt.
"To hell with this," he muttered in frustration. Admitting his profound fear of the dark was no easy task. Still, he took solace in the [Max Brightness] skill, specially crafted for him at his request from the developers, and thus his fears should have been vanquished. Yet, to his bewilderment, his most treasured skill seemed to have vanished.
Mocking his resolve, the once-numerous crimson runes etched upon the walls now dulled.
He cursed the faulty game interface and the weird prompt. The heck is even a Nightmare Spell?
With a heavy breath, he entered the dungeon cave, or his first trial, whatever it was, he was determined to reap the rewards of the dungeon, even if the world doesn't want him to. After all, a treasure of a common easter egg dungeon could sell up to a million usd. And a common easter egg dungeon appearing could be counted on one hand. Just imagining how much a mythical easter egg dungeon is worth...
A sudden shudder ran down his spine as his fear-strucken face morphed into a sinister smile.
As he desceneded through the cave, the air grew colder, and an eerie silence enveloped him, making each step feel heavier than the last. The dim light that had guided him earlier was now a distant memory, and the darkness seemed to consume everything around him.
His senses sharpened, and he became acutely aware of every sound, every movement, and every breath he took. The faint echoes of dripping water and distant echoes of strange whispers echoed through the cavern, creating an unnerving ambiance.
The walls seemed to narrow at times, leaving him with little space to maneuver. He had to crouch and crawl at some points, feeling claustrophobic in the tight passageways. The steeper descent only added to his discomfort, and the darkness played tricks on his mind, making him question what was real and what was mere illusion.
His only saving grace, or rather, the thing that occupied his mind away from the dreadful experience was an actual working status screen, one that was drastically different from the game.
He had been spamming every second, and it bore fruit.
'Finally'
***
Name: Doyle.
True Name: Foreigner.
Rank: Aspirant
Soul Core: -
Memories: -
Echoes: -
Attributes: [Foreigner], [Skills]
[Foreigner] Attribute Description: [You belong nowhere, shunned by the cosmos that yearns not for your presence.]
[Skills] Attribute Description: [Rejected and torn asunder with violent might, yet your soul endures, adorned with erstwhile power, somehow]
Aspect: [Traveler of Nightmares]
Aspect Discription: [Ere a hapless soul, cursed to traverse bygone nightmares till oblivion's embrace. Somehow you became a mortal ensnared, condemned to be haunted by the creatures of the nightmare.]
***
Doyle had been trying to open his status for the past several hours. Although it bore fruit at the end, it left him confused by the new interface.
Doyle could only guess that the never-before-seen mythical easter egg dungeon was a prelude for a new game. Not only did the surroundings transform into realism, but even accessing his status felt more innate and different.
'Atleast give me some information about my abilities instead of some archaic bullcrap'
He snorted while descending further. Somehow, he lost track of time in the endless cave, feeling mesmerized yet on edge by the surrounding. The sole of his feet started to hurt, but he paid no mind to it.
He felt something was wrong and that he forgot something. Maybe it was just his mind playing some tricks on him. Shaking off the weird feeling, he continued his journey.
As he continued his descent, the darkness seemed to metamorphose, taking on sinister forms. Shadows danced on the cave walls, and he felt an unsettling presence watching him from the depths.
Despite his certainty that this remained but a game, an unsettling madness crept upon him. The deeper he went, the more he questioned the reality of this place.
'This is the point where I get jumpscared'
He joked to himself.
Despite his expectations, finally, after what felt like an eternity, the descent eased, and the cave revealed an underground chamber. The somewhat flat ground was strewn with teeth and small bone fragments amid the dust.
The sole font of illumination within this chamber derive from the ominous red runic letters, scattered as if a phycopath's twisted masterpiece adorns the very walls. Though, he managed to find peace in this place.
With a new found ease of mind, he felt his body relax gradually. The muscles of jaw relaxed, and he eyelids finally drooped a little. His fingernails, embedded in his palms, also let go, and blood soon started oozing out.
A sudden serious of memories flashed in his mind and he found hismelf hard to breath.
He vividly recalled the oppressive darkness enveloping him, the ominous shadows dancing along the cave walls, and the elusive silhouettes flickering at the corner of his vision.
A shiver ran down his spine. All the fleeting discomfort surged back upon him, crashing like waves upon a shore.
He tired eyelids opened and settled on to his arms. His armorless naked arm.
His character's once towering form now shrank significantly. His once robust and mighty body now felt sluggish and feeble, and he no longer felt the weight of his cherished armor. His enchanted accessories, armors, and boots had vanished, leaving him vulnerable and exposed. Only, he just happened to notice the changes occuring to his body now.
In this moment, Doyle keenly sensed his body's every sensation. Somewhere along his journey, he was robbed of his enchanted accessories, his armors, and even his boots. Furthermore, the fragments and hardened dust beneath his feet had cruelly cut through his bare soles, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. The dull, throbbing pain coursed through his nerves, unleashing havoc upon his form.
His parched lips quivered, their fissures splitting, as trickles of blood traced down his chin.
Suddenly, his knees buckled, and he retched, retched, and retched until, on the brink of oxygen depletion, he emptied his stomach upon the ground. Under the heavy exhaustion, he felt his world turn dark.
(chapter end)