Fire Hurts?(1)
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"WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT BEING BURNED ALIVE WOULD HURT SO MUCH!" Never could Alex have imagined the excruciating pain of being consumed by flames that slowly ate his body.
Once the fire was put out, his body gradually cast off charred skin and singed hair, all thanks to the healing properties of health potions and the rejuvenating essence of grass jelly from Demon Souls.
Utilizing the [Healing Grace] ability, Alex hastened the regeneration process on himself, complementing the effects of the health potions and grass jelly. After half an hour, the intense pain began to subside, allowing him to move with reduced discomfort. However, he discerned that it would take a few more hours for a complete recovery, thanks to his health items.
The potent effects of the potions and grass jelly gradually waned, signaling the ongoing struggle of his body to heal from the extensive damage incurred during the intense battle. With patience and resilience, Alex braced himself for the remaining hours of recovery, aware that the ordeal had taken a toll that required time to overcome.
He also thanked Akitaru for helping him. If it wasn't for Warren and Akitaru, he could have possibly died because there were still 2 adventurers who were still alive and slowly healing. Still, he went back inside the Dungeon because he wanted to see if there was still anything left over from the bodies that survived the fire.
The devastating aftermath of the fire left Alex with little salvageable equipment. Anything not consumed by the flames had succumbed to the intense heat. Despite his water element's strength, attempting to douse the remaining embers proved futile as the water evaporated before it could make an impact.
Every piece of armor and weapon the adventurers once possessed now lay in ruins, either being melted or severely damaged by the scorching heat. Since there was nothing left worth recovering, he left the items on the floor to be eaten by the fire. He decided to deal with the other problem that the adventurers left, the little girl.
But before that, a notification popped up. And Alex could only sigh when he saw it.
(<DING > The Death Angel has been killed. (30/30) days left until revive)
Since he couldn't do anything about it, it was back to the little problem. He just sighed and shook his head.
When Warren and Akitaru rushed into the dungeon room to assist Alex, the young girl, previously unconscious, suddenly awoke. Her immediate instinct was to flee, and she attempted to make a quick escape. Unbeknownst to her, a drone hovered above in the sky, closely monitoring her every move. Despite her belief that nobody was watching, the watchful eyes of the drone observed her actions with keen scrutiny.
The young girl's escape attempt was short-lived, as the timely arrival of Alex's summons near the dungeon allowed Ethan to apprehend her effortlessly. The drone in the sky, serving as a surveillance tool, monitored her movements and aided in her capture. Whether by fortune or misfortune, the girl's fate remained entwined with the unfolding events surrounding Alex and his companions.
As Alex approached the entrance of his dungeon, he was greeted by the sight of Artin, Bella, and the rest of his summons awaiting his return. However, what caught his attention was Ethan, who carried the young girl in a princess carry. Perplexingly, the girl offered no resistance; she remained completely limp.
But before Alex could get a word in. With a remorseful tone, Ethan conveyed his attempts to free the girl from the collar. "I'm sorry, master. I tried to break the collar, but it was too tough for me to break. None of us can break it, and when we tried, the collar would shock us and the girl."
Alex was taken aback by the unexpected situation. What he initially thought to be a straightforward process to remove the collar turned out to be a serious problem. It annoyed Alex because of the collar's resistance to their attempts and its features that harm both the girl and those trying to help her.
Still, he really wanted to remove the collar as it was pretty tight around her neck and he could see some injuries on her neck. As an American, he also had a disdain for slavery against the innocent, especially against someone so young. Plus, he couldn't but help feel bad as he could see that the little girl was just in a terrible state, he wanted to change that.
As Alex looked deeper into the situation, he recognized that the collar was only the tip of the iceberg. A more immediate concern emerged as he observed the girl's physical state – her emaciated form and the presence of fresh blood indicated that she was not only hurt but also hungry.
As Alex approached the girl intending to apply his [Healing Grace], Artin abruptly walked up to him and delivered a punch. Alex, though feels no physical impact due to Artin's terrible physical strength, but it did hurt him a bit because she hit a spot on his body that was still burned.
He was of course confused, so asked why she did that.
"Why? Because you disappeared for an entire week with no word, and all of a sudden, Ethan came to collect us while we were working, and now you are here with a new body," Artin expressed her frustration. The unexpected and prolonged absence of Alex had left Artin, along with Bella, in the dark about the circumstances.
The lack of communication and the mysterious events surrounding Alex's return with a different form fueled Artin's anger and Bella's confusion. The situation demanded an explanation, and Artin and Bella were keen on receiving answers to the questions that had accumulated during Alex's unexplained absence.
"It wasn't really my fault though. I was trying to make my dungeon, and out of nowhere, I passed out, and boom. New body!" Alex explained truthfully while shrugging. The unexpected turn of events had caught him by surprise, leaving him with a new form. Alex's genuine account shed light on the uncontrollable nature of the transformation, alleviating some of the concerns raised by Artin and Bella.
Although Artin and Bella remained skeptical, they chose to set aside their concerns momentarily as they witnessed Alex's compassionate actions towards the girl. Carefully cradling her in his arms, they observed an intricate rune on Alex's hands that appeared out of nowhere that glowed brightly. While the true nature of the rune eluded their understanding, they perceived a subtle energy emanating from it, directed towards the girl in his arms.
"Dungeon?" Bella asked with confusion on her face. She was a bit slow in understanding what was happening, after all, Ethan or Alex had not told her what he or who he was.
"Oh yeah, follow me" Alex gestured, making a motion with his hand, and then walked through the rock wall. The surprising display left both Artin and Bella momentarily astonished, as they witnessed Alex effortlessly pass through a seemingly solid barrier.
Their momentary surprise was interrupted when Anky, the familiar Ankylosaurus, licked their hands. Shaking off the unexpected encounter, they wiped their hands on their shirts and cautiously approached the rock wall. However, their progress was halted as Alex reappeared through the solid surface once again.
"Never mind, do not enter right now" Filled with excitement to showcase his dungeon, Alex momentarily overlooked the pressing issue that awaited them inside.
Upon entering his dungeon, Alex was met with contrasting challenges on the first and second floors – smoke and fire on one, and freezing cold on the other. Recognizing the inhospitable conditions within, he decided it would be impractical to engage in conversation in such environments.
"Let's just stay out here for a bit," Alex suggested, chuckling at the situation.
"Why, what's wrong?" Bella asked, she was confused as to why Alex was chuckling.
"Ok, so, my crystal body is a dungeon core. And right behind me, is the entrance to my new home, but currently, the first floor is filled with smoke and fire while the second floor is a tundra. I'm sure neither of us wants to talk in the freezing cold or a smoke-filled cave." Alex quickly explained himself.
Both girls just signed and sat down on a random log that was near them.
Seated outside near Alex, the group began to share what they did during the period when Alex was unconscious. Everyone took turns recounting events, filling Alex in on the occurrences he had missed during his unexpected slumber, while at the same time. Artin and Bella started to examine his new charred body.
As the group continued sharing their experiences, they recounted encountering a benevolent old lady named Merry who lived in a treehouse. Merry, touched by their kindness in saving Bella, decided to extend her assistance to the group. Under Merry's guidance, they secured employment at 'Old Roots,' and she even sponsored Trebor to become an adventurer.
Despite Trebor's initial resistance, the collective persuasion from Alexa, Merry, Ethan, Artin, and Bella eventually convinced him that pursuing sponsorship to become an adventurer was a practical and beneficial idea. Recognizing the need for resources to acquire supplies and strengthen their group, coupled with the potential rewards that would contribute to Alex's goals, Trebor reluctantly agreed to the arrangement.
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Trebor's POV, will switch later to a third POV
The day following my master Alex's slumber, Merry guided us to the town of 'Mosshorn' to arrange some tasks for our group. It was only me, Artin, Bella, and Merry who went out. Everyone else stayed at the tree house. The journey to 'Mosshorn' was remarkably quick and safe. No disturbances occurred during the tranquil walk, making it a peaceful and uneventful experience.
Upon reaching a broad dirt road, we encountered numerous carriages drawn by various creatures heading in the direction of the town. Merry gestured with her hand, conjuring a carriage right before us. While she performed this, I caught the murmur of her whisper, though the words eluded me. Shortly thereafter, two blue portals materialized, revealing two imposing black bulls emerging from them.
With a graceful wave of her hand, two harnesses materialized and affixed themselves to the bulls and the carriage. "Step inside; we have a bit of time before we reach our destination," Merry exclaimed proudly, relishing the astonishment evident on their faces—a sight that never failed to amuse her.
Our journey to the destination was swift, and as I peered out the window to observe the town, my gaze fell upon an imposing metal wall with an opened metal gate serving as the guardian of the town. Upon reaching the town's entrance, we found ourselves in a lengthy queue, patiently awaiting our turn to enter the bustling enclave.
To gain entry to Mosshorn via carriage, a small fee was required, and each carriage underwent a thorough inspection from what Merry told us. However, Merry's status as a significant figure in Mosshorn became evident when she presented a crest to a nearby guard. The guard promptly relayed the information, leading to the swift arrival of a person of importance. With their approval, Merry and her company were granted the privilege to bypass the queue, entering Mosshorn without any hindrance.
Of course, I saw that everyone who was waiting in line was mad or annoyed, but they couldn't do anything. Merry carriage was unmarked, meaning no symbol or crest was telling where she came from.
Without encountering any resistance, we seamlessly bypassed the line and entered the town. Once through the gate, Merry insisted that everyone disembark from the carriage. The important person who facilitated our swift entry offered to park the carriage or act as our chauffeur/guide, but Merry graciously accepted the first option but told the man to act as a guide for us, expressing her preference for a leisurely stroll through the town without being annoyed by anyone right now.
The gentleman, Elas, acting as our guide, served as a representative for Camus Northmond. Merry arranged for Elas to share the history of Camus and Mosshorn with us while we walked to our destination. According to Elas, Camus was the noble overseeing Mosshorn, and he had a remarkable background as a special knight involved in battles of the past. In appreciation of his service to the King during those conflicts, Camus received both land and nobility.
Camus was able to use his new land and wealth to form a new village that quickly grew into a medium-sized town that we see today. It was thanks to nearby veins of precious ores and dungeons that were found on his land, that his small village was able to grow thanks to money brought by the ores and dungeons.
However, Camus's village had transformed into a massive fortress, as the King converted it into a military installation due to its proximity to the Whispering Forest. The surrounding mountains funneled threats toward the village, making it a strategic location for defense. As a result, it always required a constant presence of troops, or at least adventurers, to fend off the beasts that threatened to invade and destroy everything in its path.
Elas continued to share more details, revealing that Camus was presently contemplating retirement. Complicating matters, his three children were engaged in a rivalry to determine the successor to the leadership of the Camus household.
Among Camus's children, the eldest, Aolis Camus, at the age of 32, found himself currently trailing in the race to become the new head of the household. The second child, Thallan Camus, around 27 years old, was not performing well, yet somehow managed to secure the second position. Surprisingly, the youngest, Aien Camus, aged 22, was leading the competition to assume control of the Northmond household.
Elas concluded his revelations as they arrived in front of an aged building adorned with a sign that read 'Old Roots.' Merry thanked Elas and dismissed him as they entered the establishment. Upon stepping inside, the first thing Trebor noticed was an abundance of dust permeating every corner. No surface was spared from the dusty veil. Trebor ran his finger across a wooden board, revealing a substantial accumulation of dust on his fingertip.
"VULWIN, GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE NOW! I GOT SOME PEOPLE THAT CAN HELP!" Suddenly, Merry erupted into calls for her husband, and in response, an elderly man emerged from the rear, yawning nonchalantly, seemingly unfazed by her loud demands. He skillfully sidestepped a ball of ice-cold freezing water that was hurled his way, displaying a remarkable calmness.
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Thanks for reading.