Megan stood before the gate to the walled off area behind the buildings making up The Sandlewood Gates and checked over her gear one final time in preparation.
The avian featured Dralithian Doctor Harroc had outfitted her with what he called 'devices' that were going to assist her with challenging the dungeon.
There were a number of items starting with a metallic looking 'light armoured jumpsuit' that at first seemed like a formless sliver cloth rolled into a transparent cylinder. With a push of a button the 'suit' unrolled and when Megan put it on it draped off her shoulders like a billowing curtain swaying in the breeze. It was only when Megan had clipped and zipped up the front did the suit then shrink and adjust so that it fit snuggly against her skin but still felt like she was not wearing anything at all. She was told that if the suit was damaged even to the point of completely being removed from her body as long as a small patch survived the suit could be repaired/regrown with enough access to the right common materials and core energy. That being said she was also told the suit would deflect most energy weapons and if enough kinetic energy was to press upon the suit the affected site would harden as much as it could to protect the wearer. Also, the suit seamlessly integrated with her other devices like her Wrist-Comp and Ear-Comm and even the scanning device she kept in a convenient storage pocket despite her Wrist-Comm being able to do the same function. Every device she had seemed to be able to find somewhere on the suit to hang or enter and she even had a backpack of sorts that stored some food rations, cooking tools and even a small tent, no blanket but then she realised she had not felt any variations in temperature since donning the Jump-Suite Suit. Megan thought the name Jump-Suite Suit was a bit strange but had too many new things to examine to dwell on it.
The last thing she had been given was a weapon. Megan did not have much preference for any particular weapon yet, but Doctor Harroc insisted she take the device, just in case. The weapon seemed like a simple metal quarterstaff, rounded metal balls attached to either end and sharp metal ridges circling them for extra damage when striking or swinging. The staff could also grow longer and retract with a thought which made it good for sneaky manoeuvres in combat that could create openings in defences and surprise enemies.
Unfortunately, as Master Zanik was the only being to enter and exit the dungeon and anyone else that had entered had never returned so no one was able to give her any information about what she would encounter inside. All she was given was a recording of Master Zanik that he had organised for her in the off chance he did not return, and this was the only reason she was being allowed to enter the dungeon in the first place. She was not allowed to view the recording until she actually entered though.
Examining the gate before her Megan saw a massive piece of unknown metal, matt black and covered with patterns made of indented lines, some curved into spiralling whorls and others twisted into sharp turns and wide valleys. Megan attempted to follow the patterns with her eyes but had to stop as her head exploded in pain after a few twists and the pain would not abate until she stopped trying.
Seeing her expression Mam spoke 'Do not try to follow the warding runes on the gate lass, unless you know what you are doing it is best to not mess with inscriptions until you reach at least the Focus Formation stage of cultivation."
Megan frowned, that stage was very far from her current starting point, so she shrugged in indifference, not thinking too much about it and stepped up to the gate.
Being told what to do beforehand Megan reached into a pouch attached to her suit around her waist and pulled out a small red crystal gem which she then proceeded to insert into a position in the gate. Once in position the gem lit up in blue light and the light quickly expanded through all the indented lines on the gate as it lit up starting from the gem and spreading out to the edges of the gate. Once the light brightened and dimmed three times in a row Megan lifted her hand and as she had been instructed knocked on the gate, once on a position above the gem, once below the gem then one more time on the gem itself. The gem appeared to embed itself deeper into the black metal surface then a previously unseen crack split from the top centre of the gate down, through the gem that also split until reaching the bottom of the door. In complete silence the two halves of the gate slowly opened toward Megan who stood next to Mam, behind them almost everyone who lived and worked at the Sandlewood Gates plus a majority of the guests staying there at the time were watching intently.
Megan curiously looked toward the revealed interior of the gate and stood back in confusion. Megan's confusion appeared justified when looking past the gate as there was... nothing there. Just a hazy black space appeared behind the gate, a strange blackness that seemed neither deep or shallow, small or vast. Objects appeared to materialise and disappear in the mist-like blackness unable to be identified or touched.
Megan turned to Mam, and she waved at her and said, "Do not be concerned lass, it wouldn't be a secret if anyone could see inside could it be?" Mam gestured for Megan to go on. Megan looked into the darkness apprehensively and then tentatively stepped over the threshold and walked into the darkness.
Immediately as Megan passed through the gate they slammed closed behind her with a decisive *BOOM*. Looking around Megan saw the same patterned matt black surface behind her and not even a seam could be seen any more in its unbroken surface.
Megan examined the area she had entered and gasped.
The wall that encompassed the dungeon was under two metres tall and a quick jump could allow one to look over it as well as being able to look into the enclosure from the second story of the Sandlewood Gates. If one looked all you could see would be a think covering of trees, shrubbery, plants, flowers and broken structures. Kind of like an abandoned garden overgrown and in disrepair.
What Megan saw as she focused on her surroundings was entirely different. Megan found herself in a room comprised of grey bricks, a perfectly flat hard grey floor polished to a shine but not slippery stretched out in a square five metre by five metre space where four walls with equally spaced grey bricks perfectly lined up together until finally reaching the roof which appeared to be of the same material as the floor. On either side to left and right wall sconces held flaming torches that shed a flickering warm glow to the room. On the opposite wall to the one she entered an ornate archway made of what looked for all the world to be massive off-white bones interlocked in a way that seemed natural and yet, completely unnatural all at the same time.
Within the archway is what Megan could only describe to be what was known as a fixed portal. Megan had seen pictures and read descriptions and what she saw exactly matched. A tiny black dot in the centre that sucked in the light like a natural black hole in space. From this dot spiralling purple and yellow mist erupted out in a clockwise direction, constantly in motion and then ending abruptly as it appeared to fall into a rim of blackness that was present in an oval shaped to the dimensions of the archway. Looking directly at the portal you could imagine it looked like a tunnel made of purple mist stretching into the distance but if looked side on the portal only appeared to be less than a centimetre thick and only a featureless grey brick wall was behind it.
Megan first action after investigating the room for danger was sit down with her back to a wall under a torch and reached into a pouch attached to her suit and pulled out the small rectangular device that held the recording of Master Zanik.
Pressing the device to her Wrist-Comp a beep sounded, and little device disintegrated into dust which drifted away into the air.
A message appeared in her vision.
PLEASE WAIT...
PROCESSING...
Two sharp beeps sounded in her ear and in front of her a semi-transparent image of Master Zanik appeared suddenly in front of her. He appeared frozen in place as more words displayed.
SCANNING...
MESSAGE REQUIREMENTS MET
After this message the image of Master Zanik became animated, but nothing happened for several seconds until the image spoke, "Is it working? Are we recording this time?"
The distinct voice of Doctor Harroc spoke from a place seemingly behind her, "Yes Zanik, the device is recording, press here when you are done and I will leave you to finish." Master Zanik nodded and footsteps could be heard before the sound of a door being closed occurred.
Master Zanik appeared to compose himself before speaking, "Megan, if you are viewing this then it means I have not been able to complete one of the tasks I regularly complete for the Sandlewood Gates. Also, for whatever reason, Mam has deemed it necessary to have you attempt to complete this task on my behalf."
"So, the room you find yourself in is what is called a 'Dungeon Antechamber' and is basically a small room to prepare a team of adventurers to access a dungeon proper without worrying that they will be attacked by the denizens of the dungeon. Not all dungeons are the same so not all of them you encounter in the future will have antechambers like this and my hope is that this is the first dungeon you will make an attempt at." Master Zanik gave a pensive look for a minute like he was reminiscing about something, then focused again. "The reason I would like this particular dungeon to be the first you attempt is due to the special nature of this dungeon and the fact that I think that this dungeon was made for you." He paused, "Well, not you specifically, but someone of your race."
Megan's eyes widened and mouth fell open in wonder at this revelation. Her race? How can this dungeon have something to do specifically with her and in particular what race she was?
Megan shook her head when she realised that Master Zanik was talking again so she tuned back in to listen to his words. "...and that is how I came across the dungeon core that created this dungeon, before this, the walled enclosure you entered was a garden used to grow a few products for the inn and keep a few pets and beasts safe."
"Now this place is very different. This dungeon is not a natural dungeon. Usually, dungeons encountered in the wild are a result of the energy in a given location increasing through various means to match the intensity of the ambient mana, and the two magical elements mix and evolve into dungeon instances of various levels, intensity and challenges. Sometimes magical in nature, sometimes technological, sometimes a mixture of both, dungeons are the universes answer to prevent the corruption of reality. They grow by absorbing the mixing energies that have caused its creation and, over time, continue to develop and eventually condense a dungeon core. Once created, the dungeon core means the dungeon has reached equilibrium with the energies available and now produces its own energies influenced by the energies that went into its creation."
Master Zanik rubbed at his eyes and looked deep in thought again for a few moments, then continued, "That said the dungeon you are now standing in is not a natural dungeon. This dungeon core was grown and developed many years ago by a race lost to time, not one of the six subordinate races either. This dungeon was created by the original progenitor race that once ruled all the stars you can see in the sky. They created great technological and magical marvels that allowed them to travel between the stars and explore all reality with the ease in which you and I breathe air."
"This dungeon has three areas that I know of. The first is the most dangerous and why I have to come in occasionally. The area is what is known as a 'resource' dungeon and there are many magical beasts and resources like rare ores, herbs and plants, some of which have mystical properties and the like. If I didn't come in and clear the resources every now and then the beasts and even sometimes malicious plants will escape, or maybe the better wording is be banished from the dungeon to become a roving dungeon denizen and wreak havoc with the surrounding area."
Master Zanik's face turned very serious. "Megan, if I have been absent long enough that Mam is asking you to clear the resources then it means the dungeon is probably on the verge of banishing a part of its denizens, if it hasn't occurred already. What this means for you is that this dungeon will be very difficult. The denizens will have had time to gain power, create weapons and possibly group up into denizen teams which will work together and be a problem to take down."
Master Zanik then proceeded to describe the resource area in detail. Megan learned that there were four sections to the area, there was a humid rainforest full of massive golden-haired apes, a desert populated by snakes and scorpions, a cave overrun by a race of vicious blind mole-rats and lastly a huge mountainous section filled with bottomless pits and ravines, with flocks of harpies flying around.
Master Zanik image froze for a second then started again but it looked like some time had passed since the last recording. "Now, Megan, the second area of the dungeon is a place I am quite fond of, it is what most cultivators refer to as a Cultivation Cave." Master Zanik showed a sharp toothed grin, "I know, silly name, but its traditional and cultivators are not known for their imagination most of the time."
Master Zanik smiled wearily, "I can include myself in that description too."
"Now," Master Zanik clapped his hands together to dispell the atmosphere and continued, "The third area is something I am unable to describe. For the same reason that I do not know if there is a fourth area and that is that I am unable to enter the third area, no matter what I have tried, the entrance has always denied me."
Master Zanik became distracted by something behind her and went on to say, "Unfortunately I have run out of time and storage to continue to advise you about the dungeon so I will leave you with some very important final advice. Do not die Megan, death is the end, as long as you are alive there will be a way through."
The image of Master Zanik disappeared as suddenly as it had originally appeared and Megan was left alone in a strange grey room, a portal leading to dangers she had never faced before and a slowly growing excitement for what was to come.