"But for now, I need to focus on the task at hand, this is my very first dungeon, after all, can't afford to get distracted," he thought to himself as he continued his way inside the dungeon cave, his determination growing, like a flame burning brighter.
He investigated and noted down the monsters he encountered inside, engaging in fights if possible, though he was just on a scouting hunt, and oblivious about the time, he knew he had been scouting for a few hours, but without the sun to tell him the time, he was walking blind, though he knew that what he was doing at the time was more important and would spare a lot of lives when a dungeon raid got announced in the village.
He dived deep inside the cave, exploring its maze-like features, while leaving trails so that he wouldn't get lost inside, but the monsters he encountered were mostly hob goblins, and the deeper he ventured, he noticed that their intelligence and muscle features were upgrading, making them more formidable, like a rising tide, threatening to engulf him.
As he stood there pondering the possibilities, he heard a faint snarling sound coming from his back, like a ghostly whisper, sending shivers down his spine. He turned around, but there was only the light of Luminite crystals stretching out as far as he could see, with a glimpse of darkness at the end of his vision, like a void calling to him.
Cyan started walking forward, knowing that sticking to one place in a dungeon was a recipe for disaster, his senses on high alert, his heart beating faster, like a drumbeat, echoing through his chest.
He walked through the cave for hours, finding composure and adjusting his plan as he went, his strategy was simple: hide and seek, like a game of cat and mouse, though he knew that the stakes were much higher. However, after a while, he realized his progress was becoming priceless, making him feel even more compelled to dive deeper, like a diver exploring the depths of the ocean.
Suddenly, a few elite goblins started approaching, wearing tattered skirts and carrying iron weapons, like a group of warriors, marching towards him. These elite hob goblins had red stripes on their shoulders, like a badge of honor, signifying their intelligence and strength.
Cyan noticed them beforehand and knew facing them was a lost cause, especially without a weapon, after noticing the red stripes, like a warning sign, flashing in his mind. Red stripe goblins were more intelligent, equal to a human's intelligence, their behavior more demi-human than monster, like a group of sophisticated hunters, always on the lookout for their next prey.
Cyan realized that even with his stealth at maximum, Red stripe goblins had a higher chance of discovering him since some of them were well-versed in the use of aura, making his detection possible, like a game of cat and mouse, though he knew that the stakes were much higher.
He hid behind a big boulder, covering his mouth with his hand to trap each sound, his heart racing with anticipation, like a trapped animal, desperate to escape. The goblins started sniffing and walking around, as if searching for him, their eyes scanning the surroundings, like a group of predators, always on the lookout for their next prey.
Cyan hid in silence, but panicking became eminent, because he remembered the tales he heard from Arise about red stripe goblins and their malice, like a ghostly whisper, haunting him. His mind was racing with thoughts, like a swarm of bees, buzzing with anxiety and fear.
"I can not get caught here, these guys are beyond me, and I still feel exhausted," he thought to himself in cold silence, as he hid behind the rock, his body trembling with fear, like a leaf shaking in the wind. The panicking made his aura concentration unstable, then the goblins' keen senses eventually picked up on the stench of his sweat, like a hound tracking its prey. They started following the scent, and it was only a matter of time before they caught him.
Realizing his unstable aura, Cyan did what his body had been accustomed to for so long: running, like a wild animal, desperate to escape. He sprinted as fast as his feet could carry him, his heart pounding in his chest, like a drumbeat, echoing through his body. However, he soon realized that these elite goblins were even more different from the normal ones, like a group of sophisticated hunters, always on the lookout for their next prey.
One of them unleashed a loud whistle, signaling to the others that they had found prey, like a call to arms, and in a matter of seconds, Cyan was surrounded by 60 elite goblins, each displaying a supreme overall of intelligence, like a group of warriors, ready to take him down. Things escalated into the bad quickly, and one of the goblins attacked first, like a predator pouncing on its prey.
Cyan closed his eyes, expecting pain and death, though he was strong, but this was different from the mock battles with Arise, like a nightmare, haunting him. But instead of the pain and death, he felt a cold sensation on his entire hand, like a ghostly touch, and when he opened his eyes, he found his left hand holding the goblin's arm, and his right hand piercing through the goblin's stomach, like a swift and deadly strike.
The goblin's green blood covered his hand, and its lifeless body hung from his arm, like a gruesome trophy, and Cyan was perplexed and confused, like a child lost in the woods. "How...?" he thought to himself, his eyes still lingering with fear, like a ghostly whisper, haunting him.
This was his first time facing off an enemy, like a baptism by fire, and before he could dwell on the question, five more goblins attacked him at once, like a group of predators, pouncing on their prey.
He might have gotten lucky the first time, but this time it was truly the end of him. He closed his eyes, expecting pain and death again, like a condemned man, waiting for the executioner's blade, but when he opened them, all five goblins were dead, and he was holding a knife very tightly, like a warrior, standing victorious.
"How...?" he thought, still in shock and confusion, like a child lost in the woods, and Cyan had been training with Arise for a while, which sharpened his senses further than he knew, and his gruesome training regiment finally proved to be useful, like a hidden treasure, revealed in the moment of need.
When he looked at the goblins, some of them were enraged, their beady eyes blazing with fury, like a fire burning out of control, while others cowered in fear, their trembling bodies a testament to their terror, like a leaf shaking in the wind.
About 34 goblins were dead this time, their lifeless bodies firmly lying on the ground, green blood flowing from the corpses, painting the floor, like a gruesome painting, a testament to the carnage.
Cyan's clothes were now stained with the greenish hue of goblin blood, and the pungent stench filled his nostrils, almost choking him, like a noxious cloud, hanging over him. However, as he looked at the remaining goblins – only 26 in number – he noticed a change, like a shift in the balance of power.
They were all cowering in fear, their eyes wide with terror, like a group of trapped animals, desperate to escape. His fear dissipated, replaced by a sense of superiority that washed over him like an obsession, like a tidal wave, sweeping him away.
He felt a twisted pleasure in their fear, and a condescending smirk spread across his face, like a snake slithering through the grass. The irises of his eyes began to glow with a pale blue light, like a ghostly glow, casting an eerie shadow over his features.
He dropped the knife he took from the goblin's hand, currently was holding, and grabbed a shabby looking sword also dropped by one of the goblins he killed, its hilt dirty and its blade rusted, like a relic of a bygone era. This time, he was eager to see what would happen when he closed his eyes, like a child, eager to explore the unknown.
He took a step forward, his body emitting an aura of murderous intent, like a predator, stalking its prey. All 26 goblins attacked, fueled by their intense focus on Cyan, like a group of warriors, determined to take him down.
This time, Cyan fought with his eyes wide open, his body moving instinctively like it wasn't his own, like a puppet, controlled by an unseen force. He cut down every goblin he could see, his laughter cold and loud, as if he had gone mad, like a demon, let loose on the world. He had strayed from his scouting plan because of the obsessive sense of superiority that washed over every other emotion he felt, like a tidal wave, sweeping him away.
"How does it feel!" he yelled, "Tell me, how does it feel to be the ones running!!!" He continued to yell, his eyes gleaming with a manic intensity, like a madman, possessed by a demon.
The rusty blade pierced through the goblins, and Cyan jumped to heights he had never jumped before, performing stunts that should be considered impossible for a 10-year-old child, like a superhero, defying gravity. Using the walls as the boost, like a cat, leaping from one wall to another.
As he fought, his mind drifted back to the past, to an old memory when goblins attacking him in the forest and almost killing him, like a ghostly whisper, haunting him. Though they were the weakest goblins, they still tried to kill him, and Arise was the one who ended up paying the price by losing an eye while protecting Cyan, like a martyr, sacrificing herself for him.
Those memories ignited more firepower in Cyan's rage, and his speed and power increased dramatically, like a wildfire, spreading out of control. "This is amazing! This is absolutely freaking phenomenal!!" he yelled as he carved through every goblin in sight, like a madman, possessed by a demon.
"It's like I've been doing this all my life," he followed with a menacing laugh, like a ghostly whisper, echoing through the cave. After a while of fighting, all the 60 goblins were dead, and he felt a relief sensation, like he'd just gained new levels, like a gamer, leveling up. As he took in a deep breath, his clothes covered in green, like a warrior, standing victorious, his chest heaving with exertion, like a beast, sated after a kill.
"Screw scouting, I'm going to put an end to this now!" thought to himself, holding his chin in a gesture of thinking with his hands, which were covered in goblin blood, like a warrior, plotting his next move. His eyes gleamed with a fierce determination, like a predator, stalking its prey.
He dropped the sword to the ground and grabbed a wooden log that one of the goblins had used, like a makeshift club, a testament to his resourcefulness. He knew the sword wouldn't last much longer, and a part of him wanted to feel the overwhelming sensation of overpowering his enemies, like a beast, craving for more.
Cyan dived deeper into the dungeon, his wooden log at the ready, like a madman, hell-bent on destruction.He faced more goblins than he expected, but he demolished their settlements and killed every last goblin he could see, like a whirlwind, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
He changed weapons after each fight, adapting to the situation, like a chameleon, changing its colors to blend in. As he progressed, he killed 230 goblins to 567, and his clothes reeked, his breath palpable as it echoed through the cave walls, like a beast, its presence felt by all.
He looked like a relentless monster, his muscles seemed like they were going to tear off the fabric of his clothes, like a wild animal, its power and strength evident in every movement.
Then, he encountered a new obstacle that the goblins used as dogs: dark wolves, like a pack of predators, stalking their prey. They had black fur, red eyes, very sharp jaws, and long tails with red ends, like a creature from a nightmare, a testament to their ferocity. But he was already used to fighting those, like a seasoned warrior, battle-hardened and ready for anything.
The dark wolves proved to be a more formidable foe than the goblins, their speed and agility far surpassing Cyan's, like a dance, a deadly ballet, where every move counted.
However, he managed to attain victory through the same instinct that had allowed him to trample over the goblins, like a wild animal, its instincts guiding it to survival. The fight took a toll on him, though, as he used his hands as shields to block the wolves' jaws, like a gladiator, fighting for his life. His arms were now marred by teeth markings, bleeding profusely as his vitality decreased with each drop of blood that fell to the ground, like a slow leak, draining his life away. Despite the wounds, Cyan fought on, his determination and instinct driving him to victory, like a champion, refusing to give up. The dark wolves fell one by one, their bodies littering the ground, like a testament to Cyan's unyielding spirit.
Cyan rummaged through the goblin corpses and grabbed a goblin cloth, like a scavenger, searching for anything useful. The cloth was a dingy white, stained with dirt and grime, making it difficult to discern its original color, like a relic of a bygone era.
The pungent smell emanating from it made him want to vomit, but he had no choice but to improvise, like a desperate measure, a testament to his desperation. He ripped the cloth in two and tied it around his arms to stem the bleeding, then continued deeper into the dungeon, like a warrior, pressing on despite his wounds.
Time seemed to pass quickly as Cyan slaughtered the weaker monsters, the thrill of feeling powerful driving him forward, like a drug, a rush of adrenaline. Fifteen minutes later... Cyan stood before a massive door, the entrance to the boss room, like a sentinel, guarding the secrets within. As he gazed at it, his eyes began to shake uncontrollably, because of the intimidating aura that came from it, like a force of nature, unstoppable and unyielding.
He was afraid, and his mind reflected back to some unknown memories of flashbacks, like a ghostly whisper, haunting him. The time when he was hiding inside a toilet, afraid of people, like a child, lost and scared. In the flashbacks, he saw a boy getting bullied, he felt a sense of familiarity, but it wasn't clear, like a puzzle, missing pieces.
"What's all this, these aren't mine," he thought to himself, suddenly he felt a massive headache that brought him to his knees, like a migraine, a crippling pain. Then, amidst the waves of flashbacks, he heard a whisper... "Jaden!" The voice called out, and everything flashed in a display of white, like a blinding light, a revelation.
His mind racing back to another unknown memory he didn't understand... The scene shifted to a flashback, where Cyan was still Jaden and was around 8 years old, like a snapshot, a moment in time. He suddenly hugged his mom for no reason at all as she was about to leave for work, like a child, clinging to his mother.
The scenery was filled with white, making her face indistinct, but the doctor's coat she wore was visible, like a ghostly apparition, a memory from the past. Jaden was still short at the time, so he was embracing her legs, like a child, seeking comfort.
Tears streamed down his face...
Woman: "Jaden dear... why are you crying?"
Jaden: "I'm afraid, mom. Please don't leave me." Jaden's mom knelt to match his height, placing a gentle hand on his head...
Woman: "Tell me why you think I'm going to leave you."
"I dreamed you were leaving me alone in the dark... please don't leave me alone," Jaden responded, his tears flowing like a faulty tap, like a child, lost and scared. Jaden's mom chuckled, leaving him confused, like a mystery, unsolved.
She removed a pendant she always wore and placed it around his neck, like a symbol of love, a token of her affection. Her soft words lit up Jaden's eyes... His visage transformed from horror to a warm, tender smile as he recalled his mother's enveloping words, "You're never alone, Jay. My love wraps around you like this pendant; it's a reminder I'm tied to you, no matter where I am," like a gentle whisper, a soothing balm to his soul.
He locked his hand on the pendant and his expression turned bright as he looked at it, like a child, gazing at a treasured possession. "Jaden, are you still scared?" The question resonated through his thoughts, like a ghostly echo, a reminder of his past. "No, I am not," he affirmed to himself, his eyes glowing with a sense of pride, like a beacon, shining bright in the darkness.
PRESENT DAY....
CYAN: "Who are you? Those words, why are they so familiar, who's Jaden," he thought to himself, his confusion getting more complicated with each passing second, like a puzzle, pieces missing. The headache worsened, then slowly died down, like a storm, passing over. After he regained his composure, he thought, "Well, whatever that was, I need to focus or I will die in here, like a rat traped in a hole and that ain't no flashy death" as he stood up, the headache slightly stinging, like a warning, a reminder of his vulnerability.
CYAN: "Whatever is inside, I will not relent, and I definitely am not going to die, no matter what it takes," he thought to himself, like a warrior, steeling himself for battle.
END OF CHAPTER 7