The shrine pulsed one final time, a low hum resonating through the chamber before it fell silent. The eerie stillness that followed felt almost reverent, as if the dungeon itself was acknowledging the transformation.
A system message flickered into view, visible to everyone:
System Notification: Resurrection Node Accessed
- Cost: 200 Prismana.
- Warning: Each resurrection reduces maximum Prismana capacity.
Jack turned to the group, his face shadowed with grim resolve. His voice was steady, but there was a weight to his words that made the group fall silent. “The node will mark your essence - bind you to the dungeon. If you die, it’ll bring you back, but only here. And every death makes the bind stronger.”
“Meaning?” Big Red asked, his grip tightening on his axe.
Jack’s gaze hardened. “Meaning if you die too many times, the dungeon doesn’t just take your life. It takes your soul.”
The room seemed to shrink, the weight of his words settling over them like a heavy fog. Even Rando, who usually had a sarcastic comment at the ready, fidgeted nervously, his dagger sheathed for once.
Jessica broke the silence, her voice steady but firm. “We don’t have a choice,” she said, her machete resting on her shoulder. Her eyes swept over her team, locking briefly with Jack’s. “If this dungeon is as dangerous as you say, we need every advantage we can get.”
Jack nodded slowly, a faint glimmer of respect in his eyes. “Smart move,” he said, his tone carrying a mix of approval and warning. “But remember -this isn’t a safety net. It’s a loan. And the dungeon always collects.”
System Notification: Resurrection Node Bound
- Party Members Registered:
- Jessica (Little Red), Big Red, Little John, Molly, Rando, Nick, Jason, Brick, Madi, Jack.
- Resurrection Attempts Available: 3 per member.
- Warning: Exceeding resurrection limit results in soul capture.
The weight of the message hit the group hard. Even knowing they had a way back if things went south, the risk of losing more than their lives cast a shadow over the fragile hope the node provided.
Molly, ever the opportunist, leaned in toward Madi and nudged her with an elbow. Her curiosity sparkled, cutting through the tension. “So?” she whispered, her voice low but conspiratorial. “What happened? What did you get?”
Madi hesitated, glancing at Jack and then Jessica. Both nodded subtly, encouraging her to speak. Shrugging, she finally replied, “A class.”
“And?” Molly drawled, dragging out the word with exaggerated impatience. “Don’t leave us hanging, girl. Spill it!”
Madi’s lips curled into a grin, the confidence radiating off her in a way that felt new, almost unfamiliar. “I’m a healer.”
Molly arched a brow. “But you were already a healer. You’re our medic,” she said, crossing her arms and tilting her head. “Not exactly breaking news, hon.”
“I don’t get it,” Jason chimed in, looking between Madi and Nick. His brother shrugged, equally puzzled. “What’s so different now?”
Jack, standing a few steps away, tilted his head slightly. He suspected he already knew the answer; the violet light in her eyes earlier had told him enough. He’d seen it before. “What kind of healer?” he asked, his voice calm but probing.
Madi didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she let the silence stretch for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the group. “Let’s just say I won’t be leaning so heavily on everyone else to take down the enemies we fight anymore.”
Jessica’s brow furrowed, but she didn’t press. Molly, on the other hand, gave a low whistle. “Well, damn,” she said, stepping back and folding her arms. “Someone leveled up their badass factor.”
Jack’s lips quirked into the faintest of smirks. He had been right -Shadowmender. A bold choice. Not purely defensive, the class walked the razor’s edge between support and offense. It wasn’t just about healing anymore; Madi now had the potential to turn the battlefield into her weapon, manipulating shadow and life in equal measure. If she played her cards right, her future evolutions could be devastating. Smart girl.
Rando, leaning against the wall, grumbled under his breath. “Lucky,” he muttered, though there was no real venom in his tone. He sighed and straightened, his usual bravado creeping back. “Alright, healer lady, guess we’re counting on you to keep us alive.”
Madi met his gaze, her new-found confidence unshaken. “You can count on me,” she said simply.
Jessica nodded, satisfied for now. “Good,” she said, turning back to Jack. “So what’s next?”
Jack’s smirk widened, though it carried an edge of seriousness. “Next,” he said, gesturing toward the darkened corridor beyond the chamber, “we find out if all this was worth it. Let’s move.”
If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
The group exchanged glances, their unease giving way to reluctant determination. One by one, they fell in line behind Jack, their steps echoing softly as they disappeared into the shadows. For better or worse, they were bound to the dungeon now. And the dungeon would be watching.
The group moved as one, their footsteps heavy against the cold stone floor. The oppressive silence of the dungeon was broken only by the faint hum of the crystalline veins embedded in the walls. Their glow flickered irregularly, casting jagged shadows that seemed to pulse and shift as though alive.
Jack led them with purpose, his posture as steady as the grip he kept on his machete. He didn’t glance back, trusting the group to keep up. Jessica followed close behind, her machete resting in its sling across her shoulder, though her fingers never strayed far from its hilt. She hated following someone else’s lead, but Jack exuded a confidence she couldn’t deny, no matter how much it irritated her.
“Now that the resurrection point has been claimed, it’s a safe zone,” Jack said, his voice cutting through the tension. “You’ll need Prismana to access it, but that’s the price. And if you’re using it, trust me, you’ll have a good reason. The shrine goddess guarantees protection - within limits.”
“Ostara,” Madi added softly, glancing back toward the chamber as if she could still feel the presence of the deity.
Jack gave her a small nod of acknowledgment. “Right. Ostara is over this shrine. But don’t assume they’re all like her. Some shrines are run by deities whose prices are far higher than you’d ever want to pay. Be grateful you got lucky.”
Jessica furrowed her brow, the mention of other shrine deities sending an uneasy ripple through her. “How do we know which ones are safe?”
“You don’t,” Jack replied bluntly. “Not until you’re standing in front of one, and by then, it’s usually too late. Best advice? Stick to the known ones. Ostara, for example, is relatively... fair.”
Relatively fair didn’t sound reassuring, but Jessica said nothing. Instead, she focused on the path ahead as the group reached a junction where the corridor split into two diverging passages. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to thicken here, the hum of the veins deepening into a low vibration that rattled their bones.
“This isn’t it,” Jessica said suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence. She stopped short, her machete dipping slightly in her hand as her eyes narrowed at one of the passages. Her gut twisted uncomfortably, a sensation she couldn’t explain. “We shouldn’t go this way.”
Jack turned to her, his brow lifting with curiosity. “And you know that how?” he asked, his tone neutral but edged with interest.
Jessica hesitated, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her machete. She glanced down at the ground, kicking a loose stone aside as she tried to find the words. “I don’t know how I know,” she admitted reluctantly. “I just... do. It’s like something’s pulling me, steering me toward the right path.”
Jack’s gaze sharpened, his expression unreadable. “You’re saying the dungeon’s speaking to you?”
Her fiery hair caught the faint glow of the veins as she looked up, her temper flaring to match her growing embarrassment. “I’m not nuts, okay? I didn’t mention it because-”
“Because it makes you sound crazy,” Jack finished for her, his tone surprisingly even.
Her jaw clenched, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “Exactly.”
Jack raised his hands, palms out in a gesture of peace. “Hey, I’m not knocking it. Trust me, I get it. I’ve heard things too. Whispers, voices, whatever you want to call them. It’s how I knew where this place was - and why it had to be shut down.”
Before Jessica could respond, the ground beneath their feet trembled, and a faint rumble echoed through the corridor. The walls seemed to shudder, the crystalline veins pulsing erratically as though the dungeon itself was reacting to their presence. Jessica reached out instinctively, steadying herself against the nearest wall.
Jack, on the other hand, patted the wall lightly, his expression calm and almost... conspiratorial. “Easy,” he murmured under his breath, as though addressing the dungeon itself. “No need for theatrics.”
Jessica stared at him, dumbfounded. “Are you seriously talking to the wall right now?”
Jack turned to her, his expression deadpan. “You’re hearing voices, and I’m the crazy one?”
She opened her mouth to retort, but he smirked faintly, patting the wall again before stepping back. “She’s just new to this,” he said, as if explaining her actions to the dungeon. “Give her time.”
Jessica bristled, her cheeks flushing red. “I’m standing right here, you know.”
Jack’s smirk widened, but he didn’t reply. Instead, he straightened, his tone shifting back to business. “Look, all I’m saying is, I know how dungeons work. This-” he gestured around them, his machete tracing an arc in the air, “-is my specialty. Completing them, breaking them down, shutting them off. It’s what I do.”
“And that’s why you need us?” Jessica asked, crossing her arms defensively.
“Exactly,” Jack said, his expression growing serious. “This dungeon is too big, too adaptive for one person to handle. I need a team, and lucky for you, that little voice of yours might be exactly what we need to make it through.”
Jessica’s eyes narrowed, her defiance reigniting. “If I’ve been right about the paths so far, I’ll keep being right. If I hear something - or feel something - you’ll listen to me. Got it?”
Jack raised an eyebrow, clearly amused but opting not to push her buttons. “Deal,” he said, his tone light. “But traps, mobs, or mechanics? You follow my advice. No arguments.”
She glanced back at her team, their hesitant nods signaling their reluctant agreement. Finally, she looked at Jack, her chin lifting in a gesture of stubborn resolve. “Fine. Deal.”
“Good.” Jack’s smirk returned, his tone shifting into a mix of confidence and gravity. “We’ll need to reset the trap room before moving deeper. It’s the only way forward.”
Jessica frowned, her grip tightening on her machete. “Resetting a trap doesn’t sound like the safest idea.”
“It’s not,” Jack admitted with a shrug. “But the dungeon won’t let us bypass it again. Unless, of course, your dungeon sense is picking up on another secret passage?”
Jessica glared at him, and for a moment, Jack thought she might take a swing at him. Instead, she let out a frustrated huff. “No. And for the record, the dungeon doesn’t ‘tug’ me around like I’m on a leash.”
Jack chuckled softly as he stepped past her, heading toward the trap room. “Sure, Red,” he said, his tone teasing. “Let’s go reset the death machine.”
Jessica bit back a retort, her lips pressed into a thin line as she followed Jack. Behind her, the rest of the team fell into step, their movements weighted with a mixture of unease and reluctant determination. The faint echoes of their footsteps reverberated through the dim corridor, a reminder of how small and vulnerable they were in the vast, sentient labyrinth surrounding them.
System Notification: Quest Updated
- Objective:
- Reactivate the Stalactite Chamber Trap to reveal the Resurrection Node.
- Threat Level: High.
- Note: Sometimes, the best way forward is through the jaws of death.
The words lingered in Jessica’s vision, a cold and unwelcome reminder of what they were about to face. The further they moved, the colder the air grew, the oppressive silence thickening until it seemed to press against her skin. The faint metallic tang of danger hung in the air, sharpening with each step.