"How did that happen?!" I asked furiously.
"Like I know!" Lara answered, shouting back at me.
I didn't bother going on commissions with the party, mainly because I had no experience in parties. And I felt more than just rejected.
Ros sighed as he had his hand on his forehead, showing he was clearly frustrated.
I deeply inhaled and exhaled, to relax myself, before turning to face the golden haired adventurer, wearing a simple robe fit for a Support.
"We need to find him. Now." I ordered.
"Who died and made you the leader—" Lara blurted, her eyes avoiding mine, before Ros cut her off,
"I asked the receptionist. He headed for a Corrupted Tower. By himself." Ros said with a low, but serious tone.
Lara showed a stiff expression, not knowing whether to be shocked by this or by the fact I'm gonna go with them.
But, I had no reason to go with them. If anything, going alone was better. I'll make it quick, I thought as I clutched the hilt of my undrawn sword.
***
I flew on above the flat grassy lands I once fought both the slimes and wolves in. I was headed for the Corrupted Tower.
Or, we were.
I tried my best to convince them not to come at all in this, but ultimately I failed. Lara and Ros were both using a flying technique, an air spell.
I followed just behind them, barely being able to catch up due to the concentration I needed for this to work. One wrong move, and I'll be kissing the ground.
I swallowed as I was looking down on the plain, grassy fields. I noticed the unique terrain, with hills on one side and there was a forest in the distance I can barely make out.
More minutes passed as we used more air to boost our speed, until we finally reached it. I was able to see it in the distance.
A Dungeon Tower — based on what I know — is a large tower, completely spiraling from the outside. Inside, it looked to people more of a dungeon. Hence the name.
The dungeon was dark and filled with many beasts, Corrupted ones at that.
It was very tall, I'd say about a hundred meters. I was completely taken by the size and length of it. With one look, everything was clear.
It'll be hard clearing this dungeon, or even escape it. I looked at Ros and Lara worryingly, as I hoped for nothing bad to happen.
Finally arriving next to the large entrance, we all flew downwards, to land and start walking again.
Ros and Lara landed without much trouble, however considering this is very new to me, I stumbled a bit as I landed.
Lara looked at me with an amused face as I didn't even bother to look back at her,
Finally, we were right in front of the entrance to the tower. It was a large gate, colored with dark-blue and jet black.
With no hesitation, I stepped up and held the handle of the gate and forced it open.
It was somewhat heavy, but at the end I managed to open it, as Lara and Ros kept staring silently.
At least lend a hand…
Then we all entered, one next to each other. I gritted my teeth as I prepared for the worst to come.
What stood in front of me was a medium sized hallway, built completely out of stone.
Ros cast a spell to let us see under the darkness. The spell shone brightly with a light yellow color.
Ros suddenly spoke as we were walking down the hallway, "Be on your guard."
He spoke very seriously, and I felt he was determined and focused for this. That is only natural, considering our circumstances.
We walked, and continued on walking ahead, but nothing happened. Nothing showed up.
It was dead silent, everybody was as concentrated as they could get. Aware of everything nearby.
Suddenly, I felt a small twitch on my back, as if an ant was crawling on me.
While I was concentrating, something even as small as that was able to make me jump. But I didn't.
Every fibre of my body was telling me not to move a single muscle.
I stopped walking, the others noticed but my expression said it all. My eyes were widened in fear, and surprise.
I slowly clutched the hilt of my sword before breaking the complete silence by instantly rotating to the other side as I drew my sword quickly to slice what was behind me.
To my surprise, there was nothing. I'd just mistaken it for a Corrupted.
I turned my head around to face Ros and Lara, "False Alarm—" I said before cutting myself off,
Lara and Ros were nowhere to be seen.
My body shivered as I felt that crawling feeling once more. I blinked, dumbfounded, only to find the place changed.
I was standing in a large field of snow, with tall and wide trees covering the whole place.
"Lara! Ros!" I shouted desperately to get an answer.
My eyes twitched, I was annoyed by this sudden outcome. I felt more worried for my party now.
I walked slowly in the large field of snow, towering barely enough to cover up my whole feet.
The air bit at my skin, but the wind carried an unnatural warmth, as if the cold was only pretending.
This place couldn't have been any more weird. It seemed as if I'd just gotten transported to a different part of the world.
I walked and looked around, as I stood high on my ground.
But the more I walked, the more I saw nothing. It was like a loop.
I marked one of the trees next to me, to see if it was an actual loop. I started walking on again in the snowy field, and I checked every tree that was on my path,
And the mark was on the same tree.
I've just been walking around in a circle. But if that's the case, then how do I even get out and meet with my party again?
Is it an illusion? Some type of ability? But in any case, I have to get out. And quick.
I scanned my surroundings, looking for a way to escape. I was slowly getting more paranoid by the second from this eerie place.
I noticed there was some black moss on one of the trees, and a purple color emitting from it.
Another tree, next to it, had the same look, but it cast no shadow at all.
Slowly, fear started building up in me.
I went to check the black moss, but before I had the chance I heard a voice I could recognize in the distance.
"Alex! Come out!"
Lara shouted, but in a gentle tone. Almost too gentle for her.
My eyes widened slightly as I turned back instantly towards the voice, but as soon as I got to where the voice first appeared, I heard it again, but more in the distance now.
I grew more suspicious of this. It repeated the same lines, with a tone that doesn't even sound like Lara. It was most likely a trap.
But, I already fell for it.
A shadowy figure charged at me through the wide gaps between the trees, and I barely noticed it.
I drew my sword quickly and focused on it solely. But, without even realizing, there was more charging at me from multiple directions.
I took a quick look and I was already surrounded by them. They numbered almost twenty. Each one of them was charging at me with a horrific amount of speed.
Shivers ran down my spine as I tried to think of something, but I couldn't. I was too late. All of them encircled me before I had the chance to even draw my sword.
"Shit!" I cursed loudly.
Then suddenly, the same light that Ros used as a torch to guide us in the dark appeared in front of me. My vision went dark as the light went directly through my head.
"... up!" A muffled voice came from nearby.
"Wake.. up!" Lara shouted at me, slapping me directly on my face.
I was on the stone ground, Lara was staring at me as she was pouring healing magic over me.
I shifted my gaze and noticed Ros fighting the same figures I saw.
I instantly snapped back to reality, but the memory of the fake Lara flashed back in my head.
"Are you real?" I asked Lara as I stared into her wheat colored eyes,
"Do you need me to slap you again?" Lara answered. This time, I knew this was her by her tone.
I hesitated slightly, but I still got up back on my feet and drew my sword quickly as I stepped to take Ros' position. He is a Support, after all.