Ch.2: labyrinth (1)
“We can’t relax, if the monsters don't follow that means there is something more dangerous here.”
“But that also means it is the only thing here.”
For the first time in our encounter, the weeb spoke.
“Good, I thought you might have been mute I didn't hear you the whole time.”
“I spoke when you dragged me here?”
“Oh yeah, you’re welcome for that.”
Ether for the first time in a long time finally smiled but this was not a simple smile but rather a mischievous grin.
This of course is not what he intended but years of suppressing his emotions made it difficult to express emotions similar to a newborn child.
“That's not… never mind. Why did you drag me with you?”
“Two reasons. One, you’re a fellow human.”
Finally, away from prying eyes, Ether was comfortable enough to take off the hood of his robe.
“Second I’m smart but I'm not as… ‘interested’ in fantasy and I was hoping you would know, as you seem like someone who would know this type of thing”
“That’s a fancy way of insulting me”
“Well do you have any idea what is going on”
“Give me a second to think”
A few moments of silence passed that were defining to Ether as it left him alone with his thoughts some far darker than the first, thankful it was interrupted.
“The only thing I can think of that’s like this is a manhwa where they were isakaied to a dungeon where when they beat the final boss they go to an actual world. But that dungeon was relatively small not, you know, a whole world”
“Stop, keep it to yourself no need to lore dump tell me how they escaped and survived”
“They found an area in the dungeon with sunlight farmed, ate monsters I think? Leveled up, got classes, and were vigilant against murderers, oh and the field had water. As for how they escaped I said it earlier they killed the final boss I don't know what that would be here though”
“So they got lucky. Okay, do you know what this labyrinth is?”
“Not exactly but there's only one that comes to mind the one with the Minotaur”
This whole time Silvia had been silent and the first thing that came out of her mouth was.
“*yawn* Ether”
“Yeah”
Ether turned around and saw Silvia beckoning him to come closer so he did, once he reached her he got on one knee to be at eye level out of habit.
“What is it”
In a moment she went from in front of Ether to his back and got on him.
“ tired, carry me”
With a defeated sigh he spoke in a similar tone.
“Fine”
But the truth is she weighed a ton but just like his mother, if he said a word he’d be dead in an instant, if he was lucky, so he kept his mouth shut. She seems to be sleeping. However, she was unnaturally still if one saw the sight the creature would seem dead. The only reason Ether knew she was alive was because he could feel her heart beating with his back.
“What exactly is your relationship to the werewolf”
“Honestly I don't know we met moments ago. Also, she’s blind figured you should know because we're traveling together”
“Traveling?”
“Yes, unless you want to go at it alone”
It looked like he was thinking for a bit before responding.
“You make a good point, what should we do first?”
“Find a place to sleep hopefully one where monsters don’t or can’t approach”
“Shouldn’t we level up?”
“If we don’t have a place to stay and rest we will die. No matter how strong you are, mental endurance can’t be substituted I know from experience.”
“… whatever, where should we go”
“I'm open to ideas”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
For a moment the weeb looked around and there were multiple paths one of which was where we came from. After that moment he stopped in front of one path leading the way we came.
“This way.”
“Are you an idiot? That’s where we came from”
“Trust me I got a good feeling we missed something”
“… give me a reason to”
“If I remember correctly the Labyrinth of the Minotaur, aka the Labyrinth of Daedalus Changes paths. I was interested in the subject so I studied to see if I could figure out how to get out in case I got isekaied”
“???… you realize how unlikely that is right?”
“Well where are we right now “
“Give me something more than trust me”
“Uhhh….wait I got it statues… here look at my trait”
When he spoke he flipped his status window showing his stats, traits, and the rest
Name: Hexomega-35 Height: 5,8
Age:17. Race: Human
Class:(none) [more]
Intelligence Strength
10 13
Magic Agility
10 12
Luck Endurance
32 12
[terrible only useful as a meat shield]
Traits
Foresight (epic rank)- (its effects are limited by your level)
Gives the user a good gut feeling about things.
(this is the only reason to keep him around (also what you need to get out of the labyrinth). Unfortunately, there is no way to take it for yourself…yet)
Ability
(None Why would they? Their knowledge and traits are the only things worth talking about so STOP PAYING ATTENTION TO THEM and worship me :)
Bio
(you already read this, why read it again? Did you forget? Let me check that brain of yours )
`you stay out of there that stuff’s personal don't mess with it’
In a moment a giant headache struck like a migraine.
(what do we have here)
I didn't hear it but thought it as if it were my thoughts.
(RAM (Recently accessed memories) let’s see here)
Again I thought thoughts that were not mine and this time received information that I didn't know.
(Silvia, hex I guess you do remember, maze, Ra (that's not me I don't have an animal head), sister? What’s that about? Let's see…)
For a moment the headache lessened then disappeared altogether.
Bio
(what the hell is wrong with your sister? I know it's rich coming from me. Murdering my mother and all, but still, even I wouldn’t do that. I don’t know how to respond to this. *pat pat* you’ve been through enough… for now ;)
`must have seen a bad moment’
Bio
(if that thing had good moments then there is hope for even the devil… there’s nothing else to see go)
`I guess this thing will eventually enter my head again’
After that weird interaction that only lasted a few seconds, Ether reoriented himself to the real conversation.
“*sigh* fine we’ll go your way”
Before they started moving Ether placed the small daggers he stole from Hex into the ground as a landmark.
“Well don’t fall behind”
With that said he started running down the path and Ether followed with Silvia sleeping on his back.
As the weeb described the path had changed, rights are lefts, lefts are forwards, and forwards are right.
Ether wasn't too confident in Hex’s approach even more so when he saw a familiar sight, the dagger
`may pass through the same place multiple times don’t judge yet’
Then he saw it again, and again he had to say something there is no way this was the right path.
“WAIT!!”
Ether shouted as he stopped even with this Silvia was as still as the moment she slept. To elaborate on his point he spoke again
“We are going in circles we passed this dagger 3 times now”
“What??? We never passed that”
“Yes we did”
“Nu-uh”
Hex, clearly not wanting to admit he was wrong, shook his head vigorously from side to side.
“The hell you mean nu uh”
“No”
Still shaking his head while speaking
“*sigh* whatever tell me if you know this maze as well as you claim following the path to get out of here would we ever cross the same place more than once”
“No”
“Then how did we pass this place multiple times”
“We didn't”
Not being able to accept he’s wrong gives Ether the want nay the need to kill him. But he has a good trait that should get them out of here. Taking a deep breath in and out he finally responded
“I… Believe… you have tunnel vision and you believe you are correct only based on your perspective leading to this. The reason for your information being wrong is that the labyrinth here is different from the one you studied. I can assume this by…”
“Stop stop I get it your right I’m wrong just… please, don't lecture me on my faults”
`Then how will you improve’
“So I’m wrong, how do you propose we get out”
“Give me a minute to think”
“???”
`there is no way I can get us out on my own. And with the walls changing there is no way I can follow the left wall eventually it will be mixed unless we’re lucky. Wait that's it’
“Okay Hex, I got it but you will need to use your trait to its extent”
“Hex?”
“Quick name for you”
“Oh… that's not my name my name is ($$&&!?,()),:,?&)… wait can I not say it?”
Ether assumed he was trying to say a name but all that came out was static, incoherent words, and gibberish.
“I guess not? …anyways your abil… I mean that trait lets you have a good gut feeling right?”
“Right”
“Have you used it actively?”
“No, but I did guess you were human because of a gut feeling…”
“So it has been correct, so we are going to rely on that. Do the same thing you were doing, but, this time only follow your gut, not your brain. If it works we’ll be out and we can start this adventure correctly.”
With that said Ether pulled the dagger from the ground and the newly formed party advanced to what they hope is the exit
————————————
1,000,000 that’s the total number of people that died in spawn.
`I feel like a failure. I might get leniency as this is my first time but never in the history of dungeon managers has anyone lost this many in one day. All I can do is watch and pray, But I doubt that any God could hear me. Well might as well try’
Chaos the lesser deity got on his knees before taking the proper praying form and prayed
“Dear God whichever one of you could hear me I need help or guidance no matter who took this challenge no one would succeed so I ask for help in this endeavor from anyone who hears”
“Chaos is that you what’s wrong”
The voice heard was one he knew all too well, Aurelya. Chaos quickly canceled his prayer and stood back up.
`figures I can't reach anyone oh well I guess I'm on my own. Is there anything I could do to help them?’
Chaos searched frantically for an answer mostly with his cram cards likely the only reason he got a degree.
Chaos cram card
The storms mercy
A spell that only gods can cast makes an area at the center of the storm where living things can enter and leave with the god's blessing
Important: different for each domain and takes a week to cast
This spell was normally meant to be used to protect a village or something but Chaos had the idea to use it to gather survivors.
`but that just puts them together not solving the problem and it could also lead to mass murder that’s not good’
Chaos continued looking until he remembered the domain of Chaos’s unique abilities.
Chaos cram card
Waking anomalies
Gods of the domain of chaos can make dungeon anomalies of their own
Important: this has limits and can be both beneficial and harmful
As stated when he learned of his domain it implied only greater deities ones with names could do this, however, since he is the first of chaos there is no knowing whether it’s true or not as such the only way to find out is through trial and error.
Chaos started to experiment with this ability he couldn’t remove but he could add the only idea he had was to make safe zones to save as many people as he could all for his promotion.
