Everyone froze.
Not out of simple fear.
This was something deeper. Something primal and instinctual, like their bodies had recognized danger before their minds could even understand what was happening.
The sparks coalesced into the shape of a man.
He wore simple black dress shoes and black pants. Over a white undershirt sat a long velvet red sport coat with trailing tails that hung pristine behind him, as if dirt would not dare approach. White gloves covered his hands, and a long black cane with a golden ball at the top rested lightly in his grip.
On his head sat a small black top hat with a red stripe around the middle, gray hair peeking from beneath it.
His face was covered by a simple theater mask.
Three crescent-shaped holes marked the eyes and mouth, all carved into the same smiling expression. The porcelain grin was bright and cheerful.
But despite the dungeon's light, the mask's eyes and mouth let nothing in.
No detail.
No reflection.
Nothing.
They were less like openings and more like abysses pretending to be a face.
The figure did not even turn to look at them.
He simply walked down the tunnel, casually humming a simple tune.
The tapping of his cane struck the floor.
Tap.
Aiden's legs buckled.
Tap.
The others collapsed with him.
Tap.
All of them fell into something almost like a bow as the figure walked between them.
He passed behind them.
None of them dared to look.
Aiden's heart beat so fast he thought he was moments away from a heart attack. He could not move. Could not think. Will tried to yell something inside his head, but a primal part of Aiden's mind roared one message over and over again.
Do not move.
Do not breathe.
Do not be noticed.
They could not see where the man was.
All they could hear was the tapping of his cane.
Each tap echoed along the walls. Louder and louder, as if distance itself was nothing more than a toy in the man's hands.
The sound grew so loud that Aiden's ears hurt.
Every part of him screamed to ignore it.
Stay still.
Stay silent.
Survive.
How long had they been bowing?
Days?
Months?
Centuries?
Time stopped mattering.
Aiden's mind flashed with images he had never seen but somehow knew.
Kingdoms left empty, as if they had never been inhabited.
Dragon lairs reduced to craters on a whim.
Castles standing untouched, their people gone.
The sight of the man returning filled Aiden with a guttural dread so deep it felt like it had been carved into his bones.
The man walked past them again.
He did not spare them a glance.
He simply continued toward the exit, still humming to himself.
Then he left.
Aiden's head pounded.
Only then did he realize he had been holding his breath.
Like a tower of blocks collapsing, everyone fell fully to the ground, gasping for air.
They lay there for a time.
Minutes.
Hours.
Weeks.
For all Aiden knew, it could have been any of them.
"H-how is…" Jax gasped after a while. "What was… huh?"
Everyone slowly sat up.
Aiden turned toward Jax.
His fur was matted with sweat.
Aiden looked down at himself and realized his own clothes were soaked through with frigid sweat. Everyone else looked the same.
Selene shakily passed around a waterskin, and they all took turns sipping from it while sitting in the front hallway.
"What do we even do about—" Kaelen started.
"Nope," Liora cut in. "No. We are not talking about it yet. We are going to sit here in silence and think."
So they did.
For a while, they just sat there.
Breathing.
Taking small sips of water.
Trying to convince their bodies that they were not still about to die.
Eventually, Aiden silently stood.
He began walking down the hall.
No one stopped him.
He returned to the room they had been in before. Nothing seemed to have changed. The console still sat open to the same menu he had been looking at.
But as Aiden walked through, he noticed something.
The pods that had once housed the automatons were empty.
There was no sign of struggle.
No broken pieces.
No scorch marks.
No sounds of combat.
Just silent eradication.
Aiden walked to the console and looked at the options.
Notes Log - Last Entry Updated 2 Hours Ago
Production List
Higher Clearance Login
He sucked in a sharp breath.
With a shaking finger, he opened the notes log.
Naughty, naughty.
Don't you know some information is dangerous to know?
Aiden's hand moved before he could even command it.
His spear flashed out.
The point pierced the console, destroying whatever data remained inside in a burst of sparks and metal flakes.
Aiden drew the spear back with a shaky breath.
Then he turned away from the room.
The chests near the door remained untouched.
Silently, Aiden walked over to them and opened the first one.
Inside was a belt.
It seemed simple at first, made of leather with a strange array of gears on the front. A small handle was attached to it, like a pull cord used to start an engine.
Aiden lifted the item.
A System window appeared.
Clockwork Coil (E)
A simple belt made of leather and bronzite.
This belt's pull cord can force your nervous system into high gear for 1 minute.
During this time, you move faster and gain greater control over your movements.
While this belt is active, taking lightning damage may cause the belt to short circuit, ending the effect early and causing your body to become sluggish and unresponsive for a time.
Another System screen appeared.
Aiden was sure the others saw it too.
But the message felt oddly hollow.
You have found one of the dungeon items.
Item: Clockwork Coil (E)
The dungeon remains silent, as no enemies remain to oppose you.
Aiden turned silently to the second item.
It was a simple cube made of components, lusterless iron, and bronzite. Runes were carved into the different faces of the cube.
He picked it up and looked it over.
Memory Cube (E)
A simple cube made of iron and bronzite.
This cube has two functions:
Scan
When used next to a construct, the cube will open and float around the construct to scan it, then report information about the target.
Repair
If the construct is damaged, the cube will provide a summary of what is wrong, as well as what is needed to repair it.
Once again, the System rang out with its lonely message.
You have found one of the dungeon items.
Item: Memory Cube (E)
The dungeon remains silent, as no enemies remain to oppose you.
Aiden walked out of the room.
The others had spread out in silence.
Selene was walking down the hallway they had not explored yet. The others searched quietly as well.
Aiden could have helped explore.
But a strange moroseness had settled over him.
He walked back to the entrance and sat down in the hallway.
For a moment, he sat alone.
Then the System appeared again.
Party member Kaelen has found one of the dungeon items.
Item: Skillbook - Quick Fix (E)
The dungeon remains silent, as no enemies remain to oppose them.
Several seconds passed.
Then the final message appeared.
Party member Selene has found one of the dungeon items.
Item: Clockwork Steed
The dungeon remains silent, as no enemies remain to oppose them.
You have found all dungeon items, and no enemies remain.
You have cleared the dungeon.
Your party will be teleported back to the entrance as the dungeon closes.
A few seconds later, their bodies dissolved into sparks.
They reappeared in the kitchen of Tanis Farm.
Ms. Tanis sat silently at her table.
She was pale.
The quest payment sat on the table in front of them.
Liora silently walked over and took the three hundred gold.
Aiden turned and headed outside to start the vehicle.
In a strange way, Sir Oinks-a-Lot was asleep in the passenger seat, completely unaware of the walking natural disaster they had survived.
Aiden started the vehicle.
The System appeared with their experience.
You have cleared the entirety of the Vault of the Mad Mage.
+25,000 XP
You have acquired the first of the dungeon items.
+5,000 XP
You have acquired the second of the dungeon items.
+5,000 XP
You have acquired the third of the dungeon items.
+5,000 XP
You have acquired the fourth of the dungeon items.
+5,000 XP
No dungeon monsters remain.
+5,000 XP
CONGRATULATIONS
Dungeon Progress: 100%
MVP: Red - Killed all dungeon monsters.
Level up.
9 -> 11
HP 26 -> 30
MP 72 -> 78
Congratulations.
You have reached Level 10.
Pick from the skills below:
Potion Storage Kit (E)
Advanced Brewing (E)
Elixir of Resilience (E)
Aiden minimized the window.
He was not willing to pick anything right now.
One by one, the others silently climbed into the vehicle.
Normally, there would have been an argument over the front seat and who got it.
Nobody argued.
Thalia climbed into the front, picked up Sir Oinks-a-Lot, and hugged the little hog tightly.
Sir Oinks-a-Lot stirred, clearly unsure what had happened while he was asleep. Still, he gave a small squeal and nuzzled against Thalia.
Nobody said a word.
Aiden pulled away from the farm gates.
The vehicle rolled back onto the road, and they continued toward Rookburg in silence.