NOVEL NEXT Chapter 46: Forgotten Sinner – Part 1
Lilia froze as the realization dawned on her. These ancient catacombs were nearly identical in layout to the one of the most notoriously difficult dungeons in Endless Fantasy. But how could that be possible? This real-world site had been buried for centuries, long before the game existed.
Unease trickled down Lilia's spine. In-game, the Tomb was infested with deadly undead monsters and deadly traps awaiting any unwary adventurers. Yet so far, their expedition had encountered nothing but empty tunnels. Was it mere coincidence that the dungeon's design mirrored these ruins? Or was there some deeper significance she was missing?
Lilia tensed as the group ventured deeper into the shadowy passages. If this place truly followed the game's layout, they could be in mortal danger. Back when she played Endless Fantasy, most players considered the Tomb impossible to conquer alone due to its sheer scope and brutal scaling mechanics that scaled players down to match the dungeon's level. After months of determined attempts, Lilia had finally succeeded in soloing the dungeon, one of her proudest achievements.
Yet there was still something amiss. In the game, they would have encountered at least some monster patrols by now. But aside from ominously carved walls and piled bones, the catacombs appeared abandoned. Perhaps the dungeon was simply empty in reality?
As Lilia pondered their eerie circumstances, Professor Rossi paused to examine an arched stone doorway carved with disturbing symbols.
"Fascinating," he murmured. "Clearly designed to ward against unwanted intruders."
To Lilia's practiced eye, it resembled the Gate of Despair that marked the dungeon's entrance in-game. An unpleasant prickle crawled across her skin as they passed through the carved archway unimpeded. She half-expected spectral guardians to materialize and attack, yet still only silence greeted them.
Further ahead, the tunnel opened into a larger chamber with high vaulted ceilings shrouded in shadow. Lilia's breath caught in her throat. She recognized this antechamber and the intricate runes adorning the walls. This was the room where Endless Fantasy players had to pass a series of harrowing occult trials to unlock the final sealed door.
Professor Rossi shone his flashlight around the chamber in awe. "Incredible...look at the complexity of these carvings! This must have been a ritual site of great importance."
He approached one of the carved walls, peering closely at the unnerving symbols. "Doctor Moretti, come look at this! Have you ever seen iconography quite like it?"
The female researcher joined him, a deep furrow between her brows as she studied the markings. "No...this dialect is unfamiliar to me. The symbology almost seems...archaic, primordial in nature." A troubled expression crossed her face.
Lilia shifted uneasily as the researchers debated the cryptic carvings. Every room they explored aligned flawlessly with her memory of the virtual dungeon. Yet where were the occult puzzles and deadly traps that had stymied players for so long?
The deeper they delved without incident, the more Lilia's disquiet grew. She traced her fingers over cold stone, straining to understand this impossible familiarity.
They came to a fork where the passage diverged. Both options stirred that same instinctual recognition within Lilia, but oddly the left tunnel seemed to call to her senses.
"This way," she said decisively, nodding to the left. The others shared uneasy looks but followed without protest. Cardinal Ricci and Father Giovanni took up the rear, palms resting warily on hidden relic in case Lilia's guidance proved ill-advised.
As they navigated the shadowy left-hand passage, Lilia's apprehension only mounted. She distinctly recalled this route leading to the lair of the dungeon's boss monster. What would they find at the end of these buried halls?
Rounding a corner, the group suddenly halted at the sight of thick iron spikes protruding from the floor ahead. Rusted gears and pressure plates embedded in the stone showed this was once an elaborate trap. Lilia let out a small breath of relief. This hazard she recognized from the game, though time had clearly rendered it inoperable.
"My word!" Professor Rossi exclaimed. "We'll need to exercise great care. There may be other mechanisms still active deeper within."
Cardinal Ricci eyed the spikes warily. "Can we be certain this trap is fully disabled?"
Father Giovanni nodded. "It seems age has caused the gears to seize up. But we should still proceed cautiously in case other devices remain."
Together, they navigated gingerly around the immobilized trap. As they walked, Akari spoke in a lowered voice meant only for Lilia.
"Your familiarity with this place is...concerning," she murmured. "Yet you have led us ably so far without incident. I am unsure what to make of it."
Lilia offered a faint, reassuring smile. "I wish I could explain it myself. For now, please trust me that I only want to see this expedition safely concluded."
Akari studied her silently before giving a small nod. Lilia let out a breath. Having Akari's trust, cautious though it may be, was a relief.
Soon the passage opened into a massive chamber shrouded in gloom. As Father Giovanni swept his flashlight beam through the darkness, Lilia's chest tightened. Rows of worn stone benches surrounded a raised dais with channels etched into the rock for drainage - an altar. Heavy rusted chains lay discarded on the ground. This was where the lich had awaited challengers in Endless Fantasy.
The group spread out to explore the expansive room. Cardinal Ricci's sharp eyes settled on something at the chamber's far end.
"There's an inscription here," he called out. "It seems to be a plaque of some kind."
Lilia tensed. No such plaque had existed in the game. She joined the others crowded around the engraved slab, pulse racing as she read the ancient script:
"Let this prison stand eternal, warding the world above from the sins of the firstborn who dared defy the divine will. Herein lies the origin of wickedness, the great deceiver, the first sinner."
An uneasy silence followed the revelation. Doctor Moretti finally spoke, her voice hushed. "If these words are true...might this have been where the fallen angel was first imprisoned?"
The researchers shifted and murmured uneasily amongst themselves. Lilia frowned in consternation. Lucifer? She knew nothing of the figure beyond mythic tales.
Clearly, the reality of these ruins somehow both aligned with and diverged from the Endless Fantasy dungeon. But to what purpose? The questions in Lilia's mind only multiplied, defying all logic.
For now, she kept her turmoil carefully concealed. The others seemed disturbed enough by implications she barely grasped herself. Provoking further superstition would not aid matters.
The researchers spread out to meticulously document every inch of the expansive chamber. Professor Rossi and his assistant took rubbings of the intricate carvings adorning the walls and dais. Meanwhile, Doctor Moretti scanned the area with a strange instrument, monitoring for any anomalous energy readings.
Lilia stood back watching them work, muscles tensed in anticipation of threats that never materialized. This entire situation felt like some elaborate prank orchestrated by someone to test her somehow. Yet the researchers' fascination seemed genuine, oblivious to how eerily the ruins aligned with the game.
After nearly an hour of thorough analysis, Enrico called out excitedly. "Professor, come look! I found something by the altar."
The group hurried over to where the assistant was brushing dirt from a heavy stone lid. Together, Enrico and Professor Rossi pried open the container, coughing at the puff of disturbed dust.
Nestled within the ornate box lay an assortment of items - a dagger with a crystalline blade, a silver chalice studded with gems, and a metal amulet carved with spidery runes. Lilia's breath caught. She recognized these relics instantly. In the game, they were rare drops from the dungeon's monsters.
Doctor Moretti gingerly lifted the dagger, scrutinizing the odd pulsating material. "Remarkable...this mineral almost appears to be imbued with energy." She carefully set it back down, looking troubled. "I advise we handle these objects minimally. The latent power I'm detecting feels...volatile, dangerous even."
Professor Rossi frowned, leaning closer to examine the artifacts. "Yes, you're quite right, Claudia. There's something unsettling about these relics I can't quite place." He glanced up at Lilia uncertainly. "Perhaps our occult expert from the Bureau could shed some light?"
Lilia tensed, unprepared for being put on the spot regarding items that shouldn't exist. She stalled, pretending to scrutinize the relics closely. "I can indeed sense dark magical energy from these artifacts," she said vaguely. Technically true, though her knowledge came from the game, not actual expertise.
"The dagger is a tool capable of inflicting blindness on anyone unlucky to be on the receiving end of the blade," Lilia explained, relying wholly on the item's lore. She pointed to the amulet. "And that was most likely used by the cult to corrupt minds."
Lilia worried that at any moment they would see through her bluff, that her knowledge merely came from a game rather than legitimate source as they believed. But the researchers merely looked intrigued by her descriptions, oblivious to their true origins.
"Incredible!" Professor Rossi exclaimed. "Your knowledge exceeds anything in our records."
Doctor Moretti nodded thoughtfully. "It makes sense these cultists would utilize such artifacts."
Lilia suppressed a sigh of relief at their acceptance. At Cardinal Ricci's insistence, she carefully gathered the unsettling relics and placed them in a blessed container prepared specifically for such items. Their expedition could continue without risk of tampering with forces they did not comprehend.
After nearly three hours of exhaustive analysis, Professor Rossi decided they had gleaned all possible insights from this first chamber. "I believe we are ready to catalogue the adjoining areas now," he declared, looking pleased with their work so far.
Lilia tensed. She had hoped to conclude their exploration here but knew arguing further would lead her nowhere. They would most likely assume that as a demon she was trying to hide something. As they ventured back into the shadowy tunnels, she kept her senses on high alert for any signs of danger.
They navigated a route avoided earlier in favour of the one Lilia had chosen more intuitively. As they delved deeper, the oppressive atmosphere returned. Lilia's skin crawled as she sensed they were not alone down in this forgotten darkness.
Rounding a corner, the group halted abruptly. Lilia's blood turned to ice. Lumbering down the passage toward them was a massive golem sentry construct, its stone body covered in glowing runes. This was the optional mini-boss players could encounter in the dungeon. Damaged cracks marred the sentry's frame, either from age or some ancient battle. Yet it clearly remained active, mega-ton fists swinging ponderously at its sides.
The researchers backpedalled in alarm as the stone behemoth detected their presence. Its cavernous eye sockets flared crimson, ancient mechanisms groaning as it turned to confront the trespassers.
The panicked researchers looked to her, the "demoness" clearly most adept at handling occult threats in their minds. Lilia steeled herself. She would have to face the lumbering sentry alone.
Lilia's mind raced, calculating their odds. This particular mini-boss had devastating area attacks, but low speed. If they retreated cautiously while pelting it with spells from a distance, victory was achievable without casualties.
Just as Lilia was about to explain the strategy, a massive fist swung directly at Father Giovanni. The priest crossed his arms desperately, bracing for the impact. In the split second before it struck, she traced a swift sigil in the air, channelling her power into a shimmering barrier.
The giant fist slammed into the magical shield, the force of the blow knocking Lilia back a step but protecting Father Giovanni from harm. As the priest stared at her with wide eyes, Lilia felt the glamour concealing her true nature fade away.
With the spell dissipating her illusion, Lilia's demonic features were now fully revealed to the expedition members. The researchers gasped, stunned to see the young woman's true monstrous visage.
Though they had known that she was a demon, seeing the physical proof was clearly a shock. But Lilia had no time to worry about their reactions now. As the stone golem reared back ponderously for another blow, she shouted urgently, "Run! Get back to the entrance quickly!"
The researchers hesitated only a moment before heeding her warning and fleeing down the passageway. Lilia followed close behind, warily watching their lumbering pursuer. She knew with the golem's size, outrunning it would be impossible. They would have to make a stand somehow or perish in these lightless catacombs.