Parallel (A Virtual Gamer's Story) [Vol.1 - Vol.4 Complete]

Chapter 57: Suvron's Lair

Beneath Suvron's Pass.

27th Mazem, 1092.

Kashi led his party to the end of the abyss, which turned out to be a rock expanse roughly the width of a house that rose beyond the 'black zone'. He placed his hand on the rock-face and then frowned.

"It's a dead-end," Hektor muttered.

Kashi shook his head. "That's what I thought too." He stepped back and released a multitude of magelights. They lit up the 'wall,' and Hektor balked.

A straight 'gash' set in the middle ran as high as the eye could see. Separate gashes arched off both ends of the wall to meet beyond the 'black zone.'

It was clear this was a door. But this begged the question: How large was the rest of the building? And more importantly: What being needed doors this large?

Kashi punched the door and then placed his ear against it. He shared a worried look with Kira, who shook her head.

"What? What's up?" Hektor demanded an answer. He hated being the only one not in the know.

"We can't breach it," replied Kashi. "It's far too thick. I'd wager a meter at the least."

Hektor cursed. "How do we get in then? Unless you wanna turn back?"

The daeben flashed a knowing grin. "No, we're in the right place. You smell that?"

Hektor sniffed the air as hard he could. "Don't smell nothing."

"Sorry, I forgot." Kashi reminded himself that not everyone was crazy enough to specifically train their sense of smell. "Anyway, we're good where we are. We just have to wait for a bit. It should open any second now."

"How're you so sure."

"Well, becau-" Kashi stopped talking and readied his bow. "Ready your sword. They're coming."

"Eh? Wh-" Hektor's words died in his throat. He readied his sword as the trio stepped away from the wall, which had begun to slide open.

Surprisingly there were no accompanying noises from the gears or the door itself. It was no wonder they had not heard a sound throughout their brief stay in the abyss.

Kashi did not have time to ponder how the machine worked, because as soon as the gap was wide enough for a man to squeeze through, a beast rushed out at them.

Short but terrible, it resembled a bi-pedal cross between an ant and a rat. It sported two giant funnel-like ears, with orange beady eyes. Its skin, like most other monsters down there, was layered with a hard material. Its armor was blue, and the extra armor down its middle was dirt-brown. It was an interesting color palette for a being of the darkness.

He rewarded the enthusiastic prey with an arrow to the temple. Hektor finished it off, and Kira gouged as much of it as she could before the next came.

Probably because of its size, the door opened at a snail's pace.

The trio was glad for this as it forced the monsters to come at them one or two at a time, which made it easy to dispatch them.