《How To Beat The Dungeon Boss》


 What happened to Hezues?

    Hi Everyone,


    Goodday! Let me start by apologizing for the long hiatus.I was not quite myself back then so i decided to do some soul searching. Please go easy on me. I didnt mean to just disappear.


    Anyway, with the apology now out of the way, let me get to the major stuff.


    First of all, what happened to Hezues? The short of it was that he died. Well, his story at least. And it was all my fault. I got too overly ambitious with my writing and I ended up not being able to reconcile the plots together without creating too many plotholes. I erased the chapters too because I plan on using them in the future and integrate them into my current story. So, I really would like to apologize to those who got upset that I deleted the chapters. I wanted to take a step back and re-examine the story and deleting the chapters was part of the process. Which brings me to the second question--- what now?If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Well, during my soul searching, i researched on how to write properly. Self study. Nothing formal. And in my study, i discovered that inorder for me to succeed, i needed to plan out my story in advance. I learned that i needed to create a start, middle and end. I used to just wing it previously which resulted to me having a messed up story. I learned it the hard way. So now, I have a storyboard that I follow. I learned to simplify my plot and build a solid end goal for the story too. Anyway, I have a clear vision of the story now. This will still be Hezues, but he will have a new body, a new name, and a better story.


    Thank you all!


    P.S.


    My chapters will be short. 700 to 1000 words only. Each chapter comes out once a month. So, either you stick around or not for the story is purely up to you. I just want to write without any pressure. I wont pressure myself either like i did last time. Lesson learned. </img>">

 Prologue

    P R O L O G U E


    It was quiet now. Echoes of steel clashing against steel had long since abandoned this place. It was here, at the pits of the Wailing Mountain; the place where the last alliance of Gaians, Ethliris, Labrans and the Hexarachs all fought valiantly, side by side, against the terrible forces of Bakunawa--- the Tyrant of the Shades.


    It was the clash that ended all clashes. Two million Es Gians went tooth for tooth against the deathly horde of five hundred thousand.


    While it was true that Bakunawa''s forces were far fewer, their ferocity was enough to destroy an entire continent. Akin to merciless death machines, a single Shade was more than enough to cull twenty men at once. Their wickedness were unparalleled.


    Despite their fears, however, the Alliance weren''t deterred. Capitalizing on their collective strength, they were confident that their numbers would help them turn the tide of war.


    Unfortunately, hope was a deceitful double edged sword. The Alliance was foolish enough to hold-on to its fragile strength.


    At some point during the battle, just when victory was within the Alliance''s grasp, the Tyrant of the Shades let out its most malicious and most destructive spell yet. Tragedy struck as Infinite Black was finally unleashed into all four corners of the Desolate Lands. It drowned everyone in a sea of black blood.


    What came after it was nothing short of horrifying. In a blink of an eye, deadly droves of indestructible metallic onyx thorns, both gigantic and lithe, sprung out from deep underground. In mere seconds, a forest of spikes as tall as a hundred feet grew unprecedentedly. It devoured the entire pit and the whole of Wailing Mountain with its monstrosity. The deathly thorns shredded everything in its path, living or otherwise. None escaped its murderous grasp. Blood, screams and disfigured bodies were strewn all over the place. Mercy was given to no one. Even the Tyrants own weren''t spared.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    With a strike so powerful, all that were present inside the epicenter died under Bakunawas hands instantly.


    All...


    but one.


    Defying the impossible, King Fenris had beaten the odds. The high monarch denied death during that short period of time.


    Split second before Infinite Black was released, using the last of his aetherium, King Fenris shielded himself with a seven layered light barrier. The multi-reinforced borg protected his body from the ravages of the thorns while he simultaneously summoned theSecret Light ofLuminares unto his blade.


    As a caster himself, Fenris knew that once Bakunawa would cast a world tier spell, its aetherium reserve would be spent entirely. By then, the Tyrant would be at his weakest. Without any aetherium left to support its body, Bakunawa would be vulnerable. The recoil upon completing the spell would debilitate the caster, and that was just the perfect window of opportunity that the king had waited for.


    Fenris wasted no time. He quickly drew Neverfall, flew to where Bakunawa was, and struck the ArchLich down with all his strength. It all happened in a blink of an eye. From Bakunawas left shoulder, the king slid his secret lightimbued blade all the way down to its left pelvis. Cleanly, Neverfall sliced through the Tyrant¡¯s armored body as if it was cutting down mere air. By then, the Tyrant¡¯s fate was sealed.


    In the year 528 of the Evanil calendar, Bakunawa, the enemy of the people of Gran Es Gia, was defeated.


    Fenris, King of Atlas, along with the rest of the Alliance, ended the long and exhausting thousand year war. They achieved the peace that the people of Gran Es Gia had wished for. And although millions of lives were sacrificed, they were not spent in vain. Thanks to them, evil was finally vanquished that day. However, peace didn¡¯t last long.


    Days became months. Months became years. Seasons flipped from winter to spring, then from summer to fall. Nature slowly took over the once war riddled Wailing Mountain. And there, once again, right at the deepest part of the pit, where all life was once believed to have been extinguished, some old powers were suddenly reawakened. It all started with the mischief of one Ashvali, a book and the lone Shade who was woken by it.


    The wheels of war was turning yet anew.

 One

    O N E


    Guardians of the forest; that was what Weeru-weerus were known as. They were peace loving tree herders which were neutral from any factions that they even chose not to participate during the subjugation of Bakunawa five hundred years ago.


    It has been said that only those who were attuned to the green aetherium could see the weerus, otherwise, these lurkers of the woodlands were mostly invisible to the naked eyes. Hermits by nature, they were beings that seldom interact with normal people; generally shy, aloof, but were mostly curious little forest dwellers. So, imagine the look on everyone¡¯s faces when they saw not just one weeru-weeru, but two of them walking down very casually along the halls of Pragma, the headquarters of the Seekers Conglomerate. The few people who were there couldn''t help but have a peek at the rare spectacle.


    ''What a tall weeru.'' Maya thought to herself.


    In her time as an active Trail Seeker, she had once ventured up to the far ends of Evlasca, the enchanted forest south of Atlas. She met a lot of weerus over the course of her travels, but she never once encountered a weeru as tall as this one in front of her now. From what she could remember, a weeru-weeru would only grow as tall as two or three feet at most. This weeru, however, towered its other companion next to it by almost four feet more. If Maya was to estimate its height, the creature should be around five feet and ten inches tall. A sort of giant by weeru-weerus standard.


    ''Hmnn.Shouldn''t a giant be a lot bigger...and bulkier though?''


    Maya quickly jogged her memory about an intel that she read more than half a decade ago. It was a forgotten report about the aberrant of Evlasca. The file mentioned that once every century, when the conditions were right, a giant Weeru would appear out of the branches of the sacred treeLiwayway. Born blessed by Kuoku, the Ashvali of Beginnings and mother to all Weeru-weerus, the favored one would grow as much as seven or eight feet tall. Distinctively, they also possess hulking frames, and each aberrant were born with the perfect aptitude to weave the green aetherium into their bodies, shaping raw energies of it into whatever form they pleased. It has been mentioned as well that most giant weerus were ten folds more powerful than the rest of its kin, making them geniuses in respect to employing the sacred Leaf Arts.


    "Greetings! I am Wicket of Edea. And right beside me is my companion Peeku of Loth. We bear an urgent query, would you be able to assist us?" said the tall weeru to the woman behind her desk at window twelve.


    Suddenly tongue tied, Maya had the strangest stupefied reaction one could ever express. Who wouldn''t be? The Weeru just unexpectedly spoke in an almost flawless Gaian intonation that only a handful of polished diplomat were capable of.


    ¡°Ahemn!¡± The woman forced a cough to quickly break her own trance.


    Primarily, Weeru-weerus relied on the language of the Winged to communicate. They chirp when they converse the way an ordinary Gaian would use words to express themselves; a learned skill since they often exchange words with avians on a daily basis more than any other creatures in the forest combined. So, imagine her surprise when this Weeru-weeru who introduced himself as Wicket, was even more fluent than her uncle Lucius could ever be. An irony considering that someone like her uncle who had lived for so long in Embarcadero could never pull off a decent Atlasee accent even if it was to save its own life. This tree herder, however, bested a Gaian in terms of pronunciation like it was nothing. The weeru easily captured the Atlasee accent flawlessly and effortlessly. A pretty wicked skill set for a walking tree bark, and Maya couldn''t help but be impressed.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    With her surprised expression slowly waning, Maya fixed her standard Seeker uniform, walked straight up to the counter and greeted her guest¡¯s formally. She bowed and offered her services immediately, letting out a toothy smile while ushering the two to sit down next to the two empty seats in front of her mahogany desk.


    "Thank you for having us." Started the one called Wicket."Our apologies but we would like to be direct. The two of us... we wish to become Seekers. Would you know of the way?"


    For a moment there, Maya thought that she heard the weeru wrong. Huh?Must theyjest?


    Scarcely, the weeru-weerus would only come out of seclusion when things get out of hand inside of their territory. They would come barreling down the mountain side if they needed help in dealing with stronger entities that would sometimes force their way into the weeru-weerus domain. When that happens, the weerus messenger would immediately journey to Pragma in order to seek the Conglomerate¡¯s aid. It happens rarely though. Very rarely. In a period of four hundred years, they must have employed the Conglomerates help for as many as three times only. Understandably so since weeru¡¯s don¡¯t involve themselves in fights. It was how they were raised and molded by the Ashavali of Beginnings.


    In fairness to these tree herders, it wasn¡¯t as iftheir race was incapable of fighting back. It was just that they have chosen not to. Especially if it involved inflicting harm against another creature. To them, it didn¡¯t matter whetherthe creatures were evil or not¡­ the weerus would simply refuse to have their hands sullied. The most they could do in terms of ¡®fighting¡¯ was to fog the entire forest. It was a tactic they normally employ to lead the intruders away from their home. If it gets worse though, that was when they hire people of certain skills like Maya to deal with their issues.


    Today''s request was rather different though. Their messenger¡¯s weren¡¯t there to hire the¡®swords¡¯of Pragma, but instead, they were there to challenge the Seekers Trial. An unprecedented act considering that there has never been a single instance where a weeru-weeru willfully applied for the Seekerhood, let alone a duo. If ever, this will be the first time in the entire history of Pragma for such an event to happen.


    ¡®So, they were serious about this, huh? Interesting. I guess these two are not afraid ofhaving their twigs inceneratedby fire.¡¯ Maya thought to herself as the tall weeru repeated the same question it had asked earlier.She forced a conservative smile out of her thin lips as an indirect answer.


    ¡°Come this way, please.¡± she continued. From Wicket, she turned her gaze unto Peeku. Her stare burrowed straight into the little one¡¯s innocent luminescent green eyes. ''Pity. Those magnificent orbs won''t stay that green for long.''


    A few seconds later, Maya had leisurely led her guests to whereher formal officewas.Clack Clack Clack!said her shoes. The sound echoed through the hallways everytimethepoint of her heels would hit the marbled flooring."Follow me inside."

 Two

    T W O


    ¡°Since we are pressed for time, there are two things that we need to address immediately. Right now, I will need both of your aetherium prints and eighty thousand ludra¡­ each.¡± Maya started. She held out her index and middle finger in front of the two as she itemized the things that she wanted.


    Immediately, confusion flooded Wicket¡¯s face. ¡°Pardon me, Miss. Not to be rude, but may I ask what those two things are for? I do have a general idea as to why you would need our aetherium prints for the trial. But eighty thousand ludra? That¡¯s a lot money you are asking. Is there a particular reason why you would require such a hefty sum? I wouldn¡¯t mind paying it if it is for a testing fee mandated by the Empire. However, I never heard of such a prerequisite. The announcement said that the Seekers Trial is free for anyone who wishes to take it. Again, my apologies, but I would need a little bit more of an explanation first. I believe my companion Peeku would be needing one too. I hope you understand.¡± Wicket said. He sounded a bit perplexed about the things that the girl had ask them to provide from the get go, so he could not help himself but ask.


    For someone like Wicket who lived most of his years in Edea, there were still a lot of things that he didn¡¯t quite understand about Gaians and their culture. Especially the ones that were not found in books. Weerus were known to be pretty gullible at times. It was in their nature. Most people would readily take advantage of their kind heartedness if they saw the opportunity. For all Wicket knew, this girl could be conning them with a straight face, fully aware of their races weakness.


    ¡°First of all, you may call me Maya. Don¡¯t be too formal now, okay? You may drop the honorifics. It¡¯s fine.¡± Sensing a little bit of tension, Maya decided to initiate with a friendly re-introduction instead. She happily served it with a smile as she caught on Wicket¡¯s facial register--- a suspecting one that is.


    ¡°I totally understand where you¡¯re coming from, and I¡¯m fine with that. You need not worry though. I will answer all of the questions with all honesty. No problem with that. The Conglomerate has nothing to hide. I can tell you anything that you need to know. In fact, regarding the aetherium prints, they are actually needed for the waivers. Here¡­ come closer and have a look. It will be easier to explain this by showing you.¡± Maya quickly laid out two large parchments right on top of her desk. The scrolls were in fact big enough to cover one third of the girl¡¯s entire table space. It looked quite expensive too. But no matter how nice looking it was, something didn¡¯t sit quite well with Wicket somehow. He might be reading this one wrong, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel that there was something devious about the contract. Did the scroll needed to be that big? Were there too many clause to write about that it required that much space?


    Wicket seemed to suspect a common contract con being notoriously practiced amongst Gaians. It was the kind of ¡®fine print¡¯ entrapment that he¡¯d usually hear about. Problem was, he needed to be a Seeker very badly. And although he was aware that there were risk involved, a gamble was necessary. If he¡¯d be too afraid to roll the dice, then he¡¯d never be able to achieve what he wanted to achieve in the first place. To desire all of the gains that the Seekerhood had to offer, he should be willing to pay the price no matter how high the cost may be.


    ¡°Before going to the testing site, both of you would need to sign these documents with your aetherium signature imprinted in it. The waiver is something of a safety net in the event that you¡¯ll accidentally hurt yourself during the trial. And yes, the trial is extremely dangerous. There¡¯s always a chance that you¡¯ll die during the course of the test. And we, at the Seekers Conglomerate will never answer for your death. It is beyond us. Period. If you would look under section one of the contract, there is a clause there of your willingness to participate; that no one forced or coerced you into joining the Seekers Trial by any means. That no one is to be blamed for your untimely demise but your own just in case your head gets severed off, for example. I hope both of you understand this premise perfectly, because if not, then we can all stop right here.¡± with a straight face, Maya explained the entire summary of the contract without even sugar coating it.


    Wicket paused for a bit and thought of the things that Maya had pointed out. He didn¡¯t want to die of course, nor drag Peeku with him. He debated with himself for minutes regarding it. Though in the end, after weighing what was important, Wicket responded with an affirmative nod. Peeku did the same. It seemed like the duo was actually prepared for the risks even before coming to Pragma. Maya just smiled back from their responses. She was more than happy to accept them.


    ¡°Right¡­ Now that I have explained the first part, allow me to explain the eighty thousand ludra and why it is crucial.¡± Maya paused for a bit and cleared her throat before proceeding. ¡°The last airship already departed from Pragma around three days ago along with the other three hundred eighty-eight delegates in tow. They are probably inside Crescent Island as we speak. Not to put any pressure on you both but twenty minutes from now, the trial will commence. That being said, there is simply no way for you lot to reach the testing site on time even with the fastest airship available in our hangar. That would be next to impossible.¡± Maya bared the facts straight to them. She made it sound dire than it already was.


    ¡°But worry not.¡± She quipped. ¡°I am a Trail Seeker after all and I know of a special way to get both of you there in under three seconds¡­ guaranteed! Keep in mind though that my services aren¡¯t for free. I don¡¯t work pro bono, my dear Sir¡¯s.¡± Maya playfully giggled when she mentioned that part.


    ¡°To explain further, I¡¯ll be using my own aetherium supply as fuel for your transportation. That is where your eighty thousand ludra each would be going. The method is simple and you probably have an idea already as to what I am planning to do. It is very risky, but I am Maya after all. Trail Seeker extraordinaire. I can manage. So, if you have the capacity to open your wallet, then I¡¯ll use my talent to help you. And again, please¡­ don¡¯t be pressured. I mean, it is perfectly okay for your tandem to miss the trial this year. If you do, then you¡¯ll have plenty of time to prepare for next year. So, don¡¯t think about it too much, okay?¡±


    ¡°Just a quick reminder though, the clock reads two forty-five in the afternoon. You have less than 15 minutes to decide before the trial starts. Let me know once you have decided.¡±


    No pressure, my bark. Wicket thought. Although, he needed more time to think things through, time was a luxury he could not afford at that moment. He had to decide right then and there, or else, he¡¯d potentially waste his entire year doing nothing.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any ludras with us right now but I do have a proposal to make. If it¡¯s alright with you, would two pieces of green aetherite suffice as payment instead of eighty thousand each?¡± Wicket bargained to the delight of Maya.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Like a jolt of sudden happiness, the girl responded straight away. Her eyes green with greed. ¡°Here¡¯s the contract. Let¡¯s get signing shall we? We don¡¯t have time.¡±


    The signing of the waiver was rather simple. One would simply need to place their dominant hand on the parchment and the enchanted document would manage itself. Basically, the enchantment on the parchment would read on the signee¡¯s aetherium quality, absorb that energy, and then convert that information into a print. The signature would appear like a burned seal and each signature imprint is unique from one person to another. No two prints would ever be alike since each signee would have their one of a kind aetherium thread.


    With the two fist sized green aetherite finally on her hands, Maya couldn¡¯t help but grin from ear to ear.


    ¡°Ahemn. We are done here. Shall we go then?¡± interrupted Wicket.


    With her musings cut short, Maya simply replied with a--- Right. Follow me to the right wing of the fortress. It¡¯s a short walk from here--- as an excuse. Her eyes though were still fixated onto the two shining aetherites.


    Just around the bend, they finally arrived at the place which Maya had described. They were welcomed by a gargantuan gate, with the carving of a giant tree on it. It was a magnificent piece of art that prompted Wicket to pause and look.


    Liwayway~. He whispered.


    Under normal circumstances, to swing a thirty meter high, twelve inch thick, steel framed mahogany door, the collective strength of four regular adult men were required. But not to Maya; it wasn''t. She''d able to do it on her own; fast and easy. That, even while wearing a revealing tight fitting gray pencil skirt, and three inches worth of stilettos in black.


    As Maya made a gap between the colossal door, a playful breeze suddenly slipped through the crack as she pulled the iron handles towards her chest. The two hulking rings attached to the door made a clunking sound as she let both of them go. Her wavy pink hair fluttered too as the rushing draft of air roughed up her every strand on its way out. The wind would have made a mess of the girl¡¯s crown, but it didn¡¯t get tousled up too much. It was all thanks to her gray beret. It kept her long locks in place for the most part.


    Walking past the entrance, Maya revealed a grand hallway enough for twenty sprawling villas to fit in. An amazing reveal for the two curious tree herders who were tailing just behind her.


    Looking up, the enchanted stained glass ceiling was something difficult to ignore. It was the first thing that would grab anyone¡¯s attention the second they¡¯d walked-in into the expansive hallway. Aside from allowing plenty of sunray to get in, the animated mural was there to retell the story of the Thousand Year War; how it was fought and how it ended. The stained glass ceiling moved frame by frame up to the part where a tiny man holding a holy sword slashed a giant black hooded figure to submission. After that, the moving pictures inside the stained glass cycled back once again from the beginning of the story.


    Over at each sides of the hallway, gigantic carved out figures in limestone acted like massive supporting columns for the entire hallway. Each carving represented a public figure that both weerus couldn¡¯t seem to recognize.


    ¡°They¡¯re the presidents of the conglomerate for the past five hundred years. Every last one of them are in here excluding the current head.¡± Maya looked over her shoulder and focused her glance towards the walking tiny shrub behind her. ¡°Just in case you wanted to ask¡­ Peeku.¡± She gave the tiny tree herder a wink for his doe-eyed curiosity.


    Who wouldn¡¯t be that amazed? For someone like Peeku, it was hard for him not to not gawk and be awestruck. Gaian architecture was something new to him and it floored him to no ends. There was simply nothing quite like it in Loth where he grew up.


    After a few uneventful minutes of unintentional sightseeing, the three finally reached the end of the hallway. They ended up in an oval room surrounded by five colossal monuments. The one in the middle amongst the five fairly stood out.


    ¡°Kruu. Kruuu kruuu.¡±


    Peeku said something in Avian to which Maya replied to with--- ¡°Ahhh. That¡¯s his majesty King Fenris. Magnificent looking specimen, isn¡¯t he?¡± She paused and faced the two would-be seekers once again. ¡°Fun fact, he was actually known as the peasant king of Atlas. He was brought to the throne by the people of Atlas themselves through a revolt against the oppressive monarchy of the old. If you are not familiar with his story, then allow me to tell you that King Fenris was not only the first ever king that was not of noble birth¡­ he was also the First Seeker of the entire Gran Es Gia. He discovered the Branch System, and the only Light Seeker to ever exist too.¡± Explained Maya. ¡°Although he only reigned as King for five short years, he was responsible for building the city of Atlas from the ground up. A champion of the people, King Fenris was both benevolent and kind. Sadly though, he perished during the clash at the Wailing Mountains. To defeat Bakunawa, the light of Luminares consumed him in exchange for tremendous power. He sacrificed himself just to end the thousand year war. It was all for his love for this world. May Uloron bless his soul wherever he is.¡±


    Although Maya painted a wonderful picture of the former King''s history, it wasn''t his greatness that caught Wicket¡¯s attention. In fact, what glued him to the statue was the sword that the king was holding. Somehow, he had seen that sword somewhere. He just couldn¡¯t figure out where.


    ¡°The sword. Pardon my curiosity, but who inherited the former king¡¯s blade today?¡±


    ¡°Ah. You mean Neverfall?¡± Maya faced the statue once more and gazed upon the giant sword replica that the king was holding parallel to its chest. ¡°Well, the sword was never retrieved from the battlefield at the Wailing Mountains. It was never found. Some believed that the sword of light was actually a part of King Fenris soul. And the sword vanished along with him when he got consumed by the Light of Luminares. Come to think of it, even to his closest companions, the king never revealed who the blacksmith was who forged his blade. Anyway, enough of that. Come step inside the magic circle. You two have a trial to catch. It is time for you lot to go.¡±


    There, at end of the hall, right on its marbled floor, runes in the language of the Ashvali¡¯s were written. Intricate lines met complex circles of written spells, forming a giant menagerie of archaic magic.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a bit painful and disorienting, but it will only last for a few seconds. Just bear with it okay?¡± Maya warned the tree folks standing at the center. ¡±I¡¯ll start the incantation.¡±


    A few lines of whispered spells and Maya was able to activate the teleporter in front of her. The runes, mini magic circles, and the many enchanted lines, glowed in magnificent gold as Maya poured her aetherium reserves towards it.


    Three seconds later, only Maya was left standing. ¡°Well that was easy.¡± She commented after. Not sure if she was referring to the easy teleportation process or the fact that she easily nabbed two green aetherites which were supposedly worth two hundred ludras a piece in the market.


    Back at her office, as she was wrapping up the waivers for storage, something caught Mayas attention regarding the documents. Weerus were known to leave green imprints due to their affinity with nature. However, one of the two imprints weren''t burned in green. One of them was mysteriously burned in red.


    ¡°Oh. What do we have here?¡±