Chapter 6: The middle of the end part 1

The marble door split from the middle and started sliding sideways. My heart just jumped a few rpm after seeing what’s on the other side. Skeletons that looked different from the ones that we saw, wolves, goblins, trolls, giant worms, the place was teeming with enemies.

"What the fuck.” I whisper to myself feeling like my heart would jump out of my chest any minute.

I have a bad feeling about this. I say in my mind.

One of the wolves suddenly took notice and let out a howl loud enough for everyone to hear. More wolves face our direction and I can see their legs become stiff while standing tall. Ears pointing up along with the hair in their back. Even from far away, I can see their fangs as white as the marble door as if someone have been brushing them daily. Their eyes are the scariest part. Bloodshot red that glows under the darkness of the room.

A goblin riddled with golden armor stepped up to the front holding a horn.

“G-guys. Let’s go back to the safe-“ Riki suddenly stop as the goblin blew his horn so loud that it hurts listening to it. The sound weakened our knees as we all go down on the floor.

“Argh!” I struggle on the ground trying to keep my conscious intact. It felt like I’m about to pass out any minute. The world suddenly became quiet again and I was able to catch my breath. As I glance up towards everyone, they’re on the same condition as me. I glance back at the goblin who blew the horn and I see them slowly advancing towards us.

Goblin Leader Lvl 25

HP 1200/1200

“S-shit! Everyone! Run to the saferoom!” I shouted out and they all looked up seeing every monster in the room goes on a full sprint towards us. We all scamper to get up as fast as we can running towards where we came from. But as soon as we got to the other room where the undead skeletons were, the door was closed shut.

“What the heck?! Who closed this?!” Junpei shouts and I can feel the fear in his voice. He tried his best to open it but the door was missing a handle from this side making it impossible to open it.

“Push! Push the door!” I shouted trying to push it but it wouldn’t budge.

“Dammit! It only opens one way! We have to pull it!” Junpei shouts but the longer we take our time here the closer they’re getting to us. He punches the door over and over again until blood marks are left on the door. We can hear all of the monsters coming at us from the other room and we’re stuck at the stalactite cave that’s after the skeleton room. I felt like crying. I didn’t want to die, let alone die this way.

“Guys.” Junpei softly whispers as he stepped infront of us. Theres only one way I can think of.”

“What?! No! You can’t! We all have to leave out of here together! You promised!" Hiroko protested, and I got what he’s talking about. He has a skill called war cry. If he activates it, all the monsters will attack him giving us chance to escape.

“There must be another way!” I tell him.

“We have no time!” He snaps back at me. “They’re coming, and this is the only way for us to survive. One of us has to stay behind.”

We didn’t know what to do. Everyone now is crying including me. We couldn’t do anything.

“Rikimura-san.” Junpei says calmly. “I want you to lead them out of this cave.”

“Junpei no!” Hiroko protested again. Junpei grabs her by the shoulder pulling her to him.

“It’s ok. I promised to get you guys out. I will keep my promise.” Junpei whispers to her as he hugs her tight while she cries in his arms. “Rikimura-san, please.”

“Sure kid.” Rikimura replied agreeing to lead us out the dungeon.

“Guys, I’m sorry. Stay alive for me? Okay?” Junpei then runs off towards the horde of enemies that started coming through the marble door. “War cry!”

All of a sudden, they all turn to him and he was engulfed by a sea of monsters.

“Junpei!” I scream as I try to see where he is.

“No!” Hiroko shrieked as we lose sight of him in the middle of the monsters.

“Everyone! Listen! We have to go! Run past them now! The war cry skill doesn’t last long!” Rikimura shouted out as he ran around the horde. We all had no choice but to follow him. We run past all the enemies attacking Junpei. No matter which angle we look at, we can’t find him. Tears are coming down my face and even when I wanted to stop, I had no choice but to run. We ran till we’re through the marble door, but a knot formed in my throat knowing the fact that we left him to die. We kept running till we reached the end of the other room. We quickly pushed the wooden door and ran through a dark hallway that was slowly being illuminated by the torches as we pass them.

As soon as we reach the end of the dark hallway, we see another door with carvings in them. We quickly push it but this time, the door didn’t budge.

“Ah shit! Come on!” Rikimura shouted out of frustration as we hear howls echoing through the hallway. We all stopped as the howl stopped, and silence filled the hallway. Thinking that they stayed behind the other room, we stood still trying not to make a noise. All of a sudden, we see a light flicker from a distance and the flickering get bigger and bigger every time.

“Those are the torches lighting up! They're coming!" Sawada shouts as he frantically push the door. We all pushed as hard as we can and as I glance back, the flickering light is getting bigger and bigger while noises started echoing through the hallway. Like a miracle, the door finally budge and it started opening to only stop after a few seconds.

“Everyone go!” Rikimura shouts as he gets out the opening and it was only big enough for us to fit one by one.

Hiroko was right after him and after her, I went through the opening followed by Sawada. Riki came after but he couldn’t come fully through as he tried to pull his hammer through the opening.

“Leave the fucking hammer and go!” Tobi shouted at him and Riki let go to let him through. As Tobi gets out, he suddenly grabs my hand looking at me in the eyes.

“Ya-su.” He softly said my name and all of a sudden, his body was pulled back as the monsters caught up to him pulling him back in the hallway.

“Ugh! Dammit! Let him go!” I shouted as I played a tug of war the monsters trying to help Tobi become free. Tobi screamed in pain as I see a goblin lodge a dagger on his back. At that last minute, rather than holding on to me, Tobi pushed me making me fall back on everyone. At the same time, the door shut close and I can see Rikimura-san pushing it.

“He’s gone! It’s too late! Let’s go!” He shouts, and everyone started running towards the end of the cave. The cave itself was full of stalactites and at the end, a bright white light illuminated half the cave and it’s like staring at the sun. As we got close, the light dimmed, and we finally read the sign on top of it.

Portal to the outside

“That’s the exit!” I shouted out and we all ran as fast as we can. Not one bit I feel happy exiting the dungeon knowing the fact that we just lost two people, but I couldn’t stop. I had to keep running even when my legs feel like it’s going to give out any minute.

“Everyone! Run to the portal!” Rikimura-san says as we all get closer and closer. All of a sudden, the cave wall to the left started crumbling exposing another section and the sight itself made think that we were never meant to leave this dungeon alive.

Elite Alpha Wolf Lv40

Elite Undead Captain Skeleton Lv40

Elite Goblin Soldier Lv35

Elite Troll Lv35

These monsters look a lot bigger and deadlier than the ones on the other room. We had no choice but to try and dodge them. There is no going back and no safe room around.

BOOM!

The explosion was so loud I thought my eardrums ruptured as the surrounding area went silent. The entrance where we came from was covered in smoke. As I tried to regain my balance, I mistakenly caught a glance at smoke that made me stop for a second. A large figure behind the smoke was looking at us. I can see its eyes glowing through and its body was big enough for his head to hit the ceiling of the cave. It was a giant. As the smoke slowly dissipate starting from the head, I saw its name that made me go pale.

Dungeon Keeper Lv???

“H-holy shit!” I shouted as I ran as fast as I can, and I see them already nearing the portal. All of a sudden, a bright light came from behind me and as Sawada turns around to see, he jumps in front of it blocking the light from reaching Hiroko. His body exploded into pieces as it rained fire and blood.

“Sawada!” I scream as I see his head fall to the floor rolling around for a few seconds before turning into ash.

“Sawada! No!” I tried to grab some of his ash that flew my way, but a hand pulls me forwards almost making me stumble to the ground.

"Don’t let his sacrifice be in vain! Run!" Rikimura-san shouts as he runs towards the portal. Thinking of my mother, I ran with all my might to catch up to everyone even when everything in my body hurts like hell. My lungs, heart, every joints and strand of muscle is riddled with pain. Tears ran down my cheeks and my nose are filled with accumulated snot that started to exit one of my nostrils touching my top lip. But I didn't stop moving. I kept running like my life depends on it. Actually, my life does depend on it. If I stop now, I will die. I have no time to think about anything else. I don't want to die.

"WATCH OUT!" Somebody shouted ahead of me and all of a sudden, I see a black blur passing me.

"GUACK!" I hear Riki cry in pain that made me stop. A part of me wish I didn't. A spear entered his back and went out the center of his chest. We both locked eyes as I see him take his last breath before turning into dust.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Hiroko shouted in shock as she was right behind him. I notice a one of the elite troll from a distance throwing another spear.

"WATCH OUT!" I called out as I ran to her but the moment she swings her head around, it was too late. The spear went right through her right temple and exited the left. Pieces of flesh and probably her brain flew towards my way sticking to my cheeks. A couple of seconds after, she turned into dust floating away with the wind. I feel someone grab my arm and yank me back. When I turned, I see Rikimura-san looking right at me. He releases his grip and continued advancing towards the portal while giving me a scoff as if I did something wrong.

"Run!" He shouted out as he went on a full sprint. The minute I took the first step, I felt something nick my ear making me wince in pain and almost stumbling down. I heard a sound similar to thin metal pass me not only once, but a couple of times making me duck my head. My ear stings as if I was cut by paper. I touch the source of the pain it I felt something warm trickling down my cheeks.

B-blood? I whisper in my mind as I stared at my hands covered with red liquid. I began running without looking ahead and I suddenly stumbled into something making me eat the floor. But somehow, rather than landing on the cold hard ground, something became my cushion. I look down and I was covered in red.

W-w-wha-AHH!" I tried running away as I see piece of his flesh scattered around the ground. Is as if, he was cut into cubes and brought into one pile. I got away from Rikimura-san’s mutilated corpse and as soon as I did, it turned into dust.

"N-no, No! No!! I don’t want to die!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I watched everyone die. I tried sprinting towards the portal and different thoughts came in my mind as I cried.

Why did it end like this?! Why?! There's nothing I can do...I'm weak. I'm so damn fucking weak! I cursed myself in my mind for picking the wrong class. Without a moment’s notice, something hits me from behind with such great force that I stumbled forward kissing the ground with my face.

"ACK! FUCK!" I hold my nose with my left hand to try and stop the blood from pouring out my nose. I look like a mess. Tears won't stop coming out and I'm shaking uncontrollably. I used my right hand to push myself up to check what crashed into me. "Wh-wh- y-you. H-how-"

I see him lying there. Junpei. His body didn't look right at all. It seemed as if a giant grabbed him and squeezed him like a lemon. Blood was dripping out of his mouth and practically any where his blood can exit out of his body, it did. His eyes are similar to a dead fish but for some reason, his gaze was aimed at me.

"H-hey-" I tried saying something to him, but his body quickly turned into dust the minute my hand got close. A sudden swoosh came to my left and I felt something push my leg. As I look, I see a spear pierced my left thigh and exited out the other side.

"Ah-AH!. Fuck!" I shout in pain as I tried to pull out the spear, but it had a stopper that prevents me from pulling it out unless I want to rip my leg to shreds. I heard another sound and my body started tilting.

Thud!

A circular blade came flying through cutting an arm off cleanly. I fell on my side as I lost my balance and the pain in my leg and severed arm was so much I almost lost consciousness. I felt my leg twist as I fell down making the shattered bones inside puncture me everywhere. I shouted in pain grabbing my leg with my only remaining arm. I felt every inch of my body shake violently and cold sweats have slowly crept its way out of my skin. All I can do is scream on the floor to mask the pain.

"ARRRGHHRRRRAAA!!! HELP!! ME!!! SOMEONE!!! HELP ME!!!" I shouted as hard as I can, but no one will ever hear my cries. I'm the last one alive.

Fuck! I don't even know anymore! Why the fuck I'm here?! What the fuck did I do so wrong to deserve this?! I complained in my mind as I cried uncontrollably. I continue to rip my mind apart with different thoughts not noticing that my life is flashing before my eyes. I look at a distance and finally, I saw what was hiding behind the smoke. What squeezed every ounce of life out from Junpei. What threw him to me that made me stumble down.

The gatekeeper. A giant ogre that looks like the dungeon boss. He's looking straight at me running and screaming some dialect I can't even understand. Buckets of saliva are spewing out of his mouth like a rabid animal. Howls began towards my right and I don't even have to glance to know those wolves are coming.

Fuck. I curse as I tried to think of a possible way out but, I ran out of options. I'm going to die. My sobs replaced my voice. I knew my death is just moments away. I lay on my back feeling helpless and alone not being able to do anything except, quietly sob my life away.

"I'm going to die," I say between uncontrollable sobbing. "I'm going to die, I'm really going to die, somebody, save me."

Trying to breathe through my nose is difficult since it's broke when I crashed into the ground earlier. I probably have a couple of broken ribs because my sides hurt like hell.

"Fuck," I whisper with difficulty. My mind breaks, and I just want to wake up from this bad dream. Everything is just out to get me, and I can't escape.

"Fuck." My voice starts to fade as the very last energy I have begun to exit my body. I stared at the roof of the cave and my body felt numb. The only sensation left is the feeling of the tears running down across my cheeks. I can feel the ogre’s footsteps, hear the wolves, the spear, the blades ringing I hear everything in all direction.

You're going to die you know. Just accepted it. Stop struggling. A voice that's mine but I don't feel like it is mine. It’s the same voice I heard that told me to choose blade. It keeps repeating in my mind. But for some reason, everything seems to calm down and in a split second, everything was in slow motion. Ah, I guess they're giving me time to say my last words.

I tried to speak but I started choking on my own blood. I can't even say my last words properly as I struggle to breathe. I close my eyes and tears drip towards the side of my face. My life, the images of my childhood, my dad, my friends, my room, my school, even the people I didn't have a close connection with, flashed before me. But what really stayed in my mind is the smile my mom gives me every time she enters the door coming home from working so late. With the last remaining strength, I have, I used it to smile back.

Inhale*

Exhale*

"I'm sorry, Mom," I whisper as I gave her the last smile I can muster. "I'm sorry."

I notice the Gatekeepers foot over my body as it suddenly dropped down turning my world black.

Your HP have reached 0. You died.

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Huh? Is that a notification?