Dungeon Dreaming

The sounds of metal clashing break the silence.

I’m awake but–

Where am I?

The room is small but familiar. There is an old computer on a wooden desk. A window with the curtains slightly ajar. Shelves of game cartridges and an old console hooked up to a CRT TV.

I know this place. The curtains haven’t changed. The bed is the same. This is my room. Well the room I had when I was younger. Back when I–

“You need to wake up, kid. And would you please turn off that alarm?”

Dad? Why would dad be here? This doesn’t make any–

“I’m coming in.”

The door slowly creaks open and there standing before me just as I remember him is my dad. I can barely recognize him. I don’t know how long it has–

“You look like you've seen a ghost. You must have been dreaming for a long time?”

Dreaming? What was I dreaming about? I can’t remember but I feel like I was doing something important.

I don’t–

“Well say something don’t leave me hanging there kid.”

I don’t know what to say…

Would he even understand the choices I made…

“Look if there is something you need to say it is best to come right out and say it.”

He sits down in front of the old TV. Reaching out, grabbing a controller. I already know what game is going to flash across the screen before he even flicks the power button.

Wizarding. It was my dad’s favorite dungeon crawler. I would spend hours watching him make a new party of adventurers and challenge the perilous dungeon.

If I am being honest I was never really good at this game. I always loved to watch him play it though.

He loads into a previously saved dungeon run with a party I have never seen him use before. An elven mage, orc warrior, and a cyclops tank. Those aren’t in the original–

There is a human hero. Why does that character feel so familiar?

“Dad, when did you start this playthrough?”

“What are you talking about, kid. You helped me set up my new party. You even picked out names for each one of them. Now are you going to tell me what has been bothering you?”

I failed…but I don’t know how to tell him that. I feel like a total loser most of the time. I couldn’t achieve what my parents wanted for me.

I couldn’t meet the basic expectations. I am a terrible son.

How am I supposed to tell him that? I don’t know–

“Look I know you dropped out son.”

I feel like the air has been sucked out of the room. He continues on battling without noticing. His party's mage annihilates the enemies in a single massive attack.

“I’m sorry Dad I didn’t mean to…”

The cyclops tanks a huge hit and is hanging on by a thread. He uses one of his last healing potions to help her recover.

“Look, all you need to do is be honest.”

The orc warrior moves so fast he eliminates multiple skeletons by using multiple turns.

“Dad I need–”

“I didn’t say you need to be honest with me son. You need to be honest with yourself.”

The screen lingers on the human hero's turn. The move selection screen flashes to fight or run.

“Your mother and I have only ever wanted what was best for you. Forget about the school and the job, tell me about what you have been doing.”

What have I been doing? My head hurts. I can't really seem to remember. Was I playing a dungeon crawler? Was I really playing this new run?

“I’ve been streaming games lately. I have an audience of people who cheer me on. It has been a lot of fun…”

“Your mother told me. I’ve even watched a few of those streams myself.”

“Wait! You watched me speed run?”

“Yeah. But you had a terrible time on your Wizarding clear. I have you beat. Might be because I am the lucky one in the family.”

He laughs. I haven’t heard him laugh in such a long time. It’s comforting.

My head hurts again. Everything is blurry for a moment. On the edges of my vision I see stone walls and torchlight. I feel a warm embrace wrapping around me.

I look down but I am just enveloped by my old blanket. Dad still has not selected an option for the human hero. He tosses the controller in my lap.

“Kid, you may think you are bad at life now. The thing is you are going to stumble. Struggle is the game of life but you are the second best gamer I know.”

A huge smile flashes across his face.

“Life isn’t a game but you can use your skills as a gamer and apply them into everything you do. That’s how I got this far.”

He lets out a laugh from deep in his belly.

“Are you having fun with what you are doing now?”

“Yes I am dad.”

“Then that’s all I needed to hear. I know you will figure it out. You’ll get back up on your feet and start running. Running so fast that nobody will ever catch up to you.”

The scene continues to flash. He stands up stretches and begins to leave. As he exits the room he turns back to me one last time.

“Hey kid! What’s your current dream?”

Dream…

What do I want to accomplish? I don’t know what–

Pain again in the back of my head. It is sharp and it causes me to wince in pain. Memories that feel distant barely touch my consciousness.

“I want to…”

This dungeon. I have to beat this dungeon. I have to show him. To show everyone. I can conquer this dungeon.

I made my selection. The screen changes as it accepts my input.

“I want to clear this dungeon.”

My dad smiles. Taps the door frame and turns around.

“Then get to it.”

A faint beam of light pierces through the crack in the curtains. The sun is up. It warms my face. My heart beats calmly. I stare out the window for only a moment.

In a single blink.

It all changes.

A beautiful view. The pinkish hue of a setting sun. The fresh breeze of air. The rough texture of sand on my palms. The waves crash gently on the shore.

I look up to see one giant eye staring right through me. Relief flashes across Momo’s face. I can hear an agreeable snort from an orc.

“Did we kill the dragon turtle?”

“Yeah we did something like that Goggles.”

“That's good.”

I smile. My body arches all over. I have a blistering headache that won’t cease. I still can barely feel my left arm. I look up into the teary eyed cyclops.

“Did you carry me out…Thank you Momo. For saving me again…”

“Oh don’t worry…you're so light it's not an issue. Wait I didn’t mean it like– “

“I know. Don’t worry about it.”

The last thing I remember–

Silence. Where is Silence?

There sitting quietly on a rock is a small eleven mage with a giant hat. Their staff staked in the sand. The wind gently blows their robes in the wind. One hand resting on the wizard hat.

It takes me a little time to recover from exhaustion. Momo explained it all to me. How after the dragon turtle she made the decision to get us out of the dungeon. Silence was shaken by their lack of awareness during the fight.

Brutus led the party through the dungeon with Momo carrying me out once again. Silence did their best but their mana had been seriously depleted by that point so the party avoided enemies as much as possible.

According to Momo my injuries are not anything to worry about but they will need tending by a proper priestess.

“Goggles, you know that potion Momo used on you is gonna cost you?”

I figured it wasn’t any normal health potion. I guess my cut of the dungeon loot is gonna be less. I’m okay with that seeing as I get to keep my arm.

“Also. You should go sit by the elf…they seemed worried sick about you.”

Wait, why? Brutus seems to pick up on my look of confusion. He nudges me with a slap on the back. I look back to see him flash me a thumbs up.

What has gotten into him? Momo waves me off as well. The two of them begin dividing the loot and discussing amongst themselves.

Silence sits still peacefully watching the waves and the setting sun.

I take a moment digging in my bag searching for something. Carefully pulling out the stopwatch to check the running time. I stop the watch.

04:10:33:021

It was not complete but now I have a base time.

Slowly I walk towards them leaving footprints in the sand.