A Dungeon

Souma and Selina were sitting on a bench in the corner of a large office in the Adventurers Guild, where they had been given instructions in no uncertain terms to be quiet and not move. Their weapons were leaning against the wall behind them. Every now and then Selina would reach up to poke at the scar on Souma’s face, and he would bat her hand away.

The office belonged to Oran. It was in large part taken up by bookshelves, crammed to bursting with maps, leather-bound tombs, and boxes filled with all sorts of things Souma couldn't identify. The morning sun streamed in through the open windows, together with the sound of people going about their business below. From where they were sitting, Souma could see across the street to another large building that Reiny had mentioned in passing was the Merchant's Guild.

Souma was not dead. But he almost had been.

Last night, as soon as they got back to town, Reiny had brought them directly to the guild. They'd made the journey quickly, but even with the weak potion Reiny had forced him to swallow and his shoulder wrapped in bandages, he was faint from blood loss. Yurial had taken one look at the situation before ushering Souma and Selina in front of the fire and using magic to heal them. She then screamed nonstop at Reiny for a whole hour, until Selina dozed off in Souma's lap, and Reiny looked about ready to crawl into a ditch.

After Reiny finally managed to get a word in and explain what had happened, Yurial punched her in the nose, and told her to sit in the fireplace and die.

Shortly after that Souma roused Selina long enough for them to eat dinner in the guild hall before they both fell asleep in front of the fire. Souma had fully intended on going back to his room, but it was warm, and even though he still found a lot of this world terrifying, being surrounded by people felt safe. It hadn't taken long for the sound of the other adventurers quietly talking, of Oran shuffling around behind the counter, to lull him asleep.

The next day Yurial woke them before the morning rush started, and brought them up to the office where they now sat on a bench, and Selina wouldn't stop poking his face.

"Quit it," Souma muttered.

"You have a scar now."

"I know."

Yurial's magic had closed the wounds, but the scars remained. A thick white line running from his neck all the way over his chin where the fallen had scratched him. Oran had found him a new shirt so it didn't show, but his shoulder looked even worse. He was more than happy to have those reminders if the alternative was to losing his arm entirely, though.

Souma held up the small tag hanging from his neck until it resolved into a lilac status screen.

Name: Arita Souma
Profession: Support
Guild: Altoria
Skills: Language I, Restrain I
Level: 1
Registered Exp.: 11/100

Seven experience points. He'd almost died and only had seven additional points of experience to show for it. He rest his head against the wall. He was never going to hit level two.

Isn't this a little too hard? Shouldn't I be practically invulnerable and summoning handguns and cars by now?

Currently, Reiny was standing over a desk in the center of the office together with Oran and a squat man who only came up to Souma's waist. He had a long burgundy colored beard tied in a braid that brushed against the floor as he walked. He didn't introduce himself, but Souma picked up that his name was Norrik.

Reiny, Oran, and Norrik were looking down at a large paper map that bad been brought to them by the elf receptionist Yurial, who was leaning against one of the walls looking on at proceedings with growing distaste.

"So the entrance was absolutely here, by the river," Norrik asked for maybe the tenth time.

"Right where you have your finger."

Norrik folded his arms, and closed his eyes thoughtfully. "Then that's the absolute worst place for it to open up. That's near one of the major lines what should be dormant."

"So it's true. Some idiot is making their way through the dungeon activating all the power nodes. That's what it means, right?" Oran looked at the dwarf.

"Aye, but... No, that's impossible. How would they even get in there to begin? That part of the dungeon is sealed off, yeah?"

They all looked doubtfully at one another.

"Actually, it's not impossible," Reiny broke the silence, and turned to Souma. "Allow me to introduce you to Souma. He's not from our world."

The dwarf looked at Souma, then back at Reiny.

"You're joking," he said again.

"Afraid not."

"And the lass?"

"She's this generation's Demon Lord."

Norrik sat down heavily in one of the chairs by the desk, resting his face in his hands.

"If it were anyone other than you, Reiny, I'd have called you a liar and thrown you out the window."

"Still time," Yurial chimed in.

"You stay out of this," Reiny waved dismissively over her shoulder. "Souma says the others are in Altoria Dungeon right now."

Norrik grunted, not lookig up from his hands. "You believe him?"

"I don't think he's lying."

"You mean to tell me it's the summoned making their way about the lower levels, turning on all the nodes?"

"Makes sense?" Reiny shurgged.

"Makes sense," Norrik sighed. He looked up over his hands. "I was wondering what these little ones were doing here. You mean to tell me this lad is human?"

"He's human," Reiny nodded.

"And that is our new Demon Lord?"

"Afraid so."

"Anvil preserve us. Have you gotten in touch with Renny yet?"

Reiny winced. "Not yet. He's not even in town right now."

"He'll be wanting to know."

"I'm sure he will."

"So what do we do?"

Selina shuffled uncomfortably. It seemed she didn't like not being involved in the conversation. Much less when people were actively talking about her.

"They're friendly enough with one another," Norrik pointed at them. "Any why's he even here? Shouldn't he be off causing trouble? with the rest of them?"

"H-he's my minion!" Selina blurted out.

Norrik looked at them both emotionlessly for a few seconds before he let out a course laugh. "Well, she sure sounds like the Demon Lord." He turned his gaze onto Souma. "Lad. Reiny's not having me on, is she? You're really a summoned?"

Souma looked up at Yurial, who smiled and nodded.

"Yes," he said. "S-sorry."

"Why are you looking at Yurial for permission to speak?" Reiny fumed in the background, though nobody paid her any attention.

"Nothing to apologize for, lad. Way I understand things, it's not like you played a hand in being summoned. But that aside, why are you traveling about with her?" Norrik asked.

"We made a deal. I know where the summoned are, so I can lead us there. Selina and I decided we'd work together to send the others back home."

"Send them home. Not just kill them. Or her?"

"I... I don't want anybody to kill anybody."

Norrik leaned back in the chair, and looked at them without saying anything for a long time. "Four hundred years, and every now and then you still see something new," he muttered to himself. He cracked his knuckles, and hopped off the seat. "Alright, alright. I think I can see how this'll work. Nothing for it! Oran, we're going to need some passes for the dungeon."

Oran sighed. "You're really going in?"

"Somebody's got to turn off those power nodes."

"Um," Souma hesitantly raised his hands. "Just out of curiosity, what happens if you don't?"

"More of them doors will start opening up," Norrik shrugged offhandedly, "Some out in the fields, like what you lot ran into. Others inside the city. I'd give it about a week? After that, not much hope left for anyone. Reiny? You're coming?"

"Obviously," Reiny rolled her eyes. "Alright you two," she looked back at Souma and Selina, "we're going on a little-"

"Hold on." Yurial pushed herself off the wall and walked up to Reiny. "You couldn't possibly be about to say those two are going with you."

"Yes?" Reiny frowned. "I mean, it is kind of why they came to Altoria in the first-"

"Unacceptable!" Yurial snapped. "Are you demented?"

"They'll be perfectly safe!"

"Perfectly safe. Why on earth would they be perfectly safe?"

"Because, they'd... Well... Be there with me?"

"With you."

"Yes?" Reiny shuffled uncomfortably.

"You. The one who brought the boy back with his arm practically ripped off."

"Y-yes," Reiny looked out the window to avoid Yurial's glare.

The elf growled something Souma didn't quite pick up. She left Reiny and crouched down, so she could look him and Selina in the eyes.

"You two, what those idiots intend to do is pretty dangerous. They want to go deep into the dungeon, down where your friends are meddling with things they shouldn't, and put them back the way they should be. You're both members of the guild, and you're old enough to make your own mistakes... But I can't say this is a mistake I'd like to see you making. Why don't you sit this one out?"

Souma looked at Selina. She looked back at him with her jaw set, eyes firey. He already knew her answer.

"I think we have to go," he said. "I know we're not strong enough to take on a dungeon by ourselves. But... The others... The summoned. Selina told me what'll happen to them if they keep going. That they'll start to go crazy. That bad things will happen. I don't know what they're going through, or if they're even alive, but... Maybe if I'm there I can talk to them. Let them know they don't have to keep doing whatever they think they need to be doing before they..." He frowned, not able to finish the thought. "I'm sorry Miss Yurial, but if I have a chance to stop them, then I'll take it."

Yurial let out a long theatrical sigh, closed her eyes and furrowed her eyebrows up at the ceiling. After a moment she peeked at Souma, and when she saw he was still making the same determined face threw her hands up in defeat. "I figured you'd say something like that. Alright. So be it. But there's no way I'm letting you go alone."

"They won't be alone?" Reiny suggested.

"Going with you is worse than going alone. I'll be joining you." Yurial said firmly.

"I don't think that's necessary," Reiny shook her head.

"Your opinion isn't necessary. Much like you." Yurial smirked.

"You little-"

The elf turned her back on Reiny and spoke to Oran. "Make sure you give the dungeon passes to me. I don't want her doing anything stupid. Like going in without me."

"Y-yes ma'am," Oran shrunk a little.

"The rest of you, go to the main entrance. I'll be there later."

Before anybody else had time to object, Yurial strode off through a door in the side of the office, slamming it noisily shut behind her and vanishing from sight.

Norrik let out a long, tired breath, and craned his head back and forth, cracking his neck. "Well, that just happened. You heard the elf. Let's go."

"What! You can't be-" Reiny spluttered.

"You know well as I do there's no point arguing," Norrik cut her off. "It'll be faster to just let her do what she wants. Come on, day's burning, let's go." The dwarf headed for the door.

Reiny audibly ground her teeth, but motioned for Souma and Selina to follow her. "He's right. Come on, we'll go pick up a few things supplies on the way."

The swordswoman took Souma and Selina downstairs, following Norrik outside the Adventurer's Guild. Promising to meet them at the dungeon entrance, the dwarf headed off on his own, leaving them to hurry after Reiny. She led them through the streets towards the middle of town, where the buildings were taller, and the streets wider.

"Now listen, you two," Reiny huffed as she walked, "I know I'm the one who said we should bring you along, but that brain-dead elf was right about at least one thing. What we are planning to do is dangerous. When we get there, I want you to stay close to me at all times, no matter what. And absolutely do not touch anything if you don't know what it does."

"Ha! The Demon Lord knows what all things does!"

"Do. Not. Touch. Anything." Reiny prodded each word into Selina's forehead. Then her shoulders slumped. "Souma, she's your responsibility. You two... I know your unique skills mean you can do some amazing things, but this time around I want you to let us take care of things, got it?"

"Yes Miss Reiny," Souma nodded.

"Good. Then let's pick up a few supplies."

Presumably satisfied with her ground rules, Reiny took them to a store set up on one of the broad avenues that ran up and down the middle of town. The shop was filled with every sort of thing imaginable, as though the owner had decided to stock anything that took their fancy. Reiny spent a lot of time gathering small vials and packages bound wrapped in brown paper, and by the time they were finished, both Souma and Selina's backpacks were heavier than ever. Souma knew better than to ask Reiny about the cost, but made a mental note to pay back the swordswoman as soon as he had some money to his name.

Shopping trip over, Reiny led them the rest of the way to the dungeon entrance.

The entrance was inside a large fortress that loomed up over the buildings, visible from blocks away. Four large walls built from impressively large slabs of stone, sloped slightly together closer to the top like the foundations of a Japanese castle. The only way inside was through a giant iron door, easily 30 feet tall. The door was currently open, and through that Souma could see a large antechamber, leading to a second door, smaller but still just as impressive. Around the antechamber a group of guards stood stiffly to attention, but Souma quickly got the distinct impression that rather than keeping people out, they were there to make sure the entrance itself remained sealed.

Waiting for them not too far from the giant iron door was Norrik, who had changed out of his clothes into a heavy looking suit of red iron plate armor. Resting on the ground next to the dwarf was a giant hammer of dark gleaming metal. When he saw them approaching he held a hand up in greeting, and gave a sidewards glance at the young woman standing beside him. She holding a bow in one hand and with a large quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder.

It took Souma a few moments to realize it was Yurial.

She was not wearing her light blue uniform, but rather what might have been the most revealing armor Souma had seen since he arrived in this world. Where everybody else seemed focused on covering every inch of bare skin, Yurial had gone in the complete opposite direction. The line of her gleaming silver chest plate dipped revealingly low, showing off her frilly white and shirt, and her bare arms were protected only by two shining spaulders, from which was fastened a dashing green cape. Other than that, she wore earth colored shorts, and a thick leather belt that looked as though it were there for looks more than anything. Her legs were otherwise bare, though she was wearing tall boots with gleaming iron knee protectors. Her hair shone golden, and her eyes were a radiant-

Selina punched him into the stomach.

"Ow! What are you-"

"What are you staring at with your mouth wide open? Stupid human!"

"I was jus-"

Reiny slapped him in the back of the head.

"Stop staring! She's three hundred years older than you! An old woman!"

Selina punched him again.

"Argh! Why!"

"Stupid human! Shut up!" Selina snapped, and clamped her teeth around his forearm.

"Gyah! That hurts, you gremlin!" Souma yelped, trying to shake Selina off.

Yurial laughed lightly, and held her arms out as though receiving lavish applause. "You see? People do love me! Everyone loves elves!"

Norrik pantomimed stabbing himself in the stomach.

"Put some clothes on, you harlot!" Reiny yelled at the elf. "This is why I hate adventuring with you!"

"When did you become so old and bitter?" Yurial wiped fake tears from the corners of her eyes. She spun towards the entrance and let out a tinkling laugh. "Ha ha ha! Let's get started, shall we?"

Reiny hit Souma in the back of the head one more time for good measure and followed her.

The guards at the entrance saluted crisply as the group approached, and one of them respectfully took the small scroll Yurial had brought with her. He broke the seal and looked at what was written inside, but it seemed more like a formality than anything, and he quickly motioned for the second door to be opened. Wasting no time, the other guards each took hold of two large chains affixed to each of the door and slowly pulled the massive iron plates aside.

Inside, was a large chamber, lit by an unnatural blue glow somewhere high above. It was entirely empty, save for a large raised stone portal in its center. Through that portal were stairs leading downward into darkness.

Souma felt something itching in the back of his head. When he looked at Selina, he could see her uneasily shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

He almost jumped when Norrik pushed a small lantern into his hands. Rather than a wick, or any kind of fuel, there was what looked like a small chip of crystal embedded in wax sitting inside.

"Keep this on your belt, lad. Most of the dungeon is lit by itself, but you never know. One for you two," he passed a second lantern to Selina.

"Alright, are we ready then?" the dwarf looked at each of the assembled adventurers.

"Ready as we'll ever be," Reiny grumbled.

"Rea-dy!" Yurial sing-songed.

"Right then, let's get to work."

Norrik motioned them forward, and together the makeshift party stepped over the threshold of the entrance, down into Altoria Dungeon.