The morning light cut across my face, harsh and unforgiving. I squinted, hoping the sun's warmth would still seep into my bones like it used to, but it just felt like a cold reminder that time was still moving. I sighed before getting up from my bed. Today was a new day and one that came with a test of its own, and maybe... just maybe I could pass it. Thinking about the dungeon gave me a serious headache; I sighed again, wondering how unfair all this was.
I got dressed, ready to leave. Immediately, I heard a knock on my door; it was Michael. "Hey, you done yet?" He asked me. I opened the door and nodded at him; he smiled and started walking toward the door. "Fine, let's go; we don't want to be late," he said with a smile. I shook my head and followed behind him.
As we walked through the hallway of the academy, I could see other students leaving their rooms, all prepared for today. "How you doing?" Michael asked me. I turned my eyes toward him, not understanding what the question was about. He smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "I mean, with you being a late awakener and already heading off to a dungeon," he said. I nodded; he was right, and that made this difficult.
"What can I do?" I said. "I just have to make sure I survive the dungeon and clear it; after all, it's just a category 1 gate, so it shouldn't be that hard, right?" He nodded. "Figured; but good luck, dude. I know you'll do great." I nodded.
"What about you?" I asked. "How prepared are you for the dungeon?" He smiled. "Oh, don't worry about me." He took a pause, pondering whether he should continue. "My family has always prepared me for the world. Even before I awakened, I was supposed to be a fighter who didn't falter in the face of battle. At least that's what my family says."
He paused, clearly thinking about something or maybe a memory he remembered. "I have a lot to survive this dungeon in my system, from weapons to charms and gadgets prepared for me to face whatever this world throws at me. If you want, I could transfer some of them to you?" he asked. I looked at him and smiled; this was why I was able to talk to this guy even though we were strangers – he was trying to help me. I shook my head. "I have all I need with me. I don't want help from anyone. If I want to become stronger, I have to do it myself without anyone helping me," I said to him. "But thanks for the offer."
The air became tense after that, as we didn't know what else to talk about anymore. But shockingly, I was the one who broke that silence. "So, you're one of them?" I asked. Nick turned and looked at me with his eyebrow arched up. "One of who?" "The legacy families," I said. Nick smiled before nodding.
"You're quite lucky, I will say, having a family to back you up." "Yes, it is," he said, "until you fall short of what's expected from you. We legacies are supposed to be strong, to be feared, and make the weak bow before us. But when you don't meet up to those standards, when you're pressured to make the hardest decisions only because your family expects you to..."
I could see sorrow in his eyes now; clearly, being a legacy wasn't as easy as I thought it was. We didn't talk throughout the whole walk toward the hall, as echoes of the past lingered between us.
We finally got to the hall; it was filled with students, some in groups, some standing alone, and more were still coming in. Me and Nick found a corner to stay. Shortly, Instructor Keal walked in with some other instructors we hadn't met yet.
"Welcome, candidates. I won't waste your time on the formalities. All you have to know about this dungeon is simple. You will be sent into a category 1 dungeon, and nothing higher, and you are expected to clear this dungeon in record time. Do you understand?" All the students nodded.
"The academy doesn't care how you clear the dungeon, but on if you cleared it. Each of your watches has a trigger mechanism that should allow the academy to be notified if you're in danger, and the academy will do everything in its power to save you. But don't think that means you still can't be killed inside the dungeon, so be careful in there."
"Each of you will be sent in two, into the dungeon, one from each side of the dungeon, and you must clear the dungeon before the end of today to pass. Do you understand?"
" Great just my luck, I had to navigate the dungeon all by myself" I said" I think the universe is trying to kill me for some reason " I sighed.
"You all, have already been assigned your teammates for the dungeon " instructor Keal said before making way for the other instructor to step forward.
" Here are your teammates for the dungeon"
Lucas and Nicholas
Mac and Millar
Luke and Brian
Nick and Asher
Andrew and Elina
Michael and David.
immediately I heard the name of my teammate something in me snapped. Of course it would.after all I knew him, he was one of Ethan's boys and was also one of them... that always bullied me. And was apart of those who tried to kill me that day, I could remember his face clearly from that day, they we're four of them ..plus Ethan and David was among them, he joined in beating me that day, in making me suffer, in causing me pain, this was so unfair. I shouted in my head that was until.
Ding-Ding
{ Task: kill David Blackwood before the end of today.
Punishment: system disabled. Reward:??}
" Wait, what" I shouted.