After the battle at Enrain, weeks passed in a whirlwind of preparation before the dungeon expedition was finally ready to depart. Although the scouts had trouble locating the dungeon at first, things smoothed out once its entrance was discovered. Merchants willing to risk the dangers for the promise of profits quickly signed on with their caravans, and adventurers of sufficient rank were gathered from across the region. Altogether, over a hundred people would join the expedition.
Fayde had not wasted a single day during the preparations. Each morning, he trained alongside Tris, Reia, Allein, and Nes, honing their coordination and sharpening their individual strengths. Though Nes and Allein were not officially registered adventurers at first, Orban pulled some strings and had them signed up quietly. With all five together, they formed a proper party at last. Fayde had suggested the name Void Walkers, and to his surprise, everyone agreed without much argument.
Forming the team had not been easy, though. Tris, ever cautious, was uncomfortable joining forces with so many Beastkin. She had voiced her doubts more than once, especially regarding Nes and Allein. To her, they must have seemed like strangers who appeared out of nowhere. Fayde could hardly blame her. Nes and Allein had kept a low profile since arriving, rarely setting foot inside town, and meeting them only outside the gates each day for training. It had drawn attention, and Tris had questions that would not be brushed aside easily.
Fayde stuck to the story they had agreed upon. He explained that Nes and Allein were guests of the Foxkin tribe, travelers he had met while exploring the forest beyond Enrain. He told her they had helped fend off the monsters that had scouted ahead of the invading army. When Tris pressed him about their origins, questioning what kind of Beastkin they were, Fayde simply shook his head and said it was rude to ask. Tris did not seem entirely convinced, but she let the matter drop, for now.
Whatever her suspicions, they all understood the same truth. Strength mattered more than questions in a place like this. With so much ahead of them, personal doubts would have to wait.
Their training sessions quickly became routine. Mornings would begin with sparring matches, drills, and group exercises. Fayde often found himself facing Nes head on, and more often than not, he ended up on his back. Allein would smirk quietly whenever he fumbled a dodge, launching a harmless but flashy burst of flame near his feet as if to tease him. Reia, more serious, would scold Allein while helping Fayde up, her foxlike ears twitching in irritation.
Tris trained with them without complaint. She corrected their stances when needed, pointed out gaps in their formation drills, and occasionally sparred with Fayde herself to sharpen his reflexes. She was reserved but never unfriendly, offering advice when necessary, her movements quick and efficient. If she harbored doubts or suspicions, she kept them hidden behind a professional demeanor. Sometimes she even smiled lightly at the group's banter, though it never quite reached her eyes.
Fayde could not shake the feeling that Tris was always watching, quietly measuring everything. He wasn't sure if it was because she was uncomfortable being around Beastkin or not, but she was at least pretending to get along. He couldn't blame her, given the way Beastkin were treated. It wouldn't be fair to push his own ideals on her, but he hoped she would come around one day.
Day by day, their teamwork improved until they could move almost without speaking. Fayde found himself growing more confident, not only in his own abilities but in the companions standing beside him.
At last, the day of departure arrived.
The expedition moved as one massive caravan, dozens of wagons loaded with supplies rumbling along the dirt roads. Roughly fifty adventurers traveled alongside them as security detail, interspersed among the merchants and hired laborers. Progress was slow, the pace set by the heavy wagons and the need to remain cautious at all times. Only a few miles could be covered in a day, but no one complained. In the wilderness beyond Enrain, slow was safe.
Most of the supplies for the expedition had been bought and loaded by the merchants, but the adventurers were free to purchase goods along the way if needed. Some had brought their own equipment, though with no guarantee how long the dungeon exploration would last, few wanted to risk running out of essentials.
Fayde took the opportunity during the journey to meet a few of the other adventurers. Though he kept his conversations brief, it was clear that most already knew who he was. His actions during the battle at Enrain had earned him a reputation, one that made others give him respectful nods or stop him for a quick exchange of greetings.
All of the adventurers selected for the expedition were silver medallion rank or higher. They were skilled, battle hardened, and carried themselves with a kind of calm that spoke of long experience. Yet despite their strength, none of them had ever ventured into a true dungeon before. The danger of dungeons was too great for small groups. Even seasoned fighters preferred to stay far away unless the numbers were overwhelming.
This would be Fayde's first dungeon as well. Despite the training, despite all his preparation, a knot of nervous energy lingered in his chest. Excitement and uncertainty intertwined.
On Earth, he had played countless RPGs and read more Japanese light novels than he could ever admit. He was no stranger to the idea of dungeons in stories. But this was not a game. This was reality.
The stories he had heard spoke of labyrinths that twisted endlessly underground, of monster hordes lurking in shadowed halls, of living battlegrounds that devoured entire armies. No two dungeons were alike. Some were vast underground cities, others desolate wastelands sealed beneath the earth. There was no way to predict what awaited them until they stepped inside.
There was one small comfort. Because thousands of monsters had already marched out of this dungeon to attack Enrain, the forces left behind should be thinned. At least in theory.
Even if a few hundred monsters remained, with as many adventurers as they had working together, it should be manageable. The monsters would likely be spread across five floors, that much Orban had confirmed with the help of a diviner. And if things turned out worse than expected, Fayde knew they would be forced to retreat. Better to withdraw and organize a kingdom-wide expedition than to throw lives away needlessly.
Finally, after days of travel, the caravan reached the dungeon entrance.
The adventurers wasted no time. Weapons were drawn. Formations were set. The expedition to conquer the dungeon had begun.
The heavy stone gates of the dungeon loomed ahead, half-buried in a wall of jagged rock. A hollow wind blew from the entrance, carrying with it a faint, unnatural chill. Fayde stood near the front of the caravan, hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword as he studied the dark opening. It felt less like stepping into a cave and more like stepping into another world entirely.
The expedition organizer, a grizzled veteran named Hawke, barked out final instructions. Adventurers were to stay in their assigned parties and move carefully. No one was to break formation without permission. Fayde nodded along with the others, though a few of the newer silver medallions looked more nervous than they probably realized.
Their party gathered near one of the supply wagons. Reia checked the straps on her gear with quiet efficiency, while Nes and Allein exchanged a few silent glances, the brief flickers of telepathic communication passing between them almost palpable. Tris stood slightly apart, tightening the fastenings on her twin daggers, her sharp eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.
"You ready?" Fayde asked, turning toward her.
Tris gave him a slight smile. "Ready enough."
That was good enough for him.
As they entered the dungeon, the air grew heavier. The light dimmed unnaturally, even though it was midday outside. Above them, the ceiling stretched high into darkness, and the ground underfoot shifted from packed earth to ancient, cracked stone.
The first floor resembled an endless plain, dotted with patches of rock and low, twisted trees that looked more dead than alive. Overhead, a strange, dull sky cast a grayish hue across the landscape. It was unsettling how real it all felt, and yet nothing about it belonged to the surface world.
They marched cautiously, weapons drawn, the caravan moving slowly as adventurers fanned out to secure the immediate area.
It did not take long for the first monsters to appear.
A group of Kobolds burst out from behind a rocky outcropping, their shrill yipping cries echoing through the air. They carried crude spears and shields made of stitched hide, but their movements were fast and desperate.
"Incoming!" someone shouted from a nearby party.
Fayde tensed, but Hawke waved it off, motioning for the adventurers to engage.
Their orders were clear: clear out the area, establish a perimeter, and set up camp.
The battle was brief but chaotic. Dozens of adventurers surged forward, and for a moment it was hard to tell where one group ended and another began.
"Void Walkers, on me!" Fayde called.
Their formation snapped into place like a well-oiled machine. Fayde and Nes moved forward as the vanguard, shields raised. The first Kobold that lunged at Fayde was knocked aside with a sharp blow to the head, crumpling to the ground with a faint whimper. Nes skewered another one through the chest, his spear moving so fast it was almost a blur.
Behind them, Allein unleashed a controlled burst of fire magic, forcing several more Kobolds to scatter. Reia moved swiftly along the flank, her wind-enhanced sword flashing as she cut down any monster that tried to slip past.
Tris darted ahead, scouting their sides, marking possible ambush points before they could be exploited.
Within minutes, the skirmish was over. Fayde wiped his blade clean on a fallen Kobold's ragged cloak, breathing steadily. Their group had taken no injuries.
Other parties had not fared quite as cleanly. A few minor injuries were being tended to near the wagons, and a pair of adventurers argued loudly about who had broken formation during the clash.
"Sloppy," Nes muttered, eyeing the commotion with a frown.
Fayde agreed. They had survived this first encounter easily enough, but it was clear not every party was as disciplined. It was something they would have to watch.
They pressed on.
By the end of the day, a rough perimeter had been secured. The laborers began hauling supplies into the cleared area, and the adventurers set about building the first proper camp inside the dungeon.
Fayde sat with his party near a newly erected campfire, the flickering flames providing a small comfort against the eerie stillness of the dungeon plain.
Reia was polishing her sword in silence, while Allein poked idly at the fire. Nes sat with his arms crossed, keeping a silent watch on the dark horizon. Tris was tending to her gear, but every so often Fayde caught her glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
"Not bad for a first day," Fayde said lightly, breaking the quiet.
Allein smirked. "The real challenges haven't even begun yet."
Nes grunted in agreement.
Reia gave a small smile but said nothing.
Tris simply shrugged. "We'll see."
Fayde leaned back, staring up at the dull gray sky above. It never truly darkened, but somehow, the cold gnawing feeling of night seeped into his bones anyway.
Tomorrow, they would push deeper. And the further they went, the less they could afford mistakes.
He closed his eyes briefly, feeling the familiar pull of exhaustion settle into his muscles. The real dungeon crawl had only just begun.
Sleep came in fits and starts that night.
Even with guards posted and a perimeter set, the dungeon's unnatural atmosphere gnawed at the edges of Fayde's mind. Strange noises drifted in from the dark horizon, sometimes sounding like distant footsteps, other times like whispers carried on a phantom breeze. Everyone was restless. Even Nes, normally stoic, kept one hand resting lightly on his spear while he dozed.
Still, no attacks came.
When the dull gray sky above them brightened slightly, signaling the arrival of another cycle of "day," the camp began to stir. Laborers moved about checking supplies, while adventurers tightened armor straps and sharpened blades. Quiet tension hung in the air. Today, they would push deeper into the dungeon, far beyond the safety of the camp.
Fayde stood and stretched out the stiffness in his limbs. He glanced around at his companions. Reia was already up, adjusting her sword belt. Allein and Nes were conferring quietly near the wagons, heads bowed together in silent conversation. Tris was crouched near the firepit, her sharp eyes watching the camp from beneath her hood.
They were ready.
He tightened the strap of his sword and inhaled deeply, tasting the strange, heavy air of the dungeon again.
"Void Walkers," he called softly, gathering their attention. "Let's move."
Without fanfare, they fell into formation and headed out, the endless expanse of the dungeon plain stretching before them.
The real work was about to begin.