They woke up to a scorching hot sun glaring onto them. It seems that the dune inside a dungeon is still hot even if it was imitated. They got up and packed up their stuff and went looking for the next level. They didn't have eat anything for they have finished their last meal last night. As they walked, they encountered a few undead dressing up as merchant. Al easily handled them with a single holy circle. There weren't any beast other than the undead in the second level.
"Damn it, don't we have any water with us?"
"Sorry Al, you just had the last sip of water, let just hope that the next level have water,"
"..."
"Hey, don't you feel thirsty? You show no sign of thirst,"
"..."
"Hey, I'm talking to you, Will,"
"...My apology, I think the gate to the next level is right there,"
Will pointed to a huge blue portal standing in the middle of nowhere connected to a building as tall as the blue portal. They walked toward it and stood in front of it. The blue portal glowing at them, they entered and left the second level.
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A tranquil realm, birds chirping can be heard when entered. Lush greenery can be seen all around. The weather is perfect and water flow can be heard just right beside them. Al looked to their right and saw a huge waterfall, flowing down. Al rushed to the waterfall and pulled out his canteen and filled it with water and take a huge gulp. Raye then joined in as Will look above the waterfall. The sky look sky blue, imitating the actual sky. Magic sure is something unique of this world, Will thought to himself.
After they got refreshed, they continue their journey to the next level. The air here is cooling, not hot nor cold, perfectly fine.
"Magic sure are fascinating..."
Will murmured to himself. He smiled and touched nearby plants. They felt real, not artificial. The water they drank tasted nothing weird in it. They encountered lizard and iguanas, and many other tropical animals. They walked and walked, not knowing the direction they are walking into.
"Hey, I reckon that we should stop and maybe take a look at where we are,"
Al suggested as they have no idea where to walk.
Raye:"Alright, there seems to be no sign of other hero parties, they must have past through this level, they usually would make a trace to know where they are walking..."
Will"..., I will use shadow magic and look around,"
Raye:"You can do so!?"
Will:"..., Who do you think you are talking to, a dark sage from the ancient era,"
Will snorted with pride as he said that. He then use shadow magic and turned into shadow, flying high up in the air, he looked around and just saw a lush greenery of tree. he then descended and tried something else.
Al:"You found the exit?"
Will:"No, let me try something else,"
Just then, a squirrel coincidentally ran past by. Will noticed it and used shadow magic by manipulating the squirrel shadow and devouring it. The squirrel then stood up in a shadow form.
"Go,"
Will commanded the squirrel. The squirrel then ran around the forrest, Will, somehow has his vision linked to his shadow, saw what the squirrel did, it looked around and walked into a deeper part of a forest. Then, Will saw something bizarre. Suddenly, the vision got cut off. The squirrel must been killed by a beast in the deeper part of the forest.
"Let's go,"
Raye and Al stood up and Will lead the way.
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Raye and Al followed Will deeper into the forest. They having no idea where they are going but Will is sure of it. As they walked deeper, small beasts are rarely seen around, as if they were avoiding that specific place. Will then stopped in front of a few tall bushes. Behind it are covered by towering trees.
"Avoid attracting the beast,"
"Wait, what beast, Will-"
Will stared at Al into the eyes, intimidating Al, forcing him into silence.
Will then entered the bushes, followed by Raye and Al behind. Behind the bushes seems to be a habitat for a specific beast in the forest. The river stream and the water is clear, trees grow with berries, no wonder small beast avoid this place! Because a bigger and much dangerous beast lived here. There was no sign of beast for now. Raye urge to leave before being caught by the beast.
"We are caught..."
"What?"
"I thought we could avoid this beast, not that I really want anyway,"
The bushes shook, suddenly, a few beasts came out of the bushes. The beast looks like a horse with a horn on their head, in other word, a unicorn.
"Unicorn huh, never thought I would see one, nor a group, truly wonderful..."
Will started talking to himself.
*Speak human, Why are you here,*
The unicorn's horn started glowing, it seems it contained telepathic power, it is communicating with the party through their mind.
"Truly fascinating, unicorn communicating to our mind, magic sure is wonderful, the dungeon... TRULY MARVELOUS,"
Will then started laughing hysterically. The unicorns look confused, Raye and Al were shocked, they never thought they would see a day that Will laugh.
"Hey, Raye, don't you think Will is a bit... quirky?"
"Never thought the shadow sage, one of the dark sage, would have a crazy side, judging by his usual cold expression..."
"he laugh kinda scary..., as expected from a dark sage.."
Raye and Al whispered among themselves as Will started mumbling "Fascinating" and "Marvelous" over again.
"I decided, that we will conquer this dungeon!"
Will suddenly spoke.
Al:"Wait, we entered the dungeon because of the shortcut and to avoid the sun, we do not have time to conquer the dungeon,"
Raye:"Will, we do not have time for this, we need to go to the kingdom of Sahhara and-"
Will:"I said we will conquer this dungeon, and that's the last of it, besides, think about the treasure and reward we will get,"
Al:"He have a point,"
*SILENCE, HOW DARE YOU IGNORE US, YOU HUMAN SHALL DIE AND NOT SEE THE TOMORROW SUNLIGHT!*
Will:"I've been surprised if there is one, dungeon sure are fascinating,"
The unicorns attack with their horn, psychic power ray shot at Will. The shot managed to hit Will for he is not moving, but Will just turned into a shadow after getting shot. The shadow then float behind the what seems to be the head oof the unicorn and attached to it. The shadow then devoured the unicorn, removing it from reality. Raye slashed a head of a unicorn, but got attacked by another from the behind. Unicorn are aggressive than you think, their horn are so sharp that it would pierce through the knight armor and killing the person. Al managed to heal Raye, making him avoiding death.
"Is this the power of the unicorn, I expected much more, I bet the horn worth a ton..."
Will looked at one of the unicorn, the unicorn was scared in screeched, all the unicorns used their horn and create a magical sphere around the forrest, trapping Raye and the party.
Everyone can't move at all. Raye tries swinging his sword but failed. Al tries to cast a protection spell but was too late. The unicorns that looked toward Will, they look at each other and nodded, they will end the strongest among the human.
All of the unicorns's horn glowed, it pointed at Will, but unfortunate for them, Will know silent casting, shadows started devouring the unicorns from the bottom, the unicorns shot Will before getting fully devoured by his shadow, but Will just turned into a shadow after getting shot. the shadow that devoured the unicorns left out their horns. The party was able to move. Will then ascended above the ground through his shadow. He then picked up the unicorn's horns, keeping it inside his shadow.
"Lets conquer this dungeon,"
"Wait Will, we need to-"
Will then raised his hand that is holding a unicorn horn. He then smiled and said:
"Think about the reward we get,"
Raye hesitated for a while, he then agreed saying that it would help improve the teamwork among them...