Random Portals

The first thing Steven noticed when stepping through the portal was the humans. Most were pale and sickly looking.

“Dammit,” Nev said, “I’m going to have to turn them again.”

“Are they going to be alright?” Steven asked.

“Unlikely,” Silvia said. “It would be kinder to just turn them into drones at this point.”

“I’m still testing out my new ability.” Nev said.

“Where is Eve?” Steven asked, while looking around.

Just then Steven heard the spike trap trigger, and he began running in that direction. Soon as he got to the entrance of the Hallway of Death, as he thought of it. He saw dozens Half Naga clustered at the entrance to the illusion wall. Several lay dead in the hallway. Before he had time to do anything, more Naga entered through the Illusion wall, forcing more onto the pressure plate. Another three volleys of spikes and several more Naga fell dead.

“Damit!” Steven said. “Nev, fix this.”

“At once Master.”

Steven then remembered he had access to portals and opened a portal right before the pressure plate. More Naga came in through the illusionary wall, forcing some through the portal and next to Steven. Then they all started piling into the portal to get away from the trapped hallway. People were shouting, crying, some even falling to their hands and knees.

“Where is Eve?” Steven asked one of the Naga as they came from the portal.

“My child! Wh-why were we forced to come in here to die!”

Steven grabbed the Naga by the shoulders, “Where is Evesakia!”

When the Naga didn’t answer Steven shook the Half Naga. “Hey, snap out of it! There are more lives at stake here!”

“Steven!” Silvia said.

Steven turned to the Wisp. “What?”

“What are you doing?” Silvia asked.

Turning back to Naga he was still holding by the shoulders. He saw the tears and how shaken she was, his eyes widened and he let go and backed up as more trickled through the portal.

Steven turned to Silvia. “Thank you. I’m not sure what came over me. I just…”

“It is fine. It is my duty to help guide you.”

"Mr. Odling." Jabriel said. “I wanted to inform you that this is drastically using up your daily portal amount.”

“It can’t be helped. Let me know before the portals run completely out.”

Jabriel nodded, then quickly stepped into a portal.

Steven felt bad for being so aggressive towards someone who had just lost their child. But why should he have to lose someone if they could be saved, or was he being selfish…

“This spike trap should have been avoided. When I came through, it was all webbed over. It must have a powerful enchantment on it.” Silvia said.

“It nearly got me when I entered as well.”

Steven watched as Nev finished webbing over the hallway and he removed the portal. He didn’t understand why they were coming in so sporadically he wished he could go help, but there was no way backwards for him in this dungeon..

“I need to know if Eve is okay” Steven said.

“I gave her specific orders to put her life above the others and to enter the illusion wall first if her life was threatened.”

“Good,” Steven said as his eyes kept darting from Naga to Naga looking for her, “what if she is one of the dead ones?”

“She is not.” Silvia said.

“How can you be so sure?”

“You would have been informed by the thing you call the system if she was killed. Same thing for Fidah, although I don’t think you care about her much.”

Steven breathed a sigh of relief. “I do care about Fidah, it’s just I have a history with Eve. She is important to me, and someone I can be a friend with, Fidah, is a servant through and through, not really a friend. She just obeys. Maybe that will change in the future.”

“And you don’t want someone who obeys?” Nev asked as she stepped up next to him.

“I definitely need those who obey. If not for you, I would have been dead long ago.”

“Master, am I just a servant as well or am I something more to you?” Nev asked.

“Really? You have to ask after everything we have been through.”

“Yes. I need to know.”

Steven started to respond, but then he saw Fidah enter through the illusion and he opened a portal and stepped through.

“Good, you are safe,” Steven said, looking around. “Where is Eve?”

Fidah looked as she was about to cry.

’Th-They took her.” Fidah said.

“WHO! Who took her?”

Fidah fell to her knees. “I’m sorry Master Odling! I tried! Please spare my life.”

“Who took her?” Steven asked.

“It was the undead.” Sirus said as he came through the illusion wall.

Steven turned, “Why? Why her out of everyone else?”

“He said she smelled the Wisp on her,” Fidah said. “He tried to capture me as well, but the drones that were with Evesakia and her ice wall caused a large enough of distraction for me to escape.”

“And you didn’t think to help Eve!”

“There was nothing she could have done. That general personally grabbed her.” Sirus said. “If it wasn’t for Eve’s new shard, we all would have been captured.”

“And what about you? Why didn’t you do something?” Steven asked, turning to Sirus eyes furious.

“Do you not think I would have done something if I could have! She is my niece! And where were you?”

Steven’s eyes narrowed and was about to say something when Silvia flew over.

“Steven was sucked into a side pocket of this room created hundreds of years ago by an Arc mage there is nothing he could had done. There is no point in trying to lay the blame on anyone.”

“What did he mean by the general smelled you on her?” Steven asked.

“I had gone to speak with the undead trying to resolve this peacefully.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just did.”

Steven took a deep breath. “I meant before.”

“It wouldn’t have changed things. Between the naked spider and the young Sphinx, I simply haven’t had the time.”

“Sphinx?” Sirus asked.

“You know if it’s anyone’s fault, it is Sorin’s. He sent the assassin and the soldiers and now the Undead General after you.”

“Did you say Sphinx?”

“The undead General,” Silvia said, “is likely wanting to use her to trade for the assassin you have.”

“Assassin?” Sirus asked.

“Well, let’s do the trade!”

“Master, it maybe unwise to release Necros, he is a skilled assassin, I’m not so sure I can take him if he uses his evolved shard on me.”

“Well, we need to get Eve back.”

“At the cost of your spider’s life?” Silvia asked.

Steven was silent for a moment.

Sirus was looking around cautiously. “Where do you have this assassin?”

“No, I can’t lose Nev. She is just as important to me,” Steven said as he turned to Sirus to address him, but Silvia interrupted.

“I dislike how much the arachnid means to you, but I can’t deny that we need her.” Silvia said.

“What do we do?” Steven asked as he placed his hand on the illusionary wall.

“We hope they don’t find us in here. You’re still affected by the curse and as powerful as your pet spider is, she can’t take on them all without your help. It’s best we confront them on the ninth floor.”

Steven pulled up his curse tab.

4 hours 12 mins and 27 seconds.

“Dam I still have over four hours left on the curse.”

“Let’s move back into the main chamber and have someone watch the hallway. If something happens to you, we are all doomed.” Silvia said.

Steven agreed, and they went into the main chamber. Sirus asked about the assassin, Sphinx, and why sentient undead were in the dungeon while they walked. But was quickly called over by Goskia. Most likely to discuss the Naga that were killed and deal with the disarray of his people. Silvia flew over with him.

Steven almost asked Nev what she did with the Naga bodies from the entrance, but decided he didn’t really want to know or deal with that at the moment. He then just stared at the hallway.

Eventually, Fidah asked if she could look over the soldiers. Steven told her he didn’t care and she could be in charge of them less Nev wanted them for something. After a bit, Steven stopped, staring at the hallway. He had hoped Eve would escape somehow.

Nev had been sitting right next to Steven the whole time but just now spoke up.

“Master, we will get her back.”

Steven smiled at the spider Queen, “thanks.”

There was a long silence. The only thing that could be heard was the chatter of the half Naga and the soldiers, who were in separate groups and eyeing one another.

Sirus and the Elders kept glancing at him. He wondered what Silvia had told them, but he didn’t bother asking about that at the moment.

“What if the undead don’t enter the ninth floor?” Steven asked.

“They will. That Undead General would chase you to the end of the world and back.” Silvia said.

“Good, I won’t have to chase him then. He will pay for taking Eve, and if he harmed one hair on her head…” Steven sighed, “I need to get stronger.”

“Yes you do,” Silvia said. “I know this is off topic, but have you thought about what to do about that sphinx creature?”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about him.”

After checking his curse, he stood up. “I still have a couple hours before the curse fades. Let’s go have a chat with the sphinx.”

Steven was about to go to the cursed treasure chest but Silvia. Told him it would be better to take the portal. Which made him remember Jabriel was around somewhere. It took him a moment, but he saw the bound angel silently standing in the far part of the chamber. Steven would have never spotted him if it wasn’t for the bond he had letting him know where to look. He thought of activating a portal, and it immediately appeared. He still had no idea how it worked, all he had to do was think of two spots and the portal linked those locations, he wasn’t sure what the distance was but that was something he would have to find out later since he couldn’t leave the floor he was on. Steven also didn’t understand how it was so accurate, it was just like any other ability he had. Steven shook his head and stepped into the portal, Nev right behind him.

As soon as Steven stepped out of the portal, the Sphinx stood up from the dungeon floor.

“You come and took everything I had, then left. What do you want from me now?”

“Who, and what are you?” Steven asked.

“He is a Sphinx that hasn’t evolved yet. That much is obvious,” Silvia said. “I’ll ask the questions you are not in the best of moods right now. What is your name?”

Steven rolled his eyes. But Silvia did have a point. He took a few calming breaths. Getting upset wouldn’t bring Eve back.

“I do not have a name.” The Sphinx said looking down.

Steven got the sense the sphinx was sad, and he had only been rude to the sphinx since meeting him, so he spoke up. “Everyone should have a name. What about Leo?”

“You can’t just...”

No sooner than Silvia spoke, there was a bright flash of light and a small flame came into existence right in front of the sphinx. To Steven, it looked to be a letter of some ancient language. Before he was able to get a good look at it, the flame shot into the chest of the young sphinx and his whole body shone with golden light.

Steven just stood there ahh struck at the odd sight.

“Never mind,” Silvia said. “It seems you can just name him.”

Once the golden light faded, Steven received a notification.

Congratulations, you have completed a hidden quest.

-Title achieved.

-Name a Mythical creature.

Title name: Mythical bond.

Steven wanted to open his stat page and see what a title was. He didn’t even know titles were a thing. But the sphinx spoke up.

“I appreciate you giving me a name, but can I ask for my books and papers back?” The newly named Leo asked.

“Yea, sorry, if I would have known you were in here, I wouldn’t have taken your stuff. Do you want to get out of here, or do you want me to put all your stuff back in here?”

Nev stepped up to Steven and whispered in his ear, “not the bed. We have unfinished business on it.”

Steven ignored her and waited for Leo to answer.

“Out? As in out of here?”

“Yes out of here. How long have you been trapped here?”

“Ever since I hatched.” Leo said.

Steven turned to Silvia in confusion.

“Oh, must I explain everything to you?” Silvia said.

“Yes! Thats your job, it’s what you do. It’s literally why I bonded with you.” Steven said.

“It was likely someone created this side pocket and left a Sphinx egg here and planned to come back one day and name it to receive the title you just received.”

“But couldn’t he just name himself, and what did he eat and drink in here?” Steven asked, while looking over the small room. “Also, how did you know I received a title?”

“You received a title?” Nev asked.

“No, he cannot name himself. And mythical creatures such as Sphinx, Dragons and Griffins, along with a few other creatures, don’t need food or water and can survive off mana. And dungeons are thick with mana. As for how I knew you received a tittle, it’s how I know everything else. I’m your soul bonded familiar.”

“How do you know so much about me?” Leo asked.

“I do not know if this is exactly what happened. I am simply making an educated guess.”

“I have so many questions!” Leo said.

“So do I, like how can he talk if no one ever taught him?” Steven asked.

“Mythical creatures are born knowing all languages.” Silvia said.

“Do you know of others like me?” Leo asked

“I do Indeed.” Silvia said.

“Can you tell me about them?”

Silvia looked at Steven. After checking his curse timer, he nodded. There wasn’t anything else better to do. Pulling the bed out, he sat on the edge. Nev sitting next to him as Silvia talked with the Sphinx.

Steven pulled up his stat page and found a new tab labeled Titles.

Titles

Mythical bond: + 3 to all stats.

After seeing that, he quickly opened his stat page.

{Stats*} {Equipment} {Shards} {Inventory}

Level- 20

Available Attribute ~1

Essence- 1844

Essence required for next level 4,567

HP ~ 267

Stamina ~ 81

Mana ~ 471

Poise ~ 0 +35

Vitality ~ 16

Endurance ~ 13

Strength ~ 13

Dexterity ~ 20

Resistance ~ 14 +50

Spirit ~ 28

Talent-

Basic Stealth - 15% less likely to be noticed while in stealth.

15% noise reduction while in stealth.

20% more damage when attacking in stealth.

“Oh! Wow…” Steven closed his menu, wanting to tell Silvia about his stat boost, but she was busy talking, so he turned to Nev.

“You won’t believe this!” Steven said.

“What is it, Master?”

“I just got a plus three boost to all my stats. Thats like eighteen levels in attribute points!”

The spider Queen’s face turned into a smile. “Thats amazing.”

He then thought of Eve and his mood fell. Nev noticed this and gave him a quick hug.

“Master, don’t you still have the items from the chest to go through? Now would be a good time. Maybe there is something useful for the next floor. And to help deal with the general.”

“You’re absolutely right.” Steven said as he opened his inventory in search of the three items he had gotten, luckily there was a way to change his inventory to the most recent items and he found them quickly.

Bow of the Desolate Spirit

Rarity- Rare

~ Effect]- Conjure Spirit arrow

~Cost]- 30 stamina, 30 Health, 30 Mana.

~Effect 2]- Add Fire, Earth, Wind, or Water damage to arrow.

~Cost 2]- 25 Mana.

~ Requirement]- 5 Strength, 14 Dexterity, 21 Spirit

Ring 1- Fire resistance ring

Rarity- Rare

~Effect]- Large boost to fire damage and heat resistance.

Chaotic Scythe of Stolen Dreams

Rarity- Chaotic

~ Effect]- Conjure a phantom Scythe blade.

~Cost]- 100 health, 100 stamina, 66 Mana.

~Effect 2]- Each successful hit of physical or phantom blade drains opponents Health, Stamina and Mana. Restoring the wielders Health, Stamina and Mana by 25% of the cost.

~ Requirement]- 50 Strength 52 Dexterity 33 Spirit

~Additional Requirements}- Must be Arachnid Royalty. Must be able to consume dreams and or memories of others.

(Note: If dreams are not consumed every 48 hours, the drain effects of this weapon will decrease.)

Steven stared at the items for a long moment. Both the bow and Scythe seemed good, and the ring could be quite useful. But what really caught his attention was the Scythe. He couldn’t begin to wield it, and he didn’t understand what in meant by consuming dreams. It was also the same rarity as his spear. He would have to ask Silvia about it. Glancing at the Wisp, she seemed to be enjoying explaining things to the eager Sphinx.

He then asked Nev what she thought about the scythe. She couldn’t see the description, but liked the looks of the scythe. Steven read the description to her. The Spider Queen’s eyes grew wide, and she asked if she could hold it.

She seemed to take quite the liking to it, and he told her she could use it if she wanted, but the part about the dream stealing would be a problem. But that didn’t seem to deter the Queen in the slightest.

She swung it around a few times and even shot off a few phantom blades, which resembled a half moon shape. The phantom attacks were the same color as the scythe, a blue that was so dark it almost looked black less you looked closely. The scythe really gave Nev a sinister look, which somehow made the spider Queen even more attractive.

Silvia flew over, telling them to stop making so much noise. Nev told her to leave if she didn’t want to deal with the noise as she was practicing with her new weapon. And that getting ready for the future battles was more important than whatever she was doing with the sphinx. Silvia glanced at the weapon but was too engrossed in explaining things to the eager sphinx to give it much attention at the moment.

Silvia and Leo left through a portal. Then it was just Nev and Steven in the empty room. She asked him to send the bed to inventory and remove the portal so she didn’t accidentally mess up the bed or send a phantom blade through the portal. Steven did as she asked and watched the Spider Queen dance around the small room in her tattered dress and Scythe in hand.

Steven was surprised at how talented Nev was with the Scythe. Especially since he said she had never used a weapon before. There was just no need since she could just turn into her spider form and rip apart anyone that threatened her.

But Steven thought this would be a suitable weapon for her if he was going to be just a normal adventure. When he got out of this dungeon, he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. And that’s exactly what a massive spider Queen would do.

She practiced for a good while. Steven didn’t even grow bored watching her. Though that could have been due to how attractive she was and how elegant she danced around with the scythe. After roughly an hour she was finished and looked to be completely drained, though with how she was throwing around those phantom blades, he wondered how she could even stand. He could only imagine how high her attributes were to pay that absurd cost.

“Master, if it pleases you, and you allow it, I would like to try to stay in human form and use this weapon.”

“Yeah, that’s perfectly fine, actually if I’m going to travel around and see this world, ill need you to look human and not draw much attention, so it is best you get used to that weapon now. I can’t have you going around as a giant intimating spider. Though the requirements of dream stealing may be a problem.”

Glancing at his curse timer, he saw he only had forty minutes before the curse ran out

After he mentioned this to Nev she stepped closer and told him she knew what they could do while they waited, completely ignoring the part about dream stealing. Which is exactly when Silvia appeared.

“Done practicing yet?” Silvia asked.

“Yea, just finished up.” Steven said.

“Good. I would like to take a look at the Scythe. Would you mind sending it back to your inventory?”

Steven did as the wisp asked and then she, too, went into his inventory.

“I could have just pulled up the description up for you.” Steven said to the empty air. He knew she could still hear him if she wanted.

“Master, there is something I should probably tell you. Just please don’t be mad.”

The look Nev was giving him made him worry. She was absolutely pulling out all the stops to look as innocent as posible.

“Go on.” Steven said with narrowed eyes.

“Ive been seeing your memories from your life on earth while we sleep,” Nev said.

“Thats a bit strange, but I’m not mad, although I doubt you will see anything interesting in my old life. It was mostly boring.”

“Actually Master, I find your memories fascinating! Especially these memories of what I believe are called anime. In fact, I look forward to them.”

“Wait… what? You see my memories of watching Tv!”

“TV,” Nev said as if she was tasting the word.

“How long have you been seeing my memories in your dreams, and how do you know it’s my memories exactly?”

Nev looked down. “I had those words appear telling me they were your memories. As for how long…” Nev went silent, as if she was trying to remember how long.

Steven went to speak up, but she spoke first.

“Roughly a week before I met you.” Nev said.

“Wait! How is that possible?” Steven asked.

Suddenly, there was a bright light and Silvia popped into existence next to them. “Her grandmother was a follower of Chaos.”

Steven turned to the Wisp, “You knew!”

Silvia’s light flickered, “of course I did. I’m a Wisp.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I get bored at night when you sleep, and I can somehow see through the spider’s mind and watch your dreams. There are lots of interesting things in your world, although it seems random as most of what I get to see are these anime shows. You really consumed a lot of them. Why do you think your precious spider acts the way she does? Normal servants don’t act the way she does, especially when the master is at a lower level than the servant.”

Steven blinked a few times, as this was a lot to take in.

“Okay, no time for all this now, we need to get back out there with the Sphinx before the Naga question him to death. Ive seen all I needed to of the scythe. It obviously came from Chaos specifically for your arachnid.”

Steven wanted to ask questions, but Silvia didn’t give him the chance.

“Well, come on, we need to go. We have a fair maiden to save!” Silvia said.

Being reminded of Eve, Steven opened up a portal. He would have to ask about this whole dreaming of his memories later. Steven really hoped she didn’t see some of his more embarrassing moments.

Steven was the last to enter the portal, and just as Silvia had mentioned, the Half Naga were surrounding Leo, asking him tons of questions. The young Sphinx looked overwhelmed and as soon as they made eye contact, he ran towards him.

“This is all a bit much. Do you mind if I go back to my home for now?” Leo asked.

Several of the half Naga followed but were rebuffed by Nev.

“Yes, of course.” Steven reopened a portal and he and Leo walked through. It didn’t take Steven long to replace all the books and papers back, although he wasn’t sure he got everything back in the right place. He even returned the bed. Nev would be upset, and he wished he could keep it. But that was the only luxury this Sphinx had down here.

After saying farewell to Leo, and telling him he would be back after clearing the dungeon, he opened a portal and left.

Steven was greeted by Nev as soon as he was back.

“Master, are we keeping the Sphinx, or can I use him to make drones?”

“No! We are not killing him to make drones.” Steven said.

“But, Master, they would most likely be powerful drones.” Nev said with an innocent look on her face.

“No. We are coming back for him after we finish the dungeon.”

She looked so innocent and attractive in her human form that Steven often forgot her true form was of a giant spider that was feared all throughout the lands.

She looked at him with puppy eyes as a response, something he was sure she had seen from an anime in his memories.

Steven then received a notification.