"Boom!"
"Encircle." Sarah signalled and every team member dashed ahead. Everyone except Varian.
He stayed in the bushes. Waiting.
'Is this is it?' Varian sighed in relief.
Others would be frustrated since they couldn't participate in the combat. But not him.
He was extremely happy that nothing out of the ordinary happened. Until now, everything he stepped into turned into a disaster. His first dungeon adventure. His entrance test. His college.
'System, don't mess with this one.' Varian hoped.
[As this system informed you, it has no active control over your fate. Just like how fire gives heat by its very quality, I bring "Balance" by intrinsic nature.]
'What are you?'
[...]
"Varian, come in." Sarah's voice sounded from the comm.
Varian was on his feet the next second and rushed to the mountain.
"Hiss"
As he turned around, he sucked in a cold breath.
The ground was scorched for a large area, and only a crater remained.
Crimson was examining the traces on the crater using his telekinetic sensitive powers. One of the aspects of a telekinetic was their exquisite perception.
Olivia, the brunette, was also touching the ground and trying to sense something with her Earth Awakener powers.
Ivy was on guard with her keen beast senses famous for every beast morpher accompanied by Luca, the body awakener.
Only Sarah stood alone. She looked unperturbed.
'Where are the flame dancers?' Varian thought as he approached the team.
They continued their work. However, Varian could feel the tension in the air.
He glanced a the crater and realized one thing.
'Only blood. No ash. No bones. Just wh—'
"Flame dancers team might be dead." Sarah appeared beside him before he knew and said calmly.
Varian nodded.
"Or missing." She added, and an amused smile appeared on her face.
"You were clear about the habits of that creature earlier. There are hundreds of creatures in each dungeon with different habitats. Did you study all details for the mission?" She gave him an inquisitive look.
'Truth or lie?' He wondered and finally decided to be honest.
"This is the closest dungeon to my home city. I was studying this dungeon since childhood." He said.
"I see. Then do you have any idea how they can suddenly disappear?" Sarah asked. Her tone, however, was full of confidence, and she didn't seem like she needed any ideas.
'She doesn't need the answer. She's merely trying to test me.' Varian realized.
"We're in Inner Zone. There are several 'special structures' here. They might have disappeared into that special structure.' He said and glanced at the crater.
Sarah's lips curled up, and she nodded. "Your knowledge is not bad. But your level is."
'Is that a compliment or an insult?' He didn't know how to respond.
"I can confirm they're not dead. There is no bone ash." Crimson yelled from the distance.
"Captain, I've found the entrance." Olivia appeared in front of them in the blink of an eye.
"Let's go." Sarah said and turned to him. "Don't worry, I'll protect you as long as it doesn't endanger the mission."
'As if…' Varian held back the words and followed.
Silence could mean many things. Sometimes, it was defeat. Other times, it was a sign of patience.
Olivia walked to the crater and flicked her fingers.
The soil shook and parted. A few meters deep, there was a small tower like structure one foot in length.
"This is the entrance to a special location. Those guys must have accidentally triggered it and dragged Abyssals in." Olivia said.
"We'll follow them in and get the Abyssals." Sarah said, and everyone nodded.
Special Locations were like special maps. They were only accessible through entrances in the dungeon.
The problem was that any entrance would move after a few days. However, special locations were still sought after since they provide more benefits to the adventurer.
For instance: map of sections of core area, special herbs, elixirs and so on.
'It's my first time getting in. But why do I have this ominous feeling?' Varian had no choice. Even if his senses screamed at him, he had to continue on with the mission.
"Get ready." Iva said and pressed the small tower.
In the blink of an eye, the world changed.
Varian found himself inside a gloomy chamber. There was a rotten smell everywhere.
He looked down to see traces of green and red blood moving into the distance.
'Abyssals and Flame Dancers.'
"They must have fought, resulting in a chase. We need to hurry up before either of the teams is killed." Sarah said and waved her hand.
Sarah couldn't let Abyssals die. But she also didn't want to see the death of fellow humans.
"Whoosh"
A water bubble enveloped Varian, and he was thrust forward at an insane speed just behind Sarah as the teammates kept up.
They dashed through the narrow paths and soon reached the entrance of a large hall.
"...."
Varian was pushed some distance away with his bubble. From the distance, he glimpsed into the hall.
There were mutilated corpses of humans and Abyssals. There was an extremely even, but quick fight.
Varian observed that all Abyssals sort of blew up their legs.
'Suicide bombing?'
"Hoo" A faint breathing sounded.
The team focused on the source.
One previously thought of the corpse was still alive. Its limbs were severed and there was a gaping wound in his torso that tore his lungs.
However, there was still some life that refused to die. His eyes refused to shut.
He looked at the team with deadpan eyes. Varian, even from the distance, could see he had no hope of survival.
His eyes were shifting towards the other human corpses. His friends and teammates. No more.
Crimson concluded, "So their objective is to mutual destruction?"
'Doesn't make sense.' Varian shook his head.
If they had the absolute initiative advantage on top of their intel, why would anyone go for such inefficient missions?
He felt the auras from the bodies. Out of the four humans, two were still Level 1. The other two were Level 2
From the Abyssal side, all were Level 2.
'If I was the head of Abyssal planning, I'd never do this.' Varian thought.
'If you possess way more forces than the opponent, crush them with an overwhelming force.' He thought back to an old stratagem.
"I--I-" the one still breathing tried to speak but ended up coughing blood.
The team searched the surroundings for any traces of Abyssals.
Meanwhile, Sarah approached the sole survivor and said, "We can't save you...but we can avenge who made you this way."
"I-cough cough. " He coughed blood and his voice turned weaker.
'Abyssals are not stupid beings. They are an intelligent foe.' Varian was lost in thought.
Sarah bent down and put her ears near his face.
'If sacrificing 4 soldiers were to benefit me, then… the enemy they kill must be more valuable.' Varian glanced at his teammates and felt their high aura. Their level 5 aura.
It was way higher than Level 2.
'Level 5s are good enough. What if…?' Then it struck him!
At the same moment, Sarah was finally able to catch the almost inaudible words
"I-it's a t-r-ap."
"BOOM!"