Azure: Gunner

“How the fuck are you doing, LA? This is the Voice of the People, bringing you the truth right here on K-RAD LA!

“I hope you’re enjoying this killer set, my dear listeners! Up next, we’ve got another rocking hit for you! Check out this wicked anthem, Welcome to Earth!”

- DJ Demophon Kerner, on K-RAD LA, August 6th, System Year 453

On the day of our next attempt at the dungeon, Wolf had us join his Squad to remind us that the dungeon ‘would be easier’ this time, even though its Level was going to be higher. It was closer to Level 5 now than 4, which meant the average enemy inside would be a bit stronger.

Despite the reassurances, our nerves were still taut as we gathered around the portal. We were all fully outfitted with our new gear, including my heavy gauntlet which I was wearing with the armored fingers retracted so I could handle my gun. Zaire was indeed wearing the bladed gauntlets, Tara had on her new helmet, and so on.

H’ruk had cut out the leather of his cuirass over his magical tattoo – he’d taken to calling it his ‘Ink’, capitalized, after the name of the Skill. Then he’d rigged up a leather band that wrapped around his thick torso but could be pulled down, exposing the Ink. It was a make-shift solution, since if he used mana to repair his armor the hole over his chest would close. The hope was that it would be good enough to test things out on some weaker monsters, then he’d repair his armor before we got to any more dangerous ones.

I looked over the team, making sure everyone had their serious face on. The only one I couldn’t see was Tara, whose helm was fully covering her face. Unfortunately she was the one I was most worried about, but I didn’t think there was anything I could do about her mindset at this point. I stepped forward, reaching out to touch the portal.

Into the depths Delvers go!

The moment the transition happened, my gun was in my hands and I was scanning the area around the team. Thankfully we were all there together, as Wolf had promised we would be. He’d steadfastly refused to tell us anything else about the dungeon, though. We were standing on an open grassy area, with no immediate threats in sight.

To my right, about twenty yards away, was a large stream of water running along the edge of a steep hill. The rest of my team was standing in a circle, just like we’d been positioned around the portal, and beyond them I could see a sharp change from grass to sand. It looked like the sand went on forever, though I knew the dungeon had to end somewhere.

Behind me, the stream curved slightly, the grassy area disappearing as the water ran right up against the sand. It looked eerily unnatural – a ten-yard wide strip of water with a steep, rocky hill covered in vegetation on one side, and an endless expanse of sand on the other. Turning to look back the way I’d originally been facing, the grassy area extended into a narrow strip of forest dividing the sand from the water.