"Ah..."
I choked on my own breath.
I wanted to scream.
No sound came out.
My hands...
My hands...
I grabbed one of my severed hands with what remained of my arm and stumbled toward the circular platform.
"Activate!"
"Please... send me somewhere!"
Nothing happened.
"Grrrr..."
The cat-like monster slowly circled me.
Unlike the Cavetroll...
It wasn't large.
It wasn't intimidating because of its size.
It was terrifying because I couldn't even see it move.
Panic consumed me.
Then...
It vanished.
"AHHH!"
My other hand fell to the ground.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
I wanted to run.
But where?
Every monster I'd faced until now had relied on strength.
This one...
It relied on speed.
Too fast.
Fast...
Fast...
Fast...
My mind repeated the same word over and over.
Fast.
Speed.
Blink.
Blink...
Silvervein...
"I'M COLE SILVERVEIN!"
I shouted with every ounce of strength I had left.
The creature disappeared once more.
But this time...
It stopped directly in front of me.
Its blade-like tail rested gently against my neck.
One more movement...
And I would die.
"What did you say?"
A calm voice echoed through the cavern.
"Stand down, Sylvie."
The beast immediately jumped backward.
An old man descended from the rocks above as if he had been watching the entire time.
He walked toward me.
"I said..."
"What did you say?"
"What... did I say?"
I stammered, barely conscious.
"What is your name, boy?"
"I'm..."
"Cole."
"Cole Silvervein."
The old man's expression froze.
"Who's your father?"
"Kyle."
"My father's name is Kyle Silvervein."
Silence.
Then...
"Hahahahaha!"
The old man burst into laughter.
He stepped closer and grabbed my chin.
"Look at me."
I forced my blurry eyes open.
Blue eyes.
Just like...
Before I could think any further...
Darkness swallowed me.
When I opened my eyes again...
I was lying on a bed.
My arms...
They were attached again.
I flexed my fingers.
No pain.
Only weakness.
"My name is Carl."
A voice came from beside me.
I turned.
An elderly man sat quietly in a wooden chair.
"Carl Silvervein."
"Your father's older brother."
"...What?"
"You must be hungry."
"Eat first."
A bowl of warm food rested on the nearby table.
I accepted it without hesitation.
Real food.
Not Ravihen meat.
It tasted heavenly.
Carl smiled.
"I know you have many questions."
"But they all have the same answer."
"What's done is done."
I looked at him.
"How did you know what I was going to ask?"
He sighed.
"For starters..."
"I know my brother was sent to the mines."
"As for me..."
"I was sent into this dungeon."
"With a curse."
"A curse?"
"I cannot use teleportation circles."
"If I cannot use them..."
"I can never leave."
I looked toward the platform outside.
"So you've been trapped here all this time?"
Carl nodded.
"That's why the only thing I can still do..."
"...is make sure no one else leaves either."
"So I guard the exit."
"I kill anyone who reaches it."
His words sent chills down my spine.
"I see..."
After a long silence, Carl asked,
"What do you know about the Silvervein family?"
"Not much."
"My father only told me we were nobles."
"And that our family possessed the Blink Rune."
"He also said my grandfather was a traitor."
Carl chuckled bitterly.
"If standing for what you believe is treason..."
"Then yes."
"He was a traitor."
"My father was an honorable man."
"And that same honor destroyed our family."
He looked toward the cavern ceiling.
"And here we are."
He turned back to me.
"So..."
"Have you already absorbed a rune?"
"Yes."
"A Storage Rune."
Carl let out a disappointed sigh.
"What a pity."
"Without a combat rune, you'll die on a battlefield."
"Probably."
I smiled.
"Unless you're fast enough."
Carl raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you say that?"
I walked outside and pointed toward a nearby boulder.
Taking the first stance of the Exploding Rock Fist...
I punched.
BOOM!
The boulder exploded into countless pieces.
Carl's eyes widened.
"...That's terrifying."
"How did you do that?"
"I store impact."
"Then release it through my punches."
Carl stared at me in silence.
"...I didn't know a Storage Rune could be used like that."
He looked at my stance.
"Your forms are clean."
"Who taught you?"
"No one."
I handed him the martial arts book.
Carl flipped through a few pages before looking back at me.
"You learned all of this..."
"From a book?"
I nodded.
He laughed.
"You're talented."
"And that martial art suits your rune perfectly."
Carl walked inside his house and returned carrying three objects.
A sword.
A thick book.
And a silver medallion engraved with the Silvervein crest.
He handed them to me.
"If you can learn from books..."
"Then this is better suited for you."
"Our family's swordsmanship."
He placed the medallion in my hand.
"This belongs to you."
Finally...
He held out a small white rune stone.
"A Blink Rune."
"It's only Normal rank."
"I know you can't absorb another rune."
"But perhaps..."
"One day..."
"Your child will."
I laughed.
"I'm far too young to have a child."
"I'm still a child myself."
Carl burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
"So you are."
We laughed together.
For the first time in a very long while...
I wasn't alone.
"Thank you..."
"Uncle."
Carl smiled warmly.
"You can always come back."
"The world beyond this dungeon is full of adventure."
He stepped onto the teleportation platform with me.
I waited.
Nothing happened.
"Why isn't it activating?"
Carl laughed.
"My curse."
He stepped off the platform.
The eight pillars immediately began glowing.
The ancient runes lit one after another.
Carl waved.
"Come back someday."
"And bring me some good booze."
A brilliant flash of light swallowed my vision.