The Nyechistyy felt the brilliant explosion ring right in front of him even if he could not see it and smiled brightly like he was the freest person in the world.
’It worked-’
The Nyechistyy had used up most of his mana not to burn or stun the warden.
No, it was meant to act as a lighthouse, to say, ’Look! I’m here!’
And who was it meant to guide?
The lunatic warrior who’d lost track of the warden of course.
The Nyechistyy didn’t even get the time to comprehend what had just happened before he went flying because of the force of the explosion.
He was pushed into the air as he rocketed backwards off the spearing tail of the warden.
The Nyechistyy flew through the air before crashing into the ground and tumbling around for a few seconds, doing rapid spins and flips.
Every part of his body stinging with pain making him unable to take a single breath as he ragdolled.
Before long, the Nyechistyy flew into the gigantic portal that was simply waiting for anyone to enter it.
SWOOP!
The Nyechistyy vanished from the absolutely chaotic battlefield and reemerged out of the portal into a dungeon instance.
As soon as he flew out of the dungeon portal that closed behind him, he crashed into a hard surface with several pointy little rocks jutting out of it.
Falling down while scraping his skin on the rocks, the Nyechisty let out a groan of pain before collapsing into the cool damp floor.
The chill of the floor kept the Nyechistyy awake and prevented him from falling into the comfort of sleep.
His obsidian eyes scanned around the cavern he seemed to be in with slight fear as his sight slowly returned to him.
’I wonder... what monsters are in this dungeon...’
The Nyechistyy had heard several stories about many different dungeons in his time in the prison.
He’d heard about ones containing legendary creatures like the sagely dragons.
Those containing gold beyond measure and mana crystal veins beyond anyone one’s imagination.
And sometimes those containing even souls of dead heroes that could be resurrected to finally fight for humanity once again.
But each time they were accompanied by a test.
Either it was a legendary monster that tested your mettle, or a deceitfully powerful entity that tested your desire for power, that sought to know how much you were willing to sacrifice for it.
It could even be something as simple as a puzzle to test your wits and morality.
The Nyechistyy was excited for his reward, after all each story he’d heard till now told tales of riches, power and wealth.
Yet the fear of the unknown trials that awaited him made him subconsciously clench his fist and grit his teeth.
After all, no one who’d been sent to this particular dungeon over the years by the demons had ever cleared it. They’d all fallen prey to it.
So this had to be quite the high level dungeon.
Eventually, after about half an hour when his mana fully recovered, the Nyechistyy finally pushed himself up and sat well while leaning against the sharp rocks that jutted out of the wall.
’Huh... it doesn’t seem to be very dangerous here...’
’Should I wait it out here until I heal myself fully?’
’No... it’s better I scout out the situation around here first before I set up bedding for rest.’
’Once I’m done with that I can even check out my system... Hopefully it is not as useless as it initially seemed.’
The Nyechistyy pushed himself up and with broken bones in his body, dragged himself to stand up and walk out of the rather small cavern he seemed to have arrived in.
There were stalagmites and stalactites everywhere and it made it difficult to accurately place his foot anywhere.
However it was also helpful in the sense that they formed supports that the Nyechistyy could hold onto as he walked.
The Nyechistyy walked slowly in order to not make any noise and also because he really couldn’t walk fast enough without making his body collapse with pain just yet.
’Everything is healing... but too slowly.’
The cavern turned to the right just around the corner so the Nyechistyy took support of the left side of the wall to have an easier time peeking across the wall and spotting if there was anyone there.
CRACK!
However just as he was about to cross the bend he heard a sound.
’Was that a twig cracking just now?’
The Nyechistyy instantly went on alert.
’A tree inside this place? Where does the light come from?’
’I suppose the light in the cavern has to come from somewhere too... is there an artificial sun here... wait not that’s not what I should be thinking about...’
’Who’s there?’
’A goblin?’
’No... they wouldn’t be in such a high level dungeon. The other monsters would’ve eaten them up.’
The Nyechistyy carefully peeked around the corner without making a sound.
He held his breath and looked, really looked, only-
-as soon as he saw what, or rather who was on the other side he froze.
As soon as the other ’thing’ saw him, it froze too, as if it had seen something unexpected.
’It’s’ eyes first went to his battered state before going to his beautiful horns. And then, then they widened like they’d really seen a ghost!
’Ho-’
’HOW!?’
Those kind eyes.
Those laugh lines from laughing too much at his silly jokes.
That short stature that didn’t even reach his chin.
That gentle figure that had cradled him to sleep when he was a baby.
Everything about the illusion in front of his eyes felt to Nyechistyy like a dream.
"....Lucy? Lucifer?!!!????" The illusion shouted as it rushed towards him.
Hearing the voice devastated Lucifer.
It was the voice that had sung him countless lullabies.
It was the voice that had stood up for him when he was bullied by everyone else in the prison block.
It was the same voice that had told him everything was going to be alright when because of his mistake it was taken away from him, when she was sent to the dungeons in his stead.
And now that voice was being used to call his name again. He hadn’t heard that name in so long that it felt like it was another lifetime.
Tears welled up in Lucifer’s eyes.
’No!!! This has to be an illusion!!! She must be a creation of the dungeon!!! How can she survive here for so long when the Warden can see everything that goes on inside here!!!’
Only, the illusion rushed at Lucifer and slammed into him with the force of a truck as it wrapped its arms around him and squeezed him closer.
There was pain, terrible amounts of pain as the illusion did that since his body was still very much broken.
But it was real.
The sensation of the softness and the sweet scent that the rigour of prison could never hide, everything that he remembered came crashing into him all at once.
Tears welled up in his eyes as his hands found purchase on the illusion’s back.
"M- Ma?"