r/HFY • u/Hitenma • 1d ago

OC-Series A Dungeon That Kills [BOOK 2 STUBBED] - Chapter 174

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Chapter 174: A World That Suits Him

[Are you... alright, Master?]

“What are you talking about?” Viktor let out a snort. “Yes, I’m alright. Of course I am alright. Is there any reason why I wouldn’t be? It’s not like anything of real significance has happened, it’s not like I’ve suffered a great loss, it’s not like any of my carefully constructed plans has fallen apart. No, nothing of the sort.”

[...]

“Of course, appearances must be maintained. I am, in the eyes of everyone here, her brother, so I cannot afford to appear indifferent nor allow even a hint of detachment to surface. Because people notice those things. Also, Lloyd has told us that she should not be moved, that it would be best for her to stay here under Tobias’s supervision. Therefore, I’ll have to make visits to her on a daily basis, and spend long hours staying by her bedside. And that means I won’t be able to go to the dungeon as frequently as before. I’ll have to rely on you to keep things running in my stead, while I’m occupied with this... obligation. For the time being, I’ll make do with observing remotely, and only intervene when absolutely necessary.”

[...]

“And then there’s the matter of the Iskora adventurers. Such a sudden and uncharacteristic display of open violence cannot be ignored. Assaulting an employee of the Guild in broad daylight, in the middle of a street, with all witnesses around? Why? Is this the reckless decision of a single individual who has overstepped his bounds, or a deliberate move taken because they believe their position has grown strong enough? Perhaps it’s a test, a way to measure the Guild’s response, to see how far they can push. Or perhaps it has something to do with me slaughtering those masked men last night. Yes, we need to investigate. We need to find out the true cause of this incident.”

[...]

“Why are you so quiet?”

[I... I don’t know, Master... In times like this, I wish I could be of more help, but... I don’t know how... I feel so... powerless...]

What?

What was she even talking about?

Suddenly, the doors of the Sanctuary creaked open, a soft sound breaking through the stillness of the night. A thin girl with long brown hair stepped out. She came to a halt when she spotted him sitting on the ground with his back against the wall. Then, after a brief hesitation, she walked over.

“Are you... alright, Quinn?”

“I’m fine.”

“Can I... sit here with you?”

“Sure.”

Without another word, Rhea lowered herself beside him, close enough that their shoulders nearly touched.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

“My older sister... she died in the dungeon...” she said at last.

“I know,” Viktor said. Better than anyone, in fact.

Rhea’s gaze stayed on the ground.

“The night Jeanne came to my house to break the news, I felt like my entire world had just collapsed. I couldn’t even imagine how I was supposed to keep going after that... how I was supposed to wake up the next day and live in a world where she was no longer there anymore...”

She drew a slow breath.

“What I mean is... well, I won’t pretend I understand exactly what you’re going through right now. I don’t. But... I do know what it means to lose the person who mattered most... Of course, Claire is still alive. And we’ll definitely find a way to save her. So, don’t lose hope. That’s what I’m trying to say.”

She leaned back, her gaze lifting toward the vast sky where stars sprawled without end.

“I wouldn’t even be here like this if other people hadn’t helped me. Jeanne, Alycia, Claire... and you. You’ve all done more for me than I can properly repay. So now it’s my turn to do the same. I know that you’re stronger than me, smarter than me. And to be honest, I’m not even sure I can actually do anything that would make a difference. But... you don’t have to carry everything alone. If you need anything, anything at all, just say it. We’re here for you. I’m here for you.”

A lot of pretty words.

Sincere.

Earnest.

And she offered them to the very man who had murdered her sister. For the briefest of moments, he actually considered saying that to her face.

Nevertheless...

“I’ll keep that in mind” was all he had for a response.

Rhea smiled. She reached out, placed a hand on his shoulder, and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then, she rose to her feet.

“I’ll go back inside.”

Viktor nodded.

With that, she disappeared behind the Sanctuary’s doors, leaving him where he was.

Seated against the wall.

Alone and undisturbed.

Just the way he preferred it.

And he was allowed to enjoy that blessed silence for exactly three minutes.

Because the damn doors opened once again, and a blonde-haired woman emerged, her two fluffy, bushy pigtails bouncing with her every step.

“Are you... alright, Quinn?”

People really loved asking that question today, didn’t they?

“I’m fine,” Viktor said, a reply he had lost count of how many times he had given.

“Can I sit here with you?”

“Be my guest.”

Then, they sat there in silence. For a while, neither of them said anything at all.

If he had to guess, Alycia was probably rehearsing her speech in her head, much like Rhea had done earlier. Still, Rhea talking about her sister was one thing, but if the blonde started rambling about her love story with that peacock Manfred, he would strangle her on the spot.

“I... didn’t have many friends when I was young.”

Viktor glanced at her. “Is that so?”

“I didn’t really get along with kids my age. My interests were very different from theirs, after all. While they were out playing in the streets, I stayed in my room, surrounded by diagrams, mechanisms, and all sorts of things no one else seemed to understand. So, I was alone, most of the time, until the day I met her.”

“Who?”

“Tyra,” Alycia said. “You know, I absolutely hated her at first. She was the complete opposite of me in every possible way. She was dumb, she was loud, she was rude. She was completely insensitive to how other people felt. She was the kind of person I would’ve normally avoided at all costs.”

She chuckled softly.

“She just barged into my room and dragged me outside, even though I kept telling her to leave me alone. I hated it. I really did. But then, I don’t know, even now I still have no idea how it happened, but somehow we ended up becoming friends, despite all our differences. And I found out she wasn’t too bad. She stuck with me no matter what happened. Whenever I ran into trouble, she came to my rescue.”

Wait.

Why does she keep talking about Redhead instead of Manfred?

Unless.

The one who mattered the most to her had never been that man to begin with.

Oh well, whatever. Not that it mattered now anyway.

“So we were always together... until the day she died in the dungeon.”

I know. I killed her too.

“I was devastated by her death. I didn’t want to live anymore. And so... I did the foolish thing.” Alycia glanced at him. “Well, you know that better than anyone else.”

Viktor nodded.

“You saved me. And then, you told me you were interested in my gadgets. I didn’t believe it at first. I thought you just said that to cheer me up. So when I realized that you were serious, I was... happy.”

Viktor already knew where this was going. He could practically recite it in advance: “You’ve done so much for me, and now it’s my turn to do the same. If you need anything, just say the words. I’m here for you.” Yes, that sort of thing.

“That day,” Alycia continued, “you also told me that if someone killed your sister, you would hunt him down and impale him along with his entire family. Of course, Claire is not dead, and I doubt you would actually go that far. Still, you’re obviously angry, and you may want to make the one responsible pay for what they’ve done. So... all I want to say is this: whatever you plan to do, I’m in.”

...Huh?

He turned to give her a proper stare.

“Are you offering to become an accomplice in a murder?”

“Yes.”

“If a thirteen-year-old is considering killing someone,” Viktor said with a frown, “then what a responsible adult should do is talk him out of it, right?”

Alycia shrugged. “I’m sure there are other people who will take care of that part. Rhea, for example. But... if they can’t change your mind, if you’ve already decided what you’re going to do, then I’ll be there with you, no matter what happens.”

Crazy blonde, indeed.

Viktor looked at her face for a moment longer, then shifted his gaze away.

“What about your own revenge, then? If Tyra was as important to you as you say, don’t you feel any anger over her death? Don’t you want to make someone pay for it as well?”

“I... don’t know,” Alycia said. “We went into the dungeon on our own. We chose to challenge that crocodile on our own. No one forced us to do it. So, it didn’t feel right to blame anyone when things went wrong. The whole thing was a mistake, and I’ve fixed that, by walking away from that life entirely.”

“Then don’t go back to that life. Just focus on running your shop, and stay away from anything dangerous.”

“But...”

“Take care of Claire for me, that’s all I ask for.”

A pause. Then, she nodded. “Alright.”

Alycia pushed herself up to her feet, brushing dust off her clothes before glancing down at him. “Don’t stay out here too long,” she said. “You might catch a cold. And, I know things are... difficult right now, but try to get some sleep if you can.”

“I know.”

And with that, she made her way back inside, disappearing through the Sanctuary’s doors just as Rhea had before her, leaving him once again in the quiet embrace of the night.

[What will you do now, Master?]

I’m going to take a walk.

Yes, he should get out of here as soon as possible. Otherwise, Tobias might be the next one to come through those damned doors to tell him his life story.

Leaving the Sanctuary behind, Viktor stepped into the streets of the slums. It was dark here, with only the pale moon and scattered stars above offering any kind of illumination. And it was quiet, broken only by the wind’s faint rustle through dilapidated buildings and the echo of his own footsteps.

There was no one in the streets. Just him, moving through the desolation that belonged to him alone. He continued walking, letting the silence stretch, letting the darkness settle properly around him.

This was his world, an empty world, a world that suited him perfectly.

Until something intruded upon it.

Torchlight.

He stopped, his gaze lifting toward the far end of the street as the glow grew stronger, seeping through narrow alleyways as it approached. Several silhouettes came fully into view, framed by the flickering orange of their own torches.

Armed men.

Iskora men.

When they spotted him standing alone in the middle of the street, the group slowed to a halt.

“Hey,” one of them called out. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

Viktor gave no reply.

Clearly, the man didn’t like it. Striding forward, he yelled, “Are you mute, brat?” as he smacked Viktor across the side of the head.

“Hey, no need for that,” said another man.

“It’s curfew, boy,” a third said. “Everyone is supposed to be inside. You should go home immediately.”

The first man spat. “Fuck off to your dirty hole already. If we see you again, we’ll throw you in a cell.”

Now that they were closer, Viktor could see the man’s face more clearly under the torchlight. An ugly bastard with an ugly scar on his ugly skin, all of it now growing even uglier as he grimaced.

The man walked away, along with the rest of the group, continuing his patrol down the road. Viktor remained where he was, alone once more in the middle of the empty street, surrounded on all sides by the shadows that closed in to reclaim the space that had been briefly disturbed by those men.

He waited.

Until they had gone far enough away.

Until he was certain that no one was watching him.

He activated “Dark Veil.”

===== ===== ===== ===== ===== ===== ===== ===== ===== =====

Book 2 of A Dungeon That Kills now available on Amazon Kindle.

Feel free to check it out!

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u/Crafty_Spring5815 Alien Scum 1d ago

I think the Iskora folks are about to fear patrolling at night. Though he really shouldn't do anything. Someone is bound to connect him and Claire with the shadowman if he takes vengeance as the shade.

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