Open World Online (O.w.O)

• 1^st Person POV (MC)

-Present Time-

Crouching down, In my view the image slowly and steadily aligned into the shape of a dragon unfurling its wings. I need several twists and turns until I finally align it perfectly.

Once it is aligned, the image glows intensely for a split second before dimming away. Including the strange crystal as the whole chamber is engulfed in complete darkness.

Not wanting to dwell on it for too long, I decided to cast the same {Spell}.

“[Ligh-]”“

*FWOOOOSH*

The sounds of fire set ablaze caught my ears as my surroundings were suddenly illuminated by orange light from the sconces. The temperature rises a bit into a comfortable warmth compared to dark & dampness before.

My eyes scour around and notice the image of that exact dragon is visible on the walls. It is blatantly highlighted with a bluish colouration similar to the crystal...

“I am pretty sure, I didn’t see that thing on the walls... strange...”

Could it be? It is engraved into the walls once I have completed this simple ‘light and shadow’ puzzle.

Nevertheless, I didn’t see any way to move forward so I decided to head back from where I came from. I utilised my staff as a tapping cane to identify any traps along the way.

--

“Fiuf! Back safe.”

The golem’s AI beside me is smart enough to not trigger the trap I avoided. Everything went smoothly in this part.

Now...

To my ‘Right’ is the ancient ruin central hallway while across me is the ancient ruin right hallway. As my gaming instincts telling me or screaming at me, I decided to explore the hallway across me. After all, the ancient ruin’s central hallway most likely led to a boss room or something of that calibre.

That leads to this...

In front of me is just a completely dark hallway leading somewhere. Even using my [Light] spell, the illumination radius is... shorter. If my eyes are still working then there’s an effect that causes this phenomenon.

Making it hard to navigate as I held the staff on the bottom end to tap the floor tiles for any traps.

Hmmm...

Raising my staff above, I couldn’t see any sconces attached to its walls. I guess I can only rely on my [Light] then.

I can only hear my footsteps and the golem’s heavier ones as we walk through the hallway.

“It’s... kind of scary... No! Don’t think about that or you’ll scare yourself.”

I shake my head several times, whisking away those fearful thoughts from my mind.

*HAAAAAAAAAAA*

“What was that!!???”

I whipped my head as fast as I could to the source of it. Whatever ‘that’ is sounded similar to a hoarse dry gasp coming from a corpse like in those horror movies.

My skin shivers and goosebumps everywhere. As a sudden chill passed by me. I can feel my breath taken away and my [Light] dims a few times.

My hair stands up stiffly as I scoot over to the golem closer than usual.

Quickly I glanced to my HP bar and saw that it had been reduced. Meanwhile, my Golem has already extended its left hand to cover a part of my body.

“This... this is an attack from a monster.”

I’m sure of it! My Golem reacted unlike when I triggered a trap that time. But... it bypasses my golem... what kind of creature is this?

Could it be? A ghost?

With a firm posture, I slammed the bottom of my staff to the ground.

“[Flash]!!”

The lamplight at the top of my staff instantly grew as bright as a mini flash bomb engulfing the area with its white light.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” -Spectre-

A scream, distant yet close can be heard. It is a shrieking scream that makes my blood chill as in a split second I can see a shadowy tendril moving nearby.

In a hurry, I swung my staff in that direction. I have never used this {Spell} but I have seen what it does. I sure hope it works on creatures like this!

“[Holy Light]!!”

My staff shoot out a beam of golden light akin to a flashlight even though it takes a bit longer than a bolt spell judging by the sheer size and ‘impact’ of this spell I can tell it deals more damage.

*BAM*

I can see on the other side of this, that golden light hit some kind of shadowy hooded figure floating in mid-air.

It sizzles akin to a hot metal dipped into cold water as the creature recoils & twitches its body inhumanly.

*HSSSSSSSSSS*

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.” -Spectre-

The high-pitched scream gets louder before finally fades into nothingness and the hallway turns quiet.

A sense of unease surrounding me also fades indicative that there’s no enemy at the moment.

Sighing... I leaned on my Golem. Its smooth and cold surface stung a bit but I felt safe.

“Haa... I didn’t take too much damage. Is it because of my Primordial Body? Assuming ghost-type creatures like it deal magic damage.”

It is a bit troublesome knowing that ‘it’ can easily phase through my golem. As I glance at my Golem thinking of an idea...

“[Heal].”

My left hand glowed in green light as I promptly rested my hand on top of my chest. With the green light engulfing me, I can feel myself getting better than before including my HP bar is filled back to full.

“Good... We can continue.”

Walking forward with my Golem slowly & cautiously. I waved my staff around like a flashlight...

So far, there’s nothing to be alarmed of...

...

...

Minutes passed by unknowingly as we walked through this almost endless passageway.

...

My footsteps echoed until they faded in the distance and the complete silence following suit was unnerving. White light radiating from my lamplight staff gives off not-so-good vision and is sometimes dimmed. If not for Mr. Golem accompanying me, I don’t think I can handle this ‘type’ of dungeon.

It’s scary! Huff... let’s calm down, take a deep breath and keep calm...

“Brrr...”

I shivered... from a sudden cold coiling on my skin. And then...

*HAAAAAAA* -Spectre-

I heard a long dry gasp near my ear. My eyes widened realizing what this entails from previous experience.

“WAIT A SECOND!” *FWIP*

I slammed my staff down making a loud thud as I cast.

“[Flash]!!!”

The light from my staff grows intensely bright engulfing the surrounding area with its glow.

“AAAAAAAAAA” -Spectre-

The characteristic ear-piercing scream can be heard echoing in the halls and my eyes darting around trying to find where the creature is.

Found it!

“[Holy Light]!!”

A beam of golden light purifies that shadowy figure accompanied by its ear-splitting scream before vanishing.

...

...

Strange, why I am still feeling the unease and cold?

*HAAAAAAAA* -Spectre-

A sharp sting of cold suddenly pierces my back straight to my chest before leaving behind a dull ache. I looked at my chest where I could see a dried-out hand of a corpse jutting forth from my chest.

Simultaneously, I can feel cold winds blow and the exact shadowy figure passes through me uncannily fast to the darkness once more.

My eyes glance to the side and see that my golem tried to shield my back but to no avail.

“[Holy Light]!!”

I shoot that golden light out from my left hand in a random direction as it hits the hallway leaving behind a fading golden glow.

“Where?! Hmmm...”

*HAAAAAAA* -Spectre-

Another tell-tale dry gasp of that creature. It must have been preparing to attack... My [Flash] is in cool down so I cannot use it right away!

Think! Think!! There must be a way to easily spot them.

That’s the moment when that idea flashed back through my mind.

I pay close attention to my golem, it reacts way faster than me...

Just in the nick of time, the golem moves its left hand incredibly fast to cover my flank. If my hunch is correct, I think I can do this.

I aimed my left hand in the direction where my golem tried to protect me from those things.

“[Holy Light]!!”

Glimmering golden light flashes before my eyes and hand. Illuminating the surroundings ever so quickly but also allowing me to see what I hit.

A hooded figure floating in the air wearing its tattered black robe. Once it makes contact with the golden light, it scorches as if it is being burned by that light.

*HSSSSSSSS*

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” -Spectre-

Its screams echoed in this hall as the shadowy hooded figure began to fray apart and disappear.

Until nothing is left as the hallway becomes silent once more. The sense of unease and uncanny cold disappeared.

I then realised something...

I have defeated 3 of those ‘things’ but never seen any dropped glimmering orbs from them.

(“Is it safe to assume, monsters inside a ‘Dungeon’ don’t drop loot?”)

Shrugging I continued forward with my Golem until my lamplight staff didn’t show any of the familiar walls. As if I have entered an open room...

Waving my staff around, my hunch is correct. I’m now in a vast chamber. I couldn’t see the other side of the room due to the mysterious effect of light dampening in this section of the dungeon. But I can see the walls near me.

I touched the walls and began walking around the edge of the room. It took some time until I saw another hallway which I recognised immediately.

(“Wait... I am back from where I came!”)

So it is a circular room... hmmm... I wonder what’s in the centre of this room?

I held the back end of my lamplight staff extending where the light reached. That’s when I saw it...

(“A lever?”)

It seems like a stereotypical iron lever with a wooden handle. Although.... it is larger than a normal lever towering over my measly height. There is no way I can operate that…

Hmmm... Ah! I know.

“Mr. Golem, try to operate that handle.”

I tried to make my voice as monotonous and clear as possible similar to how I use a voice command in my phone.

Understanding that the golem moved and began clutching its hands to the wooden handle of that lever. Then move it to the other side...

*KRRRKKKK* *CLICK*

Once it hits the other side, the golem lets the lever go and returns to my side on standby.

*CLICK* *CLICK* *CLICK* *FWOOOSH*

The surrounding temperature heats up as flames appear on the sconces... Huh?

I’m pretty sure, I didn’t see any sconces. Did the lever activate some kind of mechanism that made all the sconces appear?

Hmm...

Nevertheless, I can now see the entire room where I am. It is the same kind of place on the other side where that strange glowing crystal is.

Murals depicting traditional ceremonies, dragons unfurling their wings in a display of strength, and below them are rubble & people fleeing in terror.

Looking around the place, I didn’t find anything interesting besides the battle against 3 ghostly type creatures. I mean... the dungeon did say solo parties have easier difficulty.

With a sigh, I turned back.

...

Arriving at the ‘lobby’ of the dungeon. I noticed there were changes in the direction of the central hallway of this place.

“Hm? I didn’t remember there are braziers?”

I looked at two large braziers resting in the middle hallway. The flickering flame gives off orange radiance and I can see the tip of iron bars at the entrance to that hallway. As if there was a gate from it being retracted.

It clicked in my mind, by ‘completing’ the left & right hallway in this dungeon. I unknowingly unlocked the passage.

Nodding to myself, I decided to take a closer look at where I was going to go. The surrounding area brightens due to the burning flames. The very same walls with etched murals leading to somewhere beyond...

“[Heal]!”

“[Fortify]!”

“[Resistance]!”

“[Regeneration]!”

Multiple lights of many colours engulfed me. Each of those signifies buffs applied to me and of course, I healed myself. As I decided to move forward, I knew at the back of my mind. My gamer instinct screamed at me.

This hallway is leading to a boss battle!