As they entered the dark empty dungeon, nothing but the sound of their footsteps and a soft howling wind could be heard. It was quiet. The place looked and felt weird due to the clean and smooth floor and perfectly shaped tunnels engraved with mysterious runes and unknown characters. This place belonged to an intelligent being. 

They kept tabs on each other, walking closely to one another in an organized formation so no one would get lost or be harmed if something unexpected was to happen. Philip and his father were using their magic to detect if there are any danger present but could sense nothing.

As they walked deeper into the tunnel, they started sensing a presence of strong magic. The group decided to follow it and would encounter a lot of different tunnels. But due to the strange magic being too strong, they were easily able to pinpoint the right direction. They finally arrived at what seemed like the end of the smooth floor and perfectly shaped tunnels. The rest of the path has a cave-like surface just like how usual dungeons would be. The path this time was a narrow one. They didn't waste time and resumed moving forward despite their pace being slowed down a bit due to the road's narrow structure. 

At last, they have reached a wide and spacious room with a majestic waterfall. 

There's a big stone altar in the middle of a magical pond where the waterfall is located and they could feel the strong presence of magic in this place.  

The walls were completely made out of foreign shiny pinkish metallic stones. Upon inspecting the material, they were suddenly perplexed as they discover that these foreign pinkish stones are high-grade mana stones. They couldn't believe their eyes. They haven't even seen or encountered a fist-sized high-grade stone throughout their whole life, let alone a whole gigantic wall of it.

Except for Philip, everyone was completely consumed and busy inspecting the wall stones. He was suddenly put in some kind of a trance as he found himself walking involuntarily towards the altar. When he was already a few feet away from it, they suddenly felt an incoming presence; extremely heavy that most of them were forced to get down on their knees. A blood whirlwind appeared out of thin air and a gigantic black spider similar to that of a scorpion appeared out of it. The spider was three meters wide and about the same height as an average adult human. It has eight nimble but sharp legs. 

"Get back!!!" Philip's father shouted but it was too late for the fear-stricken Philip. He was completely paralyzed not only out of fear but also because of the spider's power. in a blink the spider was next to him slashing its sharp pointy leg at Philip, His whole left arm was completely chopped off in an instant and blood was gushing out of it. 

everything happened in less than a second, His friends quickly rushed forward to protect Philip. surrounding him like a trained party, Keeve slammed his hammer and held his shield, trying to get the aggro of the spider while the others used their skills supporting him. Sella the healer rushed and tried healing Philip's injury but it wasn't working.

"Why wouldn't it work?!" she said in a worried tone. Something was dispelling her healing ability so she didn't have a choice but to perform a manual first aid on Philip. 

'He'll surely die if nothing was done to stop him from bleeding.' she thought. 

while sella is trying to save Philip, one of the elders rushed at the spider with movement similar to sliding using lightning power under their feet trying to gain the attention of the beast while the other hurled icy spears around the spider trying to slow it down while Philips father placed an arcane shield around Philip and sella and stood guard while supporting them with fireballs.

" This can't be happening what is this thing its so hard to kill, " Philip's father said as he used to inspect

< Inspect >

.

( Reishalion Guardian: monster : Rare: level 40 )

< note - ( Dungeon Beast Level: common - rare - leader - boss ) >

Philip's father couldn't believe it and cried out of his mind. 

"That's impossible!, a Monster ???, It doesn't make any sense," he uttered in a whisper. Both his eyebrows are furrowed in confusion.

"This thing isn't even a boss grade but why does it feel like it's a boss???"

His chest was thumping so loud out of nervousness. 

" Elders we have no way but to kill it, use everything you got, also Keeve, Tom, Vul'elandor. listen up stay with sella, and give us support " he ordered as he rushed into the spider with all his power

The elder mages were causing damage to the black spider but it was so minimal compared to the actual damage their spells are supposed to deal. Aside from its unbelievable strength, the spider was too fast as well for Vul'elander causing him to miss out on his shots. 

The continuous fighting has finally ended after two hours. They have managed to kill the beast and they should've been happy celebrating their victory. But instead, the scene was the complete opposite. one of the elders as well as Philip's father had died during the fight. All of them were injured, but Philip's state is the worst out of all of them. He was badly inflicted physically due to his left arm being cut off and not only that but also the anguish and pain of losing one's father. 

He couldn't believe his eyes as countless tears involuntarily fell from them. He was blankly staring at his father's corpse. His mind was in a blank state, completely shut off from everything. 

Once again, another whirlwind started appearing causing them to panic. They quickly went into the altar, running around, looking for any possible way to stop it. They really couldn't afford to face another black spider in their current condition. 

"There has to be some way to end this," Tom said. 

Philip was now in the middle of his thoughts when he suddenly heard whispers coming from the waterfall. He got up without minding his injury and turned in the waterfall's direction. Sella screamed and was about to stop him but he quickly used an arcane shield. 

Philip's current emotion was that of anger. The most important person in his life, his beloved father, had died protecting him so he had nothing left to lose now. He's not even afraid to face whatever it is that was called on to him. He wouldn't mind joining his father in death for the sake of saving his friends and the remaining elder and letting them escape from this g*ddamn place. 

The whispers hadn't stopped as he was approaching the waterfall. 

'Could it be behind this waterfall?' he thought. He had many questions running off on his mind and couldn't think straight. 

He pushed through the waterfall with his shield and found something like a pedestal on a platform. 

Keeve cursed inwardly, 'Damn you, Philip. Are you trying to get yourself killed?!'

"Tom! Please go get Phi—" 

Before Keeve could finish talking to Tom, the black spider had already respawned and it instantly went berserk.

It was so fast that it seemed like it had teleported right behind Vul'elandor, instantly slicing his body and lower limbs.  

"Aghhhhh my— mm my legs! Aaaaughh!!" 

He screamed as he fell crying in shock and pain.

Before the spider could slice whatever's left of their elven friend, a shield suddenly came in with a glowing sword. The spider instinctively retreated, but as it was going to attack again, it suddenly turned into dust.

"Ahhhhhhughh. Hadassah. That was scary, man. Whatever happened to it, I'm glad that it was gone." Tom said, panting and gasping for air. 

"Please Sella! Quickly try and save Val'elandor". he added but was interrupted by Keeve.

"Let's just get the duck out of here quickly. Sella can't use her healing skill and we really can't save him now. There's nothing else we can do. He's gone." 

Keeve cried as the remaining injured elder nodded.

**

A minute ago, as Philip was approaching the pedestal, he found a small skull spider-shaped gem placed on top of it. It appears to be powering the entire altar as well as summoning the black scorpion-like spider. He instantly took it off and heard a cracking sound under the pedestal causing the sound of fighting to halt followed by tom's voice, shouting. 

**

A few days have passed and Philip had buried his dead father, the late elder mage, and his elven friend's corpse, Vul'elandor. He was sitting on a side cliff, staring at the sight of the sunset. The calming ocean breeze was gently hitting him on his face as he looked down at the item in his hand. The spider skull gem. 

< Inspect >

< Name: Arachnoid Soul Gem ( Relic ) >

A wave of confusion flashed in his eyes. Seems like everything he has read and studied weren't enough. He had never heard of a red-quality relic. No matter how hard he try to think about it, he couldn't quite understand the purpose of that dungeon or how those spiders were so strong at a different level than even a veteran mage like his father and an elder died. 

"It just doesn't make sense." Philip frustratingly screamed inward. 

He was suddenly interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps. 

He looked up and saw a man. It was Edward and was an old friend of Philip's father, a high-ranking knight sent by the emperor to investigate together with his veteran soldiers. 

"Hey, Philip. It's been a long while. You've grown to be quite a man." He greeted with a smile.

"Not just a man but a good mage as well like your father—." he stopped midway as he remembered.

"I'm sorry for what had happened, Philip. I'll understand if you would want some alone time right now. We'll head off down there and investigate to make sure it's safe." he said.

"I just want you to know that whatever happened can't be changed. Death is the most common on the battlefield but your father is an honorable mage. If you haven't known yet, this formation is the backbone of our empire. Behind this ocean lies the kingdom of Kolon Viel and they couldn't cross the sea and attack this place because of the magic circle your father and all those before him died in to protect. I trust that you will do the same as well. Make your father proud, kid." the knight gently tapped him on the shoulder before walking away. 

Days later, rumors of a high-grade mana stone mine had spread out like wildfire. A Nobleman arrived with his knights. Philip, who was confused about what was happening went out and asked.

"Hey! What are you doing? This area is under the watchtower mages and you can't—."

Philip was interrupted by a nobleman who had approached him and said in a sarcastic tone, 

"Are you the new High Visor here? Did the last one die? Oooooo, so was it your father? Too bad, I'm sorry for your loss."

Then he continued with an annoyed voice.

"Know your place, mage. This is a direct command from the capital. That dungeon is ours now." 

He then got up on his horse and shouted so all people in the village can hear him.

"In the name of the emperor! We are ordered to take on the new mine and the resources will be sent to his grace vault, for the empire!"

Then he turned at Philip with a smirk and taunting smile.

"And the traitors will be punished!" 

He looked behind and Philip saw his friends being dragged out by soldiers. His elf friend, Sella, and Keeve, his dwarf friend were badly beaten by them.

"NOOO!!! What are you doing?!!" Philip shouted to which the nobleman replied,

"They are confirmed spies of the elven and dwarven kingdoms, They will be punished for killing the mages here." 

Philip's eyes quickly widened in disbelief.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!!! What are you doing?!! These are my party member—." he was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Edward, leaning close to his ear and whispered, 

"I'm sorry Philip but it's beyond my control. They don't want the other races to find out about this mine so they're going to kill them. You better just go and do your job." 

 Upon hearing this, Philip completely lost it all and fell on his knees. He lost a father, a friend, his whole army, and now his remaining friends. 

'What did I ever do to deserve this???' he thought out of despair as the nobleman was busy ordering his small army to secure the mine and later on left on his fancy horse

Philip went back to the tower and stared blankly at his father's disk. He had a brother and an elder mage to protect and take care of, as well as the magic formation. He still cares for the village but he knew his days of glory have ended. He wouldn't be leaving this tower and would never go for an adventure ever again.

And just like that, 

45 years have passed .....