Dungeon Raider System

The three items Uriel showed them seemed to be completely unrelated, but once Uriel finished his explanation they weren't so sure anymore. The most unsettling of the items was the picture, it wasn't that they thought ghosts were real, but they couldn't discard the possibility either. After all, none of them knew the reason why cryptids never came near the manor and never even questioned it.

Now, the ruinous walls surrounding them seemed to close in on them and the dark halls seemed to breathe a cold breeze that bristled the hairs on the back of their necks. As if that wasn't enough, Uriel proceeded to tell them one of the stories Luna shared with him before he left.

"A friend told me that there used to be a rumor around these places about a couple that lived in a manor just like this one. The husband was incredibly smart and knowledgeable, he spoke several languages and knew just about anything. He was so capable, people turned to him whenever they needed medical help, economic advice and even farming tips.

The wife was beautiful and charming, and even though she didn't speak a word in english she was well liked by everyone.

"For many years they tried to conceive, but they were never able to. Desperate, they turned to the dark arts and summoned a devilish creature that granted their wish. The wife then gave birth to an abomination. Half lizard, half man, the Letieche was as unsightly as you can imagine and the couple rejected the creature, abandoning it to its luck on the swamp where it was raised by the alligators."

"RAAAWR!" Mayhem shouted and burst into laughter when her companions were startled.

"Don't do that!" Young gasped clenching her chest.

"Come on, it's just a horror story!" Mayhem pouted.

"I heard that tale before, but it was a little different. I heard there was an atheist couple that refused to baptize their child and it was so ugly they left him to die in the bayou, only the child didn't die and lived among the alligators until it grew up. Whenever a boat sinks or people disappear in the bayou, people blamed the letieche."

"Whatever the case, my friend thinks the creature is real and this might be the place that gave birth to the urban legend. We'll never be able to find the truth of what really happened, but the data we collected today is too connected to that story to be a coincidence."

This time, Rusty didn't rebuke, complain or argue. Instead, he showed a great deal of interest on Uriel's story and a smile formed in his face before speaking. "I know where the basement is." Was all he said before walking towards what used to be the kitchen. It took some effort, but rusty lifted a heavy tile on the floor and a hidden staircase was revealed.

Uriel was the first to go downstairs, he didn't even bother asking Rusty how did he know about the entrance, though once he reached the bottom of the stairs he saw the huge metal door and assumed it had to do with his trait since it was related to iron.

"This place gives me a bad vibe." Young whispered from behind Uriel.

"You say that all the time." Mayhem laughed awkwardly trying to hide her fear.

"I know, but this time I really mean it. I can tell many bad things happened in here."

Uriel swiftly placed the key on the lock and it came as no surprise when it clicked open, but no one could have anticipated what happened next. As they walked through the dark corridor, a brief sensation of crossing some sort of membrane hit them on the face and then the atmosphere shifted.

Instead of the musty air that was trapped in the basement for decades, they were greeted by a fresh breathe of air and a sweet scent hit their nostrils. It was the bayou, only cleaner and a lot brighter.

"Did we travel in time or something?" Mayhem asked with a flabbergasted look on her face.

"Or something." Said Uriel as he turned off his gas lantern with a smile. After what felt ike an eternity, Uriel had finally found a new dungeon.

He didn't expect it to be as big as it was, nor did he expect it to be just like the wetlands outside, but after thinking a little about it he realized there had to be a correlation between the geographical changes in the plant and the presence of dungeons.

"Guys... I think there's something moving beneath the water." Said Mayhem with a stutter.

"Ha, ha, nice try kiddo, but you're so easy to see through." Rusty replied. He was more than accustomed to her twisted sense of humor and after getting startled just a few minutes ago, he wasn't willing to let her embarrass him in front of the incompetent new lieutenant.

"No, I'm being serious... something's moving over there!" Mayhem pointed at a distance where a shadow slithered beneath the murky waters.

"Lieutenant Sage, how should we proceed?" Young asked, but the newly appointed lieutenant was nowhere to be seen. It was just the three of them in the middle of the bayou, with nothing but swamp on sight.

"That worthless piece of Sh..." Rusty attempted to curse at Uriel, but before he could finish speaking his leg was pulled and he was dragged underwater at high speed. Moving at such speed underwater was beyond painful, but as soon as he attempted to scream his lungs were filled with the filthy still water that surrounded him.

As if that wasn't enough, the creature refused to let go and began turning underwater just like crocodiles and alligators do. It was so forceful, Rusty felt his bone snapping like a twig causing him even more pain, followed soon after by a sudden relief when whatever was left of his leg abandoned his body.

"Rusty!" Young cried as she pulled him from the waist high water.