Sera - A Dungeon Revival LitRPG

Sera moved back and waited as the beastkin slowly stirred awake. His muscles twitching as she watched cautiously. Gradually, he opened his eyes, slightly drowsy at first. But as soon as he saw the vines binding his limbs, panic flooded his gaze.

He thrashed around violently as he yelled, "Alpa! Alpa!"

Sera rolled her eyes at the sight. Fantastic, this one's a lunatic.

She hoped the beastkin would calm down on his own after a few seconds, but his wild movements and incessant cries grated on her patience. I'm giving this five more seconds: five, four, three, two—

Unfortunately, when Sera finally counted to one, the beastkin showed no signs of stopping his yelling and thrashing. Seeing this, she covered a part of her hand before unfurling it to reveal a bright yellow flower.

She approached the beastkin's head and gently blew on the flower, causing it to dissipate into a cloud of yellowish powder that enveloped his face. The beastkin's wild eyes quickly lost their frantic edge, his breathing stabilizing as the powder's effects took hold.

The beastkin's body relaxed, the tension ebbing away as he inhaled the soothing substance. Sera knelt down beside him and observed the change in his demeanor. His chest rose and fell steadily now, the violent thrashing replaced by a more peaceful state.

Satisfied that he was calm, Sera snapped her fingers in front of his eyes to draw his attention. "Focus, I'm not letting you rest just yet."

The beastkin gradually calmed down, his breathing slowing as he turned to look at Sera. "Where... where...?"

Sera exhaled an exasperated sigh, thinking to herself that she may have overdone the dosage. The calming powder had clearly taken a stronger effect than she intended. Either way, he's calmed down a bit at the very least.

She knelt beside the beastkin's head and asked, "Can you say your name?"

The beastkin struggled, his lips trembling as he tried to form the words. "A... Aermo."

Seeing Aermo about to fall asleep again, Sera slapped him across the face to force him awake. His head jerked to the side, and he coughed a few times before glaring at her. "Who the fuck are you?"

Sera's gaze settled on the beastkin. She noted the tension in his muscles, the way his fingers dug into the dirt as if seeking an anchor. He's still not ready.

Her own expression remained serene, a stark contrast to the anxiety radiating from him. "Calm down."

Aermo, however, did not heed her words. His eyes darted around the area to look for a way to escape. His muscles strained against the vines binding him, the veins on his neck bulged as he struggled against the unyielding grip of the vines.

Sera’s eyes narrowed slightly. It would seem that I need to assert myself more.

She clenched her fist, causing the vines around Aermo's body to tighten with a creaking sound as if they were drawing strength from the ground. The pressure increased, and a scream of pain tore from Aermo's throat.

His cries were filled with pain and desperation, each breath a shuddering gasp that stretched minutes into feeling like eternity. Until finally, Aermo stopped struggling.

Sera slowly loosened the vines to ease the tension ever so slightly. The vines slackened to allow Aermo to catch his breath. His eyes now held a hollow look of resignation instead of the rebellious fire they had earlier.

The beastkin turned to her weakly. "Just kill me."

"Have you considered that if I wanted you dead, that we would not be having this conversation to begin with?"

"Whatever, do your worst."

Sera studied him closely. She could see the hollowness in his eyes and how his voice lacked the fiery determination that had driven his initial struggles. This man has lost his reason to fight. Applying more coercion might not achieve the compliance that I desire, perhaps, a different approach is necessary.

She sat down to the ground next to the beastkin, crossed her legs and looked at him with a softer expression. "Is Alpa your wife?"

A tear welled up in Aermo's eye before slowly trailing down his cheek as he exhaled deeply. "She's probably taken away as a slave or dead, just like everybody else."

"Do you remember what actually happened to her?"

"If you're not gonna do anything to me, just fuck off."

"Try to think for a second, do you even know where you are?"

Aermo shifted his gaze away from Sera. His eyes lingered on a distant point while his shoulders hunched slightly.

Sera observed him for a moment longer before standing up. She moved away and then willed the vines binding him to loosen just enough for him to break free. Time to take more extreme measures.

Immediately, Aermo seized the opportunity and ran away from Sera, moving as far and as fast as he could manage. His figure quickly disappeared into the surrounding landscape.

Instead of chasing after him, Sera broke off a small piece of her antler, feeling the familiar resistance and crackle of energy as it snapped. She crushed it in her hand to turn the fragments into a small, black seed. She knelt down and planted the seed into the ground, then covered it lightly with soil.

In a few seconds, the seed sprouted and rapidly grew into a large tree with black bark and silver leaves. Sera sat down on its trunk with her back against the rough bark. She closed her eyes and counted the seconds as they passed. One, two, three…

As she counted, her thoughts remained focused on the passing time. She knew Aermo would return sooner or later, as the beastkin wouldn't have a chance at leaving the dungeon without her help. He didn't look particularly knowledgeable when he ran away, merely fuelled by emotion and desperation.

After some more waiting, Sera opened her eyes as she sensed someone approaching her. She spotted Aermo's figure coming into view. The beastkin approached slowly, panting heavily, his steps faltering with exhaustion.

When Aermo finally reached her, he collapsed to his knees and gasped for breath. Sera smiled slightly, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. "Twenty minutes and fifty-six seconds."

Aermo looked confused as he pushed himself to sit down. "What?"

Sera remained seated against the tree, her smile widening just a fraction more. "The time it took for you to come back. Twenty minutes and fifty-six seconds."

"Hold on, you knew that it was going to be impossible for me to leave, didn't you?"

"And so what if I did? You ran off before I could say anything."

An awkward silence stretched between Aermo and Sera, the air thick with unspoken tension. The beastkin's hesitation was palpable in the slight tremor of his hands, which he tried to hide by clenching them into fists. His shoulders remained hunched, as if he were trying to shield himself from an invisible weight pressing down on him.

But finally, Aermo broke the silence. "I'm sorry for losing my cool earlier. But can you please help me leave this place?"

Sera tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing with a hint of amusement. "I don't think so. But, if you'd at least talk to me, I might reconsider."

"Fine, what do you want to know?"

"First question, why do you want to leave this place so badly?'

"I need to go back to my village and see if there's anyone alive."

"Could you explain exactly what happened there?"

Aermo looked away, a deep frown creasing his forehead. The lines on his face deepened, and his eyes darkened with the weight of painful memories. His jaw tightened, muscles clenching as he struggled to find the words.

Sera sensed his reluctance and moved closer. She extended her hand, hovering it near him as a soft, green glow emanated from her palm. It bathed Aermo in a gentle light that healed his wounds.

Aermo looked very surprised as his injuries rapidly healed. He instinctively reached up to touch the areas where the pain had been moments before. The deep frown on his forehead smoothed out, replaced by a look of astonished relief. “How... are you able to use healing magic? Are you a goddess?"

Sera's hand still hovered near him as the green glow continued to mend his injuries. “Do not trouble yourself with the details. What matters is how you feel now.”

Aermo flexed his fingers and moved his shoulder, testing the restored strength. “I feel... fine,” he admitted with a slightly quieter voice. “Thank you,”

She moved back and leaned against the tree again. "Your appreciation is noted, but I'd prefer it if you'd be more open with me."

"Respectfully, I still have no idea why you seem to care so much about me."

"Because I want to get a better idea of who you are, and maybe, we could even help each other."

"You're not with them, are you?"

"I have no idea who or what you're talking about."

Aermo sighed. "I used to live in a village on the border with Lizeria. That's why I was one of the first to get hit when the Lizerians started the war."

"And what exactly happened to your village?"

"The Lizerians raided my village. They either killed or captured everyone they saw. Don't think anyone was spared."

A moment of silence passed between them as Sera absorbed his words. "Do you remember exactly how you awakened your powers?"

Aermo's expression shifted to one of confusion. He clutched at his head, as if trying to piece together fragmented memories. "When they were about to take Alpa... my wife... I just... I became so enraged. Everything else became a blur after that."

"Did you comprehend what was transpiring as you transformed?"

"No. I don't remember anything when I transformed. The last thing I know is seeing them take Alpa away from me."

Sera's expression softened, and she leaned back against the tree trunk. "From what you've said, it's possible that your wife is still out there, perhaps your transformation bought time for her and some others to escape."

"You really think so?"

"Obviously, I can't promise you anything. But I saw firsthand how powerful your transformation was, and if your wife managed to use that as a chance to escape, she could be out there somewhere."

Aermo's eyes filled with a glimmer of hope as he looked at Sera. "Please, can you help me leave whatever this place is?"

"I can help you with that, and so much more."

"What do you mean?"

Sera rose to her feet and extended her arms outward with her fingers splayed. The tree behind her responded instantly to her will. Its roots burrowed deeper into the earth while the branches stretched and twisted and reached higher towards the sky. "I'm here to start something far greater than anything you could imagine, and right now, I require an extra pair of hands to help me."

Aermo stood up slowly, legs trembling slightly as he rose. His breath caught in his throat as he took an involuntary step back, heart pounding in his chest. "But why would you need help from someone like me?"

Sera stepped closer. "Because I see potential in you. I can't promise you that you'll be able to find your wife if you help me, but at the very least, you can definitely exact vengeance on those humans who have wronged you."

Aermo hesitated visibly as he considered Sera's words. His breath hitched slightly, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. After a long moment of contemplation, he extended his hand towards her. "Alright, I'll work with you."

Sera clasped his hand firmly. "Thank you."

"And uh, what should I call you?"

"Just Sera is fine, but you're free to address me however you wish."

"Calling you by name just… doesn't feel right, mind if I just call you 'Boss' instead?"

"If that works for you, I don't see why not."