I only blacked out for just a moment. When I regained consciousness, I was still at the end of the cell block, sitting against a wall. My head throbbed. I immediately cast a healing spell and then brought myself to my feet. I couldn’t see anything. Not only was the cell block dark, but whatever shockwave had hit me had lifted up all the dust in the room, creating a fog that blocked my vision after a few feet. I lifted my hand and cast Portal. Nothing happened. Return. Nothing.

“Can’t escape?” A familiar female voice came out from the fog. “It’s an interesting magical object discovered in the Mirror Labyrinth. It functions a bit like a dungeon. It creates a field that blocks people from transportation. Your soul also won’t be able to escape, so if you die, you die for good. It will finally change the course of the war, allowing the end to these petty conflicts.”

I couldn’t believe the words coming from Alysia’s mouth. I had thought her to be a kind, shy woman. Well, that was the Dungeon Diver, leader of Titan’s Fall. This was a General, loyal to her own nation.

Of course, it didn’t work exactly like a Dungeon. I could escape from dungeons using my transport spells. However, that was the thing about my blessing. It was specifically given by, and specifically geared for, dungeons. This… was something else. That was enough that my blessing was useless. As powerful as my blessings were, they were only as powerful as the curse in the dungeon they came from, and I had only defeated weak curses so far. Powerful artifacts and unique spells from the Great Dungeons would always be stronger than these blessings.

“You wish to… kill people?” My voice was raspy thanks to the dust and the impact, and unrecognizable, it seemed.

“I wish to save people. It is called a deterrent. Once people start to respect human lives, they won’t waste so much time over these petty squabbles and will work to take care of the true threat! They fear dungeons because it forces them to put their lives on the line. So, they ignore dungeons and instead fight silly skirmishes on the surface. I’ll make war just as scary, and by showing them the consequences, we can finally form an alliance and fight the dungeons completely.”

“One artifact isn’t going to change the world.” I coughed.

“You’re right. Sadly, the fuel for this can only be found in the Mirror Labyrinth, and the cost is high. That is why I spent the last month collecting enough. We have negotiated with Jespain to bring in some magical researchers. Once they reverse engineer the enchantment, the Ost Republic will be able to cover this world in restrictive formations, and make death truly matter.”

“You will cause millions of deaths!”

“And save the world!” She declared, and I could now see her tall form coming from the smoke.

“And you think the heads of Ost Republic, your politicians… they’ll just be happy with just playing nice? They’ll use it to conquer the world!”

“No! We just want peace! It’s Aberis that has pushed us! My country aren’t that kind of people.”

“You’re just naïve and idealistic! This isn’t going to work the way you think? Why are you telling me this?” My voice was recovering, and as I did, she seemed to walk slower and slower.

“Because… I want you to understand why you must die. Why I have to kill the general you helped escape. He knows too much. Why I have to kill everyone you brought with you, even those unconscious soldiers we trapped. You have done well, soldier, in making it this far. It’d only be too pitiable that you died without knowing why.”

In the end, Alysia and I just didn’t see eye to eye on this. It wasn’t that she was an evil person. She was polite when speaking to me, and I believed what she said. She even sounded regretful in having to kill me. I could sense a great weight on her heart. This war had taken a toll on her. How many times had she watched people she cared about die? How many of them reached a point where their minds started to break?

“Alysia… you don’t have to do this.” I said, finally.

“Do I know you…” She finally stepped out of the fog, and I could make out her facial features, as I knew she could make out mine.

“Hello, Alysia.”

“Deek…!” She gasped, covering her mouth, her entire body shaking.

I made my decision, drawing my blade. “I can’t allow that artifact to remain in your hands. I will take it from you! It will be my life, or yours!”