System Fall

With my party disbanded and the others headed back towards the surface, I felt a mix of freedom and something else that I couldn’t quite name. They were safer, which was important, but more than that, the next phase of the Hidden Dungeon wasn’t something I thought they could handle.

“They’ll be fine,” I muttered as I looked over the spider corpses and approached the opening in the floor. The descending passage was a spiral staircase that disappeared into the darkness. Its steel steps, aged and weathered, bore the passage of time, while the rusted railing was a concern, I didn’t need to support myself with it. As for the staircase, despite its apparent age, the steps remained firm and reliable, offering a steady path downward.

Each step downwards echoed, resonating against the stone walls. My descent had a steady rhythm to it. Step, step, pivot, step, step, pivot. The flickering light from the few strategically placed lamps only served to illuminate my immediate surroundings, while the inky darkness beyond remained untouched and unfathomable. The absence of any markers of time or distance in this desolate stairwell distorted my perception, and the minutes bled into hours.

I kept going.

Eventually, the spiraling descent came to a halt, and I found myself on a vast concrete platform, the end of the stairwell. Before me stood a massive metallic door, it was more of a barrier than a door, like an oversized fire break. It was an unblemished surface of brass and steel metals, save for a colossal circular handle situated at the center. The handle, like a solitary eye, seemed to watch my every move, its gaze as cold and unyielding as the door it adorned.

The fourth floor of the Hidden Dungeon awaited on the other side.

I grabbed the handle and with a heaving turn pushed. The door protested with a low, grating creak as it begrudgingly swung open. A gust of musty air hit me full on as I pushed the door wide, revealing the next challenge I needed to face.

The fourth floor of the Hidden Dungeon held a challenge distinct from its predecessors. After stepping through the doorway, I found myself standing on an ancient-looking train platform. The platform stretched out before me, flanked by numerous tracks that disappeared into the shadows. At the center of the platform was a raised pedestal, the heart of this challenge.

The pedestal was an intricate map of miniature railway tracks each winding and crisscrossing over the other in a complex network of routes. The setting was a miniaturized apocalyptic city, each detail painstakingly crafted. Tiny, distressed citizens waved their miniature hands, huddling together in fear as the larger-than-life shadow of a fantastical beast loomed over them.

Scaled buildings were ablaze, the orange flicker of the flames casting an eerie glow over the model city. Even from my vantage point, I could see the level of detail that went into the tiny monster - a grotesque, Wendigo-like creature that seemed to be causing havoc within the city.

Scattered across these miniaturized tracks were metallic figurines resembling train carriages, each detailed with an impressive realism. Surrounding the pedestal were ten levers, each engraved with numbers suggesting a sequence.

[System Fall Notification]

 

Title: New Puzzle Challenge - Keeper’s Transit

 

The challenge is successfully completed when all the trains have safely reached their respective destinations. Maneuver the trains along the tracks to open the path forward.

 

I set to work. Each pull and twist of the lever prompted mechanical sounds, like the satisfying clunk of gears meshing together and the hiss of pressure release along with the soft scraping of metal figurines inching along the stone tracks.

A track section swiveled into place with an authoritative 'click!', and the train model rumbled to life. Its journey started with the recording of a chugging sound as the tiny train began to move.

Without wasting a moment, I grabbed the second lever, thrusting it upwards. Another path was formed as the track pieces rearranged themselves. The second train sprung forward with clanking sounds as it started to move.

By the third lever, something happened. My attention was drawn away from the next train and back towards the intricately detailed miniature city as something astonishing happened - the city seemed to come to life. The tiny civilians, previously stationary, began to move in a terrified frenzy. Their high-pitched screams barely registered as the monstrous creature stalking their city roared. The model city was plunged into chaos, the monster now animated began to massacre.

The Wendigo, despite its miniature size, was as terrifying as its full-sized counterparts, perhaps even more so considering the level of detail. Its emaciated body covered in mottled grey fur, the grotesque skeletal head with hollow, glowing eyes, and the antlers, all culminated in a blood thirsty monster. The beast prowled through the streets of the model city, its every move causing panic among the little people.

I tried to stab out with my Azure Gleam Knife to take out the monster, but I found a barrier between me and it. A shield stopped me. I wouldn’t be able to interfere.

Desperate to help, I turned my focus back to the levers, my hands flying over them with a sense of renewed urgency.

The moment of realization sent a wave of urgency washing over me. The purpose of the challenge wasn’t just to assemble the tracks correctly, but to guide the trains to their destinations while simultaneously providing a means of escape for the terrified miniature populace. This was no ordinary puzzle; this was a test of strategy, speed, and survival.

I manipulated the fifth lever instead of the fourth, taking a deep breath as a network of tracks clicked into place just in time for some of the fleeing little people to escape before the Wendigo could reach them. The next train barreled away leaving the Wendigo behind to lash out at the tiny buildings, causing them to tumble and crash into the streets. I winced as monster another round of high-pitched screams.

My hands darted from lever to lever, trying to keep ahead of the Wendigo as I worked the network of tracks in the miniature city. The tiny trains chugged along the rails, snaking their way through the apocalyptic cityscape, stopping at each miniature station to collect passengers before resuming their relentless journey to safety.

With each successful departure, the scale of the catastrophe in the model city lessened. I felt relief as I watched train after train pull away from the model city, tiny faces pressed against the carriage windows looking back at the chaos they had escaped from.

But my sense of victory was short-lived. Despite my efforts, not all the citizens could escape in time. The Wendigo, despite its size, was a relentless beast, terrorizing the streets with savage delight. Every so often, the creature managed to find a group of tiny people that hadn’t managed to escape, or that I hadn’t managed to evacuate in time. The resulting spray of red particles made me turn away.

By the time I reached the last lever, my heart was pounding, and my palms slick with sweat. The last train rumbled to life, leaving behind the backdrop of the dying tiny city. Their expressions shifting from terror to relief as they left the nightmare behind. The remaining citizens flocked to the station, their tiny forms barely visible in the chaos and the Wendigo followed behind. The streets rain red and tiny screams filled the space.

I couldn’t save them all, but I did save the ones I could.

A deathly silence followed.

[System Fall Notification]

 

Title: Challenge Completion – Keeper’s Transit

 

Evaluation: Success!

 

Survival Rate: 70%+

 

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the Keeper’s Transit challenge. By ensuring a survival rate of 70% or more, you have not only managed to maneuver all the trains to their destinations but also saved a significant number of citizens from the miniature apocalyptic city.

 

As a reward for your strategic thinking, quick decision making, and evident compassion, you are granted a 'Train Ticket'.

 

 At that moment, an ancient ticket machine beside the tiny model  city sputtered to life. With a series of clicks and whirrs, it dispensed a golden ticket, and I grabbed it.

Just as I held the golden ticket in my hands, I heard a faint rumbling from one end of the platform. I looked up just in time to see a full-sized, antique-looking train pulling into the station. It had a polished metal finish and glowing lanterns. The large wheels creaked to a halt, and the steam billowed around the platform, engulfing me for a moment. Unlike the rest of the platform, this train looked well-kept and mirrored much of the detail I’d seen from the miniature city.

 

Each of the carriages was linked with polished brass connectors, and the interior, visible through the glass windows, was lined with red velvet seats and luxury fixtures. The doors slid open with a hiss, inviting me aboard. Still clutching the Train Ticket, I stepped aboard and deposited my ticket at the entrance. I looked back, half-expecting the Wendigo or the devastated city to be following me, but the doors slid shut, sealing me in.

Needing to gather my thoughts, I walked down the narrow corridor and found an empty compartment. The seats were plush, upholstered in a rich burgundy velvet that matched the curtains that framed the windows. A soft light cast by an overhead chandelier filled the compartment with a yellow glow.

I stowed the Azure Gleam Knife back into its sheath. I dropped into the seat and leaned back seat as the train began to move. There was time before the next challenge and I was going to use that to recover my stamina.

As the train picked up speed, I didn’t let myself relax much. I knew that more challenges awaited and that the Hidden Dungeon tested more than just my battle prowess. Athe train sped along its tracks from the third floor to the fourth, the interior of the carriage began to morph and warp in a disconcerting manner.

Rather than the gentle glide of a conventional train, it felt like being on a rollercoaster, with sudden, sharp turns tossing any sense of orientation out the window. Floors became walls, walls became ceilings, and ceilings became floors as gravity completely inverted.

Caught off guard, I was tossed around and tried to right myself amidst my tumbling. Quick reflexes came to my rescue as I drove the Azure Gleam Knife and a spare into the inverted floor of the train and pulled myself upwards as my body hung parrel.

"This isn't too bad," I muttered to myself, quickly scanning my surroundings and strategizing my next move.

That's when the gravity-induced chaos stirred a nest of Rail Roaches from their hiding places in the nooks and crannies of the carriage. Unlike me, they didn’t have the same kind of issues navigating in the gravity defying environment.

"Just what I needed," I grumbled, eyeing the irritated creatures crawling about above and below me.  

Their glossy, segmented bodies moved with a speed I couldn’t match. They scurried over seats, across walls, and ceiling alike. Multiple sets of eyes fixed upon me. Monstrous cockroaches all coming for me.

I sighed and readied myself, pulling the Azure Gleam Knife free from the floor while keeping the other knife where it was to root myself in place. The Rail Roaches responded with aggressive chittering and moved closer. In this gravity-twisted nightmare, they held the advantage. But I was not about to go down without a fight.

The train lurched once more, and gravity shifted once more, throwing me off balance. Even then, I used the momentum to propel myself towards the oncoming horde of pests. I struck out with the Azure Gleam Knife, slicing clean through the nearest Rail Roach and then followed up by stabbing into the next. It squealed, thrashing violently before falling still, its multiple legs curling inward.

The others did not falter, instead, they charged completely incensed. I fought back and fended off their relentless assault. Each hit I delivered was a struggle, every miss a risk. Despite their numbers and the disorientating environment, I found a way forward. I propelled myself from seat to seat, using the rooted metal to secure myself. I moved with purpose, striking and evading, navigating the twisted carriage with a growing confidence.

When the last Rail Roach fell, I anchored myself to a seat breathing hard, my muscles aching from the exertion. I wiped my brow, smearing grime across my face.

The train ride was a test, an unexpected battle in an unexpected place. But I'd survived, and that was what mattered. As the gravity slowly returned to normal, I took a moment to rest, to gather my strength for the next challenge. I’d made the right decision separating from the others. Their was no way they could have survived.

No sooner had I caught my breath than the train slowed to a halt. The doors slid open, revealing the eerily familiar miniature city, now grown to a full-scale, living, breathing entity. The smell of smoke and the far-off screams of the city's few remaining inhabitants hit me almost instantly. It was just as I had seen it in the miniature model, right down to the colossal Wendigo that was wreaking havoc on the city.