VRMMO: World's First Glyphborne

The Party swept through the dungeon floor, clearing the camps that they came across and freeing the lizards whenever they found them imprisoned.

They did so with a surprising swiftness, one that could only leave other groups who had attempted this floor in the dust, and it was all thanks to their helpful mounts.

Two Lizards bounded across the craggy, lava filled Hellscape, with a small bundle of humans, and one small dragon whelp, on their backs. One of these lizards was missing an eye, with a wicked scar crossing its face and marring the empty socket.

These lizards were part of the group that they had initially freed, and who had actually offered to repay the group for their kindness. Although it was mostly due to Saige and the dagger that he carried, which was still clutched tight and cautiously in his hand.

The Divine scent of the Beast Lord clinging to the metal, as well as pouring off of Saige’s adorable body, was enough to convince these usually savage and thoughtless beasts that they should do something other than eat, sleep, defecate and procreate. Even if that was an ideal life for many, including many humans. Especially those that failed at the final point.

It was with these eager and thankful mounts, which allowed them to bound across the dungeon at amazing speeds, that the party was able to clear half a dozen more war camps within just a few hours.

However, doing this confirmed their worries. Within most of these camps, there were chests containing fragments alongside the other chest full of seemingly looted, ramshackle equipment.

But not all of them had fragments, just like the first camp that they looted, leading to only one conclusion. Someone had definitely been through before them and stumbled across them.

It was unclear if they didn’t realise the capabilities of the fragments, and how they could lead to each other, or if they simply didn’t have the time, energy or resources to take on all the camps this far into the dungeon.

After all, whilst the Fate Breakers were sitting pretty on their mounts, comfortable as could be and practically brimming with mana, other teams with member numbers reaching high into the double, and nearly triple, digits. were struggling to get this far and survive.

They were usually only able to do so through planned conservation of mana, fighting only those they needed to and buying a metric ton of potions at the expenses of their guilds. All for the glory and loot of the first clear.

Unfortunately, that also meant that the next boss, the second of an assumed three, was not well documented and what documents did exist, were kept in tight circles. Circles that they were not a part of.

So, when they finally arrived at the boss door, well rested and having levelled up a few more times, they did so with the knowledge that this time they would be going in completely blind.

Bidding their mounts farewell, the party took one more dose of Figg’s homegrown fire resistance potion before pushing open the heavy doors of the boss room.

***

Darkness filled the room, just like before, as they stepped into the bosses chambers. The only sensation accompanying them was the heavy creaking of the colossal doors as they swung closed, before they finally slammed together.

At that signal, a singular pale white flame flickered to life high above them. It’s soft light was barely visible at this distance, however something caused it to flare just bright enough, to catch the rounded mirror positioned behind it.

The flame turned into a column of light that shot through the chamber, bouncing off of even more mirrors that were strategically placed around the chamber to guide the light as it bounced around the ceiling.

Finally it hit a mirror that shot the light pillar down into the centre of the room, where it immediately exploded into a blinding golden light.

Hands shot up infront of their faces, shielding their faces from the radiance, until their eyes finally adjusted behind eyelids that were clenched shut.

First a small peak, then a full eye open, then both of them before finally they lowered their hand and their jaws lowered in turn. Their eyes bulged wide open, greedily drinking in the most glorious of sights before them.

Copper. Silver. Platinum. Gold! Mountains of gold! Literal, actual mountains of gold that reached easily over ten metres high. These mountains were decorated with a sprinkling of gems that twinkled as they too eagerly reflected the light flooding the room, each one desperate to show off their beauty as if they were competing for the parties attention and begging them to come and get them.

Even the ground beneath their feet was uneven and constantly clinking, as they stood and shifted on a floor composed of scattered golden coins. So much that they couldn’t even see what the actual floor was made of.

Extravagant Swords, Bedazzled Axes, Highly decorated armour and shields bearing the intricately crafted crests of a multitude of houses could be seen sticking out of the mountains. Each one was brimming with so much mana from their various enchantments, that even Lilith - the member of their party who was weakest with mana - had tingles across her skin from the feeling.

It was a display of wealth that made the Dragon’s Hoard look like a child’s piggy bank savings in comparison. A comparison that Gaia, the Dragon that they had claimed from that Hoard, did not take offence to in the slightest. Of course she did not have anything on her mind other than the wealth in front of her, as her wide eyes had turned as gold as the room around them.

Her tongue flopped out of her mouth as the little baby dragon scampered again, stumbling and slipping on the uneven floor, before diving head first into the nearest mountain of gold. The last thing they saw of her was a happy, swishing tail before the baby dragon disappeared into the mountain entirely.

This was not the wealth of just any man. This was the wealth of a king, of a conqueror who plucked each coin from the hands and vaults of those who fell at his blade.

And such a horde, one that was the sign of the owners greatness and prowess, naturally had a guard.