Chapter 19 A Curious Encounter

Chapter 19 A Curious Encounter

Making his way back to camp Damian started to feel a little better after spending all day yesterday in his head. Remembering the things his mother had said or done, making him feel weak or worthless. Making someone he considered a friend feel bad. Lisa doesn't deserve to be made to feel inferior. She seems like a nice enough person.

Entering their camp he went up to Lisa. "Sorry about yesterday I wasn't trying to make you feel bad or anything. I just didn't realize that it wasn't as easy for other people as it was for me. After all, I did it by accident, honestly, I feel like you deserve way more credit than I do." Damian said trying to make it clear that he respected her effort.

"You dont have to appologize, I shouldn't have let it bother me that much. Do you really feel that way though?" she replied sheepishly.

"Of course, you did something you set out to do. You accomplished that goal through hard work and perseverance. For me, it felt like tripping over my feet and finding a diamond." He said seriously.

"That makes me oddly happy to hear." She said laughing lightly. "it's strange I often wished to just be able to do it but after hearing what you said, maybe it's better that it happened the way it did."

After eating and packing up camp Marrissa started off by saying "Alright, I think we should talk about marching order people. Obviously, Damians' magic is a bit unruly but I'm not sure we can have him split off and expect everyone to survive."

I can stay out at the front but close by unlike how I usually fight I will have to rely less on my area spells and more on my attack spells, at least I should be able to get around the area because of wind step so there's that." Damian responded.

"Benny is a good tank and with his new shield and skill he should be able to defend against the lesser enemies, Even though this is a gold rank dungeon I have faith in my brother." She said smiling at him. "Lisa is a healer so she will need to stay safe so she should be behind him so stay safe and she should be able to heal whoever she needs to."

"I'll stay at the back and make sure nothing comes up from behind and if they do I can call Marrissa to come help me if I need it." Sam said quietly.

"Ok, I'll go around the combat and try to take out stragglers or important targets. I can shadow step if you guys need me don't hesitate to shout. With that said are we ready?" She said jumping up and heading towards the Dungeon door. The first Damian noticed was a small pillar near the door that seemed to be made of some kind of stone the Magic particles off it made it look like it was putting out a malicious black fog with silver bursts within it that stuck near the door and would roll back into itself after getting a few feet away. This gave the area near the door a strange cosmic feel he was looking into space.

Upon entering the door every one took their positions and entered Damian was in the front, followed by Ben, Marrissa entered next, then Lisa, with Samuel taking up the rear. The cave was smooth there were light sources hanging from the ceiling with stalagmites and stalactites around the path, with shadows coming from these sources. Moving slowly everyone followed Damian the path was fairly straightforward while winding there were no splits after walking for around ten minutes they finally heard something. The sound of hissing could be heard along with the sound of something scraping the ground, followed by laughing.

"HA HA HA HA! Take that you stupid beast, how dare you try to stand against me. ME!" everyone stopped with Marrissa fading into the shadows for a little before they could see her come out of a shadow on the wall.

"There's only one person there's just one problem, They're platinum rank." She said as she came out of the shadow. "They're wearing a mask so I can't see their face but the plaque is around their neck you can't miss it," she said in a serious tone. As they started to hear footsteps approaching them at high speed. The footsteps suddenly stopped before they could see the figure rounding the corner. However more concerning was the fact that Damian could see a trail of black mist and stars appear before them as he turned to follow it he was too slow. As a figure suddenly appeared between them all.

"Hmm? Did you just follow me?" A voice sounded that made everyone except Damian jump, no one else noticed the appearance of the mysterious person. Damian saw a white porcelain mask with black eyes with sparks of silver in them, The lips of the mask were painted blood red, it covered the entire face, and moved up and back over the top of the head making it look like a mannequin head on a body apart from the fact that long black hair could be seen coming from underneath the mask. "I see, I see, do you perhaps have sight? Can you see the trail left behind?" the person wore a long flowing white robe, they moved while talking making cartoonishly extravagant movements getting close to Damians while asking questions tilting their head until it was almost upside down. Damian hesitated but nodded "I knew it, I knew it." the person yelled excitedly while jumping up twirling in a circle.

Suddenly Damian could see all of the Particles in the area rush to the stranger. "EVERYONE GET DOWN NOW." Damian shouted as he dropped to the floor everyone else followed suit only slightly slower suddenly a spray of knives shot out in all directions, right where everyone's heads were moments before.

"It's true, it's true." the stranger started shouting while clapping "You can see." Damian tried to stand up as a sharp kick was delivered to his ribs, sending him flying in the wall of the cave.

*Ding* 10 damage

*Ding* 10 Damage

As Damian hit the wall before he could recover the black and silver mist was before him and a fist was penetrating his sternum.

*DING* Critical hit 15 Damage

"Hmm? I must say I am a little disappointed after all you have the sight but you're not ready, oh well think of this as a trial do survive until we meet again. Ah right, I forgot to introduce myself." the person said knocking themself on the head. "I am the Jester, when next we meet let us have a DUAL WORTHY OF THE AGES." The Jester said before vanishing in a cloud of black and silver smoke before Damians' almost lifeless eyes.

Three hits and I almost died. Just three what the hell Damian thought.

"What a curious encounter." Marrissa said as Damian lost consciousness.