[Graduation Dungeon] Edel

[Zyphiris]

When the school gnomes finally came for her, they would have noticed upon barging into her room, that the place was tidied up and luggages arranged neatly at one side. She had heard of some rumours on how the graduation ceremony was conducted, and was mentally prepared for it to be sprung upon her at any time.

She was still no less grumpy, however, when she found herself most unceremoniously taken away by them. She could have just walked there with them, for Jack's sake.

But here she was now, dressed in the most comfortable set of pajamas, ready to take on whatever the school had in store for her. She eyed the banner that hung over the doorway. Finally, she let out a melancholic breath, it's time huh?  

[Zyphiris]

The door opened out into a foreign, but strangely familiar town. She wondered for a moment if she had been transported into another land in a dream, just as they had been in Wonderland. But this- this was different...

"Miss!" someone called, and turning around she found herself beside a black horse-drawn carriage, "Whenever you're ready, the next town awaits!"

Wait, why-why is this so familiar? she whirled around, taking in the town and the atmosphere. There was no sense of threat lingering around either, just a normal peaceful day in a beautiful city.

And there was still yet more to see.

She got onto the carriage, looking out of the window as they drove along the streets. She could not seem to quell the sense of excitement and anticipation that rose in her, despite all her confusion.

A diary lay on the seat next to her.

Day 1,
My journey begins! I set off for TinkerVille when dawn breaks. Reputed for the finest inventions in the land, and for being the forefront of technological progress....

Day 3
A jolly drink with a tinman, and a sketch of the latest buttwing gear

Day 7...Day 15...Day 22

- - -

Ah, that's right, she closed the book, smiling. She had dreamed of travelling the world once upon a time.  

[Zyphiris]

The city fades into the distance, and she finds herself standing the middle of a town square. It was dark, but the air was filled with lights, singing and snow.

Human scarelings dashed past her, and in the middle of the square stood a large, decorated tree. Ah. She smiled, this was the festival they called Christmas.

Strolling off to the side, she watched the human children play, some throwing snow at each other, the others building what appeared to be rather misshapen snowmen. A grin was sneaking up on her as she thought to herself that she should join in a fun too.

It started with a snowball to the back of one of the children's head. "Hey!" he yelled, and started to chase the other. More snowballs came flying from mysterious directions, sending some of them yelling and shrieking. A group of them had begun to gather behind a fort, taking cover from the barrage of snow, but oh, the fun was not over yet. There was more screaming and running as the children fled from what appeared to be a snowman chasing after them.  

[Zyphiris]

She could see one of the the students - a flame demon - throwing a fit at the back of the classroom. But oh, she didn't care.

Arms folded, she watched as the class chipped away at blocks of ice with a chisel and hammer (she had deemed chainsaws to be too dangerous for the untrustworthy students).

Patience and Focus were virtues the young ones had to learn, she nodded, passing one of the sculptures by a student (who had by then fallen onto his knees and cried tears of joy). With a smile and a wave of her hand, the sculpture began to move and pounce playfully on the boil. The fruit of his hard work.

The rest of the class stared and murmured while she walked back to her desk and sat down to observe the rest.

Next week, she'd take them sledding down Bear mountain.  

[Zyphiris]

She wondered if she had let her guard down too much.

3, 4, 5... 6 she counted.

She was cornered in the empty room, with no visible escape. An ice dagger formed in her hand, and she smiled bitterly as she took a step back.

"As I thought, I can't trust any of you," she chuckled sardonically, raising the dagger it her hand to point it at the blond hunter.

The nightmares became fewer and further between in the recent years, but they never truly left her.

With a flick of her wrist, the blade was flipped to point it at her chest. She'd kill herself first than be taken.  

[Zyphiris]

All she knew was that she was running.

The last scene was now a vague imprint on her mind, as she sped through the hallway, paying little attention to the fact that the walls were melting away.

A glance of the white and gold was all she needed to keep on running.

She'd keep running till there was no escape.  

[Zyphiris]

A chill ran over her body as she entered the circular room. Her mind still in a state of panic, she stared frantically at her surroundings, wondering what was real.

The appearance of the colossal, animated suit confused her, until she caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a diploma.

It was just part of the test, she calmed herself down, far more rattled by the appearance of hunters than the Green Knight that opposed her.

The javelin thrown at her was taken in with a smirk, as she formed her own pair of ice spears. She'd been through three years of skirmishes and fights for her life, and by now she'd have something to show for it.  

[Zyphiris]

The fight opened with a spectacular clash of weapons, sending the ghoul staggering back a step. She did not pause, however, and maneuvered to drive the spear in her other hand between a gap of the knight's armor.

DMG: 13
HP: 45/50  

[Zyphiris]

The previous move would, however, cost her to reveal an opening which the armoured suit seized by swinging down on her at full force.

DMG: 0
HP: 35/50  

[Zyphiris]

With the wind knocked out of her, the ghoul gasped for air as she barely parried evenly the Knight's next attack.

DMG: 5
HP: 30/50  

[Zyphiris]

Her head was spinning, but she persisted on. It was a poor choice for her to block the next attack with her arm itself, but the ghoul gritted her teeth through the pain and lunged in for the next attack.

DMG: 3
HP: 25/50  

[Zyphiris]

The spear having shattered against the armour in the previous hit, the ghoul had no choice but to back off from the Knight and start over with a new set of attacks.  

[Zyphiris]

Out of pure instinct, an ice dagger was formed and quickly thrown at the Knight, barely scratching it at all.

DMG: 1
HP: 20/50  

[Zyphiris]

Sloppy, she thought to herself, as the knight came charging straight at her once more. A shield and sword of ice was formed in time to receive the attack, and for her to slash at the Knight when it became open.

DMG: 5
HP: 15/50  

[Zyphiris]

She found herself panting when she managed to remember to catch her breath. The sword in her hand had now shifted into a sharp lance, as she poised herself to charge at the Knight as it came. A loud clash of weapons would echo once more within the room.

DMG: 11
HP: 10/50