God of Destruction: Living Among Mortals

Nova got up from his bed. It was 5 o'clock in the morning. He hadn't slept much, his mind racing with thoughts of his first dungeon adventure.

I know the F-rank dungeon will have real wolves, so the chances of dying are much more real, even if the pain from training yesterday felt plenty real.

He sat on the edge of the bed for a minute, staring at the floor, trying to shake off the fog. The apartment was silent, the kind of silence that was deafening.

The kittens in their box by the couch were out cold, little balls of fur rising and falling with each breath. He was somewhat jealous of them, even if his true intentions of coming to Earth didn't align with his jealousy.

They had no worries, no dungeons, just eat, sleep, and shit. He pushed himself up, knee joints popping like a bubble wrap, and headed towards the bathroom.

Brushing his teeth, he stared at his reflection. Bags under his eyes, hair messy, but he ignored that, that fire in his eyes lighting up.

The mint in the paste burned his gums, waking him up sharply. He spat some blood from his gums, realizing that he had brushed too aggressively. He rinsed, spat, and stripped for the shower.

The hot water hit him with a punch, slightly giving him a burning sensation. The steam went over to the mirror, clogging it. He let the water run through his back, the scars from training aching slightly under the heat.

He dressed up, wearing another pair of black cargo pants, a black T-shirt, and socks. He went to the kitchen, grabbing the kibble bag. The kittens didn't stir awake as he poured a mountain into their big bowl, enough to last at least a whole day, if they didn't knock it off.

He filled the water bowl next, spilling a bit on the floor. Then he said in a playful tone: "You guys better not mess it up," he murmured as he wiped some of the water from his foot. "I'll see you guys soon."

One kitten twitched an ear while staying asleep. He smiled, then glanced at the clock: 5:15 AM. The guild was only ten minutes away, but he didn't want to be late. Otherwise, Marcus would rip him to shreds.

He wore the boots that Talia had hooked him up with. They pinched slightly, but they'd do. He put his phone and keys in his pocket, then locked the door, and took a deep breath.

He turned, going towards the stairs, as the hallway smelled like stale smoke from the neighbor's place. Down the stairs, two at a time, he left his cave.

The streets were empty, just a delivery guy unloading boxes and a homeless dude muttering to himself. Nova jogged lightly, his breathing steady, mind flipping through strategies.

He knew the wolves would hunt in packs, which meant he should hit the leader first to scatter the rest, like a plot. Adam's ability, if used correctly, could tank hits, but he'd have to pull his weight, too.

The guild lightened up, new glass in front catching the first ray of the sun. He pushed through the doors, the lobby cold and quiet.

Marcus and Adam were at a desk, and as he saw Marcus chuckling at something Adam said, his hand was on the kid's shoulder. Adam looked less shaky today, maybe trying to make Marcus laugh to forget about the upcoming dungeon.

Nova approached, as his boots gave away his position. "Morning."

Marcus turned, his laugh fading away. "You're early, which is good; it means you're not slacking."

Adam nodded at Nova, a quick "Hey."

Marcus waved them over. "Come on, we have no time to chat. Everyone outside."

They followed him to the parking lot, where a black SUV idled, exhaust puffing in the morning cold. Elena, Marcus's new secretary, sat behind the wheel, scrolling through her phone.

She looked up as Marcus knocked on the window. Then he said, in a gloomy tone: "Boys, this is Elena." She waved at them. "She's driving you to the dungeon. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend, since some council assholes want me to be some tiebreaker or something. I can't skip it, sorry."

Adam frowned. "You're not coming?"

Marcus snorted. "You don't need me holding your hand. Just kill the wolves, hit the checkpoint, and get out alive." He slapped Nova's arm. "Don't let the kid die." He whispered to him. Then to Adam: "Don't be stupid, and no hesitation."

Elena got a nod, and Marcus headed back inside.

Elena unlocked the doors, his voice urgent and sharp: "Get in. We'll be there in an hour if traffic's light."

Nova took shotgun, Adam in the back. The SUV started smoothly as Elena pulled out. The car was brand new, with leather seats, advanced GPS. Her perfume mixed with the cars, which gave a very distinct smell, something that told that she wasn't to be messed with.

Nova leaned back, watching the city slide by. "You done this run before?" he asked.

Elena glanced over, taking a moment to think, then replied: "Dungeons? A few times, back when I was starting. F-rank's are very tame compared to higher, but the wolves will eat you alive, if you let 'em."

Adam leaned forward, asking like a curious kid: "Any tips?"

Elena thought for another second, then said: "Stick together. Support each other." Then glanced at Adam through the internal mirror, telling him, "Adam, your ability, according to Marcus, is very good defensively and offensively. So, you used support Nova and drew the wolves out. Nova, since you are like a brawler, you have the job to finish 'em off."

Nova nodded, as the hand itched, exactly where his Circle of Pillars was. "How far out is this place?"

"An hour. It's in the woods north of the city. The guild controls the access, so no civilians stumble in. And since this is just a practice dungeon, we can somewhat control where it can be situated. Every other dungeon is uncontrolled."

The drive dragged. Adam was fidgeting in the back, asking Elena all types of questions, like: How deep was the dungeon? What if they get separated?"

Elena answered patiently/ Nova tuned out, staring at the passing pines. Freya popped into his head, her voice from last night echoing through his mind and body.

Finally, the gravel crunched underneath the tires as Elena turned onto a dirt path. The clearing opened up, the dungeon gate radiating blue in the center, with different types of colors, representing energy that crackled like a thunderstorm.

The gate was teen feet tall, a swirling vortex that made Nova's skin tingle from twenty yards away. On the frame of it, in bold, was a single black pillar, in a circle, that looked exactly like the Circle of Pillars, representing how the dungeon was marked at F-rank.

Before the two could enter, Elena gave a final warning. "Before you enter, you would be fighting four to five wolves, just like Marcus said. You have to kill 'em all, and the checkpoint for clearing this dungeon will appear." Then she turned more serious, her eyes having not a hint of laughter. "But be aware that there is another dungeon connected to this. And that dungeon is a D-rank dungeon, with E to D-rank monsters. So, do not step in that dungeon after you are finished with this one."

Both of them nodded in unison, and Adam's jaw tightened. Nova felt the itch on his Circle of Pillars stronger now, as the gate colossally loomed over them, opening its mouth.

"I'll wait here," Elena said, leaning on the SUV. "Signal if anything happens. There should be a flare that you can fire, that will alert me. But try not to use it."

They stepped through, as the air shifted, the terrain shifted, everything shifted, as both of them sensed the danger, real danger, awaiting them from the other side.