Surviving the Simulation: The Grand Crusade

The throne room was cavernous, its vaulted ceiling lost in darkness. Torches flickered with an unnatural greenish light, casting jagged shadows along the stone walls. The stone beneath their boots was uneven, worn smooth in places but scarred in others, as if clawed apart by something desperate to escape. A faint hum of energy pulsed through the chamber, setting Xander's teeth on edge.

Skarnak stood from its throne to survey its opponents with hatred burning in its red eyes. It gripped a wickedly pointed spear in one hand and channeled dark magic through the other while its tail whipped back and forth.

The spell released from Skarnak's hand sent tendrils of dark energy at the trio.

Xander rolled to his left behind one pillar, while Alex rolled to the right behind another. Xander saw Zoey hesitate a fraction of a second too long. The tendrils of dark energy twisted unnaturally in the air, their erratic motion unlike any spell he'd seen before. She started to move, but it was too late. The magic slammed into her chest, sending her crashing against the wall with a sharp gasp of pain.

With a terrifying screech, Skarnak lunged forward from its throne, its spear aimed at the dazed Zoey.

Xander, fueled by the determination to save his friend, intercepted the attack with a clash of spear on spear. While the pair engaged in a dance of death, Alex quickly ran over to Zoey to check on her. Zoey was pretty banged up, but still in the fight. Using Alex to help her get back up, she took up position closer to the pillar and began raining arrows down upon the Verminlord from her vantage point.

Skarnak, agile despite its size, dodged some but could not evade all.

Xander kept his stance low, feet shifting carefully across the stone as he let Skarnak's wild swings dictate the flow of battle. Every thrust of his spear was a calculated risk, aiming for weak spots but retreating just as quickly before the Verminlord's tail or spear could punish his aggression. His arms ached with every deflected blow, the weight of his weapon growing heavier with each second.

He wasn't holding his own. Hell, he wasn't even close. He was barely surviving, each second bought through sheer grit and stubbornness. But that was enough. He just had to last long enough for Alex and Zoey to find an opening.

Xander caught movement at the edge of his vision. It was Alex slipping around the boss, positioning himself behind Skarnak. Xander didn't dare glance back to confirm; a moment's hesitation or misstep would get him skewered.

Alex lunged in for the backstab, blades raised for the perfect strike. But before he could land the blow, something thick and whip-like lashed out, coiling around his leg. Xander barely had time to register the movement before Alex was yanked off his feet, crashing hard onto the stone floor. He hit with a sickening thud, skidding several feet before coming to a stop, a pained grunt escaping his lips.

The battle raged on, each clash of weapons and burst of magic leaving scars on both sides. Despite their coordinated efforts, the trio found themselves pressed against Skarnak's relentless assault. Skarnak's assault had inflicted deep scratches and tears on Xander's armor. Zoey's movements appeared strained, and Alex sported a nasty gash on his arm and chest.

Still, they chipped away at the boss's health until Skarnak, now wounded and weakened, let out a furious roar before retreating to his throne. A shield of dark energy formed around Skarnak as he set aside his spear to channel a spell with both hands.

"The boss has hit his next phase. It's going to change tactics. Quick! Get behind the pillars," Xander called as he pressed his back against the pillar he had placed between himself and the boss.

Moments later, a shock wave radiated out from Skarnak's position. Xander couldn't see his companions, but he had heard no screams, so he hoped they were safe. Peeking out from the pillar, Skarnak was powering up for another spell.

"Another blast coming!" Xander warned.

Peering out from behind the pillar for a second time, Xander saw Skarnak advancing down from its throne for round two. This time the Verminlord had left its spear behind and carried a deadly-looking mace in its hand.

"Round two, let's go!" Xander cried as he reengaged Skarnak.

Unlike Skarnak's previous attacks with the spear, the attacks with the mace lacked any sort of finesse but contained raw, crushing power. Xander backpedaled from every swing of the mace while ducking back in to thrust with his spear once the mace had passed.

Xander barely had time to react as Skarnak's mace came in a brutal, backhanded swing. He raised his spear in a desperate block but failed. The impact sent a shockwave up his arms, followed by a sharp, splintering crack. His weapon snapped in two, the severed shaft clattering uselessly to the ground. Xander sucked in a breath, chest tight. He was weaponless, exhausted, and one hit away from joining the dead.

Xander could barely get his own mace in hand and in a defensive position when Skarnak pressed forward, clearly intent on finishing him. Blow after blow rained down as Xander parried and backpedaled, his arms aching with every impact. Then his boot heel caught on a raised flagstone, and the world tilted.

Xander hit the ground hard, pain blooming across his back as he struggled to breathe. Skarnak loomed over him, the mace raised high for the last strike. Xander tried to roll, but his limbs wouldn't obey.

A war cry shattered the moment, raw and unhinged. Alex. A blur of motion from above. Twin blades flashed, plunging deep into Skarnak's shoulders as Alex crashed onto the Verminlord's back. The beast shrieked, its mace falling uselessly from its grasp as it crumpled beneath the weight of its own defeat.

The trio exchanged weary glances, acknowledging the toll the battle had taken on them. The Verminlord lay defeated, a testament to their strength and resilience in the face of dark magic, but they were exhausted, filthy, and stank of blood and sweat. Each of the three fully recognizing that they were lucky to be alive.

"Thanks for the save, Alex," Xander sighed as he once again lay on the floor after a hard fought battle.

Definitely not the main character, he thought.

"And I thought that battle against the rare rats sucks," Alex intoned wearily. "We better get some really marvellous stuff out of this. One team, one dream, Xander. Anytime on the save. Good catch on the pillar thing."

"Okay, everyone takes fifteen and then we'll loot up and determine what we need to do next," Xander said.

His gaze caught on the broken remains of his spear, lying in two jagged halves near the throne. A piece of his old life, now useless debris on the dungeon floor. He'd known it wouldn't last forever, but seeing it like this left a hollow feeling in his gut. It had carried him through every fight since the reboot. Now, like so many other things, it was gone.

The thought of switching permanently to the mace in his grip didn't sit right. It was too heavy, too slow. Not his style. He wanted reach. Control. Precision.

His eyes shifted to Skarnak's fallen weapons.

The mace was massive, built for something twice his size. It wouldn't do. But the spear was another matter. Unlike the mace, it looked usable. Dark metal, wickedly barbed along the tip, its length reinforced with a material that didn't look entirely natural. As soon as his fingers closed around the shaft, a faint hum vibrated through the weapon, a sharp static prickle crawling along his skin. A notification flickered in his vision.

Bloodfang Lance
Quality: Rare
Enchantments: Serrated Edge, Razorpoint Balance
Description: Torn from the frigid grip of Skarnak the Verminlord, this spear is no mere weapon. It is a relic of a tyrant. Once wielded to enforce his brutal rule over the Blackwhisker clan, it has tasted the blood of countless foes, their deaths feeding its legacy of violence. The weapon's jagged barbs were not designed for clean kills (+10% bonus damage and ignores light armor). Even now, faint traces of Skarnak's rule linger in the darkened metal, as if the weapon itself refuses to forget the hands that once wielded it. Those who carry the Bloodfang Lance do not fight with honor. Designed for precision, the spear's weight distribution and finely tapered point make it easier to land devastating blows (15% increase in critical hit chance).

That wasn't ominous at all.

Xander gave the weapon a slow twirl, testing the balance. It was different. Despite being heavier than his old spear, its weight felt balanced. Its perfect balance would take some getting used to, as his old spear was top-heavy.

"Anyone mind if I take this spear to replace my broken one?" Xander asked. When either Zoey or Alex objected, he moved on to the rapidly blinking icon in the corner of his vision.

Congratulations! Your group is the twelfth team globally to complete a dungeon. You have been granted the title Dungeon Vanguard. This title will slightly increase the chances of rare encounters in any dungeon you enter.

Congratulations! Your group has stopped the dungeon overflow. No longer will monsters spill out from this dungeon… for a period.

Level up! Congratulations, you are now level five. Go forth and defend the realms, mighty hunter. Your skill usage determines the list of classes offered to you.

Do you wish to choose your class now? Yes/No

"Guys, I just hit level five. I'm going to take a minute and grab my class. Check your logs too," Xander wearily but excitedly said, selecting yes from the prompt.

Silver Defender
Quality: Rare
Description: A martial based fighter focused on being the shield wall that defends all those around them. Defenders are just that, a defensive class designed to capture an opponent's focus and hold it. While not without offensive capabilities, the Silver Defender has numerous damage reduction or debuff abilities at its disposal.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Silver Defenders are a melee based tank class excelling in defensive abilities. Resistance against magic based attacks, 15% damage reduction, restricted to one handed weapons with shield.

Lightbringer Paladin
Quality: Rare
Description: A shining beacon when things look the darkest. A Lightbringer Paladin inspires those around them to stand against the coming storm. Lightbringer Paladin follows their own sense of right and wrong while doing what is best to lift those gathered around.

Lightbringer Paladins are a combination melee and caster based class excelling in neither aspect but having versatility on the battlefield. Light based magic, 10% increase damage output against dark or undead creatures, added resistance against undead, no martial restrictions.

Administrator
Quality: Common
Description: A lifetime of bureaucracy has taught you the ins and outs of dealing with various administrative tasks. Suited toward managing a town or business venture, this slayer of all things paperwork is the person for the job. Now get out there and manage that apocalypse into submission.

Administrator? Xander stared at the entry with almost disbelief. The world has just collapsed, and the Simulation thinks one of the best options for him is to go back to being a project manager?

No, that will not happen, he thought, discarding that option without further thought.

The other two options were both intriguing. Looking through the ability list of the silver defender, the description was accurate. It was a one-handed weapon and shield based class with a large amount of abilities meant to either reduce the amount of damage the person was taking, or apply damage increasing debuffs to the opponent. Their group was missing a tank, and this was clearly a tank class.

It was the Lightbringer Paladin that really caught his attention, though. Healing based spells along with melee abilities. In short, it was a jack of all trades support class able to take the spot of any missing role within the group. Plus, as Xander looked deeper into the abilities, it looked like it had the option to specialize in one path at higher levels.

He was a little concerned as paladins were normally associated with a deity, but reading the description, it wasn't a deity that gave a paladin its abilities, but the person's conviction and belief in those convictions. This made sense because the association of belief systems with deities is a historical phenomenon, but the two are not inherently linked. He'd known many people who had such a resounding conviction to their only ideology but were extremely agnostic or atheist, himself included. He'd always had the notion that one didn't need religion to decide if they were a good person or not, though he certainly didn't begrudge anyone who found comfort in that level of guidance. In the end, he'd always tried to live by the 'don't be an asshole' rule, or as his father had always put it, the golden rule.

His finger hovered over the selection. Once he picked, there was no going back. Lightbringer Paladin. A class that embodied hope, protection, and belief in something greater. Did he believe in something greater?

No. But he believed in survival. And right now, survival meant adaptability. He exhaled slowly, then made his choice.

+2 Spear Combat | Congratulations! You've really figured out which end of the spear goes into the opponent now. Too bad you let the bad rodentia break yours.

+2 Mace Combat | Congratulations! Never hurts to have a backup weapon, right? Especially when you always seem to lose, throw away, or finally break your primary weapons.

+2 Analyze | Congratulations! You will now have an increased chance of successfully analyzing your target.

+3 First Aid | Congratulations! If you can't keep from getting beat up, at least you're getting more experience fixing the damage after the fact.

+4 Light Armor | Congratulations! You are getting more comfortable wearing light armor.

+1 Leadership | Congratulations! You have shown a knack for leadership, and people listen to what you have to say. Be careful to use only use your powers for good, else you'll need to build a lair and doomsday device.

Name: Xander Kell
Class: Lightbringer Paladin
Level: Five
Health: 20/260
Mana: 120/120

Stats
Strength: 7
Dexterity: 14 (+10)
Intelligence: 6
Constitution: 6
Charisma: 5

Abilities
Taunt
Disarm
Cat's Grace
Cat's Sight
Spectral Sight
Radiant Smite
Radiant Shield
Judgement

Light Heal
Sanctify

Skills
Spear Combat: 11
Mace Combat: 6
Thrown Spear: 1
First Aid: 9
Analyze: 7
Light Armor: 7
Leadership: 3

Now that he had a class, Xander felt like things were looking up. The combination of utility, defense, and offense gave him the best chances of making it through the apocalypse alive. Losing his spear was going to hurt in the short-term, but it looked like crafting was going to play an important part of the Simulation going forward. Not to mention the loot from the dungeon was certainly better than anything the trio had seen so far. It remained to be seen if that was standard or if the increases in difficulty had significantly increased the loot quality.

After twenty minutes, Xander picked himself up off the floor. His health had recovered enough and a brief rest and using his new healing spell he felt well enough to continue. Looking around the room, it looked as if Alex had been busy picking up loot and exploring the room. He was currently standing across the room looking at one wall, but Xander couldn't see from his vantage point what he was looking at.

"Did everyone get their classes? And thanks for giving me a bit to recover. That was a hell of a close fight," Xander said as he picked up Skarnak's spear.

"Yeah, I just finished up. What did choices did you get?" Zoey asked.

"Silver Defender, Lightbringer Paladin, and Administrator. I'm guessing that last one was because I'd been a career project manager before all this happened. Silver Defender looked good, but the paladin had more flexibility, so that's what I took. What about you?"

"Arctic Warden, Ranger, Bowyer, and Innkeeper. After hearing your choices, I think the Simulation just tries to tweak us a bit by giving us a choice in there designed to annoy someone. Anyway, the Arctic Warden was the one I picked. It's a fighter sub-class, but it can use ranged weapons and its abilities are cold based," Zoey said, a little proud of herself.

"Weird, I thought it would base offered classes on our past and what we had done so far. You have used nothing cold based. Wonder where that came from."

"Oh, I'm originally from Alaska. My parents were researchers, and I spent the first fifteen years of my life near the arctic circle."

"Hey, guys, not to break it up, but has anyone noticed that there is no loot chest in this room? All the other tough fights we've had outside had a treasure chest in it, but the final boss fight of the dungeon doesn't. Does that sound right to you?" Alex called from across the room. "Come, look at this. I think there's another room left to go."

As the pair crossed the room to join Alex, he found a panel in the stone that swung open to reveal a control panel of sorts with three buttons and a slot. Alex pressed the buttons at random. Each one flashed an angry red, and nothing happened.

"Looks like we need a key or something," Alex said. "Did we find anything like that?"

"Yeah, it was in the robot vacuum you freaked out on." Zoey pulled out the key they had found on the sweeper automaton that started their current fiasco. She reached over and slid the flat key into the slot.

Glaring at Zoey, Alex tried to use the control panel again after inserting the key. Instead of red flashes, a hidden door slid back to reveal that Alex had been correct. There was another room behind the throne room. It was well lit and contained what appeared to be several control stations. A humanoid skeleton sat at one station while another lay draped across a table in the middle of the room. Only the control panel the skeleton sat at was active. A thick layer of dust covered everything.

"Warning! Intruders in the complex! Warning!" blared a static voice from the active console. It appeared to repeat every thirty seconds.

Once the trio had entered the control room, the door slammed shut behind them. Simultaneously, the warm lighting abruptly changed to a harsh red.

"Warning! Intruders in the control room! Warning!"

Stepping from an alcove that had opened off to the side of the room at the same time the door had slammed shut, stood a six foot tall construct. Crimson eyes scanned the room for intruders as it approached. Its brass frame glinted in the red light, gears grinding as it hefted a massive two-handed sword. The air hummed with the energy of impending conflict.

"Guys, I'm still beat up from that last fight, but I'll keep it focused on me," Xander said with steely determination. "We can't screw around on this one."

Zoey nocked an arrow, her eyes keenly focused on the metallic foe. "Leave it to me, Xander! I'll cover you from a distance!"

Brandishing his dual short swords with a confident smirk, Alex bellowed. "Let's dance, tin can!"

Triggering radiant smite, Xander became imbued with a pulsing golden glow, followed by snapping off a taunt on their latest foe.

The mechanical construct charged forward with a thunderous clank, its sword raised high.

Xander met the onslaught, parrying the heavy blows with his empowered mace. Each strike sent waves of radiant energy that caused the construct's metallic joints to creak.

Zoey skillfully let arrows fly, forcing the construct to shift and adjust, its movements growing more erratic as her shots struck home. Xander triggered his taunt again, drawing the metal monster's attention back to him.

It turned with a grinding noise, recalibrating its attacks. Xander weaved between its sweeping blows, forcing the construct to adjust with each miss. He ducked and sidestepped, his enhanced speed keeping him just ahead of its strikes.

Xander seized an opening in the construct's defense when it overextended its latest attack. He swung his mace in a wide arc. The radiant energy exploded upon impact, causing the construct to stagger backward.

Alex sprang forward, his swords flashing in a whirlwind of rapid strikes. His blades found purchase along the seams of the battered plating. With a final, forceful thrust, he wrenched a sword free, catching the edge of a weakened armor plate and tearing it loose. The metal plating clattered to the ground, exposing a tangled mess of gears and pulsing blue energy conduits.

The mechanical adversary roared in metallic agony, its remaining arm twitching erratically.

"Now! Quickly! Finish it!" Alex cried.

Xander was running out of gas. It'd been a mistake to move on to the next room before they were ready. A mistake he wouldn't make again. But he wasn't about to leave this fight unfinished.

Summoning the last reserves of his energy, he charged at the exposed weak point, his mace ablaze with radiant energy. He brought the weapon down in a crushing arc, slamming it directly into the construct's exposed mechanisms. The impact sent a violent jolt through the construct, shattering gears and sending arcs of energy flashing wildly. A burst of radiant light engulfed the room as the mechanical foe let out a final, grinding shriek.

The construct crumbled, its frame collapsing in on itself, pieces of brass and shattered cogs bouncing and skidding across the stone floor. A long silence followed, broken only by the occasional metallic ping of cooling metal.

No one moved at first.

Xander's hands ached from the repeated blows, his muscles sluggish and unwilling to respond. A distant ringing in his ears drowned out whatever Alex muttered under his breath. Zoey leaned against a chunk of broken plating, staring at the wreckage like she was debating setting it on fire just to be sure it stayed down. Alex nudged a loose gear with the tip of his boot and let out something between a sigh and a curse.

"If one more thing in this dungeon moves, I swear to God, I'm flipping a coin to see which one of you I have to sacrifice," Alex grumbled.

Zoey let out a dry laugh, though she didn't bother coming up with a retort.

Xander stretched out his fingers and forced himself to roll his shoulders, ignoring the sharp protest from several joints. The fight was over, but the weight of it lingered, coiled deep in his limbs. They weren't just tired; they were done. Done with the fights, done with the dungeon, done with the relentless grind that had chewed them up and spit them out at every turn.

He exhaled sharply and pointed toward the alcove the construct had come from. "Well, classes certainly make a difference," he said, glancing at the heap of wreckage before shifting his gaze to their next objective. "There's the loot chest. Let's shut off the alarm, loot the chest, and head back to my house. Hard to keep track of time, but I'm guessing we've been in here all day."

No one argued.