Surviving These Unfair Scenarios [LITRPG - DIMENSION HOPPING]

Arion Seleran, with a weary but accepting expression, turned and led the two teams into the settlement. The entrance, a narrow passage carved directly into the rock, was a perfect example of the people's ingenuity. It was so well-hidden that no one would ever have found it without alter Drake's prior knowledge. The air inside the tunnel was cool and damp, and the only light came from a handful of small, glowing orbs that were embedded in the walls. After a short walk, the passage opened up into a massive, cavernous space that was breathtaking in its sheer scale.

The settlement was not a city built upon the earth but one carved from it. Every building, every path, every intricate detail was chiseled from the very rock of the grotto itself. There were no separate structures, only a continuous, flowing landscape of stone. The walls were smooth in some places and rough in others, and the flickering light from the dozens of small, scattered fires and glowing orbs made the damp surfaces shimmer. The entire place was a labyrinth of winding streets and interconnected rooms, all created by the patient hands of the inhabitants.

As they walked through the city, the two teams, despite their hurry and the grim reality of their situation, could not help but be captivated by the sight. The settlement was a chaotic, bustling place, a mix of different races and species, all huddled together in a desperate attempt to survive.

There were Elves, their slender bodies moving with an elegant grace that stood out from the others. Humans of all shapes and sizes, their faces etched with the lines of hardship. Even a few stoic Dwarves, with long beards a testament to their long lives, walked among them, their stout bodies moving with a strength that belied their height.

Kazue looked at the surrounding inhabitants with a mix of wonder and curiosity. She looked at Arion, who was still guiding them through the intricate passages, and asked.

"How have you managed to stay hidden for so long? I mean, this place is massive! How is it that the dragons haven't found you?"

Arion's face, though still beautiful, was filled with a deep, weary sadness as he responded.

"It is a mixture of luck and the fact that we live our lives with what little we can find. We have not built a single building in hundreds of years. The homes and buildings you see were carved directly from the rock. The dragons' greed is insatiable; the smallest trace of civilization would bring them down upon us like a plague. We survive on what we have and nothing more."

As they walked through the streets, Kazue noticed that despite the harsh conditions and the constant threat of death, the people did not seem to be too despondent.

They were going about their daily lives as normally as possible, given the circumstances. She even saw a group of children laughing and playing a game with a small wooden ball. Their innocent laughter was a stark contrast to the grim reality of their world. Chloe, who had been quiet for most of the walk, was looking at the children with a wistful expression on her face. She was about to turn away when one of the children, a small elven girl with braids in her hair, accidentally bumped into her.

Chloe, who had been distracted, stumbled back a little. The girl, her eyes wide with fear, immediately apologized and bowed her head quickly.

"I-I'm so sorry, miss! I didn't see you there!"

However, Chloe's expression softened, and she knelt to the girl's level.

"It's okay."

She said with a gentle voice.

"I wasn't looking where I was going. You can get back to playing. It's a nice day for a game."

The girl looked at her with a mix of awe and fear before she quickly ran back to her friends. Chloe watched her go, a small smile on her face. The Empress, who was walking beside her in Adam's body, let out a small, almost imperceptible huff. She did not say anything and simply continued walking with the rest of the group.

As they neared their destination, alter Drake spoke up, his voice as flat and direct as ever.

"What happens in case of an attack?"

He asked while his eyes scanned the surroundings. Arion was silent for a moment before he answered, his voice a low, gravelly rumble.

"In that case... we simply die. There is nothing we can do."

The finality in his tone was chilling, and it made the entire group fall silent. The truth was that they had a false sense of security, and the illusion of safety had made them forget where they were and the fragility of their existence.

Finally, they arrived at a massive building carved into the rock face. It was grander than the others, with intricate designs and runes carved into its stone walls. Two tall, imposing guards stood on either side of the entrance, their weapons raised in a silent salute. Arion bowed his head to them and said.

"I wish to see the Elder. These people have something that he needs to see."

The guards, without a word, bowed and let them pass. As they entered the building, Arion stopped and turned to the rest of the group.

"Only three of you may enter. The rest of you will have to wait here."

Drake, alter Drake, and Teo all looked at each other and nodded. They were the leaders of their respective teams and had the most knowledge of the situation. As they walked in, the rest of the group waited outside, their faces filled with a mixture of curiosity and anxiety.

The inside of the building was just as impressive as the outside. The walls were covered in intricate carvings that depicted the history of the elves, and the floor was made of a smooth, polished stone that reflected the light from the orbs on the ceiling. At the end of the long hallway was a small office, where an old, wise-looking man sat at a large, stone desk. He was a Dwarf, with a long, braided beard that reached his knees and a kind, friendly expression on his face.

"Greetings."

The Elder said, his voice a deep, booming sound that was filled with warmth.

"I am the Elder Borin Hearthback. It is a pleasure to meet you. Please, have a seat."

Arion looked at the three of them with a serious expression and motioned for them to sit.

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"They have something to show you."

He said, his voice flat.

"It is proof that they are not a threat."

He then looked at Teo, who, at Arion's request, immediately reached into his backpack and pulled out the orb. The backpack was just a simple backpack, but it was clear from the way he was holding it and the way he reached into it that it was an item with a special property.

Borin took the core, his eyes filled with a quiet curiosity. He looked at it, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns on its surface.

"This is the core of a Great Void Dracling."

He said, his voice filled with awe.

"A powerful human soldier who succumbed to the infection… We will bury him with great honors, and will use the core as a safe passage."

Drake's brow furrowed in confusion. He was sure the Dracling they had defeated was a "Superior Void Dracling", not a "Great" one; he had seen it with his own eyes… Maybe he was wrong? Alter Drake, however, immediately spoke up.

"What do you mean by that?"

He asked, his voice low and serious. Borin was about to respond when Arion stopped him.

"Is it wise to tell them that?"

Arion said, his voice a quiet whisper. Borin smiled, a weary but kind expression on his face.

"There is no harm in telling them. If they are to stay here, they deserve to know how we keep ourselves safe."

He then looked at the three of them, his eyes filled with a quiet determination.

"It is a dangerous procedure, but we can perform a small purification ritual on the cores of the infected. This creates a kind of sensory barrier that makes the place much easier to ignore for the dragons. It's a dangerous procedure, though, as if the core were to break, it would have the opposite effect and immediately attract the attention of the dragons, or worse, one of the three sons of Vharzun."

Borin kept the core, and Teo nodded, his expression flat.

"There's no problem with that."

He said. The three of them then walked out of the office, guided by Arion, to finally reunite with the rest of the team.

"You should find a place to rest. It's a large place, but finding a place to rest for all of you will be difficult."

Arion said, his voice tired. Drake looked at him, his face filled with a grim determination.

"We're not staying."

He said with a firm voice.

"We're just here for information on how to get to the 'Great Palace of Vharzun'."

Arion's eyes widened, and he stared at them with disbelief.

"What? … You're mad."

The elf said, his voice a low, weary whisper.

"You have no idea what you're saying. You can't just walk into a lair of a dragon god. It's suicide."

Drake's voice grew louder, his eyes filled with a raw, powerful emotion.

"We have to go. One of our friends was captured, and we will do whatever it takes to get him back!"

"He is right."

Alter Drake said, his voice as dry and flat as ever.

"We have to go. Our reasons may be different, but our goal is the same. We must reach the palace."

Kazue walked over to them, her eyes filled with a hidden fire.

"We're a team, Sebastian is one of us. We're not leaving him behind."

She said, her voice firm.

"He's like family."

Chloe said, her voice a whisper, her eyes filled with tears. Even Nikolai stepped forward, his expression serious.

"There are some things that are more important than logic or survival. And, as you can see, a friend's life is one of them."

He said, his voice firm. Arion, seeing their unwavering determination, sighed. He looked at them, his eyes filled with a deep, weary sadness, and he finally gave in.

"Very well…"

He said in a low and defeated growl.

"You want to know why you cannot defy the dragons? I will tell you. It is the only thing I have left for you."

He sat on a nearby stone, his body filled with a profound sense of loss. He began to narrate how he was once a hero of the Elven kingdom of Aethelgard, the most powerful Elven archer for hundreds of years. He was even one of the "5 Greats", the representatives of the five most important races, and could protect the kingdom just by himself from every kind of threat… But then, the skies darkened, and the invasion of the 'Darkness Dragon God: Vharzun' and his sons began.

He watched as his allies, the other "5 Greats", fell one by one, devoured by the dragons or turned into corrupted, twisted creatures. He was the only one of them who was not infected, only to watch as his kingdom was consumed, and he could do nothing to stop it.

"Eventually, I fought the second son: Dravhark, the Dread Fang, myself."

He said, his voice filled with a raw, ancient pain.

"I was called a legendary hero, but before him… I was nothing. No matter how hard I fought, no matter how many dragons I killed, it was not enough. I watched as my people, my home, were burned and infected. That is why you cannot defy them. It is not a matter of strength; it's just natural… You will all die."

They all listened in silence, their faces grim. There was nothing to say. For the first time, a profound, unshakable despair settled over them. But then, to everyone's surprise, the Empress, in Adam's body, spoke, her voice a cold, measured whisper.

"That's a pathetic way of thinking."

She said, her voice filled with a cold, almost predatory conviction. Arion looked at her, his eyes filled with rage.

"You do not know what I have been through! You humans had it easy; most of your kings just surrendered, and then what? You just escaped? We tried to resist to the bitter end, unlike you!"

He shouted, a powerful aura of magic emanating from him that made the very ground tremble. However, instead of flinching back, the Empress met his gaze with a cold, unyielding stare.

"I know! … I know what it is to lose everything and everyone in front of your eyes. I know what it is to be powerless. I have lost more than you could ever imagine. But there is a difference between you and me. You gave up. You stopped fighting. You became a shadow of who you once were. I, on the other hand, never gave up!"

The Empress exclaimed, only to Arion's confusion.

"But you just die for nothing!"

The elf said, regaining ground; however, the possessed white-haired boy was not finished yet.

"Good then! What's the purpose of living in cowardice and impotence? You may die, but not before making those who take everything from you suffer at least part of what they did to you?!"

Arion's body was still trembling with rage, but his eyes were filled with a profound shock as he looked at her. Her words were so full of conviction, so full of a raw, primal determination that he could not help but be stunned. He could feel the power in her words, the power of a being who had truly lost everything and had nothing left but the desire for revenge.

"Who are you?"

He asked, his voice a quiet, awe-filled whisper… But before the Empress could answer, a screen appeared in front of all the users, a bright, shocking light that cut through the darkness. Arion, a native of this world, could not see it, but he could feel the sudden, panicked stillness that settled over the group.

They all jumped to their feet, their eyes wide with shock and fear. What the hell had just happened?