They haven't been talking since the last level. It was awkward. After a short walk, they have finally reached to the next level. Will and Raye opened the gate to the next level and found themselves at a large castle.
Al:"Woah..."
Raye:"That look so cool...kinda remind me of something...."
Purrine:"Maybe this level and the previous level have a connection... like a city near a castle,"
Will:"...."
Raye:"Let's get in,"
The gate closed behind them and blended with the background, turning into the sky. They strolled the path that leads to the castle. From the grey brick road, Will rises his head and looked at the castle. A sense of nostalgia filled within him. The castle upon him, reminds him of a place that invites him back then, the place where it invites him when he have no where to go, the place that gave him a chance when the world is against it, the demon king's castle.
Will:"...., let's go,"
Will took the lead and entered the castle. The castle looked as if it were abandoned long ago, though this is probably just the dungeon mimicking a real castle from the real world. Everything that Will sees in the castle, the structure, the colors palette of the castle, the hollowness, just reminded him of the time he woke up at the beach and entered the demon king's castle just to regain his memories. He touched the wall with the tip of his finger and dragged it as he walk. Once again reminding him of the demon king's castle. Raye noticed Will odd behavior and seize the chance to talk to Will while Al and Purrine are in awe of the beauty of the castle.
Raye:"Yo, this castle..... probably reminded you of the demon king's castle, right?"
Will look at Raye with his eye wide, Raye couldn't hold back but chuckle.
Raye:"Well, you did saved me inside the demon king's continent, probably near the demon king's castle, you know, my whole team expedition was killed by werewolves too as we tried to approached the demon king's castle, that was wild,"
Will:"..."
Raye:"I guess this castle does looked identical to the demon king's castle from the outside, it does have its beauty, I wished I was able to enter the demon king's castle,"
Will:"...,I guess this level would be your chance,"
Will and Raye then chuckled together, confusing Al and Purrine. They decided to explore deeper into the castle.
"Hey, look at this skull I found on a shelf!"
Purrine raised her arm above her head holding a skull that has collector dust. Will looked at it and said:
"You know, skull like this can be found in the demon king's castle for skull could perform ritual, fascinating don't you think?"
Purrine:"I guess... oh look, an ancient grimoire, though inside is just nothing..."
Will:"Ah, grimoire could be found all around the demon king's castle, it contains black magic so powerful just reading it could curse you or worse,"
Purrine:"Oh..."
Al:"Alright, lets put the demon king's castle stuff aside, and just enjoy this castle instead,"
They continue their exploration and found ancient and mysterious stuff like a magic orb, a few magic crystal that Raye and Al been collecting, dragon's horn, a few weapon and a few other artifact.
They climbed the spiral staircase to the upper floor as Raye spill facts about why spiral staircase are made.
"Spiral staircase are commonly used in castle are when enemy infiltrate the castle,...."
Will look out of a window and stopped walking. He looked through the window and saw rolling hills and a dark sky. This view reminded him of the same view he sees at the demon king's castle back then....
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"Yo Will, you always stare outside that window, looking at the same view, don't you ever feel tired of it?"
A woman voice can be heard behind Will who is just standing at a window, staring outside.
"Yes I do, but there isn't any other view better than this in the demon king's castle,"
"Why don't you join the other dark sages and play poker, necromancy boy is on a winning streak now,"
"Hell yea, take that..."
"See?"
"...., gambling isn't my thing, I rather much take a stroll in the demon king's continent instead,"
"But didn't you did that like,... a few 100 times?"
"...."
"Come on, just join us and play poker,"
"..., fine, let me tell you, my luck's never bad,"
"Sure, you can teach necromancy boy a lesson,"
---------------------------------------------
"..."
"Will?"
Will snapped out from spacing out as Raye tries to bring him back to reality.
Will:"My apology, let's keep going,"
They climbed up to the top floor of the castle. There is a throne and a skeleton is sitting on it with two guards guarding beside him.
"Hey, I think that's an undead,"
Al gets ready if that skeleton ever strike. Raye draws his sword and Purrine stand back. Will approached the skeleton and noticed a crown wore by the skeleton. The skeleton was dressed in a king suit. As Will tries to touch the crown, the guards tries to strike Will with their spear. Will jumped backward as the undead king rises from his throne. The undead king ordered his guard to stand down.
"Ah, finally, you guys must be here to free me from my suffering,"
Raye:"What do you mean?"
"I have been ruling the kingdom of Ares for over a 1000 years, you must be here to free me,"
Raye:"Kingdom of Ares?"
"Yes, the kingdom of Ares have existed in this dungeon for over a 1000 years, the city must have evolved from time to time, but the castle still remained as it first was,"
Purrine:"City... he must be talking about the previous level we entered!"
Will:"You said the kingdom of Ares have existed in this dungeon over 1000 years, tell me, what do you know about the dungeon?"
"If I tell you so, will you free me and my guards from our long suffering?"
Will:"...., sure,"
"This dungeon, have been existing over few centuries, the level of the dungeon kept changing once it is conquered, I have no idea of the next few level deeper, but that's all I could tell you,"
Will:"...., thank you for this information, Al,"
Al:"I got it,"
"Before we go, there is one thing I ask for your favor,"
Raye:"What is it?"
"Please, if you ever do meet my daughter in deeper levels, please give this to her,"
The undead king handed Raye a box.
"Don't opened it until you give it to her, if you ever do, that's all, thank you,"
Al then cast holy circle and the undead guards and king is gone.
Will:"Dungeon, sure is truly wonderful..."
Purrine:"I wonder what does future level got for us,"
They then descended to the ground floor where they first entered and found a basement. They opened the basement's door and it is a portal that probably lead you to the next level.
Raye:"I'm surprised that the undead king wasn't gone long ago, isn't there many hero party passed by this level long ago?"
Will:"You truly never know beauty when you never explore it..."
They entered the portal and left the dungeon's kingdom.