##"*Fate*"
A small group of monsters stands ahead.
They look similar to the ones encountered at the dungeon's entrance—
only taller, uglier.
Everyone draws their weapons and gets ready.
Arthur quickly notices something off.
Their speed is normal.
Nothing unusually fast.
A realization hits him—
these monsters are already weakened.
The fight doesn't last long.
To bring each monster down,
only two or three people suffer minor injuries.
The priest calmly heals everyone.
Without wasting any time,
the party moves forward again.
---
After walking for a while longer,
they arrive at a vast, open area.
Arthur scans the surroundings.
Nothing strange.
Nothing immediately dangerous.
Durk calls everyone closer.
"No one has properly rested since we entered the dungeon," he says.
"I think this spot will do. Let's stop here for a while."
Everyone agrees.
Soon, tents are set up and a fire is lit.
The camp slowly comes together.
"I'll cook this time,"
Luna says, stepping forward.
Once everything is ready,
people take their food and sit wherever they find space.
Arthur sits a little apart.
Joseph and Karaku are together—
Joseph had already told Arthur he wanted to talk to Karaku in private.
Arthur eats quietly
when an adventurer approaches him.
"Mind if I sit here?"
Arthur gives a small nod.
The adventurer sits down.
"My name's Luka."
"Arthur,"
he replies simply.
After a brief silence,
Luka speaks again, softly.
"Do you think… we'll make it out of this dungeon alive?"
Arthur doesn't answer.
Luka continues,
"You know… this might be my last adventure.
I thought the money from this raid would be enough to open a small shop."
He pauses.
"I have a wife… and a young daughter.
I don't want to leave them behind for dangerous work like this anymore.
That's why I joined this raid—
just once more."
Arthur stops eating.
He looks at Luka.
It feels like Luka is completely broken on the inside.
But Arthur says nothing.
He only listens.
After a while,
Luka finishes his meal and stands.
"It was good talking to you,"
he says with a faint smile.
Then he walks toward his tent.
Arthur remains seated—
silent, lost in thought.
---
After everyone finishes eating,
some go to sleep in their tents,
while others take watch.
Luckily,
no monsters appear that night.
After getting some proper rest,
they pack up the tents, extinguish the fire,
and move forward again.
For a while,
everything remains quiet.
Then—
monsters suddenly appear along the path.
These look similar to the previous ones—
thin bodies,
long claws,
and dull, lifeless eyes.
Their movements are slow,
as if hunger and exhaustion have already drained their strength.
Arthur notices immediately—
they aren't very strong.
And he's right.
The fight ends quickly.
With a few coordinated strikes,
the monsters collapse.
Two or three people are lightly injured,
but the priest heals them without concern.
Without stopping,
the party moves on.
---
After nearly two hours of continuous walking,
everyone suddenly halts.
Ahead of them—
stands a massive gate.
The same kind of gate
they saw earlier in the flower-filled area.
At the sight of it,
color drains from every face.
Fatigue, fear, hope—
whatever little remained
vanishes in an instant.
Silence spreads through the dungeon once more.
Everyone sinks to the ground,
as if this had been written into their fate all along.
Now they understand—
this time, fate cannot be avoided.
Arthur feels it too.
In the heavy silence,
some begin to speak out of fear and frustration.
"What do we do now…?"
a trembling voice asks.
"We won't make it out of here alive,"
someone else says.
"Why did I even come on this raid…?"
a third voice nearly breaks.
More voices follow—
scattered words filled with despair and hopelessness.
Durk listens in silence.
Then, suddenly, he shouts—
"Enough."
Everyone looks at him.
"Are you really going to give up without even fighting?" he says.
"If this is our fate,
then we face it with courage—
not fear."
Luka speaks up from the crowd.
"You think we're scared for no reason?"
He pauses, then says quietly,
"After knowing what's behind that door…
who wouldn't be afraid?"
He sits back down, silent.
That's when Karaku stands.
"So what's the plan?
To sit here and die?"
"If we're going to die," he continues,
"then at least die fighting—
so there's no regret left behind."
His voice trembles slightly,
but his eyes are firm.
"If I'm going to die," he says,
"I'll fight until my last breath."
Everyone lowers their gaze.
No one speaks.
The silence grows heavier than before.
No one knows how long it lasts.
Then—
one by one,
everyone stands up.
As if, without a single word,
they've all made the same decision.