Ever asked yourself where the treasure boxes in games come from?
I'm a Treasure Box in the Final Boss Floor
Chapter 4: The Void
I learned something that day: The bigger your hope is, the worse it feels when it feels crushed!
I learned the irony of it. Hope and Despair are two sides of the same coin. When you want something you can't have, you have three options.
The first option is to look forward to get it one day. That's hope. A treasure box like me could only wait.
The second is to live in apprehension or grief. To fall into despair.
The final option is to feel content even without the thing you want. I wished I could bring myself to that contentment, but what about the void in me that I couldn't fill?
Or maybe it's something I should learn. If so, I have all the time in this world to learn.
It's only been two days since I lost my purpose.
Two days ago, a group of heroes fought the skeletons in the area before me.
They weren't strong monsters but heroes who reach this floor in the dungeon were always exhausted. That group was no different, yet they fought steadfast and came victorious.
I've seen many groups like that. They would celebrate for a moment and go forward as if they're drunk by their victory. I couldn't see past the skeletons room, but every group of heroes that went forward never came back. Sometimes, after a while I would see their remains join the group of the skeleton monsters.
This group however decided to take rest. They managed to find me between the rocky remains of the wall I was placed under.
They opened me and took the Treasure contained within. These were my heroes, the ones I've been waiting since I first became conscious of the world.
Yet, that was when my despair started.
The thing contained within me was a normal Healing Herb. That was a bit disappointing, but my goal was accomplished. I delivered the item contained within me to the hero.
As the heroes took rest around me, I realized the other side of that statement. My sole goal was done.
I had nothing to wait for anymore...
My joy, as big as it felt, was short lived.
The group of five made fire and shared stories around it. Two men told the story of their first meeting to the youngest girl. The other man kept interjecting to say they heard the story multiple times before. The two females laughed at that.
If I wasn't absorbed in thought, I would've loved to listen to their stories about the world above. Humanity lived in a vibrant world compared to the grayness of Terminia.
They kept their fire going only for a few minutes to warm themselves. Maybe they thought it would attract monsters or maybe they couldn't keep the fire alive because of the dungeon's moisture.
They made brought beds out of their backpacks. The young girl slept the longest, while the other four took turns guarding the place. Even I felt safe around them.
I could tell, they were strong heroes. I could tell, they were going to fight the dungeon master.
In a few hours, they left and I was alone again with my thoughts.
Two days have passed since then.
If the dungeon master was defeated I would’ve known.
So, surely, this group of heroes has failed, like the rest.
…
“Please, be okay!“
“She Is okay, I’m sure!“
“Can we reach the village safely like this?“
"Let's fight our way up!"
They survived...
All of them survived.
For the first time since forever, I saw a group of heroes come back after going past me. The joy I felt to see such familiar faces like that. If only that was enough to cover the void I have inside.
The group didn't look fine. The girl was unconscious. The man who held her on his back was bleeding red. The woman was trying to heal him even though she was barely standing. Another man seemed to have lost an eye and half of his sword. I couldn't see the third man's hands under the red blood covering his sleeves.
Two of the men kept talking, they looked as if they were arguing but their voices shook bittersweetly. Finally, they left. Their eyes flamed with determination.
From afar, I could hear a whisper. "We'll get stronger! Then, let's come back."
Maybe, I have still have one thing left to wait for.
Chapter 4 - End.
Chapters List:
Author Notes
This chapter was different from the concept I started with. I wanted the Treasure Box to feel empty after it, ...well, got emptied.
I think I explored "the void" that the loss of a goal does to you pretty well, right? I know because I experienced it myself...
What do you think?
I never planned for the adventuring group to survive and come back, but I guess it makes a great thematic sense. If you want more about them read Chapter π.
The story is going towards its end, so what do you think will happen next?
Thanks for Reading
Salam (Peace)
- This story is also on Read.cash.
- The cover of this series is created by me using iBisPaint & Canva.
 | "I'm a Treasure Box in the Final Boss Floor" by  is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 |
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