The Siege's Dungeon

She had always dreamed of flying, but never thought it would be like this. As she soared above the clouds, she felt a surge of exhilaration and freedom. She looked down at the earth below, marveling at its beauty and diversity. Her stomach fluttered at the sight of all of the majestic mountains and rivers.

Suddenly she saw a city below, nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. She couldn't believe her eyes. It was huge and sprawling and looked as beautiful as a glittering jewel. She began to fly closer and closer, but she couldn't find an opening in the dense canopy of trees. She dove and came in for a landing, but ended up crashing through some trees and rolling into a stream. The sound of the river drowned out the sound of the music.

When she awoke she was lying on her stomach with a stone floor under her face. Her head felt fuzzy. She remembered being in the sky, flying. But then there was a loud crash and now she was lying in this dank room. She blinked, trying to focus. She turned her head to the side and saw a long row of torches on the wall. They were lined up in two rows, and there were many of them. There were no windows or any light sources. Wherever she was, it was very dark and dingy.

"Where am I?" she said out loud to herself. She was glad to hear her own voice. "This isn't real."

"I beg your pardon," said a voice behind her. "Where am I?"

"Ugh..." Alex groaned.

The voice laughed. "Is it morning already? My goodness, what a terrible time to be awake."

Alex slowly opened her eyes. A figure stood over her, and as he moved closer, his face became clear. It was an old man. He was balding, but he had a white beard and mustache that hung past his collar. He was very thin. He wore a dirty white robe.

"What are you doing here?" Alex asked.

"Well, you are in my dungeon, my dear," the old man said.

"Who are you?"

"You may call me Siege Perilous."

"You are the king?"

The old man laughed. "I am no king, I am but a poor old wizard. I am a prisoner, too. Well, not me personally, but all wizards are prisoners of their own minds, wouldn't you say?"

Alex nodded.

"Well, you've been put under a spell. I suspect you had a dream."

Alex sat up. She was on a cold stone floor. There were iron bars between her and a hallway, and she could see many cells with prisoners inside.

"It was the worst dream," she said.

"Indeed. But you're awake now, so it's over."

"How long was I asleep?"

"You've been here for four days."

"Four days! Where am I?"

The old man laughed again. "Where are you? You are in my dungeon."

"But where is this place? How do I get out?"

"You have to stay until you pass your test."

"What test?"

"The Siege Perilous test."

"Who is Siege Perilous? And how do I get out of here?"

"My dear, you are standing inside his prison."

Alex looked down at her feet. They were covered by rags that had once been a pair of pants. Her shoes had long been gone, but she didn't recognize them as hers.

She tried to think, but the only thing she could remember was the dream.

"I had a dream...," Alex said. "I was in a forest."

"That is no dream. That is your fate. That is the fate of all those who trespass in the forest of Siege Perilous."

"But...but how did I get here?"

"I sent you here. I am the dungeon master."

"So I'm trapped here?"

"Only for a short time."

"How short?"

"You have to pass your test."

"What's the test?"

"It is an extremely difficult test. Many people never complete it."

"How do I know it's even real?"

The old man chuckled. "How does a flower know it's real? You can feel it in your hands, you can hear it in your ears, you can smell it in the air, you can see it in the beauty of the day. How can a thing exist that is not real?"

"But you say I have to stay until I complete it?"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"For eternity."

"How do you know this isn't your test?"

"Because I am Siege Perilous, and I am in charge here."

"But if you're a prisoner, how do you know you're not the one who's being tested?"

The old man shook his head. "That is a most ridiculous question. The only one testing you is you. And that is a most ridiculous question."

"I have to pass a test?"

"Yes."

"What if I don't?"

"You'll remain here until you do."

"I'll be stuck in here forever?"

"Indeed."

"I have to complete this test?"

"Yes."

"What if I don't want to complete it?"

The old man laughed again. "You have no choice. You're the one who entered the forest, and that's when you were captured."

"Can you at least tell me what the test is?"

"You're in here now, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"

"What if I just leave?"

"How would you do that?"

"How did I get here?"

"You don't have the key."

"So I can't get out."

"Yes."

Alex thought for a long moment. "So I have to stay here forever."

"Yes."

"Or pass this test."

"Yes."

"But if I don't want to?"

The old man smiled. "Then you don't."

"And I can't escape."

"That is correct."

"This is a trap, then."

"Yes. And now you're awake, so you can complete the test."

"Or you'll just keep me here forever."

"That's right."

Alex's head was spinning. This wasn't how she'd imagined the journey would be. She'd come in here with a map and a list of things she'd need. She wasn't expecting to end up here.

"Are you ready to tell me about the test?" she asked.

"Do you want to complete it?" the old man asked.

"I don't know," Alex said.

"Yes you do."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"I've only been here a few minutes!"

"Then you want to stay."

"No!"

"You want to leave."

"No."

The old man leaned against the bars. "You're being too stubborn. If you don't pass your test, you're stuck here for all eternity."

"Why do I have to pass this test, anyway? What's so important about it?"

"It is the law."

"What law?"

"The law of Siege Perilous."

"What does that mean?"

"If you pass it, you may leave the dungeon."

"How do I pass it?"

"You have to defeat your opponent."

Alex looked up. "You mean a monster?"

"Yes."

"Is that all?"

"Well, you also have to collect three items, and those items must be in your possession when you leave."

Alex took a deep breath. "What do I have to do?"

"I've told you everything there is to tell you. You just need to go into that room." He pointed down the hallway to an open door.

Alex stood up. "Okay. I'm going." She started to walk toward the door.

"What about your friends?" the old man asked.

Alex turned. "What friends?"

"Your friends you came with. They're right over there."

Alex looked where he was pointing and gasped. "No! I don't have any friends!" She turned and ran out the door, then slammed it behind her.

The old man watched through the barred window in the door as Alex ran down the hallway. "You're a curious one," he said out loud to himself. "I don't know what you're running from, but you're going to have a most interesting journey."

\*\*\*

"Beware of the doppelgänger," Alex said to herself as she walked down the long, dark hallway. It was lined with torches on the walls. There were two rows of torches, so she knew she was in the right place.

The corridor seemed to be endless, and as she walked she heard the sounds of the dungeon behind her. Some of the prisoners were yelling and crying out, but some were chanting in strange languages she didn't understand.

As Alex was making her way down the corridor, she noticed that the path was leading her down a spiral staircase. As she started to descend, she heard the sounds of the prisoner's voices becoming quieter and quieter. She then reached another door that looked similar to the first one. She took a deep breath and opened it, revealing a large room.

The room was dimly lit, and the only light came from torches that were scattered around the perimeter. There were also several wooden crates and barrels, all filled with unknown contents. In the center of the room stood an old, stone table with a large map of the dungeon embroidered on it. Alex noticed that her position was marked on the map with an "X."

As she approached the table, she saw a note that had been scribbled in a hurry. It read: "Beware the doppelgänger. They will try to confuse you and lead you astray. Do not listen to their words, and never trust a face that looks like your own."

Alex's curiosity was piqued, and she started to examine the map more closely. She noticed that there were several pathways that led out of the room, and each of them was labeled with a different destination. The pathways were all twisted and windy, and it would be easy to get lost if she did not pay close attention.

As she continued to study the map, a strange noise caught her attention. It sounded like someone was whispering in the distance, and it was growing louder with each passing second. Alex spun around, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound, but nothing was there. Instead, she was met with the sight of a tall, dark figure that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the room.

The figure wore a long, flowing black robe, and its face was obscured by a thin veil. Its voice was deep and menacing, and it spoke in an ancient language that Alex did not recognize. The creature's hand reached out toward her, and she instinctively took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest.

Before Alex could react, the creature was upon her, wrapping its arms around her and pinning her to the ground. Its breath was hot and rancid, and Alex could feel its cold touch through her tattered clothes. She struggled to break free, but the creature held her tightly in its grasp.