Astral Point: Summoners Dimensional War

Catherine and Thomas made their way to the eastern forest of Lilac, the location the guards had described as the source of recent strange events. The forest's edge was not far from the city, allowing them to walk leisurely while engaging in conversation.

"You seem rather calm about the mention of monsters," Catherine remarked suddenly, her tone light but laden with meaning. She glanced sideways at Thomas, trying to read his reaction.

Thomas, with his hands clasped behind his back, replied confidently, "Monster or not, everything has a cause and effect. Our task is to understand it, not panic. Though I admit, I am curious about what exactly we're dealing with."

Catherine gave a small smile but said nothing more. They continued their journey until they reached the city's border gate, where a gatekeeper stopped them.

"Pardon me, but I need to verify your reasons for leaving the city," the guard said, eyeing their distinctly foreign attire with suspicion.

Catherine stepped forward, her signature charming smile in place. "We're simply travelers hoping to take in the beauty of the surrounding nature," she said softly, her gaze locking onto the guard's eyes.

The guard seemed momentarily dazed before nodding. "Of course, miss. Please, go ahead," he said, his stern demeanor completely disarmed.

Thomas observed the exchange with his usual stoic expression, though he couldn't help but marvel at how effortlessly Catherine made everything seem trivial. Her Mask of Charisma was proving to be a significant asset for their mission.

"With you around, our mission feels a lot lighter," Thomas remarked once they had passed the gate.

Catherine, sensing the deeper meaning behind his words, cast him a sharp glance. "If I had a choice, Thomas, I'd rather not travel like this. Wandering as if I were an ordinary commoner was never in my plans."

Thomas paused in his steps, frowning slightly. "What do you mean?"

A thin, cold smile appeared on Catherine's lips. "I am a queen, Thomas. I am accustomed to ruling, making grand decisions, and watching my people act upon my orders. This… this is not my way. If I could, I'd still be in that flying castle."

Thomas stopped, stunned by her words. He studied Catherine with growing curiosity, trying to determine whether she was serious or jesting. "A queen, you say?" he finally asked, his tone flat but tinged with disbelief.

Catherine raised an eyebrow. "Do I sound like I'm joking?"

Despite his surprise, Thomas kept his composure. To him, titles were social constructs, not something that automatically warranted deference. "If that's the case, I respect your status, Catherine, as I respect all humans. Your title doesn't make you any different in my eyes."

Catherine chuckled lightly, though there was a hint of mockery in her voice. "You're quite the philosopher, Thomas. Always sticking to those principles of yours."

Thomas said nothing, resuming his measured pace beside Catherine. His mind, however, raced with questions about her revelation. How had a queen like her ended up in this situation? Was she forced into it, or was this her escape from the shackles of power?

"Enough about my past," Catherine said abruptly. "Focus on our mission. We're almost there."

The eastern forest of Lilac was eerily quiet. Only the sound of their footsteps and the rustling of leaves in the wind broke the silence. There was no sign of life apart from the dense foliage surrounding them.

"What exactly are we supposed to find here?" Thomas asked, scanning the area. All he saw were trees, their thick branches blocking much of the sunlight.

Catherine didn't respond. Instead, she moved steadily, occasionally glancing at the ground as if searching for something. After a while, they stumbled upon a clue—a torn piece of fabric on the ground, stained with blood that hadn't yet dried.

Catherine stopped, staring at the object intently.

Thomas crouched to examine it. "This is from someone in the city. It's fresh, maybe a day or two old. But what happened here?"

Before Catherine could answer, her eyes darted to the bushes beside Thomas. She sensed something—a subtle, unnatural movement. Without hesitation, she raised her hand, summoning a dark green magic circle in the air. "Thomas, don't move," she ordered coldly.

Thomas arched an eyebrow, startled by her sudden action. "What—"

A serpentine magical strike shot from the circle, hurtling into the bushes with precision. A pained cry followed, and moments later, a small, grotesque creature stumbled out, writhing before collapsing to the ground. The goblin clutched a crude bow, its body paralyzed by Catherine's venomous attack.

Thomas stood, observing the creature with a mix of curiosity and caution. "What… is that?"

Before Catherine could reply, a familiar voice echoed in their minds. The Navigator spoke with a calm but firm tone, "That's a level 2 goblin. A low-tier monster from Astral Point. They usually travel in groups. If one is here, the rest are likely nearby."

Catherine glanced at Thomas. "You heard that?"

Thomas nodded, his mind racing to process the information. Goblins. Monsters. What had once been mere myths and tales now stood before them, real and dangerous.

"How many do you think there are?" Thomas asked, his tone serious as he surveyed the area, now fully alert.

Catherine gave a faint smirk, her eyes sharp. "Enough to keep us busy, I'd say."

Thomas exhaled deeply, his hand moving to the sword at his hip—a simple weapon provided by the Navigator before their journey to Lilac. While unadorned, it was more than capable of taking down a few low-level goblins.

"In that case, we need a better position," Thomas suggested. "If they attack in groups, we'll need the terrain on our side."

Catherine nodded, her chin tilting slightly. "Wise, Thomas. But remember, these creatures act on instinct, not logic. They won't stop until one of us is dead."

Thomas couldn't help but admire Catherine's composure. He realized that she wasn't just manipulative and cunning; she was also an experienced strategist.

"Very well," Thomas said, meeting Catherine's gaze with determination. "Let's face this. But if this turns out to be a trap, I'm blaming your overly conspicuous charm."

Catherine chuckled. "If I'm conspicuous, Thomas, it's only because you're always by my side."

They pressed forward, more alert than ever, ready to confront whatever dangers awaited them deeper in the forest. 

Catherine's footsteps were heavy, each step accompanied by increasingly loud complaints. "Walking aimlessly in the middle of a forest like this is utterly disgraceful. I'm a queen, not some lowly adventurer. Why am I even doing this?" 

Thomas, walking beside her, let out a deep sigh. "Catherine, if you keep whining, we might attract even more creatures here." 

She rolled her eyes. "Then let them come. I wouldn't mind dealing with a few foolish beasts to vent my frustration." 

Thomas stifled another sigh, too tired to respond. But before he could, their attention was drawn to a loud noise ahead. A few meters away, a group of goblins appeared, hauling a large cart. Its contents made both Thomas and Catherine freeze in their tracks. 

"Humans?" Catherine murmured, raising an eyebrow. She squinted, scrutinizing the unmoving pile of bodies. "No, those are... corpses." 

Gripping his sword tighter, Thomas clenched his jaw. "That explains the clothes we found earlier. These monsters are savages." 

The goblins moved toward the entrance of a massive cave. Two goblins remained outside as guards while the rest disappeared into the darkness within. Catherine let out a sharp sigh, her gaze turning calculating. "So, this is their hideout." 

The Navigator's voice echoed calmly in their minds. "No doubt about it. That's a dungeon. Judging from the data, this is the Goblin's Lair."

A system screen suddenly materialized before them, displaying details: 

---

Dungeon "Goblin's Lair"

Enemy Details: 

Goblin (Level 2) x11 

Goblin (Level 3) x7 

Hobgoblin (Level 6) x2 

Hobgoblin (Level 7) x1 

Recommended Level: 6 

--- 

Thomas studied the data with a frown. "We're level one. How are we supposed to handle this?" 

Catherine crossed her arms, glaring at the screen in irritation. "Navigator, you brought us here knowing our level? Are you kidding me?" 

The Navigator chuckled lightly in their minds. "Relax. Goblins are beginner enemies, designed for new units like you. You'll be fine."

The two exchanged glances. Catherine sighed and waved her hand dismissively. "Fine. But if anything goes wrong, I'm blaming you, Navigator." 

With that, they formulated a quick plan. Catherine launched the first attack, her poison magic creating a green circle in the air. Venomous snakes shot out, striking one of the goblin guards. The creature fell, writhing in agony before going still. 

Thomas followed swiftly, emerging from the bushes with his sword drawn. He dodged a panicked attack from the second goblin and plunged his blade into its neck. Blood spurted as the goblin collapsed. 

When the area quieted, a new notification appeared on their screen:

[Your unit level is below the recommended level for this dungeon. Do you wish to proceed?] 

[Accept] [Decline] 

Catherine scowled at the screen. "This is just a formality." Without hesitation, she pressed [Accept]. The notification vanished, and the cave's entrance seemed to grow darker. 

"This is our choice now," Thomas muttered, glancing at Catherine. "Are you sure about this?" 

She gave him a confident smirk. "Thomas, if I can survive a palace full of scheming nobles, a few goblins are nothing." 

With that, they stepped into the cave's darkness, ready for whatever awaited them inside. 

The cave was dark and suffocating, its air thick with the stench of blood and filth. Catherine wrinkled her nose in disgust. Hissing snakes born of her magic darted toward a group of goblins attacking from all sides. "Thomas, focus on your left! I'll handle this side," she commanded, her voice firm yet regal. 

Thomas, sweating and breathless, raised his sword to block a goblin wielding a wooden club. He countered, thrusting his blade into the creature's abdomen. "Damn it, I wasn't made for this," he grumbled. "Navigator, why am I stuck with a sword? I'm not a damage dealer." 

"For now, use what you have," the Navigator replied calmly. "You'll have to be the damage dealer while Catherine handles crowd control."

"Catherine, focus on the right side. I'll hold them off!" Thomas shouted, engaging another goblin. His swordplay was awkward, betraying his lack of familiarity with the weapon. 

"I'm a queen, not a soldier. Don't give me orders!" Catherine retorted, though her magic followed his direction. Her venomous snakes coiled around two goblins, toppling them as the poison immobilized their bodies. 

"Impressive," Thomas muttered while parrying another goblin's attack. "A philosopher turned warrior, all for the sake of system logic." He slashed the goblin's neck, dark blood splattering across the cave floor.

Catherine unleashed another wave of poison magic, incapacitating four goblins at once. Thomas, grumbling under his breath, cut down two more, though one managed to claw his shoulder. Catherine intervened, her snakes swiftly crushing the attacking goblin. 

"You're welcome, Thomas," she said sharply, her piercing gaze fixed on the final goblin. A snap of her fingers sent her magic slithering toward it, ending its life in an instant. 

"Fourteen," she said, exhaling deeply. "That should suffice. Let's move on." 

Thomas nodded, clutching his lightly bleeding shoulder. They ventured further into the cave, their footsteps echoing in the narrow corridors. Soon, they came upon four goblins transferring human corpses from the cart into a gruesome pile. 

Without hesitation, Catherine cast another venomous spell, and Thomas followed, his sword cutting down a fleeing goblin. 

As the last goblin fell, a deep growl resonated from the shadows. Two massive hobgoblins emerged, armed with brutal weapons—one wielding a huge axe, the other a spiked mace. 

Thomas charged forward, trying to divert the first hobgoblin's attention. His movements were quick, though clumsy with the unfamiliar sword. The axe came crashing down, barely missing him as he rolled aside. "Navigator, this is insane!" 

"Focus. Hobgoblins are slow but strong. Use your agility," the Navigator instructed. 

Catherine stayed composed, standing behind Thomas. She summoned another green magic circle, sending a snake to coil around the second hobgoblin's arm. The venomous bite made the creature roar in pain. "Focus on the first one, Thomas. I'll handle this one," she commanded. 

With her help, Thomas targeted the first hobgoblin's legs, making it stagger. The beast retaliated with a heavy swing, narrowly missing him. Seizing the opportunity, Thomas drove his sword into the creature's side, black blood pouring out. 

Catherine's magic tightened around the second hobgoblin, her glowing circle intensifying. The poisoned snakes squeezed until the monster collapsed, motionless. 

Thomas delivered a final slash to the first hobgoblin, decapitating it. Its body fell with a loud thud. 

Standing amidst the carnage, Catherine dismissed her magic with a flick of her hand. "I hope this ends soon. I'm growing bored." 

Wiping sweat from his brow, Thomas sighed. "We still have one more hobgoblin to deal with. Let's hope it doesn't carry a house-sized axe." 

Catherine smirked faintly. "If it does, you'll take the lead." 

As they prepared to move deeper into the cave, a faint voice emerged from the cart. 

"Please… is someone there?" 

Thomas froze, his expression turning to shock. "What was that?" 

Catherine frowned, suspicion clouding her features. "Maybe a spirit. Stay alert." She readied another poison spell. 

"Wait," the Navigator interjected. "It might be a survivor. Check first."

Thomas hurried to the cart, moving the bodies aside. Beneath the pile, a young girl lay trembling, her eyes filled with tears. 

"Please… help…" she whimpered before breaking into sobs. 

Thomas stood in stunned silence, while Catherine narrowed her eyes, studying the girl intently.

***