Dust by Nick Venom (best life changing books TXT) 📕

“Oh, the Bloodeye Family. Wait…?” He stared at her, raising both eyebrows. “You’re Myra Bloodeye?”

“I indeed am,” Myra said.

“Oh… well, I apologize for this crude environment, Miss Bloodeye.” He said, bowing his head.

“No, no, no.” She said, shaking her head. “You are my savior, please call me Myra. And, also, I don’t mind the environment. It’s better than being left to rot in the dungeon, raped by the filthy orcs.”

Dust nodded. “Well… Myra, I still don’t get one thing. Wouldn’t people like you stay out of the dungeon, especially the third floors?”

“Usually, but my fiance insisted on it. He wanted to show off his power to our families to prevent any intervention in our marriage. I was brought along as my skill, which I will refrain from revealing, grants him many benefits during fighting and looting. Even so, I wanted to show my fiance and my father that I could fight.” She explained.

“Oh, I see…” His voice trailed off as he heard the footsteps of his siblings approaching the door. He jumped up from his chair and grabbed the door, yanking it open. His siblings revealed themselves, handing over two potions to Dust. 

“Only two?” He questioned.

“Price went up.” Rain said. She played with her short black hair, twirling what she could of her hair around her finger. “I’m sorry, brother.”

Dust patted her head. “Don’t worry about it. Thanks for going out.”

Rain nodded, looking up at her elder brother with a large smile that went from eye to eye. Dust stared at her, smiling. He noticed that her green dress, which went past her knees, was ripped and worn out. The dress was the best thing she had. 

Mason, meanwhile, suffered a similar situation as his best clothes were hand-me downs from Dust - a ripped tunic a size too large and worn-out leather pants a size too small. 

I need to get them new clothes soon. I have a few coins saved, but I need to save some more. He thought to himself as he stared at his beautiful siblings, who had the same tannish skin and dark hair as each other.

With the potions now in his hand, Dust turned around to face Myra. He approached her leg, applying a large handful onto it. The healing potion worked instantly, restructuring her bones and healing any torn ligaments and skin. In a matter of moments, Myra’s leg returned enough. Within a few minutes, she could walk as if nothing had ever happened. 

“Thank you,” Myra said, bowing her head. “I will recuperate any costs you spent on us.”

Dust shook his head. “You don’t have to. I didn’t help you so I could be paid for it.”

Myra shook her head. “On my honor as a noble, I must. I, also… have another request.”

Dust furrowed his brows. “What is it?”

“Well… Can we stay here for a while?” She asked, cringing at a potentially negative response.

Dust glanced at his siblings who nodded their heads in agreement. “Well… you can, but, how long will you stay?”

“For a couple of days as… I fear that my fiance is spreading negative rumors or bashing my family for my worthlessness.”

“You are not worthless!” Alice exclaimed, being shushed again.

Dust nodded his head, absorbing the information. “Well, since my siblings don’t mind, you can. However, you’ll have to help around the house during your stay… of course, if you don’t mind.”

Myra shook her head. “I never would, this is your house and we are under your rules. I would actually prefer this over allowing us to stay without any conditions.” She said before extending her hand to Dust. “Thank you.”

He shook her head, nodding his head. “Of course,”

TBC…

“You want to go with me to the dungeon? Why?” Dust asked, sitting at the dinner table with a cup of water in front of him.

“Because it’s the best way for me to repay you.” Myra declared. “Plus, I’m… I’m not the best chef or cleaner. Alice always did all of that stuff for me.” She said. Alice nodded her head in agreement.

“Still, are you sure about returning to the dungeon so soon? It’s only been a day.”

Myra shook her head. “I insist.” She declared. “And I want to become an adventurer.”

Dust opened his mouth to argue, but then his attention was snatched up by Rain and Mason entering the dining room. “Let them go, they want to help you.” Rain told him. 

“Well…” He started, taking a few moments to consider the idea. “Fine, I’ll take you. Do you have any weapons on you?” He asked, laying back in his chair. 

Myra nodded her head, brandishing a silver shortsword. “My fiance purchased this weapon for me when we went into the dungeon. Alice, on the other hand, is wielding a hand-me-down iron knife.” She said, motioning for Alice to brandish her weapon.

Dust nodded. “I see… Then let’s leave.” He said as he stood up from his chair, beckoning them to follow him. “I’ll be back later, make sure not to open the door for anybody except us. Clear?” He asked Rain, who nodded her head instantly.

Dust nodded his head back before leading Myra and Alice outside, locking the door behind him. They then made their way to the dungeon, leaving Rain and Mason behind to guard the house with crudely made wooden knives. 

Rain watched them leave from the window, waiting until they disappeared from her sight to turn around and face her younger brother. “They’re gone.”

“Will… Will he be okay?” Mason asked. 

Rain nodded. “He’s our brother, he will. Plus, now the girls are gone. You know what that means.”

“Couch nap?”

Rain shook her head. “We can make our own food.”

Both kids shivered at the thought of Myra’s home-cooked food - which included charred steak, charred fruits, charred vegetables, and charcoal somehow. Neither wanted to eat those foods again for as long as they lived.

***

“Where does Alex live?” Dust asked as they approached the dungeon. 

“On the other side of town,” Myra responded. “Why?”

“Based on what you told me yesterday, I want to avoid him at all costs. I don’t want to encounter people like that.” He said. 

Myra nodded, looking down at the ground. Alice glanced at her before looking up at the dungeon. The dungeon consisted of a hundred floors and was a large tower that existed in the middle of Shell. Three floors existed above ground while the rest were underground, only accessible by stairs or teleportation - which costs several silver coins per person; a large amount for rookie adventurers. 

“Anyway… have you fought before?” Dust asked. “Against slimes or other monsters?”

Myra shook her head. “My fiance and his friends did most of the work. Alice and I followed behind them, but we weren’t given the chance to help. However, Alice is trained at combat, I believe.” Myra said, pointing at Alice. Alice nodded, confirming Myra’s statement.

“In order to serve my lady as well as I can, I was taught to fight since I was young,” Alice added.

Dust nodded in acknowledgment. “That’s good to know, then. Let’s head inside already and begin.” He said as they reached the guards in charge of allowing people into the dungeon. Dust showed his identification card, with Myra and Alice doing the same behind him, and they were let in. 

Dust guided them to the first floor of the dungeon where the weakest and easiest foes were waiting  - slimes. 

“Okay, I want you both to kill five slimes.” Dust told them.

Myra nodded, glancing at Alice. Alice noticed the glance as a signal to go first. She brandished her knife and approached the first slime. She moved slowly, letting the slime charge her first. Once it was close enough, she struck quickly and effortlessly - piercing the core of the slime and eliminating the monster. It poofed away, leaving a mana crystal in its wake. 

Dust raised both eyebrows, surprised at Alice’s first kill. He could tell that she had been trained well based on her movement and speed. In contrast, Myra was sloppier and left many weaknesses exposed to the slime she engaged. The slime charged her and continued to bump into her, dealing no damage, but, instead, humiliating her. 

“I… I need to do this.” She muttered to herself as she backed away from the slime. She glanced at Alice who was picking off the slimes like food to seagulls. She then turned back to face her slime, charging the monster and striking at its core with her shortsword. She missed the core by a few inches and now her weapon was stuck inside the slime.

With her weapon stuck, she tugged and pulled on the hilt but wasn’t able to get it out before being attacked by the slime. It bumped into her, bouncing off her side and landing on the ground with the hilt scraping the floor.

Myra tried again, grabbing the hilt and pulling on it with all of her might. Her second try to retrieve her weapon ended with success as she pulled it out, but fell on her back as a result. Though, she was now armed and prepared to attack the slime again. She charged the slime for the third time, this one being a success as she barely managed to pierce the core and destroy the monster.

With her first slime dead, she turned to Dust with a large grin on her face. “I did it!” She squealed. 

Dust nodded with a small smile on his face. “Good job.”

Myra nodded before glancing at Alice who had killed her fifth slime and now waited on her. This downplayed her first kill, but it didn’t deter her motivation. She turned around to face the slimes and began to hunt them down. 

Meanwhile, Dust remembered the days that he was in Myra’s shoes as a younger and weaker version of himself, running around to chase slimes and pierce their cores. However, every attempt he made failed. Even so, his master didn’t get angry at him. She watched Dust with patience until he could kill his first slime. Dust was filled with excitement and pride as he held up the crystal of the slime high into the air. He was happy to be getting stronger as he wanted to, not only for himself but for his family.

Dust snapped out of his flashback as Myra stabbed the second slime’s core. She fell on her butt, staring at the crystal in front of her with wide eyes. “I got two!” She exclaimed.

Dust smiled. “Good job, Myra. Three more and we can continue.” 

Myra nodded, getting off her butt and back into action. She worked hard to hit her quota and allow Dust to take them deeper into the dungeon where both Myra and Alice had to fill larger and larger quotas for several more hours. Once Dust was satisfied with their progress, he called it a day for them. He took them back to his house, letting them rest, while he returned to the dungeon instantly without sparing a moment for his body to rest.

Myra watched him, furrowing her brows. “Why did he leave?”

“He isn’t rich,” Alice bluntly stated. “He can’t afford to miss a day’s worth of earnings. He spent most of his day training us, but he needs to go back to earn money to keep