Silence permeated through the air, as my assailant and I stood at a standstill. In front of me stood one of the skeleton warrior's. Geared up in a corinthian helmet, linothorax cuirass, as well as greaves and braces. The warrior brandished a number of weaponry that includes two javelins at its back, a spear held with the right hand, with the left hand holding a hoplon shield, and lastly a sheathed xiphos rested on the left hip.

Upon closer inspection, all of its armory appeared to be made entirely out of bony. If the warrior had flesh and blood instead of bones, and generally less dead looking. Then you'll have a perfectly living hoplite warrior that wants to gut you dead…

'I get to face a dead spartan, or well a Spartoi as they're called in Greek mythology if I remember correctly,' I thought bewildered at how it even functions as if it were alive. The Spartoi stabbed its spear in the ground, holding it in place and grabbing a javelin while taking up a javelin throwing stance. 'This is perhaps the second most bizarre experience that's happening right now just behind getting turned into a xenomorph,' Chuckling at this situation that sounded more akin to a guttural death choke. I got on all fours and prepared myself to dash.

The hostility in the atmosphere was so thick, you could stab a knife through it and it would just graze by.

There was roughly a hundred meters of distance between us. I don't know how fast this body can run nor the Spartoi's accuracy. Worst case scenario I'll get skewered before even entering within 40 meters which I find myself… uncaring.

I have not once felt an ounce of fear nor the safety of my wellbeing ever since the lizardman fight, I felt nothing at all replaced with only concentration to kill. 'This body even seems to be affecting my psyche,' mildly disturbed at the prospect of being turned into a ruthless killer. To whomever cursed me to become like this, how shrewd of you.

The Spartoi, having grown impatient at the sight of me unmoving, pulled back the javelin with its shoulder as fast as possible. Small fissures formed below my foot as I sprinted with all the force I could muster.

Taking large strides with every step I take.

1 second… 87 meters.

2 seconds… 74 meters… a javelin dangerously close flew past me.

3 seconds… 61 meters… The Spartoi prepared another javelin and reevaluated it's next shot.

4 seconds… 48 meters… Suddenly I felt a premonition of imminent danger in the next second.

5 seconds… 35 meters… a javelin would've impaled me had I not skidded to a halt, before resuming my dead run.

7 seconds… 22 meters… The Spartoi, having run out of munitions, took up its spear in an underarm position over the hoplon facing towards me, bracing for my impending charge.

8 seconds… 9 meters… a spear's thrust aimed at my head was deflected by my tough carapace.

9 seconds… 0 meters… Time of impact.

An audible crack resonated on the shield as it was met by my head ramming it like there's no tomorrow. The Spartoi dug his heels to the ground, slowing the momentum until it was held to a stop. Not wasting any time the Spartoi shoved me with it's shield which made me momentarily lose balance, before bashing the side of my head not covered by my carapace shell stunning me in place long enough to perform a stepping push kick on my abdomen sending me flying away.

I rolled as soon as I hit the ground absorbing the impact. 'For one without muscles, it's strong enough to send me flying considering how heavy I am,' I thought slightly amused. 'The force required would be at least about 1,224 N, a rough estimate of my weight which I guessed to be about 136 kg or more and with the distance it threw me at 9 meters' taking the time to keenly observe my opponent now that it has lost its range weaponry.

The Spartoi having gained leeway returned to its phalanx formation. 'The Spartoi won't target my head this time since my carapace deflected it likely targeting my vital points or just keeping me in range, but it's useless when past the spearhead,' an idea just popped into my head as I recalled a certain epic fight about two ancient warriors particularly a myrmidon and a trojan.

A plan formed, grinning at the thought of reenacting an iconic scene.

The Spartoi slowly approached my spear in an underhand position, head tracking my movements as I sidestepped to the left then to the right, before shifting its upper body to the left avoiding the spear tip of my tail and blocking the left slash of my claws. Still tracking my movements as I run around gathering up speed tail ahead of my head jumping and thrusting downwards with my tail striking it's shield, the speed I gathered combined with the mass of this body pushed the Spartoi back.

Tail aimed low was blocked by the shield, pulling it away and thrusting high only to be swiped to the left hit by the shaft of the spear but not far away enough to thrust again, before being blocked by its shield. Tail grazed to the left right of the shield and swung to the right aiming for its head, but was deftly avoided by pulling back its head which he reciprocated the same favor by swinging the spear to the right that would've struck my head had it not gone low. All whilst moving backwards, defending against my vicious onslaught, and counter attacking when presented the opportunity.

The Spartoi moved to the right dodging my tail's low hook thrust and deflecting its spear, before thrusting my tail, evading it by leaning backwards and swinging my tail away to the right using its shaft, whilst ducking down and stepped backwards evading my left claw hook aimed at its torso. Sidestepping the right at the spears thrust to my head and responding in the same action as i thrusted my tail to its head only for it to be evaded by tilting its head to the left and brushing my tail away with the shield.

The battle was at a stalemate as both combatants tried to gain leverage on each other but none were able to do so. Rigorously defending and furiously counter attacking one after another. It seems there was no ending to this impasse that is until the Xenomorph in a cunning display left out its foot unguarded 'Chance!' forthwith pinning down the spear and stomping on it broke its spear tip. Charging as I moved to grab the shield… ! Shrieking as the sauroter pierced my chest in an underarm thrust, I kicked the Spartoi away, staggering it back before pulling out the broken shaft of the spear and throwing it in its general direction… only to miss at a wide margin.

'... right, I'm bad at throwing' flashbacks of getting a score in P.E. of 14.16 meters in javelin throwing back in Senior High School. 'Wait where'd that memory come from, no, more importantly I'm such a fool for forgetting about the sauroter, a spike in the rear of the spear and the pain I felt was less numb and… I'm starting to enjoy it?' the thought of being a masochistic surfaced on my mind. Shaking my head in order to not let more of those thoughts develop. 'First, I need to deal with this, then I'll work with those problems.'

The Spartoi grabbed the xiphos from its sheath, spinning it in a flaunt display of skill before setting on a stance, body low to the ground, legs spread spread apart with left femur in front directly behind its shield, and xiphos blade point facing towards the ground away from the shield and beside its right femur.

I leapt following a downward slash with my right but was met with its shield, instantly redirecting my downward slash to the left and maneuvering it with a hook to the right not wasting any movements but was again blocked whilst spinning on its heel followed by a slash. A loud pang resounded when the blade caught my claws parrying it. Whoosh ducking down as a slash striked the air above my head, as my claw grazed its greaves originally going for the kneecap.

Leaning back and parrying the upwards thrust of the xiphos, before striking downwards with my right claw once again blocked. This time I'm moving backwards instead as the Spartoi kept pushing with its flurry of attacks. A loud pang echoed off my claw hitting the shield. A ping echoed as my claw parried its xiphos. A fissure formed on the ground where the Spartoi stepped forward pushing power in its legs as it thrusted its xiphos to my carapace pushing me back.

The Spartoi was skilled, very much so that it gained mastery over the weaponry it wielded. Both combatants made no further actions; the distance allowed time to scrutinize their next actions. For a moment there was peace and it was that moment that the sounds of warfare on the battlefield where the lizardmen and skeleton army clashed 600 meters away from was became all quiet at that front. Realization dawned upon me that whatever army won that fight will soon likely be heading towards the sound of battle.

'I needed to finish this quickly,' the thought of running away came to me but was quickly dissipated by a semblance of my pride that I still retained on this body, and I didn't want to cower away from a fight I started that'll leave a bad taste in my mouth. A reckless move was implanted as i stood up bipedal using my tail as a balance and spreading my arms out 'nothing risked, nothing gained, i suppose, although this makes me look like im T-posing for asserting dominance,' Chuckling as i hoped that the Spartoi would come barreling towards me.

True to my words, the Spartoi came charging like a bull and in the last second before coming into contact with the xiphos on my abdomen, I shifted, allowing it to pass between my body and right arm, before locking its humerus bone in place below my armpit. Performing a takedown by tripping its right fibula and slamming my palm on its chin causing it to fall. Not wasting an opportunity I pinned it down by stabbing my tail which pierced through its cuirass and using both of my arms grabbing its sword arm and pulled it until it broke off its socket. Having regained its bearings the Spartoi bashed its shield against me to no effect and kept bashing even after having its skull plucked off by my hand. 'How is this thing still moving?' I questioned myself as I ravaged its cuirass, it was by this point that i noticed beneath its cuirass and right where its heart should be was a particular gem that reminded me of the gemstone inside the lizardman that I accidentally impaled. 'Could this be… its power source?' I tested this theory as I extracted it right out of its chest and to my wonder it poofed in a manner of blowing away ashes.

'... What the fuck?'

It seems that my theory was proven true but what was this gem and what energy was it giving out to fuel a monster? Could there be one inside me? Shrugging off my thoughts as I needed to focus on the task at hand. Looking at the spot where recently poofed out of existance Spartoi should be, I tipped my imaginary hat 'A worthy opponent, I tip my hat to you from one monster to another.'

Whizz.

Thud.

My monologue however was short lived as an arrow bounced off my carapace. 3 warriors from the battlefield and it seems the victor was the skeleton army as 2 archers and another spearman reached my blindsight.

Naturally, I did what a respectable character's secret technique from a popular anime would do: get into a battle stance and shout.

'To Run away!' I fled as arrows came down in my previous position

If I wasn't in such a hurry i would've noticed that the spear tip that came into contact with my blood disintegrated.

A pack of Hellhounds stalked around the deep floors of the Dungeon. Far away from their natural habitat, the lower floors. One might wonder what they are doing in the deeper floors of the Dungeon in the first place.

The answer to that question is simple really.

They got lost.

The Dungeon, ever mystical and mysterious, is truly alive. Opening new paths for example the wall that has always remained as a wall for as long as you can remember suddenly reconstructs itself as a door, Not only that but it can repair any damage inflicted upon it, Constantly shifting.

It just so happens to be one of those days as the unlucky pack fell into a newly created pit connected directly to the deep.

The pack leader surveyed the area on the lookout for other monsters, lest they get eaten. There were originally 15 of them, but now only 4 remain. The remaining rested after being chased by two meter tall minotaurs that had two large curved horns, black skin, red hair, and yellow eyes and were stronger than their lower floor counterparts. For a brief moment, there was respite.

Yet this primeval tranquility was soon interrupted when one of the hounds whined whilst being dragged into the dark. Alerted, the pack leader howled, prompting the members to get into formation only to find one member remaining as the other one went missing, presumably dead. Back to back with its last packmate, scouring for the enemy and preparing for an attack.

Yet none came, and the enemy was nowhere to be seen.

But noises of hissing were heard in their vicinity.

Dread soon began to fill up within them.

The sound of a pebble being kicked off… near them.

Panicking, the hellhounds opened their mouths and let out torrents of flame in every direction, not letting up in fear of being dragged into the dark.

After a few seconds, the flames spewing from their mouth snuffed out having run out of energy to fuel their fire breath. The pack leader upon realizing that a certain warmth on its back was gone looked back, only to find its last packmate gone. Frightened as it slowly and desperately turned back its head.

A bladed tail was the last thing it saw.

After a day or so- I couldn't tell the time so terribly well down here underground. I found an exit from the battlefield and found a new area to explore. This time the floor finally decided that up is indeed up 'Finally'. In which I also obtained a huge haul that I'm reluctant to call food, particularly the four monsters I killed that look like giant wolves that can somehow breathe fire?

And just when I was feeling hungry. Could this be my lucky day? Is this the cave rewarding me for the ordeal I had to go through? Is the cave secretly a tsundere!? '-pfft… yeah right.'

Still, could I even eat this and could I even taste it? My biology is not that of a human anymore but my mind is still one, Well only one way to find out! Time to chow down!… -blegh!. 'I don't want to ever put anything like this in my mouth ever again, but…' tears would have been flowing out of my eyes like a fountain… if i still had them 'I really hate wasting food!' forcing myself to wolf it down.

'Just when I thought the cave was being kind only to spite me by making food horrible,' I exasperated as I gulped down the last of my meal, leaving only the gemstones. Sighing in relief as that disgusting excuse for a food was done.

Lying down on the chest with my face touching the rough floor, trying to forget the taste '...It's still there,' I thought dejectedly. Having nothing better to do and no monsters to fight, it was finally the right time to analyze my recent discoveries.

Settling into a squat and getting into a thinking pose. 'My sense of touch is muted and only strong stimuli like pain will be able to get through. I think i felt joy when i was hurt, but didn't like the pain i felt when i ate the food… then the conclusion must be that I was elated that I can still feel something even if its pain' Crisis averted of being a masochist 'then there's this gemstones. The ones were a lot smaller than the one I examined from the Spartoi,' which unfortunately was lost after I fled from the other Spartoi.

'Does the size correlate to its strength then?' I had no other ongoing theory so it was my best bet.

Curiously, I picked one up and took a bite out of it… then proceeded to devour all four of them. 'Tastes like candy and that felt more nutritious than the meat I ate. There's a silver lining to this after all,' from this day forth I will only eat the gemstones.

Now I just hope I won't go crazy due to isolation like a certain spider that got reincarnated into another world… underground… labyrinth. I just suddenly realized how close I am to her situation.

If it's really that situation then I need to become human again or at least a humanoid form, lest it's kill or be killed when eventually meeting humans. A cynical part of me assumed there would be no humans while a more sinister part thought that I wont feel anything when forced to kill.

… it still boggles my mind on how I know those information but not my past life or even my name.

Strolling around the area as I tried to find another exit. The room I was in was eerily quiet with no monster in sight. The interior was strange, gone were the rough floors and walls replaced by smooth marble. No obstructions were in sight too except by that oddly placed boulder shaped like a cube right in the center of the room and behind it was the exit.

Curiosity got the better of me as I went close to the boulder examining it. Marveling at its shape that soon turned into confusion as a deep rumble resounded within it.

Alarm bells went over as the boulder cracked and out came a humongous charging monster that crashed into me and sent me flying away.

'It came out of the boulder!?' was the only thing i thought as i barreled through the air, before crashing into what was recently the entrance now sealed off becoming a wall. I looked towards the exit and found that it shared the same fate.

'I'm trapped,' the cave or labyrinth probably wants me to fight it was again, no trace of fear or anxiety at the direness of this situation i felt nothing… instead replaced with focus and commitment to kill.

I spared a glance at my opponent. It was reminiscent and was about the size of two huge bears stacked together. Though it had a plated frill on top of its head and two large curved horns pointed downwards, it reminded me of a triceratops. The whole body was covered in rigid armor plates. It was heavy as the ground beneath its paws fractured with its step. Get rid of the horns and armor then the Ursa major will be the closest it'll look like which I'll refer to it.

The Ursa major paused for a brief moment before its head twitched and it let out a roar, giving me a great view of its mouth opened perpendicularly and showing me how sharp its fangs are. It then swung its head around as if it were a mad bull before proceeding to charge towards me. I screeched before I spun and hastefully scaled up the walls in a bid to not get turned into paste by this thing. I managed to get to the ceiling just as the monster slammed into the wall rupturing it.

I pounced off the ceiling the moment it turned. Landing deftly on its back and trying to sink my claws into it. It didn't work, as the armor plates merely scratched at the contact, even my tail failed to pierce through.

'Its armor rendered my claws and tail useless' I thought to myself as the Ursa major tried to buck me before it simply rolled over and I was forced to leap off. Starting hit and run tactics as I aimed for its joints where it was less protected. Unfortunately, it was smarter than it looked and better at fighting on all fours than I was. It wasn't long before the thing started to protect its joints and predicting my movements as a large paw almost swatted me.

Abandoning that tactic, I circled around Ursa major gathering speed as I sped up before charging. 'If blades aren't working then brute force will. A sickening crack echoed just as I rammed my tough carapace at the bear's armored shin before dodging its stomp.

The sound of cracking echoed around the room as I kept repeating this strategy. Ramming my carapace at its plates, until all that's left of its armor was around its torso. Strangely, the bear just stood there taking all my attacks and sluggishly counterattacking. I realized a tad bit too late when I was close to it, trying to stop my charge as it stood up on its hind legs faster than it ever was before stomping its paws to the ground forming a deep crevice and shaking the whole room. The earthquake staggered me for a moment but it was all the time it needed to ram its head at me, shrieking as it dragged me before crashing into the wall which left a deep hole.

I felt something inside me crack as I gave out a pained hiss. The Ursa major pulled back before picking me up with its mouth. Everything distorted as the bear shaked me in its mouth and pounding me to the ground, I couldn't even let out a hiss as I felt energy being drained out of my body. The bear took a bite and I felt something missing from my body -Sizz- before suddenly being dropped and the sounds of sizzling burn and a bellowing cry was heard.

I patted the back of my body and found that my dorsal spines were bitten off -Sizz- my blood flowed to the ground melting through it. I looked back up to the bear and found that its lower jaw was missing, thrashing around suffering in pain melted through its throat working its way down.

'Corrosive Acid'

Through sheer will, I forced my body to stand before leaping at its head and entering through its mouth. Shredding and tearing everything inside out before coming out at the other end just as the Ursa major collapsed full in heap.

Lying down sideways as my body gave out.

Tail curled around me.

My mind drifted into the dark as I finally lost consciousness.

.

..

…

….

WELCOME TO WHITE SPACE

Authors Notes:

Update arrived.

Feel free to leave a review.

Once again constructive criticism is welcomed.

Query: Should I change the rating?

Reviews:

webweasel: I had a lot of practice writing school essays.

WanderingStar85: Thanks for reading!

Touhoufanatic: It's been some time since I last wrote an essay so I lost touch with my grammar and usage of punctuation, but I'll try harder next time. As for the crossover section, i didn't put it in since i figured there won't be AvP lore.