"Why, Julius? Why can't you do the same things as your sister? We could've finally overtaken the Naso family," scowled a woman, disappointment and anger woven into her expression as she glared at her second child.
"I-I'm sorry, Mother."
"I'm so disappointed… Why did this have to happen? The one time a God managed to have two children without Lord Zeus noticing, the second came out a failure."
The young Julius looked down in shame, feeling the presence of his sister approaching.
"Mom, just forget about him. I'll become stronger than Zane on my own. Failure has no place here," said the girl, her scarlet eyes flaring with a power that Julius was unable to master. They had the same blood! Why was he so incompetent?
"I'm not sure that's possible. Demi-gods have extended lifetimes. He's lived far longer than even I have," mumbled the woman in defeat. Her hopes of becoming the second-ranking family behind the royals had failed because of one incompetent boy.
"Julius…" she muttered, glaring at the kid that was sitting on his knees obediently.
"Y-Yes, Mother?"
"Get out of my sight. All I see in you… is weakness."
"I'm sorry…" he whimpered, getting up swiftly and exiting the room without glancing back.
——
The ragged breathing of the only remaining conscious adventurer echoed in the halls. The irregular footsteps as he dragged the limp body of his companion down the spiraling stairs of the mysterious room alerted the approaching Shadows of their location.
There was only one way out: down.
Julius checked his partner's pulse again, reminding himself that Ash was still breathing. The red-haired adventurer scowled in anger. If only he had not hesitated so much, Ash would be awake.
This had happened because of his weakness, and very soon, he would collapse. He could feel it in his legs as he struggled down the neverending flight of stairs, searching for the nearest exit.
Julius desperately searched for a door as the sound of metallic whispers grew louder behind them. The Shadows had kept appearing out of the walls, and there were now so many Julius dared not look back.
Julius finally spotted an exit. A large stone doorway with a misty blue '3' on top of it lay on the opposite side of the chamber. The battalion of Shadows approached at a steady pace, all of them following the two adventurers as if they were in a trance.
"Just… a bit more-" muttered Julius, but his whispers were suddenly interrupted by the birth of three more Shadows. They stood at the bottom of the stairs, blocking the trespassers from advancing any further.
"Fuck… looks like we're jumping!" cried out Julius in desperation, taking a few steps back and preparing himself for the worst. There are worse ways to go out, he thought to himself as he picked up Ash's legs, carrying him in his arms.
Julius sped towards the edge at full speed without a second thought. He could feel the terrifying glares of the Shadows on either side, but all he could feel was overflowing confidence.
Julius redirected the essence in his body towards his feet as he approached the dark drop into the abyss. His legs burned as he sparked the energy inside him, projecting it outwards.
Fire swirled around the adventurer's feet, and before he could reconsider his suicidal plan, he jumped right as the fire erupted and propelled him forward. The pair flew through the air, Julius's high-pitched scream unfitting of the confidence he had boasted about previously echoed throughout the area.
A trail of smoke followed Julius and his human luggage through the air, momentarily blinding the Shadow that had sliced at their position.
Ash groaned uncomfortably. Why did he have the sensation he was flying? His eyes opened slowly, still feeling drowsy from the lack of oxygen.
"What happened- Oh, what the fuck!"
Julius was unable to maintain his balance in midair as Ash flayed wildly at the realization of his current situation. Their screams echoed down to the deepest levels of the Dungeon as they saw their lives flash before their eyes.
Both adventurers landed with a loud thud onto the cold platform, rolling uncontrollably. They finally slammed into the metal door, causing it to shudder. The sound of metal forcing itself open rang in Ash's eardrums.
"Julius…" he muttered in disbelief, "we made it."
Julius didn't share his companion's sense of awe, focusing more on the horde of Shadow approaching them at a brisker pace.
"Not yet! Run!"
Ash glanced back and immediately regretted his action. How had he not realized they were being followed by dozens of Shadows? One had been enough to dominate both of them, there was no way they could take on so many!
When he thought about it, Ash realized he didn't know how they had defeated the first Shadow. Had Julius taken care of it alone?
The two boys sprinted down the dark corridor just as the Shadows reached the door. There was no light at the end of the tunnel, but the adventurers were out of options.
"T-There's no exit! Is this a dead-end?!" cried Julius. Ash noticed his companion's pace slowing down significantly, most likely a result of over-exhaustion. He ignored the cramped feeling in his lungs, pushing himself forward without fail.
"You know what I like to say, Julius," panted Ash, slowing down and grabbing onto his partner's arm, "only one way to find out!"
Ash dragged his fatigued partner further into the tunnel, praying that an exit would reveal itself. A small crack of light suddenly appeared at the furthest wall.
"!"
The crack spread across the rocky surface, causing it to crumble as the two passersby approached it. Ash saw hope in the light, and without even questioning himself, threw himself towards the exit right before a Shadow latched onto Julius.
The two boys were bathed in sunlight as they collapsed onto fresh grass. Ash gagged from the grass he had inhaled. He was completely out of strength, and Julius was barely conscious.
What the fuck was Draegan thinking? These quests were at a level way beyond what Ash was capable of dealing with, and if the path the King of Shadows had laid out for him continued like this, he'd die within the first month.
Ash's thoughts were interrupted as the army of Shadows arrived at the edge of the tunnel, glaring at him and the body beside him. He didn't know if they could move outside their territory, but if they were, then he was as good as dead.
The horde seemed to pause at the exit of the Center of Paths as if they were awaiting orders. Were they to annihilate the targets? Or were they to fend off intruders from their territory?
Ash's eyes widened as the Shadows began stepping to the side and forming a path. A larger figure approached through the path created by his underlings.
"Is that… some sort of higher-ranked Shadow?" muttered Ash with a horrified croak. The buzzing of a small bug snapped the boy back to reality. He wasn't even sure where he currently was. How could he be sure this wasn't Shadow territory?
He began distancing himself from the tunnel, pulling Julius along with him through the dirt. He couldn't afford to assume he was safe. He needed to keep running, keep surviving, keep searching for whatever Draegan wanted him to find.
Surely, this fragment could save them both. Draegan wanted to keep Ash alive, but there were no guarantees about Julius. Ash had to keep his companion safe with his own strength, however small that may be.
A chilling voice resonated from the tunnel. Ash felt like thorns were viciously pricking his every bone, the single word almost making him give up.
"Advance."