Elara watched Caelum work, a look of admiration on her face as he skillfully chipped away at the Lodestarite vein. The rhythmic sound of his pickaxe striking the rock created a harmonic melody in the cavernous space of the Northern Mines. She was silently amazed at how he adapted to different situations, be it combat or mining.
"You make that look easy," Elara commented, her voice echoing softly in the vast cavern.
Caelum glanced at her, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "It's all about precision and understanding the material you're working with, just like my class," he replied, his eyes returning to the vein of Lodestarite. He struck the rock again, a large chunk of the glowing ore breaking free.
Elara stepped closer, her eyes fixated on the luminescent ore. "It's beautiful," she breathed out, her hand reaching out to gently touch the smooth surface of the Lodestarite.
"It is," Caelum agreed, his voice low. He carefully placed the extracted ore into his inventory. "But it's more than just a pretty rock. It's a valuable resource, both for its magical properties and its worth to craftsmen."
Elara nodded, her gaze still on the ore. "I've heard stories about Lodestarite. They say it has the power to amplify mystical energies."
"That's correct," Caelum said as he continued to work. "It's why it's so sought after. And also why it's so rare."
As they continued to mine, the silence between them was comfortable, filled only with the sounds of their work and the occasional drip of water from the cave's ceiling. Caelum was methodical in his approach, his movements efficient and calculated. Elara couldn't help but be impressed by his adaptability. He seemed to have a skill for every situation.
All of a sudden, Caelum's hand froze mid-strike against the vein of Lodestarite. A deep rumbling sound, ominous and unsettling, echoed through the mines, reverberating off the walls. Without a moment's hesitation, Caelum grabbed Elara by the waist and leaped back, his actions swift and decisive. The entire mine seemed to shake violently, dust and small rocks cascading from the ceiling.
"Everyone, exit!" The distant cries of other miners, panicked and urgent, reached their ears. They were too far from the entrance, too deep within the labyrinth of tunnels.
Caelum's eyes darted around, searching for a safe haven amidst the chaos. His gaze settled on a giant stone structure nearby, its base hollowed out, offering a semblance of shelter. "There!" he exclaimed, pointing towards it. "It looks safer than staying out in the open."
Elara, clinging to Caelum, looked around in horror as rocks started to rain down from the ceiling. "Is the mine caving in?" she asked, her voice laced with dread.
Caelum shook his head, his expression grim. "No, it's something else." His gaze was fixed on his HUD map, where a red dot blinked menacingly. Unlike the other creatures they had encountered, this red dot had a skull at its center, a clear indication of the grave threat it posed. 'Fuck,' he cursed silently.
Elara followed his gaze, her eyes wide with fear. "What is it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Caelum's lips tightened into a thin line. "It's a monster," he said wryly, his tone betraying none of the concern he felt. "And not just any monster. This one's different."
Elara's grip on Caelum tightened. "What do we do?" she asked, her eyes searching his for guidance.
"We wait," Caelum replied, his voice steady. "We can't outrun it, and we certainly can't fight it. Our best chance is to stay hidden and hope it passes us by."
They quickly moved towards the hollowed-out base of the stone structure, taking cover from the falling debris. The rumbling grew louder, the ground beneath them vibrating with the force of the creature's approach.
Caelum's eyes remained fixed on the blinking red dot on his HUD map, tracking the monster's movements. He could hear its heavy, thunderous steps growing closer, each footfall resonating through the mine.
Then, the creature appeared in their line of sight. It emerged from the shadows like a nightmare made flesh, its presence so terrifying that it seemed to warp the very air around it. The creature stood tall, towering over them with its immense height, its body a grotesque tapestry of darkness and malice.
Its skin was a patchwork of blackened scales and pulsating veins, each scale sharp and jagged like the shards of a broken night. The veins glowed with a sinister, blood-red light, coursing with an unholy energy that seemed to throb with the creature's every heartbeat. The scales overlapped in an armor-like fashion, giving it an aspect of invulnerability that sent shivers down their spines.
The creature's head was a thing of nightmares, elongated and slightly humanoid, but twisted in a manner that defied nature. Its eyes, large and glowing with a malevolent red light, burned with an intelligence that was both alien and terrifying. The eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness, cutting through the shadows of the mine with an unholy clarity.
Its mouth was a wide, gaping maw filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth, each one glistening with a dark, viscous liquid that dripped down its chin like saliva. The teeth were uneven, some larger than others, giving its smile a jagged, horrific appearance. When it opened its mouth, a guttural growl echoed through the cavern, a sound so primal and raw that it seemed to resonate with their very bones.
The creature's limbs were disproportionately long and muscular, ending in hands and feet that were more like claws, each finger and toe tipped with a long, curved talon that scraped against the stone floor with a sound like nails on a chalkboard. The talons were black, shiny, and looked lethally sharp, capable of tearing through armor and flesh with ease.
It moved with a predatory grace, each step deliberate and measured, as if it was aware of the terror it instilled. Its movements were smooth and fluid, belying the creature's monstrous size and appearance.
As soon as Caelum saw it, he instinctively used the Observe skill, but to his dismay, beside its name, 'Abyssal Dread', all other data showed '????'. This lack of information sent a wave of dread through him, realizing that they were facing something beyond their comprehension.
Name: Abyssal Dread
Level: ????
HP: ????
Strength: ????
Agility: ????
Vitality: ????
Intelligence: ????
Wisdom: ????
Skills: ????
Just at that moment, the creature turned its gaze towards their hiding spot. As their eyes locked, Caelum felt as if death itself was breathing down his neck. The creature's smile, so hideously contorted, was filled with a dreadful promise of pain and despair. Caelum felt Elara shivering in his embrace, her body tense with fear.