Part 1
Garen leaned over Ethan, who was lying on the ground, shaking him gently. "Ethan, wake up. We need to keep moving."
Ethan opened his eyes slowly, blinking to adjust to the dim light of the corridor. His body still trembled from the encounter with the monstrous eye, but he nodded, getting up with Garen's help.
The group, now reduced, began to descend another winding staircase. The walls around them remained covered with moss and dampness, and the sound of dripping water echoed down the stone steps, amplifying the heavy silence that surrounded them.
Thalon walked behind, holding Lirian's burned bow. His fingers caressed the charred wood, and his eyes were full of sadness. Each step seemed harder than the last, as if Lirian's absence was a physical weight on his shoulders.
Ellen, noticing Thalon's state, approached him. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, offering a sad smile. "Thalon, I'm sorry for what happened. Lirian was a great friend and a brave Adventurer. It wasn't your fault."
Thalon stopped, turning to look Ellen in the eyes. "I... I knew it could happen, but seeing it up close... I couldn't save him." His voice was choked with guilt and pain.
Ellen squeezed his shoulder, trying to convey some strength. "We all knew the risks when we came here. Lirian knew too. He did what he thought was right to protect us. And you did what you had to do."
"But I still killed him..." Thalon murmured, his eyes full of tears.
"You saved all of us," Ellen replied firmly.
"Without your magic, we would all be dead. Lirian knew that. He sacrificed himself because he believed in us. In you."
Thalon took a deep breath, trying to find some solace in Ellen's words. "Do you think he would forgive me?"
Ellen paused, choosing her words carefully. "I know he has already forgiven you. And now, he needs you to forgive yourself too. We can't let his death be in vain. We need to keep going, for him."
Thalon slowly nodded, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "You're right. We need to keep going."
Part 2
After walking for a few minutes, they all stopped in front of a large opening in the corridor wall. The darkness of this new path seemed denser and more oppressive than anything they had encountered before. Ethan raised a torch, trying to illuminate the passage ahead, but the light barely penetrated the shroud of shadows.
"This is the unknown detour the commission mentioned," Ethan warned, his voice low and cautious.
"We don't know what's in there."
Garen looked at the others, his expression serious. "We have to keep moving. There's no other way."
With a nod, the group began to enter the detour, one by one. The darkness quickly enveloped them, and the silence was almost absolute, broken only by the sound of their breathing and footsteps. Ethan was the last to enter, holding the torch high to try to illuminate as much as possible.
Thalon, still wrestling with his own inner demons, was distracted as he walked. His thoughts were trapped in memories of Lirian and Ellen's words. He didn't notice the danger approaching in the shadows.
Suddenly, a muffled sound of something slicing through the air echoed through the tunnel. Before Thalon could react, a searing pain shot through his back. He gasped, falling to his knees as he felt the warmth of blood trickling down his skin.
"Thalon!" Ellen shouted, turning quickly at the sound of his cry of pain.
Garen and Broke turned at the same time, their eyes wide with surprise at seeing Thalon on the ground, a dagger embedded in his back.
Still with the dagger in Thalon, Ethan lifted him, holding him by the weapon stuck in his back. He stepped out of the shadows, revealing a cruel smile on his face.
"Thanks for bringing me this far," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"It's really a pity that Lirian died."
With a slight laugh, he continued, "Not that I wouldn't have killed him later, of course."
Garen took a step forward, his eyes burning with rage. "I swear I'll kill you, Ethan."
Ellen extended her hand, holding Garen by the arm. "Not now, Garen. We need to think."
Ethan, completely calm, tilted his head. "Ah, Garen, it's not a good idea to make noise in this chamber. There's something here you wouldn't understand."
"You won't leave here alive, Ethan," Garen growled, still furious.
Ethan laughed, a low and cold sound. "I think it's exactly the opposite."
From the depths of the chamber, a binding magic suddenly emerged, trapping Garen, Ellen, and Broke in shimmering energy ropes. They struggled, but couldn't break free.
From the shadows, four figures emerged silently. Each held a dagger, which was quickly pointed at each group member's throat.
"Thanks for everything..." Ethan said, his smile widening.
"You did the hard work for me, and now I'm going to reap the rewards."
Ellen looked at him with contempt. "You won't get away with this, Ethan."
"Oh, my dear Ellen..." Ethan responded softly.
"I already have."
Garen, with restrained fury, muttered, "You don't understand who you're dealing with."
Ethan just shrugged, indifferent. "We'll see, Garen. We'll see."
Broke tried to move, but the cold blade pressed against her throat kept her still. "What do you want, Ethan? Does Vorgue have something to do with this?"
"Maybe," Ethan said, his tone casual.
"That you'll have to find out on your own."
Thalon, still writhing in pain, managed to whisper, "You'll pay for this, Ethan."
Ethan leaned closer to Thalon, the cruel smile never leaving his face. "Maybe, but not today."
As he touched Thalon, Ethan could feel Thalon's body growing cold, the Adventurer trembling as he tried to use healing magic with what little strength he had left.
"Oh, Thalon, it's really pathetic to see you like this..." Ethan murmured, holding Thalon by the dagger.
"But I'll give you a chance. I'll let you heal. All you have to do is cast a big spell for me."
Thalon looked at Ethan, his eyes filled with desperation and anger. "Why would I do that?"
Ethan shrugged, the smile never disappearing from his face. "Because if you don't, you die now. If you do, at least you have a chance to live a bit longer."
Thalon hesitated, his mind racing with possibilities. He knew Ethan couldn't be trusted, but he also knew he was on the brink of death. With few options, he gave in.
"Alright," Thalon said, his voice weak and trembling.
"I'll cast the spell."
Ethan stepped back, giving Thalon space to concentrate. "Good choice, Thalon. Now, let's see that spell."
Thalon, his eyes full of pain and determination, began to cast the spell. His hands trembled as he made complex hand symbols, channeling all the magical energy he had left. The air around him began to glow with an intense and pulsating gray light as the enchantment took shape.
"Focus, Thalon," Ethan whispered, his voice soft but full of authority.
"Cast the spell. Make the ground shake."
Thalon closed his eyes, summoning all his willpower. The magical energy began to resonate in the air, vibrating with a primordial power. The unknown and glowing symbols began to align, forming a mystical circle on the ground around him. The light intensified, filling the chamber with an almost blinding glow.
With a final effort, Thalon opened his eyes and screamed the final command of the enchantment in his mind. "Tremble!"
The ground began to shake violently, as if a titanic force was awakening beneath them. The stone walls of the Abyss vibrated, dust and small debris falling from the ceiling. A deep and deafening roar echoed through the chamber, reverberating off the walls and making the air vibrate with an almost tangible intensity.
From the depths of the chamber, a shimmering blue light began to emanate, growing in intensity. The ground cracked and opened, and an enormous dragon emerged from the Abyss, breaking through the ground and steel around it. Its body was colossal, made entirely of rocks and minerals that seemed fused into a natural armor. Each movement of the dragon echoed the sound of steel crushing and rearranging.
The dragon had scales that looked like blocks of granite, with veins of shimmering minerals that reflected the light sinisterly. Its eyes, two bright sapphires, emanated a primordial fury. Its wings were made of stone blades, sharp and powerful, capable of cutting the air with a menacing sound. Its claws, embedded in its wings, were like sharp stalactites, ready to shred anything in their path.
The dragon's roar echoed again, louder and fiercer, making the ground shake even more. The creature was out of control, its blue eyes sweeping the chamber with wild fury. Debris and fragments of iron and steel flew through the air as it moved, its overwhelming presence turning the chamber into a chaos of dust and ruins.
Ethan smiled, clearly pleased with the chaos he had unleashed. He looked at Thalon, who was almost fainting from exhaustion, and murmured, "Good job, Thalon. Now, look at what you've unleashed. It's the great Lightning Dragon! It seems your journey is about to end in a grand manner."
With the furious dragon between them, Ethan stepped back, laughing softly. "I hope you enjoy the show," he said, his voice full of disdain and malice.
The dragon, completely out of control, lunged forward, its sharp claws scraping the steel ground. The sound was deafening, like a thousand steels breaking at once. The ground cracked under its weight, creating fissures that spread like spiderwebs. The creature let out roars of fury and destruction, Thalon's magic causing a devastating impact.