The air crackled with tension as shadows spiraled around Kaelith, his form dissolving into a swirling mass of darkness. Min Joon's pulse thundered in his ears. He tightened his grip on the daggers Astra had given him, knowing they'd be of little use against whatever sorcery was at play here. This wasn't a fantasy novel anymore—this was real, and it was terrifying.
Astra's voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. "Stay behind me. And if you see an opening, take it."
She didn't wait for his response. In a single swift motion, she unsheathed a gleaming short sword from her belt, its blade catching the dim torchlight as she positioned herself between Min Joon and Kaelith. Her stance was unyielding, a mix of practiced grace and sheer force. Astra was no ordinary mercenary—she was something else entirely.
Kaelith's laughter echoed through the chamber, low and mocking. "Ah, Astra. Do you truly think you can stand against me? The Order has eyes everywhere, even beyond this fortress. You can't escape us."
Astra's eyes narrowed, her voice a steel whisper. "Funny—I was about to say the same thing to you."
With a swift motion, she flung a small vial from her cloak, smashing it against the floor. A thick, dense fog exploded from the glass, filling the chamber in an instant. Kaelith's form shifted, his figure momentarily disoriented within the haze, and Astra seized the moment.
"Run!" she hissed, shoving Min Joon toward a narrow corridor to their left. She dashed after him, her movements quick and silent as they navigated the maze-like halls of the fortress.
"Where are we going?" he whispered, his breath catching as he tried to keep up.
"To the artifact. If we take it, he'll lose his hold on this place. It's more than a relic—it's an anchor," she replied, her tone tight with urgency. "And with him distracted, it's our only chance."
They took another sharp turn, ducking into a dimly lit passageway. The sounds of footsteps echoed behind them—more cultists joining the chase. Astra moved with relentless focus, leading him through the twists and turns with a knowledge that seemed almost unnatural.
Min Joon's chest burned, but adrenaline kept him going. "How do you know this place so well?" he asked between breaths, suspicion creeping in.
She didn't look at him as she replied, "This isn't my first time here."
Something about her answer left an uncomfortable weight in the air, but Min Joon didn't push further. They reached an arched doorway at the end of the corridor, and Astra pushed it open, revealing a grand chamber bathed in an unnatural, flickering light.
At the center of the room was the artifact. Suspended in mid-air, it was a small, crystalline orb, faintly pulsing with a dark, purple glow that seemed alive. It drew Min Joon in, a gravitational pull that was both entrancing and deeply unsettling.
Astra took a step forward, her eyes fixed on the artifact. "That's it," she murmured, almost to herself. "The Eye of Mortanis."
Min Joon swallowed, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's… powerful, isn't it?"
"More than you could imagine," Astra replied, her voice laced with a reverence he hadn't heard before. "With this, Kaelith controls the fortress. He channels his magic through it, binding the walls, the guards, everything to his will."
But as she approached, the orb pulsed, its light intensifying. Min Joon felt a wave of dizziness, as if the very air had thickened. A voice echoed in his mind—a soft, whispering chant, unintelligible yet laced with a sinister intent. He stumbled, clutching his head as he tried to focus, tried to make sense of the whispers.
Astra turned, concern flashing across her face. "Are you alright?"
He nodded, forcing himself to stand straight. "I… I think it's calling to me."
Her expression darkened. "That's not a good sign."
Before she could say more, a harsh voice echoed through the chamber. "So, the young noble has found his prize."
Kaelith stepped into the room, shadows curling around his figure like living tendrils. His eyes burned with a predatory gleam, fixated on Min Joon with a hunger that sent a shiver down his spine.
Astra tightened her grip on her sword, positioning herself defensively. "Stay away from him, Kaelith."
Kaelith sneered. "You think you can protect him? Foolish girl. The Eye of Mortanis has already chosen its master. And he—" Kaelith pointed a slender finger at Min Joon, his voice dripping with malice—"is bound to it now, whether he likes it or not."
Min Joon's heart hammered in his chest. He wanted to deny it, to say that this was just another twist of fate, but he couldn't shake the feeling—the unsettling pull of the artifact, as if it were reaching into his very soul.
Astra stepped closer to him, her eyes fierce. "We need to destroy it, now."
"But…" Min Joon hesitated, feeling an irrational surge of possessiveness over the artifact. It was as if it were whispering promises to him—power, freedom, escape from everything that had once held him back.
Seeing his hesitation, Astra's voice softened. "Min Joon, listen to me. Whatever it's promising you, it's a lie. This artifact is tied to dark magic—it will consume you."
Kaelith laughed, the sound grating and cold. "She's afraid, boy. She doesn't want you to taste true power. With the Eye, you could shape this world to your will. You wouldn't have to hide, wouldn't have to fear."
Astra shot him a look, her eyes pleading. "Don't listen to him. If you take the Eye, it will bind you to Kaelith. He's twisted its magic to serve him—you'd be his puppet."
A war raged within Min Joon. Every logical part of him knew that Astra was right. He had read enough of this world, enough of its dangers, to know that artifacts like these weren't meant to be wielded without consequence. Yet… the pull was undeniable, a seductive promise that whispered of freedom, of becoming something greater than himself.
Kaelith's voice dripped with mockery. "Choose wisely, noble boy. Will you stay in the shadow of others? Or will you take what's rightfully yours?"
For a split second, Min Joon imagined himself giving in, reaching out to seize the Eye and bending its power to his will. He saw himself standing tall, commanding respect—no longer the victim of fate but its master. But then he looked at Astra, her face filled with determination and an unspoken trust, and he knew he couldn't do it.
With a surge of resolve, he stepped back, away from the Eye. "I don't need it," he said, voice steady. "I'm not here to be someone's puppet."
A flicker of surprise crossed Kaelith's face, but it quickly twisted into fury. "Foolish boy!" he spat. "You've sealed your fate."
Without warning, Kaelith lunged, the shadows around him flaring into vicious, claw-like tendrils aimed straight at Min Joon.
Astra was faster. She stepped forward, swinging her sword in a wide arc, cutting through the tendrils. The clash sent sparks flying, illuminating her face as she locked eyes with Kaelith.
"Min Joon!" she shouted, "Take the Eye—use it to break his hold, just long enough for us to escape!"
He hesitated, the artifact's pull growing stronger, but now, he could see the truth: he didn't need to wield its power, only to sever Kaelith's control over it. He reached out, focusing his mind on the crystal, willing it to bend, to break free from Kaelith's influence.
A blinding light filled the chamber as the Eye pulsed violently, and Kaelith let out an enraged scream. Min Joon could feel the force of the artifact recoiling, its dark energy snapping like a taut wire.
In the chaos, Astra grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the exit. "Now! While he's weakened!"
They dashed through the chamber doors, sprinting down the corridors with Kaelith's enraged screams echoing behind them. Shadows twisted and surged, but the Eye's influence over the fortress was broken, its hold shattered.
As they stumbled out of the fortress and into the open night air, Min Joon felt an overwhelming sense of relief and exhaustion. He turned to Astra, his breath coming in gasps.
"We… we made it," he whispered, almost disbelieving.
She managed a faint smile, her face weary but proud. "You did well back there. You made the right choice."
They looked back at the fortress, where the dark figure of Kaelith glared at them from a distance, his face contorted with rage and frustration. Astra squeezed Min Joon's shoulder.
"This isn't over," she warned, her tone grave. "Kaelith won't let us walk away without a price. But you made an enemy today—a powerful one. You've set things into motion that can't be undone."
Min Joon swallowed, the weight of her words sinking in. He knew she was right. The adventure he'd once read about was now his own reality.