Deep within the shimmering walls of a dungeon spawned by a dimensional rift, Seraphine and Nandya ventured cautiously. The air was thick with mana, making every step feel heavy and charged with potential danger.
"Why did we come in here again?" Seraphine muttered, her golden eyes scanning the dimly lit corridor.
"Because someone thought it might hold valuable treasures," Nandya replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she traced her fingers along the wall's glowing runes.
Seraphine huffed. "Well, who wouldn't want to explore a mysterious dungeon? Look at it—it's practically begging to be looted!"
Nandya stopped suddenly, her face pale. "Sera…"
"What?" Seraphine asked, turning toward her.
Nandya pointed a trembling finger past Seraphine. Slowly, the red-haired girl turned to see a group of skeletal warriors rising from the ground, their hollow eye sockets glowing menacingly.
"Oh. That's not good," Seraphine whispered, taking a cautious step back.
The skeletons creaked and groaned as they pulled rusted weapons from their bony forms, their movements slow but purposeful.
Nandya grabbed Seraphine's arm. "Okay, now would be a great time to use your fire!"
Seraphine's usually confident demeanor cracked as she stared wide-eyed at the approaching skeletons. "Nope. Nope, nope, nope!" she exclaimed, pulling Nandya with her as she turned and bolted in the opposite direction.
"SERA!" Nandya shouted, barely keeping up. "You literally control flames! Burn them!"
"They're skeletons, Nandya!" Seraphine yelled back, her voice high-pitched with panic. "They're creepy! And they're chasing us! Do you know how terrifying that is?"
"You're supposed to be the Lady of Flames, not the Lady of Screaming! Stop running and fight!"
But Seraphine wasn't listening. Her normally elegant stride devolved into a frantic sprint as she dragged Nandya along, both of them shrieking like children. The skeletons clattered behind them, their bony feet scraping against the stone floor as they picked up speed.
"Why are they so fast?!" Nandya panted, glancing back.
"I don't know, but I hate it!" Seraphine wailed.
As they rounded a corner, Seraphine spotted a narrow passageway ahead. "Quick! In there!"
The two of them dove into the passage, squeezing through just as the skeletons reached the entrance. The narrow walls stopped the bony pursuers, but their outstretched arms still clawed at the air, making the girls yelp in unison.
"Okay," Nandya said, catching her breath. "We need a plan. Preferably one that doesn't involve running and screaming."
Seraphine leaned against the wall, clutching her chest. "You think I like this? I hate skeletons. They're…they're unnatural! All rattly and bony and—ugh!" She shuddered.
"Fine," Nandya said, rolling her eyes. "But you have to use your fire. It's the only way we're getting out of here."
Seraphine hesitated, glancing at the skeletons still clawing at the entrance. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and finally summoned her flames. Her hands ignited in a burst of golden fire, and she stepped forward, trembling but determined.
The skeletons seemed to pause, their glowing eyes flickering as they registered the intense heat.
Seraphine pointed dramatically at them. "Alright, you rattling nightmares—time to turn to ash!"
The skeletons…stared.
Seraphine hesitated, then flinched when one of them twitched. "Nope, can't do it!" she screamed, extinguishing her flames and bolting again.
"SERA!" Nandya cried, running after her.
The skeletons groaned and resumed their chase, their hollow laughter echoing through the dungeon as Seraphine and Nandya's hysterical screams filled the air once more.
"Next time, we're sticking to normal treasure hunts!" Nandya shouted, ducking to avoid a flying bone.
"Agreed!" Seraphine yelled back, tears of terror streaming down her face. "No more dungeons! Ever!"
As the chaos continued, the two friends disappeared deeper into the dungeon, leaving a trail of panic, mana, and incredulous skeletons behind them.