The air in the depths of the Dungeon seemed heavier, charged with an oppressive energy. After the intense battle against the Cadmus Drake, the Loki Familia group had pushed even further into the lower levels. The oozing walls and the silence broken only by drops of water added a palpable tension with every step.
Bell walked alongside Aiz, trying not to show his fatigue. The constant fighting had taken a toll on his stamina, but he tried to stay focused.
"How are you feeling?" Aiz asked suddenly, her voice soft but caring.
Bell jumped slightly. "I'm fine! It's... hard, but I want to keep going."
Aiz nodded. "That's good. But remember to keep calm. The Dungeon tests not only your strength, but your mind as well."
They continued on their way, guided by Finn, whose keen senses detected every fluctuation in the Dungeon.
Suddenly, Gareth, at the head of the group, stopped dead. He raised a massive hand, the universal sign of caution.
"Something's coming," he growled, his piercing gaze searching the darkness.
Riveria immediately got into position, chanting an incantation under her breath to prepare a defensive spell. Bell felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead.
A strange noise was heard. It was neither a roar nor a whistle, but a mixture of whispers and squeaks, as if a multitude of voices were speaking at once.
And then he appeared.
A Shadow Stalker, a rare abomination of the lower levels. This creature was massive, its humanoid form made entirely of swirling shadows. It seemed almost intangible, but the sharp claws that glittered in the light of the magic crystals proved otherwise.
"Everyone, defensive formation!" Finn ordered.
The group immediately split into two. Gareth and Aiz took the lead, their weapons ready, while Riveria, Tiona, and Tione positioned themselves on the flanks for a coordinated attack. Bell, meanwhile, hung back slightly, his heart pounding.
The Shadow Stalker wasted no time. He lunged at Gareth with surprising speed, his twisted form stretching like a living shadow. Gareth blocked the attack with his shield, but even he winced at the impact.
"It's fast, and it hits hard," he growled.
Aiz took advantage of the opening to attack, her blade dancing with deadly precision. However, the sword passed through the creature without causing any real damage.
"She doesn't have a physical body!" she exclaimed.
Riveria frowned. "A creature like that requires magic to defeat. Leave it to me."
She raised her staff, an intricate magic circle appearing beneath her feet.
"Alf Seiðr: Banishment Flare!" »
A burst of holy light burst from his staff, illuminating the entire cavern. The Shadow Stalker let out a shrill scream, his form flickering under the power of the spell. But to everyone's surprise, he did not disappear. Instead, he seemed to split into several smaller shadows.
"What?!" Tiona cried, narrowly dodging one of the new creatures.
"It's worse than I thought," Finn muttered, his expression serious.
The small shadows began to move at a crazy speed, attacking from all sides. Tione parried one of them with her double blades, but the force of the impact made her retreat.
Bell clenched his knife, feeling the adrenaline pumping. He saw one of the shadows charge straight at Riveria, who was vulnerable after casting her spell.
"Riveria-san, watch out!" »
Without thinking, he lunged forward and threw a Firebolt directly at the shadow. The creature was blown away by the impact, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
"Well done, Bell!" Tiona called out as she took down another shadow.
But Bell didn't have time to answer. Another shadow leapt from the darkness, aiming for his side. He narrowly dodged, but stumbled and fell to his knees.
"Stay alert!" Aiz shouted, slicing through the shadow before it could reach Bell.
The fight continued to escalate. The shadows seemed endless, reborn every time they were destroyed.
Finn frowned, quickly assessing the situation. "That monster isn't going to stop until we find its weak point. Gareth, Riveria, cover me. I'll look for a flaw in its formation!"
Meanwhile, Bell and Aiz continued to fight side by side. Despite his fatigue, Bell felt a strange energy running through him.
"Firebolt!" he shouted again, destroying another shadow.
Aiz looked at him briefly, a glint of respect in her eyes. "You're doing well. But save your energy. The real fight isn't over yet."
Riveria cast another light spell, temporarily dispelling the shadows. Finn took advantage of the opening to leap into the heart of the cavern, where a glowing black crystal was hidden among the rocks.
"There!" he shouted. "That's their core. If we destroy it, they'll disappear."
"Got it!" Gareth replied, rushing over.
However, the Shadow Stalker reappeared, protecting the crystal with his immense body. His claws slashed through the air, pushing Gareth and Finn back with brute force.
"Bell, come with me," Aiz said suddenly.
Bell nodded, his knife gripped tightly in his hand.
"We're going to create an opening. Prepare to attack the crystal," she explained.
The two of them dashed forward, Aiz hitting the Shadow Stalker with a series of lightning attacks, distracting him. Bell ran as fast as he could, dodging the shadows' chaotic attacks.
Arriving in front of the crystal, he raised his knife and channeled all his magic.
"FIREBOLT!"
The explosion was instantaneous. The crystal shattered, and the Shadow Stalker let out a terrifying scream before disappearing in a black cloud.
The remaining shadows evaporated, leaving the group finally at peace.
---
The group caught their breath, each nursing their wounds. Finn approached Bell, an approving smile on his face.
"Well done, Bell. You seized the opportunity."
Aiz looked at him as well, her expression soft. "You're progressing quickly. Keep it up."
Bell, exhausted but happy, felt a new confidence blossom within him. He knew that each battle brought him closer to his goal of becoming a true hero.
But deep down, he couldn't help but wonder what else awaited them in the unfathomable darkness of the Dungeon.
After the battle with the Shadow Stalker, the Loki Familia group continued their advance, albeit more cautiously. The lower levels of the Dungeon seemed alive, every shadow becoming suspicious, every corridor threatening to reveal a new horror.
Bell, despite his fatigue, remained determined. He walked alongside Aiz, his thoughts still fixed on the crystal he had destroyed. These monsters, capable of being reborn again and again, were very different from anything he had faced so far.
Riveria walked ahead with Finn, studying the ancient symbols etched on the walls. The writings, in a forgotten language, seemed to detail something important, but their meaning remained obscure.
"These marks… they are ancient, much more so than what we have seen in the upper levels," Riveria said.
Finn nodded. "Maybe they're from before Orario was even created. That would confirm the rumors that the lower levels hold more than just monsters."
"Secrets, huh?" Gareth growled, adjusting his shield. "I just hope those secrets don't want to kill us."
Suddenly, a dull rumble shook the ground. The group stopped, alerted.
"Another Dungeon trap?" Tiona asked, her dual blades already drawn.
The ground beneath their feet vibrated even more, and then, without warning, the wall in front of them collapsed, revealing an opening. On the other side, a strange, flickering light was streaming out.
Finn frowned, thinking quickly. "This isn't an attack. It looks more like the Dungeon is showing us something. Let's stay on our guard."
They cautiously advanced through the opening. What they discovered on the other side left them speechless.
A vast cavern lay before them, filled with the ruins of a forgotten city. Black stone buildings rose toward the ceiling, some still intact, others reduced to rubble. In the center of the city, a towering tower shimmered with a spectral blue light, like a beacon in the darkness.
"This is… a city?" Bell muttered, astonished.
"Not just a city," Riveria replied. "Look at the architecture. It's much older than anything we know of. A civilization that probably flourished long before Orario."
Aiz looked around warily, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "Even though it's old, it's not abandoned."
She was right. Shapes moved among the ruins, humanoid creatures with glowing eyes and inky black skin. They seemed to be watching them, motionless, but their presence was undeniable.
"Monsters?" Tione asked.
"No… something else," Finn replied, his tone serious. "Stay on your guard."
The group moved slowly through the city streets, their progress marked by a growing tension. Bell couldn't help but feel a crushing weight on his shoulders, as if the ruins themselves were watching them.
As they approached the central tower, a clicking noise echoed behind them.
"Watch out!" Gareth shouted.
A creature leapt from the shadows. It looked vaguely human, but its body was twisted and covered in bone armor. Its red eyes glowed with sinister intelligence.
Aiz reacted instantly, her blade slicing through the air to push the enemy back. However, the creature dodged with unnatural agility before counterattacking, its claws scraping the ground inches away from her.
"They're fast!" Tiona cried as she faced another creature that emerged from a ruined building.
Bell, taking a deep breath, fired a series of Firebolts at a creature that was approaching Riveria. The magic hit directly, but to his horror, the creature absorbed the flames before standing up, unharmed.
"What?!" he cried.
Riveria frowned. "These things… they're protected by some sort of magical barrier."
Finn quickly ordered, "Change tactics! Focus on their speed and push them back until we figure out how to break their defense."
The fight intensified. The creatures were numerous and seemed to blend into the shadows of the buildings, attacking in waves. Bell, exhausted but determined, continued to fight alongside Tiona and Aiz.
Suddenly, a guttural howl tore through the air. A larger creature, nearly three times the size of the others, emerged from the central tower. It wore ebony armor engraved with ancient symbols, and a huge black blade hung from its arm.
"A leader," Finn whispered. "He must be their leader. If we defeat him, it could weaken the others."
Aiz rushed forward without waiting, her blade flashing with light. She attacked the creature with all her strength, but her sword was blocked by the black armor. The creature counterattacked, forcing Aiz to back away.
Bell felt his heart race. He had to help.
"Aiz-san, I'll distract him!" he shouted, running towards the creature.
"Bell, wait!" she tried, but he was already gone.
Bell narrowly dodged a blade strike, closing in on the monster. He threw a Firebolt directly at its face, hoping to at least blind the creature. It seemed to work, as the monster backed away slightly, growling in rage.
"Now, Aiz-san!"
Taking advantage of the opening, Aiz charged, her blade imbued with wind.
"Tempest Slash!"
His attack hit the creature full on, shattering its armor with a deafening crash. The monster staggered, then collapsed, its body disintegrating into black smoke.
The other creatures, deprived of their leader, seemed to lose their coordination and were quickly eliminated by the rest of the group.
Silence fell over the city. The group, although victorious, was exhausted.
Finn looked at the central tower, his expression serious. "This place still holds many secrets. We must continue."
Bell, despite his fatigue, felt a strange energy invade him. This fight, these creatures, it all seemed connected to something much bigger.
As they entered the tower, a thought crossed his mind:
What was really at the heart of the Dungeon, and was he ready to face its truths?
To be continued.