---
Outside the Dungeon
A crowd gathered, murmurs rippling through the air as the portal pulsed with an unnatural energy. Tension hung thick as more people joined, their faces etched with worry and curiosity.
"What's happening here?" a man barked, his voice cutting through the noise. He wore gleaming metal armor adorned with the insignia of a dragon crossed by two golden swords, marking him as an Official from the Guild Authority.
The crowd parted reluctantly, their collective fear palpable.
"The portal…" a man finally spoke, his voice trembling. "It's changing."
The Official turned to face the swirling portal, his eyes narrowing. But as he took a closer look, his expression turned ghostly pale. His hand instinctively reached for the hilt of his sword.
"This is… bad," he stammered, sweat trickling down his temple. The distorted portal emitted low, guttural vibrations, each one sending ripples of unease through the gathered crowd.
---
Inside the Dungeon
"ROOOOOAAARRRRR!!"
The deafening roar shook the cavern like a violent quake. Dust and pebbles rained down from the ceiling as a massive figure emerged from the shadows.
It was the Chieftain, the leader of the orc horde. Standing at a monstrous thirty feet tall, its grotesque form radiated power and malice. Its yellow eyes gleamed with predatory intelligence as it surveyed the intruders. Each thunderous step made the smaller orcs shudder, their slavish loyalty evident in their trembling forms.
Darian's fingers tightened around his sword, but his grip faltered as raw fear gnawed at his instincts. A primal urge to flee screamed in his mind, but his legs refused to move. His teammates weren't faring any better.
The orcs cackled—a guttural, mocking sound that echoed through the cavern—as they watched the humans freeze under their leader's gaze.
"Forget the size," Aric's voice rang out, cutting through the oppressive fear. "It's still a beast, and beasts can die."
The firm resolve in his words sparked a flicker of hope among the group. But as Aric looked at the young, trembling faces of his students, guilt churned in his stomach.
"I shouldn't have brought them here," he thought bitterly.
Determined to protect them, Aric raised his blade, the air around it rippling with intense heat. Flames danced along its edge, illuminating the cavern with a fiery glow.
"Flame Judgment!" he roared, swinging the blade in a wide arc. A searing wave of fire surged toward the Chieftain, consuming the darkness in its wake.
The flaming attack struck the massive orc, filling the cavern with the acrid scent of burning flesh. Aric allowed himself a small smile of triumph—until the Chieftain stepped forward, unscathed. Its charred skin seemed to peel away, revealing untouched muscle beneath.
It let out a rumbling laugh, a chilling sound that mocked Aric's efforts.
"Damn it!" Aric cursed, gritting his teeth.
The group exchanged uncertain glances, the flicker of hope extinguished. But there was no time to wallow. The Chieftain charged, and its horde followed suit.
Aric launched himself into the fray, his fiery blade carving through the orcs. His teammates, emboldened by his courage, followed suit, their attacks clumsy but determined.
---
Darian stood at the rear, tasked with protecting Maria, the team's healer. She clung to him, her hands trembling as she tried to channel her magic.
"Lesser orcs or not, they just keep coming," Darian muttered, slashing at an advancing beast. His companion, Shadowfang, a sleek black wolf with glowing red eyes, leapt into action, its fangs tearing into the orcs with feral precision.
For every orc that fell, two more seemed to take its place.
"This is endless," Darian growled, his muscles screaming in protest.
A blood-curdling scream suddenly pierced the cacophony of battle. Darian whirled around to see Maria frozen in fear as an orc loomed over her, its rusted blade poised to strike.
"Maria!"
Darian's legs moved on instinct, propelling him forward at blinding speed. He reached her just in time, raising his sword to block the orc's strike. The force of the blow sent him staggering, the blade biting into his shoulder.
"Get back!" he snarled, his voice strained.
Maria gasped, her terror giving way to shock as she realized he had shielded her.
"D-Darian…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
The orc pressed down, its grotesque face splitting into a grin as its blade sank deeper. Darian gritted his teeth, refusing to give ground.
A blur of motion streaked past them—Shadowfang. The wolf leapt onto the orc, its claws and teeth tearing into the beast with relentless fury. The orc's gurgling cry was short-lived as the wolf delivered a final, savage bite to its throat.
Darian sank to one knee, exhaustion threatening to overwhelm him. He barely registered the warm glow of Maria's magic as she began healing his wound.
"Thank you," he murmured, forcing a weak smile.
Maria nodded, her hands trembling as she focused on mending his injury. But the relief was short-lived.
The battle had turned into a bloodbath.
Darian's gaze swept across the cavern, his heart sinking at the sight of his fallen teammates. Many lay motionless, their bodies battered and broken.
The only ones still standing were Aric, Ray, and Aurora, but they were barely holding on. Aurora's once-confident posture had crumbled, her breaths coming in ragged gasps.
Aric and Ray fought side by side, their movements sluggish as the Chieftain bore down on them.
"Darian…" Maria's voice wavered, tears streaming down her face. "We're going to die here, aren't we?" Her hands trembling violently.
He couldn't bring himself to answer. Doubt clouded his thoughts, drowning the determination that had driven him this far.
"This wasn't supposed to happen," he thought bitterly. "We were supposed to prove ourselves. Why is this happening?"
The towering orcs closed in, their guttural laughter echoing in his ears. For the first time, Darian felt truly powerless.
"Are we really going to die here?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
His determination and resolve, once burning brightly, seemed to flicker dimly at the face of the nightmare that stared them in the eye.