Kael trailed a step behind Elira, his boots crunching softly against the uneven stone floor. The corridor ahead stretched endlessly, its jagged walls marred by deep claw marks that glinted faintly in the dim light of the glowing runes.
"Do you ever stop looking so grim?" Kael asked, his tone laced with mock cheer.
Elira shot him a sidelong glance but said nothing. Her bow remained in her hand, an arrow nocked and tilted lazily toward the ground. She moved with the kind of deliberate quiet that only came with years of experience—or in her case, possibly centuries, given her half-elf ears.
Kael sighed. "You could at least pretend I'm not dead weight, you know. It's been, what, half an hour, and we haven't been attacked by anything. I think that's worth a little optimism."
"The only reason we haven't been attacked," Elira said, her voice cool and measured, "is because I know how to spot trouble before it finds us. You, on the other hand, stomp around like you're daring something to notice."
Kael chuckled softly. "So you're saying I'm lucky to have you."
Elira stopped abruptly and turned to face him, her emerald eyes sharp. "What I'm saying is that you should keep your focus on what's ahead. This place doesn't reward distractions."
Kael raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. Just trying to lighten the mood."
[Social Interaction - Ally Compatibility Check]
Elira's Disposition: Neutral (Slightly Improved).
"Lighten the mood all you want when we're out of this hellhole," she muttered, turning back toward the corridor. Her sharp gaze swept the walls and floor as if searching for hidden threats. Kael followed, still unsure whether he found her company reassuring or exhausting.
As they pressed on, the hum of the labyrinth grew louder, vibrating faintly beneath their feet. The runes along the walls dimmed, flickering erratically like a failing heartbeat.
"That can't be good," Kael murmured, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his dagger.
Elira didn't answer, her attention fixed on a faint golden glow at the far end of the corridor. As they drew closer, the glow resolved into an ornate pedestal, its surface etched with intricate runes that pulsed in rhythmic patterns. Floating above it was a small shard of light, its brilliance out of place in the otherwise bleak dungeon.
"Another Node fragment," Elira said, her voice tinged with both relief and apprehension. "Looks intact, but..."
"But it's probably not alone," Kael finished, his grip on the dagger tightening.
Elira nodded, her eyes scanning the surrounding shadows. "Stay sharp. The last time I found one of these, it didn't go quietly."
Kael approached the pedestal cautiously, his HUD flickering with a new notification.
[System Fragment Detected: Lesser Node Shard]
Effect: Stabilizes corrupted environment within a 10m radius.
Quest Progress: 2/3 Node Fragments for Priority Quest - Restore the Node Core.
Kael reached out, his fingers brushing the shard's surface. A surge of warmth spread through his arm, but the hum of the labyrinth spiked violently. The ground beneath him trembled, and cracks splintered across the pedestal.
[Warning: Environmental Instability Detected.]
Hostile Entities Incoming.
A guttural snarl echoed through the corridor, followed by the heavy scrape of claws against stone. Kael and Elira spun toward the sound as three hulking figures emerged from the shadows. Their forms were twisted, their glitching bodies flickering between solid and semi-transparent states. Red eyes glowed with feral intensity, locking onto their prey.
[Enemy Detected: Corrupted Ravagers x3]
Level: 5
HP (Each): 450
Abilities:
Pack Tactics (+20% Attack Speed when in proximity).
Glitch Burst (Random teleport upon hit).
"Pack hunters," Elira muttered, already raising her bow. "Great."
Kael activated Shadow Stitch, dark threads unraveling from his shadow and coiling toward the nearest Ravager. The creature snarled as the tendrils lashed around its legs, anchoring it in place.
[Skill Activated: Shadow Stitch - Immobilize Mode.]
Effect: Reduces target mobility by 50%.
Duration: 10 seconds.
Mana Cost: 10.
Remaining Mana: 35/50.
Elira loosed an arrow, the projectile streaking through the air and striking the immobilized Ravager in its shoulder. The creature howled, its form glitching violently as it attempted to free itself.
Kael lunged forward, his dagger flashing as he aimed for the creature's exposed side. His blade connected, but instead of a clean hit, the Ravager's body distorted with a burst of static and vanished, reappearing several feet away.
[Enemy Ability Triggered: Glitch Burst.]
Effect: Teleports target randomly upon receiving critical damage.
"Seriously?" Kael growled, scanning for the creature's new position. It reappeared just behind him, its claws slashing through the air. Kael twisted, narrowly avoiding the strike as the creature's claws scraped against the stone.
"Focus!" Elira called, loosing another arrow that struck the second Ravager squarely in the chest. "They're fast, but they're still flesh under the glitches."
"Good to know!" Kael snapped, diving away from another swipe. His mind raced as he activated Shade Snare, summoning a web of shadow tendrils that erupted around him. The dark threads lashed out, ensnaring two of the Ravagers and holding them in place.
[Skill Activated: Shade Snare.]
Effect: Immobilizes enemies within a 5m radius.
Duration: 10 seconds.
Mana Cost: 15.
Remaining Mana: 20/50.
Elira wasted no time, her arrows flying with precision. Each strike found its mark, her bowstring snapping rhythmically as she targeted the creatures' exposed flanks. Kael darted toward the third Ravager, his dagger glowing faintly as he struck at its legs. This time, the blade connected cleanly, and the creature howled in pain.
[Critical Hit!]
Damage Dealt: 120.
Enemy HP Remaining: 330/450.
Kael grinned despite himself, but the moment of triumph was short-lived. The Ravager twisted violently, breaking free of the shadows and lunging at him. Its claws raked across his arm, sending him stumbling back with a sharp cry.
[Damage Taken: 40 HP.]
Current HP: 60/100.
"Kael!" Elira's voice cut through the chaos. She loosed another arrow, the projectile striking the creature's neck and forcing it back. "Keep moving!"
Kael gritted his teeth, adrenaline surging as he activated Shadow Stitch again. The tendrils coiled around the wounded Ravager, holding it long enough for him to drive his dagger into its chest. The creature let out a final, distorted snarl before dissolving into a burst of light and static.
[Victory Achieved!]
Experience Gained: 150 XP.
Loot Acquired: Ravager Claw (Crafting Material).
Elira finished off the second Ravager with a well-placed shot to its head, the creature collapsing in a flickering heap. The final Ravager snarled, its glitching form flickering erratically as it lunged for Elira. Kael darted forward, intercepting the creature with a precise strike to its exposed side. Together, they brought the last Ravager down in a flurry of arrows and shadow-laced strikes.
[Battle Complete!]
Experience Gained: 200 XP.
Current XP: 450/600 (Level Up Pending).
Kael leaned against a nearby column, his chest heaving. "That... was ridiculous."
Elira smirked, brushing dust from her armor. "You handled yourself better than I expected. For a beginner."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Kael muttered, inspecting the shallow gash on his arm. The bleeding had slowed, but his HP bar still blinked faintly in his vision.
Elira approached the pedestal, her sharp eyes scanning the Node shard. "Whatever's happening here, it's getting worse. These things weren't this aggressive before."
Kael frowned, stepping beside her. "You think the corruption's spreading?"
Elira didn't answer immediately. Instead, she reached out, her fingers hovering just above the shard. "Maybe. Or maybe we're getting closer to something it doesn't want us to find."
The shard pulsed faintly, its light flickering in time with the erratic hum of the labyrinth. Kael felt a strange pull, like the shard was alive and aware of his presence.
"This thing better be worth it," he muttered.
A deep, guttural roar echoed from the shadows, and a massive figure emerged from behind the pedestal. It stood at least ten feet tall, its body encased in blackened, glitching armor that flickered with veins of molten light. The creature's eyes glowed a searing red, and its massive, clawed hands clenched into fists as it let out another deafening roar.
"What is that?" Kael shouted, backing away.
Elira drew her bow, her face set in grim determination. "An Infernal Guardian. Looks like the System didn't want to make this easy."
[Enemy Detected: Infernal Guardian]
Level: 10
HP: ???
Abilities:
???
???
The Guardian stomped forward, each step shaking the ground beneath them. With a sudden burst of speed, it lunged at Kael, its massive fist crashing down where he had been standing moments earlier. Kael rolled to the side, the impact sending shards of stone flying past his head.
"Elira!" he called, scrambling to his feet.
"I see it!" she replied, loosing an arrow that struck the Guardian's shoulder. The projectile barely scratched the surface of its glitching armor, disintegrating into sparks.
"This thing's invulnerable!" Kael shouted, dodging another strike.
"Not invulnerable," Elira said, her voice tight. "Just really well-guarded. Aim for the weak spots—look for cracks in the armor!"
Kael darted around the room, his eyes scanning the Guardian's towering frame. He spotted a glowing fissure along its left knee, the molten light within flickering erratically.
"Got one!" he shouted, activating Shadow Stitch. Threads of black lashed out, wrapping around the Guardian's leg. Kael pulled with all his strength, the threads straining as the Guardian staggered.
Elira seized the opportunity, firing an arrow directly into the crack. The Guardian let out a pained roar, molten energy spilling from the wound.
"It's working!" Kael yelled, but his moment of triumph was cut short as the Guardian turned on him, its massive arm swinging toward his head.
Kael dove for cover, the blow missing him by inches and shattering a nearby pillar.
"We've got to end this quickly!" Elira shouted, nocking another arrow.
Kael gritted his teeth, adrenaline surging as he prepared for the next attack.