The trio turned as a figure stepped into the room, their silhouette flickering with glitch-like distortions. They were lean and clad in dark, jagged armor that pulsed faintly with corrupted energy. Behind them, several more figures emerged, their forms similarly corrupted, though not as severe as the creatures they had fought before.
"Well, this is a surprise," the lead figure said, their voice tinged with mocking amusement. "Edgeweaver, the would-be savior, stumbling through our domain. And with such charming company."
"Who the hell are you?" Kael demanded, his hand tightening around his dagger.
The figure smirked. "You can call me Veyra. And these," she gestured to her corrupted companions, "are your welcoming party. You're meddling in forces far beyond your comprehension."
Elira raised her bow, her voice sharp. "Step aside. We don't have time for your games."
Veyra's smirk widened. "Oh, I think you'll make time. After all, you've already proven so useful. Do you even realize what you're carrying, Edgeweaver? That shard is a beacon—to us, to the corruption, to everything that hunts in the dark."
Kael's stomach dropped. "Beacon?"
Veyra nodded. "The moment you touched it, you announced your location to every shadow in the dungeon. But don't worry, we'll take it off your hands. Pity it'll cost you your lives."
She raised her hand, and her companions surged forward with glitching, unnatural speed.
[Hostile Encounter: Rogue NPC Faction – Corruption-Aligned]
Veyra – Level 15 (Rogue-Class Leader)
Abilities: Shadow Step, Corruption Strike, Aura of Disruption
Allies: 5 Corrupted NPC Rogues – Level 10
"Defensive positions!" Torran shouted, slamming his shield into the ground and activating a skill.
[Skill Activated: Guardian's Resolve]
Effect: Nearby allies gain +15% resistance to damage. Duration: 15 seconds.
Elira loosed an arrow, striking one of the rogues in the chest, but they barely staggered, their corrupted energy absorbing part of the impact.
Kael activated Shadow Stitch, his black tendrils lashing out to ensnare two of the attackers. The rogues writhed against the bindings, their jagged forms flickering as they tried to break free.
"We're outnumbered!" Kael shouted, dodging a strike from one of the attackers. "Any ideas?"
"Stay alive!" Torran growled, blocking a flurry of blows aimed at Elira.
Veyra stayed back, watching the chaos with a cold smile. "Oh, you're going to make this fun," she said, her voice dripping with venom.
Kael gritted his teeth, his shadow flickering wildly. This fight wasn't just about survival—it was about escaping with the shard before it was too late.
The air in the chamber was electric with tension as Kael and his companions struggled to hold back the rogue faction. Torran's shield smashed into an attacker with a loud clang, sending sparks flying, but another rogue darted in from the side, forcing him to shift positions.
"These things don't quit!" Torran shouted, his voice strained as he blocked another flurry of attacks.
Elira fired an arrow, her shot striking a corrupted rogue square in the shoulder. The enemy faltered but didn't fall, its corrupted energy pulsing and knitting the wound partially closed.
"They're regenerating!" Elira called, backing up as another rogue closed in on her.
Kael spun to intercept, his Shadow Dagger forming in his hand. He hurled it at the advancing rogue, the blade sinking into its chest. The rogue flickered violently, its body jerking before it dissolved into shards of corrupted light.
"One down," Kael muttered, his breathing ragged.
Veyra watched from the edge of the fight, her smirk unwavering. "Impressive, Edgeweaver, but this is only the beginning." She raised her hand, and the room darkened as a wave of corrupted energy pulsed outward.
[Ability Activated: Aura of Disruption]
Effect: Reduces all enemy skills' effectiveness by 20%. Duration: 20 seconds.
Kael staggered as his shadow flickered and weakened, the tendrils of his Shadow Stitch faltering. "She's suppressing our skills!"
"We can't win this fight!" Elira shouted. "There's too many of them!"
Torran growled, deflecting another strike. "We fall back. Kael, cover the rear!"
Kael nodded, his instincts screaming at him to retreat. As Torran pushed forward with Elira close behind, Kael summoned the last of his energy to collapse part of the ceiling with Shadow Stitch, creating a barrier of debris between them and their pursuers.
[Skill Activated: Shadow Stitch – Environmental Interaction]
The ceiling groaned, and a section of it crashed down, cutting off the rogue faction. The group sprinted through a narrow escape tunnel, the dim light flickering as they fled deeper into the dungeon.
When they finally stopped, their chests heaving from exertion, Torran rounded on Kael, his eyes blazing.
"This is because of you," Torran snapped. "That shard, your class—it's putting us in danger!"
Kael's jaw tightened, but he said nothing, the weight of Torran's words pressing against him.
"Torran," Elira interrupted, stepping between them. "This isn't the time to argue. We're alive, and that's all that matters right now."
Torran's gaze softened slightly, but his expression remained grim. "Then we'd better figure out what to do next because I'm not dying for a mistake the System made."
Kael looked away, his fists clenching. The faint glow of his shadow flickered weakly at his feet.
A notification appeared in his vision, breaking the tense silence.
[Warning: Nearby Corrupted Node Activating. Threat Level Rising.]
Kael exhaled slowly, the exhaustion in his body giving way to determination. "Then we'd better move. If that Node goes live, things are going to get worse fast."
Kael leaned against the tunnel wall, his chest heaving from their frantic escape. The dull glow of his shadow flickered weakly at his feet, matching the pulsing ache in his head. Torran paced a few steps away, his sword resting on his shoulder, but his glare was sharp enough to cut.
"This is getting out of hand," Torran said, his voice tight with frustration. "We were ambushed because of that shard—and because of you."
Kael straightened, his jaw tightening. "You think I planned that? I didn't ask for any of this."
"No," Torran snapped, turning to face him fully. "But your class, your connection to the corruption—it's a beacon. It's dragging us into fights we can't win."
Kael opened his mouth to argue, but Elira stepped between them, her hands raised in a calming gesture. "Enough," she said firmly. "This isn't helping."
"Helping?" Torran shot back, his tone incredulous. "We barely made it out alive back there, and it's only going to get worse. How long before this Edgeweaver curse of his gets us killed?"
Kael's fists clenched at the accusation, but Elira's sharp glare silenced both of them. "I said enough," she repeated. Her voice softened slightly as she turned to Torran. "Kael didn't choose this. None of us did. But if we're going to survive, we need to stop fighting each other."
Torran exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But if this keeps going south, we need to rethink things. I'm not dying because of someone else's mistakes."
Kael felt the words land like a blow, but he said nothing, staring down at the weakly pulsing shadow at his feet.
"Let's just keep moving," Elira said, her tone weary. "That Node's not going to wait for us."
The trio trudged deeper into the tunnel, the silence between them heavier than the air itself. Kael's thoughts churned, the weight of Torran's words pressing against him. He couldn't shake the feeling that his presence truly was making things worse—but he didn't know how to stop it.