The Warden of the Abyss loomed over me, its form shifting and rippling like smoke and fire given life. Its glowing eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I felt the sheer weight of its presence—a primal, ancient force that had existed far longer than I could comprehend.
But fear wouldn't help me now.
The beast lunged, its claws slashing through the air with blinding speed. I barely had time to react, twisting my body to avoid the strike. The force of its attack sent a shockwave through the chamber, cracks spreading across the stone floor beneath my feet.
I steadied myself, Excalibur glowing faintly in my grasp. The blade felt lighter now, as if it had finally accepted me as its wielder—though the faint, throbbing pain in my chest told me it came with a cost.
"Let's see what you've got," I muttered, gripping the hilt tightly.
The Warden charged again, its massive body closing the distance in an instant. This time, I didn't retreat. I stepped forward, meeting its attack head-on. My instincts took over, guiding my movements with precision I didn't know I had.
I ducked under its swipe, twisting around to slash at its side. Excalibur's blade bit into the beast's shadowy form, sending a ripple of light through its body. The Warden howled in pain, staggering back as a burst of black mist poured from the wound.
It worked.
But my triumph was short-lived.
The mist coiled and twisted in the air, reforming into jagged spikes that shot toward me like arrows. I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding being skewered. One of the spikes grazed my arm, and a sharp, icy pain spread through my body.
"Damn it," I hissed, clutching my arm as I rose to my feet.
The Warden didn't give me time to recover. It roared, the sound reverberating through the chamber, and charged again. This time, its movements were even faster, more feral.
I focused, letting the Swordmaster Instinct take over completely. My body moved on its own, dodging and weaving through the Warden's relentless attacks. Every swing of Excalibur felt like an extension of my will, each strike aimed with pinpoint precision.
But the pain in my chest grew with every movement, every strike. It was as if the blade was drawing something from me—my strength, my very essence.
"Is that all you've got?" I growled through gritted teeth, forcing myself to push past the pain.
I wasn't going to let this thing win.
The Warden reared back, its body shifting as it began to gather energy. Flames erupted around it, the heat searing even from a distance. The beast's form grew darker, its eyes glowing brighter as it prepared to unleash its full power.
A new notification flashed before my eyes:
[The Warden of the Abyss is preparing *Infernal Surge.* Dodge or counter to survive.]
"Counter it? How am I supposed to—"
My words were cut off as the Warden roared, a massive wave of black fire erupting from its body and surging toward me.
There was no time to think, only act.
I raised Excalibur, the blade glowing brighter than ever before. The pain in my chest flared, but I ignored it, channeling everything I had into the sword.
"Come on!" I shouted, stepping forward and slashing through the wave of fire with all my strength.
The blade cut through the inferno, a shockwave of light erupting from the clash. The force of it sent me flying backward, slamming into the wall with enough force to knock the air from my lungs.
When the dust settled, the chamber was silent once more.
I struggled to my feet, every muscle in my body screaming in protest. My vision swam, but I could make out the Warden's form in the distance. It was weakened, its body flickering like a dying flame.
I gripped Excalibur tightly, summoning the last of my strength as I charged forward. The Warden tried to lash out, but its movements were sluggish, desperate. I dodged its attacks, closing the distance in an instant.
With a final, powerful swing, I drove Excalibur into the beast's core.
The chamber filled with a blinding light as the Warden let out one last, earth-shaking roar. Its body dissolved into shadow, the darkness retreating into the corners of the room until nothing remained.
I fell to my knees, gasping for breath as the weight of the battle finally caught up to me.
A soft chime echoed in my mind, followed by a new notification:
[Boss Defeated: Warden of the Abyss.]
[You have gained: 500 XP.]
[Skill Unlocked: *Blade of Light* – Channel Excalibur's latent power to unleash a devastating attack. Use with caution.]
I let out a shaky laugh, leaning on Excalibur for support. "That's... one way to start a day."
The altar in the center of the room began to glow again, but this time, it was different. The light was softer, warmer, and it seemed to call to me.
Dragging myself to my feet, I approached the altar cautiously. Resting on its surface was a small, silver pendant, its center adorned with a glowing blue gem.
[Quest Item Acquired: Pendant of Memories.]
I picked up the pendant, its touch cool against my skin. The moment I held it, a rush of images flooded my mind—fragments of a life I didn't recognize, but somehow felt connected to. A castle shrouded in mist. A woman with fiery red hair and piercing green eyes. A promise whispered in the dark.
And a name: *Eryndis.*
The visions faded as quickly as they had come, leaving me breathless.
"Mother," I whispered, the word unfamiliar yet painfully familiar at the same time.
I didn't have time to dwell on it. The pendant pulsed with light, and the chamber around me began to tremble. The ground cracked, and chunks of stone began to fall from the ceiling.
"Of course," I muttered, shoving the pendant into my pocket. "Why wouldn't the dungeon collapse after I kill the boss?"
Clutching Excalibur, I sprinted toward the only exit I could see—a narrow passageway that had opened on the far side of the room.
The dungeon wasn't going to make this easy. But then again, nothing about this life was.
And I wasn't about to give up now.
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