Author's POV
Titan stood at the edge of the freshly opened pit, his metallic frame emanating an aura of quiet irritation. His glowing eyes flickered faintly as he assessed the depth of the hole, calculating how far his two foolish companions had fallen this time.
For some reason, he was left on the same place. Only the "small child" and the assassin woman fell on the pit.
The faint echoes of Aria and Leah's voices floated up from below, growing louder with every passing moment.
"It's getting worse! I can't breathe!"
"I can't even move anymore!"
"You're crushing me, Aria!"
Titan's shoulders shifted slightly, as if letting out a silent sigh. He tilted his head, listening to their frantic exchange, before reaching into his utility pack. With smooth, practiced movements, he retrieved a length of enchanted rope he had hidden from the others before and anchored it securely to a nearby rock formation.
Without hesitation, Titan began his descent into the pit.
---
The shaft was deep but straightforward, its walls slick with condensation and faint traces of ancient runes glowing faintly in the dim light. Titan descended methodically, his glowing eyes scanning for traps or unstable sections of the cavern.
Halfway down, he noticed a faint glimmer coming from a crack in the wall. Peering through, he located Aria and Leah wedged together in what appeared to be a magical compression chamber.
The "room" they were trapped in was no larger than a coffin, its walls adorned with intricate runes that pulsed faintly as they activated, slowly shrinking the space further.
Inside, Aria and Leah were a tangled mess. Their limbs were pressed awkwardly against each other, their faces flushed from the lack of space.
Leah's expression was a mix of panic and annoyance, while Aria seemed to be tilting between embarrassment and frustration.
"Why do these things always happen to us?" Aria muttered under her breath.
"Because you can't stop touching things," Leah hissed, her voice strained.
"Shut up! I didn't even do anything!"
Titan tapped the wall sharply to get their attention. Both heads snapped around, their eyes locking onto the glowing figure outside the crack.
"TITAN!" Aria yelled, her voice a mixture of relief and annoyance. "GET US OUT OF HERE!"
Leah groaned, clearly at the end of her rope. "Please, just do something before we're squished to death."
---
Titan took a moment to analyze the situation. His glowing eyes flickered as he traced the patterns of the runes etched into the chamber walls. These were advanced magic traps designed to crush intruders slowly, giving them plenty time to regret their decisions before meeting their end.
Reaching into his pack, Titan retrieved a small crystalline shard, the one Aria wanted to grab before but couldn't because Leah found out.
He activated it with a flick of his finger, causing it to emit a soft hum. Holding the shard up to the crack, he began to counteract the magic of the runes.
The runes resisted at first, flaring brightly as they attempted to overwhelm the shard's influence. The chamber walls shuddered, and for a moment, it seemed like the entire structure might collapse. But Titan held firm, his hand steady as he poured more energy into the shard.
Slowly, the runes began to flicker and die out one by one. The chamber walls stopped shrinking and gradually expanded, giving Aria and Leah just enough room to breathe.
Leah slumped against the wall, her face pale as she gasped for air. Aria, on the other hand, wasted no time scrambling toward the crack.
"About time!" she barked, glaring at Titan. "Do you know how long we've been stuck in here?!"
Titan didn't respond. He reached into the crack and gestured for Aria and Leah to take his hand. Leah accepted gratefully, allowing Titan to pull her out first. Aria followed shortly after, her expression a mix of gratitude and irritation.
Once they were both free, Titan motioned for them to follow him back up the shaft.
---
The climb back to the surface was mercifully uneventful, though Aria couldn't resist grumbling under her breath the entire way.
"Honestly, what kind of dungeon has traps like that? Who even designs these things?"
Leah shot her a tired look. "Maybe the kind of dungeon you shouldn't be poking around in without thinking."
"Hey, I wasn't the one who—"
Titan cut off their argument with a sharp gesture, pointing toward the ominous door that had caused all the trouble in the first place.
The intricate carvings on the door seemed to mock him, as if daring him to try opening it again. Titan's glowing eyes narrowed. Without a moment's hesitation, he raised his gauntlet and slammed it into the center of the door.
The door exploded into a cascade of rubble, its pieces scattering across the corridor.
Aria and Leah stared at the destruction, their mouths hanging open.
"Was that really necessary?" Aria asked, though her voice lacked its usual fire.
Titan didn't respond. He turned and began walking down the corridor, his movements brisk and purposeful.
Leah sighed. "I think he's mad."
Aria rolled her eyes. "He's always mad. Let's just go before he leaves us behind."
---
As they continued deeper into the dungeon, Titan led the way, his glowing eyes scanning for any further traps. Despite his silence, his body language conveyed a clear message:
'Stay close. Don't touch anything. And for the love of all that's holy, stop triggering traps.'
Aria and Leah followed behind, their earlier ordeal leaving them unusually quiet—for now.
But knowing them, Titan suspected it wouldn't be long before trouble found them again.