>The Eyes of Dullahan ring activated!
>The poison effect reduced significantly!
As we ventured deeper into the cave, the air grew increasingly toxic.
I could feel it in my lungs, but the Eyes of Dullahan ring I wore provided the necessary protection.
My teammate, Erlan, and his team were not so fortunate, their expressions changing as they struggled through the poisonous air.
The cave was dark, but the walls were dotted with torch-shaped Monster Crystals, strategically placed to lure their prey.
Erlan was determined, his every step purposeful as he rushed to collect as many crystals as he could.
But his Knight team showed no such eagerness.
Their faces were pale and uncertain, coughing and gasping for breath as they fought against the poison.
"Stop, Erlan," Laura, the healer, spoke up as one of the team members fell.
She immediately used her healing and antidote spells, but the effects were only temporary.
The poison in the air was too strong.
"We can't continue this mission. It's too dangerous." Erlan's anger flared.
"What kind of statement is that? Are you going to let this weak Knight make decisions for us?" he pointed at me, accusing.
"He's a fraud, a manipulator. That's why the Executives ordered us to keep an eye on him. He can't be trusted."
"Do you not realize how strong the poison is in this cave?" Laura argued back. "It would be suicide to continue."
Some of the Knights nodded in agreement with Laura's decision.
"We must find the source of this poison and eliminate it," Erlan insisted. "This cave is only inhabited by weak and sick elf. We can easily defeat the elf!"
"Then go by yourself! As a healer, my priority is the safety of the team!" Laura refused, helping the injured Knights to make their way out of the cave.
"Wait, no one is leaving! That's an order!" Erlan shouted, but the healer pretended not to hear.
Suddenly, a magical barrier appeared, sealing off the mouth of the cave.
The Swordman and Archer on the team attacked it, but their efforts were in vain.
Laura's only option to escape this deadly dungeon was to use a special teleportation gem, but it was in Erlan's possession.
"Erlan, this is serious matter. Even though it's a low tier A-rank mission, we can't move forward under the unexpected poisonous air. We should get back. Now.", Laura tries to convince the commander of the team.
However, Erlan is not moved.
He even show the only available special gem that can be use for alternative get out, but he instead destroy it in front of all of us solely by his strong grip.
"Nobody get out from the cave before we finish the mission! This poisonous air will immediately stopped the elves who's sourced of it! Don't getting doubtful because in this crucial condition", Erlan shouted in anger,
"If you die miserably, then blame yourself for hearing the stupid recommendation from this fraudster Knight.", he continued while pointing angrily to me.
"You crazy! What the hell are you thinking?! Our team is dying and-"
"It already happened. We no longer had any choice rather than moving forward. If we wasting time in here, all of us will be dead.", I quickly intervene Laura due to these complicated situation.
Laura still agitated, which took her time to digest the weight of this complicated condition.
Few minutes passed, she cast the supporting buff and healing spell to all the team member.
The spell surely helping reduce the impact of the poisonous air, but everyone of us is aware those spell is useful in short time.
As we charged towards the cave, our hearts raced with adrenaline.
The center of the cave was our destination and we moved with determination, our feet pounding against the rocky ground.
The air was thick with danger, and we could feel the weight of it pressing against us.
Amidst the center of the cave, a pile of glittering diamonds caught our eyes.
We knew they were valuable, but there was something more sinister lurking in their midst.
Resting on top of the pile was an old and rotund elf, his heavy breaths signaling his struggle with sickness or old age.
Above him floated a shimmering, purple crystal that we knew to be the source of the poison.
Despite the toxic fumes emanating from the crystal, the elf sat there seemingly unaffected.
It was a sight that left us in awe, but also wary of his strength.
As we looked closer, we noticed a fiery figure formed by magic, resembling a woman engulfed in flames.
She hovered behind the elf, acting as his protector.
The elf was aware of our presence, his piercing blue eyes locked onto ours.
He remained still, not uttering a single word.
Yet, his gaze held a fierce and deadly intent that sent shivers down our spines.
"Defeat him now!" Erlan's urgent voice broke through the tense silence.
The archers wasted no time in pointing their arrows at the elf, while the swordsmen readied their weapons.
But something was amiss.
The fire spirit that had been behind the elf was now gone.
And before we could even process this, screams of pain erupted from Erlan's team.
The archers and swordsmen, who had been heavily affected by the poison, were now engulfed in flames, turning into fire soldiers!
It was a sight similar to the goblins we had encountered before!
The realization hit us like a punch to the gut!
This was the reason the elves used the poisonous air, to weaken their prey before taking control of them with their fire spirits.
It was a cunning and deadly strategy!
The fire soldier's arrow whistled through the air, aimed directly at Laura.
She stumbled back, her eyes wide with fear.
Without hesitation, Avyanna sprang into action, trying to shield Laura from the attack.
But the fire soldier was relentless, launching attack after attack.
The clash between the Knights and the fire soldier intensified, causing chaos and destruction.
Erlan, determined to reach the elves at the top of the Monster Diamond pile, pushed forward despite his weakened state.
His lungs burned from the poisonous air, but Erlan refused to give up.
With a burst of energy, he swung his sword at the elves, only to be thwarted by an invisible Magical Barrier.
The force of the barrier sent him stumbling and falling from the pile of diamonds.
Despite the pain and exhaustion, Erlan struggled to get back on his feet.
But the poison had taken its toll, forcing him to kneel and cough violently.
As his condition worsened, his eyes turned red, a clear sign of his impending death.
Desperate, he turned to me, his last hope.
"I don't know what kind of power you possess, but you're our only chance, Alstair," he pleaded, tears in his eyes.
I could feel his desperation and fear.
Two of his fellow Knights had already been turned into fire soldiers, and the rest were dying from the poisonous air.
Erlan knew he had made a mistake, and time was running out.
Taking a deep breath, I set down my bag and pickaxe.
"If you want my help, you'll have to take responsibility for my decision when the Executives ask," I stated calmly.
"I'll take any responsibility, just please help us!" Erlan begged shamelessly, his condition worsening by the second.
I could only hope that the Executives were listening.