----Page 33----
Smoke hung thick in the air, swirling around the shattered dungeon door Kaien had just blasted apart.
Dust drifted like suspended ash, curling between jagged beams and broken stone.
The stench of burnt wood and scorched metal filled the air, masking the coppery tang of blood.
Kinon stumbled forward, chest tight, eyes scanning the battlefield. Adventurers and survivors huddled on the side.
The Drahgorn, the young elven archer, and the unconscious mage. The rogue lay slumped, heavily wounded, blood seeping through torn armor.
Tauren hovered above, his small black bat like wings beating slowly, his eyes narrowing in frustration.
"Oi, Spark head," Tauren called, voice rough with annoyance.
"Do you really have to leave us all behind?"
Kaien didn't even turn, the golden blade of his spear gleaming in the dim light.
"Sorry. Bad habits die slowly. But… you can't blame me for following a fight. Warriors are warriors."
Nivara let out a long sigh.
"Some things never change, huh? Still a battle freak."
Kinon slowly approached them his heart pounded, as he kneel down one his one feet, watching the wounded adventurer.
He felt the weight of responsibility pressing against his chest.
"One of my party was heavily wounded… she won't last long like this. This dungeon's cursed, we can't heal her, no potions were working either, I mean nothinge working out, please atleast save her.."
Dravion the Drahgorn said as he plead.. for his party members to be saved.
"I can't let them die because, I hesitated not because of my arrogance that two of them had died for nothing."
He roared, punching the stone floor with his right hand..
"But your also wounded.."
Kinon said, looking at his severed left arm.
He looked at Lysera. Her white crystal rapier caught the faint light, the blade almost glowing as she crouched behind him.
"Master," she said, voice low and urgent.
"We must act now.. no matter what your decision we will follow."
"Lysera was right Master, we need to get out of here. This tower was dangerous."
Nivara added.
"You're both right. We can worry about this tower later. For now, we need to get everyone out alive."
Kinon nodded, taking a deep breath.
"Go ahead Kid, don't mind me, I'll follow you all after I'm done with this ugly monster in front of me."
Kaien boast, swinging his spears readying to fight anytime soon.
°°°°°
Therefore...
Kinon and the others didn't waste a single second and grabs the adventurers leading them towards the narrow staircase..
As soon as they reached the end of the narrow stairs ..
Kinon and the others noticed the faint flicker of movement: as the skeletons and goblins they had faced before.
Suddenly appears in swarm but this time, they are a lot stronger, faster, their bones glinting with an unnatural resilience.
The floor seemed alive; the walls subtly shifted with every step.
"Get ready," Kinon muttered.
"They're not the same as before."
°°°°
And then....
Two figures emerged, standing out among the reanimated horde:
A skeletal figure draped in tattered black, moving with terrifying speed, as it wield two poison coated twin daggers.
Its blade was chipped, but it struck with the precision of a trained killer.
Kinon's mind took note: Small, agile, deadly. Every strike calculated, almost predicting my next move.. maybe an assassin.
The second one was a Goblin Shaman, green-skinned, hunched, with ragged robes.
It hissed, chanting dark incantations.
The bodies around it twitched and reformed, obeying its summons, as it keeps on reviving all the fallen undeads while, enhancing them each time they rise back up, leaving them no choice but to be stucked fighting.
Tauren grunted, hovering protectively over the party.
"I'll handle lifting the weak ones. You two deal with the threats."
He glanced at Kinon.
"Or do you want me to jump in?"
Kinon shook his head.
"I'll fight. I've got this."
Lysera's eyes flicked to him.
"Master.. Let me handle the undead with the daggers. Just focus on the Shaman. But be careful.."
The adventurers, protected by a faint magical barrier, murmured from behind.
"He can handle it? That kid…"
Dravion asked, voice doubting.
The mage was still unconscious. The Rogue whimpered, blood still soaking her clothes.
Nivara called from behind, voice calm but firm.
"Watch him. He's not as fragile as you think."
Tauren added with a low growl.
"You underestimate him at your own peril."
°°°°°
Kinon's hands shook slightly as he drew his Rune Magical Sword, reforged by Rynveil.
No flashy spells this time, just his sword, and the skills he had honed.
Mana channeling, keen senses, agility boosts… fireball if I need it… but I need precision now, not chaos.
He darted forward, moving through the twisting corridor toward the Goblin Shaman.
The floor shifted subtly beneath him, tiles lengthening, walls stretching, as if the dungeon itself were testing his resolve.
"What's happening??"
Kinon asked, as he tries to regain his footing.
The Shaman hissed, raising its hands. Skeletons and goblins around it convulsed, leaping to attack.
And then, Kinon finally regains his balance, he struck with a precise arc, slicing through the nearest reanimated goblin, but the corpse collapsed and began twitching again.
It's not enough… it keeps coming back. The caster is nearby, I can feel it.
Behind him, Lysera engaged the Assassin Corpse.
Crystal rapier flashing, she moved like liquid light, every strike cutting through bone and shadow.
The Assassin lunged, faster than he could track, but Lysera anticipated, sidestepping and driving her blade through its chest.
The corpse convulsed, yet remained upright, dagger trembling in its hand.
Kinon shouted over the clash of metal and bones.
"Lysera! The Shaman keeps reanimating the others! It's not just its minions, it's useless they keep coming back."
She didn't look away.
"Then there's only one way to deal with this madness.. kill it before it revives the fallen monsters. I can handle the Assassin, focus on your enemy!"
The adventurers whispered behind the barrier.
Drahgorn: I've never seen a kid move like that…
Archer: He's actually holding his own!
Tauren observed silently as his massive form guarding the adventurers, his jaw clenched.
"Keep it going Master. But, hurry… the rogue won't last."
The Goblin shaman dances around as he raised his voodoo staff towards Kinon.. and then a barrage of fireballs meets his way.
Kinon struck again, a slashing across the Shaman's fireball, feeling the mana channel into his blade, enhancing every cut.
His magic sword empowered by dwarven runes, searing through undead flesh, as soon as he reaches the Shaman he immedeately cuts it in half..
For a moment it staggered, then rose again, laughter echoing.
Eeekkee!! Eeeekkkee!!
It started dancing again as if its own way of chanting spells , then fireballs rain down again on Kinons path..
He dodges each one of them, and slashing every fireballs that was almost about to hit him..
"What's happening here, I thought the shaman was the necromancer?"
Kinon whispered inside his head, while scanning the whole area.
It must be hiding somewhere, waiting for us to get tired?
Kinon thought, eyes narrowing. Shadows pooled around the reanimated horde, the Shaman retreating behind a broken pillar, faint magical pulses radiating from somewhere unknown.
No matter how many times I killed the shaman, it will only keep coming back alive.
If I don't find it, none of this will matter.
Then Kinon, glanced at the rogue, blood still soaking through her armor. Healing wasn't an option.
Panic gnawed at him, but he needs to calm down.
Get the others out. That's our priority. I can't let anyone die. Not now.
°°°°
And then...
The dungeon shifted again. Tiles cracked, walls tilted, and an unnatural hum vibrated beneath his feet. Kinon raised his sword, eyes sharp scanning the sorroundings.
°°°°°
Meanwhile...
Lysera's rapier shimmered.
"Master! Focus on sensing its mana, don't focus on what you're eye can see."
Kinon nodded, steadying his breathing.
Lysera was right. I need to sense it's mana… I'm sure he was near. And I swear, I'm going to find him no matter what.
°°°°
The reanimated monsters pressed closer, undead skeletons rusted swords clangs, bones rattling.
The Shaman cackled, partially concealed behind the broken wall.
However, Kinon can't focus.. with the skeletons swarming onto him.
He lunged forward, rune blade glowing as he slashed through another waves of skeletons.
Just one step closer… one swing…
I have to find it…
°°°°
Meanwhile....
Kaien clashed with Dorgan beyond the shattered dungeon door, his spear slashing, towards the shadow phantoms summons by him like it was nothing.
Then, Dorgan vanished from where he stands a while ago..
Kaien looked around, trying to sense him.
The ground shakes beneathe his feet, so he jumps out revealing Dorgan sneak attack from below..
He throws his lightning spears directly to him while mid air..
"Spark Javelin!!"
It directly hits Dorgan mid air.. crushing his stone massive body to debris of small rocks.
Kaien flicked his finger and his spear returns to his hands.
But the black ichor popped out from the ground stitching Dorgan's almost pulverize body.. assembling his shattered golem body.
"Ohhh... Interesting so that's what happens."
Kaien said his voice barely a whisper.
As the massive Golem regains it's shape he roared, striking with shadow-infused fists, but Kaien's black-and-gold spear met each attack with precision, forcing the monstrous floor boss back, inch by inch agonizing.
"How come all of my attacks was useless to him."
"Well, too bad you picked the wrong enemy to crossed with."
Kaien said, as he smirked putting his spear over his shoulder.
Dorgan's voice boomed through the chamber.
"You're all wasting your time… no one escapes this tower alive, he manipulates everything inside this tower. So, there's no way they can defeat an enemy they cannot see."
Kaien's jaw tightened.
"We'll see about that."
Above the battlefield, shadows moved. A sinister figure, unseen by Kinon or Kaien, watched from the corner, smirking. Blue-skinned, shark-like teeth, black brush-up hair, red eyes with yellow pupils.
"Foolish mortals," it hissed.
"They will die before they even find me…"
Kinon's eyes scanned the corridor, sword ready, heart hammering. Sweat and blood coated his hands.
Around him, the Shaman rose again, undead minions twitching behind it, laughing with a dark, unnatural energy.
Where is it hiding??
The dungeon pulsed around him, alive, cruel, and unforgiving.