The dungeon was surrounded by towering pillars, each marked with a strange circular engraving—inside, a vulture was depicted plummeting, its wing severed. At the very center of the stone floor, flames erupted from a blooming lotus, casting flickering shadows. Above them, the blood-red moon loomed in the dark sky, an ominous omen of what was to come.
A line drawn through the fire divided the floor into two distinct sections—on one side, the floor was pitch black, while on the other, it was stark white.
"No, I don't want to die. Please, noooooo..." Eero's voice trembled with fear, his body frozen in place.
He couldn't move. His wide, panicked eyes stared into the monstrous face before him—a being of immense size, far beyond human comprehension. it was Vritra. His vast, coiled body was darker than the void, his hide thick like mountains layered in storm clouds. His three horns curved like crescent moons, each one pulsing with a sinister glow. Two enormous fangs jutted from his lower jaw, sharp enough to rend through steel. His wings, vast and skeletal, stretched outward, shrouding the battlefield in shadow.
"Eero, move!" Livio's desperate shout rang out.
But before Eero could react, Vritra's claw came crashing down.
The impact shattered the black ground, leaving only dust and rubble in its wake.
Livio rushed forward, catching Eero with one arm while holding his crimson sword in the other. "Get out of here, now!" he ordered, his grip firm.
Luka and Nicolas darted around Vritra, moving unpredictably to confuse him. The great demon followed, his massive body twisting as his slitted eyes locked onto them.
The others stood behind him, focusing their Pbv (life-force manifestation) between their fists and bodies, preparing for the next attack.
Then, in a split second, Luka and Nicolas halted mid-step....baiting Vritra into an attack.
The demon's slitted eyes locked onto them, his instincts overriding reason. With a roar, he lunged, massive jaws snapping shut—only to bite empty air.
At that exact moment, the fighters behind him struck. In perfect coordination, they leaped onto his head, their combined force driving his skull into the stone floor. The entire dungeon trembled.
But something was off.
Sebastian was using only one hand.
Even so, their strike had landed. Cracks spread across the stone.
"HANNAN! HANNAN! HANNAN!" Vritra's furious roar filled the cavern, shaking the walls. His massive body collapsed, but his presence remained suffocating.
Everyone remained still, tense, hearts pounding.
Then...
"Watch out! He's about to breathe fire!" Livio shouted.
Eero sat frozen on the ground, his mind blank. Nitin stood closest to him, his body tense, while Luka was farther away, sprinting toward them with every ounce of Pbv he could muster.
Vritra's mouth opened, flames gathering at his throat. The air shimmered with unbearable heat.
"MOVE, YOU IDIOT!" Luka roared, but Eero didn't react. His body refused to move.
Nitin lunged first, grabbing Eero's arm and pulling hard. "Come on!" he yelled, desperation in his voice.
Too late.
Vritra's jaws parted, and fire erupted forward, a blinding inferno swallowing the space between them.
At the last possible second, Luka slammed into both of them, using his full strength to hurl Nitin and Eero away. Their bodies skidded across the stone floor, landing safely beyond the flames.
Luka, however, had no time to escape. The fire engulfed him.
A sharp cry tore from his throat as the flames seared his body. He crashed onto the ground, his hands gripping the charred floor as his body trembled. Smoke curled from his burned skin, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Eero and Nitin scrambled to their feet, eyes wide in horror.
"Luka!" Nitin shouted, rushing toward him—only for Livio to grab his arm, stopping him.
"He's still breathing," Livio said, his voice firm but urgent. "We'll get him out, but right now, we need to stay alive!"
Luka groaned, struggling to push himself up, but his limbs refused to obey. His scorched fingers clawed weakly at the ground.
"You fucking lizard!" Alaric bellowed, his fury blinding. Without thinking, he charged at Vritra, his sword raised high.
Vritra reacted instantly. His massive tail lashed out.
CRACK!
The impact sent Alaric hurtling through the air. He slammed into a pillar, the stone shattering from the force. His body crumpled to the ground, motionless.
For a moment, silence fell. Then—
"He's alive!" Livio called out, rallying the others. "Stay focused! We'll take this thing down and get everyone out of here!"
At that moment, Viktor sprinted toward Vritra....
Outside the Dungeon
A soldier burst into the dining hall, his voice frantic. "Hey! There's an Elf outside! She's looking for ...!"
The hall fell silent.
Miles shot up from his seat, sweating. "What? That's impossible. No Elf would ever set foot in this kingdom."
"It's true! I think she's female. She says she wants to speak with a general."
Excited murmurs spread through the room.
"I've only heard about female Elves..... I can't wait to see her."
Zelen didn't wait.
Before anyone noticed, he was gone.
Outside, the Elf stood surrounded by a roaring crowd, her body concealed beneath a hood. The soldiers pressed closer, desperate to glimpse her face.
Then—
A man in a black cloak appeared. Without hesitation, he grabbed the Elf and vanished into thin air.
The crowd erupted in confusion.
"Where did she go?!"
Inside the dining hall, Miles sat frozen, his face pale. Sweat dripped down his brow.
"No way…" he muttered—then, slowly, he smiled.
Deep in the Jungle
The cloaked man threw the Elf to the ground.
She rolled from the impact, her body hitting a stone pillar.
"Viktor!"
Nitin's voice echoed through the dungeon as he dodged another of Vritra's clawed strikes.
Blood pooled across the battlefield, flowing toward the burning lotus at the dungeon's center.
Then—
The moon began to drip blood, its scarlet drops falling into the flames.
The fire changed. Flickering between red and yellow, it pulsed like a living thing.
Seated near the fire, Wolfsbane took a slow sip of his wine.
Gregor, gnawing on a piece of chicken, spoke up. "Sir, why did you lie to them?"
Wolfsbane raised an eyebrow. "Lie? About what?"
"The dungeon's name. You told them the wrong one. Was that on purpose?"
Wolfsbane laughed. "Oh, that? Just for fun. This isn't an ordinary dungeon. This is the Dungeon of Sacrifice."
Gregor frowned. "No one's cleared it before."
"Exactly." Wolfsbane's smile widened. "Let's see if they can."
Inside Eero's Mind
"No… What is this? Who's there? Who's laughing?"
Eero clutched his head, his breath ragged.
A voice whispered from behind him. "What are you looking for? Look deeper. It's me. Or rather…... it's you."
Eero spun around—
And his eyes widened.
Before him stood himself.
"Who are you?! You look just like me! You're an impostor!"
The other Eero laughed. "No, no. I'm not you. You… .. are me."
Eero stumbled back. "No...… This is just an illusion. You're not real!"
"Not real?" The doppelgänger smirked, stepping closer. "Then tell me, what is it that you truly desire?"
Eero hesitated, his breath unsteady.
The voice softened, laced with cruel amusement.
"I want to save my friends. To be a father. To hold my wife. To kiss her. To feel her warmth, her love."
Then, the voice turned sharp, like a blade against his throat.
"But you? You stand for nothing. That's why you'll lose everything."
Eero gasped as the doppelgänger's hand wrapped around his throat, squeezing.
"No...… I am not a coward! I want to help them! I want to find Elena! I want them to be happy!"
His double let out a cold, hollow laugh. "Then prove it."
Behind him, his real friends still fought.
And none of them.....not one.....could even scratch Vritra.