The streets of the lower district stretched before them, shrouded in the dim glow of flickering lanterns. A fine mist curled around Aeron's boots as he and Kael moved in silence. The weight of Veyren's words lingered in Aeron's mind, but he had already made his decision.
They were going to the sealed dungeon.
Kael walked beside him, arms crossed. "This is reckless."
"It's necessary," Aeron said without looking at him. "You saw that emblem. That assassin wasn't just some hired blade. Someone is keeping tabs on me and if they sent him to test me, they'll send someone stronger next time."
Kael let out a frustrated sigh. "And you think walking into an off-limits dungeon will help?"
Aeron smirked. "That depends on what's inside."
Kael muttered something under his breath but didn't argue further. He knew Aeron well enough by now. Once he set his mind on something, there was no turning back.
The deeper they went into the lower district, the quieter the streets became. Most hunters avoided this area. Not because of crime, but because of the dungeon gates that had been left to rot.
And the one they were looking for?
It wasn't just abandoned—it had been sealed shut for years.
Nyxus had been uncharacteristically quiet, but Aeron could feel his presence stirring in the back of his mind. The war god had something to say, but he was waiting.
That only made Aeron more uneasy.
Finally, they reached the site. A massive stone archway loomed over them, its surface etched with ancient runes. Unlike other dungeons, this one was completely shut—no swirling portal, no energy signature. Just a cold, unmoving barrier.
Kael frowned. "This doesn't feel like a normal gate."
"Because it isn't," Aeron said, stepping closer. He reached out, brushing his fingers against the runes. A pulse of energy shot up his arm.
A surge of memories that weren't his own.
A battlefield, drenched in blood.
A warrior standing against an unseen force.
A shattered artifact, glowing with raw power.
Then—darkness.
Aeron snapped back to reality, breath unsteady.
"You feel it, don't you?" Nyxus's voice finally spoke. "This place was once touched by something… greater."
Aeron clenched his jaw. The Fallen Deities.
If this dungeon truly held a piece of something from their era, then whatever was inside wasn't ordinary.
Kael's hand hovered near his weapon. "Tell me you're not having second thoughts."
Aeron exhaled. "Not a chance."
He stepped forward and placed his palm against the runes once more. This time, he let his energy flow into the markings.
The air trembled.
A low rumble echoed beneath them, the ground shifting as the symbols on the gate lit up one by one. The energy crackled—ancient, raw, and hungry.
Then, with a deafening grind, the stone arch split open.
A dark void stretched before them.
Aeron turned to Kael, a smirk playing at his lips. "Still think this is a bad idea?"
Kael sighed, drawing his blade. "Absolutely."
Together, they stepped into the unknown.
(Whispers of the Lost)
Aeron barely had time to register the shift in atmosphere before the darkness swallowed them whole.
The air inside the dungeon was thick—not just with dust, but with something heavier. A pressure settled over them, like unseen eyes watching from the abyss. The tunnel ahead stretched into an unnatural void, the stone walls jagged and uneven, carved by something not human.
Kael exhaled sharply beside him. "Yeah… this place definitely doesn't feel normal."
Aeron nodded, flexing his fingers. His system's interface flickered.
> WARNING: Unstable Dungeon Detected
Residual Divine Energy Present
Divine energy? Aeron narrowed his eyes. Nyxus's influence was stirring.
"Interesting… This place reeks of something ancient." The war god's voice hummed with intrigue. "I didn't think any traces of our kind still remained in these lands."
"Then what is this place?" Aeron asked internally.
"A tomb, perhaps. Or a prison."
That didn't exactly comfort him.
Kael moved ahead, keeping his blade loose at his side. "We should keep moving. The sooner we find out what's here, the sooner we get out."
Aeron followed, stepping carefully. Their boots barely made a sound against the cold stone, but the echoes that followed weren't theirs. Something else was here.
As they descended deeper, faint carvings along the walls came into view. Symbols. Ancient runes, different from the ones sealing the dungeon.
Kael brushed his fingers over them, frowning. "This writing… it's not from any known hunter records."
Aeron felt a strange pull. The markings weren't just there for decoration. They meant something.
Then, his system chimed.
> New Analysis: Unknown Runes Detected
Deciphering… 20%... 40%... 80%...
The runes flared to life.
A blast of energy surged outward, knocking them back. Kael grunted, bracing himself, but Aeron barely reacted—his mind was being flooded with something else.
Images. Voices.
A warrior kneeling before a fallen titan. Chains binding something vast and unknowable. A whisper—neither human nor godly—murmuring of betrayal.
Aeron stumbled, gripping his head. Then, silence.
His breathing was uneven.
Kael placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you good?"
Aeron exhaled, nodding. "Yeah. Just saw something."
Kael didn't press, but his expression darkened. They both knew this dungeon was wrong.
Then, a low growl rumbled from ahead.
Both of them went still.
Aeron's system flickered.
> NEW ENTITY DETECTED
CLASSIFICATION: MUTATED GUARDIAN
THREAT LEVEL: UNKNOWN
Kael slowly unsheathed his blade. "We're not alone."
The darkness shifted.
Aeron tightened his grip, power coiling around his fingers. Whatever was waiting for them in the depths of this dungeon—it wasn't going to let them leave easily.
The growl deepened, reverberating through the cavern walls like a warning. Something ancient had awakened.
Aeron steadied himself, his eyes narrowing as he activated his system's analysis. Kael moved beside him, blade raised, his breath controlled but tense. Neither of them spoke. There was no need. Whatever was lurking in the darkness would make itself known soon enough.
> NEW ENTITY FULLY ANALYZED
NAME: ABYSSAL SENTINEL
CLASSIFICATION: MUTATED GUARDIAN
THREAT LEVEL: HIGH
TRAITS: UNKNOWN
Aeron barely had time to register the information before a pair of glowing eyes emerged from the abyss. The creature was massive, its form a twisted fusion of ancient stone and corrupted flesh. Runes flickered along its body, pulsating with an eerie blue light. Its arms were elongated, ending in jagged claws that scraped against the floor.
Kael shifted into a battle stance. "That thing looks like it wants to rip us apart."
"Not just that," Nyxus mused within Aeron's mind. "It's protecting something."
Aeron's gaze flicked past the creature, deeper into the chamber. An altar. Something rested atop it, shrouded in mist-like energy. The war god was right. This thing was a guardian.
But of what?
The Abyssal Sentinel lunged.
Aeron reacted instantly, dodging to the side as one of its massive claws struck the ground, splitting the stone with terrifying force. Kael capitalized on the opening, dashing in and slashing at its exposed flank. Sparks flew, but the blade barely left a mark.
"Too tough!" Kael called out, leaping back as the creature swung again, its movements deceptively fast.
Aeron's system flickered.
> ANALYZING WEAK POINTS…
COMPLETE: TARGET THE CORE IN ITS CHEST
Aeron's eyes locked onto the Sentinel's center. A faint glow. A core embedded deep within.
"Kael!" he shouted. "We have to go for the chest!"
Kael nodded. "Then let's crack it open."
Aeron surged forward, his contract power flaring. Shadows wreathed his arm, forming an ethereal blade. Nyxus's power pulsed through him, a cold but familiar presence. The Sentinel roared, swinging both claws downward
Aeron vanished.
A flicker of movement—a shadowstep.
Reappearing at its side, he slashed at its ribs, cutting deep enough to expose the core beneath. The beast howled, twisting in pain, but Kael was already there.
With a burst of speed, Kael leapt, his blade igniting with energy.
A direct strike to the core.
The Sentinel froze, its glowing runes flickering—then, with a deafening crack, the core shattered.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the creature let out a final, guttural sound before collapsing into dust.
Silence followed.
Kael exhaled. "That was harder than it should've been."
Aeron didn't respond. His attention was already on the altar.
He stepped forward, the mist-like energy parting as he reached out.
His system flickered.
> NEW ARTIFACT DETECTED
NAME: VEILSTONE RELIQUARY
STATUS: SEALED
RESIDUAL DIVINE ENERGY PRESENT
Divine energy again.
Nyxus chuckled darkly. "It seems fate is drawing you closer to something, Aeron. Are you prepared to see where this path leads?"
Aeron's fingers grazed the artifact.
And the dungeon trembled.