The subordinate's laughter echoed through the damp cave walls like a macabre chant, repeating among the shadows until it became unbearable. It was a long, shrill laugh—not one of humor, but of intimidation, meant to crush hope. The young adventurers, who just minutes earlier had walked in with faces full of hope, were now petrified, their eyes reflecting pure terror.
The air, already heavy with moisture, seemed to grow even denser, as if an invisible presence were pressing down on their lungs. The subordinate reveled in his performance, raising his arms and letting his voice thunder mockingly.
"What's wrong, kids? Not so sure about that 'safe zone' I promised you anymore?" he jeered, turning slowly as his eyes gleamed with cruel fire.
Lysa, the youngest, whispered to a companion as she tried to hold back tears:
"This isn't right… It's not supposed to be like this…"
But no one heard her. Despair began to gnaw at their courage, their hands trembling uncontrollably.
The subordinate stepped forward with a grimace twisting his face, his clenched teeth forming a terrible, crooked grin. His eyes locked onto the adventurers, and his words sliced the air like blades.
"There's no escape for you now. This is where your fairy tale ends. No hero is coming to save you, no happy ending. Only darkness, pain, and death."
The young adventurers stepped back, cornered by the very sense of betrayal that Kael had foreseen from the beginning.
Then, something unexpected happened.
The subordinate frowned; a nervous tic flicked across his jaw.
"Huh? Why is everything upside down…?" he muttered, confused. "Is that… my body?"
His gaze dropped slowly to his hands, then to his torso, and a cold panic spread across his face.
Before he could comprehend what was happening, his head hit the ground with a dull thud, rolling heavily across the stone floor, leaving behind a deadly, absolute silence.
A silence that seemed to consume the very air.
From behind the fallen subordinate, a tall, slender figure emerged, a pair of crimson eyes glowing with a sinister light. The creature made no sound, yet its presence filled the cave with a dark aura—an ancient, deep hatred that seemed eager to devour the last spark of hope.
Its crimson gaze settled on the subordinate's lifeless body with an expression beyond description, as if this moment had been awaited for centuries. Then, slowly, it turned its eyes toward the hatch—or rather, one of the elusive entrances to the labyrinth of Dixys.
The figure whispered, with the gravity of the abyss in its voice, a single phrase:
"...Finally…"
The deadly silence reclaimed the space, leaving a heavy suspense and the promise of an even darker fate hanging in the air.
Meanwhile, far from the oppressive darkness of the cave, the atmosphere in Riveria's command room was a complete contrast. Here, the air buzzed with urgent voices, rapid movements, and constant activity. Riveria Ljos Alf sat at a large table covered in maps, scrolls, and small enchanted crystals glowing faintly under the dim magical light.
Beside her, Lefiya, still recovering from the recent turmoil, meticulously organized lists of the injured, resources, and defense teams. The room hummed with the murmur of healing spells, issued orders, and the distant sounds of explosions still shaking the city.
"We have to evacuate civilians from the most vulnerable zones," Riveria ordered firmly, though concern flickered in her eyes. "The defensive line holds, but we can't let our guard down for a second."
Lefiya nodded, adjusting an amulet around her neck.
"The support teams are at their limit, but the demand is relentless. The monsters are getting more aggressive, and the unstable mana is complicating protective enchantments."
Riveria paused, eyeing Lefiya carefully.
"Do you think someone else is behind this? This isn't just an attack… It was coordinated, planned by someone with resources and full knowledge of the floor and the strategies to trap us… someone like Dix."
Lefiya frowned.
"It makes sense. The disappearance of the rookie group, the use of magical traps, the ambush meant to eliminate me… all point to a trap designed by someone who knows every corner of this level. But something doesn't add up—why let me escape so easily if our Familia was the target?"
"I don't know," Riveria said, fully aware of Dix's many attacks on their group. "But this feels different. More like a distraction. But why? And that mysterious savior…" Riveria bit her lip. "If they were really there, maybe they can help us understand what we're facing."
Lefiya clenched her fists, seriousness etched on her face.
"We have to find them before Dix completes whatever plan he has. And we must find the rookie group. We can't allow more innocent lives to be lost."
A silent determination filled the room as both women shared the burden of protecting one of the dungeon's most crucial points.
"First, we secure Riveria," Riveria affirmed. "But let's not forget—this is just the beginning. Dix won't stop. And if we lose here, we lose everything."
For a moment, they looked at each other, fully aware of the heavy weight they carried. The war had only just begun, and uncertainty was an enemy as real as any monster.
Elsewhere, Kael awoke abruptly. His eyes opened to a darkness that seemed eager to swallow him whole, the cold dampness seeping into his bones. The space around him was vast yet formless; stretched shadows intertwined with distant echoes of footsteps and the constant drip of water.
The floor was cold beneath his back, and as he rose, the weight of exhaustion and searing wounds pressed on every muscle.
The dim light came only from scattered torches, their flickering flames seeming as if the darkness itself tried to snuff them out.
Fragments of memory struck his mind.
Memories of cruel traps, shifting paths, and the sensation of being trapped in a labyrinth built to break bodies and wills.
He knew where he was: somewhere in Dix's personal dungeon, the place known as Knossos—filled with traps and horrors.
His fingers curled into fists, and his mind began to strategize.
"I have to find a way out… fast."
As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he saw small runes on the walls—signs of magic still vibrating with dark energy.
The air was filled with corrupt, oppressive mana that seemed to drag his will toward surrender.
But Kael would not give in.
The echo of approaching footsteps from the corridor made his body tense.
From the shadows emerged two figures.
The first was Dix, his face twisted in a crooked grin, eyes full of malice and arrogance. Beside him stood an imposing being with glowing eyes—Ikelos—whose very presence radiated power and terror.
Dix clapped slowly, each smack of his hands echoing through the cavern like a mocking taunt.
"Welcome to my humble abode, genius," he said theatrically, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Consider it your home now… forever."
Kael watched them, cold and alert, feeling the tangible weight of the threat in the air.
The silence tightened as the shadows seemed to close in.
The game had just begun.