----Page 4----
The cavern was still.
The echoes of the Orrynth's final roars faded into the vast emptiness, leaving behind a silence so heavy it almost had weight.
Its colossal body sprawled across the jagged stone floor, limbs bent at impossible angles, dark scales cracked and dulled.
Even in death, the creature radiated power.
Wisps of violet mana drifted from its wounds, swirling lazily before vanishing into the cold air. The metallic tang of blood and ozone filled my lungs.
Arin was already at work.
"Master, look at this!" he shouted, crouched beside a glittering pile of shards that pulsed faintly in the dim light.
Arin picked up a green shard, then an amber one, and another streaked with violet. Each piece seemed to hum faintly in the dim light.
Clink-clank, the shards tapped together as he tested their resonance.
He grinned, picking up another shard.
"Master, these are amazing! Let's take them all."
I sighed, shaking my head slightly.
"You're already looting again, aren't you?"
He scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly.
"Maybe just a little."
The faint clink of crystal against crystal echoed each time he moved, oddly musical in the stillness. Lysera drifted nearby, her pale light casting calm shadows against the stone.
"It's fine," she said softly.
"Those shards are valuable. They're not just remnants. They contain the Orrynth's condensed mana. With the right technique, they can be refined into pure cores."
"Refined huh?" I murmured, kneeling to examine one. Its glow pulsed like a heartbeat.
"That's good to know."
Arin nodded rapidly.
"See? Useful! Let's take them all, Master."
"You'll fill the Inventory Box again," I muttered, but activated it anyway. The air shimmered, and one by one, the shards floated into the swirling blue light.
Arin smirked. "One day, you'll thank me."
"I already regret it," I replied dryly.
Lysera's voice carried softly.
"Be mindful. The Orrynth's core still resonates. We should not linger too long."
I turned toward the fallen beast. Its massive chest still flickered faintly with inner light, the heart of the dungeon, literally.
"Master," Arin said, pointing at the faint pulse.
"That's the core, right? Should I...?"
"Carefully," I warned.
He nodded and moved closer. When he touched the scales, sparks of mana rippled under his hand. The air trembled. Then, with a grunt, he pried loose a glowing sphere the size of his fist.
It pulsed weakly, violet and white veins of light swirling within.
"This thing could power an entire forge," Arin said, eyes wide.
"Or blow one up," Lysera replied dryly.
We gathered the rest, scales, fangs, fragments, until the cavern was quiet again. I looked around one last time, feeling the weight of what we had done. The Orrynth was gone. The dungeon was silent.
"Let's find a way out," I said finally.
Arin discovered it first, a circular socket in the stone wall.
"Hey, Master! Look! The core fits perfectly here!"
I hesitated. "You're sure?"
"Nope!" he said cheerfully. Before I could stop him, he pressed it in.
A faint click echoed, followed by the grinding of stone. The wall trembled, then slid open, revealing a sloping tunnel that led upward. Fresh air spilled through, carrying sunlight and the faint scent of trees.
"You got lucky," I muttered.
"I call it instinct," he said proudly.
Lysera gave him a patient look.
"Even foolish luck serves fate, it seems."
By the time we reached the surface, the morning mist was beginning to rise. The valley below stretched in shades of green and silver, dotted with forests and the faint outline of rooftops.
After several hours of walking, the walls of a village came into view, small, sturdy, and guarded.
"Finally," Arin said, stretching his arms.
"Civilization!"
"Or bureaucracy," I whispered.
Thalorein's gates rose ahead, simple but well-kept, standing between the forest and the village beyond. Guards were stationed along the walls, eyes alert and hands hovering near weapons.
As we drew closer, two of them stepped forward, their armor catching the sunlight, spears at the ready. The air felt heavier here, like the town itself was waiting to judge us.
The guard in silver armor was a striking figure. Blonde hair caught the sunlight even under his helmet. Sharp eyes carried the weight of someone in his mid-twenties.
A thin scar etched across his left cheek was a silent testimony to battles fought and survived. His posture was rigid. Every movement was precise, giving the impression of someone who took his duty very seriously.
He stepped forward, spear in hand, and his voice was firm, carrying over the quiet murmur of the gate.
"State your names and the reason for entering Thalorein."
I'm Kinon. This is Arin, and Lysera. We came from the dungeon nearby, to check on the Orrynth. We're just simple travelers, that's all."
The guard blinked, his pale blue eyes widening slightly.
"A dungeon, near Thalorein? That is impossible. There are no records, no sightings. It was only a legend."
He tightened his grip on his spear, scanning us like he expected us to vanish in smoke.
"If what you say is true. You actually went inside? And survived?"
Arin smirked, elbows propped on his hips.
"Yeah, we went in. Pretty fun, actually, being chased down, almost eaten by monsters. Oh, and the Orrynth? Thought we were goners for sure, but somehow we survived."
I nudged him lightly. "Arin, now is really not the time to brag."
"Oops, my bad, Master. Got a bit carried away there," Arin said, letting out a short whistle.
Lysera hovered a bit above the ground, her calm expression unshaken.
"Captain, if you require proof, we can provide it."
The man's eyes darted between us, clearly overwhelmed. After a tense moment, he let out a shaky breath.
"Sounds rough. I'm glad you all made it out alive," he said, his tone a mix of relief and awe.
Then, He straightened, trying to regain authority, his voice firm despite the unease.
"Pardon my late introduction. I am Libert Enville, captain of the village guards here in Thalorein."
He leaned toward me, whispering almost shyly.
"You're adventurers, right?"
Arin shrugged casually, giving me a sideways glance.
"Adventurers? Maybe. We're just wandering around. Killing monsters happens to be a habit."
Libert's gaze softened slightly, a faint hint of admiration crossing his features. He muttered under his breath, almost to himself, "I hope I can be like that one day."
I caught the words, but I stayed silent, letting him collect himself.
Finally, he turned fully to us.
"Very well. Welcome to Thalorein…"
Before he could finish, a deafening howl tore through the air, cutting off his words completely. Smoke curled from rooftops, and the distant screams of townsfolk reached our ears.
His words were cut off by a sudden bone-rattling howl tearing through the air.
We froze. Smoke rose from the heart of the village. Shouts erupted.
"Captain!" a soldier screamed, running toward us.
"A monster! It's attacking the market district!"
"What?" Libert's eyes widened in disbelief.
Without hesitation, he sprinted past us, barking orders to his men.
Arin looked at me.
"A monster inside a fortified town? How's that even possible?"
I clenched my jaw. "Doesn't matter. We can't just stand here."
Lysera's voice was firm. "Master, your command."
"Simple," I said. "We help."
Arin's grin returned.
"Now that's what I wanted to hear."
The market was chaos.
Carts lay overturned, stalls shattered, smoke filling the air. Villagers ran in all directions, screaming. A hulking creature loomed at the center, its body warped and pulsing with erratic mana.
Libert and his guards had formed a loose perimeter, but none dared approach.
"Hold the line!" Libert shouted, voice cracking slightly.
"Arin, flank left," I ordered, drawing my weapon.
"Lysera, stay behind me. Stabilize the mana if it goes wild."
The creature roared, its limbs elongating, fur bristling with black smoke. Every step radiated pressure, twisting the air.
My chest tightened. That mana, dark, unstable, familiar.
"Master!" Lysera called.
"That's no natural beast!"
"I know," I said through clenched teeth.
"Its mana, it's infected."
I crouched behind a broken cart, eyes locked on the monster.
"If I can drain its mana, I might stabilize it."
"That's risky!" Arin shouted, dodging a flying crate.
"Everything's risky," I replied, focusing my breathing.
I reached out, letting the Codex hum against my chest. Mana gathered at my fingertips, swirling into an invisible thread.
"Mana Drain!"
The world erupted in color.
Purple and black streams of energy tore through the air, spiraling into me. My veins burned. My lungs felt like fire. Lysera rushed behind me, her hands pressing to my back, channeling her mana into mine to keep the torrent from consuming me.
"Focus, Master! Don't lose control!"
"I know!"
The monster's scream pierced the air, its body trembling, mana boiling off like steam. My vision blurred, flashes of light streaking across the chaos.
I felt it, its pain, its fear. Beneath the madness, something human pulsed.
Then, with one last surge, I pulled.
The light exploded outward, and everything went white.
When the glow faded, silence fell.
The creature was gone. In its place lay a young beastkin boy, unconscious, faint trails of mana rising from his skin. A hooded girl rushed forward, eyes wide with tears.
"Kael! Please, Kael!"
I knelt beside the boy, heart pounding. The girl, Seraphine, held his face gently in her hands, trembling as she whispered, "You don't have to suffer anymore. You're safe now."
In my mind, I took in their appearances. Seraphine with her pale complexion, pink twintails framing her semi-pointed ears, and piercing crimson eyes reflecting sorrow and fierce determination. And Kael, his grey wolf-like fur marked half human, features rough but holding a deep, protective strength beneath exhaustion.
Her voice cracked, heavy with years of pain. I could see it in her sharp features, the faint glow of her lesser vampire nature in her eyes, and the raw fear buried beneath her hope.
Kael stirred weakly, gasping, eyes fluttering open. He tried to speak but only managed a strained whisper.
"Seraphine…"
She shushed him softly, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"It's okay. You're free."
I looked between them and felt a weight settle in my chest.
"Tell me… what happened? How did this monster come to be?"
Seraphine's hands clenched tightly.
"It was Benton," she said bitterly.
"A cruel slave merchant. He forced Kael to swallow a corrupted mana crystal. Said it would make him strong. But it twisted him into that…"
She glanced down at Kael with fierce protectiveness.
"He did it to protect me. We were the three closest in the camp. The best friends we had."
Kael's voice was raw but steady.
"I didn't want to become a monster. I swallowed the crystal only because I couldn't stand the thought of Benton hurting Seraphine if I refused."
I swallowed hard, anger and sorrow mixing inside.
"That's horrific. You were both trapped and used as weapons."
Lysera's calm voice broke the moment.
"Master, they bear scars deeper than we yet understand."
I nodded, my resolve hardening.
"No one deserves to suffer like that. I swear, Kael, Seraphine, I'll free you both. From those chains, from that torment. You won't be slaves anymore."
Kael's voice was weak but steady.
"Why would you help us? We're just slaves."
"Because," I said quietly, meeting his eyes,
"I know what it feels like to be powerless."
Seraphine's eyes shone faintly with hope and disbelief as she grasped my hands.
"Do you really mean that?"
"Absolutely," I said firmly.
"I'll make it happen no matter what."
Kael tried a weak smile.
"You fight monsters. Maybe you can fight ours too."
Before I could answer, a ripple of movement caught my eye.
Across the crowd that had gathered, a figure stepped forward, shrouded in a dark hood with face hidden. He watched silently, aura cold and unreadable.
Lysera's gaze sharpened. "Master, someone is here."
I followed her eyes, heart tightening.
The figure didn't move but then, without warning, vanished into the crowd as if swallowed by shadows.
The moment passed, but the chill remained.
I looked at Kael and Seraphine once more.
"We have to be ready. More dangers are coming."
And somewhere deep in the crowd, unseen, a shadow smiled.