"How far does this tunnel go? We've been walking for hours," Rey complained, his voice echoing through the narrow space.
They had already encountered two waves of golems, and the repetition of combat was starting to wear on his nerves.
"Just keep walking," Jett replied without turning back.
"Yeah, we'll definitely find sothing. I'm sure of it," Cedric chid in, a tone of determination in his voice. "At least we're lucky it's just one straight tunnel: no branching sections to throw us off."
The tunnel felt endless, a narrow, dimly lit path that seed to stretch into oblivion. The walls were smooth and cold, devoid of any markings or signs of life, amplifying the sense of isolation. Every sound of their footsteps seed to grow louder, adding to the eerie loneliness.
"Exactly," Jett added, "we don't need to waste ti finding the right route."
"I guess that's true," Rey muttered as he continued walking, still feeling the weight of the journey but comforted by the simplicity of the path.
Suddenly, they were greeted by another wave of golems, their massive stone forms rising from the ground in unison.
"This is becoming very annoying," Rey sighed, clearly tired of the repetitive encounters.
"Alright, let's do this," Jett said, stepping forward, not wanting to waste any more ti.
Rey unleashed his [Inferno] skill and Jett casted {Hell Fire}, flas roaring to life as they enveloped the golems. Simultaneously, Cedric activated his [Excavation] skill, causing the ground beneath the golems to collapse, trapping them in a pit. Rey moved swiftly, finishing them off with precise strikes.
Together, their combined efforts reduced the golems to rubble. "That should just about do it," Rey said as the last of the golems crumbled into dust.
They resud their walk, the tunnel seemingly endless once again, until Cedric and Jett suddenly ca to a stop, causing Rey to nearly bump into them.
"Why are we stopping?" Rey asked from behind, not able to see what had made them freeze in their tracks.
As he stepped forward, his eyes widened at the sight before them: an enormous stone door, intricately carved with ancient symbols.
As the trio stood before the massive door, Cedric's gaze lingered on the two stone figures that flanked it. Upon closer inspection, the figures weren't just statues: they appeared too lifelike, their features intricately detailed. Jett narrowed his eyes, his gut churning as a sinking realization dawned on him.
"Look at that," Cedric muttered, pointing at the two massive stone figures flanking a colossal door.
"Wait a second," Jett muttered, moving toward the figure on the left. "Cedric… Rey, do you see what I see?"
Rey and Cedric stepped forward, eyes widening in unison as they examined the figure more closely. The figure's face, though partially encased in stone, was unmistakable. The delicate features, the familiar aura: even through the petrified state, it was clear.
"That's… Seraphina," Cedric said, his voice barely above a whisper, the shock weighing down his words. "How the hell did she end up like this?"
Jett clenched his fists, staring in disbelief. "No way. Seraphina… turned to stone? This is insane."
"If she's here," Rey added, glancing at the other statue next to her, "then this might be the princess." He hesitated, eyeing the second figure. The face wasn't as familiar, but the regal attire and stance made it clear that this wasn't just anyone.
*****
anwhile, back with Asher and the others, they stood facing the dusa-like figure that had erged from the fallen golem. Her form was ethereal, her body seemingly made of swirling shadow and stone, and her eyes glowed with an ominous power.
They had already expended most of their energy on the previous battle, and now they were up against a level 120 boss, far stronger than any of them anticipated.
"Alright, we don't have a choice, we're definitely facing dusa." Asher said, his voice tense but controlled. "We hit her with everything we've got, but watch out for her gaze. If she stares at you too long, you'll turn to stone."
The group nodded, each summoning their pets to aid in the fight. Matthew's Ironback Bear growled as it stepped forward, its massive form positioned defensively. Elora's Death Wolf snarled, pacing as it eyed the dusa. Evelina had her Archer Faerie at the ready, hovering just above her shoulder, preparing to enchant her arrows.
Asher's Wraith Bat erged from the shadows, fluttering silently above his head, ready to strike.
"Spread out!" Asher yelled as the fight began.
Matthew charged in first, his Ironback Bear roaring as it took the lead, smashing its massive paws into the ground, sending tremors toward the dusa. She barely flinched, raising her hand and sending a wave of energy that sent the bear staggering back. The dusa was fast: too fast for sothing that looked like it should move sluggishly.
Elora's Death Wolf darted forward, trying to flank her, its ethereal body blending with the shadows to strike from the side. But the dusa was prepared. She let out a piercing scream, and a wave of dark energy expanded outward, knocking the wolf back mid-lunge.
"Damn it!" Elora cursed as she watched her wolf struggle to get back on its feet.
Evelina, seeing an opening, let loose a volley of arrows, each one glowing with the enchantnt from her Archer Faerie. The arrows flew with precision, but as they neared the dusa, she raised her hand, forming a barrier that shattered them before they could reach her.
"She's blocking everything!" Evelina growled, her frustration mounting.
Asher, his Wraith Bat blending into the shadows, tried a different approach. He commanded the bat to use its paralyzing touch, hoping to freeze the dusa in place.
The Wraith Bat darted in, faster than the eye could see, but just as it was about to strike, the dusa's gaze snapped to it, and the bat stopped mid-air, turning to stone in an instant before falling to the ground, shattering upon impact.
Asher's heart sank at the sight, but he couldn't afford to lose focus. "Keep moving!" he shouted. "Don't let her stare at you!"
The dusa then unleashed her special attack. She let out a guttural cry, and the snakes that ford her hair writhed and hissed, growing longer and more nacing. Suddenly, the ground beneath the group trembled as sharp stone pillars shot upward from the earth, targeting each of them.
Rosa was nearly impaled but managed to leap back just in ti, while Matthew was forced to shield himself behind his bear.
Elora's wolf lunged at the dusa again, but this ti, she summoned a blast of petrifying mist, instantly freezing the wolf in mid-air. The beast turned to stone before hitting the ground with a dull thud.
"Watch out!" Elora cried, but it was too late.
Matthew's Ironback Bear charged again, but the dusa raised both her arms, and with a flick of her wrist, the bear was lifted into the air and smashed down, hard, into the stone pillars. The bear let out a painful roar before crumbling to dust. Matthew stood frozen, disbelief in his eyes. His most powerful defense was gone in an instant.
Evelina fired another arrow, aiming for the dusa's chest, but it was knocked aside by another wave of dark energy. "No fair, I'm exhausted!" she whined, pulling back, her hands trembling from fatigue.
Asher leaped in with his dual swords, hoping to catch her off guard with a quick, close-range strike. But the dusa twisted her body with unnatural grace, dodging each blow effortlessly. In a single swift movent, she grabbed Asher by the throat, lifting him off the ground. He gasped for air, struggling in her grip as her eyes began to glow, ready to turn him to stone.
"Asher!" Rosa scread, rushing forward, trying to cast a spell to free him, but her energy was nearly depleted.
[Dark Stab]
It was only thanks to Asher's sheer will that he managed to summon a burst of energy, causing his daggers to ignite with shadowy flas. He slashed downward, forcing the dusa to release him just before she could turn him into a statue.
He hit the ground hard, gasping for breath, but he wasn't ready to give up.
"We can't keep this up," Rosa panted, watching the dusa laugh at their futile attempts.
"Damn it… she's toying with us," Asher groaned, standing back up. "We need a plan."
dusa was still strong, barely phased, and they were quickly running out of options. The fight had gone from difficult to impossible in a matter of minutes, and they realized that this wasn't a battle they could easily win.
Asher glanced at Evelina, who caught his gaze. Despite the dire situation, they shared a faint smirk. It was awkward, yet sohow comforting. They might be in over their heads, but they weren't going down without a fight.
"Alright, guys," Asher said, his voice steady. "Anyone who can't use physical attacks, stay as far away from her as possible. We'll figure this out."
Matthew, now without his bear, nodded grimly. "I'll keep her busy. You guys find a way."
The team regrouped, bruised and exhausted but she was just too strong.
*****
Jett stepped forward cautiously, pulling the crown from his storage space, the golden glint catching the low light in the tunnel. "I want to test sothing," he said, glancing at the massive door before them.
Cedric quickly pieced it together and nodded in agreent. "Oh I see what you're trying to do, it's worth a shot."
Rey, on the other hand, furrowed his brow in frustration, clearly out of the loop. "Why does it feel like I'm always the last one to catch on when you two start scheming?" he grumbled, crossing his arms.
Jett smirked, sliding the crown onto his head. "Maybe if you tried paying attention, you wouldn't be asking that question."
Rey rolled his eyes, watching as Jett stood expectantly in front of the door. They all waited, but nothing happened. The air remained still, the heavy stone door unmoved.
"So…? What exactly are we waiting for again?" Rey asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jett and Cedric exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of disappointnt and confusion.
"I really thought that would work," Jett muttered, just as he stepped closer to the door. Suddenly, the ground rumbled beneath their feet, and the door began to shake, the stone creaking and groaning as it slowly slid open, revealing a pitiful sight beyond.
Inside was a pitiful sight. Freya knelt on the ground, her hands glowing with soft magic as she worked to heal Elora, Evelina and Finn, whose face was pale and drained. Marcella and Morrigan were busy feeding healing pills to Finn and Asher, who looked battered and barely conscious. The air reeked of exhaustion, the toll of the fight evident in every corner of the room.
But what grabbed their attention was the figure of dusa standing in the center, her cold, deadly gaze fixed on them, her snakes writhing as if preparing for the next attack.
"Seems like we're not too late," Rey said, a grin creeping across his face despite the grim scene.
Jett's eyes sparkled with a dangerous excitent. "Say, Cedric, you ready to be a hero? It's your ti to shine."
Cedric shrieked, he couldn't reciprocate their excitent, "More than ready."
It was clear: Jett and Rey's excitent wasn't just for the fight. It was for the thrill of the challenge. They were stepping into the lion's den, and they couldn't be more eager for what ca next.
*
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[[Sigh, this evil author just took out so pets to quench his wicked thirst.]]
"You really don't have to put it like that though."
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