Aeliana observed the exchange between Lirian and Dorian with interest, her sharp eyes noting the tension laced in Lirian's voice. The rogue had stepped forward, one hand gripping the hilt of his twin swords, frustration evident in the set of his jaw.
"What's wrong with you, Dorian?" Lirian snapped. "Going ahead of us like that, without a word? You could've gotten yourself killed."
Dorian rely rolled his shoulders in an easy, dismissive manner. "Relax, Lirian. I was scouting ahead. It's what you usually do, isn't it?"
Lirian's scowl deepened. "Don't turn this around. You never do that. You always insist on sticking to formation. Now, all of a sudden, you're charging ahead like so reckless fool?"
Aeliana's gaze flickered between them, her mind turning. They must be close, she thought. The way Lirian spoke, the obvious concern hidden beneath the irritation—it wasn't just a leader and his scout talking. There was history here, sothing deeper than simple camaraderie.
Selene let out a low whistle. "Wow. Lirian's actually worried. That's new."
Boren chuckled, leaning on his warhamr. "Reminds of the ti he nearly knocked Dorian unconscious for taking a hit ant for him."
Lirian shot them both a glare before returning his attention to Dorian. "Seriously. What's going on with you?"
Dorian's smirk faltered, just for a mont. It was quick—so quick that if Aeliana hadn't been watching closely, she might have missed it. But it was there. A flicker of sothing unreadable behind his green eyes.
Then, just as fast, his usual confidence returned. "Nothing's wrong," he said smoothly. "I just had a feeling we were close."
Aeliana narrowed her eyes. That wasn't a real answer.
Garrik crossed his arms. "Close to what, exactly?"
Dorian hesitated for a fraction of a second before replying, "The blacksmith. Or at least, whatever operation he's running down here."
Elias sighed, his voice carrying a hint of exasperation. "If that's true, then you should have said sothing instead of running off ahead. We don't separate in unknown territory."
Dorian shrugged. "I had it under control."
Lirian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. "You always say that."
Kael, who had been quiet up until now, suddenly spoke, his voice edged with suspicion. "Are you sure that's all this is about?"
Everyone turned to look at him, and Aeliana saw the slight shift in Dorian's posture. The way his shoulders tensed just enough to be noticeable. The way his fingers flexed at his sides. He was hiding sothing.
Dorian t Kael's gaze evenly. "Of course. What else would it be?"
Kael didn't answer right away. He held Dorian's stare, unblinking, unyielding. The air between them grew heavier, the tension thickening like storm clouds before a downpour.
Then, after what felt like an eternity, Kael simply muttered, "Fine." But his expression made it clear he wasn't convinced.
Aeliana exchanged a glance with Rhys, who was leaning against the dungeon wall, arms crossed. He arched a brow at her, as if silently asking whether she believed Dorian's words. She didn't answer, but she knew the truth—Dorian wasn't telling them everything.
Still, they had no choice but to move forward.
Selene clapped her hands together. "Alright, now that we're done with the drama, can we get going? If we are close, I'd rather not stand around waiting for sothing ugly to jump out at us."
Boren nodded. "Agreed. Let's keep moving."
Aeliana took one last look at Dorian before turning away. Whatever he was hiding, she would find out soon enough.
As they pressed forward into the darkened corridor, the air grew noticeably colder. The stone walls were damp, the scent of earth and decay thick in the air. It was as if the dungeon itself was holding its breath, waiting.
Kael took point, sword in hand despite its dulled edge. Aeliana followed just behind him, keeping her senses sharp. She wasn't going to be caught off guard again.
Then, just as they rounded a corner, a low, guttural growl echoed through the tunnel.
Everyone froze.
Selene muttered, "That didn't sound like a wargolem."
Elias extended a hand, murmuring a quiet incantation. A faint glow flickered around his fingers, illuminating the tunnel in an eerie blue light. The shadows twisted and stretched along the walls—until sothing moved.
Aeliana barely had ti to react before a massive shape lunged from the darkness.
"Get back!" Kael shouted, shoving her aside just as the creature's claws raked through the air where she had been standing.
The beast was unlike anything she had ever seen. It had the body of a massive wolf, but its skin was twisted and rotting, patches of fur missing to reveal unnatural, glowing veins beneath. Its eyes burned a sickly yellow, its maw lined with jagged, uneven fangs.
"Voidspawn," Elias hissed. "It shouldn't be here."
Boren wasted no ti. With a roar, he swung his warhamr, aiming for the creature's head. The impact sent a sickening crunch through the air, but the beast barely staggered.
Aeliana rolled to her feet, gripping her sword tightly. "If it shouldn't be here, then why is it?"
Dorian had drawn his blade, his jaw clenched. "Because sothing down here is calling them."
Lirian cursed under his breath. "Fantastic."
The creature snarled, its gaze locking onto Aeliana. In an instant, it leapt toward her.
She had no ti to think. Only ti to react.
She raised her sword, bracing herself for impact—when suddenly, another blade intercepted the attack.
Dorian.
He had moved faster than she expected, his long sword catching the beast's claws mid-swipe. With a grunt of effort, he twisted his weapon, forcing the creature back.
Aeliana exhaled sharply, nodding in thanks.
But there was no ti for relief.
Because as the voidspawn recoiled, a second set of glowing yellow eyes flickered to life in the darkness beyond.
Then another.
Then another.
And suddenly, they weren't facing one monster anymore.
They were surrounded.
....
As the eerie yellow eyes multiplied in the darkness, Aeliana's grip on her sword tightened. The voidspawn weren't just an anomaly—they were hunting sothing, or soone. The air crackled with unnatural energy, sending an involuntary chill down her spine.
Behind her, Lirian let out a small sigh. "You know, this is exactly why I hate dungeons."
Aeliana turned slightly to glance at the girl. Lirian's delicate fra and youthful features were deceptive; she barely looked older than thirteen, her petite form swathed in a cloak that nearly swallowed her up. But those who dismissed her as a helpless child were in for a rude awakening.
"I thought you hated temples more," Elias muttered, flicking his wrist as a small orb of light hovered in his palm.
"I do," Lirian replied, her voice carrying an odd lilt, both airy and ancient at once. "But this place has a similar feel—old, forgotten, full of things that want to eat us."
Boren chuckled. "And here I thought you liked bloodshed."
Lirian turned her large, crimson eyes toward him, tilting her head in a way that sent a shiver down Aeliana's spine. "I like blood, Boren," she corrected with a dainty smile. "Not bloodshed. There's a difference."
Selene snorted. "Right. Your refined diet of pure baby lamb blood makes you so cultured."
Lirian pouted. "It's the purest and least tainted. I'm quite particular."
"Can we not have this conversation while we're about to be ripped apart?" Kael snapped, shifting his stance as one of the voidspawn tensed, preparing to pounce.
Dorian's smirk returned, though his grip on his blade remained firm. "On three again?"
Aeliana exhaled, falling into step beside him. "On three."
"One—"
Before she could finish, Lirian suddenly raised a delicate hand, and a wave of unnatural silence fell over the tunnel. It wasn't the absence of noise but rather the sense that sound itself had been stolen, replaced by sothing heavier. Sothing ancient.
Aeliana's breath hitched. She had seen Lirian use her magic before, but there was sothing unsettling about it every ti. It wasn't the divine light of a cleric or the careful chants of a druid. No, Lirian's power was sothing other. Sothing older.
The voidspawn, sensing the shift, hesitated. Their snarling grew softer, their eyes flickering uncertainly.
"They're not natural creatures," Lirian murmured. "Which ans they can be… persuaded."
She stepped forward, ignoring Kael's outstretched hand telling her to stop. As she moved, the darkness itself seed to warp around her, as if hesitant to touch her directly. Her presence commanded a strange reverence.
The nearest voidspawn growled low in its throat, but its stance shifted. It no longer looked like a predator about to strike—it looked confused.
Aeliana's heart pounded. Was Lirian actually taming it?
"Fascinating," Elias murmured. "I've never seen them hesitate before."
Lirian smiled sweetly, fangs glinting. "That's because you don't know how to talk to them."
Boren huffed. "Right. And what exactly are you saying?"
Lirian didn't answer imdiately. She raised her hand higher, fingers curling in a slow, deliberate motion. The voidspawn closest to her let out a low, uneasy whine—before suddenly collapsing onto its side, breathing heavily.
The others snarled, shifting uneasily, but they didn't imdiately attack.
"I'm telling them…" Lirian said softly, her gaze glowing faintly in the dim light, "that they belong to now."
A heavy silence followed.
Dorian arched a brow. "And they're just going to accept that?"
Lirian giggled, a sound that would have been innocent if not for the eerie echo that followed. "Oh, they don't have a choice."
The collapsed voidspawn twitched, its body shuddering unnaturally. Aeliana's stomach turned as she watched the glowing veins across its skin pulse once—then dim.
It exhaled deeply, almost as if in surrender.
The others, sensing the shift, let out low, guttural noises—uncertainty, fear, submission.
Then, one by one, the creatures backed away, slinking into the shadows as if retreating from sothing far more dangerous than them.
Aeliana let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Well," Selene said, breaking the silence. "That's one way to handle it."
Kael, still tense, turned to Lirian. "What did you do?"
Lirian twirled on her heel, clasping her hands behind her back. "I simply reminded them that I'm older than them. And that they should behave."
Elias pinched the bridge of his nose. "You terrify ."
Lirian bead. "Thank you!"
Dorian sighed, sheathing his blade. "Well, that saves us so trouble. But let's not count on it working every ti. If there's more of them, they might not all be so… receptive."
Aeliana nodded. "We need to keep moving."
Kael, though still visibly uneasy, relented. "Agreed. But Lirian, if you ever don't feel like handling them this way, please warn us before we have to fight them the hard way."
Lirian humd in thought. "Mmm… no promises."
Kael groaned, rubbing his temple.
Selene patted his back. "You'll live."
Aeliana glanced once more toward the shadows where the voidspawn had disappeared.
Reviews
All reviews (0)