Chapter 13: The Inferno

The interior of the pyramid was cool and dim, a stark contrast to the blazing heat outside. The walls were covered in ancient hieroglyphs and strange symbols that glowed faintly in the dark, casting eerie shadows across the floor. The first room we entered was empty except for a large stone door on the opposite side, sealed tight.

"We need to solve the puzzle to open the door," ShadowStalker said. His voice echoed slightly in the cavernous space. He examined the glowing symbols on the walls. "I think."

The puzzles inside the pyramid were as complex as they were frustrating. Some involved shifting massive stone blocks into intricate patterns, each one demanding both strength and precision. Others required us to decipher cryptic riddles etched in glowing hieroglyphs, their meanings buried beneath layers of obscure references. Each puzzle we solved brought us closer to the heart of the pyramid, but progress was painfully slow. Hours seemed to crawl by as we struggled with the intricate mechanisms, our frustration growing with every misstep.

"This is taking forever," I muttered, pushing yet another heavy block into place, the sound of stone grinding against stone grating on my nerves.

"At least it's not as bad as the desert," ShadowStalker replied. He wasn't wrong—compared to the scorching heat outside, the cool air inside the pyramid was a relief. But the mental strain of the puzzles was beginning to wear on us.

 Yeah, I really didn't like puzzles.

Daisy: Typical UU23

After what felt like an eternity, we solved the last puzzle. The massive stone door before us rumbled and slowly slid open, revealing a long, dark corridor that led deeper into the pyramid.

"Here we go," ShadowStalker said, his voice tinged with both anticipation and exhaustion. The corridor seemed to stretch on forever, the dim light from the glowing symbols barely illuminating the way forward.

Viewer5: Oh boy!

Viewer6: This game is hella noice!~

Viewer8: Man I love the graphics!

We stepped into the final chamber, expecting to face a powerful mummy or some other ancient guardian. But to our surprise, the room was empty—except for a large, ornate pedestal in the center. Perched atop the pedestal was a magnificent bird, its feathers a brilliant orange that glowed with an almost fiery intensity, casting a warm light across the chamber.

"This is it?" I asked, confusion creeping into my voice. "Where's the boss?"

As if in response, the bird spread its wings and let out a deafening screech, the sound reverberating off the stone walls.

"Quick Slash!" I whipped it and took it down just like that! "Even those first monsters didn't go out this easy," I said.

The air around it crackled with energy, and its body began to shift and change. The feathers darkened, turning from bright orange to a deep, ominous red, and its eyes glowed with a menacing light.

"Spoke too soon," ShadowStalker said, readying his lance. "Get ready—this is just its first form."

"Multiple-form bosses, eh? Should have expected as much," I muttered, tightening my grip on my sword.

Its feathers melted away to reveal thick scales that shimmered in the dim light. The bird's wings elongated, becoming leathery, and its body grew larger, more menacing. In seconds, the bird had morphed into an enormous, red dragon.

The blood in my veins went cold. A dragon? Here? Now? The sheer size and power of it was overwhelming, and the reality of the fight ahead hit me like a sledgehammer.

The dragon's transformation was complete in what felt like an eternity, though it was only moments. Its eyes blazed with fury, and it let out a roar that shook the very walls of the pyramid, the sound vibrating through my bones. And I had aggro.

Fucked, I was.

"Are you kidding me?" I muttered, my voice barely audible over the dragon's roar. "This wasn't in the quest."

Daisy: Whee~!

"Forget the quest," ShadowStalker said. "We need to focus—this thing is way out of our league." He was right. All bosses in the game had a minimum level requirement displayed in red near the bottom of their health bar. This one was no different. Level 49. We weren't even 15!

The dragon reared back, and without warning, unleashed a torrent of fire. The heat was unbearable, far more intense than anything we had faced in the desert. I barely had time to dive to the side, rolling out of the path of the flames, while ShadowStalker used his agility to leap behind a nearby pillar.

God I was glad, I set the room temp so low.

The dragon was relentless. It swung its massive tail, sending shockwaves through the ground, and followed up with another blast of fire, turning the chamber into an inferno. My health bar was dropping faster than I could keep up, and it felt like every attack was designed to wear us down, inch by inch.

"This is insane!" I shouted, taking cover behind another pillar as the dragon's claws tore through the stone where I had just been standing. "How are we supposed to beat this thing?"

Viewer4: Isn't this a scripted battle?

Viewer9: Unwinnable, probably.

"There has to be a pattern," ShadowStalker replied, his voice strained as he narrowly avoided a burst of fire. "We need to find its weakness."

But finding a weakness in a creature like this was easier said than done. The dragon was faster, stronger, and more dangerous than anything we'd faced before. It felt like the difficulty had been cranked up to an impossible level, and every second of the fight pushed us closer to defeat.

"The minimum level requirement is 49, dude," I said, trying to catch my breath.

"This game never had a level requirement. If you're good, you can do it. I know I can. Can you?" He paused, his voice tense. "No, fuck that. WILL YOU!?"

I was at a loss for words. Could I? Probably not.

But. "Fuck yeah, I will!"

"Then that's enough."

Viewer 11: This is suicide.

Daisy: You can do it, Mofos.

IKYKYK: I'll give them two minutes.