Cave Dungeon (2)

The low growls bounced throughout the cave walls. Bagwis and Alab instinctively stopped to scan the area in rapt attention.

Suddenly, a pack of beasts—hulking creatures with glowing red eyes and thick, fur-covered bodies emerged and surrounded them.

"Damn," Alab muttered and pointed his sword towards the beasts.

Bagwis took a step back as his hand hovered near his dagger, but he knew this would be Alab's show.

The former knight stepped forward, his calm demeanor unshaken.

The pack leader, a particularly large beast with molten eyes, snarled and lunged at Alab. Without hesitation, Alab's sword ignited in brilliant blue flames. His sword mana flared, bathing the area in a cold, eerie glow.

Alab's voice was low and steady. "Flame Rend."

With a swift, powerful slash, a torrent of blue fire arced from his sword, cleaving through the lead beast with terrifying precision. The flames didn't just burn—they seared with mana, consuming the creature's life force entirely. The beast crumbled, its body turning to ash.

Witnessing their leaders demise, the beasts were momentarily stunned but they showed no attempts of backing down.

Alab's eyes narrowed as the remaining beasts circled him. "Come."

He once again raised his sword, blue flames crackling as he prepared another strike. "Infernal Edge!"

In an instant, Alab swung his sword in a wide arc, sending waves of blue fire roaring outward. The flames spread like wildfire and consumed the beasts as they howled in agony, their bodies igniting and crumbling to the ground one after another.

Bagwis watched in awe, though he tried to mask it with a nonchalant grin. Inside, however, he marveled at Alab's power. Impressive...very impressive. Bagwis' eyes gleamed. With this man at my side, my plans will go even smoother.

Alab sheathed his sword, the blue flames flickering out. He glanced back at Bagwis, his expression unreadable. "Still want to go deeper in?"

Bagwis didn't miss a beat, putting on his usual charming smile. "Absolutely. With you around what could possibly go wrong?"

Alab didn't respond, but the look in his eyes suggested that he wasn't buying Bagwis' act—not entirely, at least.

They continued onward the cave. Bagwis' excitement grew, knowing that the sundial—and whatever power it held—was just within reach.

As they ventured deeper into the cave. He could feel it in his bones—he was on the verge of something big. But then, without warning, the ground beneath their feet rumbled. The cave walls trembled, dust and small rocks falling from the ceiling as the entire place seemed to shift.

"Again—?!" Alab muttered,his blade igniting with a brilliant blue flame.

"Ah, a little cave tremor," Bagwis said, his tone far too casual given the circumstances. "Seems like something's about to come."

The ground rumbled again, more violently this time, and a low growl echoed from deeper within the cave. Alab's grip on his sword tightened. "That's not just a normal tremor."

Before Bagwis could respond with a duh, a massive figure emerged from the shadows—a hulking, stone-skinned creature with glowing red eyes and jagged claws that scraped against the cave floor. Its monstrous form filled the cavern, radiating raw power.

"A guardian golem?" Alab said, his voice cold and steady with slight confusion, eyes locked on the creature. "Looks like we've got company."

Bagwis took a step back, a mix of awe and excitement flashing in his eyes. "Well, this is a surprise. Alab you're up again!"

"...." Alab felt his left brow twitch. As much as he enjoys slicing things up he can't help but feel that Bagwis is using him as some convenient sword.

The golem roared, its voice shaking the walls, and then it charged.

"Flame Rend!"

Alab reacted instantly, his sword slashing through the air, a trail of blue flames following his movements. The golem's claws collided with his blade, sparks flying as the two forces met with a deafening crash. Alab's sword mana flared, blue flames surging around him as he pushed back against the golem's immense strength.

Bagwis, meanwhile, darted to the side, barely avoiding a swipe from the golem's other arm. He wasn't much of a fighter, at least, not without the proper preparation but he wasn't about to let that stop him from helping out a comrade.

"Alab!" Bagwis called out, his voice full of forced optimism. "You handle the slicing part. I'll—uh—provide moral support."

Alab shot him a glare but didn't respond, too focused on fending off the golem's relentless attacks.

"Infernal Edge!" His sword cut through the air in swift, precise movements, each strike leaving trails of blue flame across the golem's stone body. But the creature was tough—its rocky skin absorbing most of the impact.

With a roar, the golem swung its massive fist down toward Alab. In a split-second, Alab sidestepped, his sword slicing through the golem's arm, the blue flames burning brighter as they cut through the creature's left arm's stone hide. The golem bellowed in pain, staggering backward.

"Nice!" Bagwis shouted, genuinely impressed. "Now let's finish it off before—"

The ground shook again, and this time, cracks began to form in the cave walls. Rocks tumbled down, the cave threatening to collapse.

"Bagwis!" Alab shouted, his voice laced with urgency. "The cave's coming down! We need to get out of here!"

Bagwis glanced around, eyes wide. This is bad. But just as he was about to agree, something caught his eye—gleaming faintly in rubbles from the guardian golems chopped arm. The sundial!

It was nestled in the dirt rubble, half-buried but unmistakable. His heart raced. That's it! The artifact!

"Bagwis!" Alab yelled again, but Bagwis was already moving, darting towards the sundial.

"Just a second!" Bagwis shouted back, scooping up the artifact in one swift motion.

The moment his fingers touched the sundial, a surge of corrupted mana shot through him, cold and electric. He gasped as his eyes widened when he felt the power pulse through his palms. But there was no time to revel in the moment for the cave was collapsing around them.

"Let's go!" Alab shouted, slashing at the golem one final time before bolting toward the exit.

Bagwis followed, the cursed sundial clutched tightly in his hand. They sprinted toward the cave entrance as the walls came crashing down behind them. With one last burst of speed, they burst out into the open air, just as the cave collapsed in a cloud of dust and rubble.

Breathing heavily, Alab turned to Bagwis, his eyes blazing with frustration. "You could've died!"

Bagwis, still clutching the artifact, flashed a triumphant grin. "Maybe. But look what I found!" He held up the sundial with a proud boyish grin.

Alab stared at him, exasperated but impressed. "You're going to get yourself killed one day, you know that?"

Bagwis laughed, his eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and mischief. "Maybe. But not today. After all I had you!" My perfect meatshield!

And with that, they turned toward the distant city of Balintara with the sundial artifact in hand.