Durnokh Striders

"Activating the dungeon isn't hard. As long as we infuse mana into it, it teleports us inside." Her lips curled into a proud smirk. "As for knowing how many people the dungeon can accept, that's thanks to my knowledge of magic. By analyzing the magical pattern and the total mana capacity it uses to activate, I can estimate how many people it can teleport." 

She then turned to Ben, eyes shimmering with expectation, like a puppy waiting to be praised. Her expression practically screamed, 'See? You shouldn't regret being soulbound to me. I'm useful.'

But Ben ignored her, casually shifting his focus elsewhere. Her face immediately soured into a pout. "Go try it then. I'll think of another way to get in."

Elvira didn't reply, but her glare bore into him. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing. Forget it." Her tone turned cold as she started forming a magic circle around her, analyzing the engravings with precise movements.

Ben let out a heavy sigh. "You're a genius mage. I'm lucky to meet you. There, happy?"

Elvira didn't respond, but he caught the slight curl of her lips before she quickly hid it. Ben shook his head and turned his gaze upward. 'This is the only spot I haven't checked yet.' As he studied the ceiling, something felt off. 'This place is lit, but there's no light source… Is this magic too?' He glanced around again. The room was oval-shaped, with one defining feature—the massive vault door. The rest was nothing but plain concrete walls, including the dome-like ceiling.

 'If anything is hidden, it has to be in the floor.' Ben crouched down, placing his palm against the metallic surface. The texture was rough beneath his fingers, enough to provide grip while walking. Normally, metal floors on Earth had coatings or textured patterns like checkered grips, but this… at first glance, it looked completely smooth, yet the moment he touched it, he could feel the fine grain beneath his fingertips.

A Durnokh sneered, flashing a toothy grin. He wore nothing but a leather waistguard, his chest wrapped in a diagonal belt lined with a chaotic assortment of weapons.

The others were dressed in a similar fashion—lean, wiry bodies covered in chitin-like plating, their belts overloaded with jagged knives, bone hooks, and rusted throwing spikes. The female Durnokh, however, had a different approach. Rather than a belt of weapons, they adorned themselves with tattered cloaks made from woven cavern-moss and dyed animal hides. 

Draeven strode past them and entered the bar without a glance. He knew better than to respond to their provocations and get dragged into an unnecessary conflict. The establishment was carved directly into the stone, its walls rough and uneven, with faintly glowing fungi sprouting in the cracks. The air reeked of damp leather, oil, and something metallic—blood, most likely.

The place was rowdy. Low murmurs, loud laughter, and the occasional clink of crude metal cups filled the air. The occupants, a mixture of Durnokh, barely acknowledged Draeven's entrance. They only spare him a glance before getting busy with their own task. Different with the one outside thisbar is filled by striders. Durnokh specialized in getting information, and creating hidden passageways. For them Draeven is just another customer coming to rent their tunnel for passage or looking for a information.

At one corner, a scarred Durnokh leaned over the table, his claws idly scraping against a stone mug as he sneered at his companion. "Did you hear? Some fool said the Hellworm's dead."

His companion, a lanky figure wrapped in patchwork hides, gave a rasping chuckle. "Keke… ain't possible. Who'd be strong enough to think they killed that thing?"

A third voice, hoarse and sharp, cut in from a nearby table. "They say someone found the remain."

That got a reaction. A few nearby drinkers went quiet, their clawed fingers pausing over their drinks. "Bullshit," another Durnokh spat, flicking a dagger upright on the table with an annoyed clink. "Ain't no one who kills the Hellworm and walks away. If it's dead, we'd be drowning in blood tremors by now." 

"Yeah?" the first one leaned back, grinning, "Then why are the tunnels near the Rift silent, huh? No deep rumbling. No shifting rock. Just dead air."

Tzarek's eyebrow raised slightly as he listened to the murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. "Draeven… you think this Hellworm has something to do with the traveler? If it does, that's bad news."

Draeven nodded, his expression grim. 'Beating a Hellworm? That monstrosity?' It wasn't just unlikely—it was impossible. If someone had managed to do it, their strength would be beyond ridiculous. He exhaled slowly, thoughts running ahead of him. 'If this traveler is real… could they be even stronger than the Ashking?'

"Hah! No way… You lot don't know what you're talking about," Vek'tal scoffed, shaking his head. His voice was louder than it needed to be, enough to cut through the murmurs and draw attention. "You've never faced one directly—but I have." He jabbed a clawed finger toward the others. "And I'm telling you, there's no way anyone could kill that thing!"His disbelief hung in the air for a moment, a few eyes turning toward him. Some scoffed, some smirked.

A Durnokh at the next table let out a low, clicking chuckle. "Keke… listen to him. 'I've seen one, I know.' What, you hug it goodnight before running like a scared grub?"

The table erupted in dry laughter, but Vek'tal's scowl deepened. "I didn't run," he growled, baring his teeth. "I survived."

"Yeah, just like the rest of us," one of the Durnokh sneered, leaning forward with a lazy smirk. "You think that makes you special?"

Vek'tal's claws twitched, ready to snap back, but before he could, Draeven's hand landed firmly on his shoulder. A silent warning.

With a calm tone, Draeven spoke, "My friend's just in disbelief. That thing was a menace—everyone knows it. Hearing someone took it down? Doesn't exactly sound real."

The Durnokh across from them clicked his tongue, unimpressed. "Then why are you here? If you don't believe our information, you sure as hell don't need it."