Echo of Fate

The cave mouth loomed before them, an imposing black void that seemed to swallow the very light around it. Thick vines curled around the entrance, twisting like grasping fingers against the stone, as if the earth itself had tried to reclaim whatever lay inside. A faint, unnatural chill wafted from its depths, carrying with it the scent of damp stone and something… older. Something untouched by time.

The group stood in tense silence, their eyes flicking between the cave and each other, uncertainty thick in the air. But it was the beasts who reacted first.

Nyx's golden eyes locked onto the entrance with an unsettling intensity, his ears flicking forward as his wings gave a slow, deliberate stretch. He wasn't growling, but there was something in his stance—an edge of tension, an alertness that Cross could feel through their bond. A feeling that was neither fear nor aggression. Something between recognition and expectation.

Luna, perched atop Rhonar's thick shoulder, let out a quiet, almost melodic hum, her gills pulsing in a slow, steady rhythm. Her tiny, webbed feet flexed, gripping Rhonar's fur slightly tighter, as if anchoring herself. Zara felt an odd mix of emotions from her—curiosity, excitement, but also something weighty, something deep, like an old memory trying to surface.

Rhonar himself stood the closest to the entrance, his hulking form unmoving, his molten-orange eyes unblinking. His nostrils flared, inhaling deeply, and for the first time since his hatching, he let out a deep, reverberating sound from his throat—not a howl, not a roar, but something primal, something that rumbled in their very bones. A call. Or an answer.

Ox placed a hand on Rhonar's side, frowning. "What is it, big guy? You know something we don't?"

Darnell exhaled through his nose, arms crossed, his gaze sharp and calculating. "It's an unmarked dungeon," he muttered.

Alistair blinked. "An unmarked dungeon? You mean it's just not on the guild's records?"

Darnell shook his head. "No, I mean it's never been recorded. Not in the adventurer's logs, not in the dungeon registries. And that's a problem."

Sparks tilted her head. "Why?"

"Because dungeons don't just appear without reason," Darnell said grimly. "Every known dungeon was discovered, mapped, categorized. Normal, Uncommon, Rare. Some reset, some stay dormant after being cleared. But unmarked dungeons?" He gestured to the cave. "They don't follow those rules."

Cross narrowed his eyes. "So what you're saying is… this dungeon could be anything?"

"Exactly," Darnell confirmed. "Could be abandoned. Could be a death trap. Could be something no one's ever seen before." He turned his gaze toward the beasts, his fingers tapping against his arm in thought. "But whatever it is… they felt it before we even saw it."

Zara's expression tightened. "What does that mean?"

Darnell hesitated, glancing back at the cave entrance. His voice was quieter now, carrying a weight that made the air feel heavy. "There's a theory. A damn old one. That some dungeons were made before the New Gods took over."

That got their attention.

Alistair straightened. "Before the New Gods?"

Darnell nodded. "Before the pantheon we know today. Before the system. Before adventurer guilds. Back when the world was still wild, when people didn't have class awakenings or stat pages."

Sparks let out a low whistle. "Okay, I don't know if that sounds terrifying or amazing."

"It's both," Darnell muttered. "Because the dungeons from that time? No one knows how they worked. Some say they weren't dungeons at all—just remnants of the Old Gods' battles, places filled with power that never faded. Others think they were tests, left behind for reasons we'll never understand."

Cross glanced at Nyx, who was still motionless, golden eyes locked on the cave as if waiting for something. "And our beasts can feel it."

"Yeah," Darnell said. "Which means there's something in there. Something meant for them."

Ox furrowed his brows. "Could be a trap."

Darnell gave a humorless chuckle. "Yeah, kid. Could be. That's why unmarked dungeons are dangerous as hell. No records, no patterns, no resets. Some never spit adventurers back out."

Zara exhaled slowly. "Then… we should turn back."

No one answered.

The idea made sense. Logically, avoiding something like this was the best option. They'd completed their herb-gathering mission. There was no reason to risk their lives over a mystery.

And yet, not one of them moved.

Not because they were reckless.

But because, deep down, they felt it too.

Cross clenched his fists, glancing around at the others. "We all know this isn't normal. And… I won't lie, I don't like the idea of walking into something we don't understand." He looked down at Nyx. "But I trust him. And if he's standing there, waiting for us to go in… then I don't think this is something we can just ignore."

Sparks sighed, rubbing the back of her head. "You had to say something all inspiring, huh?" She shot him a lopsided grin. "Yeah, alright. I won't pretend I'm not stupid curious about what's in there."

Alistair crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. Then he nodded. "If this is really from before the system, it could teach us something valuable."

Zara bit her lip, hesitating, but Luna let out a soft chime in her mind—an encouragement. A reassurance. She inhaled, then exhaled. "If we do this, we stay together. We don't take unnecessary risks."

Ox cracked his knuckles. "I was already in, honestly. No way I'm backing down after hearing all that."

Darnell looked at them all, studying them one by one. "This isn't a guild mission. No one's ordering you to go in."

Silence.

Then Sparks smirked. "No, but I think our beasts just did."

Darnell sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Gods help me."

Then, before he could say anything else—

A notification appeared in front of all of them.

---

Quest Alert: Echoes of the Old Gods

You stand before a dungeon that predates the system, a remnant of an age long past. What lies within is unknown.

Objective: Explore the unmarked dungeon.

Warning: This dungeon follows no recorded patterns. No information exists on its structure, dangers, or completion requirements.

Those who enter may never return.

Do you accept this challenge?

[Yes] [No]

---

A thick silence stretched as they all stared at the glowing text before them.

Even Darnell.

Even he had a quest pop up.

Slowly, Cross looked around at the others.

One by one, they met his gaze.

One by one, they nodded.

Even Darnell.

Cross exhaled sharply, a smirk pulling at the edge of his lips.

"Well then," he murmured, tapping the confirmation.

"Guess we're going in."

The excitement from accepting the quest still buzzed through the group, but it was Sparks who broke the moment with a sharp, frustrated exhale. "Wait, hold on a second," she said, stepping forward. "This is all great and mysterious and whatever, but—" She reached into her pack and pulled out her egg, cradling it carefully. "Mine still hasn't hatched. And Alistair's either."

Alistair frowned, following her lead and pulling out his own egg, which gleamed with a faint, dormant shimmer. "She's right," he admitted. "Nyx, Luna, and Rhonar have all hatched, and now we're standing at some ancient dungeon that's apparently calling out to them. But if our beasts aren't even born yet, what does that mean for us?"

At the mention of the eggs, the other beasts reacted almost immediately.

Nyx, who had been fixated on the dungeon, suddenly turned his golden gaze toward Sparks' hands. His tail flicked, wings shifting slightly as he took a slow step forward. Luna let out a small, inquisitive chirp, her gills pulsing, while Rhonar rumbled deep in his throat, nostrils flaring as he inhaled the air around the eggs.

Zara, watching their reactions, adjusted her grip on Luna. "They're acting like… they're expecting something."

Ox nodded, patting Rhonar's side. "Yeah, big guy's acting like he knows what's up, but he ain't telling."

Sparks clutched her egg tighter, her expression tightening in frustration. "Great. Fantastic. Everyone else's beast is out here being all dramatic and mystical, and mine is just sitting in a shell like it's still on vacation!"

Darnell smirked slightly. "Be patient. Beasts don't hatch on a schedule."

"But what if it should be hatching?" Sparks shot back, her brows furrowed. "What if this place is calling to it, but it's too late, and it never gets the chance to experience whatever's happening? What if it misses something important?" Her voice grew louder, more animated as she continued, her hands moving wildly. "I mean, seriously, imagine if we were supposed to be at some epic, history-changing moment, but you were just stuck inside, locked out of the fun! That would be so unfair! If I was stuck like that, I'd—"

She stopped.

Because at that exact moment, Alistair's egg began to glow.

But not like before. Not like Nyx, or Luna, or even Rhonar.

This light separated.

A luminous, golden-white energy lifted away from the egg itself, as if peeling from the surface like mist catching fire. The glow flickered, then shot straight into the air, spiraling upward like a beacon. The group instinctively stepped back, their eyes following its ascent.

"Uh," Cross started, watching the light arc higher and higher, "is that… normal?"

"Nope," Darnell muttered, his stance tensing.

Alistair gripped his egg tightly, his sharp green eyes flicking between the pulsing energy in the sky and the solid shell still in his hands. "I… don't think this means it's hatching."

Sparks, standing beside him, tilted her head. "Then what is it doing?"

Before anyone could answer, the swirling light above suddenly shifted.

It began to descend.

Fast.

Sparks' breath hitched as she followed its trajectory—and realized it wasn't heading back to Alistair's egg.

It was coming toward her.

"Wait—what—" she barely had time to react before the golden energy struck her egg.

The impact was soundless but powerful. Sparks stumbled back as a pulse of energy surged through the egg in her hands, heat spreading through her fingers. The glow, now infused with something new, sank into the shell, forcing it to absorb every ounce of the transferred energy.

Then, the egg cracked.

A jagged fissure split down the center, light seeping from within.

The group froze.

Then— the egg hatched.

The shell shattered into pieces, and in its place, something new emerged.

A creature unlike anything they had seen before.

It had the strong, agile frame of an orangutan, its sleek, reddish-brown fur glistening under the residual glow of the hatching. From its back extended four ethereal, glowing appendages, smooth and fluid, their bioluminescent blue sheen shifting with every slight movement. Its eyes—striking gold—held an unnatural wisdom, their depths filled with boundless curiosity and intelligence.

It blinked once, flexing its glowing tendrils, then turned its gaze toward Sparks.

For a moment, everything was silent.

Then, Sparks exhaled, her voice barely above a whisper.

"…Whoa."

The group could only stare.

Luna let out an intrigued hum, her glow pulsing in time with the newly hatched beast's aura.

Nyx cocked his head, his sharp golden gaze locked onto the creature's tendrils.

Rhonar rumbled, his throat inflating slightly before releasing a deep exhale, as if acknowledging something ancient.

Alistair, still gripping his own egg—which remained unhatched—let out a slow breath. "So," he murmured, "guess that means your beast hatched first."

Sparks blinked, still processing everything. Then she grinned. "Hah! Guess I win, then."

The newly hatched creature tilted its head at her, then reached out with one of its glowing appendages, booping her on the nose.

Sparks' grin faltered.

"…Did you just—?"

The creature booped her again.

Cross, watching this, wheezed. "Oh, this is gonna be good."

The group finally erupted into chatter, stepping closer as the reality of what had just happened settled in.

Darnell, despite himself, let out an impressed exhale. "That… was new."

Zara nodded slowly, still watching the glowing creature. "Something tells me Sparks' beast is going to be very… unique."

Sparks, recovering from the unexpected booping, grinned wide, placing her hands on her hips. "Damn right. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

The beast made a deep, warbling noise—something between a chuckle and a purr.

The group laughed.

The air still crackled with energy, the residual light from Sparks' egg fading into the evening mist. The entire group stood frozen in place, processing what had just happened. Sparks' wide coppery eyes were locked on her newly hatched beast, the orangutan-like creature stretching its glowing, bioluminescent tendrils toward Alistair's egg in a slow, deliberate motion.

The appendages, smooth and shimmering in the dimming light, extended unnaturally far, almost as if testing the space between them. The moment the tendrils brushed against Alistair's egg, the shell pulsed with a soft glow, responding—not as if it were hatching, but as if it acknowledged the touch.

No one spoke at first, watching in quiet amazement.

Sparks, still riding the high of her beast's sudden hatching, blinked and then furrowed her brows. "Wait, is it… petting your egg?"

Alistair watched the interaction carefully, his sharp green eyes flicking between his egg and the new creature. "It looks more like it's… thanking it."

The realization hit all of them at once.

Zara's golden eyes softened, and she smiled faintly. "It makes sense. Your egg did something to help Sparks' hatch. Maybe Sparks' beast understands that."

Cross, still processing the unexpected turn of events, folded his arms. "That's… kinda wild."

Ox grinned, leaning on Rhonar's broad form as the Uluthorn stood tall beside him. "So what you're telling me is Sparks' monkey-octopus-thing is grateful for Alistair's egg being a bro?"

Sparks huffed, crossing her arms. "You make it sound weird."

Ox smirked. "Because it is weird."

Darnell shook his head, but there was a ghost of a smirk on his face. "I'll admit, I've never seen something like this before. Beasts don't just… share energy like that. This isn't in any of the books."

Sparks' beast pulled back its tendrils after one last lingering touch, the glow dimming slightly as it settled onto all fours. It glanced between Sparks and Alistair, its intelligent golden eyes blinking slowly.

Alistair, still kneeling beside his egg, ran a hand over the smooth shell. He exhaled, a small, thoughtful smile tugging at his lips. "I guess you'll come out when you want to, then," he murmured, his voice almost fond. "Thank you… for doing that for Sparks."

As if responding to his words, the egg pulsed once with a warm glow before settling again.

Sparks let out a long breath, some of her earlier frustration melting into something softer. "Yeah… thanks, Alistair," she muttered, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "I don't know what that was, but I'm glad it happened."

Alistair shot her a sideways glance, the corner of his lips quirking up. "It wasn't me, it was the egg."

Sparks smirked. "Still. Guess I owe you one."

"Just don't name your beast something stupid," Alistair replied smoothly.

That got an immediate reaction.

Sparks gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. "Excuse you. I have excellent taste."

Cross snorted. "Yeah, okay."

Zara chuckled. "Let's see where this goes."

Nyx, Rhonar, and Luna all observed the exchange in their own way. Nyx flicked his tail, his sharp gaze alternating between Sparks beast and Alistair's egg as if still assessing what had happened. Rhonar let out a deep, guttural exhale, his chest expanding before settling into a relaxed posture, seemingly unbothered by the new addition. Luna, perched comfortably on Rhonar's broad arm, chirped softly at the new friend, tilting her head in curiosity.

The new beast, now the center of attention, stretched its four glowing tendrils lazily before sitting back on its haunches, its golden eyes flicking between everyone. It looked amused. Very amused.

Cross raised an eyebrow. "It's already got Sparks' attitude."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sparks replied innocently.

Darnell, watching all of this, let out a long sigh before rolling his shoulders. "Alright. We're not going into an unmarked dungeon today. We camp here. The last thing we need is exhaustion dragging us down."

Alistair nodded in agreement. "That's the smart move. If this dungeon is as old as the system claimed, we need to be at full strength."

Cross exhaled, glancing toward the cave. "I won't lie… I kind of want to go in now."

Ox nudged him with an elbow. "Patience, scout."

Zara stretched her arms, letting out a soft sigh. "Alright, we should set up camp, then. Who's on fire duty?"

Darnell raised a brow. "You've been working with me long enough. Who do you think is on fire duty?"

Sparks grinned, snapping her fingers as sparks of energy crackled between them. "Finally, a job I actually like."

With camp preparations underway, the energy of the group lightened. Despite the looming mystery of the dungeon, they found themselves caught up in their usual banter.

Cross, eyeing the new companian curiously, smirked. "Alright, so what's the name?"

Sparks cracked her knuckles. "I was thinking something cool."

Ox groaned. "Oh gods, here we go."

Sparks ignored him. "Lightning Fist."

Zara shook her head immediately. "Absolutely not."

"Alright, alright," Sparks said, undeterred. "How about Tentacle Fury?"

Darnell pinched the bridge of his nose. "No."

"Void Crawler?"

Alistair shot her a deadpan look. "It doesn't even crawl."

Sparks threw her hands up. "Okay, fine! Give me a second."

Nyx let out a low exhale. Luna hopped onto Rhonar's shoulder, tilting her head as if silently judging. Sparks Beast, meanwhile, simply sat there, watching the chaos unfold with the patience of a sage.

Sparks tapped her chin, staring at her beast. "It's gotta be something smooth, something cool, something—"

"Something simple," Cross interjected. "You don't want to shout 'Tentacle Fury' in the middle of a fight."

Sparks huffed. "I might."

Darnell coughed. "Please don't."

Then, she snapped her fingers, her coppery eyes lighting up. "Torren."

The group paused.

Zara hummed. "I actually like that."

Cross nodded. "Yeah, that works."

Alistair smirked slightly. "It does sound like a Sparks name."

Ox, arms crossed, shrugged. "Better than Tentacle Fury."

Sparks grinned, ruffling Torren's head. "Alright, bud. You're Torren now."

Torren blinked up at her, his golden eyes glowing faintly before he stretched out his tendrils and gently wrapped them around her wrist in what almost seemed like approval.

Darnell, observing the exchange, finally let out a breath. "Alright, we've got camp to finish. Everyone, get moving."

With that, the group got to work, the fire roaring to life, bedrolls laid out, and the scent of cooking food filling the clearing.

The cave mouth loomed in the background, dark and waiting.

Tomorrow, they would enter.

Tonight, they rested.