9

Upon ascending to the third floor of the dungeon, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The air, previously damp and heavy, became strangely dry and oppressive, as if an invisible force was compressing it. A sepulchral silence greeted them, a silence that wasn't merely the absence of sound, but an oppressive presence that resonated in their ears. The only perceptible sound was the muffled echo of their own footsteps on the smooth stone floor. The corridor they found themselves in branched off in multiple directions, forming an intricate labyrinth of passageways that vanished into the gloom. The walls, covered in dry, blackened moss, were adorned with ancient inscriptions and mysterious symbols that seemed to watch them with invisible eyes. A faint greenish glow emanated from some of the runes, creating an even more unsettling ambiance. A slight odor of burnt stone and sulfur hung in the air, tickling their noses.

Roland, Markus, Liam, and Sebastian cautiously made their way through the intricate passages, their senses heightened by the imminent feeling of danger. The flickering torchlight cast grotesque shadows that twisted and stretched across the walls, playing tricks on their eyes. The floor, covered in a fine layer of dust, crunched softly beneath their feet.

Suddenly, a dry click echoed in the silence, followed by a slight tremor that ran through the floor beneath their feet. Roland, his reflexes sharpened by years of experience, reacted instantly. Danger! he thought, feeling a chill run down his spine. With a swift motion, he pulled Sebastian back, while Markus pushed Liam aside. Just in time. A set of metallic wires, thin as needles but incredibly strong, descended with a shiiiiiip! from the ceiling, grazing the air where their heads had been just a moment before. The wires stopped with a metallic clank!, revealing a series of sharp blades that would have minced anyone who had stood in their path. The air smelled of burnt metal after the wires' friction.

Markus, his face tense, examined the walls. His fingers traced the cold, rough surface of the stone, searching for any clues. Finally, his eyes settled on a series of small pressure plates embedded in the floor, barely visible beneath a layer of dust and moss. "Watch your step," he warned in a grave voice, pointing to the plates with his gloved finger. "More sophisticated traps on this floor. One wrong step and we could trigger something worse."

Liam, his eyes scanning every corner of the corridor, nodded seriously. "Got it, Markus. We can't afford to make any mistakes." His hand tightened on the hilt of his daggers, ready to react to any danger.

Roland narrowed his eyes, concentrating his Soul Perception. The air around him seemed to vibrate slightly as he tried to discern the presences that awaited them. Skeletons… and something else… something large and… stony, he thought. His breathing quickened slightly. This won't be easy.

"Golems… and skeletons," Roland informed the group, using the code. "The skeletons… agility around forty. They're fast. The golems… fifteen in agility, but defense… forty. They're tough."

The silence shattered with a macabre clac-clac-clac as the skeletons, their whitish bones gleaming under the torchlight, emerged from the labyrinth of corridors. Their empty eye sockets seemed fixed on the adventurers, and their dislocated jaws moved with a nervous tic. Behind them, the imposing figures of the golems slowly materialized, their bodies of stone and earth creaking with every step they took. A deep crunch resonated through the corridor as they advanced, making the ground vibrate beneath their feet. The smell of damp stone and sulfur intensified, filling their nostrils with a pungent odor.

Roland observed the enemy formation carefully, his mind working quickly to devise a strategy. The skeletons, fast but fragile, charged with a clumsy determination, while the golems, slow but incredibly resilient, advanced with relentless brute force. Agility forty for the skeletons… defense forty for the golems, Roland thought, transmitting the information to his companions using the agreed-upon code. We need to separate them.

"Markus, focus on keeping the skeletons that try to flank us at bay," Roland ordered in a firm voice, pointing to the group of bony warriors. "Liam, you'll keep them at a distance with quick movements and precise attacks. Sebastian, try… distracting the golems. Anything you can do to draw their attention will give us time to find a way to deal with them."

Markus nodded with a grunt and raised his shield just in time to intercept a blow from a sharp bone. The impact resonated with a metallic clang!, making Markus's arm vibrate. Liam, with the agility of a cat, moved between the skeletons, his daggers gleaming dimly in the torchlight. He landed a quick cut on one of the skeletons, the blade finding a crevice between the ribs. The bones crunched with a dry crick, and the skeleton staggered backward before collapsing to the ground in a pile of bones.

Sebastian, though aware of the difficulty of his task, nodded with determination. He tightened the string of his bow and aimed at one of the golems, searching for a crack or fissure in its stone armor. He released the arrow, which hissed through the air and struck the stony body with a dull thud. To his frustration, the arrow bounced off without penetrating the hard surface, leaving only a small superficial mark. He tried with another arrow, aiming at a visible crack in the golem's shoulder. The result was the same: a dull thud and no penetration. They're like walls, Sebastian thought, feeling a pang of frustration. His arrows, so effective against creatures of flesh and blood, seemed useless against the golems' stony armor.

Meanwhile, Roland faced another of the golems. With a shout, he brandished his sword, striking the creature's arm with force. The clash of metal against stone resonated with a deafening CLANG!, making the air vibrate. Sparks flew from the point of impact, but the golem barely flinched. A thin crack appeared in the stone, but the arm remained in place. Roland grunted, feeling the impact travel up his arm. We need a different strategy, he thought, his breath coming in short gasps.

The battle escalated into a frantic exchange of blows and dodges. Markus, with each breath, let out a guttural roar as he held back the skeletons. His movements, though powerful, began to show signs of fatigue. The sharp bones scratched against his armor with a constant skritch, and a deep cut began to bleed on his left arm.

Liam, agile as a shadow, continued to weave between the skeletons, landing quick and precise blows. However, fatigue was starting to take its toll. His movements became slightly slower, and a couple of times he brushed against the sharp bones, feeling a sharp pain in his sides.

Roland, realizing the situation was becoming critical, focused his attention even more intently on the golems. He knew they were the greatest threat. With a shout, he swung his sword with all his might, striking the arm of the golem he faced once more. The impact resonated with a deafening CLANG!, making the air vibrate and shaking Roland's own sword. A deeper crack spread through the stone, but the golem's arm remained in place. Roland panted, feeling the strain in his muscles. We need to find another way, he thought, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Sebastian, frustrated by the ineffectiveness of his arrows, watched the battle intently. He saw how Markus and Liam were beginning to tire, and how Roland struggled unsuccessfully against the golems' impenetrable defense. I have to do something, he thought. He remembered the properties of certain plants he had studied, plants that reacted to magic and contact with certain minerals. He quickly searched his satchel, rummaging through his supplies. He found what he was looking for: small leather pouches filled with dust from a rare flower that grew in the depths of ancient forests.

With renewed determination, Sebastian cautiously approached one of the golems, taking advantage of a distraction created by Roland. He threw one of the pouches at the golem's feet. Upon impacting the ground, the pouch burst open, releasing a cloud of shimmering dust that clung to the creature's legs. Almost instantly, a faint greenish glow began to emanate from the stone, and fine cracks began to spread across its surface. The golem emitted a deep groan, as if feeling pain.

"Roland! Their legs! Try attacking the cracks!" Sebastian shouted, pointing at the golem's legs.

Roland, seeing the effect of Sebastian's dust, understood instantly. With a renewed shout, he launched himself at the golem, concentrating his blows on the cracks that had formed in the stone. With each strike of his sword, the cracks grew larger, until finally, with a resounding CRACK!, a part of the golem's arm broke off, falling to the ground with a dull THUMP.

The battle continued, but now the tide began to turn in the adventurers' favor. The golems, weakened by Sebastian's dust, moved more slowly, and the skeletons, though still a threat, began to be overwhelmed by Liam's skill and Markus's resilience.