10

Following the arduous battle against the golems and skeletons, an oppressive silence reigned in the next chamber. Despite their victory, exhaustion and injuries weighed heavily on the group like slabs of stone. Roland staggered slightly, a deep cut on his arm bleeding slowly, dark blood dripping onto the stone. Markus leaned heavily on his shield, breathing with difficulty, his armor dented and scratched, the cold metal against his sweaty skin. Liam, though less injured, moved cautiously, his eyes scanning every corner of the room, as if expecting a new enemy to emerge from the shadows. Sebastian, for his part, simply observed the surroundings, his bow held firmly in his hand, his face reflecting a mixture of relief and worry.

The corridor before them was unlike the others. It wasn't a simple stone passage, but a spacious chamber with a vaulted ceiling that disappeared into darkness, the stone blackened by the smoke of ancient fires. The air here was strangely warm and dry, a disturbing contrast to the cold dampness of the lower levels. A faint reddish glow illuminated the room, emanating from a source they couldn't immediately see. At the end of the corridor, a half-open door, made of a dark and unfamiliar wood, revealed an even more intense light, as if a fire burned on the other side. A faint scent of incense, mixed with a sweet and unknown aroma, hung in the air, creating a strange and almost unreal atmosphere.

Cautiously, Roland approached the door, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Markus and Liam followed closely behind, while Sebastian lingered slightly behind, observing everything attentively. Roland took a deep breath and carefully pushed the door open. A creak echoed in the chamber as the door swung inward, revealing the source of the reddish light: in the center of the room, floating at mid-height, was a brightly glowing red orb, its surface slowly shifting between shades of blue and gold. The light it emanated was warm and soft, like the glow of a sunset, but at the same time it conveyed a strange sense of immense power, as if it contained an ancient and unknown energy. And beside the orb, huddled in a dark corner, trembling visibly, was a small girl.

"What…?" Roland murmured, squinting to focus on the scene. Surprise and confusion were reflected on his face.

The girl was small and thin, with messy green hair that barely reached her shoulders. Her face was pale, and her eyes, large and round, reflected a deep fear, as if she had witnessed something terrible. Two small, deformed horns, vaguely reminiscent of a dragon's but worn and dull, protruded from her head. She wore rags that barely covered her meager body, exposing her thin arms and legs. Her breathing was shallow, and she trembled visibly.

Markus, his face full of concern, cautiously approached the girl, lowering his shield as a gesture of peace. "Look at her… she's a nervous wreck. What could she be doing in a place like this?" he said in a soft voice, trying not to frighten her.

Liam, with his usual skepticism, kept his distance, his hand on the hilt of his daggers, watching the girl with a cold and analytical gaze. "I don't trust this," he muttered quietly. "It could be a trap."

Sebastian, moved by the girl's fragility, moved a little closer, offering her a small, reassuring smile. "She seems lost and scared. We should try to understand her situation before jumping to conclusions," he said in a soft, conciliatory voice.

At that moment, Roland's mind flashed back to a noisy tavern in a port city…

…It was there that they met, where they shared their first stories, their first drunken nights, and where a camaraderie was born that had kept them together through countless dangers. He remembered the promise they made then, fueled by cheap ale and the warmth of the hearth: to watch each other's backs, no matter what. A promise that had guided their lives for years.

Sebastian's voice brought him back to the present, breaking the thread of his memories. "Remember why we started this journey. Our goal was to investigate the goblin activity near the village, not to harm innocent beings. Let's not forget our original purpose."

Roland blinked, focusing his gaze on the girl huddled in the corner. Her pale face and frightened eyes contrasted sharply with the hypnotic glow of the orb. The memory of the promise to Markus and Liam intertwined with the image of the girl, creating a pang of conflict within him.

Liam let out a bitter laugh, interrupting Roland's thoughts. "Investigating goblins… while we have this before us," he said, gesturing dismissively towards the orb. "This could change our lives. Riches, power… everything we've ever dreamed of."

Markus nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on the girl. Doubt was reflected on his face. He also remembered those early days, the laughter, the promises. The loyalty to Roland and Liam was deep, a bond that transcended mere expeditions. But the idea of harming a defenseless child turned his stomach.

"I'm not so sure, Liam," Markus said in a tired voice, rubbing his beard with a scarred hand. "This girl… she doesn't seem like a threat. And Sebastian's right. This isn't what we came here for."

"This isn't what we came here for?" Liam repeated with a hard look, his eyes gleaming with an almost feverish intensity. "After everything we've risked? After all the battles we've fought? We're going to give up an opportunity like this for… cheap sentimentality?" His hand tightened around the hilt of his dagger.

The tension in the room thickened. Glances were exchanged, laden with doubt, ambition, and conflict. The orb's glow seemed to intensify, casting shadows that danced on the walls, like foreshadowing the storm that was brewing.

Roland sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. The promise he made to Markus and Liam echoed in his mind, but so did his growing friendship with Sebastian and the image of the frightened girl huddled in the corner. The dilemma tormented him, tearing him between two loyalties.

"We need to think this through," Roland finally said, trying to calm the rising tension, even though his own voice sounded unsure. "Let's not make any rash decisions."

But the seed of discord had already been planted, quickly germinating in the charged atmosphere of the chamber.