The Truth Beneath the Labyrinth

A heavy silence filled the chamber.

The dust had barely settled from the battle, yet an unsettling tension thickened the air.

Rian Dusk stood at the edge of the ruins, his gaze locked onto the artifact that lay where the guardian had fallen. His smirk was subtle but too calm for someone who had just witnessed a life-threatening fight.

Asvorn's instincts screamed at him.

"You're not even out of breath," Kaisel muttered, eyes narrowing. "Not a scratch on you. No monsters attacked you back there. And now, you're standing here like you expected all this."

Rian chuckled, adjusting his coat. "That's because I did."

Everyone tensed.

Asvorn's grip on his sword tightened. "Explain. Now."

Rian sighed, stepping forward, his boots clicking against the stone floor. He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. No need for the hostility. I'll be honest with you… You all were quite useful."

Emma's fingers twitched around her staff, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "What do you mean, useful?"

Rian's smirk widened. "You see, the labyrinth's defenses were too much for a single person. I needed strong individuals to clear the path. And, well, you did that beautifully." His eyes gleamed as he glanced at the shattered remains of the guardian. "Now, all that's left is to claim the artifact."

A wave of anger rushed through Asvorn, but he forced himself to stay calm. "So this was never about exploration. You used us to break through the labyrinth's trials."

Rian gave a mocking bow. "Took you long enough to figure it out."

Lyara stepped beside Asvorn, her face a mixture of fury and betrayal. "Then what's your real goal?"

Rian exhaled, placing a hand on his chin as if contemplating how much to reveal. Then, with a casual shrug, he spoke:

"This labyrinth isn't just a dungeon. It's the remains of a forgotten god's prison."

The weight of his words crashed into them.

Emma gasped. Kaisel clenched his fists. Lyara's face turned pale.

Even Asvorn felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

"A forgotten god?" Kaisel echoed. "That's impossible. The gods wouldn't just leave something like this buried."

"Wouldn't they?" Rian smiled, almost entertained by their reactions. "History is written by those in power. The gods erased all traces of this one. And yet, here we stand in the remains of its domain."

Asvorn stared at him, trying to piece everything together. "And the artifact? Is it connected to this god?"

Rian's smirk deepened. "It's the key to waking it up."

Silence.

Then—

"That's not happening."

Asvorn's voice was cold, sharp as steel.

Rian sighed. "I figured you'd say that." He lifted a hand, and in an instant, the entire chamber began to shake.

The walls trembled, the very air twisting unnaturally. The ground beneath them cracked, revealing veins of dark energy pulsing beneath the stone.

And then—

A deep, guttural growl echoed from the shadows.

Something was awakening.

Asvorn's heart pounded. "Damn it… he triggered something."

Lyara stepped back, summoning her magic. "I knew this felt too easy."

Kaisel clicked his tongue. "Another boss fight already?"

Emma raised her staff, her voice laced with fear. "This presence… it's stronger than anything we've fought before."

Rian only chuckled, stepping back toward the darkness. "Well then, let's see if you can survive it."

With that, he vanished, swallowed by the abyss.

Then—

A monstrous form emerged.

The shadows twisted, forming a shape of pure horror—a towering beast with jagged limbs and a gaping maw lined with rows of shifting teeth. Its eyes burned like dying stars, flickering with something ancient, something wrong.

Asvorn barely had time to react before it lunged.

BOOM!

The impact sent him flying, crashing against the ruins.

"Asvorn!" Lyara's voice barely reached his ears.

Kaisel dodged at the last second, his blade grazing the beast's hide—but the wound closed instantly, the flesh rippling like liquid.

"This thing regenerates?!" Kaisel cursed.

Emma tried to cast a spell, but the air around them warped, her magic fizzling out before she could complete the incantation. "I—I can't channel my mana properly!"

Asvorn pushed himself up, his head pounding.

This wasn't just a monster.

This was something far worse.

Lyara's fire lashed out, colliding with the beast's arm. It reeled back, but only for a moment—then its flesh absorbed the flames, twisting into something even more grotesque.

"It's adapting," Lyara whispered, horror dawning in her eyes.

Asvorn exhaled, steadying himself.

No plot armor. No miracles. Just skill.

"Then we don't give it time to adjust." His voice was steady, but his blood was rushing with adrenaline. "We hit it with everything we have before it learns to counter us."

Kaisel nodded, flipping his sword in his hand. "Fast and overwhelming. Got it."

Lyara and Emma exchanged glances before steeling their resolve.

The beast roared, the very walls shaking from its sheer presence.

The real battle had begun.