Chapter 10

The world in-game entered the night cycle as he logged in.

Raven sprinted through the dense underbrush, his breath controlled, his movements precise. The howls of the Hollowfang pack echoed behind him, growing distant with each stride. He had slipped their grasp, vanishing into the thick expanse of the ancient forest, far beyond their reach.

Only when the trees grew dense enough to swallow even the moonlight did he pause. The silence was oppressive, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and lingering danger. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and whispered the familiar summon.

"Duskrunner."

A ripple of shadow tore through the space beside him, and the massive wolf emerged, its silver eyes gleaming in the dim light. Duskrunner crouched low, muscles coiled, awaiting his rider.

Raven vaulted onto its back, pulling his hood over his head. "Move unseen."

Duskrunner obeyed, slinking into the darkness, its body melding seamlessly with the forest's shadowed paths. They wove through the trees like a phantom, Raven's form barely distinguishable beneath the cloak of night. His hands gripped the beast's fur lightly as the wind rushed past, carrying them away from pursuit, toward their next destination.

A dense mist clung to the cold stone as Raven approached the half-buried mausoleum, its jagged silhouette barely visible beneath the veil of darkness. Cracked pillars stood like silent sentinels, weathered by time and neglect. Duskrunner paced beside him, sniffing the air warily, his ears twitching at the unnatural stillness.

Raven exhaled, watching his breath crystallize in the frigid air. "Veilshade Catacombs," he murmured. "Been a while."

"The forgotten do not welcome the living… Turn back, or become one of us."

The voice slithered from the abyss, neither male nor female, yet layered with the weight of countless souls. It was a whisper and a wail, an echo of the damned. The air thickened with an unnatural chill, pressing against his skin like unseen hands.

Duskrunner growled low, his fur bristling. "I don't like this place."

Raven smirked, masking his own unease. "Good. That means we got a nice challenge ahead."

Without hesitation, he stepped forward. As his foot crossed the threshold, the mausoleum groaned, the sound of shifting stone reverberating through the silent expanse. A pulse of dark energy rippled outward, and behind them, the entrance slammed shut, the heavy stone doors fusing seamlessly into the walls. The only path now was forward.

Duskrunner's tail flicked in irritation. "And now we're trapped."

Raven shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. "Standard dungeon procedure. Once you enter, the only way out is dead or conquer it."

Before them, a yawning corridor stretched into the void, lined with ancient sconces that flickered with cold, blue flame. Shadows twisted unnaturally along the walls, shifting even when neither of them moved. The silence wasn't empty—it was watching.

"Stick close," Raven said, his voice low. "This place doesn't play fair."

With that, they descended into the heart of the forgotten.

Raven pulled out his Cursed Chain, the metal links pulsing with an eerie, abyssal glow as he stepped deeper into the catacombs. The chain coiled around his arms and body like a viper, its jagged edge—sharp as a knife—gripped tightly in his hand.

The air thickened with the weight of unseen eyes, pressing against his skin like an unspoken warning. Duskrunner slinked beside him, his form blending with the flickering shadows.

The corridor ahead twisted unnaturally, stone and shadow shifting between solid reality and spectral illusion. Raven narrowed his eyes. "This dungeon cheats," he muttered. "It rewrites itself to trap players in loops."

A whisper drifted through the cold air, carrying the voices of the damned.

"Mortal… Join us in the dark!"

The first enemies emerged—Phantom Stalkers—shrouded wraith-like figures, their bodies flickering between existence and nothingness. They moved erratically, circling like predators assessing their prey.

Duskrunner snarled and lunged, his claws slashing through one of the specters—only for his attack to pass through harmlessly. The Phantom Stalker didn't flinch, its featureless face turning toward Raven with a whispering chuckle.

Raven's mind worked quickly. Then, he saw it—their shadows. While their bodies flickered, their silhouettes remained rooted against the cold stone floor. "Hit the shadows!" he called out.

Without hesitation, Duskrunner pivoted mid-air, driving his fangs into the lurking shadow beneath the Phantom Stalker. The creature let out a distorted shriek, dissolving into a wisp of black mist.

Raven twirled his Cursed Chain, its links hissing as they cut through the air. He struck downward, shattering another specter's shadow into oblivion. But the remaining Stalkers reacted immediately, sensing his tactic. They moved faster now, darting in unpredictable patterns, their numbers pressing in.

A cold weight pressed against Raven's shoulders, a chilling breath curling against his ear.

"You… see us."

A sudden force slammed into him from behind, a spectral claw carving through his armor like ice against flesh. His body locked up, a deep, unnatural cold creeping through his limbs. The paralysis effect.

Duskrunner snarled, but another Phantom Stalker lunged at the wolf, forcing him to dodge. The creatures were adapting—learning.

Raven grit his teeth, focusing through the numbing chill. His fingers twitched, just enough. Ethereal Step.

With a breathless whisper, he phased out, his body momentarily slipping into the void. The paralysis shattered, and he stumbled back just as the Phantom Stalkers struck where he had stood. The dungeon wasn't going to let them win easily.

His breathing was heavy, his movements tight. "Alright," he muttered, shaking off the lingering numbness. "Now it's a real fight."

Duskrunner crouched, hackles raised, waiting for his command.

A smirk tugged at Raven's lips despite the adrenaline pounding in his veins.

Time to push back.