Chapter 11

Raven spun his Cursed Chain around his wrist, the metal links glowing with an abyssal light as he prepared for the fight ahead. The Phantom Stalkers moved in erratic patterns, their forms flickering in and out of existence, never fully solid, never fully gone. He knew this fight. He had cleared this dungeon before. But knowing and executing were two very different things.

"Duskrunner, keep moving! Don't let them surround us!"

The wolf snarled in response, its silver eyes locked onto the shifting shadows. The Phantom Stalkers lunged.

Raven twisted, dodging the first strike, but the second clipped his side—cold pain flared as spectral claws raked through his armor, sending a numbing chill up his ribs. His vision blurred for a second.

Damn. Even knowing their attack patterns doesn't mean I can react perfectly.

Duskrunner vaulted to his side, snapping at the nearest Stalker, but his jaws met nothing but air. The Stalkers cackled in whispers, their voices weaving into the dark like a suffocating mist.

"The forgotten… never fade…"

Raven gritted his teeth. No time for frustration. Adapt. He focused on their movements. They aren't random. They follow the dungeon's rhythm.

Another Stalker phased in from behind. He ducked, twisting his chain and lashing out, but the creature flickered out of range at the last second. His momentum threw him off balance. A mistake.

Pain lanced through his back as a second Stalker struck. He stumbled forward, nearly dropping to a knee, the icy sensation spreading. They punish missteps. That's their mechanic.

He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to reset his stance. "Duskrunner, sweep the shadows! Don't aim at them—aim at the ground!"

The wolf shifted instantly, claws tearing through the faint silhouettes stretched across the floor. A Stalker let out a wail as its body disintegrated, vanishing into a wisp of darkness.

One down.

But there was no time to celebrate. The remaining Stalkers surged, responding to their fallen ally by accelerating their attack patterns. The dungeon was adapting.

A clawed hand shot out from the dark. Raven barely managed to activate Ethereal Step, phasing through the attack just in time. But before he could land his counter, another Stalker caught him mid-dodge, slamming into him with an unnatural force.

His back hit the cold stone. He choked on a sharp inhale as the weight of the creature pressed against him. Shit—

Duskrunner crashed into the Stalker, knocking it aside, but not before it dragged its claws across Raven's arm. More pain. More cold. His fingers tingled with the creeping numbness.

He rolled to his feet, chest rising and falling in controlled breaths. Still in control. Still winnable.

"We finish this fast." He swung his chain again, this time not aiming for the creatures, but the floor beneath them. The moment his attack connected with their anchored shadows, the Stalkers shrieked, bodies distorting as their weaknesses were exploited.

"Duskrunner—all in!"

The wolf lunged, weaving between flickering forms, fangs striking at their anchored silhouettes. One by one, the Stalkers collapsed into mist, their haunting whispers fading.

Silence.

Raven exhaled, shaking out the lingering numbness in his limbs. The fight had taken more out of him than expected.

Even if you know the mechanics, execution is everything.

Duskrunner padded over, eyes scanning for any lingering threats. "You alright?" the wolf growled.

Raven smirked despite the ache in his ribs. "Heh. I've had worse."

The corridor ahead stretched into darkness, the catacombs twisting in unnatural ways. The real battle was still ahead.

"Let's move," he murmured, stepping forward into the depths.