[The Crucible of Chains 3] - Heat of the Hollow

Raven landed hard on a lower ledge, skidding across the scorched stone.

Heat blasted against his cloak as pain jolted through his side, but nothing felt broken—just bruised. He grit his teeth, forcing himself up.

Good thing he came stocked with enough healing potions to tank a raid.

Above, gears ground into motion.

Click. Click. Click.

The sound of the construct's metal legs—fast, closing in.

No time to stall.

It had followed him down.

The last fire-forged construct loomed above, steam hissing from its jointed plates as its molten core pulsed brighter. Pressure surged within its armored frame, glowing cracks spreading like veins of fire as an eerie hum filled the air.

Raven's eyes narrowed. "Of course. This piece of trash is trying to bring the whole shaft down."

No more precision strikes. No calculated swings. Just a full-core detonation to bring down the ledge he clung to—and send him plunging into the abyss below.

Heat swelled. Cracks deepened. The blast was seconds away.

Raven lashed out his Dominion Chain straight up, the chain whistling past the charging construct and hooking the broken lip of the shaft far above.

He yanked hard. The chain groaned as it pulled taut, lifting him upward in a burst of momentum.

Just as the construct's molten core peaked, a blur of shadow shimmered behind Raven—Duskrunner's summon finally stabilized.

The spectral wolf blinked into reality, catching Raven mid-ascent and leaping clear from the shaft in a single bound.

A fraction of a second later, the explosion ripped through the ledge below.

A pillar of fire surged upward, disintegrating the stone as molten slag sprayed in every direction. The shockwave tore through the shaft, and the construct—core rupturing—was dragged down with the falling debris, vanishing into the abyss it had tried to use as Raven's grave.

Raven landed in a roll, smoke trailing from his cloak. He glanced back, watching embers spiral in the dark.

"Any normal player would be dead."

But he didn't have time to admire his own survival. The last construct was already preparing another attack cycle.

"Not happening!"

With one shot left, he had to make it count. Tightening his grip on his chain, he launched himself forward, closing the gap before the construct could reheat.

Mid-air, he twisted his wrist, sending the chain lashing forward. It wrapped tightly around the construct's molten core. Instead of pulling it toward him, Raven used the chain as an anchor, locking himself in place mid-spin.

With a burst of momentum, he pivoted, launching himself toward the exposed weak point—

The dagger-tipped end of his chain sank deep into the construct's overheating core.

Before it could retaliate, Duskrunner lunged from the shadows, delivering a devastating, shadow-infused pounce. The force of the impact shattered the core entirely, a ripple of dark energy exploding outward as the construct crumbled.

Raven hit the ground hard, momentum forcing him into a rough roll. His shoulders ached, muscles protesting every movement, but he pushed himself upright. Beside him, Duskrunner snarled, ears pinned back, still on high alert.

The cavern rumbled. The destruction had destabilized the structure above.

Raven exhaled, wiping a thin layer of sweat from his brow. The fight was over, but this dungeon was far from cleared.

Raven stood near the remains of the destroyed constructs, catching his breath. His arms still burned, the scorch marks on the stone serving as a reminder of just how close he had been to death.

Duskrunner prowled nearby, ears twitching at every small crackle of embers in the distance. The wolf wasn't as exhausted as he was, but Raven could tell even his companion was starting to feel the strain.

This dungeon could be too much for them.

It wasn't made for stealth and agility types like them. It was a warzone filled with high-damage enemies, relentless and overwhelming. If they kept fighting like this, they'd get worn down before even reaching the mid-boss.

He clenched his fists, biting down a curse. This wasn't working. Another fight like that, and they wouldn't even make it to the mid-boss.

With a deep breath, he raised his hand. Dark mist swirled around him.

A moment later, Phantom Seer materialized, its ghostly form shifting like a mirage, multiple glowing eyes flickering open and shut.

Raven exhaled sharply, rubbing his sore shoulder. "Be honest with me—can you take those constructs?"

Phantom Seer tilted its head, its voice an eerie whisper that echoed unnaturally. "You doubt me?"

Raven frowned, arms crossing over his chest. "They don't think, they don't hesitate. You can't trick them with illusions or mind disruption. They don't even feel pain."

A low chuckle rippled through the air as Phantom Seer drifted in a slow, deliberate circle around Raven.

"Oh, master, you misunderstand," Phantom Seer whispered, its voice curling through the air like mist. "I don't need them to think—I simply need them to break."

Raven narrowed his eyes.

"They are fire-forged machines, built for war," Phantom Seer continued, its voice distorting slightly. "But war is chaotic. Even machines follow patterns. And patterns can be broken."

Raven raise his eyebrows, amused. "So what? You're going to confuse them into overheating?"

Phantom Seer stopped floating, standing unnervingly still.

"They rely on perfect targeting. My Distortion Aura will ensure their attacks miss more than they land. They rely on predictable programming—Haunting Mirage will force them to strike at phantoms instead of me. And if they attempt to charge an attack? Mind Shatter will disrupt their internal mechanisms."

Raven considered it.

It wasn't about overpowering them. It was about exploiting their attack patterns, forcing them to waste their firepower while Phantom Seer danced through the gaps in their logic.

His fingers tapped against his chain as he thought it through. It was a gamble.

If Phantom Seer failed, he'd burn alive before he got a second chance.

But if it worked… then he might have just found the answer to dealing with Emberstone's heavy-hitting enemies.

He sighed, finally nodding. "Fine. You better not screw this up."

Phantom Seer smirked, its form rippling as it shifted into battle mode.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it, master."

Raven stepped back, giving Phantom Seer space.

It was time to see if ghosts could haunt machines.

Raven looks forward. 

The air shimmered, waves of suffocating warmth distorting his vision. His UI flickered red, indicating the rising environmental hazard level. Having already summoned Phantom Seer earlier, the spectral entity drifted beside him, its multiple glowing eyes scanning the surroundings, ever watchful.

"Great," Raven muttered, rolling his shoulders. "This place just keeps getting better."

Duskrunner let out a low growl beside him, ears flicking as small bursts of flame erupted from cracks in the cavern floor. Phantom Seer hovered just beyond the shadows, its form flickering like a mirage, multiple eyes glowing with eerie amusement.

Raven clenched his jaw, scanning the path ahead. Speed and agility wouldn't be enough here—this dungeon required precision. He needed to coordinate their movement carefully, taking every hazard into account.

"We move as a unit," Raven said, eyes flicking between his companions. "I'll guide our path. Phantom Seer, keep your illusions active to mask our presence from anything ahead. Duskrunner, stay close but out of direct sight—use the shadows where you can."

Phantom Seer chuckled softly, its misty form distorting slightly. "Giving orders so soon? A good master keeps his servants well-directed, after all."

Duskrunner remained silent, merely lowering his stance, his muscles tensed and ready to react. His glowing eyes flickered from shadow to shadow, scanning for threats.

Raven exhaled and pressed forward. The path was narrow and uneven, the ground fractured from past tremors and eruptions. Every few meters, jets of flame burst from the cracks, forcing him to time his steps between the bursts. The walls, still unstable from the shifting heat, groaned under their own weight—an avalanche was only one wrong move away.

Phantom Seer drifted behind him, its Distortion Aura warping the air, their movements flickering like mirages. A subtle trick—just enough to fool anything watching.

Their progress was methodical—Raven would signal before each movement, ensuring no unnecessary risks were taken. When crossing unstable terrain, Duskrunner used Shadow Shift to teleport safely across, while Phantom Seer phased through obstacles using Phantom Step. Raven, relying on his sharp instincts and chain for mobility, moved with calculated efficiency.

At one point, a massive wave of flame erupted ahead, blocking the main passage. Instead of waiting, Raven commanded Phantom Seer to create a Haunting Mirage, making an illusion of a false pathway extending into the fire. As the flames subsided briefly, they darted through a narrow gap, barely escaping the next burst.

Then, just as Raven landed on solid ground—

"Stop." He raised a hand sharply, his instincts flaring.

Ahead, embedded within the heated rock, he saw it—a dormant molten construct, its core pulsing faintly like an ember waiting to reignite.

A trap.

Raven's mind raced. If they got too close, it would awaken instantly, catching them in a confined space with no room to dodge.

"Duskrunner, shift behind it. Phantom Seer, distort the air around us so it doesn't register our movement. I'll trigger it from range and control its position."

No arguments—just action.

As Duskrunner blinked into the shadows, Phantom Seer activated Distortion Aura, slightly bending the heatwaves to make their approach nearly invisible. Raven raised his Dominion Chain, letting it coil before launching it at the construct's leg.

"Three… two… now."

The dungeon demanded speed, and Raven would answer with precision.

The moment the chain connected, the molten construct lurched awake, its ember core pulsing violently. The ground beneath them trembled, and cracks spiderwebbed outward as the cavern ceiling groaned under shifting weight.

"Move!" Raven snapped, yanking the chain and pulling the construct into a more open space before it could unleash an attack.

Duskrunner lunged, Shadow Shift allowing it to reposition mid-air, landing behind the construct as its claws raked across the exposed molten core. The guardian roared, slamming a massive, heated fist into the ground, sending out a fiery shockwave.

Raven twisted his body, using Phantom Bind to teleport just out of range, appearing behind another unstable pillar. Phantom Seer's Haunting Mirage flared to life, conjuring illusory figures darting through the battlefield, drawing the construct's attacks away from them.

Duskrunner struck again, Alpha's Wrath stacking, its attacks growing sharper with each passing moment. The molten construct staggered, its heated glow dimming slightly from overexertion. Seizing the opening, Raven lashed out his dagger-tipped Dominion Chain, the edge sinking into the fissured core.

A sharp detonation of molten slag erupted, the construct collapsing in on itself, reduced to nothing but smoldering remains.

Before they could celebrate the quick kill, a deep rumble shook the chamber. The cavern ceiling began to crack—not from the fight, but from the unstable structure finally giving way.

"Go!" Raven barked, sprinting forward as chunks of molten rock collapsed behind them. Duskrunner darted ahead, Phantom Seer phasing through obstacles, while Raven used his Dominion Chain to latch onto high ledges, swinging over lava fissures and unstable ground.

Flames burst from either side of the path, molten debris rained down like fireballs. The dungeon itself was against them, designed to keep them moving at a relentless pace. No time to stop, no time to hesitate.

Then, through the thickening smoke, Raven saw it—a massive set of iron doors, their surfaces engraved with ancient dwarven runes. The first mid-boss room.

He landed hard, rolling into position before skidding to a halt. Duskrunner and Phantom Seer regrouped beside him, all three facing the towering entrance.

[Checkpoint Reached: Mid-Boss Gate – Emberforged Sentinel Detected]

Raven exhaled. "We made it."

Phantom Seer chuckled. "Barely."

Duskrunner huffed, molten dust clinging to its fur.

A low growl rumbled from beyond the doors.

Raven cracked his neck. "Let's see what's waiting for us."

The iron doors groaned open. A wave of heat slammed into them. And in the darkness beyond—something moved.