Chapter 5: Into the Crypt

The air inside the crypt was thick with the stench of decay. As Lucas stepped through the crumbling archway, he felt an icy chill creep down his spine. The stone walls were covered in dark moss, and faint whispers echoed from somewhere deep within the structure. It was as if the dungeon itself was alive and hungry.

Kael gave a low whistle. "Creepy, huh? They really nailed the atmosphere in this game."

Lucas didn't respond. He was too focused on the shadows shifting at the edge of his vision. Every instinct screamed at him to turn around and leave, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on. He wasn't about to back out now not after coming this far.

"Stay close," Kael said, nocking an arrow onto his bow. "Low-level dungeon or not, this place can still kill us if we're not careful."

Lucas nodded, gripping the hilt of the Emberblade. The sword's crimson glow cast flickering light on the walls, but it did little to dispel the oppressive darkness.

They moved cautiously through the narrow corridor, their footsteps echoing eerily. After a few minutes, the corridor opened up into a large chamber. At the center stood a cracked stone altar, surrounded by rusted chains and broken bones.

Lucas frowned. "Is this part of the dungeon, or…?"

Kael knelt by the altar, examining the chains. "Looks like some kind of sacrificial site. Probably just set dressing, but keep your guard up. Dungeons like this are full of traps."

As if on cue, there was a low rumbling sound, and the floor beneath them began to tremble.

"Trap!" Kael shouted, leaping back just as the ground split open beneath the altar. A massive, clawed hand shot out from the pit, followed by a hulking figure draped in tattered robes.

[Wraith Knight – Level 6]

The creature's glowing red eyes locked onto them, and it let out a bone-chilling roar that echoed through the chamber.

"Great," Lucas muttered, drawing the Emberblade. "Any brilliant ideas?"

"Yeah," Kael said, firing an arrow at the wraith's head. "Don't die."

The arrow hit its mark, but instead of piercing the creature's skull, it passed through harmlessly, disappearing into the shadowy mist that made up the wraith's body.

Lucas cursed under his breath. "Of course it's immune to physical attacks."

"Not entirely," Kael said, dodging a swing from the wraith's massive sword. "Keep hitting it it'll solidify after every attack. We just have to wear it down."

Lucas wasn't convinced, but he didn't have time to argue. The wraith lunged at him, its blade slicing through the air with terrifying speed. He barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side and coming up swinging.

The Emberblade ignited as it struck the wraith's arm, and this time, the creature let out a hiss of pain. Lucas grinned. Looks like fire works.

He pressed the attack, dodging and weaving as he slashed at the wraith's torso. Each strike sent bursts of flame across its shadowy form, and with each hit, the wraith became more solid, more vulnerable.

"Nice!" Kael called, loosing another arrow. This time, the projectile stuck, embedding itself in the wraith's shoulder.

But the victory was short-lived. With a furious roar, the wraith raised its sword and slammed it into the ground, sending out a shockwave that knocked both of them off their feet.

Lucas hit the ground hard, his head spinning. His health bar dropped by a third, and a warning flashed across his screen: [Stunned – 5 seconds]

"Lucas, get up!" Kael shouted, firing arrows as fast as he could, but the wraith was already closing in.

Move! Lucas willed his body to respond, but the stun effect held him in place. He could only watch helplessly as the wraith raised its sword, preparing to deliver the killing blow.

At the last second, Kael leapt in front of him, slamming a glowing arrow into the wraith's chest. There was a blinding flash of light, and the wraith staggered back, shrieking in pain.

Lucas's stun wore off, and he scrambled to his feet, panting. "What… was that?"

"Holy Arrow," Kael said, breathing hard. "Limited-use item. Figured now was a good time to break it out."

Lucas nodded, gripping the Emberblade tightly. The wraith was still reeling from the blast, its form flickering like a faulty hologram. They had to finish it off before it recovered.

"On my mark," Kael said. "I'll distract it you go for the core."

"The core?"

Kael pointed to the wraith's chest, where a faint, pulsing light could be seen beneath the tattered robes. "That's its weak spot. Hit it with everything you've got."

Lucas took a deep breath, his heart pounding. "Got it."

Kael drew the wraith's attention with a flurry of arrows, dodging its attacks with uncanny agility. Meanwhile, Lucas circled around to the creature's blind spot, gathering his strength for one final strike.

"Now!" Kael shouted.

Lucas charged, his sword blazing with fire. As the wraith turned to face him, he leapt into the air, bringing the Emberblade down in a powerful overhead strike.

The blade pierced the wraith's chest, and there was a deafening explosion as flames erupted from the core. The wraith let out one last, agonized scream before disintegrating into a cloud of ash.

[Wraith Knight Defeated – +500 XP]

[Level Up – Level 4 Achieved]

Lucas collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath as the notifications filled his vision. His health bar was almost empty, and his stamina was dangerously low, but they'd done it. They'd won.

Kael walked over, offering him a hand. "Not bad, rookie."

Lucas took it, pulling himself to his feet. "We're not dead. I'll take that as a win."

Kael laughed. "Welcome to dungeon crawling. Get used to it."