Reunion

The second floor of the Flame Dungeon was eerily quiet.

Adonis and Mia stumbled into a wide chamber, breath ragged, robes scorched. The golden glow in Adonis's eyes had faded to a tired burn. Mia's frost aura shimmered faintly, like embers of her own magic.

Both were utterly out of breath after their fight.

"We actually made it," Adonis whispered, sinking to the cooled obsidian floor. He leaned back against a rune-carved wall. Quackner tumbled off his head and began pecking at a crumb in the dust.

Mia remained upright, leaning against a leaning pillar etched breathing heavily.

Adonis looked up at her. "Thanks."

Mia paused, brushing motes of ash from her sleeves. Finally, she said quietly, "I couldn't just watch you die."

His heart fluttered. He rubbed his temples, then managed a lopsided grin. "I didn't expect you to drag yourself into this mess for me—after all, I insisted on saving them in the first place."

Mia's sapphire eyes flicked to his. "I did it because it felt right."

He smiled. "You're kinder than you let on."

Her cheeks turned pink beneath the frost. "Was that… a compliment or an insult?" she snapped, plumes of icy air swirling around her.

He chuckled. "Just thought you were cute when you try to hide it."

Her face bloomed crimson. "If you're trying to tease me, know that I can freeze your tongue." she threatened him hiding her embarrassed face.

"Fine, fine. I'll shut up." He collapsed back against the wall, only to hear hurried footsteps echo through the gate behind them.

Tyrant Haul, Ai Holmes, and Alex Rage stumbled in, bruised but alive.

"Thank the stars," Ai gasped, sinking to the floor. "I thought we were going to die."

Alex slumped beside her. "I already wrote my will. Guess I'll burn it now."

Tyrant stood stiffly, then met Adonis's gaze. "You… saved us."

Adonis shrugged. "Yeah. We're even—I clobbered you earlier, now I saved you."

Tyrant blinked. "Strangely, I'm more popular now. The girls keep asking if I'm okay."

"…What kind of world is this?" Adonis muttered.

Tyrant offered his hand. "Still—thank you."

Adonis stared, then shook it. "Let's call it even."

"Sure." Tyrant grinned. "But next time we spar, don't hold back."

"You will die."

"Geez, so cold."

Ai snapped her fingers. "Okay! Now that we're all alive, we need a plan. The Orc King's still up there, and the exit's blocked. Rest here or push on?"

Mia glanced at her dwindling mana. "We rest. Adonis and I are almost empty."

"I've got some potions," Adonis said, patting Eclipse's sleeve. Quackner quacked triumphantly and produced a half-eaten biscuit too.

Alex stared at the duck. "That thing is starting to terrify me."

Tyrant pointed at a glowing mana node set into the wall. "Camp here. We'll recover faster near a node."

As they agreed, Eclipse unfurled itself into a spacious canopy, tenting over Adonis and Mia. The others gaped.

"…Is that robe our butler?" Ai whispered.

"Don't call it that, its ancient artifact," Adonis murmured, settling beneath the fabric.

Night—or what passed for night in a dungeon—fell as they nestled around the mana node. Mia sat close, her hatchling curled against her, and Quackner snored softly in Adonis's lap.

Each took some potions, sharing warmth and reluctant companionship in the silent glow of the node. Tomorrow, they would press on. But for now, they rested—five unlikely allies, bound by magic, fear, and fate.