More than thirty days had passed since they left Edsoria. Thirty days of dusty roads, makeshift meals, and near-daily showdowns between Layla and Su Mei over who was more useful—or more annoying—to the group. Jay mentally counted each one like a man tallying steps to his own public execution. Nessa did her best to keep morale afloat with soft songs and quiet prayers. Sometimes—even Jay almost believed they were safe. Almost.

  The late-afternoon breeze carried the damp scent of northern forests, leaves rustling like suspicious whispers. Bretalia was close—maybe two more days of walking—and everyone was already fantasizing about real beds, fresh bread, and, in Su Mei’s case, warm lakes for dawn baths.

  Then Jay stopped. His gaze locked on a rock formation half-hidden by vines. A semicircular cave mouth—like the fossilized jaw of a sleeping giant.

  “No way…” he muttered, taking two steps forward.

  “Problem?” Nessa asked, approaching cautiously, fingers tight around the hilt of her glowing dagger.

  Jay cleared his throat, uneasy.

  “This is one of the Forgotten Entrances. An ancient labyrinth sealed by the Kingdom of Dalmástia itself fifty years ago. From what I know… nobody who went in ever came out.”

  Layla spun on her heel.

  “Meowvelous. Let’s leave. How about a tavern with hot soup instead of horrible death?”

  “This one feels strange energy here…” Su Mei tilted her head, curious. “Like the ground itself is… shivering.”

  Right then, the ground did shiver.

  “This one had nothing to do with that!” Su Mei raised her hands innocently.

  A blast of wind warped reality. Trees bent like they were afraid to look straight at the thing emerging. A scar tore open in the sky. From inside—dragging chains of black mist and unstable energy—a Vortex beast descended. But not like before.

  It had wings. Not feathers or leather—spinning bones orbiting a core of darkness. A dragon, colossal and twisted, like a mad child’s nightmare sketch. It roared. Time stuttered. Jay watched grass age and rot in a blink.

  “Into the cave—NOW!” he shouted, hand already glowing with protective magic.

  Nessa hesitated one heartbeat—eyes locked on the advancing horror—then yanked Layla by the collar while Layla shoved Su Mei ahead.

  The moment the last of them crossed into darkness, an invisible force wrapped around them. Air turned thick, heavy. The dragon roared again—but didn’t follow. Something inside the cave—maybe the ruin itself—rejected the Vortex chaos.

  Silence.

  Jay leaned against cold stone, panting.

  “We’re… alive?” Layla whispered.

  “Yes. And trapped,” Jay said grimly.

  …

  The first hour was just breathing and silence. They advanced single-file, ears straining for every drip, crack, echo louder than it should be.

  Then they found a camp.

  Old—but eerily untouched. Four campaign beds arranged in a cross. Travel packs neatly beside a long-dead fire. No signs of struggle.

  No signs of people either.

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  Jay knelt, touched the ground. Eyes flashed white for a second; soft light aura rippled over him. Blessing of Sight activated. What he saw froze his soul.

  “They all… died. Long ago.”

  “Where are the bodies?” Nessa whispered.

  Jay shook his head.

  “No idea. But… they were strong. Real warriors.”

  The gear left behind was legendary:

  A double-bladed war axe, gleaming, adamant-forged, rune-crusted. A silver shield filigreed with rose gold—more royal relic than defense tool. A ceremonial Malkut hammer—small, radiating comforting benevolence. A longsword ornamented blue and gold—clearly a paladin’s holy blade. Carefully folded robes—for monks, clerics, paladins. Su Mei lifted a white cloak and murmured something like silent respect.

  Food and potions… spoiled. Preservation spells died with their casters.

  Silence again.

  “This one feels… sadness,” Su Mei whispered.

  “Do you think… taking their gear would be desecration?” Nessa asked, uncertain.

  “If we stay here, we end up like them, meow. And if we don’t take what can help us…” Layla gripped her axe two-handed, eyes serious for the first time in days. “…we never leave.”

  Jay nodded slowly.

  “This labyrinth… is an abyss. Each floor worse than the last. Monsters… that ignore floors… roam freely. We don’t stand a chance.”

  “So we go back and fight?” Nessa asked, faint hope.

  “With this gear… maybe we can win,” Jay said.

  They began equipping themselves. In the dungeon’s heavy silence—where stones whispered forgotten names—the only certainty was:

  Outside, the dragon still waited.

  …

  Air inside the cave still trembled with roar echoes. But something had changed in their eyes. Fear remained—true—but now conviction walked beside it.

  Jay returned to the entrance first. Vortex mist still swirled outside, thick as living smoke. He inhaled slow; chest glowed faintly. Hand reached into emptiness—Visingr materialized like a halved star. Seals spun around him like celestial gears, pulsing thunder and faith. He whispered:

  “By Gram’s truth. By light that pierces darkness. By my companions’ lives.”

  Behind him, Nessa touched her Malkut pendant, drawing healing seals in air with precise grace—fingers light as wind-blown leaves. Water bloomed subtly around her hands, veiling her like protection.

  Layla breathed fast. Axe heavy in small, strong arms—like it absorbed her fear. Memories of tearing flesh, wet falls, shattered bones still echoed. She’d almost died. Almost.

  But when Jay looked at her—not as commander, but battle brother—and simply nodded, Layla clenched fists, gritted teeth, muttered:

  “I’m not just a survivor, meow. I’m the wall between the world and the end.”

  And charged.

  Su Mei followed. Eyes closed. Her silence louder than screams. When they opened, ancient seals blazed around her. Three spirit beams rose behind—tiger, serpent, fox dancing like living smoke over her shoulders.

  They crossed the threshold.

  World exploded.

  The beast still waited, hovering feet above ground. Grotesque form clearer now: whirling bone mass, spiral death wings, eyes—pure void.

  It saw them.

  Time cracked.

  Jay slammed sword into earth—light circle burst around party. Dead grass ignited silver flames; thunderclap shoved mist back.

  “Brace!”

  Dragon spat black fog. Layla leaped forward roaring, axe high. Impact hurled her back—but deflected part of the blast. She rolled, coughing, rose without pause.

  “Come on, you shit-pile! I can take more, meow!”

  Creature dove—wingbeat split rock. Su Mei advanced. Seals flared; she flowed like water—each step a strike. Fist hit air; fox spirit lunged, slashing pure energy. Dragon roared—wing bones shattered partly.

  “It… bleeds…?” Nessa whispered, shocked.

  “Yes. But it still breathes,” Jay recited blessing verses. “And that ends now.”

  Thunder whips lashed from his sword, snaring a wing, yanking beast down. Nessa raised shield—water barrier enveloped group, shimmering bubble cushioning impact.

  But monster spun on ground, charged again—mouth opening in roar that shattered world-vision—like tearing reality with sound. Layla hurled against tree. Axe flew. She tried rising, staggered, cracked flank echoing. Then… froze.

  Jay screamed her name. Nessa ran—cure seal already floating like luminous flower. Time short.

  Su Mei sent serpent spirit coiling dragon’s neck, yanking back. It bit empty air, confused, unstable.

  Nessa knelt by Layla, light wrapping her body.

  “Not the same beast, Layla. But I know it’s the same pain.” Whispered. “You survived. You won. You can again!”

  Layla squeezed eyes shut. Trembled. Past trauma claws pulled inward. But she felt something warm… on wounded side… in heart.

  Looked at axe. Sky. Jay—bleeding, still shielding them all.

  And rose.

  Screamed.

  Ran.

  Body blazed dense crimson-wild aura. Ground cracked under feet. Each step revenge promise. Rolled, snatched axe with snap. Next strike—both hands, all force concentrated:

  “FOR ME. FOR US!”

  Axe sank into monster flank with thunder roar.

  Jay leaped with her—sword piercing bone chest.

  Su Mei spun—ancestral spirit pillar rose, golden serpent coiling and biting dragon neck.

  And Nessa—tears in eyes—raised hands, conjured Malkut’s waters… of healing and condemnation. Blessed geyser erupted beneath monster, shattering its base.

  Dragon shattered in dull flash.

  Only wind sound remained.

  And four—panting, bloodied, dust-covered, light-soaked—knew:

  Labyrinth entrance tested them.

  Dragon challenged them.

  But together… they won.

  ?