“Just how much longer do we have to keep this up?”

Saria couldn’t help but ask, as she fired a few hours at the upcoming horde.

“This is the last bunch,” Rasiel shouted back, launching a lightning strike with Gungnir that cut through a large portion of the horde. “After we clear the hundredth floor, we should be able to leave.”

Thoran who had just finished casting, rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, because it’s not like the dungeon will just magically grow more floors.”

“Quit your whining, Thoran. It makes you sound weak.”

Kothog grunted, smashing a monster with his bare fists. He swung his head to the side and opened his mouth wide, unleashing a giant ball of fire. He also used his aspect to create weapons, disabling a large portion of the monsters.

“But of all monsters, why did it have to be Orianters…”

Nobile complained, trying to contain her gag reflex after staring at the monsters. Orianters were giant bugs that resembled cockroaches that fought by launching acid and using their large legs.

What’s more, they released a horrible stench once killed, which was impossible to get rid of unless a special solution was used.

“I swear, I’m going to smell like Orianter's guts forever.”

Thoran muttered, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

“Couldn’t this dungeon at least throw something less disgusting at us?”

“Focus, Thoran,” Saria said calmly, firing another arrow. “Complaining won’t make them disappear. We need to clear this floor and get out.”

Kothog laughed, smashing another Orianter.

“Yeah, Thoran, think of it as a test of your endurance. If you can handle this, you can handle anything.”

Thoran snorted.

“Easy for you to say, Kothog. You’re not the one who has to deal with the smell of sticking to your expensive magic robes. Draconian scales are naturally hydrophobic after all!”

“Let’s just get this over with,” Rasiel said, his tone more serious. “We’re almost there. Just a few more minutes of this, and we’ll be done.”

Nobile nodded, her face still pale from the sight and smell of the Orianters.

“I just want to see the sun again. And breathe fresh air.”

Segsbir, who had been silently slicing through the horde, finally spoke up.

“Keep moving. We’re almost through.”

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they were able to eliminate the Orianters. The floor was full of them wherever they looked and the group couldn’t help but gag at the smell.

Even Kothog who had made fun of Thoran earlier was on the ground, about to throw up.

“Can’t you just burn them, Thoran?”

“That would be a bad idea. Orianters release toxic smoke once burnt. Even the amount Rasiel burnt earlier is enough for us to worry about our health. We should probably leave as fast as possible.”

“Shit, couldn’t you have said that earlier?”

The group paled at his words and quickly ran towards the door that had opened after they cleared the floor. One by one, they quickly passed through it. However, what they saw in front of them wasn’t the outside world, but a massive room with a floating crystal in the middle.

The crystal glowed ominously, casting eerie shadows across the room. The air felt heavy, charged with a strange energy.

“Great, just what we needed. Another mystery,”

Thoran muttered, squinting his eyes to better see what was ahead of them.

Rasiel stepped forward cautiously.

“Stay alert. This could be a trap or another test.”

Nobile, still pale, clutched her staff tighter.

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

Kothog grinned, cracking his knuckles.

“Bad feeling or not, let’s smash it and get out of here.”

Saria raised a hand to stop him.

“Wait. We don’t know what it does. It might be the key to our escape or something worse.”

Segsbir, his eyes narrowing, nodded.

“She’s right. Let’s examine it first.”

The group approached the crystal slowly with extreme caution. As they got closer, they noticed strange runes carved into its surface.

“These runes... isn’t this Paragon Language? I thought the last remnants of that civilization were long gone.”

Thoran couldn’t help but exclaim, surprise evident in his voice.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Paragon? Do you mean like the era before the first Heroes? How could there be text from that era here?”

Rasiel asked, doubting Thoran’s evaluation.

“Look, it’s Paragon language. I thought my old man taught it to me for no reason, but to think it would come in clutch at this time. Thankfully vampire heritage is long, so we have quite a lot of records about the language, though most of them are damaged. Still, I can understand what the words mean.”

The group stood around the glowing crystal, the eerie light casting strange shadows on their faces. The air was tense, each of them waiting for something to happen.

“So, what does it say?”

Rasiel asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Thoran squinted at the runes, his eyes darting over the intricate carvings.

“It’s some sort of warning… or maybe instructions. I can’t be sure, but it mentions something about ‘sealing’ and ‘power.’”

Saria stepped closer, her eyes scanning the runes.

“Could it be a key to controlling the dungeon? Maybe it’s what’s been creating all these floors.”

Kothog, impatient as ever, cracked his knuckles.

“Enough talk. Let’s smash it and see what happens.”

“No!”

Thoran and Rasiel shouted in unison.

Kothog shrugged, stepping back. He knew it was better to listen to the two rather than make a scene.

Nobile, still clutching her staff tightly, took a deep breath.

“What should we do? If it’s a key, how do we use it?”

Segsbir, who had been silent, finally spoke.

“We need to activate it. Carefully. Thoran, can you make out any more details?”

Thoran nodded, focusing on the runes again.

“There’s a sequence… I think it’s a spell. But it’s old magic. I’ll need to concentrate.”

Rasiel placed a reassuring hand on Thoran’s shoulder.

“Take your time. We’ll cover you.”

As Thoran began to chant the ancient words, the runes on the crystal started to glow brighter. The air around them seemed to hum with energy, the light pulsing in time with Thoran’s words.

“Is this supposed to happen?”

Kothog asked, his muscles tensing.

“I think so,” Saria replied, her eyes never leaving the crystal. “Stay ready. We don’t know what will come next.”

The glow intensified, and a low rumble filled the room. Thoran’s voice grew stronger, his words echoing off the walls. Suddenly, the crystal emitted a blinding flash of light, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.

When the light faded, the crystal had changed. It was now clear, with a swirling mist inside. The runes glowed softly, and a sense of calm settled over the room.

“I think we did it,” Thoran said, panting slightly. “The spell is complete.”

Rasiel stepped forward, examining the crystal.

“So, what now? How do we use it?”

Thoran touched the crystal gently. He closed his eyes and let his mana flow inside the crystal.

“It’s a dungeon core… I didn’t think something like this truly existed. However, I can’t understand as to why the previous generations didn’t take it with them…”

Taking his eyes off the sphere, Thoran glanced at his companions, his eyes opening wide.

“Wait, everyone—look at the room!.”

The others followed his gaze and saw intricate patterns spreading from the crystal, weaving through the entire room. The lines seemed to pulse with a faint, rhythmic glow, converging back at the crystal.

“What is it?”

Saria asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

“These patterns,” Thoran said, his brow furrowed in concentration. “They’re not just decorative. They’re connecting the core to something. It’s like a conduit... powering something bigger.”

Rasiel’s eyes narrowed.

“What could it be powering? And why would the previous heroes leave the core behind if it’s so valuable?”

Thoran continued to study the patterns, tracing them with his eyes.

“I think... it’s maintaining some sort of barrier. A seal, maybe. Something critical.”

Nobile’s face paled even further.

“A seal? Like... the one keeping the demonic domain at bay?”

Thoran nodded, understanding dawning on his face.

“That makes sense. The core’s energy is being used to power the barrier. Without it, the seal could weaken or even break.”

Kothog, his earlier impatience now replaced with seriousness, stepped back.

“So we can’t take the core with us. If we do, we risk destroying the seal.”

Saria’s eyes widened as she pieced it together.

“That’s why the previous generations didn’t take it. They knew removing it would be catastrophic. And that’s why this dungeon was our trial. We needed to understand its significance and protect it.”

Understanding dawned in everyone’s mind, however, they still had one major issue.

“So, now that we know what the crystal does and is, how do we leave?”

Sgesbir couldn’t help but ask, creating an awkward silence.

The room grew quiet as the gravity of their situation settled in. The glow of the dungeon core cast long shadows on their faces, each lost in their thoughts.

"So, how do we leave?"

Segsbir repeated, breaking the silence.

Thoran, still examining the intricate patterns, looked troubled.

"There has to be a way. The previous heroes must have left a clue or an exit. They wouldn't seal themselves in here forever."

Rasiel nodded, his gaze already scanning the area.

"Agreed. Let's search the room. Look for anything unusual—another set of runes, a hidden door, anything that might give us a way out."

The group spread out, each taking a section of the room. Saria examined the walls, her fingers tracing over the ancient carvings. Nobile moved cautiously around the perimeter, her staff illuminating the dark corners. Kothog, with his brute strength, started to push against sections of the wall, hoping to find a hidden passage. Segsbir remained silent, his eyes scanning the room with a calculating gaze.

Thoran continued to study the patterns, his mind racing.

"If the core is connected to the seal, there might be a secondary system for exits. Something the previous heroes could use without disrupting the barrier."

As Thoran’s fingers traced the glowing lines, he felt a small groove under his hand.

"Wait, there's something here."

He pressed down, and a section of the wall slid open, revealing a hidden alcove with more runes inscribed inside.

"Found something!"

Thoran called out, drawing everyone's attention.

Rasiel joined him, peering into the alcove.

"Good work, Thoran. Can you read these runes?"

Thoran nodded, studying the new set of runes.

"It's another spell. This one... looks like a portal activation sequence. It should open a way out of here without disturbing the core."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kothog grinned, eager to leave the dungeon behind. "Let's activate it and get out of here."

Thoran began chanting the new sequence, his voice steady and confident. As he spoke, the runes started to glow, and the air around them seemed to shimmer. A portal slowly formed, its surface rippling like water.

"Looks like it’s working," Thoran said, stepping back. "This should take us out of the dungeon."

Nobile, still wary, looked at the portal with wide eyes.

"Are we sure it's safe?"

Rasiel placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It's our best option. We trust Thoran's knowledge. Let's go."

One by one, they stepped through the portal, emerging on the other side into a bright, open field. The sudden change from the dark, oppressive dungeon to the fresh, open air was almost overwhelming.

However, the first thing their eyes fell upon wasn’t the forest around them, but rather a strange humanoid figure staring directly at them, its eyes shining in an eerie blue light.

“You finally came out… It is a bit off from my calculation, but at least you made it out in one piece.”

The figure spoke, its voice distorted and unrecognizable.

The group stood in shock, their eyes locked on the eerie figure. Its presence was unsettling, and the way it seemed to know about their journey was even more disturbing.

Thoran was the first to regain his composure, having already used an emergency casting technique to summon a fireball, which floated ominously in the air next to him.

"Who are you? And how do you know about us?"

The figure tilted its head, the blue light in its eyes flickering.

"You can call me, Aeon. It is a pleasure meeting you, this generation's heroes.”