The forest air was thick with tension as the Steel Tongues tread carefully along the narrow path. The morning sun dappled the ground through a canopy of golden leaves, but the warmth of the light did little to ease the chill Sebas felt. They had been moving steadily for hours, leaving behind the guild and its relative safety after a harrowing encounter the night before.
It had begun as a routine mission to clear out a group of wandering forest wolves. Simple enough. But what they found was anything but ordinary: a group of cloaked figures chanting in an unfamiliar tongue, a crude altar carved into the base of an ancient oak, and the telltale stench of blood and sulfur. The cultists had noticed them almost immediately, leading to a pitched battle. While the Steel Tongues emerged victorious, the encounter left them shaken—and with more questions than answers.
“We need to keep moving,” Keira said, her voice low as she scanned the path ahead. “If there are more of them, they’ll know we were here.”
“Aye,” Lorn grumbled, tightening his grip on his axe. “Those bastards weren’t normal. The way they fought, the way they moved… something’s off.”
Sebas nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere. The language the cultists had spoken—he recognized it. Not the words, but the cadence, the guttural intonations. It reminded him of the Dragon Queen’s tongue, though corrupted, twisted. He hadn’t shared this observation yet, unsure of what it might mean.
Ember, perched on Sebas’s shoulder in the form of a sleek black raven, shifted slightly. *They were not of her domain,* Ember whispered into his mind. *But their magic tasted of something ancient. Dangerous.*
The group’s pace quickened as the forest began to thin, revealing the edges of a sprawling city-state. High stone walls loomed in the distance, their surfaces weathered by time but still formidable. This was Eldros, a bustling trade hub and a haven for adventurers seeking fame and fortune. More importantly, it was home to one of the realm’s most infamous dungeons.
---
The Steel Tongues entered the city under the watchful eyes of the guards, who paid little mind to the party beyond the routine inspection. Eldros was alive with activity, its cobblestone streets teeming with merchants, travelers, and adventurers of all shapes and sizes. Vibrant market stalls lined the roads, their vendors hawking everything from exotic spices to enchanted trinkets.
“Feels different here,” Lorn said, his eyes scanning the bustling streets. “Bigger, louder. More dangerous.”
“That’s Eldros for you,” Keira replied. “But it’s also the best place for what we need.”
“A dungeon,” Finn said, his voice tinged with both excitement and apprehension. “I’ve read about them, but I’ve never seen one in person.”
Sebas turned to Finn. “What exactly is a dungeon here?”
Finn adjusted his glasses, eager to explain. “Dungeons are sentient pocket dimensions, created when magicules coalesce in unstable ways. Each one is unique—some take the form of ancient ruins, others are forests, caves, or even entire cities frozen in time. They’re alive, in a way. They grow, adapt, and spawn monsters to defend their cores.”
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“The cores are the key,” Keira added. “Destroy one, and the dungeon collapses. But they’re heavily guarded, and the rewards for reaching them are immense. Treasure, rare materials, sometimes even artifacts.”
Lorn grinned. “And magicules. Slaying dungeon creatures is one of the fastest ways to level up.”
Sebas’s interest piqued. “What’s the highest level dungeon here?”
Finn’s expression grew serious. “Eldros’s dungeon is ranked as intermediate—dangerous but manageable for adventurers between levels five and ten. Perfect for a party like ours.”
Keira interjected. “We’re not diving in unprepared. First, we gather information. Then, we equip ourselves. Agreed?”
The group nodded in unison. Despite their growing reputation, the Steel Tongues were not reckless. They had learned early on that preparation was the difference between life and death.
---
The adventurer’s guild in Eldros was a far cry from the modest hall they had left behind. This one was a grand structure, with vaulted ceilings, polished wooden beams, and walls adorned with trophies from countless successful quests. A massive quest board dominated one side of the hall, while the other was lined with tables where adventurers of all ranks discussed plans or shared stories.
The Steel Tongues approached the counter, where a sharp-eyed receptionist greeted them. “New arrivals?” she asked, her tone brisk but not unkind.
“That’s right,” Keira said. “We’re the Steel Tongues. Looking for information on the local dungeon.”
The receptionist’s eyebrows rose slightly at the name but said nothing. She handed over a stack of parchment. “These are the latest reports. Monster activity, recommended gear, party compositions that have succeeded or failed. Study them carefully.”
Sebas accepted the papers with a nod. “Thank you.”
As they found a table and began poring over the documents, Sebas felt a growing sense of anticipation. This was what he had been waiting for—a chance to test himself, to prove that the Dragon Queen’s gifts were more than just borrowed power. The dungeon would be his crucible.
---
Days passed as the Steel Tongues prepared. They stocked up on supplies, sharpened their weapons, and studied every scrap of information they could find. Sebas spent his evenings practicing his dragon shout, the fiery power growing more potent with each attempt. Ember, now favoring the form of a sleek black fox, watched with keen interest.
Finally, the day arrived. They stood before the dungeon’s entrance, a swirling vortex of energy that pulsed with an otherworldly light. Around them, other adventurers prepared to enter, their faces a mix of determination and fear.
“This is it,” Keira said, her voice steady. “Stay focused, watch each other’s backs, and we’ll come out stronger.”
Sebas nodded, his heart pounding. As they stepped through the portal, the world around them shifted. The air grew heavy with magicules, and the landscape transformed into a sprawling labyrinth of stone corridors lit by an eerie, bluish glow.
The dungeon wasted no time. Monsters emerged almost immediately—grotesque creatures made of twisted stone and shadow. The Steel Tongues fell into formation, their movements honed by weeks of teamwork.
Sebas unleashed his dragon shout, the force of it shattering a wave of incoming foes. Ember darted between the creatures, shifting into a hawk to claw at their eyes before returning to Sebas’s side. Keira’s arrows found their marks with deadly precision, while Lorn’s axe carved through the chaos. Finn, though nervous, managed to summon a protective barrier just in time to save Lorn from a surprise attack.
The battle was grueling, but when the last monster fell, the party stood victorious.
“Good work,” Keira said, wiping sweat from her brow. “Let’s keep moving. The core won’t wait for us.”
Sebas felt the magicules from the fallen creatures flowing into him, the sensation both exhilarating and overwhelming. He could feel his power growing, the Dragon Queen’s presence flaring to life within him.
By the time they reached the dungeon’s heart, Sebas knew he had changed. As they claimed their hard-earned reward and stepped back into the city, a notification shimmered in his mind.
**Level 3 achieved.**
With it came new gifts: the ability to channel the Dragon Queen’s ancient tongue into spells and a deeper bond with Ember, who now radiated an aura of undeniable strength. As the Steel Tongues returned to the guild, weary but triumphant, Sebas felt the weight of the stares again. This time, he didn’t care.
He was no longer just an orphan, or a warlock, or a rookie adventurer. He was Sebas of the Steel Tongues, and he's ready for more