Jaeden adjusted his grip on the Orichalcum Sword, the now cursed blade thrumming faintly in his hand like a heartbeat just out of sync with his own. The lingering energy of the last battle clung to him, coiling around his thoughts like smoke. His muscles tensed instinctively, a flicker of adrenaline pushing him to action even as the silence of the chamber pressed down on him like a weight. He felt it -the pull. The sword’s cursed energy stirred within him, not as a voice but as a feeling. A hunger. A promise of power if only he let it guide him.

His instincts screamed to wade in recklessly, to charge ahead and let the blade tear through whatever came next. It would be so easy. The sword all but sang in his hands, its resonance tempting him to abandon reason and unleash its full potential. A thrill shot through him at the thought of overwhelming his enemies with raw power, to feel their energy siphoned into the weapon, feeding its hunger and amplifying his own strength.

But the faintest trace of unease gnawed at the back of his mind. That way lies ruin, some rational part of him whispered. You’re no good to anyone if you throw yourself headlong into danger. Jaeden forced himself to take a slow breath, his heart pounding against his ribs like a caged beast.

Despite his assurances to the High Shaman of the Anurans, and to himself, he wasn’t sure he could trust the blade, or himself -not yet.

The edge of his lip curled into a dry smirk, masking the internal battle raging beneath his calm exterior. His usual strategy -calculated, precise, always looking for an edge -felt distant in this moment. He was balancing on the knife’s edge between instinct and discipline, a tightrope act he wasn’t sure how long he could sustain.

“S.A.S.S.Y., you’ve been unusually quiet,” Jaeden muttered, trying to ground himself in the familiar bite of his companion’s sarcasm.

“Watching you wrestle with your inner demons is more entertaining than I expected,” S.A.S.S.Y. replied dryly. “But don’t worry, I’ll throw a party if you give in to reckless stupidity. At least it’ll be a quick funeral.”

“Appreciate the pep talk,” Jaeden muttered. The quip helped, anchoring him just enough to push back against the sword’s pull. His hand flexed around the hilt, and for a moment, the blade’s energy quieted, as though it recognized his resistance and relented.

Liandra’s sharp voice cut through his thoughts, a lifeline tethering him back to reality. “Don’t get complacent,” she said, her gaze scanning the shifting shadows around them. Her threads shimmered faintly at her fingertips, ready to spring into action. “There’s something coming.”

Jaeden nodded, his focus narrowing as he readied himself for the next wave. The smirk faded from his face, replaced by a steely resolve. He would fight on his own terms, not the sword’s.

But as the silence thickened, the pull of the cursed blade lingered, a quiet promise whispering at the edges of his thoughts.

***

The hulking Shades of the Bound emerged fully from the writhing shadows, their glowing eyes like twin beacons of malice in the oppressive gloom. Tendrils of dark mist clung to their amorphous bodies, shifting and coiling like restless serpents, their movements deliberate and predatory. The chamber’s air thickened, a biting chill creeping in until each breath burned Jaeden’s lungs as if he were inhaling shards of ice. Frost began to creep along the edges of the floor, faint trails of jagged patterns forming wherever the Shades lingered too long.

The Orichalcum Sword of Asterius vibrated faintly in Jaeden’s hand, its hungry energy awakening in response to the oppressive presence of the Shades. The veins of black and gold running along its blade pulsed like a heartbeat, sending a thrill of raw power coursing through him. It was an intoxicating sensation, dangerous and tempting all at once.

“S.A.S.S.Y., any advice?” Jaeden muttered, his gaze locking onto the nearest Shade. The creature seemed to regard him with unspoken malice, its glowing eyes narrowing.

“Kill them before they kill you,” the system quipped dryly. “But do try to look good while doing it. That’s important.”

“Helpful,” Jaeden replied, rolling his eyes. His grip on the sword tightened as the first Shade advanced, its shifting form sliding unnaturally across the chamber floor.

Liandra moved first. Her shadow-threads lashed out like living whips, snapping through the air with a sharp crack. The threads coiled around the nearest Shade, tightening with ruthless precision. They shimmered faintly in the dim light, their razor edges slicing into the creature’s dark form -as she plunged both imbued daggers into its core. The Shade let out a piercing shriek, its body convulsing violently before it dissolved into a cloud of mist.

Jaeden let out a low whistle. “Nice. You got a name for that move, or is ‘badass murder-weaving’ too on the nose?”

Liandra didn’t spare him a glance, her focus unwavering as she stepped aside to avoid another Shade’s lunging claws. “Do you always talk this much in a fight?”

“Gotta keep things lively,” Jaeden replied, ducking under a swipe and rolling smoothly to his feet. His heightened perception pinpointed faint weak points in the Shade’s amorphous form -a slight shimmer along its shifting torso, a flicker where its misty limbs seemed to coalesce into something more solid. Its core.

He moved without hesitation, darting forward with a burst of agility granted by Serpent’s Agility. His movements were fluid, each step calculated, each swing of the sword deliberate. The cursed blade hummed as it cleaved through the Shade’s arm, sending a burst of dark mist into the air like a miniature storm cloud.

The creature recoiled, its form writhing as the cursed energy from the sword spread through it like black lightning. It let out a distorted, guttural wail that reverberated through the chamber, its amorphous body convulsing as the blade’s corruption took hold.

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Jaeden didn’t let up. He pressed the advantage, driving the sword deep into the creature’s core. The Shade’s cry rose to a fever pitch before it collapsed into a heap of dissolving shadows, the remnants of its form dissipating into nothingness.

“Another one bites the dust,” Jaeden muttered, pivoting to face the next Shade. He couldn’t resist a small grin. “Any chance we can make this a group discount?”

The Shades didn’t answer -not that he expected them to. Instead, two of the hulking figures surged toward him in unison, their tendrils lashing out with a predatory speed that belied their massive forms. Jaeden’s Meta-sight kicked in, and he saw the attacks a moment before they connected. His body responded instinctively, twisting to the side and rolling clear of the onslaught.

Behind him, Liandra moved like a dancer caught in a deadly rhythm. Her shadow-threads wove intricate patterns in the air, their movements fluid and hypnotic. They lashed out at two Shades simultaneously, wrapping around one’s limbs while slicing into the other’s torso. The first Shade let out a guttural growl as the threads tightened, its form fracturing under the strain, while the second dissolved with a distorted cry, its essence scattering into the air.

Between beats in the chaotic rhythm of battle, Jaeden found a moment to watch Liandra work.

She was beautiful in the same way a category 5 tornado was. She was death and destruction personified.

When she targeted an enemy, the threads would coil tightly, striking at its weak points like a surgeon’s scalpel. They moved faster than the eye could follow, leaving faint, glowing trails in the air. When she defended, they formed a shifting shield around her, intercepting blows with a crackling hiss that sounded like fabric being torn.

Jaeden found himself admiring the artistry of it. “You make it look easy,” he muttered, dodging another swipe. “Like you’re knitting murder.”

Liandra didn’t reply immediately, but the faint smirk tugging at her lips didn’t escape his notice. “Skill isn’t innate,” she finally said. “It’s honed.”

“And here I thought you were born awesome,” Jaeden quipped, earning a small huff of amusement.

As another Shade dissolved into mist under a combination of Liandra’s threads and his own sword, Jaeden took a moment to catch his breath. The room’s oppressive energy hung around them like a heavy cloak, but he couldn’t help the thought that wormed its way into his mind.

“This feels way too familiar,” he muttered under his breath, wiping shadowy residue from his blade. “You know, like one of those ‘protect the princess’ quests.”

“What was that?” Liandra asked, her tone sharp but curious.

“Nothing,” Jaeden replied quickly, though the thought didn’t leave him. He swung at a nearby Shade’s tendril and added silently, Seriously, though. Escort quest? Check. Random ambushes from nowhere? Check. A companion who’s somehow more capable than me and insists on explaining things like a walking tutorial? Double check.

Liandra’s voice broke through his internal monologue. “Focus on its core. That’s where it’s weakest.”

“Oh? Thanks for the tip.” Jaeden groaned inwardly as he realized the struggle against the sword was getting to him. “Sorry, I’m a little distracted,” he told her, dodging a shadowed swipe, before slicing through the Shade’s arm. “Any other helpful hints from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to Surviving Shadow Dungeons.”

As he caught Liandra glancing his way, Jaeden smirked. “Not complaining, though. You’ve got the whole ‘mysterious mentor’ thing down to an art.”

Her lips twitched in amusement. “If I’m the mentor, you’re the unpredictable apprentice. The kind that trips over their own feet and somehow still saves the day.”

Jaeden laughed despite himself. “Hey, that’s my signature move.”

Liandra dispatched another shade with a flick of her wrist, firing a shadow infused Titanoboa Tooth Dagger into its core, shattering it in an instant.

“Show-off,” Jaeden called as he deflected a blow aimed at his head. The impact sent a jarring vibration up his arm, but he adjusted quickly, his cursed blade flaring with dark energy.

Liandra glanced at him briefly, her expression unreadable. “Focus, Jaeden. These aren’t ordinary shadows. They adapt.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that,” he replied, sidestepping another attack. His breath came in short bursts, each exhale visible in the freezing air. He could feel the weight of the cursed sword pulling at him, its power intoxicating but dangerous. His instincts screamed at him to stay sharp, to keep moving.

One of the Shades lunged, its glowing eyes narrowing as it aimed a clawed swipe at his chest. Jaeden barely avoided the attack, his Luck of the Devil trait kicking in at the last possible moment. The Shade overextended, its movements unsteady for just a fraction of a second. It was all Jaeden needed.

He countered with a quick feint, luring the creature further off balance before driving his blade into its exposed core. The cursed energy surged again, the sword pulsing as the Shade let out a distorted wail. Its body convulsed violently before exploding into a cloud of dark mist that lingered briefly before dissipating.

Jaeden exhaled slowly, his grip on the sword tightening as the remaining Shades circled warily. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of adrenaline and the intoxicating thrill of the fight. The cursed blade hummed faintly, its energy thrumming like a heartbeat, urging him forward.

Liandra’s voice cut through the tension. “Don’t let your guard down. These creatures learn quickly. The more we fight, the stronger they’ll get.”

Jaeden nodded, his eyes fixed on the circling Shades. “Good to know. You got any other helpful tidbits, or are we sticking to ominous warnings?”

Her lips twitched, though she didn’t quite smile. “Try not to die. That’s always sound advice.”

“Noted,” Jaeden replied, smirking despite the gravity of the situation. He shifted his stance, his Meta-sight flaring as he tracked the Shades’ movements. The creatures seemed to hesitate, their glowing eyes flickering as if communicating silently.

Then, without warning, they attacked as one.

The Shades moved like a single entity, their tendrils lashing out in a coordinated assault. Jaeden’s instincts screamed, and he threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding a swipe that would have taken his head. He rolled to his feet, the cursed blade flaring as he brought it up to deflect another strike.

The impact jarred him, but he recovered quickly, countering with a powerful slash that cleaved through one Shade’s arm. The creature recoiled, its form writhing as the cursed energy spread through it. Before he could press the advantage, another Shade lunged, forcing him to backpedal.

Liandra’s threads lashed out again, weaving a deadly pattern that ensnared one of the Shades. She pulled tight, the threads slicing through the creature’s torso with a sound like tearing fabric. It let out a distorted cry before dissolving into mist, its essence scattering into the air.

Jaeden took the opening she’d created, charging the remaining Shade with a burst of speed granted by Charge of Asterius. His movements were a blur, the cursed blade arcing downward in a vicious strike. The sword connected with the creature’s core, and the energy surged violently, shattering the Shade into a cascade of dark mist.

As the chamber quieted, Jaeden lowered his blade, his breath fogging in the frigid air. The oppressive chill lingered, but the immediate threat had passed. He glanced at Liandra, who stood amidst the fading remnants of the battle, her shadow-threads coiling back into her hands like serpents retreating to their lair.

“Well,” Jaeden said, his voice light despite the tension still thrumming through him. “That wasn’t so bad.”

Liandra arched an eyebrow. “You consider that ‘not so bad’?”

He shrugged, grinning. “Could’ve been worse.”

She didn’t respond immediately, her gaze flicking to the cursed sword in his hand. “That weapon of yours… it’s dangerous.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Jaeden replied, sheathing the blade. He forced a smirk, though her words lingered in the back of his mind.