The shriek of Mirabelle echoed through the chamber, extinguishing the torches and plunging the room into darkness. Xerxes stumbled, momentarily blinded, as chaos erupted around him. Daeron, gripped by terror, fled as far as he could before collapsing behind a pillar, fainting from the sheer force of the scream.

Dexie moved like a shadow, slipping away from the group. His rapier gleamed faintly as he dashed toward the towering creature, slashing its stomach in a swift motion before vanishing back into the darkness behind another pillar. Mirabelle screeched, her howl reverberating through the stone walls as the wound seared her flesh.

Seizing the opportunity, Senshi rushed forward, his longsword flashing as he slashed through the tendons of Mirabelle’s leg. The creature buckled, falling to her knees, and her movements slowed. Senshi retreated, trying to blend into the shadows by a pillar, but Mirabelle’s keen hearing picked up his steps. She lunged in his direction, her massive claw slamming the stone floor, narrowly missing him.

Madame Red raised her hands, casting scorching rays of fire at the beast. Two of the beams struck true, searing Mirabelle’s flesh and eliciting another agonized shriek. Sensing danger, Madame Red muttered a word of power and vanished, reappearing in a swirl of mist beside Senshi.

Meanwhile, Daenerys conjured a bonfire beside the creature, lighting up several torches and restoring dim light to the room. Now able to see again, Xerxes readied himself. He nodded at Daenerys, who had taken cover beside Dexie behind another pillar.

Mirabelle stumbled forward, sensing movement. She swung her claw in Xerxes' direction, narrowly missing a deadly strike but managing to rake his leg, leaving a deep, bloody scratch. The noxious rot emanating from her aura gnawed at him, intensifying his pain.

But Xerxes, fueled by rage, let out a growl. His long hair began to rise, lifted by an unseen force, as his eyes burned with murderous intent. With a feral scream, he charged forward and drove his great axe into Mirabelle’s back, the force of the strike causing her to wail in agony. He jumped back toward the sarcophagus, landing heavily and limping from his wound.

Seeing an opening, Dexie attempted another sneak attack from behind Madame Red. As he moved, Mirabelle sensed him, spinning around to slam her massive arm toward him. Dexie barely dodged the attack, his rapier missing its mark, but he retreated to Senshi’s side, scanning the room for any advantage.

His sharp eyes caught the faint lines of a crack in the ceiling above Mirabelle. He quickly signaled to Madame Red, pointing toward the weakness.

Understanding his plan, Madame Red fired a series of magic missiles at the crack. The ceiling groaned under the strain, bits of stone beginning to crumble. A large section finally collapsed, raining debris down on the battlefield. Xerxes and Dexie were caught in the rubble, the stones pinning Xerxes beneath their weight. Mirabelle narrowly escaped the falling debris, shrieking louder than ever.

Trapped beneath a heavy slab, Xerxes groaned in pain, his breath labored. Madame Red rushed to his side, using the power of her amulet to heal some of his wounds. Slowly, Xerxes pushed the rubble off and climbed to his feet, his determination unbroken.

But there was no time to rest. As Madame Red backed away, Mirabelle heard her movements and charged, claws extended. Daenerys quickly cast Shatter, the spell exploding against the creature’s body, stunning her and halting her advance. Mirabelle staggered, weakened from the relentless assault.

Sensing their chance, Xerxes dashed behind the creature, his great axe raised high. He aimed for the already weakened tendon that Senshi had struck earlier, severing it completely. Mirabelle collapsed, letting out a final, pitiful shriek. Dexie followed with a precise strike from his rapier, further wounding the beast.

Senshi stepped in, his longsword cutting deep into Mirabelle’s flesh, and Madame Red unleashed another volley of magic missiles, each one hitting its mark with explosive force. Daenerys conjured a bonfire beneath Mirabelle, the flames licking at her charred skin.

With the creature near death, Xerxes let out a final battle cry and leaped into the air. His great axe came crashing down onto Mirabelle’s head, cleaving it in two. The great beast let out a last, gurgling shriek before her massive body slumped to the floor, lifeless.

The room fell silent, save for the crackling of Daenerys’ bonfire and the heavy breathing of the group. Mirabelle was dead.

After the intense battle with Mirabelle, the group gathered to rest. Daeron stirred awake from behind a pillar, groggy and confused.

"What happened?" he asked, blinking as he took in the scene.

Xerxes, his leg still aching, gave a dry chuckle. "Long story short—we killed Mirabelle."

Daeron noticed Xerxes' injury and immediately moved closer. "Your leg! Let me help." With quick, practiced hands, Daeron began tending to Xerxes' wound.

As the group sat in a circle, catching their breath and patching themselves up, the conversation shifted to what came next.

"So, what's the plan now?" Daeron asked, glancing around.

Madame Red, silent until now, pulled out a rolled-up parchment from her pack and laid it on the floor. "This," she said, spreading the map before them. "This is what's next."

The group leaned in, curious.

Daeron tilted his head. "What's that?"

Madame Red's finger traced a path on the map. "I believe this leads us to the Hermit."

Daenerys frowned. "The Hermit? Who is that?"

Dexie, sitting cross-legged, spoke up. "The Hermit knows much about what's happening in this cursed land."

Senshi nodded. "Yeah, he's where we need to go. He might be our only shot at unraveling this nightmare."

Xerxes chimed in, his voice hoarse but steady. "Father Lucien mentioned him. Said he lives to the north."

Daenerys looked skeptical. "Father Lucien? Who's that?"

Dexie grinned. "Oh, just a guy we met at the tavern. Kind of important."

Senshi raised an eyebrow. "I don't remember this."

Madame Red smirked. "He’s the one who led us into this mess. But he also gave us a way to stop it—before he turned into one of the undead. Just like Judas."

"Judas?" Madame Red furrowed her brow. "Who’s that?"

Dexie explained, "While we were searching the attic, we met a guy named Judas. He was looking for Father Lucien too. Turns out, he was an old friend of Xerxes."

At the mention of Judas, Xerxes’ face softened, his usual stoic expression melting away. His eyes glistened as he recalled old memories. "Oh, Judas... what a journey we had. Once, we woke a dragon by accident, and we had to run for our lives. He even bet me a thousand gold to see who could reach the nearest town first. Happy times."

Madame Red, trying to suppress a smile, couldn’t resist a jab. "Seems like you haven’t changed much."

Xerxes blinked. "What do you mean?"

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"If it weren’t for your trembling hands, we wouldn’t have even encountered Mirabelle in the first place," Madame Red retorted, a teasing lilt in her voice.

Daenerys nodded in agreement. "Exactly!"

"Now, hold on," Daeron interrupted, raising his hands defensively. "It’s not his fault. Anyone could have been scared."

"I wasn’t scared!" Xerxes huffed. "It just slipped out of my hands."

Senshi couldn’t help but laugh. "Yeah, along with your brain!"

Dexie, ever the quiet observer, smirked at the banter but said nothing.

"Oh, come on!" Xerxes retorted. "At least we gathered all this loot because of me, right?"

"Sure," Daenerys said with a raised eyebrow, "if the plan was to get us nearly killed."

Daeron sighed. "Guys, relax."

"Oh, like you almost died," Xerxes snapped. "I was the one crushed under the rubble because of Madame Red!"

Madame Red crossed her arms, scoffing. "Excuse me? I healed you after that, remember?"

"Yeah, thanks for that," Xerxes admitted, "but if I knew you were going to regret it, maybe I’d have asked for someone else’s help."

Madame Red’s eyes narrowed. "If I knew you were this dumb, I wouldn’t have bothered healing you at all."

Senshi snorted. "Okay, that’s just cold. You nearly killed him, and now you regret helping him?"

Madame Red didn’t hesitate. "Yes."

Xerxes stood up, fists clenched. "Oh, that’s it! I’ve had it with you ever since we were at the tavern."

Madame Red stood up too, her fingers crackling with arcane energy. "And what are you going to do about it? Try to slice me? You wouldn’t even get close."

Tension thickened in the air as Xerxes gripped his axe tightly, his face flushed with anger. Daenerys took a step closer to Madame Red, aligning with her. "I’m with her," she said.

Senshi crossed his arms and chuckled. "Oh, now it's just unfair. How about evening the odds?"

The four faced each other, ready for a fight, when suddenly a gentle, soothing melody filled the room. Daeron had taken out his lute, strumming a calming tune. Dexie was the first to relax, lying down and stretching as if he hadn’t a care in the world.

"Guys, come on," Daeron said softly, his voice steady. "It’s been a long day. Why don’t we just relax? Look at Dexie, he’s already on board."

Slowly, the tension ebbed. Madame Red lowered her hands, the magic fading. Xerxes loosened his grip on his axe. They all turned to Daeron, still playing his peaceful tune.

"Think of what we’ve achieved together," Daeron continued. "We defeated Mirabelle. Let’s rest and leave tomorrow. Tonight, we relax."

One by one, they relented. Madame Red slumped against a pillar, Daenerys lying down beside her. Senshi sat by the fire, already planning breakfast in his head, while Xerxes, drained of energy, collapsed onto his back and immediately fell asleep to the soothing sound of Daeron’s lute.

The group, though battered, found a moment of peace amidst the chaos. Tomorrow would bring more challenges, but for now, they rested.

"Xerxes, wake up! Hey! Wake up!" Senshi's voice cut through the haze, urgent and filled with worry.

Xerxes groaned, slowly opening his eyes to find Senshi, drenched in sweat, kneeling beside him. His head pounded as the world came back into focus.

"H-Hey, w-what’s happening?" Xerxes asked, blinking through the disorientation.

"We have to go, now!" Senshi urged, glancing over his shoulder. "A bunch of undead just fell through the hole in the ceiling."

"What?" Xerxes shot up, his muscles tensing as he scanned the room.

Chaos swirled around them. Dexie was a blur, slashing through the undead with his rapier. Madame Red stood at the far end, hurling spells into the horde. Daenerys, her hands aflame, ignited an undead creature but was forced to retreat as it lunged at her.

Senshi, never one to hesitate, dashed toward the burning undead and sliced its head clean off with a swift swing of his longsword. He turned back to Xerxes, shouting, "Don't just stand there!"

Xerxes shook off his confusion and rushed toward an undead that was creeping up behind Madame Red. His great axe cleaved through its neck, sending the creature's head rolling across the floor.

"Let's go! I'll clear the way to the staircase!" Xerxes barked, already heading toward the exit.

"Right behind you!" Daeron shouted, rallying the others. "Come on, you guys!"

Together, they fought their way through the undead, hacking, and casting until they reached the smashed-up bookshelves that led back into the church. Breathless, they regrouped, leaning against the stone walls, each catching their breath.

Dexie wiped the sweat from his brow. "L-Looks like we're in the clear now."

Daenerys shook her head, her voice grim. "I think not."

Daeron, his eyes wide with alarm, pointed toward the entrance. "They’re coming through the door!"

Senshi cursed under his breath. "We have to get out of here, now!"

Xerxes, unfazed, gripped his great axe. "This is no problem."

He charged through the entrance toward the advancing undead. Madame Red followed, casting magic missiles that exploded into the swarm of creatures outside the church.

"Nice!" Xerxes grinned, giving her a nod of appreciation.

Madame Red simply smirked.

Together, they fought their way through the remaining undead, pushing past them and finally making their way out of Greystone. Once they were a safe distance away, the group stopped, panting from the exertion.

Senshi, leaning on his sword, spoke between breaths. "Right. Now that that's done, we should head for the forest in the north."

Once they’d recovered, they set off, walking in the cool twilight. Along the way, the conversation drifted toward their abilities.

Daeron, ever curious, broke the silence. "So... what are your powers, exactly?"

Senshi chuckled. "Well, Xerxes and I rely on brute strength. But I’ve got night vision and I’m tougher than him."

Xerxes shot him a playful glare. "Yeah, yeah, you're tough alright, but I’m stronger."

Senshi laughed, the sound lighthearted despite the tension. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Xerxes."

Dexie chimed in, his tone casual. "I’m just fast and stealthy. Nothing special."

Daeron turned his attention to the two elves. "What about you two? You both have magic, right? Which of you is stronger?"

Madame Red sighed. "I don’t want this to turn into a contest."

Daenerys, however, grinned mischievously. "Why not put it to the test?"

As if on cue, two undead wolves appeared ahead of them. Without hesitation, both elves cast powerful spells, the air crackling with magic as the wolves were obliterated in a dazzling explosion.

Daeron raised an eyebrow. "Well, that still doesn't answer my question."

Senshi and Xerxes exchanged a laugh. Madame Red crossed her arms. "Quit laughing."

"Is something funny?" Daenerys added with mock seriousness.

The two warriors quickly fell silent, their faces blank as they whistled innocently. The group pressed onward through the forest, the mood lightened by the banter.

But halfway through, Xerxes suddenly stumbled. His vision blurred, and before anyone could react, he collapsed to the ground beside Senshi.

"Hey, we’re not here to slack off," Senshi teased, but his grin faltered when he noticed something was wrong.

Dexie’s sharp eyes took in the situation. "We need to rest. We’re halfway through, anyway."

Madame Red nodded. "Alright, let’s set up camp here."

As Daenerys went to gather firewood, Senshi knelt beside Xerxes, placing a hand on his forehead. His expression darkened. "He’s burning up. I think it’s something from Mirabelle."

Daeron helped Senshi lay Xerxes down more comfortably. "This might take a while. Xerxes, just rest for now."

Senshi stood. "While you all stay here, Dexie and I will go look for food."

Dexie agreed with a nod. "I’ll hunt, you gather some spices."

They split up, Senshi heading deeper into the forest where he stumbled upon a small cave. Inside, a glimmer caught his eye—a salt rock. He grinned. "This will come in handy."

Meanwhile, Dexie crept through the woods until he found a wild boar being chased by an undead one. Without hesitation, he dashed forward, slashing the head of the undead boar. He swiftly dispatched the regular boar as well, muttering, "Sorry, it's just the circle of life."

When they regrouped, Senshi held up the salt rock. "Got some spices!"

Dexie presented the boar meat. "And dinner. Don’t worry, it’s not undead."

They returned to camp, where Xerxes was sitting up beside the fire, looking much better.

"Feeling better already?" Senshi asked, smirking.

Xerxes nodded. "Thanks to Daeron."

Daeron gave a small smile.

Madame Red eyed their haul. "What did you two bring?"

Senshi grinned. "I’ll cook it right away."

As the sun set, Senshi finished preparing the meal. The scent of wild boar curry filled the air, making everyone's stomachs growl.

"Dig in!" Senshi announced, ladling out portions. "We’ve got a big day tomorrow."

They ate, the warmth of the food filling their bodies. Afterward, they settled in for the night, resting by the fire as the stars blinked above. Tomorrow, the journey would continue, but for now, they had a moment of peace.