The wind picked up, and the sharp sounds of the collar flapping against his neck were irritating, as if someone were trying to break through the tension in the air. Kaine felt a growing sense of insecurity in his chest. They had been traversing the lifeless gorge for several hours, but the feeling of danger did not leave him for a moment. The squad felt it too, though no one spoke it aloud.

“Something’s off here,” Lux whispered, clenching his fists. The light in his hands flickered slightly, ready to ignite at any moment.

“You’ve said that before,” Kaine replied with a weary smirk, looking down into yet another chasm. “But I agree, it’s a strange place.”

A sharp sound of a falling stone made them freeze. Kaine’s pulse quickened instantly, and his hand reached for his sword.

“Someone’s coming,” Immunis whispered. His mask glinted in the dim light, making him appear eerily calm.

Everyone stood still, ready for an attack. The rumble grew louder, as if many feet were stepping on the stones. And then, a figure appeared around the corner. At first glance, he looked like an ordinary man, but something in his gait and grim aura made Kaine doubt. The man smiled, and his eyes glinted red.

“Greetings,” he said, stopping a few meters from them. “It’s not every day that I have the honor of meeting those who venture so far.”

“Who are you?” Kaine asked sharply, gripping his sword.

“Oh, that doesn’t matter. My name is Ranit, and I am the guardian of these lands. And you... you have intruded upon my domain.”

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“We weren’t looking for trouble,” Lux replied, throwing a quick glance at Kaine, as if warning him not to make any sudden moves.

“Oh, I know,” Ranit smirked. “But sometimes trouble finds us. Especially when you possess something that belongs to me.”

Kaine frowned. He didn’t understand what this man was talking about, but an inner voice warned him to be cautious.

“We don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied coldly.

Ranit stepped forward, and at that moment, a shadow behind him suddenly began to grow, taking the form of a huge creature with multiple arms and heads. The beast seemed to be made of pure darkness, as if it absorbed the light around it.

“Well then, let’s see about that,” Ranit sneered, and his eyes blazed with red fire.

Without warning, the creature lunged forward. Kaine barely managed to deflect the first strike when he was thrown back, feeling the blood freeze in his veins. This force... it was something far greater than he had expected.

“Split up!” he shouted, but before he could finish the phrase, the creature plunged one of its long, clawed limbs into the ground right in front of him, cutting off his escape route.

“Kaine!” Fauna screamed, but he could barely hear her. The world before his eyes darkened, and all he could see were Ranit’s grim eyes tracking his every movement.

“You won’t get through,” the man whispered, and his voice carried a threat that sent chills down Kaine’s spine.

In that moment, Kaine understood that the opponent standing before him was far stronger than he had thought. But there was nowhere to retreat.

“Let’s see what you’re capable of,” he challenged, drawing his sword and preparing for the next attack.

But just at that second, Ranit suddenly vanished, leaving only a whisper behind: “We will meet again when the time comes...”

Kaine stood stunned, staring at the spot where his enemy had just been. He barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief when he felt a strange tremor beneath his feet. The ground began to crack, and soon the entire team was surrounded by fissures leading into endless darkness.

“We need to get out of here,” Immunis gasped, but it was too late.

The ground opened up, and they all fell downward into the darkness, not knowing where they would end up or what other trials awaited them.