The cave beneath Adanile Palace shook. It wasn't just a little tremor—it was a deep, vibrating rumble that seemed to come from the very heart of the earth. Something was happening down here, something big. In the center of the cave, an enormous egg, about the size of a person, glowed with an unnatural light. It looked like it was made of scales, and the power coming from it felt... dangerous. It was as if the whole "Promised Lands" could feel it. Every mythical creature, every being with a sense of magic, had felt that wave of destructive energy.

Angeline didn't like it. She shifted nervously, glancing at the path ahead. The ground was still rumbling, but there was no turning back now. They had come this far.

The two figures walked quietly, their boots the only sound breaking the stillness. The first one was a man, tall and stocky, with fair skin that looked almost pale in the dim light. His blonde hair was tied into a low ponytail, and his green eyes were calm, almost bored, as if he didn't feel the weight of the situation. A light beard covered his jaw, adding to his rugged look. He was in his late twenties, strong and steady, and nothing seemed to phase him.

Behind him, the second figure was much smaller, shorter than him by a head. She was young, with long, red curly hair and dark skin that stood out against the shadows. Her brown eyes flickered nervously, hesitant to step further into the cave.

"Stefan..." Angeline said, her voice shaky as she caught up with him. "Do you... do you feel that rumbling?"

Stefan didn't look back. He just kept walking, his boots heavy against the stone. "Yeah, I felt it," he said, his tone calm, like it didn't bother him. "But look, the people in this palace are mad. I'm sure it's just another one of their weird experiments. Probably something unhumane in this cave. I've seen worse."

Angeline stopped in her tracks for a moment, her feet planted firmly on the ground. She wanted to turn back, but the way Stefan moved forward so easily made her doubt herself. "But... this feels different, Stefan. This doesn't feel like just some weird experiment."

Stefan finally stopped and turned, his green eyes softening just a bit. "Angeline, I get it. You're scared. But you've come this far. We've faced worse things than this. Just stick with me."

She hesitated for a few more seconds, her mind racing. Could they handle whatever was coming? Or were they in over their heads? With a deep breath, she nodded. "Alright. I'm with you."

Stefan's lips curled up into a small, approving smile. "Good. Now, is your Stealth Skill ready? Or are we gonna have to wait for it to recharge?"

Angeline focused, a slight flicker of concentration passing through her. "It's good to go. And the upgrade I got means I can use it as long as I have mana."

"That's what I like to hear," Stefan said, turning back to face the dark path ahead. "Let's move."

As the two ventured deeper into the cave, Stefan's pace slowed. He paused for a moment, scanning the darkness around them. "Angeline," he said, his voice low and serious, "I don't think we're alone."

Angeline's stomach churned with anxiety. She looked around, her eyes darting nervously across the dimly lit cave. The rumbling had died down, but the eerie stillness had only made her more on edge.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Stefan nodded, his green eyes narrowing. "I'll bet my last coin on it. Something's watching us."

Angeline swallowed her nerves. She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I'll use it."

She closed her eyes and focused, her fingers tracing symbols in the air. Her mana swirled around her, a soft pulse of energy that rippled through the cave. With a final, sharp breath, she whispered the words to activate her Stealth Skill.

A shimmering veil enveloped both of them, the air around them distorting slightly as they vanished from sight. The magic felt familiar to Angeline, smooth and effortless, like she'd been casting it for years. But today, it felt different. Stronger. Her upgraded skill made her feel lighter, almost weightless, as if she could slip through the world unnoticed for as long as she had the energy to keep it going.

Stefan glanced at her and nodded approvingly. "Nice work. We'll need that if things get worse."

With a quiet, mutual understanding, they both hurried deeper into the cave. The air grew thicker, and the stench hit them before the sight did.

Angeline felt her stomach lurch. The walls of the cave were lined with broken egg shells, many of them shattered, their insides spilling out. The corpses of strange creatures, some half-rotted, some barely recognizable, littered the ground. The stench of decay, blood, and something even worse—something that made her stomach twist—hung in the air. It was suffocating.

She quickly covered her mouth with her sleeve, trying to block out the smell, but it did little to help. Her body shuddered involuntarily as she caught sight of a particularly grotesque body, its limbs twisted at unnatural angles. The sight of a clawed hand half-buried in the remains of a broken shell made her blood run cold.

Stefan didn't seem as bothered by the smell, though his eyes narrowed in distaste. His mind was elsewhere.

"I swear, if I have to see one more of these disgusting eggs or whatever the Adaniles are playing with here..." he muttered.

Angeline looked at him, her expression strained. "What are they even trying to do down here?"

"Does it matter?" Stefan said. "The only thing that matters is getting our hands on an Adanile Artifact. We sell it, we get paid, we get out. Simple as that."

Angeline nodded, though she couldn't shake the unease gnawing at her. She glanced around, feeling more unsettled by the second.

The further they went, the more horrific the scene became. Corpses lay scattered like broken toys, some still twitching slightly, as though life had almost left them. The air was thick with the scent of rot, and every step felt heavier as they moved past the remains of forgotten experiments.

"Stefan..." Angeline said softly, looking around at the mess of bones and bodies. "What... what kind of things were they making here?"

Stefan didn't answer immediately, his attention now on a pile of debris in the corner. His eyes were sharp, scanning for something valuable. "Who cares? The Adaniles are crazy, and these eggs are proof of it. We don't need to know what they were making. We just need to grab whatever artifact they've got, and we're done."

But then, Angeline stopped in her tracks. She blinked, her breath catching in her throat as she saw something that made her blood run cold. In the center of the cave, untouched by decay, was a massive egg. Unlike the others, this one wasn't cracked. It glowed with a strange, ominous light, and the faint rumble beneath her feet seemed to come from it.

"Stefan..." she said, her voice trembling. "That egg... it's different."

Stefan turned, giving the egg a cursory glance before returning his attention to the debris he was searching through. "It's probably just another one. The Adaniles must be trying to raise something. You know, to bring in more of their freakish creations."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Angeline's heart hammered in her chest. The egg was cracking. Tiny, hairline fractures spread across its surface, and the light from within pulsed in time with the tremors.

"Stefan!" she cried, her voice urgent. "It's cracking! We need to—"

Stefan waved her off, still focused on the pile of junk. "Relax. It's just another monster they're raising. We'll deal with it later. Right now, I'm trying to find a gold knife hidden under this thing."

"Stefan, please!" Angeline's panic was rising. "We need to get out of here! That egg's—"

"I said wait!" Stefan snapped, his voice harsh. "We're not leaving until I find this damn knife. The Adaniles don't get to screw us over. They've had enough time to make whatever monster they want. Now, we make our money."

Angeline felt a knot tighten in her chest. She kept her eyes on the egg, heart pounding as it cracked further. The sound of the shell splintering was deafening in the silence, and the fear that she couldn't shake only grew stronger.

But Stefan was too focused on the knife, too absorbed in his own world. And Angeline could only watch, helpless, as the egg continued to break.

Stefan's hand gripped the hilt of the knife, finally pulling it free from its resting place beneath the debris. "Got it," he muttered under his breath, a slight grin on his face. But as soon as the knife was in his possession, a deep crack echoed through the cave.

The egg before them—massive and gleaming like something out of a nightmare—split open. The sound of its breaking shell echoed like thunder, and in an instant, the source of all the power they had felt earlier was revealed.

A petite girl, barely a teenager, emerged from the egg, her fragile body trembling. Her pale white skin seemed almost translucent in the dim light. She had long black hair that cascaded down her back and blood-red eyes that blinked against the light. A dragon tattoo, intricate and winding, ran down her back, the scales seeming to shimmer even in her confused state.

The girl's gaze darted around the room as if trying to make sense of her surroundings. Her red eyes landed on Stefan, and for a moment, they locked. Then, with a struggle, the girl opened her mouth.

"Papa..." she whispered, her voice slow and weak, like she was learning to speak for the first time.

Stefan froze, his jaw going slack as he stared at the girl. He had expected many things, but not this. Not this. Angeline's breath caught beside him. Neither of them could move.

But before any of them could process what was happening, a faint clinking of metal reached their ears. Footsteps, heavy with the weight of armor, echoed from the distant passage. Voices murmured, growing louder. Someone was coming.

"Stefan!" Angeline hissed, "We need to get out of here, now!"

Stefan's hand shot out, grabbing Angeline's arm, and yanked her toward the shadows.

"Not without the girl," Angeline said firmly, her eyes wide, her voice tight with worry. "This is dangerous! She's in danger. Who knows what they'll do to her."

Stefan snapped, a bit sharper than he intended. "I couldn't care less right now, Angeline. We need to move—now."

His eyes flicked over the girl, still struggling to fully emerge from the broken eggshell, her tiny hands reaching out helplessly.

Angeline hesitated, but then she saw it too. The girl, trembling and confused, crawled weakly toward Stefan as though searching for something, someone to protect her—like a child trying to reach their mother. Angeline's heart wrenched, but Stefan was already moving.

Sighing, he muttered under his breath, "Fine. Damn it."

He walked back toward the girl, bending down as his cloak swirled around him. With a swift motion, he wrapped the girl's frail form in the dark fabric, lifting her with ease and draping her over his shoulder. She was light, almost too light, like a porcelain doll. Her body was still trembling against him, and though she seemed so fragile, Stefan handled her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

With the girl secured, Stefan turned, looking toward the dark path they had come from. "Let's move." His voice was low but urgent.

They hurried through the cave's twisting corridors, the echoing footsteps of the knights growing louder behind them. The pressure in the air was thick with the realization that time was running out. As they reached the cave's exit, the sight of golden armor flashed in the distance. Adanile knights.

Stefan cursed under his breath. They had to be quick.

But as they rounded a corner, Angeline's Stealth Skill suddenly fizzled out. She had overextended her mana. The shimmer of magic around them vanished like smoke.

Busted.

The knights froze as their eyes caught sight of Stefan and Angeline. Their armor gleamed in the dim light, their Adanile family crest clear on their chest plates.

"Who goes there?" one of the knights called.

Stefan didn't hesitate. He immediately put his hand on Angeline's shoulder, pushing her back into the shadows. But before they could vanish, Angeline's voice trembled. "Sorry! I—I panicked!"

The knights turned, their eyes narrowing. One of them stepped forward, raising his sword. "You're trespassing, and the punishment for that is death."

Stefan glared, trying to think fast. "We're not here for trouble, alright? We were just passing through." His voice was calm, but his fingers tightened on the hilt of his sword.

"Lies!" The knight shouted. "You're involved in something far worse than a mere trespass." His gaze flickered to the girl still slung over Stefan's shoulder. "What is this? Who is she?"

Stefan's face hardened. "None of your business." He shifted his stance, ready to defend himself. "Now step aside."

Stefan didn't wait another second. With a swift motion, he unsheathed his sword, Igniter, and flames erupted along its edge, crackling like fire itself.

Without a word, he lunged at the knight, swinging the blade with expert precision. The knight raised his shield, ready to block, and Stefan's sword collided with it in a deafening clash. Sparks flew, and the fire around Igniter seemed to sizzle against the metal. But something was wrong.

Stefan's brow furrowed. The sword hadn't even left a scorch mark on the knight's enchanted armor. It was as if the blade had hit a wall of stone, not metal. The knight smirked, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Did you really think that would work?"

Stefan didn't answer. His grip tightened on the hilt of the sword, eyes narrowing as he prepared for another strike. He had to get through this. They had no time for delays.

Angeline, seeing the struggle, stepped forward. She muttered something under her breath, raising her hands toward the sky. "Firebolt!" she called out, launching a quick burst of flame at one of the knights.

The bolt hit the knight's armor, but just like Stefan's sword, it barely left a mark. He laughed, raising his shield and brushing off the attack. "Weak."

Angeline's face turned pale with frustration. She wasn't strong enough—yet. "Stefan, we need a plan!"

But Stefan was already in motion. With a fluid movement, he dodged a swing from the knight, using his left arm to parry the blow while keeping the girl secured on his right shoulder. He fought with the skill of a master, every movement precise, every counterattack perfectly timed.

But despite his speed and strength, the knights' armor was proving too strong. Stefan's Igniter couldn't burn through it, and Angeline's spells weren't enough to pierce the enchanted shields.

Then, it clicked. Stefan's eyes darted to the golden Adanile knife sheathed at his waist. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "I forgot about you," he muttered to himself.

With a swift motion, he threw Igniter to the side, the flaming sword clattering against the cave floor. He drew the knife, feeling a surge of energy course through him. He'd unlocked something.

"Golden Strike," Stefan muttered under his breath, the words carrying a weight of power. Instantly, the blade began to glow with golden light, and Stefan could feel the heat in his veins. His next attack would be different.

In one smooth motion, he lunged at the knight in front of him. His knife sliced through the air, and this time, it didn't stop at the armor. The golden blade slid into the knight's enchanted plate, cutting through it like butter. The knight gasped, his eyes wide with surprise, but before he could react, Stefan pulled the knife free and delivered another strike—this time to the knight's chest, piercing deep.

Angeline's eyes widened in shock, but she wasn't done either. "Ice Wall!" she cried, summoning a barrier of ice between them and the remaining knights. The knights staggered back, momentarily disoriented by the sudden shift in the air. But it wasn't enough. They were already too close.

Stefan used the distraction to his advantage, spinning with incredible speed, his golden knife cutting through the air in a flurry of deadly strikes. Knight after knight fell, unable to withstand the combined power of Stefan's skill and Angeline's spells. The girl on his shoulder was still shaking, but Stefan fought with ease, his movements fluid even with the extra weight.

Stefan's last strike came in a flash—a thrust of his golden knife that pierced the final knight's heart, dropping him to the ground with a thud. He stood still for a moment, breathing heavily, before he turned back to Angeline, his face set in a grim expression.

"That should be the last of them," he said, his voice low and calm, though his body still buzzed with the adrenaline of the fight.

Angeline, still panting, lowered her hands from the spell she'd been holding. "That was... too close. But you did it. You actually did it."

Stefan wiped the sweat from his brow, his gaze flicking back to the girl on his shoulder. "It wasn't easy, but we don't have time to celebrate. We need to get out of here."

The girl stirred weakly, and Stefan adjusted her on his shoulder, trying to be as gentle as possible. "Hang on. We're almost out."

With one last look at the fallen knights, Stefan turned and motioned for Angeline to follow him. Together, they hurried back toward the outskirts