The morning sun bathed the academy grounds in a golden glow as the trio stood just outside its towering gates. The weight of their newfound power and responsibilities settling over them. Lorelai’s celestial wings remained retracted to prevent any unwanted attention. She knew her race was rare. After all the time she spent within the academy and her interaction will many different races, she had never seen another angel. Thrax stood tall, his scales catching the sunlight, their faint glimmer a subtle reminder of his draconic evolution. Aeryn exuded a chilling grace, her crimson eyes betraying the immense power lurking beneath her poised demeanor.
Avantus’s stern voice broke the silence. “Your excursion begins now. The devourers won’t stop until they’ve consumed everything. Staying here wont allow you to grow as quickly. Out there, you’ll gain the strength needed to fight back and more importantly, your survival.”
Fiona Windrider stepped forward, her expression calm but firm. “Your first task is to journey to the Gilded Hollows, a network of ancient ruins somewhere deep within the Whispering Wilds. It’s said to be the resting place of an artifact imbued with primordial magic. You’ll face traps, enchanted constructs, and possibly worse, but the rewards could be invaluable in the battles to come.”
Thrax cracked his knuckles, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Sounds like a good time to test out these new moves. Aeryn and I could probably handle this place in our sleep.”
Aeryn raised an elegant brow, her tone cool and measured. “If only your confidence was as big as your...ego, Thrax. This isn’t training anymore, there is a lot more at stake here. We’re walking into the unknown.”
“Exactly,” Lorelai said, her voice steady as she stepped between them. “We’re stronger together, but only if we trust each other and fight as a team. The devourers won’t give us a second chance.”
Thrax gave a small shrug, his grin softening into something more genuine. “Alright, wings. Lead the way.”
Lorelai’s gaze lingered on each of them for a moment before she nodded. “Let’s move out.”
****************************************************************************
The trio prepared themselves to venture deeper into the academy dungeon before setting off for the unknown. Their goal today was clear: the third floor of the academy dungeon, the bulletin board had recently stated that the rare dungeon shop had been spotted there, a fleeting phenomenon with treasures and supplies unmatched by the usual vendors. The information had initially come from hushed whispers in the mess hall the previous evening, and all three of them had agreed it was worth the risk. The third floor was no trifling matter; its denizens ranged from level 13 to 20, a sharp increase in difficulty compared to the lower levels they had traversed before.
The desert stretched endlessly before them, an oppressive sea of golden sands and jagged rock formations under a blazing sun that somehow burned brightly despite the dungeon’s subterranean nature. The third floor of the academy dungeon was unlike anything they’d encountered before, its harsh terrain alive with the distant roar of unseen creatures and the constant whisper of shifting sands.
Thrax shielded his eyes with a scaled hand, surveying the horizon. “I’ll give this floor one thing, it’s got style. Where’s this shop supposed to be?”
“It’s not going to announce itself,” Aeryn said dryly, her crimson eyes scanning the dunes for any signs of movement. She trailed her fingers through the air, her magic simmering just beneath the surface. “Stay sharp. The creatures here will be far stronger and more dangerous than anything we’ve faced before.”
Lorelai drew her blade, the faint glow of holy light reflecting off its surface. “That makes it all the more important that we stick together. Her purple eyes gleamed with challenge as she turned to face her companions. Stepping out in front of them, everything from her gait to her posture was alluring, she joined in on the banter. “ The third floor's enemies are are least three levels above us, but it wont be holding me back. What do you all think, a competition to see who can slay the most enemies before we find the shop?"
"Hahaha! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Hollered Thrax slapping his leg. His grin was wide and toothy, his draconic fangs glinting in the sunlight.
"You guys are much better at decisive kills than me," complain Aeryn.
"I understand if you can't keep up, you dont have to participate," Lorelai retorted.
A vein on Aeryn's started to pulsate with annoyance, "I never said I couldn't keep up. How about we make a wager then?"
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
"W-what did you have in mind?" Lorelai asked apprehensively.
"Well I know what I want. I want you to open mouth kiss you both," Thrax said excitedly, "What? What man in their right mind wouldn't want to kiss world class beauties?" He said defending himself when Lorelai and Aeryn both gave him a look of disinterest.
Aeryn’s crimson eyes narrowed, and a faint blush tinged her pale cheeks. “Don’t push your luck, lizard,” she said coolly, though her tone lacked its usual bite. “If I win, you two will serve me for a day. Lorelai, you’ll give me a massage. Thrax, you’ll cater to my every whim.”
Lorelai groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was starting to like these bets less by the second, but she had stoked the flame so she couldn't very well back out now. She glanced at each of them, her purple eyes lighting up with fire for the impending competition “Fine. If I win, all monster drops are mine until we reach the next town. No arguments.” She leveled her blade, her wings twitching in anticipation. “Agreed?”
Thrax immediately coughed, "Greedy lil thing! If that is how you two are going to be, then I will have to change my wager. If I win, then you'll have to let me cop-a-feel while I kiss each each of you. I need to up my wager, since you ladies are asking for so much."
Aeryn and Lorelai both shielded their chest involuntarily, but nodded in affirmation. This is a prelude to a fierce competition between the team where there is a lot that can go awry.
Thrax let out a booming laugh. “Then its agreed! No crying when I’m the one walking away victorious.”
The desert stretched endlessly before them, its undulating dunes alive with unseen threats and opportunities. Lorelai, Thrax, and Aeryn fanned out, each eager to claim victory in their wager. The stakes fueled their determination, and the scorching heat of the third floor’s desert terrain only heightened the intensity.
A low rumble vibrated through the sands, and moments later, the first wave of enemies emerged. A swarm of desert worms erupted from beneath the dunes, their segmented bodies glistening with a slimy sheen. Each worm was enormous, its mandibles snapping as it lunged toward the intruders.
Thrax charged headfirst into the fray, his laughter echoing across the battlefield. “Let’s see if these worms can handle this!” With a powerful leap, he brought his greataxe down, slashing clean through the nearest worm’s thick hide. The beast writhed but fell quickly under his unrelenting assault.
“Another one for me!” he called out, dispatching two more in a flurry of strikes. The worms’ attacks failed to penetrate his scaled arms, and he reveled in the visceral satisfaction of each victory.
Not to be outdone, Aeryn held her ground a few paces behind him. She extended her hands, as blood-like ichor exploded out of the worms. The crimson energy that lashed out in the form of multiple blood swords at the approaching swarm. The sword sliced through the worms’ bodies like butter, causing them to convulse and collapse into heaps.
“Precision over brute force,” she said coolly, casting a sidelong glance at Thrax. “That’s two more for me.”
Thrax rolled his eyes but grinned. “Keep up, princess!”
Meanwhile, Lorelai danced through the chaos with calculated precision. Her blade shimmered with celestial energy as her sword was coated with smite. As she moved, each strike cutting down her enemies with lethal efficiency. Her blade was not holding up well with celestial energy. Minor cracks had been accumulating on the blade. One worm reared up to strike, but Lorelai leapt into the air, her wings flaring out for balance as she delivered a devastating overhead slash.
“I'll win this because you two lack focus,” she called out, her voice steady despite the mounting pressure.
The trio’s competition grew fiercer as more desert worms emerged. Thrax relied on raw strength and his draconic resilience to overpower his foes, while Aeryn used her magic and quick maneuvers to target multiple enemies at once, her blood spells really showing its strength within a battlefield environment, leaving trails of shimmering crimson in the sand. Lorelai’s divine energy illuminated the battlefield, her strikes both graceful and devastating, but she ended up having to change to her mithril spear as one devasting sword strike shattered her weapon.
The desert floor soon became littered with the remains of fallen worms, their segmented bodies half-buried in the shifting sands. The trio paused briefly to catch their breath, their eyes darting to one another as they silently calculated their respective kills.
“You’re not pulling ahead, Thrax,” Aeryn teased, a faint smirk playing on her lips. “All that brute strength, and you’re still trailing behind.”
Thrax growled, his grin never wavering. “I’m just getting warmed up! The next wave’s mine.”
Lorelai shook her head but couldn’t suppress a smile. “You two are impossible. Let’s move. We still haven't found the shop yet.”
As if summoned by her words, a faint chime echoed through the desert air. The trio’s attention snapped to the source of the sound, a raised platform of smooth stone rising from the sands in the distance. Atop it stood the dungeon shop, its glowing stalls brimming with treasures.
The worms thinned as they approached, and the trio exchanged glances, their competitive banter temporarily set aside. The cloaked figure manning the shop stood silently, their presence enigmatic and commanding.
“Welcome, travelers,” the figure intoned, their voice smooth and otherworldly. “You’ve earned the right to browse these wares. Choose wisely, for opportunities like this are rare.”
For a moment, the rivalry dissolved as Lorelai, Thrax, and Aeryn stepped forward to examine the shop’s offerings. The array of artifacts, potions, and equipment was staggering, each item seeming to hum with latent power.
As they perused the treasures, the wager loomed in their minds. They would tally their kills soon enough, and the victor would claim their prize. Until then, they allowed themselves a moment of camaraderie, the thrill of the hunt replaced by the shared wonder of discovery.
The sands whispered promises of challenges yet to come, but for now, the trio stood united before the spoils of their shared determination