Kaiden stared at the gemstone, his mind racing as the notification floated before his eyes:

Heart of Nyssalith

An artifact made from the heart of the legendary Nyssalith. There are many secrets held within, and this artifact will grow with its wielder.

+500 mana and +10% mana

Warning: This item is soulbound upon binding. Once bound, it cannot be separated, removed or transferred to another.

Do you wish to bind this artifact?

Kaiden’s mind raced as he reread the words over and over. This thing was insane—game-changing. His current mana was only 200, and this artifact alone would almost quadruple that. The percentage boost was even crazier, enhancing his abilities’ potency by 10%. Could it affect his Regeneration, the ability that had saved his life countless times? If so, how much stronger could he become?

Once bound, it would be his forever. No trading. No selling. No undoing. Was he really ready to commit to something so monumental?

He ran through his options, heart pounding. Selling it was an immediate no. There was no pack to conceal it, no way to keep it hidden. Even if he could somehow carry it, Zinnia or Ashkar would likely claim it the second they saw it. Zinnia might even justify it by calling in his “tab,” and Boork... Kaiden suppressed a shudder. Boork wouldn’t hesitate to take it by force.

That left one option: bind it to himself.

But doubt gnawed at him. “I’m not a Caster,” he whispered, staring at the glowing gemstone. “Would it even work for me?” What if it required specific abilities to unlock its full potential? What if he was wasting this on himself?

Then the other part of the notification flashed in his mind: “This artifact will grow with its wielder.”

It was meant to adapt. To evolve. To belong to someone who could grow with it. That thought was enough to tip the scales.

Kaiden took a deep breath, tightening his grip on the gemstone. His doubts hadn’t disappeared, but this was his decision to make.

“Alright,” he muttered, looking at the notification one last time. “Let’s do this.”

He selected Yes.

The gemstone flared to life, brilliant blue light filling the tunnel. Kaiden squeezed his eyes shut as heat surged through his palms, spreading through his entire body. It wasn’t painful, but it was overwhelming, a rush of energy that made his heart race and his breath hitch. The artifact pulsed in his hands, almost like a heartbeat, before the light faded and the gem dissolved into motes of energy that seeped into his chest.

With a mental prod, his status appeared before him:

Kaiden Hayward

Age: 26

Class: Health Weaver (Common) Level 1

Skills / Abilities

Regeneration: Level 2 (Passive)

Mindforge: Level 2 (Passive)

Arcane Vision: Level 2 (Active)

Healing Touch: Level 1

Cure Poison: Level 1

Attributes

Strength: 20 {10%}

Dexterity: 30 {10%}

Constitution: 80 {30%}

Mana: 700 / 700 {10%}

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Mana Regeneration: 30 {15%}

Kaiden stumbled back, his hand pressed to his chest where he could still feel the faint hum of the artifact’s energy. A grin broke across his face as he stared at the new numbers. Seven hundred mana—he’d never dreamed of hitting that number, especially not as a Bracer. He felt the energy humming through him, vibrant and electric, and clenched his fists experimentally.

“Looks like I’m a Caster now... sort of,” he muttered with a chuckle. “And I don’t know how, but I feel... stronger.” Clenching his fists, he wasn’t sure if it was psychological or if the artifact really was enhancing him already. Either way, it felt like he’d just taken a huge leap forward.

He turned back toward the lattice, his gaze drawn to the faintly glowing ice beyond it, and another thought struck him as he peered toward the other tunnels. There are three other chests—and one of them has to be a Bracer artifact.

He wondered briefly what might be inside that chest. Would it be something better suited to him? Something that would amplify his abilities as a Bracer rather than leaning into a Caster’s strengths? The thought was tantalizing, but he sighed and pushed it aside.

The reality was clear—whatever was in the other chests would likely go to the others. After all, they were the ones fighting the mini-bosses. Ashkar and Zinnia would claim the Striker and Defender Artifacts. And Boork? He’d probably take the Bracer artifact out of spite, to dangle it in Kaiden’s face just to sell it later.

Kaiden couldn’t entirely suppress the pang of disappointment. Not that he was ungrateful—far from it. The Heart of Nyssalith was already making him feel stronger, more capable than ever before. But the lingering question of what might have been gnawed at the edges of his mind.

What exactly are artifacts, anyway? he mused, furrowing his brow. He’ figured they were rare and powerful magical items, but beyond that, his understanding was murky at best. Artifacts were the stuff of legend, and while he’d heard rumors of them during training, no one had gone into detail.

This dungeon, though... it wasn’t just throwing around ordinary rewards. The Heart of Nyssalith was proof of that. If the other chests contained artifacts too, what kind of items were they? Would they have flat boosts? Percentages? Abilities tied to them?

Kaiden shook his head, trying to dispel the spiraling thoughts. Focus. This dungeon’s been trying to kill you at every turn. You don’t have the luxury of daydreaming about loot.

Still, as he glanced one last time at the other tunnels, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. For all he knew, the Bracer chest might hold an artifact that perfectly complemented his abilities—or maybe something that could help him survive the boss. He just had a nagging feeling that hiding in the tunnel wasn’t going to work out so easily.

Suddenly, the torches near the massive ice block began to light up one by one, their flickering flames casting long, wavering shadows. The ice started melting faster, and Kaiden felt a chill—not from the cold, but from the anticipation of what was inside.

“Faster than I thought,” he said to himself as he walked over to the plaque, placing his hand on it. The plaque glowed as he channeled mana into it, and the last torch came alive. With the combination of four lit torches, a bright flare lit the chamber, and the ice melted even faster. Soon, it was enough to reveal the form within.

Kaiden’s breath caught as he took in the emerging figure. Slowly, the creature’s shape became clear. Wings tucked tightly against a heavily muscled frame, claws as long as swords, and a long, dark tail tipped with spiked scales. Its gray, slate-like hide shimmered faintly, almost as if it were made of polished stone. Eyes like molten gold glowed beneath heavy ridges, and its sharp, angular snout was filled with jagged teeth designed for rending flesh. Steam hissed from its nostrils even while encased in the remaining ice.

It wasn’t as massive as Kaiden was told a true dragon would be—at least not the ones spoken of in legends—but it dwarfed the drake General Thorne had ridden. Its sheer presence radiated danger and power.

Though he couldn’t say for certain exactly what the boss was, Kaiden guessed it was a drake—a lesser dragon, but that didn’t make it any less intimidating. Real dragons, as far as he knew, either didn’t appear in dungeons or didn’t exist anymore—depending on which stories you believed.

Regardless, this was undoubtedly the most powerful creature they had encountered in this dungeon. The air seemed heavier, charged with the promise of battle, and Kaiden’s heart pounded in his chest. This wasn’t just another boss. This was the final boss. And it could kill him without a second thought. A shiver ran down his spine. It was truly terrifying.

Once the ice had fully melted, the creature stretched its massive wings wide, their span enough to cast a shadow over much of the chamber. The sheer scale of them made Kaiden’s breath hitch. With a few powerful pumps of those wings, it launched itself into the air, gliding and twisting through the cavern as if waking from a long slumber.

Then it opened its jaws and let out a roar that shook the walls and reverberated deep in Kaiden’s chest. The bone-chilling sound was enough to make his knees tremble, and he instinctively gripped the plaque next to him for balance. As the roar faded, the lattices that had barred the exits flickered and vanished.

Kaiden stayed rooted to the entrance of his tunnel, paralyzed. There was no way he wanted to get anywhere near that monstrosity. From his vantage point, he saw the others emerging from their tunnels and regrouping at the center of the cavern. The boss, hovering high above, looked down at them with an air of absolute dominance. Another deafening roar filled the chamber, and then something worse followed—a rumbling that grew louder and closer by the second.

Kaiden whipped around toward the sound, dread twisting in his gut. His eyes widened as he saw a stampede of monsters charging down his tunnel, their claws scraping against the stone floor and their snarls echoing off the walls.

"I fucking knew it!" Kaiden shouted as he bolted from the tunnel, adrenaline surging through his veins.