Floor ??? - Labyrinth Of The Deathly Embrace
Adonis dashed toward the source of the scream, his heart pounding in rhythm with his footsteps. He slipped behind a jagged rock, and peered toward the source of the cry.
Three men stood in area filled with rocks, a woman cowered before them, her trembling form and desperate pleas for help painting a scene of classic distress. Her screams echoed, raw and frantic, but something about the tableau felt staged, like a play rehearsed one too many times.
Adonis narrowed his eyes, suspicion coiling in his gut. Something's off. He activated his unique skill, Appraisal Eye. A faint glow pulsed in his vision as the skill scanned the group. Their stats materialized before him—strength, agility, endurance—all pitifully low compared to his own. Hardly a threat. But it was their occupations that confirmed his unease: Bandit. All four of them, including the woman.
It's a trap, Adonis thought, his lips pressing into a thin line. The question was, who was the target? Was he the intended victim? The setup seemed too coincidental, as if they'd anticipated his arrival. Or perhaps he was overthinking it—maybe the bait was meant for someone else wandering these place. He crouched lower, weighing his options, when a new figure strode boldly into the clearing.
"Release that woman!" The voice was young, brimming with righteous indignation, and belonged to a boy who looked no older than Adonis—perhaps seventeen, with slightly tousled dark brown hair and earnest brown eyes. He was clad in meticulously polished armor, white with intricate blue filigree and a sun emblem blazing on the breastplate. A sword hung sheathed at his waist, its hilt gleaming with the same fastidious care as his armor.
"Who are you?" one of the men demanded, his tone laced with feigned surprise, though a sly grin tugged at his lips.
"Fear not, for I am Sir Dennis, Knight of the Order of the Radiant Sun!" the boy declared, his chest puffing out as he drew his sword with a flourish. "I shall free thee from these vile scoundrels! Unhand her, ruffians!"
Adonis's face went slack, a mix of disbelief and exasperation. Wow.. Is this kid serious? The sheer earnestness of Dennis's proclamation was almost painful to witness. The boy hadn't even paused to assess the situation, blind to the obvious setup unfolding before him. Adonis could practically see the trap closing around him like a noose.
"Oh yeah?" one of the men sneered, his grin widening. "And what if we don't, tin can?"
"Then I shall smite thee with the fury of justice, for chivalry demands it!" Dennis retorted, brandishing his sword with a dramatic sweep. Behind him, the woman seized her chance, slipping away from the men and darting to Dennis's side, her expression one of exaggerated gratitude.
"Oh, thank you, brave knight!" she cried, her voice dripping with honeyed relief. "Save me from these horrible men!" But as she positioned herself behind Dennis, her hand slipped beneath her cloak, fingers curling around the hilt of a hidden dagger.
Adonis's eyes flicked to her movement, his suspicion confirmed. Here it comes. The woman's arm rose, the dagger gleaming as she prepared to plunge it into Dennis's unprotected back. Adonis acted without hesitation. He extended a hand, his fingers tracing a quick arc in the air. A lance of fire, precise as a laser, erupted from his palm. It streaked past Dennis, curving midair to strike the woman squarely in the forehead. She crumpled instantly, the dagger clattering to the ground beside her.
Dennis whirled around, his eyes wide with shock. "What—?"
Before he could finish, the three men snapped into action, their daggers raised as they scanned the shadows for the source of the attack. Adonis stepped out from behind the rock, his expression cold and unyielding. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a roaring torrent of flame, engulfing the three men in an instant. Their screams were brief, swallowed by the fire as they collapsed into charred heaps.
Dennis rounded on Adonis, his face a storm of confusion and anger. "What is the meaning of this? Why did you kill them? The woman was innocent, and the men—well, I was about to vanquish them!"
Adonis shook his head, his voice sharp with exasperation. "You idiot. It was a trap. The woman was in on it with those three. She was about to bury that dagger in your back while you played the hero." He pointed to the blade lying beside the woman's body, its edge catching the dim light.
Dennis stared at the dagger, then back at Adonis, his bravado faltering. "A trap? But… she was a damsel in distress!"
"They set it up to lure fools like you," Adonis said, his tone blunt. "You're chivalrous to a fault. Next time, use your eyes before you charge in like some storybook knight."
Dennis's shoulders slumped, his expression a mix of embarrassment and dawning realization. He sheathed his sword, the gesture slower now, less certain. "I… suppose you're right. Thank you. You saved my life." He straightened, attempting to regain some of his earlier dignity. "I am Dennis, Knight of the Order of the Radiant Sun. May I know the name of my savior?"
"Adonis," he replied curtly, already scanning the shadows for further threats. "We need to move. More of them could be nearby."
"Agreed," Dennis said, falling into step beside him, though his eyes still lingered on the fallen woman and the smoldering remains of the men.
Adonis couldn't shake the feeling that the trap had been more than a random ambush. The bandits' confidence, the woman's calculated performance—it all felt too precise. Someone, or something, was watching them.