The well yawned open like a wound in the earth.
Fetid air rushed upward, thick with rot, mana, and whispers that weren't wind.
Kael stood at the edge, the darkness below welcoming him like an old friend.
Zar flanked him, weapon ready. Lira tightened her grip on her staff, eyes glowing faintly with newly awakened mana.
[Dungeon Entered: Trial Crypt][Difficulty: Adaptive – Based on Leader Rank][Recommended Level: E+ to D][Objective: Conquer the 3 Abyss Wraiths and Awaken the Domain Core]
The stone staircase spiraled down, each step carved with ancient language — a warning, or a prayer long forgotten.
"SAGE: No map data available. Suggest extreme caution. Resurrection spells disabled. Escape locked until Trial complete."
Kael smirked.
"Perfect."
Floor One – The Wailing Hall
The first chamber was wide and hollow, lined with black statues—warriors missing faces, eyes gouged out, hands reaching toward the center.
As the trio stepped in—
The doors slammed shut.
Then the statues moved.
[Trial Initiated: Memory of the Lost – Survive for 120 seconds][Enemies: Hollow Echoes – Rank F+ Swarm]
Kael threw his hand forward.
[Skill Activated: Crown of Grief Lv.1 – AoE Despair Burst]
The statues hesitated—just long enough for Zar to cut down the first wave.
Lira muttered a chant. Black fire flared from her staff, tracing a line of light across the floor that burned anything that touched it.
Kael waded into the chaos, claws flashing, shadow trailing behind him like tendrils of war.
He didn't need a timer.
He was the storm.
Floor Two – Chamber of Broken Vows
The next room was a cathedral—shattered and upside down. Chains floated mid-air, holding tormented ghost-knights.
[Trial Two: Purge the Fallen Oathkeeper][Mini-Boss: Specter of Ser Aelric – Rank D-]
A ghost in black armor descended, dragging a sword of sorrow.
"You are not worthy," it rasped.
Kael stepped forward.
"Neither were the kings that created you."
They clashed — shadow against cursed soulfire. The chamber trembled.
Zar fought chain-phantoms. Lira summoned a shield of mana, deflecting psychic blasts.
Kael absorbed a blow to the ribs — coughed blood — laughed.
[Skill Triggered: Abyssal Adrenaline – Damage Taken → Power Boost][Combo Activated: Ghost Fang + Phantom Grasp + Devour Core → Abyss Shatter Lv.1]
Kael's clawed fist struck the ghost-knight's helm.
It shattered.
[Mini-Boss Defeated][Item Acquired: Oathkeeper's Fragment][Kael – Level Up!][New Trait Gained: Breaker of Vows – Bonus damage to cursed and bound enemies.]
Final Floor – The Crypt Core
In the final chamber, a black crystal pulsed at the center of a floating platform — veins of mana twisting outward like roots.
Three spectral wraiths surrounded it.
Each spoke in an ancient tongue.
"He is no king.""He was never chosen.""He crawled from filth."
Kael stepped forward.
"I am not chosen."
His silver eyes blazed.
"I chose myself."
The wraiths screamed. The air tore. The battle began.
Final Trial: Three Wraith Lords – Rank D+ Combined
Kael roared forward — darkness bursting from his back like wings.
Zar and Lira followed without hesitation.
Magic clashed. Shadows shattered light. Screams tore from the stones themselves.
Kael took wounds no human should survive.
And yet—
He endured.
[Health Critical: 11%][System Override: Tyrant Instinct – Temporary Invincibility: 8 seconds]
With one final surge of abyssal fury—
Kael tore through the last Wraith.
Silence.
Then—
[Trial Complete][Domain Core Acquired: Redfall's Abyssal Heart][Territory Upgraded: Fortress Tier Initiated][Kael – Title Gained: Abyss King of Redfall]
As they emerged from the well, the sky cracked with thunder.
And far away, kingdoms felt the shift.
A new power had risen.
Not a prince.
Not a hero.
A King.
[Kael – Rank: D][Domain Authority: Level 1 – Redfall now grants passive regeneration, follower stat boosts, and evolution chance increase][Faction Reaction: Mass Alert | Threat Level: S-Rank Active][New Trait Developing: Sovereign of Dread]