The cavern smelled of scorched blood and damp stone, the remnants of Kael's last battle still steaming on the jagged floor. Fragments of broken bones crunched beneath his boots as he paced in circles, crimson aura pulsing faintly from his skin. His chest rose and fell rapidly, but not from exhaustion—rather, from the aftertaste of battle, the gnawing hunger for more.
Moro lay curled beside him, its wolfish frame half-slime, half-flesh, golden eyes fixed on Kael as if to study him. Its tendrils quivered faintly, not from fatigue but from caution. Kael's aura had been growing wilder with each fight, and Moro sensed it.
Lyra sat cross-legged near one of the cavern walls, staff across her lap, the glow from its crystal casting pale light on her face. She had watched Kael fight with a mixture of awe and unease. The boy who had once stumbled blindly through the dungeon now moved like a predator who knew the rhythm of death. Yet, his voice, when he spoke, always carried the edge of something feral.
"You nearly lost yourself in there." Lyra's tone was calm but firm.
Kael stopped pacing. His eyes glowed faintly crimson as he turned toward her. "Lost? No. I was exactly where I needed to be. Every strike, every movement—I felt alive. Stronger."
"That's what worries me," she replied evenly. "The dungeon thrives on devouring men like you. It whispers strength, and when you lean too far… you'll stop being Kael and start being nothing but claws and blood."
Kael's lips curled into a faint grin. "And what's so wrong about that? If the beast inside me wins battles, then let it."
Moro gave a low growl, its body rippling. The sound wasn't hostile—more like a warning. Kael glanced down at his companion, brow furrowing. "Even you doubt me, Moro?"
The slime-wolf padded closer, pressing its head against Kael's leg. Lyra's eyes softened. "No. It doesn't doubt you. It's reminding you. You're not alone in this. If you fall too far, you drag us with you."
Kael's crimson aura flared, then sputtered, dimming slightly. He exhaled sharply and lowered himself to the cavern floor, sitting across from Lyra. "Fine. I'll control it. But don't think for a second I'll cage my strength."
Lyra didn't answer, only closed her eyes in quiet acceptance. For a time, the only sounds were the slow drip of water and the faint hum of the dungeon's walls.
Then, movement.
Moro's head shot up, ears pricking. Kael tensed, claws extending reflexively as his gaze swept the shadows. Lyra tightened her grip on her staff.
The sound grew louder—a clicking shuffle from the cavern ceiling.
Kael growled. "Come out."
The answer came in a sudden rush. A half-dozen feral creatures, skin stretched thin over wiry muscles, dropped from the stalactites with guttural shrieks. Their eyes burned faintly red, their movements eerily coordinated.
Kael surged forward without hesitation, claws flashing in the dim glow. He tore through the first beast, blood spraying against the stone. Moro lunged beside him, tendrils of slime lashing outward, wrapping around two enemies at once. Their screams echoed as acid dissolved flesh.
"Kael, your left!" Lyra cried, blasting one creature with a bolt of light before it could sink its teeth into him.
Kael spun, slashing through its throat, but his aura surged dangerously, crimson tendrils coiling violently around his arms. His growls deepened into something more beastlike, and for a moment, his movements grew erratic.
Moro barked sharply—an odd, distorted sound. It slammed another beast into the wall and pressed its head against Kael again, briefly grounding him. Kael's breathing steadied. His eyes flickered between glowing red and their natural shade.
"Stay with me," Lyra called, voice sharp with urgency. "Don't give in!"
The last of the creatures lunged at Lyra, jaws wide. Kael dashed past her in a blur, claws sinking deep into its chest. He ripped downward, splitting it open in one violent motion.
Silence followed. The cavern reeked of iron and rot.
Kael stood panting, claws dripping, aura flickering like a dying flame. Lyra's staff dimmed as she lowered it, though her gray eyes never left him.
"You held back at the end," she said softly. "You fought the hunger."
Kael smirked faintly. "Or maybe the beast just wanted me to taste victory first."
Moro nudged his side again, and Kael let out a short chuckle. "Fine. Fine. I'll admit it. You two keep me in check."
Unseen by them, a figure lingered deeper in the shadows. A woman with golden hair that caught the faint glow of the fungi, eyes like sharpened steel. Reina watched them with cool detachment, lips curved in a faint smile.
So… the beast still clings to his humanity. Interesting. I'll have to test just how strong those chains are.
The dungeon pulsed faintly, as though acknowledging her thought. Somewhere in the depths, chains rattled against stone, foreshadowing the coming trial of the Warden