We ran so far, until the tunnel opened up into a wide stone chamber. At the center stretched a rope bridge, suspended over a hole so deep it made my chest tighten just looking at it. The ropes groaned and swayed slightly in the dungeon's stale air, each plank old and uneven, some cracked, some missing entirely.
I stepped closer to the edge, careful not to get too near. The pit below wasn't just dark — it was endless, swallowing everything in its path.
"Tobias," I said.
He picked up a stone and tossed it into the abyss. We both leaned forward, listening. The sound of its fall echoed faintly as it dropped, bouncing against unseen walls. It went on and on, falling for what felt like forever, until at last, a tiny distant clink reached our ears.
We looked at each other. Whatever waited at the bottom of that pit… was too far even to imagine.
As unsafe as the bridge was, an idea sparked in my mind. The ropes looked ready to snap, and every plank was danger. Crossing normally would be suicide.
So I turned to the only chance I could think of. I Water gathered in my palms, swirling with a hiss, condensing tighter and tighter until it trembled with raw pressure. My chest tightened — this had to work.
"If I control the flow just right, I can thrust us across the gap," I muttered.
Tobias looked at me, half-alarmed. "Are you serious?"
"I don't see another way!"
The water spun faster, forming a spiral beneath our feet. I shouted, "Aqua Burst!" and the force erupted, blasting us forward into the air. For a brief second, my heart leapt — we were flying, soaring over the abyss, the bridge swaying far below.
But the burst faltered. The water broke apart midair, scattering into droplets that vanished into the darkness. My stomach dropped.
"No—!"
Gravity yanked us down. Tobias reached for me, his hand gripping my arm tight as we both fell into the endless pit, the bridge shrinking above us, getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared.
Panic surged through me. I can't die here — not like this! My hands instinctively flared with magic, water spiralling around my palms, condensing and expanding with every desperate thought.
"Hold on!" I screamed.
The water formed beneath us, forming a swirl of glowing water in midair. The cave walls reflected the shimmering water, stretching and bending as the water expanded.
We hit the water with a deafening splash, the pool absorbing most of the impact. Pain shot through my legs and shoulders, but it wasn't fatal. Tobias coughed and struggled, splashing beside me, both of us gasping for air.
Panting, I finally let the magic fade. "We… we made it," I whispered, staring at my hands. Tobias shook his head, still coughing, but managed a weak grin.
"Next time… maybe don't fall into bottomless pits," he muttered.
I frowned, but deep down I couldn't deny it, and I had just saved our lives.
We turned around, scanning the cavern. The bridge above us had vanished into the shadows, and there was no going back up.
Then I noticed a faint opening in the jagged stone walls, half-hidden by darkness. A cave.
"Looks like our only option," I said.
Tobias nodded. "Yeah… no way we're going back up there."
We stepped toward the entrance, the air cold and damp against our skin. Tiny droplets fell from the ceiling, making soft splashes in the shallow waters. The cave swallowed us in darkness, the faint light from outside shrinking behind us.
Every step was a step into the unknown, but it was the only way forward.
The cave walls pressed in around me, cold and damp. Every step echoed faintly against the stone, the chill seeping into my bones. I shivered, hugging myself, the darkness so complete I couldn't even see my own hands.
I couldn't tell where Tobias was — only the sound of his footsteps and his breathing told me he was still there, somewhere close.
We kept moving, careful with every step over uneven stone and shallow puddles. The blackness was absolute, swallowing every shape, every shadow, leaving only the sound of dripping water and our own cautious movements.
I had no idea how far we had walked. All I knew was that we had to keep going deeper, trusting that the cave would eventually lead somewhere.
"Hey… Tobias, are you there?" I whispered, my teeth trembling as I spoke.
"Still here," he replied, his own voice trembling, teeth rattling.
"Do you see it?" I asked, squinting into the darkness, straining my eyes.
"See what?"
"Light!" I said, my voice trembling with a mix of relief and disbelief.
"I see it! I see it!" Tobias exclaimed, his excitement breaking through the cold.
A faint glow shimmered far ahead, cutting through the pitch-black cave like a fragile promise. My heart leapt. After what felt like an eternity in darkness, there was finally a sign that we weren't trapped forever.
We quickened our pace, careful but eager, guided by the small, growing light. The cold still bit at our skin, but for the first time since that fall, hope felt touchable.
"Whoa, what's that? It's burning, but it's not panicking," I said, confused.
"Course it's not panicking. It's a fire golem. It was born like that. Haven't you heard of it?" Tobias said, his expression a mix of amusement and disbelief.
"No… I never heard of it," I admitted, feeling a little dumb.
"Haven't your parents told you stories growing up, dude?" he asked.
"Well… I was never interested in the stories they told me growing up," I said.
"High chances are those stories are history, basically everyone should know," he replied.
"Well, it doesn't matter now. I'll keep learning as I go," I said.
Tobias gave me a disappointed smack on his head, but then we noticed something strange — the golem hadn't reacted to our conversation or our arrival.
"Why is it just standing there?" I asked.
"I don't know," Tobias said, eyes locked on the giant. "But I guess it was probably given commands of some sort."
The fire golem loomed silently before us, molten cracks glowing across its massive stone body. Heat radiated in waves, making the air shimmer, yet it remained perfectly still, a sentinel of unknown purpose.
Then we noticed, behind the fire golem, a massive stone door. As the golem hadn't moved, we decided to try going around it, creeping carefully toward the door.
But just as we were about to pass, a stone shot out from the golem's massive hand. It moved so fast I barely noticed its motion before it slammed into the ground inches from me, sending shards scattering.
Before I could react, the golem's deep, rumbling voice filled the cavern:
"I am the first guardian of the Dragonheart Dungeon."
The sound was unlike anything I had ever heard. The Guardian had obviously waited centuries to speak.
"We need to pass, please," I said, trembling as the heat from the golem radiated toward us. The cavern seemed to grow heavier with each passing second, and even Tobias looked tense as he glanced at me.
The golem's glowing eyes fixed on us, molten cracks pulsing along its massive body. "I cannot allow it," it rumbled, its voice deep and grinding like shifting stone, "none may enter without proving their worth."
"Worth?" I questioned, my voice echoing slightly in the cavern.
"The trial of The Dragonheart Dungeon. Only those who endure it may proceed," it said
"So… what, do we have to fight you or something?" I asked, forcing my voice not to crack.
It replied, "If you wish to pass, you must withstand my trial. Whether by blade, by will, or by fire… your strength will decide."
"Now fight me!" the golem proudly shouted — it was as if it had been waiting its whole life for this moment, flames roaring brighter with its challenge.
"Alright, I accept your challenge!" Tobias said, fired up, his fists tightening with determination.
"Uh… me too, I accept your challenge," I added, though my legs were shaking in my boots.
"Alright then, please ready yourselves," the golem said, "I would like this fight to be a two-on-one. Here are some weapons — pick a weapon of choice. I will be using a burning spear."
Before us, several weapons materialised out of glowing stone: swords, axes, spears, and even a hammer. I didn't take any. I didn't need one, not with magic. Tobias, however, stepped forward and confidently chose a katana from the options.
"Defeat me and you may pass. Fail, and you will die." The golem said. "Do not worry — I am the weakest of the guardians. You still have a chance."
"Right", Tobias and I said in sync.
We charged at him. Luckily for us, he was a big target, so this should be easy. Tobias rushed in first, aiming to slash at the golem's leg, but the golem was quicker than expected, kicking him away with brutal force. Tobias slammed into a huge boulder, the impact shaking dust loose from the cavern walls.
"And here I thought this fight was going to be fun," the golem said, almost disappointed.
I forced a laugh. "Well, the fun is just beginning."
I stepped back immediately, already knowing what was about to happen…
Tobias began to laugh. That laugh froze me to the core. It didn't sound like him at all. Menacing, unhinged, like someone else entirely.
He dashed toward the golem, his speed terrifying. "Just so you know, I'm holding back. I won't waste energy on weaklings."
For the first time, I could feel fear radiating from the golem. With a single strike, Tobias sliced through its left leg as if it were nothing but bread. The giant stumbled, crashing down, its molten cracks dimming.
"Well… I am the weakest," the golem admitted as it fell, voice strained. "I don't know why I was so arrogant."
"Don't blame arrogance," I said coldly. "You just can't keep up."
"This wasn't even the fight I imagined…" the golem rumbled, its flames flickering low. "But it is a pity. Warrior… end my life if you wish to move on to the next trial."
"Alright… as you wish," Tobias replied, his tone chilling. With a swift slash, he severed the golem's head. The flames burst and then vanished, leaving nothing but a cool stone behind.
I stood there in silence, my chest heavy. Why was I so scared? The thing barely had any strong presence… and yet, Tobias' power shook me more than the golem ever could.
"So… does taking the life of a golem even count as taking the life of a living thing?" I asked, still staring at the crumbled remains.
"No," Tobias replied firmly. "It doesn't count. A golem has no soul to begin with. It's just stone and fire animated by magic or divine inscriptions. Its only purpose is to serve, to accompany, or to guard."
I stared at the remains of the fire golem, fascinated. The way it moved, its sheer size, the heat radiating even in death… it was unlike anything I'd ever seen.
Tobias gave me a sidelong glance, shaking his head with a small smirk. "Fascinated, huh?"
I just smiled, amazed by Tobias's power. "I guess that training paid off, huh?".
To be continued…