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Chapter 2 - The Devoured Sun

Crossing the shimmering blue surface of the portal, Eden felt his stomach twist. The world flipped, space warped, and for a split second, it felt like he was falling into a bottomless pit. Then, everything froze.

A blast of scorching air struck his face. He opened his eyes, blinded by the light. Before him stretched a landscape both magnificent and hostile — a gigantic canyon, its walls sharp as blades, where the wind howled in long, hoarse gusts. The ground, cracked and covered in ochre dust, exhaled a bitter scent of iron and heated stone. In the air, the heat shimmered, bending shapes, blurring distances.

The sky had the color of tarnished metal. No clouds, no birds, not even the cry of an insect. Only a trembling silence, distorted by the breathing wind — as if the world itself were alive.

Eden stood still for a moment, heart pounding, his pack heavy on his shoulder. Even after years of crossing portals, he couldn't shake that feeling — that silent fascination before the immensity of a dungeon.

Dungeons… Every time, a world of its own. The higher the rank, the vaster they became. Some hunters claimed that S-rank dungeons stretched across entire regions — even continents — and that it took years to clear them. Years surviving in a world that breathed, defended itself, and learned to kill.

A faint smile tugged at his lips. Even he, the "Dust," couldn't help but be fascinated.

— "Let's go. No time to dawdle."

Valentin's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. The tank was already moving ahead, massive, his shield strapped to his back. Lucas followed, upright, blond hair slicked back, while Anabelle brought up the rear beside him. Eden, as always, walked last — steady steps, muscles strained by the weight of his pack.

Each step made his boots creak and the straps slap against his chest. The wind plastered dust to his face, and the hot air burned his lungs with every breath. But he said nothing.

Not a word.

He simply lowered his head, walked in silence, and let the others lead — as always.

Time stretched, swallowed by the heat. Soon, only the rhythm of their footsteps remained, shallow breaths, and that merciless sun crushing them under its glare.

The sun was pitiless.

A white disk, frozen in a blinding yellow sky, as if intent on burning everything it touched. The light bounced off the jagged edges of split rock, sliding over surfaces like blades. The air rippled around them, warping the distant horizon as if the whole world were melting.

Eden trailed behind the group, back bent under his pack. Sweat glued his suit to his skin, tracing burning lines down his spine. Each breath felt like swallowing sand.

The silence broke when Valentin spoke in his rough voice.

— "Water."

Eden pulled a flask from his bag and handed it over without a word.

A few minutes later:

— "Food."

He obeyed again, pulling out a pack of dry rations. Valentin snatched it from his hand with a rough gesture, not even bothering with a thank-you.

— "Rear guard, Eden."

— "Yes."

He clenched his jaw.

Always that tone. Always that way of reminding him he was only here to obey, to serve, to carry.

He fell into position behind them, automatically checking his straps. His left shoulder throbbed already, but his expression didn't change. His jaw trembled once — just a shadow of irritation — then he lowered his head and kept walking.

The heat never eased. The heavy, dry wind sometimes carried a metallic taste. Clouds of dust rose beneath their steps, clinging to their clothes, their hair, their lashes. The horizon looked so distant it seemed they weren't moving at all.

Stay in your place, he told himself. Carry. Walk. Bite down.

He glanced at Lucas's back, at Valentin's shield, at Anabelle's red braids swaying in the light. One day, maybe… you'll find it. The relic. The one that changes everything. The one that proves you weren't trash.

The wind picked up, swirling dust around them. Eden inhaled deeply, adjusted his strap, and pushed on. Whatever it took, he wouldn't stop. Not yet.

The descent into the canyon felt like a slow fall into a furnace.

The air was thicker there, saturated with heat and dust, and every step echoed against the steep walls. The cliffs closed in the deeper they went, the stone walls rising like jaws ready to snap shut. Even the wind seemed to fade, replaced by a heavy, suffocating silence.

Sweat rolled down Eden's temple. Something about this atmosphere twisted his gut. It wasn't just the heat. It was that calm — the kind that always comes before something terrible.

A tremor suddenly shook the ground.

Pebbles rolled down the cliffs, clattering like dry rain around them. Valentin froze, hand gripping his shield.

— "Did you feel that?" whispered Anabelle.

The rumble grew — faint at first, then louder, until it roared, shaking the air itself.

One of the canyon walls exploded with a deafening crack. Shards of stone flew in every direction, and a colossal body burst through the dust — a serpent of stone, long as a house, its mineral scales glittering under the light. Its eyes, two molten ochre orbs, swept over the group with almost conscious intent.

— "Valentin!" shouted Lucas.

— "I know! I know!" roared the tank.

He stepped forward, planting his feet firmly in the ground. His shield rose — massive, wide as his body. A fiery glow lit his eyes.

— "Beastial Pull!"

A current of red mana surged from his body and shot toward the creature. The serpent, which had been aiming for Lucas, turned abruptly, pupils contracting. Now, it saw only Valentin.

Eden froze, breath caught.

A taunt skill… perfect for a tank. Forcing a monster's hatred to focus entirely on you. Simple — and terrifyingly effective.

Valentin straightened, shouting again through the roaring wind.

— "Great Wall!"

His shield began to vibrate, then expand, projecting a translucent barrier of solidified energy before him. The structure grew until it formed a wall nearly ten meters high.

The serpent struck.

The impact shook the entire canyon.

The shockwave raised a storm of dust, cracked the cliffs, and made Valentin's armor ring. He was shoved back several meters, boots scraping against stone, shield gouging the ground. He gritted his teeth, spat blood, and snarled:

— "Damn… it's strong!"

A red light exploded around him, wrapping his body in a pulsing aura.

Anabelle, hands clasped at her chest, fingers wreathed in crimson runes, whispered through her lips:

— "Burning Heart!"

Energy flowed into Valentin. His veins glowed, his breathing deepened, and his shield seemed to hum with renewed power.

Lucas was already moving.

Without a word, he leapt — muscles coiled, sword drawn in one fluid motion. A blue light blazed along the blade like frozen fire. He shouted into the wind:

— "Celestial Slash!"

His body cut through the air. The blow fell with the force of a falling star. The serpent screamed — a mineral, inhuman roar — before its head split clean in two. Its entire body convulsed, then collapsed in a crash of stone, sending up a gray cloud that swallowed everything.

For a few seconds, only the sound of settling debris remained — then silence.

Eden stood still, heart hammering. He watched the three silhouettes before him, bathed in dust and light.

Beautiful.

That was the only word that came to mind.

Each of them in their place. Each perfect in their role. And him, as always, behind — just a witness to a glory that wasn't his.

Eden walked forward without a word. His boots sank into the still-warm dust. The monster lay there, enormous, its mineral scales already dulled by death. He dropped his bag, pulled out a rune-engraved saw, and brushed the trigger.

A hum rose at once.

— Vrrrhhh—

The tool vibrated in his grip. Sparks of mana flew as the blade bit into the serpent's hide. The smell of scorched rock mixed with that of metal — sharp and acrid. Eden squinted against the light and began cutting, section by section.

This type of serpent's registered at the Guild, he thought, focused. Core located in the sternum, surrounded by mineral bone. Thirty centimeters deep, left angle.

His arms trembled slightly with the effort. The heat of the mana burned his skin. From time to time, he wiped the sweat from his forehead, then continued — relentless, precise. Every motion calculated, almost surgical. Where others saw a carcass, he saw work — grimy, thankless, but vital.

Twenty minutes passed — marked by the steady grinding of the saw and the whistling wind. Finally, with a dull crack, the stone gave way. Eden reached into the cavity and pulled out a glowing core — deep blue, almost liquid in the light.

He stared at it for a moment, then let out a long, tired breath.

— "There…"

He wiped his face with the back of his arm, leaving a dark streak on his cheek.

— "Professional work as always, boss!" called Anabelle playfully.

Eden looked up. She stood nearby, hands on her hips, an amused smile curling her lips. Then she brought two fingers to her temple and saluted like a soldier.

— "Boss? That's it?" he said with a smirk. "That kind of craftsmanship deserves a bit more praise, doesn't it?"

She burst out laughing and held out her hand.

— "You're right! I'll let you touch my oh-so-magnificent hand as a reward!"

He clapped her palm — a quick, almost friendly gesture. For a brief moment, the weight of the world seemed lighter.

But Lucas cut the air like a blade.

— "Why praise a rat?" he said coldly. "We're the ones taking risks here. Stop feeding his ego, Anabelle — it's bad for him."

Eden's smile froze. A cold tension gripped his chest. He lowered his eyes, packed the saw away, and said nothing.

Breathe. Think of the relic. The relic, Eden. Hold on.

Anabelle sighed, weary, and rested a hand on his shoulder.

— "Ignore him. He's just on edge."

He nodded without looking up.

— "Let's move," she said louder. "We still have a dungeon to clear."

Eden slipped the mineral core into a reinforced pouch on his pack. The blue light reflected briefly off his wrist — a faint echo of the world they'd crossed. Then he zipped it shut, hoisted the bag onto his shoulder, and followed the others in silence.

The heat crept back, the wind lifted the dust, and the serpent's corpse vanished behind them, swallowed by the sand. Only their steady steps remained — and Eden's silent voice in his head: One day, you'll escape this role. One day, they'll look at you as the hero.

The canyon widened gradually as they advanced, revealing a plateau scattered with standing stones and half-buried ruins. The wind was stronger here — hot, carrying fine dust that slipped beneath their clothes. The ground, cracked with age, hinted at old foundations — perhaps the remains of a temple or forgotten village.

The group marched at a steady pace. From time to time, small creatures emerged from the cracks: stone lizards, giant insects with shimmering shells under the sun. Nothing dangerous for them. Lucas sliced in one clean motion, Valentin crushed with a single blow, Anabelle murmured an incantation — and calm returned almost immediately. Eden, as always, stayed behind, watching without stepping in, ready to collect mana stones or fix a broken strap. The porter's role: erase the traces, store the trophies, never get in the way.

Always behind. Always the shadow of heroes.

When they reached the heart of the plateau, the silence changed. It wasn't the quiet of a desert anymore, but that of an ancient place — where even the wind seemed to show respect. Eden stopped without realizing it. Before him rose a stone façade, tall, cracked, carved with nearly erased inscriptions. The symbols, etched into the rock, still glowed faintly beneath the sand.

He stepped closer, placing his hand on the rough surface. The stone was warm. Beneath the dust, shapes took form.

On the first carving, humans danced around a great solar disk. Smiling faces, raised arms, offerings — a scene of joy.

On the next, the same figures knelt before the same sun — but their posture had changed: prayers, prostrations, submission.

The third relief was broken, but faint silhouettes could still be seen — men in water, surrounded by darker forms, like aquatic creatures watching them.

The last one was almost erased. Only one symbol remained, carved deep: a circle crossed by a line.

Eden frowned.

What the hell is this doing here?

The stones looked ancient — from long before the guilds, maybe even before the first portals. A chill ran down his spine. Part of him wanted to stay, to study, to dig. The other knew he wasn't allowed.

Valentin's voice shattered the silence.

— "Damn it, what are you doing again?! I told you not to lag behind!"

Eden flinched and turned away from the ruins.

— "I'm coming… I'm coming."

He cast one last look at the symbols before moving on.

After several more hours of walking through that blazing hell, the wind rose without warning.

A long breath from the canyon's depths made the cliffs tremble like the skin of a drum. Dust spiraled up around them, painting ochre circles in the air. Valentin grumbled something under his breath, Lucas shrugged, and Anabelle, hand on her pendant, squinted at the horizon. None of them paid it much mind. After all, wind was part of the scenery.

Eden, though, lifted his head. The sky looked darker than before, but fatigue and heat warped his perception. He told himself it was just the dust — or maybe the sun beginning to set. He wanted to believe it. Yet something in the air had changed — a metallic, almost sweet taste that clung to his tongue.

He gripped the strap of his pack and kept walking. Each step kicked up a puff of sand.

Just a little more. The dungeon isn't endless. We'll find shelter before nightfall.

The rumble returned — louder this time. Not thunder. Not an animal's cry. A low, steady sound, like the earth itself breathing beneath them. The stones around trembled faintly, a vibration so subtle only Eden noticed. He looked around — the others kept moving, unaware.

The light shifted.

Little by little, the sun lost its brilliance, its golden hue fading to copper. The air thickened. The canyon walls stretched their shadows unnaturally far, swallowing the land in dim twilight. Eden squinted, trying to pierce the veil covering the sky.

And then he saw it.

A second orb.

Dark. Almost liquid. Sliding behind the sun like a black tide. It moved without sound, without flame, devouring the light as it touched it.

The wind howled harder.

Grains of sand lashed their faces. Valentin cursed, Lucas drew his sword, expecting an ambush — but there was nothing. Nothing except that celestial shadow, that otherworldly shape slowly consuming the sky.

A shiver ran down Eden's spine.

This isn't normal… he thought. Something's moving. Something's awake.

But before he could say a word, daylight vanished completely.

A tomb-like silence fell over the canyon.

And without knowing it yet, the true nightmare of the dungeon had just awakened.

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