The morning sun barely pierced the dense canopy of the Ashwood Forest. Mist curled around broken trunks and gnarled roots like silent wraiths. Daniel Bellhem moved cautiously, Scarlune and Vorrath ready in his hands, senses alert to the slightest tremor. Today, his path would take him somewhere new: a dungeon rumored to house rare cultivation resources, monsters of untold power, and secrets lost to the ages.
Dungeons were not merely caves or ruins. They were sentient, dangerous, traps set by ancient mages, demons, or the forest itself. Few survived them. Many entered seeking wealth, power, or forbidden knowledge; fewer left alive.
Daniel had no choice. To awaken the next blade in the Book of Ten Swords, he needed more than raw strength—he needed mastery of resources that few could even touch.
THE ENTRANCE OF THE DUNGEON
The dungeon's mouth yawned like the maw of some ancient beast. Blackened stone twisted upward, scorched and cracked, with runes glowing faintly along the jagged arch. Faint smoke and the stench of decay seeped from its depths.
Daniel paused at the threshold, heart pounding. He gripped the handkerchief Mimi had given him and pressed it to his chest. I will survive this. I will return.
He stepped forward, mist curling around his boots. The darkness swallowed him, cold and heavy. Every step echoed like a hammer against stone. Vorrath hummed faintly, and Scarlune radiated warmth, as if sensing the ancient magic embedded in the dungeon.
THE HALLS OF ASH AND BLOOD
Inside, the dungeon was alive. The walls pulsed faintly with red light, veins of some long-dead power flowing beneath the surface. The floor was slick with blood, and shadows twisted unnaturally, as if the darkness itself were conscious.
From the shadows, a pair of Ash-Wraiths emerged. Their forms were semi-transparent, skeletal, burning with ghostly embers. They shrieked, the sound like nails on stone, and lunged at Daniel.
He summoned his blades. Scarlune flew into his hands, fire erupting along its edge, while Vorrath hummed, hungering for the ethereal blood of these creatures. With a single, fluid motion, he slashed—Scarlune igniting the wraiths in flame, Vorrath cutting their forms apart. They dissipated into smoke and ash, leaving behind faint embers as evidence of their passing.
Daniel's body hummed with adrenaline. He was stronger, faster, sharper—but he could feel the dungeon itself testing him, gauging his worth.
THE DEVIL'S GATE
Deeper within, he discovered a chamber larger than any castle hall, walls lined with jagged obsidian. In the center floated a small, pulsating Devil-Demon Ember Core, the kind of rare cultivation resource that could push his power to new heights.
But guarding it was a Bone-Forged Demon, a towering monstrosity clad in skeletal armor, claws like scythes, eyes burning like magma. Its roar shook the chamber, echoing through every corridor of the dungeon.
Daniel felt a thrill of fear—and focus. He summoned his blades. Scarlune and Vorrath obeyed the call instantly, flying to his hands with the magnet-like precision he had mastered.
The battle was brutal. The demon's claws shredded stone and air alike, each swing threatening to crush him. Daniel ducked, rolled, and struck, letting Scarlune blaze a fiery trail across the demon's chest while Vorrath tore through its side.
The demon was relentless. Every strike required precision, strategy, and control. But Daniel had learned to move like fire and shadow, letting Scarlune's heat and Vorrath's hunger work in tandem.
Finally, with a synchronized motion, he struck. Scarlune flared, molten fire consuming the demon's chest, while Vorrath cut deep through its skeletal armor. The demon shrieked, staggering, before collapsing into a pile of ash and bone.
THE EMBER CORE AND AWAKENING
Daniel approached the Ember Core, feeling its power resonate with his blades. He consumed it carefully, letting the energy course through his veins. Pain, fire, and exhilaration surged through him, awakening muscles, senses, and reflexes to a new level.
The Book of Ten Swords shimmered, opening a new page:
BLADE THREE — LUMINARA: THE DAWN OF ETERNAL FLAMELevel Zero unlocked. Seek the light in shadow. Let fire guide your path.
Daniel's eyes widened. Another blade, another level of power waiting for him to claim. His connection to his weapons had grown, his mastery over summoning now complete. He could now call any blade at will, feeling it respond to his will as if alive.
A DARK FORESHADOWING
As he rested, catching his breath in the dim glow of the Ember Core, he felt eyes upon him. Not monsters. Not shadows. Something intelligent. Watching. Waiting.
A whisper echoed through the stone halls:
"So the boy has grown… but he still knows nothing of the storm approaching Astrid."
Daniel pressed the handkerchief to his chest, determination flaring. He did not yet know what lay ahead, but he knew one thing: he would survive, grow stronger, and uncover the secrets of the Book of Ten Swords—no matter the cost.