Cold air flowed from the abandoned tunnel like the breath of something ancient.
The entrance to the mine stood several layers beneath the bustling streets of the Dwarf Kingdom, far away from the glow of the city's crystal lights.
Here…
Everything was quiet.
Too quiet.
Lucien stepped forward first, holding a lantern taken from the dwarven guards.
"Everyone stay close."
His voice echoed faintly against the stone walls.
Behind him walked Seraphina, her silver blade already drawn.
Aurelia followed, a small flame hovering above her palm to illuminate the darkness.
Lyrielle walked beside Kael.
The tunnel stretched deep into the mountain.
Old mining rails ran along the ground.
Broken carts lay scattered.
The air smelled of damp stone and metal.
Kael looked around carefully.
"…This place gives me bad vibes."
Lyrielle glanced at him.
"Only now you realize that?"
Kael smirked.
"I realized it the moment Lucien said 'abandoned mine.'"
Aurelia laughed quietly.
"Adventuring always starts like this."
Seraphina remained silent.
Her eyes moved carefully through the shadows.
She could feel it.
Something unnatural was present here.
The Missing Scouts
They walked for nearly ten minutes through the narrow tunnels.
Then Lucien suddenly raised his hand.
"Stop."
Everyone froze.
The lantern light revealed something ahead.
Armor.
Dwarven armor.
Several broken helmets and shields were scattered across the ground.
Lyrielle hurried forward.
"These belong to the scouts."
One of the helmets had deep claw marks carved into it.
Aurelia crouched beside it.
"That monster had serious strength."
Kael looked around the tunnel walls.
"…But where are the bodies?"
Seraphina answered quietly.
"…Taken."
A heavy silence followed.
Lucien's voice grew colder.
"Something dragged them deeper into the mine."
He pointed toward the tunnel ahead.
Dark stains marked the stone floor.
A trail.
Leading downward.
Something Watching
The tunnel became steeper as they followed the trail.
The air grew colder.
And darker.
Aurelia's flame flickered strangely.
"That's weird."
Lucien looked back.
"What?"
"My fire."
"It's reacting to something."
Seraphina nodded.
"…Demonic energy."
Kael felt it too.
That strange warmth in his chest had returned.
But now it was stronger.
Almost like his body was responding to something deep inside the mountain.
Lyrielle noticed him touching his chest.
"…Are you okay?"
Kael nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
"…Just a weird feeling."
She looked at him carefully but said nothing.
The First Attack
Suddenly—
A loud screech echoed through the tunnels.
Everyone instantly raised their weapons.
Something moved in the darkness above them.
Then—
A massive creature dropped from the ceiling.
A corrupted cave beast.
Its body twisted by dark magic.
Red veins glowed across its stone-like skin.
Aurelia reacted instantly.
"Fire burst!"
Flames exploded across the tunnel.
The monster roared and lunged forward.
Lucien's shadow blade cut across its side.
Seraphina moved like silver lightning.
Her sword flashed once.
The creature collapsed.
Dead.
The tunnel returned to silence.
Kael exhaled slowly.
"…Okay."
"That one was uglier than the forest monster."
Lyrielle kicked the creature slightly.
"The corruption is stronger here."
Seraphina nodded.
"Which means the source is nearby."
The Deeper Chamber
The tunnel eventually opened into a massive underground chamber.
Old mining equipment lay scattered everywhere.
Broken pillars.
Collapsed tunnels.
But the most disturbing sight stood in the center.
A large stone altar.
Black symbols were carved across its surface.
The same symbol Kael had seen earlier near the caravan road.
Seraphina's expression hardened.
"That mark again."
Lucien examined the altar carefully.
"This is a ritual site."
Aurelia frowned.
"For what?"
Lucien pointed toward the ground.
Dark crystals had grown from the stone floor around the altar.
"…Corruption."
Lyrielle whispered quietly.
"Someone is spreading demonic energy through the mountain."
Kael stepped closer to the altar.
And suddenly—
The warmth inside his chest surged violently.
He staggered slightly.
Lyrielle grabbed his arm immediately.
"Kael!"
His vision blurred for a moment.
Images flashed in his mind.
A battlefield.
Demons.
Warriors standing against endless darkness.
A sword shining with golden light.
Then—
The vision vanished.
Kael breathed heavily.
"…What the hell was that?"
Seraphina was watching him closely.
Her silver eyes narrowed slightly.
That same strange energy had appeared again.
But this time…
It was stronger.
The Second Presence
Suddenly—
A slow clap echoed through the chamber.
Everyone turned.
Standing on a broken stone pillar above the altar…
Was the cloaked man they chased in the forest.
"Impressive."
"You reached the heart of the mine faster than expected."
Lucien raised his sword.
"You're finished."
The man laughed quietly.
"Oh no."
"I'm just getting started."
He pointed toward Kael.
"I was curious about you."
Kael frowned.
"Congratulations."
"You found me."
The man's red eyes glowed brighter.
"You carry something interesting inside you."
Lyrielle stepped protectively in front of Kael.
"Back off."
The man smiled.
"Such loyalty."
"But I wonder…"
"…how long you can protect him."
Then he raised his hand.
Dark energy exploded from the altar.
The ground began to tremble.
From the cracks in the stone floor…
Something massive began to move.
Aurelia's flames flickered wildly.
"…Oh that's not good."
Lucien tightened his grip on his sword.
Seraphina raised her blade.
The cloaked man's voice echoed through the chamber.
"Let's see if the heroes of Supreme Arcanum Academy can survive this."
The ground shattered.
And a gigantic corrupted creature began to rise from beneath the mine.