Difo the Warrior, Damiel the Mage, Lita the Summoner, Dwi the Druid, and Xahra the Enchanter walked steadily, accompanied by knights. Behind them, twelve knights followed in formation—two groups of six, moving in unison with the heroes.

  Difo carefully read the scroll given to him by the princess, his eyes scanning every word. Damiel, unable to contain his curiosity, slowly leaned in from the side, sneaking a peek.

  "What's the quest, lek?" he asked, tilting his head toward Difo.

  Difo turned his gaze to his friend, his expression neutral. "It says here we're retrieving an item... a special one. It was supposed to be delivered by the dwarves, but it never made it back to Ceoloria. No one knows why." He then returned his attention to the scroll.

  Damiel sighed, looking up at the sky. "Hmph. The dwarves, huh... So, we're just searching for something? Hopefully, this goes smoothly," he said, his tone filled with hope.

  Xahra quickened her pace, moving forward to align with them. "Yeah, let’s just hope nothing unexpected happens," she added playfully with a grin.

  Damiel smirked. "Eh, trust us. Things will go smoothly. Remember what Kanjay said?"

  Difo, already anticipating the line, joined in at the same time as Damiel. "The boys never tell a story."

  Damiel grinned proudly, while Difo chuckled, enjoying the familiar phrase. Xahra raised an eyebrow at them, listening to their exchange with mild confusion before nodding. "Okay... I get it." She nodded again a few more times before stretching her arms and turning to Lita, who had been quiet, holding her staff.

  Curious, Xahra asked, "You’re not tired of holding that staff, Lit?"

  Lita noticed Xahra’s gaze before Xahra pointed at the staff on her own back. "Just do what I do—carry it on your back. You're just tiring your hands for no reason," she said with a lighthearted smile.

  Lita stood firm. "Nope. I'll keep holding my staff." She spoke with pride.

  Xahra’s face fell into disappointment. "Well... do whatever you want then," she muttered, looking back at the road with an unamused pout.

  As they continued walking, Difo, leading the group, turned to Damiel to start another conversation. "Dam, aren’t you surprised that there aren’t any horses in this kingdom?"

  Damiel, still gazing at the sky, responded casually. "Kinda… We’ve been through so many cities and villages, so yeah. But you know what surprises me more?"

  He then turned to Difo with an uneasy expression, forcing an awkward smile. "The fact that they all ride dragons. And I absolutely refuse to get on one. I’d rather walk until I get used to the air in this world."

  Difo nodded in understanding. "Fair enough. Even I'm not used to this kind of air," he said, lifting the scroll slightly as he continued looking at it.

  "If Marvell were here, I bet he’d still be laughing and smiling, even in the darkest times," Damiel said, gazing at the sky with a soft smile. "I wonder... what do you think he would do if he were here?" He turned to Difo, curiosity shining in his eyes, his smile never fading.

  Difo let out a small "Hmph...", glancing at the sky before lowering his gaze in thought. "Why are you bringing him up?" he asked, his tone neutral yet contemplative.

  Damiel quickly responded, "Ih, you don’t miss him after all this time? Lek, lek, only a few of us still remember him right now. So even in moments like these, we have to hold on to the good times... even if we’re dying." His words carried a certain warmth, a bittersweet beauty.

  Difo sighed, then finally answered Damiel’s earlier question, his expression calm. "I believe he’d be listening and doing his best right now to carry out whatever he was ordered to do. After all, he’s the type who always gives his all in a group, doing whatever he can at any moment." His gaze remained fixed ahead.

  Damiel chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "That’s true. Can’t deny that in our group, when we called everyone to gather, he was always the first one there before the rest of us."

  Difo simply nodded. "Yeah." He had nothing more to say, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

  After a long walk, the group continued surveying their surroundings, glancing around and even lifting their gazes toward the sky. Damiel, who had been lifted into the air, scanned the area from above. His eyes caught sight of a large crack in the earth, and near it, something that resembled the remnants of a giant air balloon—a tattered envelope of fabric lying on the ground as if it had crashed.

  "Guys, lower me! I think I found something interesting!" Damiel called down, his eyes fixed on the scene below.

  Xahra, standing below with her staff raised, responded loudly, "OK, JUST HOLD ON!" hoping Damiel could hear her. The sudden volume startled both Dwi and Lita, who flinched slightly. Xahra then lowered her staff, gently bringing Damiel down. He landed smoothly before turning to Difo.

  "I found the remains of an air balloon. Is this what we’re looking for?" he asked, his gaze shifting toward one of the guards with curiosity.

  One of the guards in the front stepped forward, his tone calm yet polite. "Yes, that’s exactly what we’re looking for."

  Hearing this, Xahra grinned and turned to Damiel. "Welp, DAM, you know what to do!" she said proudly, resting her staff on her shoulder.

  Damiel sighed, understanding what was coming next. "Yeah." He turned around, bracing himself.

  Xahra pointed her staff at him once more. "Fly!"

  Damiel was lifted into the air again as Xahra guided him, keeping her focus. However, as he ascended higher than expected, Damiel quickly called out, "STOP! THIS IS ALREADY ENOUGH!"

  From his vantage point, he got a clearer view of the balloon wreckage. He pointed toward it, directing the group toward their destination. The team quickly marched forward while Xahra remained focused, ensuring she gave Damiel safety, while everyone giving her an enough space to maneuver without crashing into anyone or any objects while maintaining her spell.

  Everyone rushed to the scene where the air balloon had crashed. The remnants lay scattered across the ground, while the rest had been swallowed by a massive crack in the earth, as if it had been shot down by something. The knights who had accompanied them earlier were already searching through the wreckage, opening crates and gathering them in one place, carefully organizing the scattered cargo.

  Meanwhile, Damiel and Difo stood at the edge of the crack, peering down into the abyss where the air balloon had vanished. Damiel stared into the darkness for a moment before shifting his gaze upward toward the sky. He turned slightly and asked Difo, "Is there a possibility that this was an attack?" His eyes remained fixed on the sky, his expression filled with curiosity and concern.

  Difo shook his head. "No. If it were an attack, the remains would have already been taken by now. But look—these boxes are still intact, untouched. Whatever happened to that air balloon, it wasn’t an external attack." He crouched down, resting his hands on his knees while gazing into the deep chasm below.

  Damiel approached and crouched beside him. "Well, if you say so… but still, how does a giant air balloon just destroy itself without something—or someone—causing it from the inside?" His tone was filled with uncertainty.

  Difo sighed and shook his head. "I don’t know." His voice carried the weight of confusion and unease.

  Before they could dwell on the mystery any longer, a knight approached them. Just as he got close enough, a deep rumble shook the ground beneath them. Cracks splintered outward without warning, sending a violent jolt through the earth.

  "What the—?!" The knight barely had time to react before the ground beneath them gave way.

  The earth crumbled apart, and in an instant, Damiel, Difo, and the knight plummeted into the gaping abyss. Their terrified screams echoed through the air, fading as they fell deeper and deeper into the unknown.

  The rest of the group rushed to the edge, eyes wide with shock and horror. No one knew what to do.

  Xahra stood frozen, staring into the dark abyss. For once, she was completely silent.

  As the three of them fell deeper and deeper, Damiel quickly acted, casting a spell on Difo and the knight falling alongside him. Their bodies began to glow with a soft blue light, surprising them as they felt their descent slowing.

  Damiel clenched his staff tightly, closing his eyes in concentration. Just before they would crash into the ground, their bodies gently floated down, their fall gradually softening until they landed safely and unharmed.

  As soon as they touched the ground, Damiel let out a sigh of relief. "Phew, that was close." He took a moment to gather himself before scanning their surroundings, but the overwhelming darkness made it impossible to see anything.

  Suddenly, a bright flame ignited, forcing Damiel to squint as his eyes adjusted. Difo had extended his palm toward a wooden stick coated in oil, setting it alight. The torch's glow wasn’t enough to reveal the full extent of their surroundings, but it was sufficient to make out each other’s faces.

  Regrouping around the flickering light, they tried to take in their surroundings.

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  "This is deeper than I thought," Difo muttered as he looked around, taking in the strange, empty space.

  Damiel’s gaze shifted downward, his eyes widening slightly. "Dif, would you look at that…" he said, pointing toward the ground.

  Difo followed his line of sight and was immediately taken aback. There, on the stone floor, was a splatter of blood. But no bodies.

  Difo’s expression darkened as he looked up. "They fell, yes… but their bodies disappeared. This is weird." His voice carried a hint of unease.

  Damiel felt a cold shiver crawl up his back. "Yeah… something happened here." He tightened his grip on his staff, glancing around cautiously.

  The knight, his face hidden beneath his helmet, remained calm despite the situation. "What should we do?" he asked, his voice polite but firm.

  Damiel hesitated before admitting, "I don’t know." There was no clear path forward in the eerie darkness.

  Difo, unwilling to stay in uncertainty, turned to Damiel. "Dam, try using a spell to light up the area. We need a better view."

  Damiel nodded. "Sure, lek."

  Raising one hand while keeping a firm grip on his staff with the other, he focused. A small spark of light formed within his closed palm. Slowly, it grew brighter. As he opened his hand, the glowing orb floated upward, casting its light across the cavern.

  The once-impenetrable darkness now revealed a vast space around them. The rocky ground stretched in all directions, disappearing into the distance. Though they still couldn’t see everything, the newfound light gave them a better sense of the place they had fallen into.

  But the more they saw, the more questions arose.

  A trail of blood stretched beneath their feet, leading deeper into the cave’s darkness. Seeing this, Damiel sighed, gripping his staff tightly.

  "Hopefully, it's not a killer," he muttered, pointing his staff forward.

  Difo, walking ahead, responded dryly, "Yeah, hopefully."

  Behind them, the knight followed, silently assessing the situation. With a cautious hand, he drew his sword, eyes scanning their surroundings, prepared for an ambush. The soft glow of Damiel’s floating orb illuminated their path, casting flickering shadows against the cave walls.

  Not long after, they arrived at a vast cavern, where a dark purple liquid, thick like oil, rippled ominously in an underground lake. The blood trail ended here, vanishing beneath the mysterious water.

  Confused, Damiel glanced at the surface before turning to Difo. "Could it be a fish?" he asked, scanning the area for any movement.

  Difo furrowed his brow, resting his hand on his chin. "I don’t know. This is the first time we’ve seen anything like this."

  Damiel searched the surroundings but saw nothing unusual. Meanwhile, Difo cautiously approached the lake’s edge, keeping a safe distance as he observed the water.

  "Damiel, can you brighten the light?" he asked without taking his eyes off the surface.

  With a nod, Damiel raised his staff, and the orb’s glow intensified, illuminating the cavern in radiant light. The knight instinctively turned his body away, shielding his eyes from the sudden brightness.

  Difo crouched, scrutinizing the liquid carefully. Yet, despite the increased light, the water remained unchanged—no glow, no distortion, just a stagnant pool of darkness.

  After a moment, he exhaled. "Damiel, I’m done."

  Understanding the cue, Damiel dimmed the orb.

  Difo stood up, his expression a mix of confusion and curiosity. Just as he was about to speak, a voice echoed through the cavern.

  "Hey! Over here!"

  They all turned toward the knight, who stood at the mouth of another tunnel. His stance was tense, his voice urgent.

  "There’s something you need to see!" he called out, his words reverberating off the cave walls.

  Difo exchanged glances with Damiel before calling back, "Hold on, we’re coming!"

  They hurried over to where the knight stood. As they reached him, their eyes fell upon a scattered set of mining tools and a bag, abandoned on the ground.

  The knight crouched, inspecting the bag, while Damiel studied the scene. Difo picked up a pickaxe, noting its small size.

  "Judging by the tools, I’d say dwarves were mining here," he mused.

  Damiel frowned. "Why would they do that?" His voice carried both curiosity and concern.

  Difo stood, eyes fixed ahead. "To find a way out, I suppose…"

  As he spoke, the flame of his torch suddenly flared, casting an intense light forward. He adjusted his grip and cautiously moved ahead, extending the torch in front of him.

  Damiel followed closely, his glowing orb hovering at his side, while the knight trailed behind, sword at the ready. Every few steps, he glanced over his shoulder, wary of anything lurking in the darkness.

  As they ventured deeper, an eerie dread crept into the knight’s spine, setting him on high alert. Damiel, however, remained calm, his staff ready for any sudden threat.

  Difo stole a quick glance at his companions before returning his focus ahead. Then, without warning, a heavy stench filled the air—thick, metallic, unmistakable.

  Blood.

  It coated the walls and pooled on the ground, splattered in chaotic patterns, as if something had tried desperately to escape.

  And whatever had caused it… might still be here, he thought while moving forward.

  Difo, fully aware of the situation, pressed forward, drawing his sword in preparation for whatever might come. As they advanced, they reached a dead end—a vast cavern stretching before them, its edges swallowed by the same ominous, oil-like liquid they had seen earlier. Seeing no other way forward, Difo scanned the area.

  Suddenly, a hand patted his shoulder. He turned to see Damiel, who silently raised a hand, signaling him to be quiet. Difo followed the direction of Damiel’s pointed finger, his gaze shifting carefully.

  The knight tightened his grip on his sword, his spine tingling with unease. Yet, he remained steady.

  Difo’s eyes widened. A massive creature loomed ahead, its body covered in jagged dark crystals, its form wreathed in shadow. The thing was hunched over something, chewing with sickening crunches. The sound of bones cracking echoed through the cavern.

  They held their breath.

  Difo slowly raised his hand, signaling his companions to retreat. They stepped back cautiously, keeping their eyes locked on the monstrous figure.

  Then, the creature lifted its head.

  Its grotesque, humanoid face emerged from the darkness, its maw gnawing on the remains of a dwarf—half-eaten, the skull barely intact.

  The monster shrieked.

  Difo and the others bolted.

  Before turning to flee, Damiel unleashed his spell. A white arrow of magic shot toward the creature, striking it with force and sending it toppling into the lake.

  But as they ran, the monster surged back up from the abyss, half-submerged, fury burning in its twisted gaze.

  "What the hell was that thing?!" Damiel panted, struggling to keep pace.

  "I have no idea," Difo replied, adrenaline coursing through his veins. "But right now, we need to get out of here!"

  The knight, glancing back, grimly agreed. "I second that."

  Then, just as they neared the entrance they had come through earlier, another sound erupted—screams.

  Not just one. Many.

  Something was happening ahead.

  A deafening series of crashes and impacts followed, as if a battle was raging. Difo, driven by both fear and curiosity, sprinted toward the source.

  What they saw stopped them in their tracks.

  A colossal golem, its rocky form different from any they had seen before, was locked in combat with the monstrous being. More golems, varying in shape and design, burst from the cavern walls, charging toward the lake and striking down the lurking horrors.

  The three of them exchanged bewildered glances, their minds racing to comprehend the chaos unfolding before them.

  Then, a voice rang out from the distance—loud, desperate.

  "NOW’S YOUR CHANCE! RUN!!! I’LL HOLD THESE BEASTS OFF!"

  The words echoed through the cavern.

  Difo’s heart pounded. "WHERE ARE YOU?! WE’RE HERE TO SAVE YOU!" he shouted, scanning the shadows.

  A strained, exhausted reply came, filled with finality.

  "JUST GO. THIS IS MY END. JUST…"

  The voice faltered.

  And then—

  A monstrous, bone-rattling shriek tore through the cavern, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

  Far above, Xahra, peering into the depths of a rift in the earth, gasped. The scream sent a shudder through her, forcing her to stumble back several steps, fear gripping her chest.

  Difo stood frozen, his mind racing. The voice, now ragged and filled with anger, called out one last time.

  "THERE IS NO FUTURE FOR YOU HERE!" followed by breathing heavly echoing. Before then Silence followed.

  Difo clenched his jaw.

  "Let’s go," he said, turning to his companions.

  The knight and Damiel exchanged a grim nod.

  And then they ran—toward the exit, toward whatever lay beyond this cursed place.

  As more golems emerged to restrain the monster, dark ripples spread across the pitch-black lake. Then, one by one, more monstrous figures surfaced, their grotesque forms rising from the abyss. Their sheer numbers quickly overwhelmed the golems, forcing them back toward the shore. The creatures lashed out with unnatural strength, smashing the stone constructs to pieces. Shattered limbs and broken bodies littered the ground, while the golems still standing fought desperately to hold the tide at bay.

  Meanwhile, Difo’s group arrived at the spot where they had first fallen. Despite being deep within the cave, the mysterious light from the sky still shone brightly above them. Damiel wasted no time. Extending his hand, he closed his eyes and concentrated, channeling his magic. Difo, recognizing what was happening, grabbed the knight’s hand and positioned him accordingly. Together, they formed a triangle, each standing in place.

  Slowly, they began to ascend. The knight, caught off guard, widened his eyes in disbelief. Yet Damiel remained still, his focus unshaken. Then, in an instant, they shot into the sky with immense speed, launching themselves upward like a comet. The wind roared past them as the ground below shrank rapidly. Just before they reached the uppermost edge of the crack, Difo took one last glance down. The sounds of battle faded in his ears, the chaotic clash between golems and monsters growing distant.

  On the surface, Xahra lay on the grass alongside her friends, catching her breath. But the moment she looked up, her eyes widened in shock.

  Difo, Damiel, and the knight were soaring through the air—like rockets streaking toward the heavens. Then, just as suddenly as they rose, they began to descend. But this time, instead of falling uncontrollably, they drifted downward, their landing soft and precise.

  Damiel exhaled in relief, wiping the sweat from his brow. The knight, on the other hand, dropped onto the ground in stunned silence, his mind still reeling from what had just happened. But Difo wasted no time.

  With a commanding voice, he declared, "We need to get out of here as soon as possible." He marched forward, his eyes locking onto the knight. "Search for what we came here for—faster."

  As he scanned the surroundings, another knight approached him from the left, stopping just in front of him.

  "Sorry to interrupt, my savior," the knight said in a calm yet respectful tone. "I have news."

  Difo turned to him, intrigued. "What news?" looking at the knigth who stood behind him earlier.

  The knight took a breath before explaining. "While you were trapped inside, we sent a signal. A carrier has been dispatched to retrieve us and take us back to the kingdom. The other search parties are already on their way back." standing up with eyes focusing on difo.

  Difo fell into thought for a moment before quickly asking, "How long until the carrier arrives?" His expression was sharp, filled with urgency.

  Before the knight could answer, the air was split by the deep, resonating roar of a dragon. The knights turned their heads skyward as the sound echoed across the landscape.

  With a smirk, the knight gestured toward the sky. "Well... that’s our ride."

  All around them, the other knights had already begun gathering supplies, lifting crates and securing their cargo. Difo, momentarily mesmerized by the sight of the dragon, suddenly remembered something—something crucial.

  His eyes darted toward Damiel, who was resting nearby. "DAM!?" he shouted.

  Damiel, startled, turned his head toward Difo, who was already sprinting toward the crack in the ground.

  "THE CRACK—PUT A BARRIER ON IT!?"

  Damiel’s eyes widened as he processed the command. Realizing the urgency, he sprang to his feet and rushed into action. Closing the distance in mere moments, he extended his hands over the fissure. With a sharp breath, he summoned his magic, weaving a powerful barrier. A shimmering light engulfed the crack, sealing the passage.

  Glancing at his companions, Damiel called out, "You three, stay behind us."

  Xahra and the others exchanged a look before nodding firmly. Weapons in hand, they prepared themselves for whatever might come next.

  Then, a sound came from beneath them.

  A deep, unnatural hum vibrated through the ground. It wasn’t the sound of the creatures—this was different. A sudden pulse of energy echoed through the cave below, followed by the distinct whine of a magical blaster.

  Without warning, the crack beneath them began to shift.

  The earth trembled as the crevice slowly closed in on itself. Difo, caught off guard, stumbled backward, landing hard on the ground. The others instinctively stepped away, eyes fixed on the unnatural phenomenon.

  The crack continued to close, piece by piece, until it was no more.

  Silence followed.

  Difo remained on the ground, staring at the now-sealed surface in stunned confusion. What just happened? He had no answer. No one did.

  But whatever had caused the crack to shut on its own... had just sealed the monsters inside.

  For now.