The moment the ritual collapsed, the flames surged outward in a chain of chaotic arcs, racing across the temple floor like veins of molten light. Heat bled up through the carved obsidian beneath their boots, throwing wild shadows that danced and cracked across the open platform. For a breath, the ritual circle flared so brightly that every detail stood in stark relief: three iron stakes at its center, surrounded by symbols now breaking apart as the enchantment binding them unraveled mid-cast.

  Xander's eyes found the center stake first.

  The body bound to it was no longer a person, just a blackened husk twisted around scorched leather and metal, with smoke bleeding slowly from every crevice like it was leaking the last heat of something long dead. The figure beside it twitched and then again, head rolling sluggishly toward the stairs. Heat blisters covered what little skin that was still visible beneath burned clothes, and shackles at wrist and ankle gleamed with molten residue. One eye opened. Blood-crusted and half-lidded, but focused.

  The adventurer locked eyes with Xander.

  There were no words, but the look said enough. It hit like a quiet accusation, carrying a flash of brittle disbelief that they were too late, followed by something else. Not quite pleading. More like hope stripped down and barely holding on. He read it as one last question. Were they going to get there in time?

  The floor beneath him trembled as the wave of Orks surged forward, their war cry still echoing off the abyss. There was no ceremony now, only violence given form. Their scorched armor clung to seared flesh in welded plates and chain fused by heat.

  At the heart of it all, Lurgha rose.

  [Analyze] Lurgha the Ash-Seer | Level: 18 Boss | Status: Hostile | Class: Firebound Priest

  She stood taller than the other Orks, but without their bulk. Her frame was long-limbed and sinewy, every inch of it wrapped in pitted leather armor stained black with soot. Burn scars ran like dried rivers across the left side of her jaw and neck, branching down beneath her collar as if whatever fire had kissed her once had tried to swallow her whole. Her hair, long and jet black, hung in tangled cords down her back, the ends scorched to uneven lengths.

  The Ash-Seer had not moved when the ritual broke. She had remained upright, staff still planted in front of her, smoke rising from between her ribs as if it was exhaled rather than conjured. Now, the trance had shattered, and what stepped into its place was rage with a face carved from char and ruin. The smoke was not just a shroud. It wound around her body like sentient ash, rising in slow coils that peeled across her arms, slid beneath her jawline, and rippled over her shoulders in deliberate cadence.

  When her eyes opened, they burned. Not metaphorically, but literally, coals stoked into twin infernos, leaking crimson light that sent heat shimmer warping around her face. Her staff rose once, striking the stone with a sound that split the air like a detonation. The floor quaked.

  “You lightless worms dare desecrate a sanctified flame!?” Lurgha screamed. "Destroy the interlopers, my devoted!"

  Xander shifted his stance automatically, the shock traveling up through the arches of his boots, the faint grind of grit beneath the heel signaling the platform's stress.

  "Positions!" he snapped.

  Xander’s gaze found Zoey.

  The firelight below lit her in jagged silhouette, fractured across the lines of her armor and the curve of her cheek as she nocked an arrow in one smooth motion. She didn’t speak. Didn’t smirk. The bow was already singing faintly in her grip.

  And something about the way she stood twisted at him.

  I take extra damage from fire. She had said.

  His teeth set before he realized it.

  He could feel his instincts rising again. The one that always wanted to move people back, to shoulder more than was his. To see a threat and decide it had to hit him first. The words were already forming in his throat.

  Then Zoey looked over at him, and it was like she’d read the entire conversation in his eyes.

  "Don’t babysit me."

  The tone was flat, but not cold. A verbal hand on the chest that stopped him where he stood.

  He didn’t answer right away. Just studied her for a moment. The lines of soot at her collar, the quiver already adjusted for speed, the tension she carried like it was armor instead of pain. And underneath all of it, the trust that she’d said her piece and didn’t need to say it again.

  She’s not wrong.

  He needed to trust her. Without speaking, he extended his hand toward her to cast Divine Aegis. While he trusted her, he was also going to give her all the help he could to offset the additional damage she'd take from fire.

  Below them, fire bloomed again as the ritual circle twisted into fresh formation, the glow surging up from the cracks like breath from a sleeping god stirred by intruders. Flames curled toward the hostages, driven by unseen forces. And at the center, Lurgha the Ash-Seer remained perfectly still, her staff braced, her red eyes fixed on the line of defenders above her like a flame considering its next spark.

  "Hold the choke point," he said. "They want this platform, they’re going to earn every step."

  The Orks came fast, six of them pushing toward the base of the stairs in a wall of burned metal and ragged breath, shoulder to shoulder, weapons raised. Their armor clanked in a fast, jarring rhythm that bounced against the stone floor and vanished into the abyss beyond. They were too wide to come all at once, the stairs too narrow, too steep. Only three could climb side by side, leaving the others shoving and snarling behind, each one trying to be the first to draw blood.

  Kane was already braced at the top center, shield angled to take the weight, legs locked in behind him like a wall built for war. Xander flanked him on the right, while Jo took the left side of the choke, one foot forward, waiting. Below them, the flame lines drawn by Lurgha’s ritual snaked toward the platform in slow, elegant pulses that slithered across the stone. The hiss of their advance was faint but constant, like steam under pressure with nowhere else to go.

  From the rear left of the platform, Zoey called out over the rising noise, "Those flames are speeding up."

  Xander glanced down. She wasn’t wrong. The fire was no longer just spreading. It was accelerating and picking up intensity, moving with purpose. Thankfully, it was tracking toward them, not curling around to where the hostages still hung limp at the center of the ritual circle. He didn't know if that was tactical design or a lucky break, but he wasn't going to waste time questioning it.

  The first three Orks hit the stairs in unison, boots hammering iron, warhammers raised. Xander caught the weight in his legs, counted the steps, and watched the lead one shift its grip to come in with a left-handed swing in a high arc.

  Kane took the brunt and grunted from the impact. His shield rang as the hammer crashed into it, sparking heat and momentum. The second Ork met Jo’s blade as she darted low and to the side, baiting it up the last step. She twisted her hips and kicked behind the knee just as the Ork over committed its balance.

  The attack was brutal and lethal.

  Jo’s blade caught the edge of the Ork’s calf as it stumbled, and with a shove to its ribs, she sent it tumbling sideways. The creature didn’t scream until it cleared the edge. Then it howled in both surprise and anger as it fell. The sound spiraled down into the chasm, getting smaller, fainter. They never heard it hit bottom.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  A moment of silence passed in the wake of that scream, and then the next hammer swung.

  Xander stepped in front of Kane’s right flank, intercepting a wide swing from the center Ork aimed at his companion’s head. The haft of his spear slid under the arc just in time, redirecting the force away from Kane’s temple. The Ork adjusted mid-swing to take advantage of Xander's deflection.

  The hammer caught Jo instead.

  It slammed into her side just as she was resetting her stance from the takedown. The impact forced a grunt from her and sent her staggering back a half-step. Her boot skidded against the edge of the platform, and for half a second, she teetered dangerously close to the abyss.

  Ford moved to catch her, but she corrected without help, planting her weight and righting her stance.

  Still, that hit had landed hard.

  Zoey didn’t wait for a call.

  She was already shifting left for a cleaner angle. The Blackfletch Recurve hummed in her hands as two arrows leapt from the bowstring in rapid succession, streaking past Jo’s shoulder and straight into the exposed gaps in the Ork’s armor.

  The first shaft drove deep into the upper chest, the second struck lower, pinning through bone and leather both. The creature jerked once, staggered.

  Frost spread from the wounds in spidering veins, cracking along the Ork’s torso as cold overtook heat. Kane didn’t hesitate. He took one step forward and drove the bottom rim of his shield into the creature’s chest.

  The frozen Ork didn’t resist. It went over clean, kicked back into the void like the one before it.

  The pressure didn’t drop. A third Ork was already trading blows with Xander directly, a heavier brute with a two-handed warhammer and a low stance. It fought like it had seen spear work before and countered with a tight guard, compact swings, never overreaching. The hammer arced up from below, trying to force a retreat.

  Xander held ground.

  The edge of his spear struck low, tapping the weapon away just enough to buy space, then pivoted into a second strike aimed for the creature’s shoulder joint. The blow connected, but not cleanly. The Ork rolled with it, armor eating some of the impact, then came back in tight with another swing that Xander barely ducked.

  This one was smarter than the others.

  And it wasn’t giving ground.

  The Ork pushed forward again, its warhammer dragging sparks across the stone as it came in low, forcing Xander to pivot sideways, spear angled to deflect rather than drive. The strike glanced wide, but it bought the Ork enough space to stay on the step and box him in.

  Behind it, another shape charged the stairs.

  The fifth Ork of the half dozen that had charged the team had stepped forward to take the hole vacated by its companion. It was bare-chested beneath its half-melted plate, shoulder plates bolted straight into meat. Instead of climbing all the way to the top stair, it dropped into a crouch and slammed its warhammer forward like a battering ram.

  The iron head caught Kane square across the shin as it slid under Kane's shield.

  The blow cracked against the greaves with a sound that didn’t echo so much as thud, deep and flat. Kane’s leg folded instantly.

  He dropped.

  Shield still upright, angled against the next strike, but down nonetheless.

  "Kane!" Xander barked.

  Xander wasn't in a position to cover his teammate as he was still locked in his own battle.

  But Zoey didn’t wait.

  One arrow slammed into Ork facing Kane. Catching it in the shoulder a heartbeat later another buried itself high and deep near the collar. The third shaft came faster, punching through a gap at the elbow just as the creature reared back to finish the job with Kane.

  It didn’t drop, but it staggered, letting go of the warhammer with its off-hand and roaring in frustration as the weapon tipped clumsily in its grip. It tried to adjust with a one-handed swing using its left hand, but the angle was off and the swing too slow to do any actual damage.

  Then Ford stepped forward.

  A shimmer pulsed out from the base of his staff, wrapping Kane in a burst of golden weave that stitched around the injury like thread drawn through cloth. The fighter growled as the pain registered, then pushed himself up on one knee.

  Ford didn’t stop. His other hand came up, palm already glowing.

  A bolt of pure radiance punched over Kane's head and hit the Ork clean in the face.

  There was no scream. Just a flash. Then the Ork’s head snapped backward, arms flailing, and it crumpled where it stood. Dead before it fell.

  The body landed heavily on the stairs, limp and still steaming. Once a threat, the body was now a hazard blocking the lane, trapping the momentum of the remaining Orks behind it.

  The sixth and final Ork vaulted up behind and snarled in frustration, planting a boot against the corpse’s back and hauling it sideways. The lifeless shape rolled twice, then slipped from the edge and vanished into the abyss without ceremony.

  That cleared the path.

  But it also gave the Ork currently facing Xander a fresh line of sight on Kane.

  It pivoted sharply from Xander and lunged sideways, hammer raised toward Kane while he was still regaining his stance.

  Xander didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the opening the Ork had foolishly given him. Trying to take advantage of Kane's position might have been the right call for the Ork, but it also left Xander in too good of a position to counter the attack.

  He stepped past his footing and caught the Ork in the side, hooking his spear beneath its arm at an upward angle. The point didn't pierce the Ork's armor, but the leverage was enough. He twisted, yanked, and turned his entire frame into the motion.

  The Ork went over the edge.

  Except it didn’t go alone.

  The creature’s hand shot out as it tumbled, catching the spear’s haft in a last-ditch grab.

  Xander felt the pull instantly. His boots scraped forward, momentum tipping toward the drop. The spear bent under the weight, flexing just enough for the Ork to anchor its fall and threatening to take Xander over the edge.

  With no other choice, Xander had to let go of his spear. The instant he released it, the weight shifted. The Ork dropped with a howl, spinning into the dark with the weapon still clenched in its grip.

  Great. Another boss fight where he lost his spear yet again. He was not looking forward to whatever snide system message the Simulation spat out this time.

  Xander swayed forward, unbalanced, and for a moment he thought he was going to go over the side despite letting go of his spear, but a sharp hand caught his belt and yanked.

  Zoey.

  She didn’t say anything. Just braced her feet and hauled him back.

  Xander caught himself and drew the hammerpick from his side in one fluid motion, keeping his focus on the last two Orks and the still advancing flames.

  Kane was already pushing upright, shield back in place.

  The last two Orks hesitated.

  Not from fear exactly. Xander read hesitation in the way the two remaining Orks shifted their weight, like they were finally registering the surrounding bodies. Crumpled on the stone. Gone over the edge. And every one of them had fallen while the team still stood.

  One of them stepped back.

  A half step only, but it said everything.

  From below, Lurgha’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade through cloth.

  "There is no retreat from defilers."

  The words didn’t echo. They burned, seared into the air with enough force to leave a taste of smoke on Xander’s tongue. The fire, which had been closing on the platform the team had been fighting from, surged.

  The tongues of flame that had been spreading across the lower platform shifted course as if pulled by an invisible thread. The lines turned in unison and crawled up the first stair step, drawn to heat and conflict both.

  While the two Orks were staring at the approaching flames, the team took advantage of their distraction.

  The Orks had no time to react. The first, still growling defiance, was cut down before it could turn. Jo stepped in from the flank, blade crossing her body in a wide arc. The edge caught just above the collarbone and didn’t stop. It tore through muscle and gristle, the cut sending a wide spray of blood across the nearest riser.

  Before the creature even had time to fall, a pulse of light streaked in behind it.

  Ford’s holy bolt struck square between the shoulder blades, hitting with the force of a cannonball. The body pitched forward and tumbled into the waiting fire below.

  It didn’t scream. It didn’t even twitch.

  The flames took it as if it had always belonged to them.

  The second Ork roared in fury, bringing its hammer around to lash at Kane. But Kane was ready this time, shield high and stance locked.

  The hammer came down hard.

  Kane stepped into it.

  Steel shrieked on steel. The shield held. His sword whipped out low, catching the Ork across the elbow and shearing muscle from bone. The hammer fell from the Ork’s hands with a clatter.

  Xander followed up quickly to deliver the final blow.

  He stepped in as Kane shifted right and swung his hammerpick with both hands. The radiant light wrapped around the weapon like a sunflare given form from his Radiant Strike. It struck clean against the Ork’s skull, snapping its head sideways with a crack that echoed across the open platform.

  The Ork crumpled without a word.

  [King of the Hill] You have completed the hidden requirements to satisfy the King of the Hill condition of the boss fight. Loot and experience will be adjusted accordingly. If you survive…

  The message pulsed in Xander’s vision, but there was no time to process it.

  The flames were still coming.

  He shouted, "Move!"

  The team didn’t hesitate. They turned as one, racing down the steps to leap diagonally to the main platform, boots hammering stone as the fire reached the platform behind them. The heat surged high, lashing upward as if it were hungry for anyone who lingered.

  Ford was the last to leap the final step and cleared the gap to the main platform, robes catching firelight as he landed beside the others.

  A second later, flame swept over the stairs they had just vacated. It shot up and over the edge, rising like a wave crashing into the empty space where they’d stood.

  As with every encounter so far in the dungeon, the path back was gone.

  Xander pivoted forward, spear lost, hammerpick still in hand. The hostages were ahead. League stood beyond them, unmoving. Her eyes burned brighter now, leaking fire as if her rage had taken physical form.

  She raised her staff.

  "By fire," she said, voice low and full of promise, "you will be purified."

  Behind Xander, Zoey let out a long breath and stepped up beside him.

  "Yeah?" she said. "Let's see how you handle frostbite, bitch!"

  Lurgha raised her staff high, smoke coiling tighter around her limbs.

  Then the floor vibrated, like a war drum pounding beneath the stone.

  Something was coming to join the fight.

  And it was big.