Kael remained silent, but his grip on the Abyssal Fang Dagger tightened slightly.
Dorian Valcroft.
The name carried weight within the young generations of the noble ranks of Valoria. With the memories he received, Kael knew enough about him.
An heir to one of Valoria's Great Dukes, raised in power and privilege, yet he was far from weak concerning martial matters. Unlike most nobles, Dorian wasn't just someone who relied on his lineage to get by. He had the strength to back up his arrogance.
Kael exhaled slowly. He had no intention of seeking Dorian out, but he had a feeling that fate wouldn't let them stay apart for long.
And when that time came, he wouldn't back down.
The small fire now burned low, casting long shadows against the uneven stone walls. The camp had settled somewhat, though tension still lingered beneath the surface. Kael sat a little apart from the group, sharpening his dagger with steady, deliberate strokes.
Sera was still watching him suspiciously. Not openly though, but her eyes flicked toward him every so often, like she was expecting him to make a wrong move. But Kael ignored her.
Reiner and Mira were speaking in hushed tones near the fire, but their words were too quiet for him to catch.
Luthen, the axe-wielder, had pulled out a small whetstone, running it over the blade of his weapon with slow, practiced movements. Oris, the quietest of the group, was staring off into the darkness, fingers lightly tapping against his staff.
Then—a faint noise was heard.
Kael heard it before the others. It was a soft shuffle, barely noticeable, coming from one of the nearby tunnels.
His muscles tensed.
He wasn't the only one who noticed. Luthen's hand went to his axe. Mira's fingers twitched toward the staff resting on her lap. Even Reiner shifted slightly, one hand drifting to his sword hilt.
The flickering fire made it difficult to see beyond their immediate surroundings, but Kael kept his eyes on the tunnel entrance.
The air had changed again. It wasn't just the usual oppressive atmosphere of the dungeon—this was different. It felt like something was watching them.
Then it moved...
A blur of darkness lunged from the tunnel.
Kael reacted instantly, twisting to the side as claws slashed through the space where he had been sitting. The creature landed just within the firelight, its form finally coming into view.
[Lvl 7 Shadow Maw]
Its body was sleek and elongated, like a massive panther made of shifting darkness. Jagged fangs gleamed in its maw, and its eyes, which looked like deep, abyssal pits—locked onto Kael with ferocity.
Then another one emerged from the tunnel and another. Three in total.
"Shit," Luthen cursed, springing to his feet.
The beasts didn't wait. They moved as one, their bodies blurring into streaks of black as they lunged.
Kael's mind sharpened. There was no time to think—only to act.
The first Shadow Maw lunged at him again, its movements were eerily silent. Kael ducked, twisting his body as its claws swiped just inches from his throat.
He moved fluidly and precise like flowing water, letting its momentum carry it past him before striking out with his dagger.
The Abyssal Fang Dagger sliced through shadowed flesh, spilling black blood onto the stone floor.
The creature let out a soundless snarl, but before it could counter, Kael shifted his stance, kicking off the ground and driving his blade deeper.
A second Shadow Maw went for Reiner, but the noble was already prepared. His sword flashed in a controlled arc, intercepting the creature mid-leap.
The impact sent a harsh clang through the cavern as the beast recoiled, black mist hissing from its wound.
Mira and Oris unleashed spells, and bolts of primal energy slammed into the third beast, forcing it back. Sera let loose an arrow, striking true, but the Shadow Maw barely flinched.
They were fast. Too fast.
Kael barely had time to disengage before the first creature recovered, its wounds already closing. His eyes narrowed. 'They are regenerating quite fast'
"Tch." He pivoted, dodging another lunge.
Reiner grits his teeth. "These things don't go down easy!"
"We need to hit them harder," Mira snapped, fire already forming in her palms.
Kael didn't respond. He had already noticed something strange. The dagger in his grip—it was reacting.
A faint pulse ran through the Abyssal Fang Dagger, the same eerie energy he had felt when he first picked it up.
When he had cut into the Shadow Maw, it had done more than just wound it—the black mist that made up the creature's form had recoiled from the blade. The dagger absorbed it.
Kael's grip tightened.
He let the creature lunge at him again, but this time, he didn't fully dodge. Instead, he twisted at the last second, letting its claw scrape against his arm while his dagger struck true—piercing straight through the side of its head.
The effect was instant.
The Shadow Maw's body convulsed, its form shuddering as if something unseen was ripping through it. Then, in the blink of an eye, it dissolved entirely, its essence vanishing into the dagger's blade.
Kael exhaled sharply, feeling something surge through his body. A new rush of energy, sharp and raw, unlike the usual experience gained from a kill.
But there was no time to focus on it.
The other two creatures hesitated. Just for a moment. But that moment was all the opening the group needed.
Reiner didn't waste it. He surged forward, his sword crackling with aura as he brought it down in a precise, brutal strike. His blade cleaved straight through the second Shadow Maw, splitting it in half before its form dissolved into mist.
Mira and Oris finished the last one, twin arcs of lightning and fire colliding into it at once. The final Shadow Maw let out a silent scream before vanishing.
The cavern was still once more, and the only sound remaining was the quiet crackling of the dying fire.
Kael exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulder as the lingering energy from the dagger settled in his body. He could still feel it; though it was faint, it was present.
Mira was the first to break the silence. "That…" She frowned, glancing between Kael and his weapon. "What did you just do?"
Reiner was watching him as well. So was Sera. The hostility in her eyes was still there, but now it was mixed with something else. Something close to wariness.
Kael didn't answer immediately. He simply turned the dagger over in his grip, watching the faint, pulsating glow within its blade.
"What kind of a question is that? I killed it, nothing much," he said finally.
That wasn't a lie. But it wasn't the full truth either.
Reiner narrowed his eyes but didn't push the question. Instead, he ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "Well. That was fun."
Luthen scoffed. "Fun, my ass. Those things shouldn't even be this high up."
Oris nodded. "The dungeon's shifting again." His voice was quiet. "The corruption's growing."
No one spoke after that.
They all felt it. The weight of something much deeper than just another dungeon floor.