After days of absorption and training, he had finally reached halfway to level 3. Just another 50 and he’ll level up.
He crushed the shard in his grip, letting the warm energy surge through his veins. His muscles tensed as the last remnants of power settled into his body, and then… it was done.
Erin let out a sigh. It was time to head out and enter dungeons again. He needed real combat experience, not just the sparring his siblings put him through.
He pulled out a dungeon guide from his desk, flipping through its worn pages. Echelon City had dozens of dungeons scattered across its outskirts, each with varying difficulty levels.
Some were beast-infested caverns. Others were ruins crawling with undead. But one, in particular, caught his eye.
Abyss of Demons
- Recommended Level: 2-3
- Monster Types: Low-rank demons
- Difficulty: Medium
- Structure: Multi-room dungeon with minibosses
Enemies:
- Level 1 demons (common)
- Level 2 demons (rare)
- Boss: Level 3 Demon Elite
Notes:
- Demons are humanoid, making them excellent for combat training.
- Good drop rate for energy shards.
Chance of dropping from boss:
- Hellrender [low-grade sword]
- Abyssal Hewer [low-grade axe]
- Soulpiercer [low-grade spear]
- Demon’s Kiss [low-grade dagger]
- Screaming Scepter [low-grade magic staff]
- Hellshell [low-grade shield]
- Bloodforged Husk [low-grade full body armor]
- The Black Codex [mid-grade spellbook]
- Low-tier energy shards
Erin smiled. Perfect.
He closed the guide and stretched. His mind was made up, this was the place to train. Plus, he really wanted a full set of that Abyss gear. He’d seen others wearing it, and it looked awesome. Erin’s plan is to grind this dungeon until he gets the Bloodforged Husk, Hellrender, and Hellshell. No stopping until then.
Just as he stood up, his door swung open.
“Yo, little Eri, where are we going?”
Lira.
Erin groaned. “We?”
She grinned. “Yeah, you’re not going alone. I’m coming with you.”
He rubbed his temples. “I don’t need a babysitter, Lira.”
Lira put a hand on her hip. “Oh, sure. I’m totally ‘babysitting’ you.” She made air quotes. “I just think someone needs to be there in case you do something stupid and die.”
Erin scowled. “I won’t die.”
She smiled. “Mom said so.”
Erin sighed in defeat. “Fiiine.”
Lira clapped her hands together. “Great! Where we going?”
***
The morning sun bathed Echelon City in a warm glow as Erin and Lira stepped out of the Storm estate. The streets were alive with merchants setting up their stalls, workers carrying crates of goods, and adventurers heading toward their next dungeon dive.
Erin adjusted his cloak, a simple brown one that did little to stand out. Lira, on the other hand, had tied her hair up and changed into more casual adventuring gear rather than the brightly colored robes she always walked around with.
"Alright," Erin muttered, slinging his pack over his shoulder. "We leave a note for the family, and we’re gone."
Lira gave a thumbs-up. "Already did.”
"Nice."
With everything set, they started toward the city gates, the only way in and out of Echelon City.
The closer they got, the more crowded the streets became. The outer walls of the city loomed ahead, massive and intimidating, with two separate entryways leading out.
One for noble families, merchants, and high-ranking adventurers, a much faster, guarded gate where records were kept. One for commoners, mercenaries, and travelers, a slower, but less strict route.
Erin naturally started walking toward the first option, but Lira suddenly grabbed his shoulder.
"Wait."
He turned. "What?"
Lira’s expression had stiffened. "If we use that gate, the inner city guards might recognize us."
Erin’s eyes widened slightly. He hadn’t thought about that.
The Storms were known, especially after the attack on the Tide Gang. Inner guards who worked directly under the city’s noble families might be familiar with their faces, even with fake identities.
Lira pointed to the other gate. "We go there. Outer guards handle travelers and random adventurers. They won’t know us."
Erin frowned. "The line’s huge."
"So? You wanna risk getting questioned?"
Erin raised his hands for peace.
The line stretched far, with merchants hauling wagons, mercenaries chatting in groups, and wandering adventurers waiting their turn.
The outer guards didn’t seem too strict, mostly just glancing at papers, checking weapons, and waving people through.
When it was their turn, they handed over their fake identification.
"Ferin Vale and Kira Vale, huh?" The guard, a bulky man with a thick beard, glanced between them and their papers. "Heading out for a dungeon?"
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Erin nodded. "Abyss of Demons."
The guard smirked. "That one’s a nasty one. Be careful."
Lira grinned. "We will."
With a casual wave, the guard ushered them through.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Erin let out a breath. "That was easy."
Lira shrugged. "Told you. Outer guards probably have never seen us. They might recognize dad and mom but definitely not us."
The sun hung high in the sky as Erin and Lira walked down the well-traveled road leading out of Echelon City. Unlike many of the wealthier adventurers who rode on horseback, they went on foot.
Horses were expensive. Riding to a dungeon on horseback would only draw attention. How could two poor adventurers afford a horse?
And besides, the road was beautiful.
The forest stretched far on both sides, the wind making the grass sway periodically. Clusters of trees lined the path. Travelers passed by, some merchants leading wagons, some mercenaries heading to their next job, and a few groups of adventurers chatting loudly about their recent dungeon runs.
Lira stretched her arms and yawned. “Ah, fresh air. I swear, being cooped up in the city is the worst.”
Erin smirked. “You’re just lazy.”
She gasped. “Excuse me? I’m a very hardworking lady.”
“Yeah, yeah. You ate like a whole chicken last night and went straight to bed. I don’t even know how you’re not putting on weight.”
Lira gasped again, this time clutching her chest. “I can’t believe you’d say that to your beloved older sister. After all I’ve done for you.”
“What have you done for me?”
She paused. “…I saved you from being choked.”
Erin smiled cheekily. “Oh yeah I forgot about that.”
They kept walking, the breeze brushing against them.
Lira hummed, then looked at Erin. “You know, I’m almost at level five.”
That caught his attention. “Seriously?”
She grinned. “Yup. A little more, and I’ll be stronger than Garrick.”
Erin chuckled. “You’re never gonna let him live that down, are you?”
Lira smirked. “Nope. He always acts like he’s the responsible older brother, so I have to remind him who the real talented one is.”
They laughed, the conversation flowing naturally between them.
After a while, Erin noticed Lira’s expression soften a little. She stared ahead, eyes filled with hope.
“What?” Erin asked.
She took a deep breath, then sighed. “I have a dream, you know.”
“To annoy Garrick forever?”
She snorted. “Well, that too. But I mean a real dream.”
Erin glanced at her. “Okay, what is it?”
Lira smiled, but this time, it wasn’t her usual playful smirk.
“I want to be a powerful sorcerer,” she said. “Not just some strong adventurer, I want to be great. The kind of person people talk about for years. And to do that, I need to go to Sprite Academy.”
Erin raised a brow. “Sprite Academy? The one in the Aurelion Empire?”
Lira nodded. “Yeah. It’s the best place in the empire for magic training. Only the most talented mages get in. If I could go there… I’d finally be able to push past my limits. Maybe I’ll even ascend to the second floor.”
Erin was quiet for a moment. He never really thought about it before. His sibling’s ambitions, what they wanted. Lira always acted carefree, like she didn’t have a serious side.
But hearing her talk like this…
He grinned. “You’ll make it. No doubt.”
Lira blinked, then laughed. “Hah! Look at you, being all supportive.”
“I can take it back if you want.”
“No, no. I’ll take it.”
The journey was long, but with moments like these, neither of them minded.
By the time Erin and Lira arrived at the Abyss of Demons, the sun was setting behind the horizon, casting a deep orange glow. The dungeon’s entrance loomed ahead, a jagged black cave mouth that seemed to swallow all light around it. The air was eerily still, the only sound being the occasional gust of wind rustling through the grass.
"We finally made it," Erin muttered, stretching his sore arms.
"Yeah… but I’m dead tired." Lira let out a yawn, rubbing her neck.
They had been walking all day, and their legs ached from the long journey. The thought of diving into a dungeon now felt like a terrible idea.
"We’ll set up camp and go in tomorrow," Lira decided. "No point rushing in half-asleep."
Erin agreed. They found a flat patch of land not too far from the dungeon entrance, far enough to avoid any surprise attacks but close enough to reach it easily in the morning. With quick movements, they set up a small camp: a fire pit, their bedrolls, and some rations for dinner.
As the night continued, the fire crackled softly, providing warmth in the chilly air. Erin lay on his back, staring at the stars, while Lira hummed to herself, sharpening a small dagger.
"Tomorrow should be fun," she said.
Erin smirked. "You just want to show off."
"Obviously."
They laughed quietly before exhaustion took over. Lira extinguished the fire and the two eventually drifted into sleep, their weapons within reach, just in case.
***
A distant voice pulled Erin from his sleep.
His eyes snapped open. He turned his head and saw Lira already awake, sitting up with narrowed eyes.
"You heard that?" Erin whispered.
Lira nodded. "Voices. That way." She pointed toward the east.
They crouched low, moving carefully toward the sound. Through the darkness, they spotted a group of adventurers, five of them, standing in a loose circle. Their torches flickered, revealing their faces.
But it wasn’t the adventurers that caught Erin’s attention.
It was the small figure trapped between them.
A little girl stood in the center, her back facing Erin and Lira. She looked no older than eight or nine, dressed in tattered clothes. Her long black hair reached past her shoulders, and her bare feet stood still on the dirt.
One of the adventurers stepped forward, a gruff man with an axe strapped to his back. "Just give us the relic, kid. We know you have it."
The girl didn’t respond.
A taller man sighed. "She’s not talking. Just grab her and take it."
The first man reached out, his hand closing in on the girl’s arm.
Then, something horrifying happened.
A black tendril shot out from the girl’s back, moving faster than Erin could process.
It pierced straight through the adventurer’s stomach.
He choked, his body going rigid as the tentacle pulsed. His flesh withered instantly, his skin turning gray and shrinking against his bones. In less than a second, his entire body collapsed into a husk, nothing but dried skin wrapped around bones.
A gust of wind blew.
The man fell down dead.
The other four adventurers staggered back. "What the—?!"
The tall man snarled, drawing his sword. "What the hell is she?! KILL HER!"
They lunged at the girl.
The girl tilted her head slightly, her hair shifting just enough for Erin to see her dull, lifeless eyes.
Then she moved.
Four more tentacles burst from her back, whipping through the air. The first one wrapped around a man’s throat and yanked him off his feet. He struggled, trying to pry it off, but the tentacle tightened like a noose.
His face turned purple. His veins bulged.
CRACK.
His neck snapped, and she tossed his lifeless body aside.
The third adventurer tried to swing his sword, but the girl was too fast. A tentacle wrapped around his arm and yanked hard.
The sickening sound of tearing flesh filled the air.
The man screamed as his arm was ripped clean off. He collapsed, blood pooling beneath him, his breath coming out in weak gasps before he stopped moving entirely.
The last two adventurers tried to run.
They didn’t make it.
A tentacle shot forward, piercing straight through one of their backs. It curled, then ripped upward, slicing through his chest and splitting his torso apart. Blood sprayed onto the dirt.
The final man barely had time to react before a tentacle wrapped around his waist and squeezed.
His bones cracked. His screams turned to gurgles. His ribs caved in.
A few moments later, he wasn’t moving.
Silence.
Erin and Lira didn’t dare breathe.
The girl stood alone, surrounded by the corpses of the adventurers. The tentacles slithered back into her body, vanishing as if they had never existed.
She turned her head slightly.
Her empty eyes locked onto Erin and Lira’s hiding spot.
Erin’s heart pounded, his hand moving towards his sword.
Lira gripped his arm, her breathing shallow.
For a moment, the girl just stared.
Then, without a word, she turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
The only thing left behind were the bodies.