The Crimson Dawn

Chapter 7

The sound of the monstrous footsteps reverberated through the cavern, growing louder with each passing moment. Then, from the shadows, a hulking figure emerged, illuminated by the faint glow of the group’s torches.

The beast was just as the mine owner had described: a towering, grotesque creature, its misshapen body covered in a thick, rocky hide that seemed almost impenetrable. Its massive arms ended in claws that gleamed like jagged obsidian, and its head was an amalgamation of sharp mandibles and glowing yellow eyes that radiated malice.

The creature let out a deafening roar, the sound shaking loose bits of rock from the cave walls.

“That’s it,” Barrett muttered, gripping his axe tightly. “That’s the big bastard.”

“Stay spread out!” Raphael ordered, raising his shield. “Focus on its weak points—eyes, joints, anything vulnerable!”

The monster lunged forward with surprising speed, its massive claws crashing down where the group had been standing moments before. The ground trembled under the force of the blow, sending them scattering in different directions.

Gedeon was the first to act, loosing an arrow aimed at the creature’s glowing eyes. The shot hit its mark, but the beast barely flinched, swiping at him with a claw. Gedeon ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the strike.

“It’s like shooting at a damn mountain!” Gedeon cursed.

Barrett charged in, swinging his two-handed axe with a bellowing war cry. The blade connected with the creature’s arm, chipping away at the rocky hide but failing to cut deeply. The monster retaliated, backhanding Barrett and sending him crashing into the cave wall with a grunt.

“Barrett!” Ari shouted, but the Berserker was already pulling himself to his feet, laughing. “That all you got, you ugly bastard?”

Ari shifted into the form of a massive bear, roaring as she charged the creature. She clawed at its legs, trying to trip it up, but the beast kicked her aside with alarming strength.

Meanwhile, Aydin fired his Iron Shooter, aiming for the joints in its arms. Each shot caused sparks to fly, but the bullets seemed to only chip away at the hardened exterior. He frowned, muttering to himself. “This isn’t working. We need a new plan.”

Stella darted in and out of the creature’s reach, her dual daggers glinting in the dim light as she targeted the softer areas under its arms. She managed to land a few strikes, but her injured shoulder slowed her down.

“Stella, fall back!” Gedeon shouted, firing another arrow to draw the beast’s attention away from her.

“I’m fine!” Stella snapped, though her pale face and the blood seeping through her bandages said otherwise.

Raphael moved to intercept the creature as it turned toward Aydin, his shield raised high. The monster’s claws raked across the metal with a screech, but Raphael held firm, countering with a holy strike that caused the beast to roar in pain.

“Did you see that?” Raphael called out. “It’s vulnerable to holy magic!”

Aydin’s eyes lit up. He quickly began chanting, his hands glowing with a faint blue light as he prepared a spell. “Keep it busy!”

The group redoubled their efforts, attacking from all sides. Barrett focused on hacking at its legs, trying to weaken its stance, while Gedeon and Stella targeted its flanks. Ari, still in her bear form, clawed at its back, drawing its attention away from Aydin.

Finally, Aydin unleashed his spell—a burst of holy energy that struck the creature square in the chest. The beast let out a guttural scream, its rocky hide cracking and crumbling as the magic seeped into it.

“Now! Everyone, focus on the cracks!” Raphael shouted.

The group attacked in unison, their combined efforts exploiting the creature’s weakened state. Barrett’s axe shattered one of its arms, Gedeon’s arrows pierced its exposed flesh, and Stella’s daggers found purchase in the gaps.

With a final, ear-splitting roar, the beast collapsed to the ground, its massive body shaking the cavern one last time.

The group stood in the aftermath, panting and bloodied but victorious.

Aydin walked by Stella, checking her shoulder. “Are you okay? You shouldn’t have pushed yourself like that.”

“I’m fine,” Stella said, though her voice was weaker now. She managed a small smile. “We did it, didn’t we?”

Gedeon approached, his expression still tense. “Next time, don’t take risks like that, Stella. We’re a team. Act like it.”

Stella glared at him but said nothing, too exhausted to argue.

Raphael sheathed his sword, looking down at the defeated monster. “Let’s grab what we can from this thing and get out of here. I don’t want to be around when its friends come looking.”

Barrett laughed, slinging his axe over his shoulder. “If they’re anything like this one, I say bring ‘em on.”

Ari shifted back into her human form, groaning as she leaned on her staff. “Let’s not.”

As they began gathering their things and harvesting useful parts from the beast, Aydin silently pocketed more of its venom and ichor, already thinking of ways to use them. The group had survived, but the mine still held more dangers—and possibly more treasures—awaiting them deeper within.

The group pressed onward, deeper into the mine. The air grew colder and heavier with each step, and an unnatural stillness settled around them.

Then, they saw it: a glowing portal, pulsing with a strange, sickly green light. Its edges shimmered like molten glass, casting eerie shadows across the cavern walls. Strange symbols circled the portal, flickering in and out of existence.

“What the hell is that?” Barrett asked, gripping his axe tightly.

“I don’t know,” Aydin replied, stepping closer to study it. His eyes darted across the symbols, trying to make sense of their shifting patterns. “It’s… ancient. And definitely magical.”

Stella and Gedeon both froze as faint whispers only they could hear filled the air. The sound was almost imperceptible, like a soft breeze brushing against their ears, but it was undeniably there.

“Do you hear that?” Stella asked, her voice low.

Gedeon nodded, his bow drawn. “Voices. They’re… calling us.”

Stella took a hesitant step toward the portal, her expression dazed. The whispers grew louder, more insistent, like a thousand voices overlapping, each promising something different—power, safety, love.

“Stella, no!” Raphael barked, grabbing her arm and pulling her back.

Gedeon shook his head as if clearing it. “What the hell was that? It was like… like it knew what I wanted.”

“It’s unholy,” Raphael said, his voice firm. He stepped forward, shield raised, his expression resolute. “This portal is a gateway to something evil. It must be closed.”

“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Aydin said, studying the portal from a distance. “This isn’t just some random spell. It’s tied to something powerful—ancient, even. I’ll try to close it, but I don’t know if I can.”

“Try,” Raphael urged. “We can’t leave it open.”

Aydin hesitated, then stepped closer to the portal. He muttered a quick incantation, his hands glowing faintly as he began to weave his magic. The portal’s glow intensified, as if reacting to his efforts.

Suddenly, the whispers turned into a cacophony of screams. The portal flared, sending out a blast of energy that struck Aydin like a battering ram. He was thrown back with incredible force, slamming into the cavern wall.

“Aydin!” Stella screamed, rushing to his side.

Aydin lay motionless, his head slumped to the side. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, and his breathing was faint.

“Is he alive?” Gedeon asked, kneeling next to him.

Raphael quickly examined him. “He’s alive, but barely. That thing hit him hard.”

The group fell silent, the portal’s ominous glow casting long shadows over their faces. It pulsed again, as if mocking their efforts.

“What do we do now?” Ari asked, gripping her staff tightly, her voice tinged with fear.

Raphael stood, his jaw set. “We get Aydin out of here. But that portal isn’t going anywhere. We’ll have to deal with it—one way or another.”

The cavern seemed to hum with anticipation, as if the portal was watching them, waiting for their next move.