The morning mist clung to the slopes of the mountain like a restless shroud, casting long shadows across the young Lord's village. Rayan stood alone near the ridge, gazing at the strange shimmer of runes faintly glowing against the rocky surface. The glyphs had been dormant until yesterday, but now they pulsed faintly—an ancient rhythm syncing with his heartbeat.
Beneath the surface, something was waking up.
He extended his hand toward the sigil-engraved rock. A low hum answered in return. The Anima Forge inside him pulsed, reacting to the call.
The dungeon wasn't just a feature of the land—it was connected to his skill.
Not far behind him, Devrik's heavy boots crunched over pebbles as he caught up.
"So it's true," the older man muttered, arms folded. "There's a core under the mountain."
Rayan nodded slowly. "And it's not asleep anymore."
The mountain dungeon had always been a mystery, mentioned only in passing on the village's original survey maps. No one dared explore it. Now, it was humming with buried power.
A moment later, a gentle pulse passed through his mind as the System whispered its first major quest.
Quest Received: The Dreamstone's Calling
• Description: A fragment of the Dreamstone—an ancient artifact of unknown origin—resides within the mountain's dungeon.• Objective: Retrieve the Dreamstone fragment before the dungeon's full awakening.• Time Limit: 5 days• Reward: Dreamstone Fragment • Anima Forge Upgrade • Additional Summon Slot• Warning: Failure may trigger a surge event; expect corrupted entities to spill forth.
Rayan lowered his hand, his thoughts heavy.
He had five days.
Back inside the hall, a cluttered table served as the central nerve of their planning. Blueprints—hand-drawn and glowing with light-infused ink—lay beneath mana crystals and glowing wood shards.
Rayan traced a line across a basic dungeon floor sketch. "I sent Shadehowl inside. It made it about forty meters deep before resistance increased. There's something watching."
Devrik leaned closer. "Guardians?"
"Likely," Rayan replied. "The Dreamstone's aura is deeper down. I'll need to craft a support summon and prepare a full combat team."
Beside him, Nalia placed several purified mana vials on the table. "We've got enough refined sap to construct two more minor units or one mid-tier summon. Take your pick."
"I'll start with support," Rayan said firmly. "If I can scout properly, I won't need to risk everyone in the first descent."
That evening, Rayan found Lina sitting at the edge of her bed, quietly humming. Wisps of light trailed from her fingertips—gentle threads that shimmered and vanished into the air. She smiled when he entered.
"You felt it too, didn't you?" she said softly.
He nodded. "The dungeon."
"It sings," she murmured, eyes half-lidded. "It calls to something in me. Not loud, but... old. Like a lullaby with missing notes."
He sat beside her and gently took her hand. "Does it hurt?"
"No," she whispered. "But the closer you get, the stronger I hear it. I think the stone is dreaming."
Bond Update: Lina Khael
• Trait Awakened: Resonance Harmony• Effect: While within thirty meters of Lina, dungeon corruption decreases slightly.• Additional Effect: Allows safe interaction with unstable relics.
As Rayan absorbed this, Lina reached behind her bed and handed him a folded parchment.
"I drew something last night. It appeared in my dreams. It might help you."
The parchment unfolded into a diagram—a circular design, pulsing with softly drawn symbols. It was a blueprint. A new summon.
Blueprint Acquired: Hollowlight Familiar
• Role: Support Construct• Traits:• Provides shield reinforcement to nearby allies• Improves mapping clarity in dark, magical spaces• Emits a soft purifying pulse that weakens lesser curses
Rayan smiled, heart swelling. "This could make a real difference."
"I want to help," Lina said. "Even if I'm small."
"You already are."
That night, under the quiet glow of the Forge, Rayan inserted the necessary materials—an essence core, finely braided dreamweft threads, and mana wood collected from the forest's edge.
The Anima Forge within him responded, light forming from thought.
He shaped the Hollowlight Familiar using the blueprint. The result floated gently before him—an orb no larger than a melon, encased in silver framing, wings of light fluttering from its sides.
It emitted a soft hum, and its center glowed with a steady sapphire flame.
Hollowlight Familiar Created
• Role: Scouting Support• Bound To: Shadehowl• Traits:• Improves map clarity• Grants short-term protective barrier• Detects ambient spiritual shifts
Rayan watched as the familiar silently followed Shadehowl back into the dungeon for a second scouting attempt. Together, they disappeared into the glowing glyphs once more.
Dungeon Mapping Progress: 41%
• Dreamstone Fragment estimated three floors below• New Threat Detected: Lurker-Class Guardian• Status: Dormant, but stirring• Surge Timer: 4 days, 23 hours remaining
As night fell across the valley and wind whispered through the trees, Rayan stood once more at the ridge's edge. The weight of duty pressed down—but he no longer stood alone.
He had the Forge.He had his sister.And now, he had a path forward.
The mountain dungeon awaited.