The newly formed party had met at the guild house at the break of dawn, set to embark on their first dungeon mission.
Clearing dungeons was an important part of an adventurer's work because if left unchecked, monsters may overspawn and grow in power within the Mana-rich dungeons. This spelled catastrophe to nearby towns and villages without proper defenses for such threats. The tragedy at Fishook Bay with the giant ants was a chilling testament to the kind of destruction that can be unleashed from an unchecked dungeon.
Misa handed Eris a parchment map, marking the dungeon's location with an inked cross, together with a magical compass for directions. It was situated in Mount Elaron that lie northwest of the Howling Woods. It would take them roughly five days to reach it. They would have to cross difficult terrain and fight off monsters along the way before reaching their destination.
The three, then, went off to begin their epic journey.
In the mornings that followed, they would traverse deeper into the forest. Their first few challenges came from encountering dire wolves and giant bats, a daunting task for an individual but hardly a challenge for the trio. They would hunt rabbits, wild boars and deers for food, and foraged the forest floor for edible plants. As night fell, they searched for overhangs or hollow trees where they can rest and build a campfire, Straf being the designated campfire lighter.
As they gathered around the crackling campfire, smoke and sparks drifted through the air like fireflies caught in the clouds. The scent of burning wood and the embracing warmth of the flames contrasted the earthy smell and chilling cold of their surroundings.
"I'd really like to see a Unicorn," Eris said, her voice softened. "Someone back at the guild say they saw one here in the forest."
An image of a horse coated in pure white hair with an ivory horn and feathered wings bathed in a soft ethereal glow crossed her mind. In these moments, Eris felt truly alive.
There was a belief in Sha'aya that upon a person's death, the Sky Father claims their soul while the body goes back to the Earth Mother. The souls then become part of the countless stars that twinkled in the night sky, looking down at the loved ones they left behind.
Eris didn't want to be a star, shackled in place, forever frozen. She wanted to be reborn as a creature with wings, like a Unicorn. One that can glide through clouds and soar through mountains - not to escape but to see the world and bear witness to all it has to offer.
Such were Eris' dreams.
"I'd like to see a monster that grows endless gold coins," Straf interjected, continuing the theme of the conversation hoping to add a humorous take on the subject. "I'd risk my life for that."
"Hmmm, I want to see…" Lili halted mid-sentence, as she came to the realization that what she had wanted to see must be kept secret. For now. Instead of finishing her sentence, she grabbed her staff and started chanting.
"Shards of sky, gleam and glimmer.
By my will, the Aether bend.
From the heavens, you shall descend."
As Lili chanted a few more times, tiny crystals formed above them. The crystals grew in size, forming elaborate, symmetrical and beautiful shapes akin to snowflakes. They slowly drifted downward clashing with the campfire embers below.
"Crystal Rain"
"It's beautiful, Lili," Eris said, captivated by the alluring spectacle of light and flame.
The night carried on with warm conversations and burst of laughters, until, one by one they went off to sleep, taking turns to patrol the area.
Five days had past since they left Lumhaven and they finally reached the foot of Mount Elaron. As they were walking through the rocky outcrops, they felt the earth rumbling beneath their feet. Soon, a towering figure had come from behind one of the bedrock and blocked their path. It was a Golem, a monster that stood twelve feet tall, its body made of stone and rugged boulders. Its eyes glowed with a chilling emerald hue. It had no mouth and made no sound, however, they clearly understood what it meant.
Turn back.
The team had to defeat the monster, in order to move forward and reach the entrance of the dungeon. They readied their weapons and heightened their senses. Just as they were about to attack, the Golem slowly raised its column-like arms and pointed it towards them.
"Get behind me!" Lili shouted.
Suddenly, a barrage of stones was hurled at them. Lili conjured a wall of crystal to shield them from the onslaught. Sharp thunderous cracks echoed through the air as the stones smashed against the crystal barrier. The assault stopped. The Golem absorbed the surrounding stones in preparation for its next attack.
Now's our chance.
Straf charged headlong at the monster, his blade erupted with fire.
The Golem raised its right hand, waiting for the charging swordsman to be in range so that it can smash him to the ground.
"Straf, watch out!"
It plunged its huge arm into the earth, crushing the rocks beneath and unleashing a billowing cloud of dust and debris. Straf was able to dodge the attack. However, as the dust settled, a huge arm slammed into the boy, casting him aside like the wind sweeping fallen leaves.
Pain filled his body as he rolled across the terrain. Blood trickled from his lips as he gasped for air.
The monster lifted its arms again, ready to launch its second wave of stone bombardment. Its target were the two remaining adventurers who still stood.
Another barrier was set up as the next wave started.
"How do we defeat that thing!?" Lili shouted in frustration.
Eris felt that her mind was racing with a thousand thoughts, desperately searching for a way to bring the monster the down. She thought of luring it into a ravine nearby. The thought of causing a rockslide also occurred to her. But how effective were rocks going to be against a rock monster? They had been at a disadvantage from the very beginning. The mountain was its domain.
And then it clicked.
This could work.
"Lili! When the stones stop, cover for me. I'll charge ahead."
"Are you crazy!? Have you forgotten what happened to Straf?"
The loud banging stopped. The monster was recharging again.
"Lili, I trust you!"
Eris dashed forward with all her strength. She ran so fast she felt that she would dive face first into the ground.
Seeing another adventurer getting closer and closer, the beast lifted his arm again, preparing to hammer down anyone who came within its range, as it did before.
The moment had come. The beast swung his arm down. Instead of dodging, Eris leaped forward.
Never charge head-on.
Lili, I'm counting on you!
Not a second too late, Lili had conjured a horizonal crystal barrier between Eris and the monster's arm. Instead of slamming into Eris' back, the monster hit the barrier first. Under the immense pressure from the impact, the barrier had fractured and shattered into pieces. Still, in that brief moment of delay, Lili had saved Eris' life.
Eris' plan from the start was to go through the gap between the Golem's leg and strike it from behind.
"SWALLOW SLASH!!"
Eris drove her blade into the crook of its knee where a vulnerable gap in the segmented rocks had been. However, this time, her slash felt different. She remembered Ulfric's words.
Wind element.
Ulfric, the blacksmith, had refined ber blade with the wind element giving it enhanced slicing ability.
"WIND CUTTER!!"
A razor-sharp gust had formed from the path of Eris' dagger, tearing the monster's leg. Afterwards, invisible scythes of air lashed out from the point of impact sending crumbles of rocks flying.
With its left leg severed, the Golem buckled and collapsed onto one knee, struggling to get up under its own weight.
"Now!" Eris yelled at the top of her lungs.
Lili chanted.
"From shard and steel, heed my call,
Break through shield, shatter all!"
A rough conical shaped crystal materialized in front of Lili, gleaming with radiant energy.
"Crystal Arrow!"
In an instant, it launched forward like an arrow loosed from its string.
It struck the creature's head with devastating force. Shards of crystal and stone flew across the air. However, the attack only fractured its head. The beast still lived.
No way!
"Aaaaaaah!!" the boy's cry echoed through the scene as he charged toward the beast.
"Straf!" the two girls exclaimed.
"That hurt, you stinking piece of stone!"
Fortunately for Straf, he had worn a new gambeson, absorbing some of the impact from the previous hit. He still went numb after the attack, but he just needed time recover.
"BURNING SLASH!!"
The adrenaline-filled swordsman swung his fiery blade downward, cleaving the monster from its fractured head to its torso. The heat from the sword left a trail of molten rock as it split the Golem in two. The two halves of the beast slid apart, crumbling into a pile of stones.
The party had defeated a Golem.