Crestfall: Darkness Unveiled

The blade slices cleanly through the monsters skull. Sosuke wipes his blade clean of blood.

"Admit it, saving people is fun." Rin's smile easing Sosuke's paranoia.

"There's more here. I wouldn't get distracted if I were you, Rin." Sosuke sheathes his shiny new katana.

The two run through the dungeon, eliminating any beast that comes within their path. They finished with relative ease until they arrived at the boss's gate. Sosuke placed his hand on the solid metal gate and closed his eyes.

"There's some good stuff in there. It wouldn't be wise to leave this haul to some random looters. They sure love to pick off unfinished dungeons." Sosuke removed his hand and stood back.

Rin walked up the gate and placed both her hands around the orb floating in front of the gate. "Then I'll do the honors. Open!"

The gate dissolved into the air revealing a large arena. Pools of lava covering the arena in an orange hue. The old pillars that still manage to somehow hold up everything. At the center of it all, a skeletal creature, bearing heavy armor, stood up lifting its massive sword from the ground. It slowly walked in their direction, dragging the heavy weapon behind itself.

Rin recoiled back at the sight, but Sosuke didn't flinch, moving toward the boss grabbing hold of his katana. "I'm taking all the credit if you don't step up Rin."

The boss blurred into motion, its skeletal frame cutting through the air with unnatural speed. Sosuke barely twisted aside, the creature's massive blade crashing into the ground with a deafening roar, sending a shockwave of dust and debris in all directions. Sosuke staggered to the left, his heart pounding as he tried to process the speed he'd just witnessed.

Through the swirling dust, the skeletal beast lunged again, its glowing eyes piercing the haze. Sosuke raised his sword just in time to deflect the strike, the clash of metal sending sparks flying. But the force of the blow knocked him off balance, and before he could recover, the boss's blade arced toward him once more.

A sudden impact sent the boss skidding backward. Rin landed in front of Sosuke, her foot still raised from the kick that cracked the creature's armored chest. She glanced back at him, her expression sharp and determined.

"You good?" she asked, her voice steady but urgent.

Sosuke coughed and gave her a strained nod, gripping his sword tightly. "Barely. Just—watch its speed."

Rin didn't wait for further instructions. She surged forward, her hand crackling with energy. "Paralyze!" she shouted, releasing a surge of magic that stopped the skeletal beast in its tracks, electricity dancing across its brittle frame. She closed the distance in an instant, delivering a fierce uppercut to its exposed skull. The impact sent the creature hurtling into the air, its bones rattling like a grotesque wind chime before it crashed back to the ground in a heap.

Sosuke pushed himself to his feet, wincing as he dusted off his tattered coat. Reaching down, he retrieved his blade and exhaled shakily. "Thanks…"

She didn't look back, her eyes fixed on the boss as it began to stir again, a low, otherworldly growl escaping its shattered jaw. "Just don't make me save you twice," she muttered, lightning already flickering between her fingers as she prepared for the next attack.

The skeletal boss rose slowly, its movements deliberate, as if savoring the tension in the air. Its hollow eyes burned crimson, locking onto Sosuke. He tightened his grip on his katana, both hands trembling slightly, but his stance firmed. This time, he wouldn't be caught off guard.

With a sudden motion, the creature drove its massive sword into the ground. Dark purple vines erupted like living tendrils, splitting the stone floor and ripping through nearby pillars. The spreading corruption slithered toward the pools of lava behind Sosuke. The molten pits hissed and dimmed as the vines drained their fiery glow, leaving behind only blackened rock.

"Focus, Sosuke!" Rin's voice cut through his trance, just as the skeletal boss charged, its blade cleaving through the air toward him. He dropped to the ground, the heavy blade slicing through a nearby pillar instead. Shards of stone rained down, forcing Sosuke to roll away as debris crashed around him.

Rin surged forward, her fist colliding with the creature's chest in an explosive strike. The sound of shattering armor echoed like thunder, and the skeletal beast fell to its knees, stunned by the blow.

Seizing the moment, Rin grabbed the fallen sword. Her muscles strained as she lifted the massive blade, its surface glinting under the fractured moonlight streaming through the broken ceiling. With a primal cry, she brought the weapon down, pouring every ounce of strength into the strike.

The ground heaved as bones shattered beneath the blade, and a cloud of dust swallowed everything. Sosuke shielded his eyes, coughing as he struggled to make sense of the chaos.

When the dust settled, a scream tore through the air. His gaze snapped to Rin, now ensnared by the writhing vines. They coiled around her limbs and torso, tightening like serpents as she writhed in agony.

Sosuke turned to the pile of shattered bones and empty armor that had once been the boss. His mind raced. What's happening?

The vines swung violently, hurling Rin into a crumbling wall with a bone-rattling impact. She collapsed to the ground, motionless for a moment before a painful cough escaped her lips. Sosuke's grip tightened around his katana as he steadied his stance, scanning the arena.

The vines rooted in the ground began to glow, an ominous orange light spreading through their veins. Sosuke didn't hesitate. His instincts screamed at him to move. He darted to the side just as the vines erupted into a storm of flames, the inferno tearing apart what remained of the battlefield.

Chunks of stone rained down around him as he skidded to a halt. His chest heaved, eyes darting toward the skeletal remains of the boss. "It's dead! It has to be dead!" he yelled, his voice cracking with desperation. But the glow in the vines didn't fade. Instead, the molten energy surged toward the pile of bones at the arena's center.

"No…" Sosuke whispered, his pulse pounding in his ears. The vines wrapped around the shattered skeleton, molten lava seeping into its hollow frame. The bones snapped and fused, forming once more into a towering monstrosity.

Fueled by fury, Sosuke sprinted toward it. His katana gleamed as he swung with everything he had, aiming for the creature's core. But his blade collided with an invisible force—then a skeletal hand, dripping with burning lava, reached out to grip the weapon. The searing heat traveled through the steel, but Sosuke didn't let go.

"Not this time!" he roared. Electricity crackled to life, surging through his body and into the blade. The lightning exploded outward, shattering the fiery skeleton in an instant. The sound was deafening, like the sky splitting open.

Rin, leaning heavily against a crumbling pillar, winced as the shockwave reached her. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as she wiped it away, her wide eyes fixed on the scene. "What… was that?" she muttered, her voice hoarse.

Sosuke stood motionless, staring at his trembling hands. The katana smoked in his grip, its edge scorched. His breathing was ragged as his gaze shifted to the boss's remains.

"Is it dead this time?" he muttered, each step toward the crumbling skeleton slow and deliberate. The vines slithered back into the ground, lifeless. The bones collapsed into ash, and for the first time, silence fell over the battlefield.

At the far end of the arena, a massive door groaned open. Moonlight spilled through the opening, cutting through the haze.

"It's… over," Sosuke said, his voice barely above a whisper. His knees gave out, and he sank to the ground. A strangled laugh escaped him, followed by a sob. The sound echoed in the desolation, raw and unguarded.

The office doors swung open. "Professor Aleron, I'm pleased that you see it normal to barge in here." The principal relaxed herself in her seat. "Please, sit."

The butler served steaming cups of tea, and placed them at both ends of the desk.

"Principal Caldus, this is important information… I-I just had to tell you!" Professor Aleron calmly placed his hands in the desk, calming himself then reaching for the cup of tea.

"You see, two students of Veylore Academy recently fought their way through a high-level dungeon. Well… high for their level of understanding. They have little to no knowledge of spells and absolutely known of their core ability. It's incredible!"

Caldus raised and eyebrow and leaned forward. "Really? I find it hard to believe. Tell me about these people."

"Rin Sakurai and Sosuke Estrella. A Sakurai clan member and son of the Sword Saint. They had met each other only a few months beforehand. The teachers said they were both always helping each other in class and praised them. It seems everyone has nothing but good to say about them." Aleron spoke with enthusiasm, then slamming the desk to emphasize further.

"What are you saying, Magnus?" Caldus sipped her tea, then handing the empty cup to the butler.

"What I'm saying is… these two are exceptional students, and they deserve a spot just for them in Astralis! I'll teach them myself!"