The Bladeweaver [Book 1 Complete]

The creature stepped out of the shadows, its hulking form illuminated by the flickering torchlight. It stood on two legs, but its posture was hunched, its long, gorilla-like arms ending in claws that scraped the ground with every movement. Its skin, slick and dark, glistened like wet stone, patches of it glimmering faintly as though covered in slime. Two glowing eyes—like molten amber—burned from deep within its wide, flat face, locking onto the trio with predatory intent.

"Well, it definitely doesn't look friendly," Kale muttered.

Rika cracked her knuckles, a playful grin stretching across her face. "Friendly? Nah, but at least it showed up to the party."

Kale adjusted his grip on his sword and shifted his footing. "Time to party."

The beast growled, its massive claws flexing as it prepared to charge. Kale sent Aeloria's Promise flying, controlling the blade with Bladeweaver's Will. The sword cut through the air with a sharp whistle, aiming straight for the creature's throat.

The creature swiped at the incoming blade, but its reflexes were too slow. The sword embedded itself deep into its neck, drawing dark blood that oozed from the wound. It let out a guttural snarl, taking a stumbling step back.

"Nice one, Kaley!" Rika laughed. "Let's wrap this up."

Liliana floated above them. "This is almost too easy."

Rika charged forward, her hammer raised high, and swung it down in a powerful arc. The hammer connected with the creature's side with a wet thud, sending it crashing to the ground with a howl. The force of the blow sent ripples through its slick skin, and it struggled to rise again, clearly weakened.

"Not so tough now, huh?" Rika taunted, readying another swing.

Seeing the creature on its last legs, Kale summoned Mistress of the Enria into his hand. "Let's finish this."

With a sharp twist of his wrist, Kale sent Mistress flying, the sword gliding through the air with precision. The blade pierced the creature's chest, sinking deep into its heart. The beast let out one last agonized roar before collapsing onto the stone floor, its body going still.

Rika rested her warhammer on her shoulder, a smug grin on her face. "And that's that. I thought we'd at least get a challenge."

Kale wiped some sweat from his brow.

Liliana floated closer, her voice dry. "It wasn't bad for a warm-up… but that was the easy part. We're just getting started, they get meaner, remember."

Kale chuckled nervously. "Well, I hope the next one's just as 'friendly' as this guy."

Rika tapped her warhammer lightly on the ground. "Friendly or not, I hope they bring some excitement. I didn't even work up a sweat."

"Sure, Rika," Kale said. "Because a massive lizard-gorilla with glowing eyes wasn't exciting enough."

Liliana, with her usual deadpan tone, chimed in. "If I had hands, I'd be clapping for your bravery, Kale."

Kale shot her a glare. "Thanks, Liliana. Always so supportive."

Rika stretched her arms with a satisfied grin. "I can't wait to see what's waiting for us deeper inside. Think they get bigger? I love smashing the big ones."

With the creature dispatched, they resumed their path through the cave, their banter returning as the flickering torchlight danced against the stone walls. The eerie silence that had first unnerved them was now replaced by the hum of their conversation, but even as they joked, they knew that something far more dangerous most likely awaited them in the depths.

***

The cave opened up as they ventured deeper, the space expanding into vast, towering chambers. The faint glow from the bioluminescent plants clinging to the stone walls slightly illuminated the dark cave, giving the massive underground expanse an almost otherworldly feel.

Kale looked around as they entered another massive chamber, the ceiling so high that the torchlight didn't reach it. "Well, at least it's spacious. Maybe whatever's down here is too big to notice us."

Rika laughed. "Yeah, because that's how this always works."

The air had a thick, wet quality to it, as if the stone itself was sweating, and the occasional drip of water echoed through the space. But what caught Kale's attention were the deep claw marks on the ground—massive scratches that cut through the stone like it was sand. They grew fresher as they moved forward.

"I don't think we're alone anymore," Liliana said, her voice low. "Something large is up ahead. And judging by those claw marks, it's not friendly."

Kale looked at her. "Should we turn back?"

Rika scoffed. "And miss all the fun? We're just getting started." She adjusted her grip on the Hammer of the Hiwani, her muscles tense with anticipation. "Let's see what's waiting for us."

As they advanced, the cavern continued to expand, the ground beneath them uneven and littered with gnawed bones. The distant sound of something large moving reached their ears—heavy footsteps, the scraping of claws, and a low growl that reverberated through the cave like a warning.

Kale's heart raced as the shadows in the chamber shifted. A massive figure loomed ahead. It was big, easily twice the size of the previous creature, with thick, leathery skin glistening in the dim light. Its claws, long and sharp, dug into the stone beneath it as it lumbered toward them. Its eyes, glowing an unnatural red, fixed on them.

The creature resembled a grotesque fusion of a lizard and a gorilla, its muscular arms dragging along the ground as it moved, just like the previous one. It let out a deep, guttural snarl, baring rows of jagged teeth as it charged forward, each step sending tremors through the ground.

"Another one of those guys…" Kale said.

"Woah," Rika said, stepping forward with a wide grin, "he's a big fella."

The creature lunged, faster than Kale expected. He barely managed to dodge out of the way as its claws tore through the stone where he'd just been standing.

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Liliana hovered nearby, eyes narrowing. "It's fast. Be careful."

With a wild grin, Rika rushed forward, swinging her hammer. The impact sent a shockwave through the cave, causing debris to rain down from above. The creature roared in pain as her hammer connected, but it didn't fall, it turned on her, slashing with its massive claws.

Rika dodged the strike effortlessly, laughing as she prepared to swing again. "Come on, big guy, you're gonna have to try harder than that!"

Kale summoned Aeloria's Promise and Mistress of the Enria, using Bladeweaver's Will to send the blades flying toward the beast. Both swords sliced through the air with precision, striking the creature's thick hide. The impact caused the beast to flinch, but it didn't slow down.

"This thing's tougher than his buddy," Kale said.

Liliana's eyes glowed as she used her magic to pull blood from the creature's wounds, twisting the liquid into tentacles that wrapped tightly around the beast. "I'll keep it restrained. Take it down before it breaks free."

The creature struggled against its shackles, roaring in fury as it tried to shake them off. Rika took the opportunity to slam her hammer into its side, sending the creature stumbling back. "I've got him on the ropes!"

Kale saw his chance. With the creature momentarily stunned, he summoned both blades again, directing them to strike at its exposed neck. The swords flew forward, slicing through the air and embedding themselves in the beast's throat.

At the same time, Rika leapt forward, her hammer held high. "Mountain Cleaver!" she roared, slamming the warhammer into the side of the beast's skull. The force of the blow sent it careening into the wall, splattering gore in every direction. The creature crumpled to the ground, its head obliterated.

"Wow... Don't you think that was a bit overkill?" Kale asked.

Rika nudged the fallen creature with her boot. "That wasn't overkill, that was fun."

Suddenly a feeling of warmth washed over the group. Kale felt a familiar pulse of energy ripple through him, his heart pounding as his senses sharpened.

"We did it," Kale said. "And it looks like we're a little stronger for it."

Rika wiped the blood off her warhammer, a grin spreading across her face. "Yep, I feel it too. Just leveled up, didn't we?"

Liliana hovered closer, her red eyes glowing softly. "Seems so. A small victory, but progress nonetheless."

Kale felt the surge of strength from the new level. His mind raced, wondering what new abilities awaited him.

He focused his mind, concentrating. Swordcall, the ability Sylorin had used, was now his. Exactly what he'd been hoping for.

"Finally," Liliana said. "I got Thirst of the Damned. It means I'll eventually be able to heal you guys as I level it up. For now, though, I can only siphon life from my target to myself."

Kale turned to Rika, eyebrow raised. "And you? Are you going to tell us what you picked up this time?"

Rika flashed her signature grin. "I suppose I could share a little. I just got Unbreakable Will, makes me invulnerable for a few seconds. Every hit I land extends the duration and restores a bit of my health while it's active."

"Woah," Kale said, eyes wide. "That sounds ridiculously strong!"

Rika laughed. "Wait till you see what else I can do."

Kale arched an eyebrow. "Have you been holding out on us?"

"Please, Kale," Rika teased. "You can't expect a girl to reveal all her secrets on the first date."

Liliana tilted her head, her curiosity getting the better of her. "So, what's your level, anyway? You're gaining experience slower than we are."

Rika's lips curled into a playful grin. "Level eight."

"That explains it. No wonder you're ahead of us."

Rika gave a casual shrug. "I mean, I've got a couple more levels, sure. But I'm not that far ahead."

Kale was clearly impressed. "Level eight, huh? That's no joke."

Rika gave him a wink. "Stick around, and you might just catch up. "

***

The group moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing softly against the cave's stone walls. They had just survived another battle, but there was no time to relax. Ahead of them, the path split into three tunnels—left, right, and center. Each entrance looked equally unwelcoming, with shadows dancing in the flickering torchlight they carried.

Kale stopped, his eyes scanning each passage. "Alright, three paths. Who wants to pick?"

Liliana raised an eyebrow. "Is this really how we're doing it? No strategy, no thinking, just… picking?"

Rika grinned, clearly enjoying the tension. "It's a cave, Liliana. How complicated can it be?"

"Yes, because nothing ever goes wrong in caves filled with monsters," Liliana said.

Kale rubbed his chin. "She's got a point, Rika. You pick the wrong path, and we're all getting turned into toads or something."

"Toads?" Liliana blinked, staring at Kale as if he'd just spoken in a foreign language.

Rika waved him off. "I've got a great sense of direction. We'll be fine."

"Oh? Is that what you call it?" Liliana shot back. "Because the last time you said that, we almost fell into a pit of acid."

"That was one time," Rika shrugged. "Besides, we didn't actually fall, so technically, I was right."

Kale chuckled. "We barely survived. But sure, let's trust your instincts again."

Rika tilted her head playfully, eyes sparkling with mischief. "You want me to pick? Fine. I say we go right. It feels… right."

Liliana sighed. "If I had a coin for every time someone made that joke…"

Kale chimed in, "Then you'd be rich and miserable. Let's not get sidetracked." He looked between the paths, rubbing his chin again in mock thought. "Middle seems like the smart choice. It's the neutral option, you know? Less likely to be trapped."

Liliana sighed. "Why am I surrounded by idiots? Clearly, the left path is the least suspicious. It's always the most inconspicuous one that leads to treasure."

Kale shook his head. "The least suspicious? That's your reasoning? We're in a cursed cave, Liliana. Suspicious is part of the package."

"This cave is cursed?" Rika asked.

"It could be!" Kale said.

"Fine," Liliana said "Let's just get this over with. Rika can pick, and we'll all suffer together."

Rika took a step forward, grinning. "Glad you've all seen the light." She pointed to the right tunnel with a flourish. "Right it is. Follow me, brave souls."

They hesitated briefly, but followed Rika down the right path. The tunnel seemed to stretch on endlessly. The steady drip of water punctuated the silence, each drop louder than the last.

"Does anyone else feel like this is a bad idea?" Kale muttered.

Liliana shot him a sidelong glance. "It was Rika's idea, of course it's a bad idea."

Rika huffed. "Wow, Lili, I didn't know you were allergic to fun. Besides, it's only a bad idea if someone dies, and no one's died… yet."

Kale raised an eyebrow. "Rika, you know very well Liliana breaks out in hives at the thought of anything that even slightly resembles fun."

Liliana's eyes narrowed. "Fun usually comes with less screaming and fewer severed limbs."

Rika waved her hand dismissively. "I smash, I don't sever—and the screams? They're part of the fun."

"I don't know, Rika," Kale said. "I've definitely seen limbs flying around after one of your swings."

"Not my fault some people are so fragile," Rika shot back.

Eventually, the tunnel opened up into a large cavern. At the far end stood an ancient, sealed door. The stone was dark and weathered, covered in flickering runes that seemed to pulse with a life of their own. The atmosphere around the door felt heavy, like the air itself was laden with warning.

They all stopped in their tracks, staring at the door in silence.

"I don't like this," Liliana said quietly. "We shouldn't open that."

Rika strode forward confidently, ignoring the warning. "Too late. Whatever's behind this door is meant for us."

"Rika, no!" Liliana protested. "Don't go all 'Kale' on us! You know how these things end!"

Kale frowned. "Wait, what does that mean? 'Going Kale'? I feel attacked."

Rika smiled at him over her shoulder. "You're the one who's always charging headfirst into danger."

"Not true," Kale replied, trying to sound serious but failing. "I prefer to call it tactical bravery."

Liliana shook her head. "Tactical stupidity, more like."

Meanwhile, Rika had reached the door. She placed her hand on the surface. The runes flared to life when her fingers touched the ancient stone, casting an eerie glow around the cavern. The door groaned in protest, slowly creaking open as dust and debris fell from the edges.

"Rika, stop!" Liliana called out. "This is a mistake, and you know it!"

Rika glanced back with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Too late now."

As the door continued to open, a sudden gust of air swept through the cavern, snuffing out their torches.

Kale's heart pounded as an inexplicable, heavy and ancient energy surged from the other side. He strained to see, but the void revealed nothing.

The group stood motionless, their senses overwhelmed.

"What… is that?" Kale whispered, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword.

The air pulsed with a presence—vast, unfathomable. Whatever awaited them beyond that door had stirred, and it demanded their attention.