Chapter 31: Fire and Fury

The team approached the small structure in the middle of the plaza, picking their way through the mess of pipes and beams. The building was a small metal shack, markings around the door that were nonsensical—like warnings scrawled by someone who had forgotten how to write.

Inside, the only thing of note was the spiral staircase descending into the ground.

Mei frowned, her fingers brushing against the rusted railing as she peered down. “This dungeon ... it’s not right.”

Penny crossed her arms, her shadow minion flickering at her side. “Shouldn’t this be easier? With all the imbuing we’ve done over the last few months, you should find this easier, not more difficult.”

Alice tilted her head, considering. “Maybe it’s just been a while since Mei’s been in a D-ranked dungeon. You’re probably rusty after moving down to E rank with us for so long.”

Mei didn’t look convinced but nodded reluctantly.

Ethan weighed his options, turning to Penny and Grace. “What do you think? We’ve still got time to retreat and rest before the boss.”

Grace shrugged. “I’m fine if we keep going.”

Penny mimicked her shrug. “I don’t see why not.”

Alice didn’t hesitate. “Even with all the healing and boosting, I’ve still got plenty of essence left for a fight.”

Mei sighed but ultimately agreed. “Fine. But let’s stay sharp. I still think this place feels ... off.”

They began making their way down the stairs, the darkness swallowing them whole.

The air grew thicker with each step, pressing against their skin like wet wool. The staircase seemed to go on forever, the spiral making Ethan dizzy if he looked too long at the center.

Finally, they reached the bottom and stepped out into a cavernous space. The walls pulsed with an eerie glow, veins of light running through the stone like electricity. The sound of faint machinery echoed through the room.

“Where do we even go from here?” Alice asked, her voice carrying too loud in the stillness.

Ethan scanned the area, his mace held ready at his side. “There,” he said finally, pointing to a massive door set into the far wall. It was framed by more of those nonsensical markings, glowing faintly with the same eerie light as the walls.

They moved cautiously toward it, their boots scuffing against the uneven ground. Ethan reached out to touch the door, his fingers hovering just above the surface. “Ready?” he asked without turning back.

A chorus of affirmations answered him.

He pushed open the door.

The room beyond was vast, stretching far into darkness broken only by scattered pools of light. The ceiling was lost in shadow, the walls lined with what looked like massive machinery—gears and pistons and things that didn’t make sense all moving slowly, methodically, as if this place were alive.

They walked in, slowly, eyes scanning around them for threats among the moving machinery. They passed a large structure in the middle of the room and paused at what they saw.

At the center stood an imposing armored figure. A crimson radiance pulsed from within, seeping through every seam and crack in its plating, suggesting that its innards were forged from the very material that had fueled their earlier foes.

“Oh,” Penny said softly. “That’s not good.”

The construct turned slowly, raising a large club that looked as if it were forged from a lump of slagged metal. It slammed the club sideways, the noise ringing out and deafening them.

“We need to leave. Now.” Mei shouted, eyes wide at the sight of the Forge Knight before them.

“Mei’s right, Forge Knights are supposed to be C-ranked, we need to—” Ethan cut off as a loud slam came from behind them. He turned to look. The doors. Closed. Movement in the peripheral caught his eye, smaller enemies, metallic spiders with what looked like large beaks of sharp metal.

“Move!” Ethan yelled as he began to run for the door. He grasped the handles as he reached it and found it shut tight. Grace joined him, both pulling together, neither able to make the door budge an inch.

“Uh, we’re gonna need that door open in the next few seconds or we’re gonna need to fight.” Penny said hurriedly, eyes not leaving the enemies as they began to approach.

“This is clearly an ambush. Doors won’t open until the boss is dead.” Ethan said, turning and seeing the Boss step around the machinery in the middle of the room.

“That’s not supposed to happen until C-rank!” Grace yelled.

“Doesn’t matter, doors locked, we need to fight.” Ethan glanced around once more. “Okay, we’re moving! To the left, along the wall. Go!”

Ethan barked orders as he sprinted toward the left wall, his mace swinging in tight arcs. “Stay close! Don’t let those things flank us!” The spider constructs skittered after them, their metal beaks clicking together like chattering teeth.

Alice darted forward, her rapier flashing as she cut down two of the creatures in a single motion. She spun back toward the team, her buckler shield knocking another aside. “They’re fast but weak! Just keep moving!”

Mei’s firebolts streaked past them, exploding against the Forge Knight’s chest plate. The construct didn’t flinch, its crimson glow pulsing brighter with each hit.

Penny’s shadow minion lunged at a cluster of spiders, its darkness solidifying into claws that tore through metal. “Grace! Watch our backs!”

Grace’s halberd swept low, carving through the constructs as they tried to circle around them. The team moved like a single unit, their formation holding despite the chaos.

Ethan risked a glance over his shoulder. The Forge Knight was closing in, its massive club dragging behind it, leaving grooves in the stone floor. “It’s herding us! Mei, can you slow it down?”

Mei didn’t answer, just acted—her hands weaving as she summoned a wall of earth directly in front of the boss, attempting to trip it. It nearly did, catching itself with a free hand by grabbing onto a mess of metal pipes. It glanced down at the wall, bringing its foot down and crushing it.