Floor ??? - Labyrinth Of The Deathly Embrace
The cave was a cold, shadowed respite, its damp walls glistening faintly under the weak glow of a flickering glowing rock. Adonis leaned against a jagged outcrop, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. Across from him, Dennis sat cross-legged on the uneven floor, his armor clinking softly as he adjusted his posture. The air was thick with the scent of earth and the lingering tension of their narrow escape from a band of bandits and rogue adventurers. Adonis's sharp gaze flicked toward Dennis, his brow furrowing.
"Those bastards," Adonis said, his voice low but edged with suspicion. "They weren't just chasing us—they were aiming for you. Care to explain what that was about?"
Dennis let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of the question pressed down on him. He stared at the ground for a moment. "Fine," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "You deserve to know."
He leaned back, his eyes distant, as if peering into the horrors of a past he'd rather forget. "Like everyone else trapped in this godforsaken labyrinth, I came through a magic circle. One moment, I was in my world; the next, I was here, surrounded by chaos. I saw things no one should see—people slaughtering each other, devouring one another like animals, monsters tearing through flesh, and others losing their minds to this place. It's a nightmare that strips you of everything human."
He paused, his jaw tightening, and then a faint, bittersweet smile tugged at his lips. "But then I met some adventurers. Despite the bad blood between knights and adventurers, they shared what little they had—scraps of food, sips of water, even stories. For a fleeting moment, it felt like we could hold on to something… normal. Like we could still be human, even in this hell."
Adonis tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "And?"
"Their leader, Kent, told me they were on a mission," Dennis continued, his voice growing steadier. "They'd been hired by a noble named Artel Fugard, who claimed there was a way out of this labyrinth. An artifact called the Crown of Tyranny.
Artel said he'd heard a voice—a voice from above—telling him it was the key to escaping this place. That he was chosen by some god. I didn't buy it. A divine voice? Sounds like madness or a trap. But part of me… part of me wanted to believe there was hope. Kent didn't trust the noble either, but he had a daughter—a sick little girl. He said if there was even a chance to get back to her, he'd take it."
Adonis raised an eyebrow. "Crown of Tyranny? Sounds ominous."
Dennis nodded grimly. "That's what I thought. But Kent said they'd found its location. One problem: the place was a death trap—riddled with snares and pitfalls. We went back to the noble to report what we'd learned. That's when I saw Artel for the first time."
He leaned forward, his voice dropping as if the memory itself was a secret. "He wasn't what I expected. Just a kid, about our age, overweight, with this smug air about him. Flanked by two knights, both were wearing helmets, each a head taller than any man I've ever seen. Their armor was like mine, but with crimson accents and a snarling beast emblem on their breastplates. That's the mark of House Fugard."
"House Fugard?" Adonis echoed, his curiosity piqued.
Dennis nodded. "In the Tower, there are noble houses—some more powerful than others. House Fugard is one of the big ones. Mages, mostly, but they're known for taming beasts. Monstrous creatures that could level continents. Their knights are no joke either—Class: Red, both of them. That's high up the ranks."
Adonis frowned. "Class: Red? What's that about?"
Dennis's expression darkened, as if the question stirred something heavy. "In the Tower, some people awaken an innate talent—special abilities that set them apart. Those who don't can train to become knights. It's grueling—years of building your body, learning to channel Aura, the energy that fuels our strength.
Knights are ranked by class, from Brown at the bottom to Black at the top.
But Class: Black? That's a myth. They say it's like touching godhood, powerful enough to destroy an entire tower—and a tower is 500 floors, each one the size of a planet."
"Planets?" Adonis blinked, unfamiliar with that word.
Dennis waved a hand dismissively. "It's… complicated. Let's just say they're massive. Anyway, Class: Gold is rare enough, and Class: Black hasn't been seen in five millennia. It's the kind of power that could reshape reality itself."
Adonis nodded slowly, processing the information. "Go on. What happened with the noble?"
"We told Fugard about the Crown of Tyranny's location," Dennis continued. "He wasn't fazed by the traps. Said his knights would handle them. So we went—a ragtag group of adventurers, me, Kent, the noble, and his two Class: Red knights. The place was a nightmare. Traps everywhere—spikes shooting from walls, floors collapsing, monsters lurking in the shadows. But those knights? They carved through it all like it was nothing. Until we reached a massive door."
Dennis's voice grew quieter. "Behind it was the Crown of Tyranny. But it wasn't exactly a crown. It was a halo—a glowing red ring floating above a crumbling stone pedestal, encased in a shimmering barrier. The air around it felt… wrong. Heavy. Like it was watching us. Before we could get close, a beast appeared—the Azure Howler."
Adonis's eyes widened. "The same Azure Howler you killed in one hit back there?"
Dennis gave a bitter laugh. "Yeah, but back then, it was different. Stronger. Vicious. It tore through us. Even the Class: Red knights struggled. By the end, most of the adventurers were dead. Only me, Kent, the noble, and his knights were left. I got close to the halo, and… it was like it was pulling me in, whispering in my mind, trying to take control. I snapped out of it when I heard Kent scream."
He clenched his fists, then he grits his teeth as his voice trembling with anger. "I turned and saw one of the knights run him through with a sword. Stabbed him in the back like a coward. I charged, but the other knight moved faster than I could track. Hit me so hard I crashed into a wall. Meanwhile, that bastard was at the pedestal, using a ring that pulsed with the same sick energy as the halo. He was breaking the barrier, bit by bit."
Dennis's eyes burned with a mix of rage and shame. "That's when I realized—he'd played us. Used us to get to the halo. As the barrier shattered and he reached for it, I acted on instinct. I dashed forward with all my strength, drew my sword, and cleaved the halo in two. I grabbed half of it and ran. That's why those bandits were after me. That half-halo… it's in my inventory."
Adonis stared at him, his mind reeling. He'd never had a friend, never known the kind of bond Dennis described with Kent. The loss—it was a weight Adonis couldn't fully grasp.
But the halo… that intrigued him. "Can I see it?" he asked, his voice cautious.
Dennis hesitated, his eyes narrowing. "Be careful. It's got a pull to it, like it wants to sink its claws into you." He reached into his inventory, and a faint glow illuminated the cave as he materialized the half-halo. It hovered in his palm, a jagged semicircle of crimson light, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
Adonis activated his Appraisal Eye, his vision sharpening as text materialized before him.
Name: Crown of Tyranny (Half)
Grade: Rare
Type: Cursed
Description: Grants the user control over the minds of others and the ability to absorb their stats, boosting the user's own power. Acts as an external mana source, preserving the user's own reserves. As the halo is split, its power is halved.
Skills: King's Domain (S), Telekinesis (A), Energy Manipulation (A)
Curse: (Unavailable) "The item is not complete"
Adonis's breath caught. Even halved, the halo's power was staggering. But the word Cursed burned in his mind, a warning he couldn't ignore. He tore his gaze away, his heart pounding. "Put it back," he said quickly. "It's dangerous. It's cursed."
Dennis's eyes widened. "Cursed? I felt something off about it, but… how do you know?"
Adonis shrugged, avoiding the question. "Just a feeling."
Dennis didn't press, but his expression was skeptical. Adonis pushed forward, his mind already racing toward a plan. "We can't keep running, Dennis. We have to confront Artel and take the other half of the halo."
"Are you out of your mind?" Dennis snapped. "He's got two Class: Red knights. We can't beat them, especially if he's got the other half of that thing."
"So we just keep hiding?" Adonis shot back, his voice rising. "We use the halo. The half you have."
Dennis's face darkened. "You just said it's cursed. You want to risk that?"
Adonis met his gaze, unflinching. "Let me do it."
Dennis stared at him, "why? We barely know each other. Why are you going this far?"
Adonis's voice softened, but there was steel beneath it. "Because I want out of this place. Sometimes, you have to be a little insane to beat the impossible."
Dennis held his gaze for a long moment, then sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Fine. But if that thing turns you into something else, I'll cut you down myself."
"Deal," Adonis said, his voice steady despite the knot of fear in his chest.
Dennis handed him the half-halo. Adonis's fingers trembled as he took it, the crimson light casting eerie shadows across the cave. He hesitated, the weight of the curse pressing against his mind. Then, steeling himself, he placed the halo above his head. A crimson interface flared to life before him, its message stark and unyielding:
Do you want to absorb "The Crown of Tyranny"?
Adonis's heart thundered. The cave seemed to close in around him, the air thick with the halo's malevolent energy. He glanced at Dennis, who watched him with a mix of concern and resolve, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
With a deep breath, Adonis made his choice.