The tunnels of the old mines stretched before them, long, winding corridors. Darkness hung heavily, as though it wasn't merely lurking in these places but had become part of them. Only the faint light from the crystals, embedded in the walls here and there, spared them from complete obscurity.
Kano walked ahead, his hand resting on the wall, feeling the cold stone beneath his fingers. Elgot moved beside him, carefully watching every footprint they left.
Rudgard walked behind, muttering something about "wretched dungeons where everything wants to kill you."
Revena, however, walked separately from them.
Kano felt a tension building inside him. An inexplicable sensation, like something unseen was approaching him in waves.
His heart raced, yet he couldn't explain why.
—"Kano, do you feel something?"— Elgot suddenly asked, casting a wary glance at him.
Kano stopped.
—"Yes…"
He closed his eyes, trying to grasp the source of the unease.
Before him appeared visions:
— Walls ablaze in flames.
— People screaming.
— Dark silhouettes moving through the shadows.
— And… amid all the chaos, red eyes burning in the darkness.
He snapped his eyes open, inhaling deeply.
—"What's happened?!"— Rudgard asked, noticing his pale skin.
Kano pressed his fingers to his temples.
—"Something… something's wrong…"
—"What do you mean?"— Revena tilted her head.
—"The city…"— Kano swallowed the lump in his throat. —"I feel something's happening there."
Elgot looked at him skeptically.
—"Boy, calm down. It's just nerves."
Kano clenched his fists.
—"I'm serious, Elgot. I have a very bad feeling. It's like they're all in danger."
—"What did you feel?"
Kano recalled the images before his eyes.
—"Flames. Screams. And darkness."
Elgot's expression shifted.
—"If your premonitions are even remotely like the prophetic dreams you've had before… this is bad."
Kano took a deep breath and spun around.
—"We need to hurry."
Revena scoffed.
—"Oh, so this is another one of your heroic instincts?"
Kano flared up.
—"Shut up. You don't even know what's happening up there."
Revena just smiled.
—"Of course, I don't. But I know that panicking right now won't help you."
Kano ground his teeth.
—"I'm not panicking. I just don't want them to die while we're here wandering around!"
—"Then stop wasting time talking. Lead us on."
Kano clenched his jaw, turned, and walked ahead, feeling his heart pounding in his chest.
This pressure…
This feeling…
Something was waiting ahead.
And at the same time, something threatened the city.
His friends.
His… family.
Kano couldn't afford to be late.
The darkness of the dungeon seemed thicker than usual. Even the light from the torches couldn't completely disperse the gloom that had settled here for millennia.
Kano led the way, sensing an inexplicable tension. It wasn't like ordinary fear or anxiety; it felt more like the awareness that something important was waiting just ahead, very close by.
—"What is this place?"— grumbled Rudgard, carefully stepping on the stone bridge that stretched over a deep chasm.
Elgot stopped and listened.
—"Wait."
His eyes scanned the walls, peering into the darkness.
—"There are claw marks here."
Kano stepped closer, examining the wall. Deep grooves cut through the stone, as though someone had been clawing their way upward.
—"Someone climbed up here…"— he murmured, touching one of the grooves.
Revena crouched beside him, running her palm over the scratches and shaking her head.
—"No. Someone was trying to escape."
A heavy silence fell.
At the base of the bridge, a large dark stain of dried blood spread out. Rudgard knelt, examining it more closely.
—"This was something big."
Elgot nodded, turning his gaze to the tracks that led deeper into the tunnel.
—"Looks like they killed a troll here."
Kano scanned the area, his eyes catching something on the side wall — an entrance to a cave. A strange warmth filled his chest, and suddenly, he realized he was being pulled toward it.
—"There's something there."
He took a step forward, ignoring Elgot's warning.
—"Kano, stop!"
But the boy had already stepped into the dark cave.
Inside, piles of old gear lay scattered, broken armor, bent swords, and tarnished jewelry. Amidst the chaos, one object stood out.
On a pile of scattered treasures lay a boot.
It looked ordinary, but there was a faint pulsating glow coming from it, almost invisible, as if it were calling to Kano.
—"This is it…"— the boy whispered, leaning in.
Elgot tensed instantly.
—"Don't do anything foolish, boy!"
But Kano had already picked up the boot.
Suddenly, a wave of energy coursed through him. It surged through his body, making his heart race. His legs became hard to control, as if they wanted to run on their own.
—"I have to try…"
—"Kano, wait!"— Elgot shouted, but the boy was already off.
In an instant, he vanished.
Revena sharply inhaled.
—"Where is he?!"
Rudgard blinked, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
—"He just… vanished."
Suddenly, as they were peering out from the cave, looking around for Kano, a dull thud echoed behind them.
Kano had crashed into the stone wall and collapsed onto the ground, clutching his head.
—"Ow…"
Elgot rushed over to him.
—"Have you completely lost your mind?!"
Kano breathed heavily, his hands trembling with the strain.
—"I saw everything."
—"What do you mean?"— Elgot frowned.
—"I saw the ruins. Below—thousands of skeletons. Spirits. Monsters."
Elgot felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
—"You were gone for more than a minute."
Kano stared at him, bewildered.
—"No, I ran through it all."
Revena watched him intently, her face impassive, yet inside, she was analyzing every detail.
She knew this was beyond anything she had ever known.
All the races of the world feared something. They had united against an unknown enemy.
And now, she saw the one who was meant to be the key to that fight.