The silvery wisp led them deeper into the forest than they had ever ventured before, through groves where the twisted trees grew so dense that the red moonlight barely penetrated the canopy. Ancient stone markers appeared along the path—weathered monuments that spoke of boundaries once sacred, now forgotten. The very air felt heavier here, laden with old sorrows and unspoken regrets.
As they walked, Lunessa found herself studying the guide-light more carefully. There was something almost familiar in the way it moved, a rhythm that reminded her of Brother Halden's measured gait during their brief encounter at the shrine.
"How much farther?" Spudicus asked quietly, Widget's sensors sweeping the shadows for potential threats. "This place feels different from the rest of the forest. Older somehow."
"More broken," Serein added, his nature-based senses picking up the complex magical emanations that permeated the area. "Whatever happened here, it left deep scars."
The wisp paused ahead of them, hovering near what appeared to be a clearing where several paths converged. Ancient stone circles marked the intersections, their surfaces carved with symbols that had been deliberately defaced—religious iconography scratched out and replaced with harsh, angry lines.
As they approached, the temperature dropped noticeably, and their breath became visible in small puffs of vapor. The red moonlight seemed to concentrate here, pooling in the clearing like liquid crimson.
Then they saw him.
Sir Coren, the Broken Oath - Level 19 (Mini-Boss)
He stood at the center of the clearing, a ghostly shade that glowed with malevolent red light. Where Brother Halden had retained his dignity even in death, Sir Coren was a figure consumed by anguish and rage. A fog-like red cape draped from his shoulders, billowing without wind, while spectral flames flickered around his form like manifestations of his inner torment.
In his hands, he gripped a bastard sword that told its own story of tragedy. The blade was shattered—completely broken into dozens of fragments—yet somehow still held its form through threads of crimson light that bound the pieces together. It was a weapon that should have been useless, kept functional only by the force of its wielder's refusal to let go.
As the wisp approached the broken knight, it suddenly flared with silver light, expanding and taking on a more solid form. For a brief moment, Brother Halden stood before them once again, his ghostly presence radiating compassion and desperate hope.
"Coren," he said softly, his voice carrying infinite sadness. "My brother, it's time to lay down your arms. Turn back to the Goddess' light. She has not abandoned us—she grieves for what we've become."
Sir Coren's head snapped up, his red-glowing eyes focusing on the spectral figure with mixture of recognition and fury. When he spoke, his voice was like the sound of breaking glass, sharp with pain and barely contained rage.
"Broken in Calderas' fall," he snarled, raising his shattered blade toward the ghostly chaplain. "The strongest of us fell to corruption's call. If she could not stand against the darkness, what hope had lesser men?"
He took a step forward, the fragments of his sword pulsing with angry light.
"Faith is a blade—and mine lies in pieces."
Without warning, he slashed through Brother Halden's form with his shattered weapon. The ghostly chaplain cried out as the blow tore through him, his form dissipating back into the simple guide-wisp before flickering out entirely.
"No more words," Sir Coren declared, turning his burning gaze toward the party. "No more prayers. Only the justice of broken steel."
The fight began immediately.
Ironstride stepped forward with practiced efficiency, raising his shield to draw the mini-boss's attention while positioning himself to protect his more vulnerable party members. But this wasn't like their previous encounters—Sir Coren moved with the fluid grace of a master swordsman, even in his corrupted state.
Lunar Rend
The broken knight whipped his bastard sword in a devastating arc. As the blade moved, the shattered fragments separated, spreading wide while still connected by threads of red light. What should have been a simple sword slash became a cone of destruction that extended far beyond the weapon's normal reach.
"Spread out!" Ironstride shouted, angling his shield to deflect the worst of the attack while the others scattered to avoid the extended range. "Don't cluster up—his reach is longer than it looks!"
Lunessa immediately activated her preferred strategy, using Shadowstep to appear behind Sir Coren while he was focused on Ironstride. Her Curved Fang daggers found purchase between gaps in his spectral armor, but the damage numbers that appeared were notably lower than she'd expected.
"He's tougher than the regular elites," she called out, dancing away as Sir Coren spun to face her. "This is going to take time."
Nira unleashed her signature combination of flame lances and arcane bolts, the magical energy crackling through the air as it struck the mini-boss. Her area-of-effect spells were less effective against a single target, but she adapted quickly, focusing on sustained damage output while maintaining safe distance.
Spudicus deployed his arsenal of control devices—electrical nets that temporarily slowed Sir Coren's movements, explosive charges that disrupted his positioning, and various alchemical compounds that enhanced his allies' effectiveness. Widget's lasers provided steady supporting fire, each precise shot finding weak points in the knight's defenses.
Serein positioned himself strategically to maintain line-of-sight healing while staying out of range of the mini-boss's devastating attacks. His nature magic proved surprisingly effective, vines erupting from the ground to temporarily entangle Sir Coren's legs and create tactical opportunities for the damage dealers.
But the broken knight was far from defenseless.
Fractured Faith
Sir Coren raised his shattered blade high above his head, then slammed it into the ground with devastating force. Immediately, a circle of red light appeared beneath Spudicus, the ominous glow pulsing with increasing intensity.
"Move! Get out of there!" Ironstride yelled, recognizing the attack's preparation phase.
Spudicus's reflexes saved his life. The moment he saw the crimson circle appear beneath his feet, he triggered his emergency mobility gear, diving clear just as Sir Coren ripped his blade from the earth. Fragments of the shattered sword erupted from the circle of light like explosive shrapnel, tearing through the space where Spud had been standing before quickly reforming to rebuild the knight's weapon.
"Close one," Spudicus panted, Widget automatically moving to provide covering fire as he regained his footing. "This guy telegraphs his attacks, but they pack serious punch."
Howl of Regret
The broken knight threw back his head and released a cry of pure anguish that echoed through the forest clearing. The sound was heartbreaking—not the roar of a monster, but the wail of someone who had lost everything that gave life meaning.
Around Sir Coren, four phantoms materialized from the red moonlight—spectral chapel guards that moved with purpose toward each party member. Unlike the solid defenders they had fought alongside earlier, these were manifestations of grief and rage, translucent figures that existed only to harass and disrupt.
"Phantom adds!" Nira called out, her flames washing over the approaching spirit that targeted her. "They're not solid, but they still hurt!"
The phantoms couldn't be killed in the traditional sense, but they could be disrupted through sustained damage or crowd control effects. Each party member found themselves dealing with a persistent, annoying opponent that demanded attention while still trying to focus on the main threat.
Splintered Will(Passive Ability)
Throughout the fight, Sir Coren's passive ability added an additional layer of danger. Whenever the party dealt damage to him, there was a chance that splinters of red light would erupt from his armor, dealing retaliation damage to anyone within melee range.
"Careful with the burst damage!" Serein warned as both Ironstride and Lunessa took unexpected hits from the thorns effect. "His armor punishes aggressive attacks."
The party quickly adapted to the encounter's unique challenges. Ironstride kept Sir Coren faced away from the group to minimize the impact of his cone attacks. They learned to recognize the ground-effect indicators for Fractured Faith and developed quick responses to avoid the devastating area damage. When the phantom adds appeared, they used crowd control and positioning to minimize disruption while waiting for the spirits to dissipate.
Most importantly, they learned to pace their damage output. The Splintered Will passive meant that overwhelming Sir Coren with burst damage would result in equally overwhelming retaliation against their melee fighters.
As the fight progressed, Sir Coren's voice lines added emotional weight to the mechanical challenge:
"Faith... was supposed to shield us!"
"She fell... they all fell... and left us with nothing!"
"The light... promised protection... lies!"
"What good... are vows... when gods abandon their own?"
Each outburst revealed more of the tragedy that had broken him—not just the corruption of his comrades, but the feeling that his faith itself had been betrayed.
The battle was a test of endurance more than raw skill. Sir Coren's abilities were devastating but well-telegraphed, his damage output was manageable with proper healing and positioning, and his mechanics became predictable once understood. But his massive health pool and defensive capabilities meant the fight stretched on for several intense minutes.
Finally, as his health reached its last sliver, Sir Coren's movements became more erratic, his attacks desperate rather than controlled. The red light that held his shattered blade together began to flicker and waver.
"Let the pieces..." he whispered as the final blow landed, his form already beginning to dissolve into crimson particles. "Finally rest..."
His spectral armor faded away like morning mist, and his bastard sword—no longer held together by force of will and magical energy—clattered to the ground as dozens of individual fragments, each one catching the red moonlight like scattered tears.
The silence that followed felt profound, as if the forest itself was mourning the passing of someone who had suffered far longer than any soul should have to endure.
Mini-Boss Defeated: Sir Coren, the Broken Oath
Experience gained: 4,500 points
Loot acquired: Multiple items
As the experience notification chimed, golden light washed over each party member, bringing them all to level 20. The milestone felt significant—they were finally at the level range originally recommended for Fabledeep's content.
A second notification appeared with celebratory fanfare:
🎖 Achievement Unlocked: Not a Noob Anymore
Reach Level 20.
Reward: +2 to all primary stats, Title: "Seasoned Adventurer"
Ironstride moved forward to examine the loot that had appeared where Sir Coren had fallen, his expression brightening as he saw the quality of the rewards.
"Epic drops," he announced, beginning to distribute the items among the party. "This is definitely better than anything we could buy or quest for at our level."
The first item was clearly meant for their quest progression:
The Fractured Blade(Quest Item)The broken remains of Sir Coren's sword, its fragments still warm with residual anger and sorrow.
A quest update appeared immediately:
Quest Updated: Oath Unbroken
Current Objective: Return the Fractured Blade to Brother Halden
The remaining items were impressive upgrades for the entire party:
🌑 Fractured Vows (Daggers)Daggers forged from the shards of Coren's shattered blade. They shimmer faintly with moonlight and drip spectral blood when drawn.
Type: Dual Wield
Level: 19
Effect: On critical hits, leave a stacking bleed effect (up to 3 stacks) on the target for 8 seconds.
"The oath broke… but the edge still cuts."
🛡 Crest of the Fallen Guard (Shield)A battered kite shield still bearing faint traces of the moon's sigil, cracked but unbowed.
Type: Shield
Level: 19
Effect: Taking damage has a 15% chance to trigger a spectral barrier that reduces incoming damage by 20% for 5 seconds.
"Even broken, it remembers its duty."
👗 Mantle of Shattered Faith (Cloth Robe)A pale robe woven with strands of moonlight and stitched with broken prayer beads.
Type: Cloth (Healer/Caster)
Level: 19
Effect: Increases healing effectiveness by 12% and grants a passive aura that regenerates mana over time.
"Faith splintered, but grace lingers."
Lunessa examined her new daggers with obvious satisfaction, the weapons feeling perfectly balanced in her hands. The spectral blood effect was purely cosmetic, but it added an unsettling beauty to the blades that matched the tragic story behind their creation.
"These are significant upgrades," she said, testing the weapons' balance. "We'll definitely want to make Sir Coren a regular farming target to figure out his complete loot table."
With their loot distributed and their levels increased, the party began the journey back to Brother Halden's shrine. The return trip felt different—less tense, more contemplative. They had witnessed the full scope of the tragedy that had befallen the chapel knights, and now they carried the means to provide some measure of peace to at least one of the suffering spirits.
The shrine appeared unchanged when they arrived, Brother Halden still kneeling in prayer before the altar. But as they approached with the Fractured Blade, he looked up with an expression of profound relief and gratitude.
"You found him," the ghostly chaplain said, his voice heavy with emotion. "I felt his passing—like a weight lifted from the very air. He is at peace now?"
"He seemed to find some measure of rest at the end," Ironstride replied carefully, offering the broken blade to Brother Halden. "He spoke of letting the pieces finally rest."
Brother Halden accepted the weapon fragments with reverent care, cradling them against his chest as if they were precious relics rather than the remnants of a shattered sword.
"You've seen now what became of us," he said, his gaze moving between each party member. "Our faith twisted, our vows broken. Yet some things endure. She... still waits in the chapel. Still guards the village. Not for herself—never for herself. For us."
He looked toward the distant village, where the chapel's bell tower was barely visible through the trees.
"Perhaps you will see her for what she truly is... or what she has become."
Brother Halden's expression grew distant, his eyes reflecting memories of better times and deeper sorrows.
"The moonlight reveals... and it deceives. When the time comes, what will you choose to see?"
A quest completion notification appeared in their interfaces, accompanied by the satisfying chime of major accomplishment:
Quest Complete: Oath Unbroken
You have uncovered the true history of the chapel's fall and helped Sir Coren find peace. Brother Halden's gratitude runs deeper than words can express.
Rewards:
5,000 Experience Points (Applied) Eryndra's Token(Special Item)
🌙 Eryndra's TokenA faintly glowing silver medallion bearing the true moon's sigil. It pulses with protective warmth, a reminder of faith uncorrupted.
Type: Consumable (One use per dungeon instance)
Effect: Cancels all Red Moon effects in a 30-foot radius for 20 seconds
"Even in the deepest darkness, the true light endures."
The implications of the reward were immediately apparent to all of them. A tool that could neutralize the Red Moon's enhancement effects would be invaluable for dealing with Dame Calderas and the other empowered encounters they would face in the village proper.
"This changes everything," Nira said, examining her token with obvious excitement. "We can actually engage Dame Calderas on even terms now, at least for a short time."
"Twenty seconds isn't long," Serein cautioned, though his tone was optimistic. "But it might be enough to establish positioning or disrupt her most dangerous abilities."
As they prepared to leave the shrine and return to their village explorations, Brother Halden offered one final piece of guidance:
"Remember what you have learned here," he said, his form already beginning to fade as the quest's completion released him from his vigil. "Faith is not about blind obedience—it is about choosing to see light even when surrounded by darkness. When you face her, remember that she made her choice from love, not malice."
The ghostly chaplain's final words echoed in the clearing as his form dissolved back into silver light, finally free to find whatever rest awaited beyond the corruption of the Hollow Vale.
The party stood in contemplative silence for a moment, processing the weight of what they had accomplished and learned. Then, with renewed purpose and significantly improved equipment, they began their return journey toward the portal to ready for a new dive—and their eventual confrontation with Dame Calderas, the Moonbound Knight.