The wind outside the dungeon howled like a wounded beast.As the heavy iron doors closed behind them, Himmel, Recon, and Texan stood in silence for a moment — the muffled roar of the storm returning to fill the world again. The sky was a smear of gray and white, the sun a pale blur behind a curtain of snow.
Himmel adjusted the straps of his pack, his breath steaming in the cold air. "Alright," he said finally. "We have what we came for. Now we move — checkpoint should be somewhere west of here."
Texan tightened the belt around his waist and looked over the frozen expanse stretching ahead. "West? That's downhill, right?"
Recon gave him a flat look. "Downhill and probably full of monsters. You sure your new green magic's gonna help you punch snow?"
Texan smirked. "I can punch anything now. Watch me punch the wind next."
"Save the jokes," Himmel muttered, scanning the horizon. "The wind's not the problem — it's what it hides."
The group began their descent, their boots cracking through layers of frost. The snow around them was powder-light, whispering with every step. The mountains loomed high above, ridges cutting through the clouds like the bones of ancient giants.
Every sound felt amplified in the silence — the crunch of their steps, the faint jingle of metal buckles, the occasional hiss of shifting snow from distant peaks.
As they moved, Himmel traced the edge of the map again, muttering calculations under his breath. "We're about three miles from the valley's end. The checkpoint should be near the coast, right at the edge of the range."
Recon tugged his hood tighter. "Assuming it still exists. That map's older than any of us."
"Still better than walking blind," Himmel replied.
They continued in silence for another hour. The air grew colder, sharper. The path narrowed, forcing them to move single file along a cliff's edge. Below them, mist covered the depths — white fog curling and pulsing like something alive.
Texan whistled softly. "Fall down there and you're gone. Nothing but a puff of smoke and regret."
Himmel grunted. "Then don't fall."
By dusk, the wind shifted again. It carried a sound — low, guttural, almost rhythmic. Not wind. Not thunder.
Recon stopped mid-step. "You hear that?"
Himmel raised a hand for silence. The three froze, listening.
A tremor rippled through the snow, faint but heavy — like the earth itself taking a breath. Then another. And another.
Himmel crouched and pressed a gloved hand to the ground. The vibrations pulsed in steady intervals. "Something big," he whispered. "Close."
From beyond a ridge of jagged stone, the creature appeared — moving slowly, lumbering with a deliberate, bone-rattling weight.
It was enormous, half-buried under its own fur — a mammoth-like beast, but its hide was scaled in parts, patches of frost clinging to its armor. Its tusks curved backward like hooked blades, shimmering with frostfire. Four glowing eyes blinked independently, each one scanning the slopes. Steam bled from its nostrils, curling like smoke in the cold air.
Texan swallowed. "You think it can smell us?"
Recon whispered, "If it can't, we'll make sure it doesn't." With those words he began to bathe himself in the snow.
"Quiet," Himmel hissed. "We'll move along the ridge, slow and low. Keep your steps under the wind."
They began creeping sideways, hugging the rock wall. Every move felt amplified — the soft crunch of boots in snow, the whisper of clothing.
The beast's head turned once, snorting, and they froze. Its eyes swept across the ridge, glowing faintly orange through the haze.
Then, for a brief, breathless moment — silence.
And then the wind shifted.
The creature's nostrils flared. Its head snapped toward them.
"Shit—"
Before they could retreat, Texan's foot slipped on a hidden patch of ice. His body hit the snow with a dull thump. The beast's eyes locked on the movement instantly. Gumbo stayed silent tucked in Texans arms.
"Go!" Texan hissed, waving frantically. "Go, go, go! I'll draw it away—meet you beyond the ridge!"
"Texan—no!" Himmel's voice cracked, but it was too late.
Texan sprang up, shouting and waving his arm. "Hey, ugly! Over here!" He hurled a chunk of rock at its face — it shattered harmlessly, but the roar that followed was enough to make the mountain tremble.
The beast charged, snow exploding behind it. Texan ran full sprint down the slope, his boots barely gripping the ice. His laughter, wild and half-delirious, echoed through the valley.
"Go!" he yelled again, before disappearing around the bend, the monster hot on his trail.
Himmel stood frozen, torn, every instinct screaming to go after him. But Recon grabbed his arm. "He said he'll meet us. We have to move."
The two turned and ran. The storm swallowed them again, erasing their footprints as fast as they made them.
The storm passed by morning. Himmel and Recon pressed onward, their breaths shallow, exhaustion carving lines into their faces. The mountains began to slope down, the air growing thinner, clearer.
Then, after hours of trudging, the white horizon gave way to color.
The snow opened into a wide clearing of pale sand — frozen in patches, but undeniably beach. Ahead, the ocean stretched to infinity, the water a deep steel blue beneath a sky washed clean of clouds. The sun hung low, its reflection scattering across the waves like shards of light.
Recon's eyes widened. "We made it…"
"The coast," Himmel whispered, stepping forward until his boots touched the edge of the shore. The water hissed as it met the cold sand.
They scanned the coastline. Nothing but rocks, tide, and distant gulls that circled aimlessly above.
"This is it," Himmel muttered, pulling out the map again. "This is the checkpoint. It has to be."
Recon frowned. "Then where the hell is it?"
They searched for hours — combing along the shore, climbing small ridges, scanning the cliffs. They found nothing: no structures, no markers, no ruins. Just endless sea and the whisper of waves.
As the sun began to dip, Himmel stopped and stared out at the horizon. The sky had turned gold and pink, the water shimmering beneath it.
"Maybe it's above us," he murmured.
Recon followed his gaze. "You mean… in the air?"
Himmel shrugged slightly. "Wouldn't be the strangest thing we've seen. Floating temples, sky fortresses—"
He trailed off, studying the sky. Clear, open, and still. "No. It's not there."
He looked back to the sea. The waves lapped gently against the sand, deep blue turning almost black as the light faded. "If it's not up there…"
"Then it's down there," Recon finished quietly.
They made camp just above the high tide line. The night was warmer here, the sea breeze carrying a salty scent unfamiliar after weeks of frost. The stars reflected off the water in silver ripples.
Himmel sat cross-legged by the fire, staring at the waves. "If it's underwater, we'll need a way to reach it."
Recon tossed a twig into the flames. "We can't swim far enough without running out of breath. You almost blacked out last time we crossed that river near the mountain."
"I know," Himmel said. "But I have an idea."
He rose and walked toward the treeline that bordered the beach. The forest beyond was lush and green — vines climbing over mossy trunks, roots curling through sand.
He selected a thick vine, tugged it down, and began weaving it into a rope. His fingers moved quickly, twisting the fibers with practiced skill. Soon he had a length long enough to loop around his torso.
He handed one end to Recon. "Hold tight. If I pull twice, you drag me back."
"Don't make me drag your corpse out," Recon said flatly.
"Then make sure I'm not one," Himmel replied with a grin that didn't reach his eyes.
He tied the rope around his chest, took a deep breath, and waded into the water. The chill hit like knives against his skin, but he pushed through, diving under the surface.
The world below was alien and silent. Shafts of moonlight pierced through the water, scattering over rocks and reefs. Tiny fish darted between strands of seaweed.
Himmel kicked downward, his eyes stinging from the salt. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. He descended further, and soon he saw it — a faint light below, shimmering like a doorway hidden in the ocean floor.
"There," he thought, lungs already burning. He swam faster, but the pressure crushed against his chest. The opening glowed brighter — a perfect circle of stone, carved with runes, far deeper than he could reach.
His body screamed for air. He turned, forcing himself upward. The rope jerked once — then again.
Above, Recon felt the pull and started hauling, his arms straining as he dragged Himmel's body through the waves. Himmel broke the surface with a gasp, collapsing onto the shore, coughing seawater.
Recon grabbed his shoulder. "You good?"
Himmel coughed again, then nodded. "Yeah… I saw it. There's an opening down there — big enough to fit all of us. But it's too deep. I can't make it."
Recon sighed, glancing at the dark waves. "Then we wait for the fish-boy to show up."
Himmel chuckled weakly. "Yeah… Texan better not have gotten himself eaten."
They set up camp again, the fire reflecting off the wet sand. The night was quiet except for the crackle of wood and the rhythm of waves.
"Himmel, I want the flower." Recon said as he stared deeply into the fire.
"Why?" Himmel wanted a real answer, not something poor.
"I do nothing, every single time I do something good its because you plan it way prior. Every hunt for food, the fight against that guard, I never do anything by my self. Then when we do fight something and you don't plan it, I fail. I hesitate and my weakness shows to everyone in the world. Himmel, I hate being like this." Recon sniffled into cocoon, tears of failure and incompetence flowed.
"I understand, this new power makes me so much stronger, I know I didn't mention this but I have hit level 3. With that our gap in strength grew even more. I understand your frustration, your lack of being unable to do anything. So, I'll give you the flower but we have to talk to Texan first. We have to make the decision together." He then sat next to Recon comforting him, "You will have your chance."
Recon and Himmel separated to their beds and slept the night. Morning broke with pale gold light. Himmel was already awake, sitting by the extinguished fire, sharpening his blade. The air was cool and calm — almost too calm.
Recon stirred, rubbing his eyes. "You're up early."
"Didn't sleep much," Himmel replied. "Had dreams about that cave down there. Felt… alive."
Before Recon could answer, a voice called from the distance. "Hey! Don't tell me you two started without me!"
Both turned.
Texan was trudging toward them from the treeline, Gumbo trotting happily beside him. His cloak was tattered, a few new scars along his arms, but he was smiling like someone who'd just cheated death.
"Texan!" Recon said, standing. "You're alive."
Texan grinned. "Barely. That thing I distracted? Yeah, turns out it doesn't sleep. Had to spend the whole night hiding in a frozen carcass until it wandered off. Don't ask whose carcass. You don't wanna know."
Gumbo snorted proudly, earning a pat.
Himmel stood. "We found the checkpoint. Or… we think we did. It's underwater."
Texan blinked. "Underwater? You mean I leave for one day and the quest becomes swimming class?"
Himmel handed him the rope, still wet from last night. "You're the only one who might make it down there."
Texan eyed the sea, then cracked his neck. "Well, I am part mermaid. Guess it's time to prove it."
He tied the rope around his waist and waded in without hesitation. The water shimmered around his legs, catching sunlight like liquid glass.
Recon crossed his arms. "I hate how he never hesitates to almost die."
Himmel smirked. "That's what makes him useful."
They watched as Texan dove beneath the surface, his green aura faintly visible like drifting light.
The ocean closed over Texan's head.
The world below was beautiful — a cathedral of light and silence. He swam through clouds of silt, bubbles rising past his face. The deeper he went, the more the light changed — turning from silver to blue, then to a faint emerald hue as the glow from the runes below illuminated the darkness.
He reached the opening Himmel had seen — a perfect circular gateway carved into the seabed. Strange runic symbols crawled along its edge, faintly pulsating with life.
Texan hovered before it, running a hand along the stone. The energy hummed against his skin. "Yup," he whispered underwater, the words bubbling away. "This is definitely the checkpoint."
He pushed forward. The runes flared — the water inside the circle shimmered, then vanished. In its place was an air pocket, a tunnel leading downward into darkness.
Texan surfaced briefly, his grin wide. "Found it! Big-ass cave down there!"
Recon and Himmel looked at each other.
"You sure it's stable?" Recon called out.
Texan smirked. "Only one way to find out."
He dove again and swam through the circle. The world blinked — and he found himself breaking through into a massive cavern. The ceiling dripped with stalactites that glowed faintly blue, lighting the entire space. The floor was covered in shallow pools that reflected the light like mirrors.
It was silent except for the slow drip of water echoing off the stone.
Texan exhaled, awed. "This place…" He trailed off, his voice echoing faintly. "It's… beautiful."
He turned back, swimming up to the surface and climbing out of the circle once more. "Alright! It's clear!"
Himmel grabbed his pack and tightened it. "Let's move before the tide changes."
Texan nodded. "I'll take Recon first."
He grabbed the rope, looping it around his waist again. "Hold on tight — and whatever you do, don't let go."
Recon groaned. "If I drown, I'm haunting you."
Texan winked. "Then at least I'll never be lonely."
They dove. The water swallowed them whole, the rope stretching taut as they disappeared beneath the waves. Minutes later, the line jerked once — the signal. Texan had returned.
He surfaced, catching his breath. "One down."
Himmel was already ready. He tied the rope, glanced once toward the horizon, and nodded.
"Let's finish this."
He dove after Texan, the ocean swallowing both of them.
The sea rippled — then stilled.
The waves rolled back to quiet rhythm as if nothing had happened, the rope drifting loose at the surface.
Below, in the glowing heart of the hidden cavern, three silhouettes broke the water's surface one by one — exhausted, dripping, but alive.
Texan leaned against the stone wall, catching his breath. "Told you it was worth the swim."
Himmel gazed up at the glowing stalactites, their light painting reflections across his eyes. "Yeah," he said softly. "It was."
The cavern felt ancient — sacred. A new threshold.
The three of them stood there, surrounded by silence and light, unaware that the world outside was already beginning to shift — that their path, though victorious, had only just begun.