On the surface, the age-old tranquility of the old Gothic temple was suddenly broken by the sound of boots and the clanging of weapons. The group of adventurers known as the Silver Spears had gathered in front of the gaping entrance.
"Look at these ruins," said the leader of the group, a warrior with a square jaw and piercing eyes. His tone was a mixture of contempt and excitement. "The magic radar indicates a Rank E Dungeon Lord. The weakest in the region. It'll be a walk in the park."
An icy breeze swept through the ruins, rattling the worm-eaten doors. Sunlight barely filtered through the broken stained-glass windows, casting multicolored splashes on the dusty floor. The adventurers exchanged excited glances, and a thrill of challenge ran down their spines.
They entered what looked like an ancient cathedral. Each step kicked up a cloud of dust, and the stone silence was almost oppressive. Yet as they advanced, the architecture revealed itself to be curiously precise, almost too perfect to have been left to the hands of time. Strange engravings, geometric patterns, and unknown symbols adorned the walls, as if someone—or something—had carved them with meticulous obsession.
In the center of the choir, a spiral staircase plunged into the darkness. The air there was colder, denser, and the smell of dampness mingled with the almost metallic scent of ancient stone.
"A dungeon... in a church?" whispered the thief of the group, her fingers nervously caressing the short blade she wore at her belt. "That's... morbid, isn't it?"
"Just scenery to scare us," sneered the warrior, drawing his sword, the metal glinting in the rare rays of light filtering through. "We go down, kill the demon, take the heart of the dungeon... and come back for dinner. Simple as that."
The rest of the group followed, excited and confident, their footsteps echoing in the vast space like a sinister warning that even they had not heard.
But at the bottom of the stairs, in total darkness, Leo was preparing his counterattack. Every corner of the dungeon vibrated with his concentration. The walls seemed to come alive, ready to twist, close in, and turn every step of the intruder into a trap. Beside him, Vark floated, a dark gleam in his eyes, watching these ignorant adventurers with icy patience.
"They think this is just a game," Leo whispered, his fingers brushing the stone as if to extract its very substance. "But every room, every corridor... will be their nightmare." "
And as the Silver Spears plunged into the darkness, they still did not know that the dungeon was not just a lair to be conquered. It was alive, and it belonged to a master who was every bit as terrifying as the most terrifying legends.