Chapter 4 — The Cavern Before the Storm
The cavern was alive, though nothing stirred. Jagged black stone jutted sharply from the floor and walls, catching the faint, eerie glow of green crystals embedded like veins of frozen light. Dust drifted lazily through the air, settling into every crack and crevice, making each step echo in hollow whispers that danced across the jagged rock. The faint hum of magic thrummed underfoot, almost imperceptible, but Kelvin felt it prickling along his skin like static electricity.
He stood at the edge of the cavern, blade lowered but ready, the tip just brushing against the stone. Across from him, Silvia clutched her spellbook like a lifeline, fingers tracing the glowing runes as if drawing strength from them. Her emerald eyes were wide, scanning every shadow, every glimmer of movement. Their gazes met for a brief second, unspoken fear and determination flashing between them like a spark in darkness, before both turned their attention to the figure dominating the chamber.
The Sword Servant.
Its black armor seemed forged from night itself, jagged and uneven, each plate etched with scars from battles long past. A single blood-red eye burned at them, glowing with malice, scanning as though tasting their very souls. Its massive sword-arm scraped across the cavern floor, leaving deep, gaping gouges in the stone that hissed like the world itself had bled. The air grew thick, suffocating, pressing down like the weight of some ancient, watching presence.
"Kelvin… that thing… it's not normal…" Silvia whispered, her voice quivering.
Kelvin tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing as he analyzed the creature's stance. He rested his hands lightly on his sword, but his mind raced, calculating, anticipating every possible strike, every movement it could make.
"You're big… but you're not scary," he said, almost conversationally, though the words carried the sharp edge of challenge.
The Sword Servant growled — a low, metallic rasp that reverberated through the cavern like distant thunder. Its sword-arm swung in a casual, deliberate arc, scraping against stone with a sound like grinding metal. Kelvin's chest tightened, a shiver crawling along his spine.
Basic Tier… Rank Three… and it feels like this? He clenched his teeth, heart thudding. If not for my physique… I'd already be dead. If this were any higher… I wouldn't even be standing.
A chill rose from the cavern floor, curling around his limbs. The Sword Servant ROARED, the sound vibrating through stone, shaking loose dust and small rocks. The ground beneath their feet seemed to tremble in warning.
And then it charged.
The Sword Servant swung its massive sword-arm in a wide, deadly arc. Shards of stone leapt into the air, clattering like hail. BOOM! The floor cracked beneath its weight, fissures spider-webbing outward across the jagged cavern floor. Kelvin's boots slid over the uneven stone as he twisted sideways, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow. He slashed at the joint in its armored arm. Sparks exploded, but the blade bounced harmlessly off the tough plating.
"Tch… tough hide…" he muttered under his breath, rolling back as the Sword Servant swung its other arm. The impact threw him violently against the wall, boots carving deep grooves into stone. Pain flared along his ribs, but he grinned despite the strain, adrenaline and excitement thrumming like fire in his veins.
"Hold it off for one minute! Just one minute!" Silvia shouted, flipping pages in her glowing spellbook. Her hands trembled, runes pulsing with light that carved shadows across the walls.
"One minute?! Lady, I might not even have ten seconds if you don't hurry!" Kelvin barked, teeth gritting. Every nerve screamed with anticipation, every muscle coiled like a spring.
The Sword Servant's steps shook the cavern like rolling thunder. Each stomp vibrated up through Kelvin's boots and into his bones. It thrust its massive sword-arm forward like a spear, aimed straight at his chest.
Kelvin crossed both swords instinctively. CRASH! The force blasted him backward. Dust and small rocks erupted from the cracked stone beneath him. He rolled to his feet, adrenaline surging, lips curling into a cocky grin.
"Alright… guess we're doing this the hard way," he muttered.
Unnoticed, a faint crimson aura flickered along his arms, whispering of a power he did not yet fully understand. A pulse of energy hummed beneath his skin, a warmth tingling through his muscles, urging him forward.
He exhaled sharply, letting his movements center in perfect focus. And then, he lunged.
His swords became streaks of light in the dim cavern, striking at joints, gaps, and weak points. The Sword Servant swung wildly, trying to crush him, but Kelvin weaved through the attacks like flowing water. Every movement was precise, every step calculated, every strike a perfect dance of offense and defense.
"Almost there… just a little more…" Silvia chanted, the runes on her spellbook flaring brighter, bathing the cavern in golden light.
Kelvin ducked beneath a downward swing, spun around the creature's armored legs, and delivered a solid kick to its jaw. It stumbled, surprised more than hurt.
"You hit like a mountain… but mountains fall too," he said, letting his confidence carry him forward.
The Sword Servant roared, swinging both arms at once. Kelvin blocked instinctively, but the force sent him crashing into the cavern wall again. Dust and pebbles rained down, and the stone groaned under the impact.
"Kelvin!" Silvia shouted, slamming her hands together. A golden barrier flared into being just as the Sword Servant's sword struck. BOOM! The shield cracked under the force but held firm.
Kelvin rolled back to his feet, smirk tugging at his lips despite the sweat and grime.
"Not bad, crybaby," he teased.
"Shut up and kill it!" Silvia barked, urgency sharp in her voice.
"Gladly," he said, sheathing one sword and gripping the other with both hands. Energy hummed through the blade, vibrating like a living thing, thrumming in his blood. The cavern seemed to shrink around him, every sound amplified — the scrape of stone, the hiss of displaced air, the grinding of metal.
Kelvin's heart pounded. He knew one mistake, one misstep, and he would be shattered like the stone beneath his feet.
But he wasn't afraid.
Not yet.