Genesis of Earth

Kael's footsteps echoed in the dimly lit corridor, the sound too loud in the suffocating silence. The damp, musky scent of aged stone filled his nose, mixing with the faint metallic tang of blood still clinging to his sword. The dungeon stretched before him, winding into an uncertain abyss, its oppressive stillness gnawing at the edges of his senses.

He had chosen the right path at the last crossroad, trusting his instincts, but something about it felt wrong.

The passage grew narrower, the air thicker, as if the walls were closing in around him. The patches of glowing moss that lined the dungeon had become scarce, their faint light struggling against the overwhelming darkness. Shadows stretched along the jagged walls, twisting unnaturally.

He kept moving forward, his sword at the ready, prepared for an ambush.

But then—

Nothing.

No enemies. No sounds.

Just an endless stretch of emptiness.

Minutes passed, his breathing steady, his pulse thrumming in his ears. He remained on high alert, yet the eerie silence weighed on him like an invisible force pressing down on his chest.

Finally, he reached it—

A solid stone wall.

Kael's jaw clenched.

A dead end? Damn it.

He exhaled slowly, his frustration mounting. He had chosen wrong.

Every moment wasted here could be the difference between life and death.

His fingers curled around the hilt of his sword as he turned back, his mind already processing his next move. There was no choice but to return to the crossroad.

The left passage was different from the one he had just abandoned.

The air felt slightly warmer, and the damp scent of stone was replaced by something earthier, older. It sloped gently downward, stretching far ahead into an unknown depth.

Kael moved carefully, each step calculated.

The silence persisted, broken only by the occasional drip of water echoing through the halls.

After what felt like an eternity, the corridor finally widened.

Kael stepped forward into a large cavern, its walls stretching farther than his light could reach. The ceiling loomed high above, swallowed by shadows, while the ground beneath him was uneven and cracked.

The patches of glowing moss were sparser here, their dim light flickering like dying embers.

Something was wrong.

The space was too open, too still.

His instincts screamed at him.

Kael turned sharply, stepping back toward the entrance—

CRASH!

A massive stone slab slammed down behind him, sealing off his only escape route.

His breath hitched.

A trap.

And then—

A sickening scraping sound echoed from above.

Kael's eyes snapped upward—

Four figures came crashing down from the ceiling.

They landed in twisted, jerking movements, bones snapping unnaturally as they hit the ground.

Zombies.

Kael's grip tightened on his sword.

Four enemies. No retreat.

He had to end this fast.

His left hand crackled with energy, a Mana Bolt flaring to life.

The closest zombie lunged.

Kael didn't hesitate.

BOOM!

The bolt collided with the creature's skull, sending it crashing backward, its rotted face obliterated.

The remaining three were already closing in.

Kael's second spell was already forming, but the next zombie was too close.

Kael sidestepped sharply, pivoting on his back foot, and brought his blade down in a lethal arc.

SCHLK!

The zombie's head separated from its body, collapsing into a lifeless heap.

Two left.

Kael spun, launching his second Mana Bolt at the next.

BOOM!

The impact sent the creature slamming into the cavern wall, its chest caved in from the force.

The final zombie lunged at him.

Kael twisted his stance, dodging right, and with a swift downward stroke, drove his sword through its skull.

The corpse twitched violently before going still.

A system notification flickered before his eyes.

[You have killed Lesser Zombie x4. +80 XP]

Kael took a slow breath, his heart still pounding.

His retreat was gone.

The only way was forward.

The next section of the dungeon was a maze of twisting corridors and multiple crossroads.

Each choice felt like a gamble.

Some paths led to ambushes, with zombies lunging from the darkness.

Others—traps.

He had barely survived a pitfall trap, the floor collapsing beneath his feet. He had only managed to grab onto the edge at the last second, dangling over a deep abyss before pulling himself up.

Then came the poisoned arrows.

Kael had triggered a pressure plate, and before he could react, darts shot out from hidden slots in the walls.

He had twisted his body, barely avoiding a direct hit—one arrow still grazing his shoulder, leaving behind a sharp, burning sensation.

And finally—the falling rocks.

Kael had stepped onto another trap trigger, and the ceiling had groaned ominously.

A split second later—

Massive boulders came crashing down.

Kael had dived to the side, rolling behind cover just as the stones shattered against the floor, blocking the passage behind him.

His breathing was ragged, his body aching.

This dungeon was testing not just his strength—but his ability to react.

Still, he pushed forward.

Until finally—

He reached a new entrance.

Kael's instincts immediately sharpened the moment he stepped inside.

This place was different.

The air was thick, heavy.

The cavern stretched vastly, its ceiling hidden in the dark abyss above. The space felt alive, charged with something unseen.

Then, he saw it.

At the far end of the cavern, standing beyond the dim glow of the moss—

A figure.

Tall. Still. Watching.

Kael's breath caught.

This wasn't a zombie.

This wasn't a trap.

This was something else.

Something waiting for him.

Kael's fingers curled around his sword's hilt.

His body tensed, preparing for battle.

And as he stepped further into the cavern—

The figure raised its head and stared directly at him.

A cold shiver ran down Kael's spine.

Whatever this was—

It was different.

And it was dangerous.