[NORTHERN HIGHWAY - 1 HOUR AFTER THE ESCAPE - 11:47 AM]
Three armored vehicles roared down the northern highway at speeds that technically violated every traffic law. Not that it mattered—Alex was technically a fugitive now, so adding speeding to the list of charges was irrelevant.
Alex was in the middle vehicle with Maya, Grim (meter-tall form in the seat beside him), and Raven who was inexplicably eating a sandwich she'd produced from some hidden pocket.
"Where did you get that?" Alex asked.
"I always carry snacks." Raven offered him half. "Want some? You must be starving. They haven't fed you properly in three days."
She was right. Alex's stomach traitorously growled.
He accepted the sandwich, biting into it—ham, cheese, some kind of expensive mustard. Surprisingly good.
"Thanks," he said with his mouth half-full.
"You're welcome, sweetheart." Raven leaned back, draping her legs across Alex's lap—something that embarrassed him a bit but he decided not to say anything. "So. Fallen Citadel. Anyone want to fill me in on what we're facing?"
Maya pulled out a tablet, swiping to a file. "Viktor sent us everything the Circle has on the dungeon. It's not much—only three expeditions have attempted it in the last hundred years. One 80 years ago, one 50 years ago, one 15 years ago."
"And?" Raven pressed.
"None completed all levels. The expedition 80 years ago reached Level 3 before retreating—60% losses. The expedition 50 years ago reached Level 4—everyone died. The one 15 years ago..."
Maya hesitated.
"What?" Alex asked.
"Viktor led that one. They reached Level 5—the final boss level. They faced the Lich King." Maya looked at Alex. "Viktor was the sole survivor. He lost his entire team. And the Lich King... they didn't kill it. Viktor fled."
Heavy silence in the vehicle.
"Viktor had Fragment 3 at that time," Maya continued. "Temporarily. But when he faced the Lich King, he realized something—the Lich King is too strong to defeat even with a Fragment. So Viktor... gave up Fragment 3. Left it there, sealed inside the dungeon."
"Wait." Alex sat up straight. "Viktor had Fragment 3 and willingly gave it up?"
"To save his life. And because..." Maya looked at her tablet. "Because the Fragment was corrupting him too quickly. In just six months, he'd lost 40% of his humanity. Viktor decided it was better to give up the power than become a monster."
Alex touched his own arm where the black marks from Fragment 1 were spreading. He understood that decision intimately.
"So," Raven said thoughtfully, "we're going to the dungeon that defeated Viktor when he was younger and stronger, and had a Fragment to help him. And we expect to win because...?"
"Because now we have two Fragments," said a voice from the vehicle's communicator—Seraph, from the lead vehicle. "Viktor only had 3. Alex has 1, I have 2. Together, we're stronger than Viktor was alone."
"Plus," Viktor added from the same communicator, "I've had 15 years to study every mistake we made. I know the Lich King's weaknesses now. I know his patterns. This time... we have a real chance."
"Chance," Raven repeated. "My favorite word before everything goes to hell."
Despite the tension, Alex almost smiled.
The communicator crackled again—Viktor: "ETA to Northern Ruins: 7 hours. We'll use that time to plan. Alex, Seraph—I need you both to understand something about Fallen Citadel."
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"What?" Alex asked.
"It's not a regular dungeon. It's a Raid Dungeon. Meaning: once you enter, you're committed. You cannot leave until you complete it or die. You have a time limit—72 hours from entry until collapse. And..."
Heavy pause.
"Death is permanent. If you die inside, there's no resurrection, no magical revival. You're gone."
Maya looked serious. "How many people does the access card allow?"
"Five," Viktor replied. "Which is a problem. We have six here—Alex, Grim, Seraph, Maya, Raven, and myself."
"You're staying," Alex said immediately. "No offense, Viktor, but you're 67. We need young fighters."
"None taken. I was hoping you'd say that." Viktor sounded almost relieved. "So the team will be: Alex, Grim, Seraph, Maya, Raven. Five exactly."
"Wait," said Raven. "Does Grim count as a separate person for the limit?"
Pause.
"...Good question," Viktor admitted. "I don't know. Companions usually don't count for raid limits, but Grim is... special. I guess we'll find out."
---
[3 HOURS LATER - REST STOP IN A SMALL TOWN - 2:47 PM]
They needed fuel and supplies. The vehicles stopped in a small town—barely 200 residents, a gas station, general store, and nothing else.
While Viktor filled the tanks, the rest of the team stretched and regrouped.
Alex noticed the stares—the locals definitely recognizing that this group wasn't normal. Seraph's full black armor, Maya's giant fox (reduced to large dog size but still obvious), Grim being... Grim.
"Keep a low profile," Viktor murmured. "Last thing we need is someone reporting our location to the Temple."
Too late.
An old man came out of the general store, approaching directly toward Alex. "You. I recognize you. From the tournament. The Ghost Hunter."
Alex tensed. "Sir, I—"
"You won cleanly," the man interrupted. "I watched the whole broadcast. That Marcus was arrogant. He needed to be humbled." He extended his hand. "Well done, kid."
Alex blinked in surprise, then shook the hand. "Thanks."
"Don't thank me." The man lowered his voice. "I also saw what happened after. The arrest. It's bullshit. The Temple has always feared what it can't control." He gestured toward his store. "If you need supplies, take them. No charge. And I didn't see anything."
Alex felt something warm in his chest—gratitude, surprise, hope that not everyone saw him as a monster.
"I appreciate that. Really."
They spent thirty minutes resupplying—food, water, medical potions (the store had surprisingly good stock), mana crystals, even some spare weapons.
The old man refused payment. "Just promise me one thing: when you get up there," he gestured vaguely north, "and get whatever you're looking for... use it to do good. Don't let the power corrupt you."
"I'll try," Alex promised.
As they climbed back into the vehicles, Seraph murmured: "Nice to see not everyone hates you."
"Yet," said Alex. "Give it time."
---
[5 HOURS LATER - ENTRANCE TO THE NORTHERN RUINS - 6:47 PM]
The landscape had changed dramatically during the trip.
From green fields and temperate forests to... this.
The Northern Ruins were a wasteland. Literal wasteland—gray-black soil, dead trees twisted into unnatural shapes, thick fog that never fully lifted, sub-zero temperatures despite it being summer.
And in the distance, rising from the mountain like a cancerous tumor—
Fallen Citadel.
Even 10 kilometers away, it was breathtaking. Massive fortress built of black stone that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Towers rose a hundred meters high. Walls so thick armies could march on them. And emanating from it all—a death aura so intense Alex could feel it from here.
[System - Alert]
[Legendary Dungeon Detected: Fallen Citadel]
[Rank: S]
[Levels: 5 + Final Boss Chamber]
[Recommended Level Range: 40-60]
[Recommended Party Size: 10-15 elite combatants]
[Warning: This dungeon has a 89% mortality rate]
"Lovely," Raven murmured.
The vehicles stopped at what had been a previous expedition's base camp—ruins of tents, rusted equipment, and... bones. Many bones.
"Are those from Viktor's expedition?" Maya asked.
"No," Viktor said quietly, stepping out of his vehicle. "Those are older. Probably from 80 years ago." He looked around. "We left our dead inside. Didn't have time to recover bodies."
Awkward silence.
Seraph broke the moment. "So. What's the plan?"
Viktor unfurled a map—hand-drawn, detailed notes. "Fallen Citadel has five levels plus the final boss chamber. Each level is progressively more difficult."
He pointed at the map:
LEVEL 1: Halls of Bone
· Enemies: Minor undead (level 30-35)
· Traps: Basic—spikes, arrows, pits
· Boss: Bone Knight (level 38)
LEVEL 2: Crypt of Fallen Champions
· Enemies: Elite undead (level 40-45), former adventurers
· Traps: Magical—explosive runes, illusions
· Boss: Champion's Gauntlet (3 mini-bosses, level 45 each)
LEVEL 3: Cursed Library
· Enemies: Scholar Specters (level 45-50)
· Challenge: Mental—riddles, questions, trials of will
· Boss: Archmage Lich (level 52)
LEVEL 4: Blood Arena
· Enemies: Waves of undead beasts (level 50-55)
· Challenge: Endurance—5 waves with no rest
· Boss: Arena Champion (level 58)
LEVEL 5: Throne Room
· Enemies: None until boss
· Final Boss: Lich King (level 80)
"Level 80," Alex said quietly. "I'm level 25."
"That's why you'll work as a team," Viktor said. "Seraph is level 52. Maya is level 48. Raven is level 44. Grim in Awakened Form is apparent level 80. Together, you have a chance."
"Chance?" Raven repeated. "That word again."
Viktor ignored that. "Critical things you need to know about the Lich King:
One: He has a phylactery—a hidden gem that makes him invulnerable. You must find and destroy it first.
Two: He has [Army of Bones]—can summon 200 skeletons simultaneously. Don't waste energy fighting them, focus on the King.
Three: He has [Time Stop]—freezes time for 3 seconds. Only affects living creatures, so Grim can move during it. Use that.
Four: Once the phylactery is destroyed, you have 30 seconds before it regenerates. That's your window to kill him."
"And Fragment 3?" Alex asked.
"Fused with the Lich King's core. To get it..." Viktor hesitated. "You have to kill him. Completely. No doubts."
Alex nodded slowly.
"Questions?" Viktor asked.
"Yes," said Seraph. "What if someone else arrives while we're inside? Can they follow us?"
"No," said Viktor. "Once you enter using the access card, the dungeon seals for 72 hours. No one else can enter or exit until you complete it or fail."
"Or we run out of time?" added Maya.
"Or that," Viktor confirmed. "If you don't complete it in 72 hours, the dungeon collapses. Everyone inside dies instantly."
"No pressure," Raven muttered.
The sun was setting now, turning the sky blood red.
Alex looked at his team—Seraph adjusting her armor, Maya checking Akari's status, Raven sharpening knives, Grim standing silently beside him.
"Everyone sure about this?" he asked. "Once we enter, there's no turning back. If you die in there, it's permanent. There's no—"
"Alex," Maya interrupted. "We already made this decision. Stop giving us chances to back out."
"Besides," Raven added, "where's the fun without risk of death?"
Seraph simply nodded, her spectral scythe materializing in her hand.
Grim grew to a meter and a half, then two meters, then full Awakened Form—obsidian armor, massive scythe.
"Together. We go. Together."
"Alright then." Alex pulled out the access card—a small crystal glowing with blue light. "Let's go get Fragment 3."
They walked toward the entrance of Fallen Citadel—massive doors 10 meters high, sealed for decades.
Alex pressed the card against the door.
[Access Authorized - Novice Tournament Prize]
[Group of 5 Detected: Alex Carter, Maya Park, Seraph Nox, Raven, Grim]
[Warning: Permanent Death Activated]
[Time Limit: 72 Hours]
[Proceed?]
"Yes," Alex said aloud.
