“It’s alright. It’ll heal in no time,” Elowen reassured Kael with a small smile, though the pain in her side still throbbed. She forced herself to focus, knowing they couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

  “We don’t have much time left,” Kael said, his eyes darting to the ceiling as if expecting the dungeon itself to close in on them. “How much further?”

  Elowen stood up with Kael’s help, her legs shaky but holding. Together, they moved toward the stairs, only to find themselves in another dimly lit room. The space was eerily quiet, save for the faint sound of their breathing. At the far end of the room stood a single door, its surface covered in strange, intricate inscriptions. The markings seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive, but the dim light made it impossible to read them clearly.

  Elowen’s curiosity burned, but the rules were clear: no light could be used. The darkness around them felt suffocating, pressing in from all sides. She strained her eyes, trying to make out the faint shapes of the inscriptions, but the shadows seemed to twist and shift, obscuring the words.

  Her heart raced as she stepped closer, her fingers trembling slightly. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to rely on her other senses. The air around the door felt different—cool one moment, warm the next, as if the dungeon itself were breathing. She reached out, her fingertips brushing against the rough surface of the door. The inscriptions were deep and jagged, carved with a force that felt almost primal.

  As her fingers traced the grooves, something extraordinary happened. The strange words began to take shape in her mind, their meaning unfolding as if her skin could decipher the ancient language. The markings spoke of trials, of sacrifice, and of a path that only the worthy could tread. The markings were etched into the wood, rough and jagged, as if carved by something not human.

  Through the delicate touch of her fingertips, the strange words began to emerge in her mind, as though her skin could sense their meaning:

  "__In the silence of the void,

  The web will stir, the beast will rise.

  Bound by darkness, awake in fear,

  The spider's gaze will draw you near.

  Beware the moonless hour,

  For death comes on eightfold power.__"

  The words lingered in her thoughts, their weight more palpable than ever. She could hear the faintest vibration in the air, as if the door itself was alive, holding a terrible secret that could not be seen, only felt.

  [Time Left: 1 minute]

  Progress: Dungeon Entrance – 75%

  The other 14 players had successfully made it to the top of the stairs, but what awaited them was far from what they had expected. At the very top of the cavernous cave, which stretched across the entire floor, was a massive, gaping hole. The tunnel leading to the next level was nowhere to be seen. Frustration and confusion rippled through the group as they realized they had reached a dead end.

  Dax, always quick to anger, let out a furious groan. He slammed his foot on the ground with such force that the entire staircase seemed to tremble. Unbeknownst to him, the dungeon—a place designed with mechanisms far beyond human understanding—responded to his actions. The air grew heavier, the walls vibrating as a low, ominous hum reverberated through the cavern.

  Determined to find a way forward, Dax reached into his bag and pulled out a small, artificial light. It was a tool he had used countless times before in dark, treacherous places, and he didn’t think twice about using it now. But as the light flickered to life, something strange happened. It began to glow unnaturally bright, its beam intensifying until it was almost blinding.

  The other players shielded their eyes, stepping back as the light grew more and more intense. Dax frowned, his confidence wavering for the first time. “What the hell is this?” he muttered, shaking the light as if that would fix it.

  But the dungeon had other plans. The light’s unnatural glow seemed to trigger something deep within the cavern. The walls began to shift, the stone groaning as if alive. The gaping hole at the top of the stairs started to widen, and from its depths emerged a low, guttural growl that sent chills down everyone’s spines.

  Elowen and Kael froze in place. Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening.

  “Dax, turn it off!” Lyra shouted, her voice echoing through the cavern. “The light—it’s triggering something!”

  But that was the moment everything changed.

  [Red Herald Butterfly Notification]

  [System Alert: Rule Violation Detected]

  [Warning!! ID: ZKP-14785 has violated the established rules by using light in the designated area]

  [Punishment Initiated: Toxic Gas Release]

  [Effect]

  A cloud of toxic gas begins to spread through the environment, rapidly filling the air. The gas will persist for 5 minutes, and all players within the affected area will begin to suffer the following debuffs:

  - Poisoned: 15% Health loss per minute

  - Dizziness: -10% to movement speed

  - Vision Impairment: Reduced clarity and focus

  [Please be advised to follow the rules for your safety]

  The invisible trap, hidden deep within the ancient stones, had been triggered. The walls groaned as a hidden compartment opened, releasing a fast-spreading cloud of toxic gas into the room. The air thickened instantly, turning from clear to a suffocating, choking fog. Dax’s breath caught in his throat as the poison filled his lungs, his eyes widening in panic.

  “What the hell?” he gasped, falling to his knees. The sickly stench of the gas burned his throat and lungs, making it nearly impossible to breathe. His vision blurred, and his limbs grew heavy, as if weighed down by an invisible force. He tried to fight it, to push himself up, but his body refused to obey. A wave of lethargy swept over him, and he collapsed to the floor, his strength draining away.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “Help me…!” Elowen coughed weakly, her voice barely audible as the poisonous mist filled her lungs. She stumbled, her vision swimming as the toxin took hold. The sound of footsteps rushing toward her broke through the haze, and she felt a strong hand grip her arm, pulling her away from the deadly fumes.

  “Come on, Elowen! Open the door!” Kael shouted, his voice frantic as he dragged her toward the mysterious door they had seen earlier. Elowen stumbled, another wave of dizziness hitting her hard. She fought to stay conscious, her body weakening with every step.

  “But—” she started, her words cut off by another fit of coughing. Kael didn’t wait for her to respond. He pulled her along, his grip firm as they dashed through the murky smoke, disappearing around a corner.

  “Get out of here first!” Kael yelled, his voice strained as he urged her forward. Elowen coughed violently, her vision darkening at the edges as she struggled to keep up with Kael’s pace. “Just a bit more, Elowen!”

  The two of them ran toward the door—their only hope of escape—as the poison continued to cloud Elowen’s mind. Her strength was fading fast, her body succumbing to the toxic gas. She could barely see, barely think, but she forced herself to keep moving, one step at a time.

  Behind them, the other players were also realizing the danger. Some tried to cover their mouths and noses, but it was too late. The poison spread quickly, its pungent fumes burning their throats and blurring their vision. The staircase became a nightmarish scene of chaos, filled with gasping, coughing players stumbling blindly in search of escape.

  Some fell to the ground, crying out in pain as the poison took full effect. Others pushed forward, desperate to reach the exit before it was too late. The toxic gas obscured their vision, leaving them struggling to see in the darkness. They stumbled over one another, their movements frantic and uncoordinated. One player tripped on the edge of the last step, tumbling down into the abyss below. The others paused for a moment, their fear palpable, but there was no time to stop. They had to keep moving, had to find a way out—or die trying.

  Kael reached the door and yanked it open, dragging Elowen inside. As soon as they crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut behind them, and another panel slid into place at the bottom, sealing them off from the toxic gas. The light above flickered and went out, plunging them into darkness once again. The only source of light was the tiny flame glowing in front of Kael’s face, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

  Elowen collapsed to the floor, coughing violently as she tried to catch her breath. Her body felt weak, her mind foggy, but she was alive. Kael knelt beside her, his face pale but determined.

  “We made it,” he said, his voice shaky but relieved. “For now.”

  [Red Herald Butterfly Notification]

  [Time Left: 15 seconds]

  [If you failed...]

  [Severe Punishment: Loss of 20 Experience Points, and the fireflies of Nightbloom Hollow dimmed, making future quests more challenging.]

  [System Alert: Time-Sensitive Puzzle Detected]

  [Objective: To get the Firefly Lantern, both players must simultaneously place Glowstone Blocks on either side of the wall]

  [Instructions!!]

  -ID: THS-11130: Place the Glowstone Block on the left side of the wall.

  -ID: PQC-71036: Place the Glowstone Block on the right side of the wall.

  [Both blocks must be placed at exactly the same time to trigger the lantern’s activation]

  [Failure: If both players do not place the blocks within time, the puzzle will reset, and the Firefly Lantern will dim completely, causing the dungeon to plunge into total darkness.]

  [Countdown: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...]

  [Activate Now!]

  Progress: Dungeon Entrance – 95%

  The pressure was overwhelming as the countdown hit zero. Elowen and Kael had barely a second to react.

  “Quick, now!” Kael shouted, already darting to one side of the wall. His hand reached for a Glowstone Block that shimmered with an ethereal light. The block was warm to the touch, its surface covered in intricate patterns that seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive. Elowen followed suit, her fingers trembling as she grabbed the second Glowstone Block. The smooth, radiant stone felt almost alive in her hands as she sprinted to the left side of the wall.

  The seconds felt like an eternity as they scrambled to place the blocks in the right spots. The sound of the system’s countdown echoed in their minds, each tick driving their adrenaline higher. Elowen’s heart pounded in her chest as she worked, her movements frantic but precise. She glanced over her shoulder once, her breath catching as she noticed a strange shadow beginning to form on the wall opposite them. It was a single large square, but there was no discernible door or opening—just an ominous, shifting darkness.

  With a final push, both Glowstone Blocks slammed into place at the exact same moment.

  [System Notification: Puzzle Completed. Firefly Lantern Activated]

  The lantern flared back to life, its glow bright and steady, bathing the area in soft, golden light. But the clock was still ticking—their time to escape the dungeon was running out.

  [Silver Herald Butterfly Notification]

  [Time Left: 5 seconds]

  Progress: Dungeon Entrance – 95%

  Elowen and Kael hurried through the dark dungeon, the air thick with tension. The only sound was their fast footsteps and heavy breathing. They had the Firefly Lantern, but its weak light barely lit the way. Slowly, the light grew dimmer, until only small flickers remained.

  “Kael, we don’t have much time!” Elowen whispered, holding the lantern tightly. She could feel the warm light fading. A quick look showed her the flame would go out soon.

  Kael looked ahead into the dark. “We need to move faster. If the light goes out, we won’t be able to see anything.”

  The lantern's light flickered, and the shadows in the dungeon seemed to move closer. Elowen and Kael ran down the narrow hallway, but the maze-like dungeon made it feel like they were going in circles. Every turn looked the same, and the light grew weaker with each step.

  Elowen’s heart raced as the flame grew even dimmer. The air felt colder, and the thought of being stuck in complete darkness without a way out terrified her.

  “Where’s the exit?” she whispered, her voice shaky.

  Kael scanned the walls, but all he saw were more stone walls. The lantern's light was barely more than a tiny flicker, almost gone.

  “Don’t panic,” Kael said, though his voice didn’t sound sure. He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward a large stone door ahead. “It has to be here. Come on!”

  Elowen’s legs ached, and her breath was shallow from the rush of adrenaline. The last flicker of light from the lantern vanished, and she felt as though the world around them was closing in. Then, with a snap, the lantern’s glow completely disappeared.

  They were surrounded by darkness, the whole dungeon engulfed in it. There was no sign of life anywhere. The cold darkness seemed to creep into her very bones, freezing her from the inside.

  “I can’t... I can’t see anything...” Elowen whispered, lowering herself to her knees. She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against the cold stone floor.

  All she could focus on was the icy feeling spreading in her chest. She knew the effects of the poison would pass soon, but she still felt weak and sick. The darkness pressed in on them, and she couldn’t make out anything around her. Everything had disappeared into a thick, black void. It felt like falling forever. Her heart raced as fear set in. The silence was broken only by faint sounds—the soft scurrying of unseen creatures, the echo of their own breath. Elowen froze, still holding Kael’s hand, when suddenly, someone pulled them both forward.

  Progress: Dungeon Entrance – 100%