King Soris's blade gleamed under the eerie glow of the moonlight forest's jagged cliffs, clashing against Mirelle D'Agraval's razor-sharp claws. Her crimson eyes burned with fury, her wings slicing through the air as she pressed her attack. Around them, the battlefield was a storm of chaos—knights of the Order of Sturgon locked in desperate combat with the unleashed succubi, their enchanted weapons barely holding the line against the creatures' hypnotic speed and lethal grace.

"Fall back to the ridge!" Soris shouted, his voice hoarse over the cacophony of screams and steel. His knights scrambled to obey, forming a defensive arc as the succubi darted between them, their laughter sharp and mocking. One knight, too slow, fell to a succubus's claws, his armor rent like cloth. Soris gritted his teeth, his focus torn between the chaos and Mirelle's relentless assault.

"You're weaker than I expected, king," Mirelle taunted, her voice a venomous purr. She spun, her wings flaring, and a gust of dark energy knocked Soris back. His boots skidded across the rocky ground, but he held his ground, sword raised. "The sword is not yours to claim. It belongs to the Otherworld! I thought human king was strong after fighting with human called Juno, but I guess I was wrong."

"I'll die before I let you tear open those rifts! It's true my family has intreset in otherworld but I would never allow hordes of demons to enter this land..." Soris roared, lunging forward. His blade met her claws in a shower of sparks, but Mirelle's strength was unnatural. She drove him back step by step, her movements a blur. Each clash sent a jolt through his arms, and sweat stung his eyes. He could feel his strength waning, his resolve tested by her relentless power.

He was planning all along to use the demons to open the rift for few seconds, so he could enter and he had already chosen who would take his place, after all he knew once he disappear things would be chaotic in the Sturgon. His son would take over the throne.

Nearby, a knight screamed as a succubus pinned him, her eyes glowing as she whispered enchantments. "Hold the line!" another knight bellowed, driving his spear through the creature's side. The succubus shrieked, falling to the floor, but two more took her place, their claws slashing through the air. The Order of Sturgon was disciplined, but the succubi were relentless, their numbers seemingly endless despite the enchanted blades cutting them down.

From the shadows, Shennong watched, his tattered arm cut blending with the dungeon's walls. His eyes gleamed with cold calculation. The succubi were doing exactly as he'd planned—drawing Soris's forces deeper into the dungeon, closer to the cursed second floor. He'd expected Mirelle to break away, her curiosity about the sword's power pulling her toward the dark alleyway where the rift pulsed with unholy energy. But she was too consumed by her duel with Soris, her rage blinding her to the trap.

"What are you guys doing? Just go there and claim your sword." Shennong muttered, his fingers tracing the edge of a Lunamarite walls. "You're making this too complicated."

Soris ducked under Mirelle's claw, his sword slashing upward. The blade grazed her wing, drawing a hiss of pain. "You can't win," she snarled, her voice echoing with Otherworldly menace. "This dungeon will be your grave!"

"Then I'll take you with me!" Soris countered, his heart pounding. But his strength was fading. Mirelle's attacks were too fast, too precise. A claw raked across his shoulder, tearing through his armor. Blood seeped into his tunic, and he stumbled, his vision blurring. The knights around him were faltering too, their formation crumbling under the succubi's onslaught.

"Pathetic," Mirelle spat, raising her claw for a killing blow. "You mortals always break. I had intreset in mating with Juno and absorbing him...but not you."

But before she could strike, the ground trembled violently. A low, guttural hum filled the air, emanating from the dark alleyway Soris had dreaded. The pulsing chill from its walls intensified, and the knights froze, their eyes wide with fear. Even the succubi paused, their heads turning toward the alleyway's gaping maw.

"What is that?" a knight whispered, his shield trembling in his grip.

Soris's breath caught. "The dark alleyway…" he murmured, dread coiling in his gut. He glanced at Shennong, who stood motionless, his smirk gone. For the first time, the man's eyes betrayed uncertainty.

"Shennong!" Soris shouted, pointing his sword. "What have you done?"

Shennong's gaze darted to the alleyway, his composure cracking. "This… this wasn't part of the plan," he muttered, stepping back. "The sword's power shouldn't—"

Before he could finish, a massive, translucent hand erupted from the alleyway. It was gelatinous, shimmering with an unnatural sheen, its fingers stretching like liquid tendrils. The knights screamed, and even the succubi recoiled, their wings flaring in panic. The hand swept across the battlefield, its touch cold and suffocating, wrapping around soldiers, succubi, and Soris himself.

"No!" Soris yelled, slashing at the tendrils. His sword passed through them, the blade sinking as if cutting water. Mirelle shrieked, her claws useless against the gelatinous grip. Shennong scrambled backward, but the hand was too fast, enveloping him and the wooden box in its grasp.

"What is this?!" Mirelle demanded, her voice shrill with rage as the tendrils tightened around her. "Get away from me!!"

"This hand! This look! Sasa..." Shennong quickly recongized it was Sasa his own creation that was trying to pull everyone into the dark alleyway.

The hand pulled, dragging everyone toward the alleyway. Soris fought, his boots scraping against the ground, but the force was overwhelming. The knights' screams echoed as they were yanked into the darkness, their torches snuffed out. The succubi thrashed, their wings beating futilely. Mirelle's eyes locked onto Soris, her rage giving way to fear.

"This is your fault, king!" she hissed, but her voice trembled. "You brought us here!"

"I didn't choose this!" Soris snapped, his heart racing. The alleyway loomed closer, its walls pulsing with a sickly dark light. The air grew colder, heavier, as if the dungeon itself were breathing.

With a final, wrenching pull, the gelatinous hand dragged them all into the second floor. The world twisted, colors bleeding into one another as Soris's vision swam. He hit the ground hard, his sword clattering beside him. The air was thick, oppressive, and the faint hum of the rift vibrated in his bones.

Soris staggered to his feet, his shoulder throbbing. Around him, knights groaned, some clutching wounds, others staring wide-eyed at their surroundings. The second floor was a vast, cavernous chamber, its walls carved with nothing but endless void that pulsed like a heartbeat. The succubi were scattered, some unconscious, others hissing as they rose. Mirelle stood a few paces away, her wings drooping, her eyes scanning the chamber with wary caution.

"Where are we?" a knight stammered, his voice echoing.

"What did that man do?" Soris demanded, storming toward one of the best mage in his ranks hoping to get answers. Despite all this, Soris felt a sense of familarity with the place.

The old mage shook his head, his voice low. "This is beyond me, my king. This power! This corrupted feeling! I have no idea how to explain,"

Mirelle's laughter cut through the tension, sharp and bitter. "You fools thought you could tame the Otherworld?" She spread her wings, her claws gleaming. "The sword is ours. You've only doomed yourselves. This is the essence of otherworld...we are invincible here."

Soris tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes narrowing. "If you want it, come take it."

Before Mirelle could move, the ground shook again. The distant light flared, and a low, guttural roar echoed from the chamber's depths. The gelatinous hand reappeared, slithering from the shadows, but it wasn't alone. A massive, amorphous creature emerged, its body a writhing mass of jelly-like tendrils, eyes glowing like the sapphire gems of the giant they'd fought above. It towered over them, its form shifting and pulsing.

"By the gods…" a knight whispered, raising his shield.

Mirelle's eyes widened. "This… this is the guardian of the unknown. It wasn't supposed to awaken!"

Mirelle snarled, her wings flaring. "You've unleashed a nightmare, mortal!"

Soris stepped forward, his sword steady despite the fear clawing at his chest. "Knights, form ranks! We fight or we die!" His voice rallied the men, their shields locking together. The succubi hesitated, their eyes darting between the creature and Soris's forces.

Mirelle's gaze locked onto Soris. "This isn't over, king," she hissed. "But for now, we have a common enemy."

Soris nodded grimly. "Then fight, or we all perish."

The creature roared, its tendrils lashing out. Soris dove to the side, his sword slashing at a tendril. Mirelle took to the air, her claws tearing into the creature's mass. The knights charged, their spears striking true, but the creature's body absorbed their blows, reforming instantly.

Soris glanced at the chamber's center, where a pedestal glowed faintly, a blade floating in air. The sword. His heart pounded. This was what his father had died to keep away from himself, what Mandira had vanished for. And now, it was their only hope to stop this madness happening.

Was Soris going to achieve his dream of break the sword and finally be free? The question wasn't that but rather is he capable of doing that.

"Cover me!" Soris yelled, sprinting toward the pedestal. The battle raged behind him, knights and succubi fighting side by side against the monstrous guardian. Mirelle's screams mingled with the creature's roars, and Shennong's chants grew frantic.

Soris reached the pedestal, his hand closing around the sword's hilt. A surge of energy shot through him, memories of his father's madness flooding his mind. "I am not him," he whispered, pulling the blade free.

The chamber shook, and the creature's eyes locked onto Soris.

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