In a quiet, forgotten corner of the main city, a massive dungeon portal stood wide open. Its swirling vortex of dark energy cast eerie, flickering shadows across the surrounding buildings and the old tile factory that now housed it.
Dungeons rarely manifested in such cramped spaces. They usually preferred vast, open areas where they could expand freely. Yet this one had appeared inside the narrow halls and machinery-filled rooms of the factory, an unusual and worrying event.
The site belonged to the Bloodmoon Association. Since the portal had opened squarely in their territory, they claimed full control.
A full-scale raid was already in progress. To protect the public, every civilian in the area had been quickly evacuated. Outside the portal, a backup team of fifty experienced raiders stood ready, weapons drawn and spells prepared for any sudden emergency.
Deep inside the dungeon, the main raiding party had cleared the third section and were now engaged in a brutal fight against the boss.
The creature was a horrifying blend of dog and hedgehog. It had the bulk of a rampaging bison and the blinding speed of a warhorse. Its jaws were wide and crocodile-like, lined with jagged teeth, while razor-sharp spikes covered nearly every inch of its muscular body. Blind, it relied entirely on echolocation, constantly sending out sound pulses that mapped its surroundings with deadly precision.
As the raiders tried to surround it, the monster struck back with primal fury.
The moment the frontliners closed in, a low, bone-rattling screech erupted from its throat. The soundwaves slammed outward like a physical force. Shield bearers staggered, their balance shattered as the echolocation pulse revealed every raider's exact position.
In the same instant, the beast charged.
Its massive, spiked body blurred forward and crashed into the lead shield bearer like a living battering ram. The man was hurled across the room, slamming hard into a pile of broken tiles. Spines along the creature's back flared and launched like barbed javelins. Two raiders screamed as the spikes tore through their armor and pinned them viciously to the wall.
"Spread out! Don't cluster!" the squad leader roared.
Mages reacted instantly. Ice formed beneath the monster's feet, slowing its charge, while earth mages raised thick barriers to block the next volley of spines. A fireball exploded against its flank, charring flesh and filling the air with the acrid smell of burning hide. The beast barely flinched.
Instead, it slammed its powerful jaws into the ground. A violent shockwave rippled outward, cracking the tiled floor. Several raiders lost their footing and stumbled.
The monster whipped its head toward the sound of chanting. Another screech, sharper this time, tore through the air.
Blood trickled from the ears of two mages as the sonic attack shattered their concentration.
Seizing the opening, the beast rolled violently, its spiked body spinning like a grinding wheel. One unlucky raider was caught in its path and crushed mercilessly.
"Target the mouth! It senses everything through sound!" someone shouted desperately.
Lightning cracked through the chamber, striking the creature's open jaws mid-screech. The echolocation faltered for a single heartbeat.
That was enough.
Archers unleashed a volley of mana-reinforced bolts straight into the exposed throat. At the same time, a spear unit abandoned defense for speed and rushed forward.
One spear shattered against the hide, but another sank deep between overlapping spikes.
The monster roared in pain and thrashed wildly. Its tail smashed into nearby pillars, sending debris raining down.
A heavy hitter stepped forward, mana blazing around him.
"Now!"
A coordinated barrage struck at once. Ice locked the beast's legs. Earth magic bound its torso. Fire surged directly into its wounded mouth. The creature convulsed violently, its final screech dying in its throat as the explosion tore through its skull from the inside.
The massive body collapsed with a thunderous crash, spikes clattering uselessly across the floor.
For several long seconds, silence hung heavy. Only the sound of heavy breathing and dripping blood remained.
Then the dungeon began to glow softly, signaling victory.
Bloodied and exhausted, the raiders lowered their weapons.
They had lost comrades. They had nearly lost control. But the boss was dead, and the dungeon was theirs.
"That was one hell of a tough bastard," the squad leader muttered, sliding down to rest his back against a cracked wall while the others started gathering loot.
Only then did he truly look around.
They stood in a vast, ancient-feeling chamber. The ceiling vanished into complete darkness. The air was unnaturally cold and still, heavy with the weight of something far older than the factory above.
The ground was uneven stone, smooth in places, jagged in others, as if this space had existed long before any human structure was built on top.
At a corner of the chamber rose a massive black rock formation, towering like a small mountain. Its surface was pitch-black and matte, swallowing light instead of reflecting it.
The front of the formation had taken the unmistakable shape of a colossal dragon's head. Stone jaws gaped open in a silent roar, jagged fangs pointing toward the floor.
Deep, hollow sockets stared endlessly into the chamber, empty yet unsettling.
Faint cracks traced across its surface, pulsing slowly with dark energy. The pressure radiating from it was suffocating; heavy, ancient, and deeply wrong. An instinctive chill ran down the leader's spine.
He narrowed his eyes and slowly stood, approaching the formation with cautious steps. With every stride closer, a growing sense of dread filled his mind, screaming at him to turn back.
Two raiders followed. One wore an expression of pure curiosity and wonder. The other's face was unreadable, but a strange, greedy light burned in his eyes.
"What an amazing creation, isn't it, Captain?" the curious raider said, voice filled with awe. "It looks almost alive."
The leader's tension only deepened. The longer he stared into those abyss-like hollow eyes, the louder his instincts screamed in warning.
He turned sharply. "Collect everything quickly. We're leaving as soon as possible. And most importantly… do not touch that dragon head. Not even once."
"But Captain," the curious one protested, "what if it's valuable? A once-in-a-lifetime treasure?"
The leader shot him a cold glare. "Don't get greedy over everything that looks shiny. Sometimes the worst dangers hide behind the things that seem most valuable."
The second raider stepped closer. "But what if it's not dangerous? Just let us run a quick check…"
"No." The leader shook his head firmly. "Our orders were to clear the dungeon and collect standard loot. I won't risk the team on mysterious artifacts. I'll report this to the higher-ups. They can handle it. Now move."
The curious raider nodded obediently and stepped away.
But the third man stayed rooted in place.
He moved even closer and placed his palm directly against the cold stone. The moment his skin touched it, his expression changed. A wicked, satisfied smile spread across his face as pure happiness flooded his features.
"A Soul Dragon…" he whispered.
The words reached the leader's ears. He spun around instantly, sword already half-drawn. A sharp spike of danger shot through him.
"What did you say?" he demanded, advancing slowly. "Didn't I order you to move away? Are you still disobeying me? Even after I gave you another chance?"
The man slowly removed his hand from the dragon head and remained silent for a long moment.
Then, with deliberate calm, he pulled a small white orb from his bag and tossed it between himself and the rest of the team.
A translucent barrier instantly materialized, humming softly, its surface rippling like disturbed water. No matter how much mana the raiders poured into their attacks, the barrier didn't even tremble.
The man turned slowly, his back to the dragon head, eyes gleaming with open mockery.
"Captain, Captain… you're still the same," he said with a crooked grin.
"Always so cautious. Always terrified of what you don't understand."
The leader tightened his grip on his sword until his knuckles turned white.
"Drop the barrier. Now. Whatever you think you're doing… stop it immediately."
The man laughed, a low, bitter sound that echoed unnaturally through the chamber.
"You think this is nothing?" he asked, voice dripping with contempt. "No. This dungeon… this thing…"
He glanced back at the dragon head with twisted reverence. "This is a beautiful coincidence. A rare one."
His smile twisted further, poisoned by long-buried hatred.
"But revenge?" he continued softly. "Revenge was always the real plan."
The curious raider swallowed hard. "What… what are you talking about?"
The traitor ignored him and placed his hand reverently on the dragon's stone snout once more.
"This is a Soul Dragon," he declared. "An empty vessel. A core meant to house an elemental dragon. With the right catalyst… with a life willingly offered…"
His eyes flicked back to the leader, cold and unrepentant.
"…it can be awakened. Using my own life."
The leader's blood ran ice-cold. "You're insane."
"Maybe," the man replied calmly. "But insanity is far cheaper than justice."
He reached into his coat and withdrew two pulsing crimson orbs. They throbbed like living hearts, dark energy leaking from them and staining the air blood-red.
Without hesitation, he lifted the orbs and pressed them firmly into the hollow eye sockets of the dragon head.
The entire chamber shook violently.
Cracks spread rapidly across the black stone, glowing brighter and angrier with every second. A deep, unfamiliar sound echoed through the space, something between a heavy heartbeat and a low, menacing growl.
"What have you done?!" the leader shouted, slamming his sword uselessly against the barrier.
The man staggered, then reached into his bag one final time. He pulled out a small vial filled with murky, shimmering liquid and raised it in a mocking toast.
"I'll take my revenge," he said, voice trembling with dark satisfaction.
"That bastard ruined our plans while he was alive. And now, even after he's gone, his damn daughter keeps getting in our way. Unforgivable!"
He drank the vial in one gulp.
The reaction was immediate and horrifying.
He dropped to one knee as blood poured from his mouth, splattering across the stone. His body convulsed violently. Veins darkened and glowed faintly red beneath his skin. Yet even through the agony, a broken laugh escaped his lips.
"This body… was never enough anyway."
Using the last of his failing strength, he staggered forward, climbed onto the dragon's lower jaw, and threw himself headfirst into its gaping stone mouth.
The moment he vanished inside, his scream was brutally cut short.
Silence fell.
Then the barrier shattered like fragile glass.
The remaining raiders stood frozen, staring at the dragon head in horror.
The leader felt it first, that overwhelming pressure, the primal warning screaming inside his instincts.
"Run," he said hoarsely, voice cracking. "Everyone… run! Now!"
Before anyone could react, the massive black rock exploded outward with catastrophic force.
Stone fragments the size of boulders hurtled across the chamber. Raiders were thrown backward, shields cracking under the impact.
From the collapsing formation, something monstrous rose.
A colossal, golem-like dragon tore itself free from the debris. Its body was formed of black stone interwoven with glowing molten cracks. Massive wings of fractured rock unfolded, scraping violently against the chamber walls. Rivers of fire bled through the seams across its chest and throat.
Its hollow eyes now burned with a sinister, blood-red light.
The creature drew in a deep, violent breath, air spiraling toward its jaws like a vortex.
"DIE."
The single word thundered directly into their minds, laced with pure, ancient hatred.
A torrent of searing flame erupted from its mouth, flooding the chamber in blazing destruction.
The dragon roared in fury, shaking the entire dungeon.
'Eirena Greaves… I'll send you to meet your scum father.'
'I'm coming for you.'