The Beast decided to follow it. He walked, and walked… until he reached a closed door, its handle shaped like an ancient skull. The chain emerged from the skull’s gaping mouth, only to vanish into the darkness beyond.
He stepped forward and gripped the handle, trying to move it—without success. Growling, he stepped back and slammed his fist against the door. But the skull absorbed the shock and retaliated, slicing a shallow cut across his knuckles.
Enraged, he gently laid Elysia on the ground, drew his giant axe, let out a furious roar, and charged. His strike crashed into the skull's head, shattering a portion of the ancient bone.
Staring at the fractured remains, he raised his axe again and delivered a second blow. But this time, the skull absorbed the impact and retaliated with violent force, hurling the Beast across the chamber.
Amid the echoing clash, Elysia stirred. Her eyes fluttered open.
Confused and groggy, she sat up, the faint glow of the room casting flickering shadows across her pale face. She spotted the Beast slumped against the wall, a trail of blood marking where he had landed.
“What… happened?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
The skull on the door pulsed faintly, as if breathing—its empty sockets now glowing with a sickly green light. A low, guttural laugh echoed through the stone walls, though no source could be seen.
The Beast slowly rose, gritting his teeth. His eyes met Elysia’s and he said,
“That skull head is bewitched… and alive.”
She turned to the door. The skull looked back at her—and smiled.
Then, a familiar voice shouted from behind the door:
“Help! Help! I’m stuck in here! There’s a kid chained up—he’s injured and needs healing!”
Elysia recognized her comrade’s voice.
“We must find a way through,” she said.
“The door repels all physical attacks,” the Beast growled.
“Then let me use my talismans,” Elysia replied.
She took one from her pouch and chanted:
“By blood unbroken and shadow bound,
I call the flame that sleeps in steel.
Rise, ancient spark—awaken and obey!”
She enchanted the Beast’s axe with a fire spell, boosting his strength and power.
“This is one of my strongest enhancement spells,” she warned.
“Use it quickly—before its power fades.”
The Beast picked up his axe from the ground. It now shimmered with dark fire. He focused all his power into it—his aura grew intense, his body surged with might. With a final roar, he launched himself at the door, striking the skull in a powerful jumping blow.
The impact made the cavern tremble. A sharp crack echoed through the chamber—the skull began to splinter and then shattered completely. The witchcraft was broken.
Elysia smiled. The Beast grinned, thankful.
“Thank you… for the strength.”
He gently lifted her and set her on his shoulder, then stepped forward and pushed the now unsealed door.
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The door rose with a thunderous groan, grinding against stone as it vanished into the ceiling. Behind it, a staircase. The walls around it were scorched, clawed, as if something had tried to escape long ago—and failed.
Elysia and the Beast descended the stairs. They heard the same voice that had shouted for help—it was Zarathys. The Beast rushed toward the source of the voice. When they arrived, they discovered two men chained.
Upon seeing his comrades, Zarathys lifted his head, pain etched across his face.
“Where did you go? Look at me... This is what happened while I was searching for you in this cursed place.”
Elysia crossed her arms, her voice sharp and cold.
“While you were napping on the ground like a fool, I was fighting for my life. That mermaid almost killed me if it wasn’t for his help, dumbass.”
She stepped closer.
“If you're trapped here, it's your own damn fault. Don’t you dare put that on me.”
Zarathys scoffed, his chains rattling.
“Of course. It was a mistake—my mistake—for searching for you. Maybe I should’ve left you behind. You’d probably be dead by now, helpless and alone.”
Elysia’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re the one who needs help now, not me, idiot.”
Zarathys narrowed his eyes.
“Whatever. Who the hell is that thing carrying you?”
Elysia jumped off the Beast’s shoulder.
“This is the flying Beast who dropped us the stone and saved me from the mermaid. Don’t call him a ‘thing’ like he’s garbage—he could annihilate you right here, right now, if you annoy him.”
The Beast finally spoke, his voice deep and calm.
“Your reunion doesn't interest me. And I will not annihilate anyone. I sensed a familiar aura and came to investigate. It comes from that chained child… but I don’t recognize him.”
Zarathys looked toward the boy, then back at them.
“Please, just release us from these chains and let’s get out of this cursed place.”
Elysia frowned.
“First of all—how did you get chained up like this? And more importantly… how did you pass the huge door with the skull on it?”
Zarathys spoke, his voice bitter and tired.
“When I was searching for you, I jumped over the magma lake to reach the other side of the cave. I slipped and fell… The chains caught me mid-air and dragged me here. The door was already open when I passed through—so I got trapped.
As for this kid… I have no idea how he ended up here.”
The Beast said nothing. His heavy steps echoed through the chamber as he approached Zarathys. Without a word, he raised his massive axe. In a single swift strike, he shattered the chains binding Zarathys. Sparks flew, and the sound of metal screaming against metal filled the air.
Zarathys dropped to the ground, groaning in pain. The Beast caught him just before he collapsed completely, then gently lowered him onto the stone floor.
“Elysia… do you have any healing talismans?” he asked, breathing heavily.
Elysia shook her head, her voice cold and blunt.
“Healing others isn’t exactly my specialty.”
She turned away and added,
“Just endure the pain until we reach the surface.”
The Beast stepped toward the chained child, his gaze narrowing. Three thick chains spiraled around the boy’s small frame. He raised his axe and struck the nearest one—
—but before the blade could even land a second blow, a surprise attack came from behind.
A chain burst up from the ground and pierced the Beast's right chest, blood spurting from the wound. Another chain launched upward, aiming straight for his head—but this time he caught it with his right arm, crushed it with his axe, and leapt back, wounded.
Blood streamed down his side.
“Damn it!” the Beast roared, clutching his chest.
“Looks like this chamber doesn’t want us freeing the kid,” Zarathys muttered, watching with unease.
Elysia looked around—her comrade was on the ground, the Beast injured. Her expression hardened. She stepped forward, eyes fixed on the boy wrapped in chains.
“Everyone get back,” she said calmly.
She pulled a talisman from her pouch. A strange aura began to rise from her body. Her voice turned low and resonant as she chanted:
“By ash unbound and oath betrayed,
Let iron weep and shackles fade—”
Zarathys’s eyes widened in shock.
“That incantation… No. Stop! If you use that spell in your condition, you won’t get out of this in one piece!”
But Elysia ignored him. Her voice grew louder.
“From cursed steel to dust return—”
“Beast! Take me and run!” Zarathys shouted.
The Beast, despite the pain, rushed over, grabbed Zarathys, and leapt back from the chamber.
“Break, by wrath that dares to burn!” Elysia cried, slamming the talisman into the ground.
In a burst of arcane fire, a towering skeletal figure wreathed in flame erupted from the floor, holding a massive burning lance. It struck the three main chains binding the boy—
—A deafening explosion followed. Fire swallowed the chamber. The ground shook violently, lava cracked through the walls, and a wave of force blasted outward.
Elysia was thrown across the room, her body limp in the air.
The Beast dropped both his axe and Zarathys, and without hesitation, leapt forward to catch her.