The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

Moments after that, the team of Aeric, Celestia, Nyx, Phoebe and Misty regrouped, refreshed and moved into the Final Lobby.

Knowing that he already had so much on his mind, Aeric tried not to think about what Nyx had just said to him. So far, the only Mothers he'd given thought to apart from his own were Mother Aurora and Mother Selene.

He'd never for once thought of the Queen of Twilight, Mother Lylah. But it seemed she had thought about him quite a lot throughout the years. In fact, the way Nyx had phrased it, it sounded like the woman had some kind of obsession.

In silence, she had spent many days and years crafting whatever scheme it was to take him down. And he thought Mother Selene was his true villain.

Back to the present, a stone wall opened and the team could see that it led into the Final Quest Lobby.

Nodding at all of them, Aeric walked in and they all followed. The air shifted the moment they stepped into the awaiting Lobby. The heavy stone doors groaned as they closed behind them, creating a sound that echoed ominously in the vast chamber.

They looked left and right, studying their new battleground. The space was massive, like the belly of some ancient, forgotten cathedral. The walls were jagged obsidian, glinting faintly with veins of glowing blue that pulsed like the heartbeat of the Dungeon itself.

There was thick mist rolling along the ground, obscuring the floor and making every step uncertain. More stalactites were here, and they hung precariously from the vaulted ceiling, dripping an unknown liquid that sizzled when it hit the ground.

Aeric took a step forward and saw that the liquid was some kind of acid. Perhaps the beast that they would face here had acidic powers.

A low, guttural hum reverberated through the air, almost imperceptible, but it made their teeth ache. The atmosphere was stifling, like the Dungeon itself was alive, watching, waiting.

"Fitting of a final Lobby, I would say," Nyx mused.

"Yeah. This place is terrifying," Phoebe added.

The notification's voice broke the oppressive silence.

[Final Quest Lobby]

[Objective: Slay the beast to complete Clearance]

[Beast type: You are to face an Abyssal Terror.]

Celestia's breath hitched as the name echoed in the chamber. "Abyssal Terror? That doesn't sound... manageable," she muttered.

Nyx clicked her tongue, her halberd tight in her hands as she shook her head. "Just great. A terror. Exactly what we needed to end this nightmare." Despite her sarcasm, there was a flicker of nervousness in her eyes.

"You've faced one before?" Aeric asked, glancing at her direction.

Nyx sighed. "Let's just say there's a reason why I've only successfully Cleared one out of the three Dungeons I've challenged."

"Hmm." Aeric tightened his jaw.

Phoebe's fingers trembled as she instinctively reached for her gloves. "Guys… I've read about this thing. Isn't a terror like an Ascendant Rank beast? And this one is Abyssal. It's supposed to be impossible to defeat with just one team."

Aeric's jaw tightened, his eyes scanning the chamber. "We could just give up after coming all this way. Let the other teams win."

Celestia looked at him. "The other teams as in Aryanne and Melina? No. No way."

"Yeah," Phoebe exclaimed. "I agree with Celestia. We've come too far to stop now."

Nyx shrugged. "I agree. I think we can kill a terror if we worked together. Especially with you leading us."

Aeric looked back, glancing at his sister. "Misty?"

Misty hesitated for a second before she nodded. "Let's do it."

Aeric smiled. Then he turned to where the approaching noise of the beast could be heard. "Since you all agree, then we can't have the luxury of fear. Everyone, positions." He held tight on his sword and began to move to the left.

Drmmmmmm!! Thud! Drmmmmm!!

The ground began to quake.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Loud, heavy footsteps like thunder shook the Lobby. A deep, guttural roar rumbled from the shadows, growing louder, accompanied by the sound of massive claws scraping against stone. The mist began to swirl violently, everyone readied themselves.

And then it emerged.

The Abyssal Terror was gargantuan, a hulking, grotesque mass of sinew and shadow. It had skin that was like blackened steel, engrained with glowing blue runes that pulsed with an unholy light.

Disgustingly, it also had six eyes, each a searing azure, scanned them with a predatory gleam. Its maw was jagged and sharp, ripped with a viscous, glowing ichor that hissed as it hit the ground.

Yup, Aeric was right. The beast did have acidic powers.

Massive claws, each the size of a longsword, flexed menacingly, and its spiked tail lashed behind it, cracking the air like a whip.

The beast exhaled, and the air itself seemed to grow heavier.

"Well, that's horrifying," Nyx muttered, her voice tinged with both awe and dread.

"I thought you had faced one before?" Aeric mumbled to her.

"I said I faced a Terror. Not an Abyssal one."

Phoebe whimpered, "I'm not sure I'm ready for this..."

"You just said that you are," Aeric looked at her and said firmly. "You are. We all are. Besides, it's not even the real thing. Get in formation, and we can do this."

The team quickly assumed their diamond formation. Celestia stood at the forefront, hand stretched out as she yelled:

"Protect my targets! Skill Activation: Light Shield!"

Her golden shield of light exploded into existence, taking the Terror off guard and shimmering as it covered them all.

Aeric and Nyx took their places on the left and right flanks, their weapons ready. Phoebe positioned herself behind Celestia, her hands glowing as she reached for Celestia's Divine Core.

"Alright, I'm ready Celestia," she said. "Tell me whenever you need the buff."

Misty remained at the back, clutching their supplies with one hand, flames burning on the other.

Aeric narrowed his eyes. "Get ready! It's about to attack!"

The beast charged, its roar splitting the air.

Celestia gritted her teeth, bracing as the Abyssal Terror slammed into the [Light Shield]. The impact was like a thunderclap, sending shockwaves through the formation. "Hold steady!" she shouted, her arms trembling as the shield absorbed the blow.

Nyx unleashed a shadowy beast from her halberd, the creature lunging at the Terror and tearing into its flank. The Abyssal Terror roared, spinning and slashing at the shadow beast, its claws carving through the summoned creature.

Aeric took the opening, dashing forward and slashing at its legs. His blade sparked against its hide, leaving a shallow gash. When the Terror retaliated with a swipe of its massive claws, Aeric quickly rolled back and returned behind the [Light Shield].

Phoebe used the Buff skill on Celestia, strengthening the shield to counter the Terror's attacks, as sweat bead on her forehead. "I'm giving it everything I've got!"

The beast was relentless. It slammed into the shield again and again, cracks spidering across its golden surface.

"It's not holding!" Celestia yelled, desperation in her voice. "How strong is this monster?!"

The Abyssal Terror reared back and lashed its tail forward.

Nyx's eyes widened. "It's gonna breach!"

The tail slammed into the golden shield. Crack... blast!

An explosion of light happened shattering the shield with an ear-bursting crack. The team was thrown like ragdolls, flying through the air and crashing on the walls and ground… Continue reading stories on empire