“I told you, use the Tether on the Treant!” I snapped, forcing Rejuvenation into him as blood spread across his leather armor. The Murloc’s blade was buried deep, missing his heart by inches.

  “It’s immune to slow effects and has high evasion!” I shouted.

  “Then why didn’t you say that earlier?” Alwen shot back as the fish-faced creature and its knife dissolved into light.

  “What, you want a lecture while the thing’s trying to gut us? Just follow my lead next time!” I kicked a pile of Mana Stones and a slimy Murloc’s Eye aside in frustration.

  “Okay, fine. You’re the all-knowing expert,” Alwen muttered, gulping down a potion.

  “Alwen, you should really listen to Eryndor. That was way too close,” Pica said softly, trying to defuse the tension.

  “Can you just shut up? You’re so annoying, you know that?” Alwen snapped, his eyes flickering faintly orange.

  Pica froze, lips parting as if she wanted to argue. Then she turned away, shoulders trembling.

  “I hate you,” she said quietly, voice shaking. A soft sob escaped as she walked off.

  “You happy now?” I sighed, following after her. She sat a short distance away, knees pulled close to her chest.

  “Hey,” I said, sitting beside her, keeping my tone low. “Don’t take it personally. He’s... not quite himself lately.”

  “He’s been really weird,” she whispered, wiping her eyes. “Do you think it’s because of that Soul Fragment?”

  “That’s my guess too.” I exhaled slowly. “I just hope it’s not permanent. He’s getting reckless.”

  “What if it is permanent?” she asked. “What if all Soul Fragments do that, change who you are when you absorb them?”

  “I really don’t know,” I admitted. “Maybe not all of them. Maybe just... some.”

  We sat in silence for a while, the faint sound of wind drifting in from the distance. Then Alwen finally stepped closer, his movements hesitant, his face weighed down by guilt.

  “I’m sorry, guys,” he said at last, his voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to. It’s just… I don’t even know how to explain it.” He rubbed his temple, exhaling slowly as if the weight of it all pressed against his chest. “Anyway, I’m sorry.”

  “No worries,” I said, waving it off.

  “Sorry for being annoying,” Pica murmured, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve.

  “No, you’re not,” Alwen said quickly, shaking his head. “I’m just… overly sensitive lately.”

  The silence returned, softer this time. The tension had dulled, but the echoes of guilt still lingered in the corners of the room.

  “Alright,” I forced a small smile. “Come on, one more room to go. Can't wait to see the rewards.”

  Alwen looked up, the familiar spark finally flickering back into his eyes. “Yeah, you’re right.” A ghost of his usual grin appeared. “It’ll be the Merman, right?”

  “Yes, and I’m sure you’re both familiar with it.”

  “Of course,” Alwen chuckled. “Alton wouldn’t shut up about it, he kept blabbering all the details. Luckily, it’s weak to lightning, so we’ve got the upper hand. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

  “Do you think it’ll drop another Soul Fragment?” Pica asked, her tone laced with quiet hope.

  “Let’s hope so. But even if it does, it’s not really something that fits you,” Alwen said. “At least we can sell it for a good price to Alton.”

  “Yeah… though knowing him, he’ll probably want a written statement detailing exactly how we got it,” I added.

  We shared a small laugh, and the tension in the air slowly lifted. Then we went over the details of our next strategy one last time before descending the stairs.

  ***

  The second Black Crown Room, and our final stop in the Descent of Despair.

  “I can’t believe we made it this far,” Pica said, smiling wistfully. “I’m actually gonna miss this place.”

  “We can always come back next cycle,” Alwen said, rubbing his hands together, excitement gleaming in his eyes. “Next time, we’ll go even deeper.”

  As usual, we performed our little ritual, touching the door at the same time, holding hands as we stepped inside.

  [Special Event: Challenge 3 Initiated]

  “Is it supposed to be this cold?” Pica’s voice trembled.

  The moment we entered, a freezing wind slammed into us, sharp enough to bite through our armor. My breath came out in clouds, and a chill ran straight down my spine. The air itself felt hostile, each gust whispering through the frost-coated walls.

  “They don’t look like Mermen,” Alwen muttered, his gaze sweeping the room.

  There wasn't just one monster, there were more than a dozen skeletal warriors, each wielding a weapon carved from solid ice.

  And instead of stone pillars, massive torches burned in the corners, their flames flickering green and ghostly. The light twisted across the walls, revealing a dark silhouette seated on what looked like a throne.

  My stomach dropped. There was no mistaking it.

  We were on floor thirty.

  “Change of plan,” I ordered sharply. “Alwen, use Tether on me. Pica, hold your spells for now.”

  “What’s going on?” Alwen asked, already obeying, the blue thread linking us.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  “Our opponent isn’t Merman,” I said grimly. “It’s the Lich King.”

  “L-Lich King?!” Pica stammered, panic rising in her tone. “We’re so dead—”

  “Trust me, we still have a chance. Just stay close to the wall,” I said, pulling a bluish-red vial from my pouch and downing it in one gulp.

  There was no need to save it now. It was time to use my precious items.

  [Cinderbrew Vial used]

  Heat rushed through my veins, burning away the numbness. My fingers steadied, and the fire in my chest roared back to life.

  “Take the enemies from the left. I’ll handle the right.”

  I channeled energy into my staff. Mana flared, red and blue intertwining in a violent surge, and one of the skeletal warriors shattered instantly, bones scattering across the ice.

  Alwen followed up with a precise shot, his attack crashing into another skull and reducing it to shards. The sound of cracking bone echoed through the frigid hall.

  It didn’t take long before every skeleton was down, nothing but scattered bones across the frozen floor.

  “Don’t let your guard down!” I yelled as Alwen lowered his staff.

  The fragments on the ground began to twitch. One by one, the bones floated back together, fusing with eerie precision until the skeletons stood once more, fully reformed.

  Pica screamed, pressing herself against the icy wall.

  “What the hell are those things?!” Alwen shouted, firing another blast.

  “They’re the Lich King’s summons,” I said quickly. “Or rather, part of him. They share life with their summoner.”

  “So they’re immortal?!” Alwen gritted his teeth.

  “No. But we have to take them down long enough until the Lich King wakes up,” I replied, already moving. “Keep pushing along the wall, don’t stop!”

  And with that, we advanced around the frigid hall, the flickering green fire dancing against the walls as the skeletal army closed in once again.

  ***

  The effect of the Cinderbrew Vial had long worn off, and my Mana was down to less than a quarter when the skeletons finally stopped reassembling.

  The three of us pressed our backs against the icy wall, our breaths spilling out in uneven puffs. The cold gnawed at my nerves until my body felt like stone.

  “How long do we have to keep this up? I can’t take this anymore,” Pica stammered. Her lips had turned pale blue, trembling with every word.

  Before I could answer, the chamber began to rumble. From above, shards of ice, spikes of every size, rained down across the room. They struck the frozen floor and shattered with sharp, ringing cracks. Then, as if the dungeon itself had drawn breath, the torches flared to life, burning with roaring green fire.

  We pressed flat against the wall, the only place untouched by the deadly rain.

  From the throne at the center of the chamber, a figure began to rise.

  Its face was mostly bone, scraps of withered flesh stretched thin across it. Jagged cheekbones. A rigid jaw. A mouth frozen in a half-grin of death.

  Two eyes blazed with cold, blue fire, like flames trapped inside shards of frost. Ornamental shoulder plates framed its hollow face, the shadows making those eyes burn even brighter.

  Skeletal and decayed, it wore tattered robes threaded with veins of pale blue energy. In its right hand pulsed a wand of pure, icy Mana.

  The Lich King had awakened.

  The rain of ice ceased as the monster descended from its throne.

  “It woke up once its health dropped to three-quarters,” I said sharply, turning to Pica. “Now it’s your turn.”

  “M-my turn?!” Pica’s eyes widened in horror.

  “Take the Sage Serum and summon your Treant. Keep it busy so we can recover Mana.”

  “The what serum?” she blinked, confused.

  “The clear-white vial from Instructor Vallen!” I snapped, trying not to sound as panicked as I felt. “It’ll boost your Wisdom. A lot.”

  “Oh, that one!” She fumbled for the vial, uncorked it, and downed the shimmering liquid in one gulp.

  [Summon Treant cast]

  Roots twisted upward from the summoning circle, pulsing with power as she raised her staff.

  This Treant was nothing like before. Its bark gleamed with a soft emerald sheen, its limbs thick and heavy, towering nearly two meters tall. It radiated raw, primal power.

  Pica stared in awe. “Is that… really my summon?”

  “Yes. Now go lure the Lich. Keep the distance, don’t let the Treant die.”

  Using stat-boosting potions was a trick I’d learned through countless experiments. With growth-type summons, the power stayed long after the potion’s effect wore off.

  “Yeah, yeah. I got it.” She steadied her breath and stepped forward, her Treant lumbering beside her.

  The air grew colder with every step she took, frost forming beneath her boots as the Lich King’s burning gaze turned toward her.

  I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing, letting the frost-stung air fade into the background. From afar came the crash of ice against bark, the snap of frozen magic striking wood, and the low, haunting howl of the wind.

  You can do it, Pica.

  Gradually, the noise of battle faded until only the faint hum of Mana remained in my veins. Time slipped away.

  When I finally opened my eyes, my Mana had recovered.

  “Alwen, that’s enough,” I said, snapping him out of his trance. “We need to help Pica.”

  Without hesitation, he reconnected our Tether. The link shimmered faintly between us as we dashed forward. Windstride surged through our legs, we glided across the frozen floor.

  I uncorked another Cinderbrew Vial and swallowed the fiery liquid. Heat clashed against the cold in my chest. Alwen activated Overload, lightning rippled around us as we flanked the Lich King from behind.

  Our strike, a surge of flame and thunder, hit the undead monarch square in the back. The explosion shook the chamber, and the Lich let out a shriek so sharp it scraped the inside of my skull.

  “What took you so long!” Pica shouted, half-grinning despite the exhaustion in her eyes. Her Treant roared and swung its massive limbs, joining the assault.

  We unleashed spell after spell, hammering the Lich from both sides until its movements slowed. Then, with a final synchronized strike, Alwen and I channeled another Overload. The impact drove the Lich to its knees on the frozen floor, struggling to stay upright.

  Treant didn’t hesitate, it brought both fists down on the Lich’s skull with a booming crack.

  “We did it! We actually made the damn king kneel!” Alwen yelled, sparks still dancing around his hands as he fired another shot for good measure.

  But my focus was elsewhere.

  The Lich’s body began to crystallize, ice crawling across its decayed limbs. Shards of blue crystal sprouted around it, glowing faintly. Its health had dropped to half.

  “Stop attacking! Move, now!” I yelled.

  No one argued. All three of us sprinted away.

  Moments later, the Lich King erupted in a storm of ice. Explosions rippled outward, shards bursting like shattered glass. The sound was deafening, like a thousand mirrors breaking at once.

  We barely made it out of range before the storm consumed the center of the room. Frost coated everything in a deadly sheen.

  “What now?” Pica gasped, clutching her chest, breath fogging in the air.

  “Use this short break to recover,” I said, casting Rejuvenation on Treant. “Once the Frost Nova ends, help us draw its attention again.”

  “So you can attack it from behind?” she asked.

  “No.” I met her gaze. “We’re destroying the throne.”

  There was no way we could defeat the Lich King with our current power. But we didn’t need to. Not to clear this room.

  All we had to do was shatter its throne once its health dropped to half, and it would be sealed away.

  Pica and Alwen sat down, eyes closed, focusing on restoring their Mana. I poured a low-rank health potion over Treant’s battered frame, then followed up with another Rejuvenation. Cracks along its wooden limbs sealed, faint green light pulsing beneath its bark.

  We had less than five minutes before the battle resumed.

  And when it did, it would decide whether we walked out of here alive, or joined the Lich King in eternal frost.

  catfished by the Tower?

  you the one doing the catfishing?