"The Silent Ascension"

The air inside the Dungeon pressed against me, heavy and oppressive. It smelled damp and metallic, with an underlying rot that made my stomach churn. Every breath felt thick, like the atmosphere was alive and trying to creep into my lungs. The faint hum I'd heard outside was stronger here, vibrating through the stone walls and into my chest. It was constant, persistent, and I couldn't shake the feeling that it was watching me, pulling me deeper.

The glow of the crystals embedded in the walls lit the narrow path ahead, casting faint blue light and jagged shadows that danced like specters. I moved slowly, one hand brushing against the cold, uneven stone to steady myself. The floor was rough beneath my boots, slick in some places, forcing me to tread carefully. I didn't want to think about what would happen if I slipped and fell. The Dungeon didn't feel like the kind of place that forgave mistakes.

The silence was absolute, broken only by the faint echo of my footsteps. No birds. No wind. No signs of life. It felt like the world outside had ceased to exist the moment I crossed the threshold. Part of me wanted to turn back, to run for the safety of the slums, miserable as it was. But the other part—the part that had led me here in the first place—refused to give in. The hum had drawn me here, and I couldn't leave without understanding why.

---

The first chamber I entered was massive, the ceiling arching so high I could barely make it out in the dim light. The walls were covered in strange markings, lines and symbols carved into the stone in patterns that didn't make any sense. They weren't words, at least not any language I recognized, but they felt… purposeful. Like they were meant to mean something, even if I couldn't understand it.

The crystals embedded in the walls here were larger, their glow stronger. They pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat, and I realized for the first time that the hum wasn't just a sound—it was coming from the crystals. I moved closer to one of them, reaching out a hand to touch it. The surface was smooth and cold, and the faint vibration buzzed against my fingertips.

It was almost hypnotic, the way the light pulsed in time with the hum. I stood there for a moment, entranced, before a sound snapped me back to reality—a low, guttural growl that made every muscle in my body tense.

---

I froze, my hand dropping to the knife at my side. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure whatever made the sound could hear it. I turned slowly, scanning the room. The faint blue light of the crystals cast shifting shadows, making it hard to tell what was real and what wasn't. But then I saw it.

A pair of glowing red eyes stared back at me from the far side of the chamber, low to the ground and unblinking. My breath caught in my throat as the creature stepped into the light. It was small, barely the size of a dog, but its appearance was anything but harmless. Its body was wiry and hunched, its patchy fur slick with something wet and dark. Its mouth hung open, jagged teeth gleaming as it let out another growl, low and menacing.

A Scavenger Beast. I'd heard of them in passing—weak monsters that typically roamed the outskirts of Dungeons, feeding on carrion or whatever scraps stronger creatures left behind. Adventurers barely paid them any mind, brushing them off as nuisances. But to someone like me? It might as well have been a death sentence.

The beast lowered itself to the ground, its red eyes locked onto me with a predatory focus. My hand tightened around the knife's handle, my palm slick with sweat. I tried to steady my breathing, but my chest felt tight, the air refusing to come easily.

Then it lunged.

---

I barely had time to react. I stumbled back, the beast's claws swiping through the air inches from my chest. I hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the breath out of me. My head swam, but I forced myself to roll to the side as the beast leaped again, its claws scraping against the stone where I'd just been lying.

Scrambling to my feet, I raised the knife, my hands shaking so badly I could barely keep it steady. The beast snarled, circling me, its movements erratic but deliberate. It was playing with me, testing me.

It lunged again, faster this time, and I swung the knife wildly. The blade caught its shoulder, slicing through fur and flesh. The beast yelped, stumbling back, but it recovered quickly, its glowing eyes narrowing in anger. Blood dripped from the wound, dark and viscous, but it didn't slow down. If anything, it seemed angrier.

My heart hammered in my chest as the beast came at me again, and this time I wasn't fast enough. Its claws raked across my arm, searing pain shooting through me as the fabric of my sleeve tore. Blood welled up immediately, warm and sticky, dripping down to my fingers. I cried out, the sound echoing in the chamber, but I didn't let go of the knife.

The beast circled again, its growls low and guttural. I clutched my arm, my grip on the knife tightening despite the pain. My vision blurred, the edges darkening as exhaustion set in. I couldn't keep this up much longer.

But I didn't have a choice.

---

The next time it lunged, I didn't dodge. Instead, I stepped forward, driving the knife upward with all the strength I could muster. The blade sank into its chest, the impact jolting through my arm. The beast let out a strangled cry, its body convulsing as it tried to pull away. I twisted the knife, and its movements grew weaker, its growls fading into choked whimpers.

Finally, it collapsed, its weight dragging the knife from my hand as it hit the ground. Blood pooled beneath it, dark and sticky, and I staggered back, gasping for air.

The room was spinning. My arm throbbed, the pain sharp and relentless, and I could feel the blood still dripping from the wound. I clutched it tightly, trying to stem the flow, but my hands were slick, and I could barely keep my grip.

I stared at the beast's motionless body, my chest heaving. I'd won. Somehow, I'd won.

But I didn't feel victorious. I felt… hollow. Weak. Like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, one gust of wind away from falling.

My knees buckled, and I dropped to the ground, my back against the cold stone wall. The hum of the crystals was louder now, almost deafening, but I barely noticed. My vision blurred, the world around me fading in and out.

As the darkness closed in, I couldn't help but wonder if this was a victory or just the beginning of something worse.

And then, I let go.