After Mizzryk's frantic retreat, Hamish and I exchanged wary glances. His parting curses still echoed as we ventured deeper into the dungeon's winding corridors.
The passageways narrowed, and the oppressive heat climbed with every step. Flickering torchlight and the distant rumble of shifting stone led us along twisting paths, while the air grew heavy with sulfur and scorched metal.
Suddenly, we stopped. At the final chamber—where every other room lay empty of life—there he stood: Mizzryk. He held his hands up in a feeble surrender.
"Please, no kill, Mizzryk. I want to help you," he pleaded in a trembling voice.
Hamish glowered darkly. He snapped, preparing his sword for battle. Slowly, he advanced while I summoned a volley of ice spikes to my waiting hands.
Panicked, Mizzryk dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands as he babbled for mercy. This display irked Hamish; he was honorable, and he wouldn't wish death on even a pathetic creature like Mizzryk. So we paused and watched.
After a long, tense moment, Mizzryk slowly lifted his head. "Please. No kill—I can help. I helped kill the Mental Fire Elemental in the core room. I will protect you," he offered, his voice pleading as he nodded for us to trust him. His beady eyes, damp with tears, fixed on us with pitiful intensity.
I couldn't bear the sight of him—such a sad, ugly, mean little creature. Maybe it just needs a friend to be better. "Hamish... maybe it's worth taking a chance on him. He might be useful," I murmured.
Hamish turned his gaze toward me and held it for a long moment, compressing his lips. "Fine. But he's your problem. If he turns on us, I'm taking his head home as a trophy."
We moved side by side, cautious and alert. We stopped before a massive carved archway that opened into a vast chamber. The walls pulsed with a deep red glow—as if alive with molten energy.
At the center, a titanic figure loomed: a colossal fire elemental whose every movement radiated searing heat. Its burning form guarded a churning core of raw power and ancient malice. Nearly five meters tall, it was encased in a metallic shell surrounding its blazing furnace, and flames poured from its eyes as it swiveled between us.
Mizzryk nervously whispered, "That's him. Fire. Heat. Death!" he warned, as he pointed a gnarled finger at the boss of this trial.
My heart pounded as I absorbed the scene. The elemental's molten glow mesmerized me while the air vibrated with the roar of its power. I clutched my staff, my sapphire core pulsing with anxious energy. Hamish's eyes narrowed in determination; he knew that this blazing beast and its core were the dungeon's final, deadliest prize.
Then, the inevitable clash erupted.
Instinctively, Hamish darted left while I veered right, splitting our attack to avoid overlap. I summoned an ice lance, twirled to add momentum, and flung the frosty spear into the elemental's head, distracting it as Hamish charged from the other side.
A bright aura of light radiated from him, pushing back the heat as he advanced; he swung his sword in a diagonal slash that struck the creature's thigh.
I called forth more ice, spreading it along the floor. I recall the elemental stumbling on the slick surface as I continued hurling shards of frost—it all blurred into a frantic game of survival.
Hamish held its attention, hacking at its legs with his radiant aura, while I pummeled the beast with ice shards and blasts of water. The water made its metal sizzle and steam, and wherever I soaked its body, the surface grew brittle and vulnerable to Hamish's strikes.
Eventually, Hamish unleashed his signature move—the Double-Beat Strike. He swung his blade horizontally, and after a powerful impact against the armored elemental, he pivoted swiftly, pulling his sword in a full circle to strike again from a less-defended angle. The blow landed with a resounding "Chunk! Swoosh - chonck" that shattered the creature's defenses.
That final blow did it.
The elemental's molten glow dimmed as Hamish's blade found its mark. With a resounding crash, its massive body shuddered and collapsed. For a moment, the chamber fell silent as the oppressive heat receded. I dared to breathe, clinging to my staff while I watched the hulking form crumble. My glacial cage still encased its legs, ice cracking as it settled against the lifeless husk.
"Well," Hamish muttered as he stepped back, sword at the ready, "that's done."
Yet the heat did not fade—it only intensified. My heart lurched as the creature's body flared again; cracks in its metallic hide widened to reveal a core of pure flame.
"Hamish!" I shouted. "Move!"
He began to move, but nearly too late. The flames erupted from all around its body, and Hamish leapt away. I squeaked in fear as I could tell he wasn't going to make it.
But for Mizzryk, who was true to his word. He unleashed a gust of ferocious wind at the flames and parted the blast just enough for Hamish to dive to safety behind a stone pillar.
The mechanical husk erupted—a column of fire surged skyward. The blast sent me stumbling regardless, but my Ice Shield sprang up just in time to deflect it. The metallic carcass melted into slag, leaving behind a figure of living flame.
It hovered... a vaguely humanoid form twisting and flaring as it struggled to hold shape. Its burning eyes fixed on me, and even from afar, I felt the searing heat.
"Of course," Hamish growled as he raised his shield, "the bloody thing isn't done."
"Ah!" Mizzryk's delighted laugh echoed from behind us. "The core is freed at last! What a marvel—such power, such chaos!"
The elemental shrieked, its piercing cry reverberating through the chamber. It surged forward, a whip of flame lashing toward Hamish. He raised his shield and absorbed the strike, though the force sent him sliding back.
"It's too fast!" he shouted. "Snow, ideas?"
My mind raced. The elemental's movements were erratic and its form unstable. The heat was overwhelming—pools evaporated, and the stone beneath glowed red-hot. Then a thought struck me.
"Fuel!" I yelled. "It's burning through its fuel! If we make it burn hotter, it'll run out faster!"
Hamish grunted as he blocked another flaming tendril. "And when it does?"
"It'll solidify," I said, already casting. "Then we can hit it where it hurts."
He didn't question me. Bracing myself as the elemental lashed out again, I raised my staff and focused on the fire's source. My magic reached deep into the air, stripping away the chill. The temperature spiked; the stone cracked as it burned even hotter.
The creature's movements grew erratic, its form flickering. It shrieked deafeningly as its flames surged, consuming more of the air and heat. Its fluid shape stuttered; parts hardened as the fire exhausted its fuel.
"It's working!" I called, my voice strained, sweat dripping as I poured every bit of energy into the spell.
Hamish advanced, shield raised and sword ready. "Hold it steady, lass!"
But just as he stepped forward, Mizzryk's laughter rang out.
"Ah, yes! Perfect timing! Now Mizzryk claims his prize!" The kobold raised his staff and fired a force bolt straight into Hamish's back.
Hamish staggered from the blow, his shield dropping for a moment as the bolt struck. The elemental, still blazing wildly, lashed out and caught him with a fiery tendril. He collapsed to one knee, clutching his side.
"Hamish!" I screamed, rushing to his side. I dropped to the ground and pulled him behind my Ice Shield as Mizzryk fired another bolt—this one deflected by my barrier.
"Traitorous little SHITE!" Hamish growled, his voice thick with pain.
Mizzryk's grin widened as he stepped forward, his staff glowing fiercely. "Ah, such fools! I warned you! Now the dungeon's power shall be mine!"
The elemental shrieked once more, its form collapsing inward as the heat consumed its core. It fell into a heap of molten rock, its flames sputtering into nothingness. For a brief moment, the chamber fell silent—but there was no time to celebrate.
Mizzryk raised his staff and fired another force bolt. It struck my shield, cracking the ice and sending a shockwave through the chamber. Hamish groaned, clutching his side as he struggled to summon a healing spell.
"Lass," he whispered softly, "remain vigilant." He'll kill us both if we let him."
I nodded, my hands trembling as I reinforced the shield. The kobold laughed and stepped closer. "Yes, yes! Struggle all you want, it only makes my victory sweeter!"
Hamish muttered under his breath, his hand glowing faintly as he pressed it to his wound. Another bolt shattered part of our shield. I gritted my teeth and summoned more ice to mend it, though my mana drained rapidly.
"Mizzryk will take the core, yes!" the kobold crowed triumphantly. "And you, little mage, and your brute will bow before my power!"
My shield cracked further, and I felt my strength wane. Hamish struggled to heal, his face pale and movements sluggish. Panic rose as Mizzryk fired yet another bolt that shook the ground and further compromised our defenses.
Mizzryk's laughter echoed as Hamish clutched his side in pain. His force bolts shattered another Ice Shield, and the fragments evaporated in the blistering heat. I scrambled to cast another, but my mana plummeted.
My hands trembled and my mind raced as Mizzryk raised his staff for another spell.
"Pathetic!" he cackled. "Your shields are nothing! Your strength fades! And Mizzryk will—"
"Shut up!" I snapped, my voice cracking as the new shield flickered into place. I felt its fragility; it wouldn't hold.
Behind me, Hamish grunted, trying to summon healing. I caught a faint glow around his hands, but his movements were slow and shaky. We couldn't hold out much longer.
Panic surged within me. I slammed my fist against a nearby pillar. "Ciall agam féin!" I cursed in Gaelic, the words spilling out raw and urgent. "Foolish! Stupid! Think, Snow, think!"
My eyes darted to the pack over my shoulder. The potions. I grabbed a healing potion and thrust it into Hamish's hand. "Drink this!" I barked, my voice sharper than I intended.
He stared for a moment, then nodded, uncorking it and downing the glowing liquid. Simultaneously, I fumbled for a mana potion, pulled it free, and swallowed it in one desperate gulp.
Instantly, the trembling in my hands ceased. My sapphire core flared with renewed strength as the potion restored my energy. Beside me, Hamish straightened; color returned to his face, and his eyes burned with renewed fury as he gripped his shield tighter.
Mizzryk laughed again, raising his staff. "Ah, potions will not save you! Mizzryk will—"
He didn't finish. Hamish roared and surged forward with terrifying speed.
The air rippled as he blurred across the floor, his shield slamming into Mizzryk with bone-shattering force. He hurled the kobold backward, crashing against the far wall with a cry of pain. His staff clattered to the ground, and he slumped, stunned and dazed.
"You've got no idea who you've messed with," Hamish growled.
I stumbled to my feet and rushed after him. Mizzryk twitched, fumbling for his staff, but I acted quickly. I raised my staff and cast a spell, and ice swirled into a cage of jagged frost that erupted around him. The kobold hissed, his claws scraping the ice as he struggled to break free.
"Disarm him!" I called to Hamish. "Take that staff before he does anything else!"
Hamish needed no prompting. He grabbed the staff and wrenched it from Mizzryk's grasp; Hamish's growing strength easily overpowered the thin kobold. It was like yanking a knife from a child. Instantly, the glow around the kobold dimmed. Mizzryk screeched, flinging weak sparks that fizzled harmlessly.
"No!" the kobold cried, voice shrill. "No, no, no! Mizzryk cannot lose! This is not how it was meant to be!"
Hamish loomed over him, expression dark. "Beg," he commanded.
Mizzryk froze, his wide yellow eyes darting between us. "What?!" he stammered.
"Beg," Hamish repeated in a low, dangerous tone. "Beg for your life. Surrender all your treasures, or I'll finish what I started."
The kobold's bravado crumbled. He dropped to his knees, clasping his hands. "Please! Please, no! I'm sorry! I'll give you everything—gold, treasures, even... even a candle! But please, no killing!"
"Candle?" Hamish raised an eyebrow, then spotted a small waxy object in Mizzryk's belt pouch. He reached down and plucked it free.
Mizzryk howled in despair, "No! Not the candle! PLEASE, DO NOT TAKE CANDLE!"
Hamish held it up with a grimace. "It's just a bloody candle."
"It is Mizzryk's candle!" the kobold wailed, pressing his forehead against the ice. "Do not take it! Please, I beg!"
Snow crossed her arms. "Now you are just bullying him. Surrender Mizz. Swear an oath to leave this dungeon and admit defeat, or we'll finish you."
Mizzryk hesitated, eyes darting between us. Finally, he slumped in defeat. "Fine," he muttered. "I swear. I'll leave. No power, no treasures... no candle." He sniffled loudly, tears streaming down his scaly face.
I waved my hand, dispelling the ice cage. The kobold scrambled free, clutching his empty belt pouch before fleeing into the shadows, sobbing uncontrollably.
Hamish sighed and snorted as he grabbed the candle and tossed it into his pack. "What a piece of work... that candle smells like arse anyway."
Hamish paused, "...You dont suppose he ..." He glanced at the candle again, and threw it off into a refuse pile in the corner. "Oh gods... uhh..no, please no." He involuntarily wretched as he wiped his hands on his pants. I giggled, and I couldnt resist the chance to make it worse for Hamish, "Yep. He probably did. who knows how kobolds keep themselves busy?"
"I touched it!" Hamish leaned on the wall with one hand wretching onto the floor.
Mizzryk departed toward the crystal, sniffling. The crystal painlessly absorbed him back into itself, absorbing its points back into its stores.
With Mizzryk gone, I turned back to the flickering core of the elemental, still glowing at the center of the room. The dungeon had not declared victory, however Our task was unfinished.
"Hamish," I said steadily, "I'll handle this."
He stepped back as I raised my staff and focused, drawing on my last reserves of strength. Ice and frost swirled above the core, coalescing into a massive spike. It took longer than I expected, but I poured everything into the spell as the icicle grew larger and sharper with each passing second.
Finally, with a piercing cry, I thrust my staff forward. The spike hurtled downward, piercing the core with a deafening crack. The core shattered, splintering into shards of molten light that scattered across the floor. Silence fell as the oppressive heat lifted.
Then the dungeon's voice echoed, calm and precise: "Victory achieved! Well done. Rewards unlocked."
In the center, a massive treasure chest appeared, its surface adorned with glowing runes. Hamish stepped forward and rested his hand on the lid. "This had better be worth it."
Inside we found:
A smooth, faintly glowing marble shard.
A rare metal shard etched with veins of silver and gold.
A ring for Hamish, enchanted to enhance his dexterity.
A scattering of gold coins and small trinkets.
Hamish slipped the ring on, a small grin emerging. "Not bad," he said. "Though I still don't know what to make of that candle."
I shrugged, too tired to care at this point. "Let's get back to the settlement. I'm done with this place."
Together, we made our way toward the dungeon's exit. For reasons I couldn't explain, I smiled with satisfaction all the way out.