Ayan stepped forward, shielding himself. The freed creature lunged at him. He dodged, slashed its side with his blade. Flesh parted, innards spilling out—not organs, but a tangle of souls bound into a single mass. They pulsed, jerked, tried to tear free.

  The creature's maw gaped wider than it should. Its jaw dropped to its very chest. From within burst a scream—dozens of voices at once, children's, women's, men's. They interwove, layered over each other, forming an inhuman howl.

  Ainur and Yernazar couldn't stay on their feet, whilst Ayan, with difficulty overcoming the weakness flooding his entire body, drove "Etheric Burst" straight into the gaping maw. Such an assessment of its vocal abilities immediately reached the creature and it fell silent. Apparently even it felt ashamed.

  In fury the creature seized the lad by the shoulder, sank its claws into flesh. Ayan snarled, used "Strike" on the wrist and the fingers unclenched. He twisted free, struck its head with his shield. The creature swayed.

  Not losing a moment, the lad used "Verdict of Ether", followed by a new "Strike", giving him a third charge.

  Ayan raised his sword and together with the blow used "Burst". The creature's skull—if it was indeed a skull—cracked, split in two. It crashed to the floor, arms buckling beneath it.

  The souls within the torn body burst out all at once. Two belonging to adults and one to a child, barely distinguishable, ghostly figures soared upward, as though freed from invisible bonds. They spun in the air, weaving into an intricate dance, their outlines trembling and blurring, as though unable to hold form. A moment later they all rushed to the ceiling and dissolved in the corridor's darkness, leaving behind only a faint glow that quickly faded in the stone.

  The creature's body began to shrivel, transforming into a shapeless mass.

  Ayan exhaled, lowered his shield. Blood ran down his arm, but the pain had dulled.

  "Alive?" he asked.

  "Alive," Ainur confirmed, still not having recovered from the solo concert. Her voice sounded muffled, as though coming from a distance. She slowly rose to her feet, bracing herself against the wall with one hand, and ran her palm down her face, as though trying to wipe away an invisible web of horror.

  Yernazar nodded, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. His breathing still hadn't restored, his chest heaving heavily. The lad leant against the cold stone of the wall, trying to quell the trembling in his knees.

  Silence returned to the corridor, spreading across the ancient vaults and filling the entire space. Only somewhere behind, in the cave's depths, water burbled faintly, its monotonous whisper seeming almost soothing to Ayan after the inhuman howl that had tormented his ears just moments before.

  The three orcs silently settled by the wall, away from the decomposing mass. Ainur retrieved a flask, took several greedy gulps and passed it to Yernazar. He drank half, returned it.

  Ayan wiped blood from his shoulder, examined the wound. Not deep. Flesh torn, but bone intact. Regeneration was already at work—the wound edges slowly drew together, though not as quickly as he'd have liked.

  For five minutes—perhaps even ten, here in the cave's depths, time flowed strangely, blurred and indefinite—none of the three spoke a single word. Only heavy, gradually evening breathing disturbed the echoing silence of the corridor, reflecting off the ancient stone vaults in muffled echo. Hearts that had recently pounded in their chests with frantic frequency, as though trying to burst free, slowly but inexorably returned to their familiar, measured rhythm.

  Pulses calmed. Trembling in muscles gradually retreated, yielding to familiar, almost pleasant post-battle fatigue.

  Ayan rose first. He approached the creature's remains. It had already transformed into a lump of desiccated flesh from which jutted pieces of bone. The lad, from curiosity, drew his knife, poked the mass. It yielded like dried leather.

  System text appeared before his eyes.

  [Soul Sorceress (0/2,100)

  Level 25

  Rank: C]

  Ayan mentally willed the remains to transfer to his ring. The remains were sucked inside, vanished without trace. No blood, no flesh—as though they'd never been. Next he moved the corpse to the Seal.

  "This was a soul sorceress, the previous boss fattened from such a creature," having also hidden in his inventory the familiar larvae carcasses, whose rank and level remained unchanged, the lad continued. "We need to think."

  "About what?" Ainur rose.

  "How to fight such creatures. We'll meet them more than once."

  The lad turned to his companions. "We were lucky that 'Burst' had three charges when it began its scream attack. I think that's precisely what interrupted its cast."

  "You'll have to always keep it charged," Yernazar supposed. "We don't know when it starts using it."

  Ainur folded her arms across her chest. "And if there are several of them?"

  "Then we split up. Some tank, others hit."

  "Easy to say," she muttered. "Tanking such filth—it'll cost us dear. You couldn't withstand the strike either and dropped out of the fight along with me. Rayan's bites didn't even help me. Brr, just remembering gives me the creeps!"

  Ayan nodded to her. "You're right, you won't hold a sorceress, or it'll simply kill you. If we meet two or more, I'll tank them myself. You must only hit my target. That's how we'll take them down, one after another."

  Yernazar scratched his head. "And if they have other abilities? Besides the scream?"

  "We'll find out in practice," Ayan answered dryly.

  Ainur smirked. "So, everything as usual, all our hope's on luck?"

  "Yes."

  A pause hung. Ayan surveyed the corridor ahead. Darkness stretched further, deeper into the cave.

  "Ready?" he asked.

  "Do we have a choice?" Ainur chuckled.

  "Always." Ayan turned to her. "We can go back."

  She looked at him with a long, heavy gaze in which no trace of former mockery remained. All the merriment that literally a second ago had still glowed in her amber eyes instantly evaporated without residue, as though it had never been. Ainur silently straightened, squared her shoulders and gripped her bow more firmly. The lad slowly nodded to the girl, acknowledging her silent decision to continue the path despite all the dangers that lay in wait ahead.

  When he turned and continued his path into the grim dungeon's depths, where darkness thickened with every step, their small group was extremely serious and completely focused on the coming trials. No one cracked jokes anymore, didn't converse in hushed tones. Only even breathing, the creak of leather armour and the dull echo of steps on the cave's stone floor disturbed the oppressive silence.

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  They encountered the first group after five minutes' walk. A sorceress and two larvae emerged from a side passage. Ayan took all three on himself, parrying the sorceress's claws with his shield, pushing her towards the wall. The larvae tried to get round the sides, but the opening's width didn't suffice.

  All damage was concentrated on the most dangerous opponent. Even Yernazar took up his bow. And then the sorceress opened its maw. Ayan discharged "Burst", interrupting the ability's use. The creature choked on the unreleased scream, jerked, trying to leap back from the vicious orc, but he gave it not a single chance.

  The larvae were finished off quickly. They were no longer perceived as a serious threat, though they could have caused plenty of problems if Ayan had lost concentration even for an instant.

  The second group was found in one of the branches. The group always checked these, and after the boss hall, nearly all of them contained caches. The sorceress darted forward, larvae following. Ayan met them with his shield, but there was no room to manoeuvre. The sorceress seized his leg, tried to topple him. The lad used "Strike", threw off the grip. "Verdict" to the shoulder, then another "Strike" to the throat. "Burst" into the maw during casting dealt incredible critical damage. The skull cracked, but the creature continued struggling. Another "Strike", "Verdict" and it was done. The sorceress collapsed, souls bursting from the torn body.

  The third group awaited them at a wide crossroads. A sorceress and three larvae. Ayan took the sorceress on himself, Ainur pressed the larvae. The creature proved faster than previous ones, dodged strikes, came at his back. The lad constantly shifted position, didn't let it get round his flank.

  "Strike", "Verdict", "Strike"—charges accumulated. The sorceress opened its maw. "Burst" blew apart its jaw. The creature swayed but didn't fall. Ayan repeated the combination and a second "Burst", which tore apart the sorceress's chest, finished it off.

  Four souls burst from the remains—three adults and one child.

  The larvae were finished off. Ainur received a ragged wound along her arm, Yernazar immediately began healing.

  Now the three orcs sat in this chamber, resting before continuing onwards. The cave walls flickered in places with faint phosphorescent light—fungi or moss, Ayan didn't know. The air was stale but tolerable.

  Ainur felt her arm, as though not believing in the healer's skill. "How many more of them are here?"

  "Don't know." Ayan checked his sword blade, wiped off the blood with a piece of cloth. "Further along the corridor two sorceresses await us. Simultaneously. I can hear them clearly."

  Yernazar froze. "Two?"

  "Yes."

  "And how will we manage?" Ainur finished her check.

  "I'll tank both. You only hit the one I'm hitting. Don't split your fire. Prepare healing potions; as soon as the second stops screaming, drink up."

  "And if they both start screaming at once?" Yernazar folded his arms across his chest.

  "I'll use 'Burst' on one regardless, and the second will have to finish its cast." Ayan sheathed his sword and retrieved his flask, took several gulps. "If I black out, take them down yourselves. Or run."

  "We won't abandon you," Ainur cut in, and the healer supported her decision with a nod. They didn't know about his "Inevitability of the Punisher" ability, so they took the lad's words seriously.

  "Thanks. Five minutes' rest and forward."

  Ayan slowly leant back against the cold stone wall, closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. He didn't want his companions to see what was happening inside him now—that strange mixture of gratitude, confusion and something else he couldn't name. For the first time in all the time he could remember, someone had said they wouldn't abandon him. Not from duty. Not from calculation. Simply because they considered it right.

  In reality such a thing had never happened.

  Five minutes flew by surprisingly quickly—as though the world had decided not to give him time for reflection. Ayan unstuck his eyelids, slowly pushed away from the wall and rose to his feet. He retrieved his shield from his back, checked each leather strap, ensured everything sat tightly and securely. Then ran his palm along the shield's edge, feeling for new irregularities in the metal.

  "Let's go."

  Ainur and Yernazar rose behind him. The trio moved into the corridor where two sorceresses awaited.

  The corridor narrowed, walls closing in, as though the cave was trying to crush the uninvited guests. Ayan walked ahead, peering into the darkness. He noticed the sorceresses before they sensed the group's approach.

  The first lurked by the left wall, the second by the right. Between them remained about three metres of free space.

  "Ready?" Ayan whispered.

  "Yes," Ainur responded.

  Yernazar nodded silently.

  The lad stepped into the visible zone and used "Verdict" on the nearest target. The sorceresses jerked simultaneously. The first, having taken damage, darted from the left, the second from the right. Ayan lunged at the right one, took the claw strike on his shield. The left one circled round him, tried to get behind his back.

  He wheeled, slashed with his blade charged with "Strike" across the right creature's ribs, deflected the left one's attack with his shield. The sorceresses surrounded him, attacked in sync from different directions.

  Another "Strike" to the right one's chest. It recoiled. The left seized his shield, tried to wrench it away. Ayan jerked towards himself, kicked at the knee. The joint crunched, but the sorceress kept her balance. Though she did release the shield.

  The right one opened its maw. Ayan instantly discharged "Burst", immediately interrupting the starting ability. The left also spread its jaws and the lad could do nothing to counter it.

  The scream struck his nerves, paralysed his muscles. Ayan froze. The sorceresses closed the circle.

  The right one latched onto his shoulder, the left onto his thigh. Claws tore flesh, reached bone.

  Ayan, screaming from pain, lunged forward, tore himself from their clutches. He re-gripped his sword, plunged it into the left one's throat, but the scream didn't stop.

  He repeated with "Strike" whilst the right one tore at his shoulder. This time it worked and the creature fell silent, though the lad still didn't understand whether this had happened due to his action or simply because its time had run out.

  The sorceresses closed in again. Yernazar came to himself and, downing a potion without rising from his knees, began healing Ayan.

  Turning to check his companions' condition—he had no time, the creatures launched a fresh attack.

  Ayan gripped the sword hilt, re-gripped his shield. The right sorceress darted first, claws aimed at his throat. He interposed his shield, metal shrieked under the impact. The left came round the side, latched onto his undefended flank.

  The lad snarled, used "Verdict" on the right creature's muzzle. It recoiled but didn't fall. The left tore flesh from his ribs, skin—both his and the armour's—came away in strips.

  Healing—from his companion and from his heritage—closed the wounds, but slowly. Too slowly. And the pain went nowhere, on the contrary, it only accumulated.

  Ayan had no time to pity himself, he wheeled, slashed with his blade across the left sorceress's wrist. Fingers unclenched. He shoved it away with his shield, but the right was already near. It seized his forearm, tried to wrench away the sword.

  The lad jerked, drove the blade into the shoulder joint. Cartilage parted, the creature's arm went limp. It howled, leapt back.

  The left came at his side again. Ayan heard the scrape of claws on stone, crouched. The strike passed over his head, shearing off a lock of hair.

  He sprang up, struck upward with his shield. The edge crashed into its jaw, teeth cracked. The sorceress swayed but held her ground.

  "Strike" to the chest. Flesh parted, but this had no effect on the creature's mobility or strength.

  The right one darted again. Ayan re-gripped his shield, took the blow on it. Claws screeched, leaving deep scratches. Then an arrow plunged into its throat, Ainur had come to herself.

  He slashed with his sword across the neck, but the strike failed when the blade caught on the arrow's shaft. But this didn't spare the lad from the disgusting fountain of blood that sprayed straight into his face.

  The left one opened its maw.

  Ayan instantly charged "Etheric Burst" into it. The scream cut off.

  The right sorceress, seizing the moment, grabbed his head, tried to tear it off. Skin on his temples stretched. The lad even managed to feel fear that at this rate he'd lose his scalp.

  A reverse slashing strike weakened the grip and he managed to save his hair.

  The left latched onto his chest, claws pierced the armour, reached his ribs.

  With effort, overcoming pain paralysis, Ayan drove his sword into the left creature's stomach. The blade passed clean through, struck the spine.

  It jerked but didn't release him.

  An arrow whistled past his ear, plunged into the right sorceress's eye. It howled and missed, its swing passing by Ayan's head.

  A second arrow pierced the left one's neck. It choked on blood, recoiled.

  Ayan crashed forward, braced his palms against stone. His breathing tore raggedly, vision swam.

  Ainur shot without stopping. Arrows buried themselves in the sorceresses' flesh, one after another.

  Yernazar, still on his knees, poured healing into the lad's back. Green light enveloped the wounds, closed the edges.

  Ayan shut his eyes, let the magic do its work.

  Minutes dragged slowly. His breathing evened, pain dulled.

  When he opened his eyes, Ainur sat by the opposite wall. The bow lay across her knees, hands trembling.

  "Good shooting," Ayan said.

  She smirked, but the smile came out crooked. "Thought I wouldn't make it."

  "You did."

  Yernazar released his shoulder, leant back against the stones. "Let's not meet two at once anymore."

  "Agreed," the lad nodded. "Main thing is they decide the same."

  Silence hung.

  Ayan rose, picked up his sword. Examined the blade—notches, cracks. It needed sharpening.

  "Ten minutes' rest. Then we move on."

  No one objected.