Nova Force Book 1

A thunderous explosion tore through the dungeon, its reverberations splitting the air as molten lava erupted in ferocious geysers, streaking the darkness with fiery red and gold. From the ceiling, massive rocks dislodged, plummeting down in a deadly cascade, each one an omen of peril.
"Selinthia, look out!" Jashino's voice rang out through the chaos as a colossal rock careened toward her. With a swift incantation, he thrust his hands forward, channeling a torrent of arcane energy that crackled and surged. The rock exploded just inches from Selinthia, shattering into harmless fragments that rained down like dust.
Selinthia stumbled back, eyes wide with shock and gratitude. "Thanks, Jashino! I thought I was done for."
Meanwhile, John was focused on a different battle—against the searing heat that filled the air. His hands shimmered with a brilliant, icy blue, channeling his nova force with a fierce intensity. Waves of freezing energy radiated from his palms, cooling the scorching dungeon air and pushing back the oppressive heat, offering the team a fleeting sanctuary in the midst of the inferno.
"John, you're a legend!" Analu called, her voice barely piercing the relentless din. "Keep it up! We need to get out before this place becomes our tomb."
They pressed forward, racing through the collapsing dungeon with practiced agility. Pools of molten lava bubbled around them, and the ground trembled with each new eruption. At every turn, danger loomed, but they faced it as one: Jashino's explosive magic blasted away debris, opening a clear path; John's frigid aura cooled the air, enabling them to breathe and move; and Selinthia and Analu used their dexterity to dodge falling rocks, guiding the group with precision and speed.
Every step felt like a dance with death, yet their combined strengths carved a path through the chaos, forging ahead with unwavering resilience. They were bruised, exhausted, and singed, yet they kept moving, fueled by the unspoken bond that connected them.
Finally, they saw it—a massive entrance bathed in a blinding, ethereal light. A portal, their escape.
"Through here!" Sarah shouted, leading the charge toward salvation. With a final surge, they leapt through the radiant gateway, leaving the devastation behind.
On the other side, they tumbled into a world of tranquility, a lush landscape bathed in warm sunlight. Towering trees swayed gently around them, their leaves whispering in the soft breeze, and a serene, sprawling meadow stretched out before them. They lay on the grass, breathing heavily, eyes wide as they took in the stark contrast from the fiery chaos of the dungeon.
Analu broke the silence, laughing with a blend of relief and exhilaration. "Now that was terrifying… and epic!"
"Yeah, never doing that again," John added, chuckling as he shook his head, though the faint glint in his eyes hinted otherwise.
They exchanged glances, their faces painted with exhaustion yet etched with the thrill of survival, their bond strengthened by the fires they had faced together.
 
"Me neither, never again… Are they certain that was a Saint-class monster? We've never encountered one before, but that—" John shook his head, disbelief etched across his face. "That was like watching four higher-tier advanced beasts collide in a storm."
Analu's gaze was still fixed on the yawning maw of the dungeon. "We have to report this immediately. This is madness. No one should enter that dungeon for now… But more importantly, who were those two men?"
As the Slayers regrouped near the dungeon entrance, a rumble deep within the earth snapped them from their thoughts. The ground buckled and groaned, sending out tremors that rippled beneath their feet, forcing them back until they stood fifty meters away, riveted to the spot in a mix of awe and trepidation. They had learned through harsh experience that dungeon monsters rarely—if ever—ventured beyond their cursed domains unless something far more sinister forced them out.
But this was no ordinary quake. Adventurers in the vicinity paled as they backed away, some fleeing entirely. These vibrations heralded a power far beyond any they had faced—a force too dangerous for the unprepared.
Suddenly, the ground erupted as a massive Drake tore its way out of the dungeon, sliding across the stone with a fury that belied its sheer size. Without hesitation, John surged forward, his voice echoing with command, "Come forth, Ice Wall!"
The spectacle of ice erupted, an imposing glacial barricade rising to tower fifteen meters high, with walls two meters thick and spanning twenty meters across, casting a shimmering, azure glow over the battlefield. The Drake's colossal form barreled forward, crashing against the wall with a thunderous impact, skidding to a stop as icy crystals coated its scales.
The Slayers leaped onto the barricade, ready to mount their attack—only to freeze mid-step.
From within the dungeon's depths, a titanic hand, gnarled and veined with tendrils of eldritch energy, reached out and gripped the writhing Drake with effortless dominance. With a flick of its wrist, the creature was discarded like a broken toy, its defeated form lifeless at the base of the ice wall. Then, just as mysteriously, the hand withdrew back into the dungeon's shadows, leaving only silence in its wake.
Analu and John exchanged uneasy glances, hearts pounding as they stepped back. The tremors subsided, and from the dark maw of the dungeon emerged two diminutive yet powerful figures.
A familiar, otherworldly voice broke the silence, dripping with a mocking tone. "Are you truly so susceptible to fire; damn fire is your weakness? Outside here, your ice abilities seem more powerful." It was him—the man with a hundred eyes. His masked face bore an unsettling grin, his gaze penetrating and unyielding, flanked by his enigmatic companion cloaked in dark robes.
"Allseen…" John whispered, recognizing the menace before them, John then continued to speak, "Everyone has a weakness in life." He added.
"Well, yeah, that's true. I haven't found mine as yet, though." Replied Allseen.
As the figures stepped forward, their features sharpened in the harsh light. Allseen, clad in pristine white robes adorned with shifting, eerie eyes, wielded a monstrous scythe with a long, snow-white handle and glistening blades that seemed to hum with a spectral energy. Beside him stood his companion, the one who had vanquished the Drake—a tall figure with emerald green eyes and hair the color of verdant earth, marked by a jagged scar slashing across his left eye. The formidable aura radiating from him was palpable; even the air seemed to bend around his gray sword, etched with ancient green runes that pulsed faintly, as though alive.
Analu steadied herself, her voice resonating with authority. "Who are you two?"
Allseen laughed, his masked face tilting with a dark amusement. "I am Allseen Visto, seer of realms and the eye of destiny." He gestured toward his companion, who remained silent, his gaze fixed with a cold intensity. "And this is Ryoji Takahashi."
Ryoji scowled, his voice low and razor-edged with disdain. "Must you always announce our names so freely?"
Allseen shrugged, the motion casual, almost mocking, as his grin widened beneath the shadow of his mask. "Come now, it's only a matter of time. They'll know soon enough." His many eyes glinted with an unnerving light, their eerie movements hinting at a deeper, unfathomable awareness. "Not that it will matter... not for long."
The air grew colder, as if the very atmosphere recoiled from their presence. A creeping unease slithered through the Slayers, wrapping tight around their chests. It wasn't fear—not entirely—but something primal, something ancient, a silent warning their minds couldn't fully grasp. These men carried a weight, an aura of impending calamity, as if the world itself held its breath in their presence.
Allseen and Ryoji turned, their backs to the Slayers, but their departure offered no comfort. The heavy silence they left behind seemed to echo with unspoken promises of ruin. Every step they took toward the dungeon was a drumbeat of foreboding, a harbinger of chaos that no blade or spell could hope to counter.
Sarah exhaled sharply, breaking the suffocating tension. "We have to let Konessàne know about this. The real monsters this time weren't in the dungeon—they were those two men."
Analu nodded, her voice steadier than she felt. "Yeah. Send him a message through the Nova Comms. We should be in range. We'll meet him at the nearest town... and we'll need a cleanup crew for this mess."
They moved quickly, their motions rushed and clumsy, as if to escape the lingering presence of the two men. With practiced efficiency, they harvested the monster's core and shoved it into their storage bag, their usual triumph replaced by a grim urgency.

As they turned toward the path leading to the nearest town, none of them dared speak of what gnawed at their thoughts—that they had crossed paths with something far worse than any dungeon could hold. And worse still, those two men had let them live.