The darkness of the dungeon grew thicker as they ventured deeper. The air, usually cold and still, now felt heavy—filled with faint whispers that had no clear source. Oyen, with a small spark flickering on the tip of his spike, scanned the area cautiously.
"Do you feel that?" Oyen whispered. The other egglings nodded, each beginning to show signs of tension.
Putih slowly blanketed the surroundings with his cold mist, forming a thin veil that could hide them from enemy sight. Belang, already blended in with the rocky textures, kept watch from the shadows. Lurik danced around, creating shifting illusions that confused the ambient aura.
MC, the spiky rotten egg, felt a strange pulse in his thorn disk—a signal that the Light Element they were searching for was nearby. But this light was different. It was dim, choked by the surrounding darkness, as if struggling to survive.
"Stay alert," MC warned as they moved deeper.
Suddenly—
Something dropped from the dungeon ceiling.
*Plop!*
Right on MC's shell.
"…What was that?" MC muttered, glancing upward, only to find a scruffy little bat clinging to one of his back spikes. The bat stared blankly at MC, then started snoring.
"YOU'VE BEEN NAPPING ON ME THIS WHOLE TIME?!" MC hissed, whispering angrily as he tried to shake the bat off. But the creature only gripped tighter and yawned.
"He's kinda cute," Cimut whispered, almost giggling.
"Cute?! This is a hell-level dungeon! Not a hotel for sleepy bats!"
"He looks stressed too... Maybe he just needed a hug," added Abu, trying to help remove the bat.
After much wobbling and two very ungraceful rolls, MC finally dislodged the bat. It flapped its wings, let out a tiny "hic", and disappeared back into the shadows.
"If that thing clings to me again, I swear I'll stuff it in the klou space next to the rotten mushrooms," MC grumbled.
Oyen let out a small chuckle, and the tension among them eased for a moment.
From the shadows, a figure slowly emerged. Its form was unclear, like dark mist blending with the surrounding gloom. Its voice trembled, filled with mystery and warning.
"You seek the Light Element? The light you seek is no ordinary one. It holds secrets and trials that cannot be overcome by brute force alone," the figure said in a deep tone.
The egglings exchanged looks, understanding this wasn't just about physical battle. They were about to face something deeper—a test of trust, courage, and sacrifice.
MC gripped his thorn disk tightly, knowing that to claim this element, they would have to face the darkest corners within themselves.
"If we turn back now, we'll never know," MC said firmly. "We face it together—as a family."
The air around them trembled, and the dim light began to pulse softly, as if waiting for their choice.