Chapter 8: After the Fall of the Dungeon

Shubhu stood tall over the defeated Evil God's Pawn, his chest heaving from the exertion of the fight. His companions—Ansh, Kavi, and Siya—gathered around him, still catching their breath. The battle had been brutal, and the toll on the dungeon was clear. The once majestic and intricate corridors of the dungeon now seemed unstable. Small cracks ran through the walls, and the faint sound of stones shifting echoed in the silence.

"It's over," Kavi muttered, looking at the fallen pawn, a sense of relief washing over him. But his relief was short-lived.

Suddenly, a tremor shook the ground beneath them. Ansh looked around, his eyes wide with realization. "The core... The dungeon core has been destroyed!"

The others turned to him in shock. The dungeon core was the lifeblood of the entire dungeon, keeping it stable and secure. Without it, the dungeon was doomed to collapse.

"Run!" Shubhu shouted.

The walls began to shake violently, and chunks of stone fell from the ceiling. The floor cracked open, revealing pits of darkness beneath them. The entire dungeon was crumbling around them.

Siya acted quickly, summoning a wall of fire to hold back some of the falling debris. "We need to get out, now!" she yelled.

Shubhu didn't hesitate. Calling on his spirits, Dharā, the spirit of the earth, and Rudra, the spirit of wind, he gave them a mental command. Dharā immediately stabilized the crumbling floor beneath their feet, forming a pathway out of the chaos. Meanwhile, Rudra conjured a whirlwind around them, pushing away the falling rubble and creating a protective barrier of wind.

"Follow me!" Shubhu urged, leading the way as the spirits helped clear the path. They sprinted toward the exit, the dungeon collapsing around them, the roar of destruction growing louder.

The dungeon shook violently, threatening to trap them inside forever. Just as they neared the exit, a massive stone column collapsed in front of them, blocking their way. For a moment, panic surged through the group.

"We're trapped!" Ansh cried out.

Shubhu, however, wasn't ready to give up. He reached out to Kartika, his blade spirit, and summoned her energy. A sharp gust of wind sliced through the air, shattering the stone column in their way.

"Keep moving!" Shubhu commanded, his voice resolute.

Finally, they burst through the dungeon's entrance and into the open air, just as the entire structure collapsed behind them with a deafening roar. Dust and debris billowed up into the sky, and the ground trembled beneath their feet one last time before settling into silence.

Panting, they stood outside, their bodies covered in dust and sweat, staring at the pile of rubble that was once the dungeon.

"We made it," Kavi said, breathing heavily. "We're alive."

Ansh wiped the sweat from his forehead, nodding in agreement. "Barely."

Shubhu stood silently, staring at the destruction. "This isn't over," he said quietly. "The dungeon may be gone, but the Evil God's forces will come after us now."

Siya glanced at him, her eyes narrowing. "You're right. We've defeated a pawn, but there's more to come."

---

Far Away in the Darkness…

Miles away, deep within the bowels of an ancient, foreboding fortress, a sinister figure sat on a massive stone throne. The dimly lit room was filled with shadows that seemed to move on their own, as if alive. The oppressive air was thick with the scent of decay and darkness.

A deep, rumbling voice echoed through the chamber. "One of our pawns has been destroyed."

The voice belonged to Evil King Ivan, a towering figure cloaked in dark robes, his face hidden beneath a hood. His glowing red eyes pierced through the shadows, filled with fury.

"Find out who did this," he commanded. "Send out the bishops, knights, rooks, and the remaining pawns. We cannot let this go unpunished."

A servant, a hunched figure in a tattered cloak, scurried forward and bowed deeply. "Yes, my lord. I will summon them immediately."

Within moments, the chamber filled with eerie figures—each one more twisted and dark than the last. They were the Evil King's elite, his most trusted minions, each holding a position of power within his dark army.

The Evil King rose from his throne, his shadow casting a menacing figure across the room. "One of our pawns has been slain in Jedna Village. Who can tell me who was responsible for this?"

The room fell into a heavy silence. No one dared to speak. After a tense moment, Karan, one of the knights, stepped forward.

"Your Majesty," Karan began, his voice shaking slightly. "I was in Jedna Village when I encountered a powerful God's Heir. He nearly killed me, but I escaped. This heir... he's unlike anyone I've ever faced. He controls water, blades, fire… and even… time."

At the mention of time, the Evil King Ivan's eyes widened with dark amusement. "Time, you say?"

Karan nodded slowly. "Yes, my lord. I've never seen anything like it. I believe he may be a high-tier heir. Perhaps even… a descendant of the Time God."

A ripple of whispers spread through the gathered crowd.

"Could it be?"

"The Time God was supposed to be dead!"

"Has he returned?"

The Evil King silenced them with a raise of his hand. His voice turned cold, dangerous. "The Time God has been gone for centuries… But if this heir is who you say he is, then we must act swiftly."

His eyes gleamed with malice. "Keep a close watch on this heir. But do nothing until we know for sure. If he truly is a descendant of the Time God, we will deal with him when the time is right. For now… we wait."

The room fell silent once more as the Evil King dismissed them. But the thought of this new threat lingered in the air.

---

Shubhu's Unease

Back in the village, Shubhu and his companions had gathered at a local restaurant, trying to relax after the chaos of the dungeon. Plates of food lay in front of them, and laughter filled the air, but Shubhu couldn't shake a sense of unease.

"Are you alright?" Siya asked, noticing his distraction.

Shubhu hesitated before responding. "I don't know. Something feels… off."

"Off how?" Kavi asked, his mouth full of food.

Shubhu shook his head, trying to push away the strange feeling. "It's probably nothing. Just tired, I guess."

But deep down, Shubhu knew it wasn't nothing. Something dark was stirring in the world, and it was coming for him. He could feel it.