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The final chamber of the dungeon unfurled like a forbidden garden—lush with unnatural life and glittering with forgotten treasure. Twisting roots, heavy vines, and hanging mosses formed the throne of this domain. In the center stood a vast, overgrown altar, its base cracked and bleeding golden Rukh. Piles of gold, treasures, and ancient relics sparkled amid the vines, tempting yet untouched.
Merlin and Morgana stood at the threshold, cautious. Behind them, the doors closed with a finality that echoed through the room like fate.
A voice echoed through the canopy above.
"You have come far."
Descending in a slow, ethereal glide, Zagan emerged, his blue skin glowing in the green light, white hair streaming behind him like ivy in the wind.
"I am Merlin, this is my companion Morgana. I have come to be King."
His eyes, wise and weary, first rested on Merlin. Then on Morgana. And narrowed.
"I hate humans. They are not nothing, but power hungry, greedy, idiots. And this one is Tainted by dark Rukh. A human who succumbed to the dark aspects of this world. I despise humans like you especially." Zagan spat with venom.
Morgana looked away embarrassed.
After his statement, Zagan ignored her and turned to Merlin with disdain evident in his glare.
"You brought this wretched thing with you?" he asked tauntingly.
Despite the taunt, Merlin remained with a blank expression. Cold. Calm.
He then spoke and made sure to deliver each word deliberately slow.
"I may want your power, however I won't let some mystical bastard talk about my companion like that. I will conquer your dungeon and make you apologize to her." He ended coldly.
Morgana still looked away, although her cheeks were flushed with warmth.
Zagan snorted.
"Quite the declaration coming from an odd specimen. You aren't even a Magi, yet the Rukh treats you as if you're its beloved."
"What are you?"
Their conversation was cut short.
Merlin and Zagan sensed it, an external presence entered the dungeon. Before any of them could react it clasped itself onto Morgana.
Morgana gasped, clutching her head.
"M-Merlin… something's—wrong—!"
"Morgana!" Merlin yelled.
Morgana screamed. Her body arched backward as the black mist engulfed her, lifting her into the air. The Rukh around her grew violent, dark and spiraling. The outline of her body twisted and bent, she lay on the ground armored in black and violet—an unholy Djinn Equip formed from darkness and possession.
Zagan grimaced.
"Fine then, since you want my power let this be your final trial. Save her—or destroy her."
Morgana rose.
Her body erupted into a twisted form of corrupted Djinn Equip—vines tangled with shadow armor, dark mist bleeding from her blade. Her eyes glowed crimson, her voice now layered with a foreign darkness.
"All things will rot, Merlin. Even you."
[Scanning Target]
Name: Morgana Ren
Age: 20
Race: Human (Al-Thamen Blood)
Origin: Kou Empire (Hidden Royal)
Titles: Vessel of Corruption
Emotions: Lost | Conflicted | Consumed
Combat Proficiency: Tier 6 (Amplified by Al-Thamen Influence)
Thoughts: "Let it end. Let the pain stop."
Merlin sighed.
Morgana now empowered by the darkness shot forward slicing toward Merlin with pure dark Rukh.
Merlin instantly focused.
"Rukh protect me!" he shouted.
Enveloped in a violet bubble of Rukh, Merlin absorbed her attack.
Zagan's eyes widened.
"Light and dark Rukh both reside within you."
He studied Merlin focusing as if it would kill him if he looked away once.
"They are balanced?"
His tone shifted to one of admiration.
"It's perfect."
Merlin tuned Zagan's remarks out, focusing fully on Morgana's arm transforming. Vine-like whips shot out of her arms slamming against the barrier.
The barrier didn't budge.
Aero Signa, a blast of wind shot out aimed directly at the vines.
Morgana easily dispersed the vines.
"Give up. Struggle is pointless," she said in a sinister voice.
"I won't give up until I save you," Merlin said firmly.
She slammed her hand into the ground causing a large vine mixed with black Rukh to attack Merlin.
Aero Signa.
The blast of wind slightly slowed the blow. The wind slammed into the Rukh barrier—forming a crack around it. Merlin dispersed his barrier.
'I need something more powerful. I need to destroy those vines.'
'Let's try this.'
Aero Signa. Compressing the wind, Merlin gave a command.
"Burn."
The once Aero Signa became Pyro Signa.
Pyro Signa.
A blast of fire shot out towards Morgana.
The vines surrounding her hands were burnt to ashes.
"Pest," she said venomously.
More vines shot in an instant threatening to overwhelm Merlin.
Merlin flicked back dodging most of the vines before being sliced in the cheek by one.
His cheek began to bleed small drops of blood.
"Stop holding back. You won't win this way.
Do what you must!" Zagan screamed.
"I understand what I must do," Merlin replied.
Zagan nodded.
Pyro Signa. Merlin summoned flames around him and used Wind Step. As he approached her, multiple vines shot out slicing his body with cuts.
'Idiot.'
Thought Zagan.
At point blank distance, Merlin summoned a flame bind causing her arms to be surrounded in flames.
Merlin began to cast a new spell despite still maintaining the flame bind.
Rukh Signa: Soul Link.
Combining a chain of Rukh around his soul, Merlin directly applied it to Morgana's.
Morgana thrashed and kicked Merlin while he held on.
The overwhelming darkness in her soul began to spread. It completely absorbed into Merlin's.
Morgana, now freed, fainted.
Merlin caught her before she hit the ground.
Black Rukh floated around before eventually settling down inside both of them.
Zagan teleported in front of them staring at Merlin with an odd expression.
To Merlin it looked like he was proud?
"I didn't expect you to be able to save her. When you said 'I know what I have to do,' I thought you were gonna kill her."
"You actually managed to save her."
"Good on you, kid." Zagan finished with a smile.
"I accept you as my new king. Show me just how far your ambition goes." Zagan transformed into a blue wisp and flew into Merlin's cape.
The dungeon began collapsing and Merlin floated the treasures toward the golden platform.
He did it. He completed the first step toward his dream.
They were teleported back next to Nabu's boat.
"What the! I didn't expect you would actually beat the dungeon! Especially not in 10 hours only! That has to be a record," the old man jumped up shouting.
"Shhhhh. She's asleep," Merlin glared at Nabu.
"Eeeeeeek. Sorry," Nabu instantly quieted down.
Merlin then looked up and smirked.
"Let's head back, sailor."
Nabu matched his smirk.
"Aye aye, captain."