Sera - A Dungeon Revival LitRPG

Haziel’s red lightning surged, slicing through the air with a force that reverberated through the entire chamber. The threads binding her vibrated with the strain, stretched to their limits as the Inquisitor’s power expanded beyond what they could contain. Zoha’s eyes widened, her confidence faltering as the threads threatened to snap.

With an explosive burst of energy, the threads shattered. The air filled with the sound of tearing silk as Haziel broke free, the remnants of the threads whipping around her before disintegrating into nothingness. The Inquisitor’s eyes blazed with fury as she glared at Zoha, her expression hard and unforgiving. Without hesitation, she raised her crackling sword, the red lightning condensing into a deadly, pulsating blade.

The searing blade cut through the air with terrifying speed, aimed directly at Zoha's heart. Instinctively, she tried to shift into her swarm form, but she knew it wouldn’t be fast enough. The blade was inches from her chest, the heat of the lightning already searing her skin, when suddenly, a brilliant light erupted between them.

A soft glow seeped from the folds of Zoha’s cloak, the faint light growing brighter until a card, radiant and spinning like a miniature sun, shot out. It sliced through the air with precision, tracing a golden arc before positioning itself between her and the descending blade. The card pulsed, edges shimmering with an ethereal, golden hue that flared as it intercepted the strike. Haziel’s sword clashed against the card, but instead of biting through it, the blade halted, as though caught by an unseen hand. The light from the card intensified, a blinding brilliance that filled the space, forcing Haziel to stumble back, her vision overwhelmed by the sudden flash.

Zoha blinked rapidly, her vision struggling against the lingering afterimage burned into her eyes. The world slowly came back into focus, revealing a figure standing before her, tall and confident, exuding an aura that danced between mischief and danger—Dante. The familiarity of his presence grounded her, even as the aftereffects of the blinding light lingered.

Zoha muttered, more to herself than to anyone else, “So that’s what that card does.”

Dante turned slightly, the playful smirk on his lips unmistakable. “The Fool has many tricks up its sleeve. But in this case, it only teleports me to whoever holds it when they’re in deep trouble. Seems I arrived just in time.”

Zoha rolled her eyes, though she felt the tight coil of tension within her ease slightly at the sight of her brother. “You could’ve warned me about the light.”

Dante shrugged, his smirk widening into a grin. “Where’s the fun in that? Besides, you looked like you could use a little surprise.”

Before Zoha could form a retort, Haziel shook her head, blinking away the remnants of the intense light. Her eyes locked onto the two of them, the fury within them burning just as hot as before. The air around her crackled with latent energy, red lightning sparking along the length of her sword as she prepared to strike again.

Dante’s expression turned serious as he exchanged a glance with Zoha. Without a word, they both dispersed and moved in opposite directions. Haziel’s eyes darted between them, sword raised as she assessed her targets. But before she could choose, Dante acted first.

With a flick of his wrist, Dante hurled a handful of red-colored cards at Haziel. The cards flew through the air before they exploded upon contact, each one bursting into a violent explosion of crimson energy. Haziel was forced to step back, raising her sword to deflect the blasts, but the sheer number of cards overwhelmed her defenses. The explosions rocked the chamber, sending shockwaves through the air.

Seizing the opportunity, Zoha conjured her threads once more and weaved them through the air. Each one shimmered faintly as they moved to ensnare Haziel, cutting off her avenues of escape. Haziel’s attention snapped to the threads, her eyes narrowing as she realized the trap being set around her.

With a swift, decisive motion, Haziel spun on her heel, her sword slicing through the air. The red lightning flared as the blade cut through the threads, severing them before they could fully entangle her. But in that split second of distraction, Dante had already moved again, his cards whirling through the air toward her.

Haziel twisted her body, dodging the first few cards with ease, but the relentless barrage forced her back. She lunged forward, attempting to close the distance between herself and Dante, but as she moved, more threads appeared, summoned by Zoha’s quick, precise gestures. The threads snaked through the air, forming a web that Haziel had no choice but to evade or cut down.

The chamber echoed with the sounds of combat, the crackle of energy, the hiss of slicing threads, and the roar of explosions. But even as the two siblings worked in tandem, it was clear that Haziel’s power was overwhelming.

With a final, furious roar, Haziel unleashed a shockwave of red lightning that radiated outward from her body. The force of the blast was immense, sending Dante and Zoha hurtling backward. Zoha crashed into a nearby wall, the impact jarring her bones and leaving her breathless. Dante was thrown across the chamber, skidding to a stop as he slammed into the cold stone floor.

The shockwave dissipated, leaving the chamber in eerie silence, broken only by the sound of rubble settling and the faint crackle of residual lightning. Haziel stood in the center of the destruction, her red eyes glowing with an intensity that promised there would be no mercy.

Zoha pushed herself up from the rubble, her body aching from the impact, but the fire in her eyes hadn’t dimmed. She wiped a streak of purple blood from her forehead, gaze locking onto Haziel, who still stood mostly unfazed, red lightning crackling around her form like a halo of destruction.

Dante rose beside her, brushing the dust from his coat with a wry grin. "Seems like she's not going to go down that easy."

Zoha smirked, her lips curling into a feral grin. "Then let's just hit her harder."

Without another word, the two siblings launched themselves at Haziel. Dante moved like a shadow, his cards appearing in his hands as if by magic, each one glowing with the promise of devastation. He threw them with deadly precision, aiming to pin Haziel down and create an opening that Zoha could exploit.

Haziel deflected the cards mid-air, each explosion rippling through the chamber with enough force to shake the very foundation. But for every card she deflected, another two took its place, closing in from every angle.

Zoha dissolved into her swarm form. The black cloud of flies buzzed through the air, circling Haziel, obscuring her vision, biting at her skin. Soon, the demoness reformed behind Haziel, dagger gleaming as she struck out and aimed for a vital spot.

But the Inquisitor spun with unnatural speed, lightning-imbued sword slicing through the air. Zoha barely managed to twist out of the way, the blade missing her by a hair's breadth, the heat of the lightning scorching her side. She retaliated with a quick slash of her own, but Haziel parried it effortlessly, the force of the block sending Zoha stumbling backward.

Meanwhile, Dante continued his assault, summoning more red cards charged with explosive energy. He flanked Haziel, trying to draw her attention away from Zoha, to give his sister the chance she needed. But Haziel still managed to bat away his attacks with ease.

Zoha lunged again with her dagger, but Haziel met her head-on. The Inquisitor’s sword clashed against Zoha’s blade, the red lightning arcing between them as they struggled for dominance. The demoness gritted her teeth, pouring all her strength into the attack, but Haziel’s power was overwhelming. With a savage twist, the Inquisitor broke the deadlock and swung her sword down with brutal force.

The blade caught Zoha across the chest, the red lightning searing through her defenses. Zoha gasped in pain, the force of the blow sending her reeling.

Dante hurled more cards, trying to divert Haziel’s attention, but the Inquisitor was relentless. She blocked his attacks with ease, focus never wavering from Zoha.

The demoness knew she was being cornered, but she refused to back down. She shifted into her swarm form again, the cloud of flies scattering in all directions, but Haziel anticipated the move. With a snap of her fingers, the Inquisitor unleashed a pulse of red lightning that radiated outward, energy crackling through the air like a living thing. The swarm of flies was caught in the blast, the arcane energy tearing through them with merciless precision. Zoha reformed a few feet away, trembling from the strain.

Haziel was already upon her, with her sword raised high. Zoha tried to dodge, to shift into her swarm form again, but she was too slow. The inquisitor's sword descended with unerring accuracy, the blade piercing through Zoha’s defenses and driving deep into her stomach.

Zoha’s eyes widened in shock, a choked gasp escaping her lips as the pain lanced through her body. The red lightning flared, searing her flesh, the smell of burning skin filling the air. Haziel twisted the blade with a cold and detached expression as she watched Zoha’s life force drain away.

But before Haziel could twist the blade further and end it, a flash of bright yellow light exploded in front of her eyes. The light was so intense that it seared her vision, blinding her momentarily. Haziel hissed in frustration, instinctively pulling her sword free from Zoha’s body as she staggered back, hands flying to her eyes to shield them from the painful glare.

Dante's heart pounded in his chest as he seized the fleeting moment of opportunity. He moved with fluid urgency as he darted to Zoha's side. Her body was limp, skin more pallid than usual, and breath shallow.

When he reached her, she barely stirred, her eyes flickering open just enough to recognize him through the haze of agony that clouded her senses. Her lips parted, a faint attempt at speech, but the words failed her. All she could manage was a weak, almost imperceptible nod, her last bit of strength yielding to her brother's care.

Dante wrapped one arm around her waist, feeling the dead weight of her body slump against him. His muscles strained as he supported her, his grip firm yet gentle. With his free hand, he reached into the depths of his coat, fingers brushing against the familiar texture of the red cards he had stashed there.

"Hang on," Dante whispered.

He glanced over his shoulder, his gaze narrowing as he caught sight of Haziel. She was already regaining her bearings, the blinding light's effects rapidly fading from her red, fury-filled eyes. Her sword was raised, the air around her crackling with barely contained power.

Immediately, Dante flicked his wrist and hurled the red cards behind him. The cards sliced through the air, spinning before embedding themselves into the ground. A split second later, the chamber was rocked by a series of violent explosions. The force of the blasts sent shockwaves rippling outward.

The stone pillars that lined the corridor groaned under the strain, spiderweb-like cracks spreading across their surfaces. Haziel, still disoriented by the blinding light, was caught off guard by the sudden onslaught. She barely had time to raise her sword in a defensive stance before the explosions tore through the chamber. The bases of the pillars crumbled, unable to withstand the force of the detonations, and the heavy stone structures began to topple inward.

The chamber was filled with a deafening roar as the pillars collapsed, one after the other, in a devastating domino effect. Dust and debris were hurled into the air, creating a thick, suffocating cloud that obscured everything in its path. Haziel tried to dodge the falling stone, but the sheer volume of debris overwhelmed her. The weight of the stone bore down on her, pinning her in place, as the remnants of the once-grand chamber caved in around her.