Incubus Ascension

The portal’s swirling vortex spat them out like discarded refuse, and Liam’s boots slammed onto weathered wooden planks before his stomach could even settle. Wind whipped across the narrow bridge, carrying the thunderous roar of a waterfall crashing hundreds of feet below. Mist clung to his skin, cold and sharp, while thick jungle pressed in from both sides—towering trees draped in vines, distant bridges swaying like spider silk between massive trunks, and, far in the distance, a city built into the canopy itself, glowing faintly with lanterns and strange, pulsing lights.

’Not exactly the vacation spot I had in mind,’ Liam thought, heart hammering. He tightened his grip on the rope railing, knuckles white. Laila stumbled beside him, her usual confident grace replaced by a shaky step. Ast and the others pressed close, eyes wide.

Before anyone could speak, the ground trembled. A guttural roar ripped through the trees—deep, hungry, and far too close.

Liam spun. A dinosaur-like beast, all jagged scales and snapping jaws, barreled down the bridge toward them, claws gouging deep scars into the wood. Its eyes burned with feral intelligence.

"Shit!" Liam cursed, yanking at the hilt of his sword. The blade came free with a metallic ring, but the moment he focused on the creature, glowing blue text flashed across his vision:

**Level 365 – Razorjaw Predator**

His stomach dropped. "Laila! Portal—now! We need to run!"

Laila’s hands glowed with dark energy—or tried to. Sparks fizzled out like dying embers. "I... I can’t," she shouted, voice cracking with panic. "My dark energy—it’s gone. Completely gone!"

Liam checked his own status. The familiar thrum of power was silent. No skills. No enhancements. Just raw, mortal fear. "Damn it. Everyone—run! To the other side!"

They sprinted, boots pounding the creaking bridge. The Razorjaw’s thunderous steps shook the entire structure, splintering planks behind them. Liam’s lungs burned. He kept the girls ahead of him, one hand ready to shove anyone who stumbled. ’I dragged them here. If they die because I couldn’t protect them—’

A blur shot past overhead. A woman in minimal tribal rags—tanned, athletic, fierce—leaped from a higher vine with impossible grace. She landed between them and the beast, a long white sword flashing in her grip. One clean, devastating slice. The Razorjaw’s roar cut off in a wet gurgle as its head tumbled into the mist below. The body slumped, twitching, then slid off the bridge.

Liam’s eyes widened. He’d seen the sword’s stats in a quick inspection before she struck: absurdly high. Yet the woman herself registered at Level 250. How?

She turned, breathing steady, and wiped the blade on her thigh. Her gaze settled on Liam, sharp but not hostile.

"Where are we?" Liam asked, still catching his breath. He positioned himself slightly in front of the girls, protective instinct flaring.

The woman sheathed her sword. "My name is Ri. You stand in the Hydra Nation." Her voice carried the clipped cadence of someone used to the wild. Up close, the minimal coverings and tribal markings on her skin spoke of a life lived among these bridges and falls.

Laila stepped forward, studying their surroundings. "We’re basically on the other side of the continent," she murmured to Liam, voice low. "Far from anything familiar."

Liam nodded. Staying near someone who could one-shot a monster that out-leveled them all seemed like the only sane choice. "Ri, can you take us toward the city? That sword of yours... we’d feel a lot safer with you nearby."

Ri studied them for a moment, then gave a short nod. "Follow."

As they walked the winding bridges deeper into the jungle-city, Liam fell into step beside her. The sword at her hip practically hummed with power. "Where did you get that blade? It’s... impressive."

"From the temple," Ri answered simply.

Laila drifted closer, eyes lighting with recognition. "The Hydra Nation... this is where Medusa, the Goddess of Light, first descended on the continent. The temple is where she once stayed."

Liam’s pulse quickened. "Who runs the temple now?"

"The Scorpion Order manages its affairs," Laila said.

The name hit Liam like ice water. His thoughts flashed to the quest burning in the back of his mind:

**Save the Princess from the Scorpion Assassins and discover the Princess’s Hidden Bloodline.**

He forced a casual tone. "So you got that sword from there, huh?"

Ri grunted in affirmation.

Liam reached out, curious, and tried to lift the blade from where it rested against her back for a closer look. The moment his fingers brushed the hilt, crushing weakness slammed into him. His vision blurred, knees buckled. He dropped hard, catching himself on the bridge railing as the world tilted.

’Too heavy... like it’s draining me.’

Ast was at his side instantly, worry etched across her face. "Are you sure you’re okay?"

Liam pushed himself up, breathing through the haze. "We need to see that temple. I have to know how they made a sword like that." His voice came steadier than he felt. The girls exchanged glances but followed his lead.

With every step closer to the temple, Liam’s skin crawled. An instinctive warning screamed in his gut—this place didn’t want him here. Ancient stone rose before them, overgrown yet majestic, carved with faded symbols of light and serpents. Ri knocked. A priest in somber robes opened the door, recognized her, and eyed the group.

"Tourists who wanted to see the temple," Ri said smoothly.

The priest hesitated, then stepped aside.

Inside, Liam moved with purpose, scanning every alcove and statue with his system. Nothing. No hidden markers, no anomalies. "This isn’t right," he muttered under his breath. "Something’s missing."

A priest suddenly lifted a concealed floor panel and descended. Liam waited until the man was gone, then crept over and tugged at the edge. The panel shifted.

Footsteps. The earlier priest stood behind him.

Liam’s blood ran cold. ’Caught.’

He turned with a sheepish grin. "Sorry—I lost my way to the bathroom."

The priest glared. "That is not the bathroom."

Liam forced a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Could you show me where it is, then?"

With obvious reluctance, the priest led him away.

In the small stone chamber, Liam sat on the edge of a crude seat, mind racing. The closer he’d gotten to that hidden door, the heavier the weakness had become. ’There’s power down there. Real power. And something’s suppressing everything I have.’

He rejoined the group shortly after. "Go ahead and find an inn," he told them aloud. "I’ll catch up after I’ve seen enough of the temple."

Through their mental link, he added privately, ’I need to stay and look for something important. Stay safe. Buy a room—we’ll regroup soon.’

The girls nodded, trust and concern mingling in their eyes. "We’ll get an apartment at the inn," Ast said firmly.

Once they left, Liam slipped back toward the bathroom and waited in tense silence as the temple’s daily rhythms faded. Doors bolted. Footsteps receded. Silence fell.

He moved like a shadow, heart pounding, and reached the secret panel. With a surge of desperate strength, he wrenched it open and dropped down.

Darkness swallowed him. Water sloshed around his ankles, cold and stagnant. He advanced slowly, hand trailing the damp wall, until the space opened into a hidden chamber.

A woman knelt at the center, shackled in heavy chains that glowed with malevolent light. Power visibly leeched from her into the restraints. White dress torn and stained, silver hair matted, yet her beauty struck Liam like a physical blow—ethereal, haunting, rivaling even Nyx.

He inspected her.

**Medusa – Weakened Celestial**

His heart hammered. Before he could take another step, her head rose weakly. "Stop," she rasped. "Don’t get closer... or you will die."

Liam froze.

"You carry my sister’s aura," she continued, voice a broken whisper. "But it’s too late. You can’t do anything here. Go back to her. Tell her to run as far as possible."

Questions burned on Liam’s tongue—who was her sister? What was this place really doing?—but a new voice cut through the dark, smooth and mocking.

"Oh boy... you are here."

Liam turned slowly. Valdora stepped from the shadows behind him, presence suffocating. The memory of their last encounter—of barely escaping with his life—flooded back in vivid terror.

Liam’s fists clenched at his sides, fear and defiance warring inside. The girls were safe for now, but he was alone in the dark with a monster and a chained goddess. Whatever came next, he couldn’t run forever. Not anymore.