The Depths Beneath Karvann
A Discovery in the Mines
The steady rhythm of pickaxes striking stone echoed through the winding tunnels of Korrun Deep, a vast network of mines stretching beneath the Karvann Peaks.
Darin Varrick, a seasoned miner with twenty years of experience, wiped the sweat from his brow. The flickering lanterns barely illuminated the rocky walls around him, casting long shadows that danced with every movement. He had been chasing a promising ore vein when his pickaxe struck something strange—hollow earth.
Darin stepped back, heart pounding. Hollow spaces beneath the mountain could be dangerous. He hesitated for a moment, then swung his pickaxe again, breaking through a weakened section of the rock. A gust of stale air rushed out, carrying the scent of something ancient and untouched.
He held his breath. A hidden cavern.
“This… this ain't normal,” he muttered.
The foreman was called, and soon a group was assembled. Five miners and three adventurers were tasked with investigating the cavern. Among them was Edrik “Stonearm” Belmorr, a B-rank adventurer and an Earth mage, respected for his ability to manipulate stone with raw force. Alongside him were C-rank adventurers, Kale Varros, a fire mage, and Thrain Orvund, a hybrid magma mage—a close friend of Orvik, the blacksmith.
None of them knew what awaited them in the depths.
​
Descent into the Unknown
With torches in hand and weapons at the ready, the eight men descended into the newly uncovered tunnel. The cavern walls shimmered faintly with traces of fire crystals, casting an eerie orange glow. The air grew heavy, thick with an unnatural heat.
“This place feels…wrong,” Kale muttered, gripping his staff tighter.
They pressed forward, deeper into the cave, until they stepped into a vast chamber—a hollow cathedral of stone, untouched by time. Towering stalagmites reached like jagged fangs toward the ceiling, and the ground was littered with bones.
Not animal bones.
Human bones.
Edrik knelt, brushing dirt off a skull. “These aren’t fresh. Could be decades old.”
Thrain swallowed hard. “Something lived here.”
A gust of hot air washed over them, carrying with it a low, guttural rumble—like distant thunder.
Then they saw it.
​
The Sleeper Awakens
At the center of the chamber lay a colossal form, half-buried beneath centuries of rock and ash. Its scales shimmered like molten iron, and its massive wings, folded against its body, were cracked and scarred.
“A dragon,” Darin whispered, his voice barely audible.
But not just any dragon.
This one was ancient, massive, alone—which was unheard of. Dragons traveled in broods, rarely straying far from their kin. A solitary one of this size? It defied all known records.
Then, the shimmering glow at the heart of the chamber flickered—a cluster of primordial fire crystals, feeding off something deeper, something unseen.
The dragon’s chest rose and fell.
It was breathing.
Then its eye snapped open.
A deep, soul-shaking roar erupted, a sound so powerful it shook the cavern, sending rocks crashing down from the ceiling. It wasn’t just sound—it was raw energy, reverberating through the very marrow of the earth.
The mountain trembled.
The men staggered, instinctively covering their ears. But something worse was happening.
Kale and Thrain’s fire crystals shattered.
The glow within them snuffed out instantly, drained by the overwhelming presence of the dragon. The magic that had once surged through them vanished, leaving them powerless.
Kale gasped, trying to ignite a flame in his palm—nothing. He stared at his empty, useless crystal, horror dawning in his eyes. “My magic’s—gone.”
The dragon rose, towering above them, its horned head scraping the cavern ceiling. It let out another guttural growl, then opened its jaws—
And fire engulfed the chamber.
​
The Flight for Survival
Three miners were caught in the first inferno. They didn’t even have time to scream. The rest of the group scattered, desperate to escape.
Thrain, driven by instinct, turned to face the beast, raising his hands in a desperate attempt to conjure magma. His lifeblood magic—his connection to the fire crystal—was gone.
All that came was nothing.
His last words were a choked gasp as the flames overtook him.
The survivors ran. Edrik, Darin, Kale, and the last two miners sprinted toward the tunnel entrance. Behind them, the dragon snarled, its massive claws gouging deep into the stone.
Another blast of fire erupted. One of the miners, Harran, stopped, turning to face it.
“You go! I’ll buy you seconds!”
“Harran, no—” Darin tried to grab him, but the miner shoved him away, giving him one final grin, filled with acceptance.
“Tell my wife I kept my promise.”
Then he turned, raising his pickaxe, and charged the dragon.
The last thing they saw was fire consuming him.
​
The Collapse
Edrik and Darin burst through the tunnel entrance, stumbling onto solid ground.
Edrik didn’t hesitate. He slammed his earth crystal into the ground, drawing upon its power. The entrance collapsed inward, a deafening rumble sealing the monstrous creature beneath layers of rock and ore.
For a long moment, neither of them moved. The dust settled. The earth groaned. But the dragon did not emerge.
Edrik left his crystal embedded in the sealed tunnel, reinforcing the barrier. It would hold—for now.
Darin sat on the ground, staring at the cave-in, chest heaving. “What in the gods’ names was that?”
Edrik wiped sweat from his brow, his hands still trembling. “Not a dragon.” He exhaled sharply. “Not just a dragon.”
A deep rumble echoed from beneath them.
And then, the mountain had finally stopped shaking.