Just then, a dart grazed his arm, slicing through his armor and leaving a faint burn where it had touched his skin. "Oh… fuck!" he cursed, taking a brief moment to look at his right arm. It was a small cut but he noticed the green liquid mixed with the blood dripping slowly.

"Poisoned."

Adrian knew he couldn't dwell on that. Hoping the poison wasn't a deadly one, he returned his gaze ahead of him.

He pushed forward, gritting his teeth as he wove between the pressure plates that kept raining poisoned darts from hidden recesses in the walls. Each step made the sting on his arm burn hotter, a slow fire seeping into his veins.

His fingers tingled with numbness as he was forced to switch his sword to his left hand, relying more on his fiery chains to knock aside the oncoming darts.

"Stay sharp," he muttered to himself, trying to ignore the throbbing sensation that threatened to consume his focus.

He barely managed to whip his chains out in time to deflect a dart aimed straight for his chest. His right arm was almost useless, feeling heavier with each swing of his blade.

Seeing no end to the barrage, Adrian shot his chains into the ground, using them as leverage to hurl himself high into the air. As he hovered mid-flight, he scanned the walls, trying to locate the source of the darts.

The chamber spun beneath him, torchlight flickering off stone walls, but in his brief moment of vision, he couldn't spot any specific trigger for the traps. It was as if the walls themselves were alive, spitting out poison at will.

He landed with a grunt, his chains retracting just in time to form a shield in front of him. The darts bounced off the fiery barrier, but he knew he couldn't keep this up forever.

His vision blurred for a moment from the poison's effect, and he stumbled, almost stepping on another pressure plate.

Through the disorienting fog in his mind, Adrian's eyes caught a faint glint on the far wall, a metal lever hidden between two torches, almost camouflaged in the shadows.

Summoning his last reserves of strength, he pushed forward, weaving his chains in a protective arc around him as he ran. Poison-tipped darts pinged off the chains as he reached the lever and yanked it down.

The hissing stopped. The darts ceased.

The silence was instant, and the absence of danger sent a wave of relief over him.

Adrian leaned against the wall, panting, sweat beading down his forehead.

But the silence also brought an unsettling realization: his right arm was now completely numb, hanging at his side like dead weight.

Ignoring the throb of pain that shot through his shoulder, Adrian focused on the sarcophagus at the center of the chamber.

It was massive, made of black stone and intricately carved with twisted symbols that seemed to pulse with a green energy. A thick, ancient chain wrapped around its lid, held in place by a lock rusted with age but still solid.

Adrian approached cautiously, his good arm steadying his sword as he inspected the lock. With a grunt, he swung his blade down, shattering the old metal with a loud crack. The heavy chain broke loose and fell to the floor with a clatter.

He placed his hand against the lid and pushed, but it wouldn't budge. It was far heavier than he'd anticipated. He tried again, bracing himself, but his one good arm couldn't generate the force needed.

A thought flickered in his mind, one he wasn't eager to entertain. He glanced down at his right arm, feeling nothing from the shoulder down.

Taking a shaky breath, he extended one of his chains, guiding the spear-tipped end toward the numb part of his arm.

"This is going to hurt," he muttered to himself.

With a precise motion, he drove the spearhead into his arm, feeling a sharp jolt shoot through his nerves. He gritted his teeth, his vision spotting with pain as sensation flooded back into his muscles, burning the poison from the wound.

He forced himself to stay focused, letting out a strangled gasp as the chain withdrew. The dull ache of sensation slowly returned as his hand twitched.

Now, with both hands on the lid, Adrian steadied himself, summoning a dark flame in his good hand.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed the fire against his injured arm, watching as it flared across his skin, searing out the last remnants of poison. His scream echoed in the empty room, but the thick stone walls softened the sound.

Breathing heavily, he looked down at his arm. It throbbed, but he could feel the strength returning.

Summoning every ounce of willpower he had left, Adrian pressed both hands against the lid, his muscles straining as he heaved with everything he had.

The stone scraped, inching aside as the lid slid open slowly.

Closing his eyes, he took a breath.

Then, with all his might, he growled and pushed. When he opened his eyes, they were blazing fire as the goddesses' powers (Medea, Lilith, Abyss and Ava) rushed through him. The chamber was filled with an eerie green light that spilled from within the sarcophagus, casting ghostly shadows against the walls.

The lid shifted and toppled, crashing onto the stone floor and shattering into pieces.

As the dust settled, Adrian peered inside, his eyes adjusting to the glow that illuminated the contents of the sarcophagus.

And there, in the hollowed stone, lay Eris.

Her skin was pale, almost translucent under the ghostly light. Her white hair spilled over her shoulders, cascading like silk. She was small, delicate in form, her features sharp yet soft, her lips curled in a serene, almost mocking smile even in her sleep. She wore nothing, her body bare and uncovered.

Her boobs were the size of medium sized melons, her pink nipples erect, slim waistline and her ass was perfect. Her legs were slim and long, and her feet were the same size as her toes.

"She's beautiful..." Adrian muttered, unable to look away.

His gaze drifted down her body, settling on the tiny tuft of white hair above her v-line. She was smooth, no sign of hair anywhere else.

The goddess of discord and envy, in all her haunting beauty, lay before him.

A shiver ran through him as her eyelids fluttered open, revealing emerald eyes, pools of shadow and mischief that held ancient secrets. Her lips parted, a faint smirk gracing her face as she tilted her head up to look at him.

"Well," she said, her voice soft and yet echoing with power, "hello, Adrian."

Adrian took a deep breath, his heart hammering in his chest. He felt an odd mix of fear and excitement, and a strange pull that drew him closer.

Eris smiled, her expression amused.

Adrian's pulse quickened, but he stood his ground, meeting her gaze. "Hello, Eris."

She stretched languidly, uncoiling as if she had merely been resting, and sat up in the sarcophagus with a casual ease, her gaze never leaving him. "You've come a long way for this moment. How does it feel, standing before the embodiment of envy and chaos?"

Adrian took a step forward, offering her his hand to help her out.

Eris tilted her head, her expression curious. Then she took his hand, her fingers brushing over his skin, lingering for a moment.

There was a brief flare of warmth, then a spark of green energy, and Adrian felt a rush of power course through him.

He could feel her presence within him, like a second heartbeat, but just for a brief moment.

Eris's lips curled in a knowing smile. "I see my sisters have taken an interest in you."

She stood, rising to her full height. Despite her slight build, she exuded a regal presence, her emerald eyes seeming to hold infinite depths of knowledge.

Adrian couldn't look away, drawn in by the raw power that radiated from her, the pull of her chaotic influence.

Eris moved toward him, her steps light and graceful.

Her gaze swept over him, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes.

She reached out and brushed a strand of hair from his face, her fingertips brushing along his jaw.

The contact sent a shiver through him, and he felt her power tug at his thoughts, his desires.

He took a step back, shaking his head to clear it.

"Your will is stronger than I anticipated," Eris murmured, sounding pleased. "Most mortals would be lost to the chaos, overwhelmed by the temptations."

"I'm not most mortals," Adrian responded firmly.

Eris chuckled, her laughter low and melodic. "No, you're not. You're different. I've been watching you."

"Watching me?"

She nodded, running her hand over the sarcophagus, her fingertips leaving trails of green energy in their wake.

"I've been watching your journey," she explained. "From the moment you accepted the quest, I've seen the challenges you've faced. The battles, the hardships, the triumphs. I've seen the desires that fuel you."

She met his gaze, her emerald eyes intense and alluring. "You're different, Adrian. You have the potential to be so much more. I can show you how."

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