The soft crunch of leaves beneath their boots was the only sound as Rian walked alongside Elara, guiding her back toward the cottage. The air was thick with unspoken tension, but Rian kept his expression calm, his hand resting gently on her shoulder as they approached the door. Elara's steps were hesitant, her mind clearly still reeling from the confrontation with Eli.
As they reached the front steps, Rian stopped and turned to face her. His eyes held a quiet strength, reassuring and steady, but his tone was serious. "Elara, you need to talk to him," he said gently. "He's hurting, but so are you. You two need each other right now."
Elara nodded slowly, though her brow remained furrowed with uncertainty. "I know," she whispered, her voice fragile. "I just don't know what to say."
Rian gave her a soft smile. "You'll find the words when you see him. Just be honest with him, like you've always been." He hesitated for a moment, then added, "There's something I have to take care of."
Elara looked at him, confusion flickering in her eyes. "What? Where are you going?"
"I won't be long," Rian assured her, stepping back from the door. "I'll be back before nightfall." Without waiting for a response, he turned and sprinted toward the forest, his movements fluid and quick.
As soon as he was far enough from the cottage, Rian slowed his pace and came to a stop deep within the trees. He glanced around to make sure he was alone, then exhaled sharply. "Claim Rewards," he muttered under his breath.
[Mission Complete]
Objective: Kiss Elara
Rewards: 1 fighting technique and 1 random dagger.
Rian's vision shimmered for a moment, and he felt a surge of energy pulse through his body. A new fighting technique flashed through his mind, a detailed understanding of movements and strategy settling into his consciousness like an instinct he'd always had but never used.
New Fighting Technique Unlocked: "Phantom Step"
Description: Phantom Step is a stealth-based combat technique that allows the user to momentarily disappear from an opponent's line of sight, moving at lightning speed for short bursts. It's ideal for quick strikes and disorienting enemies in close combat, enabling the user to dodge attacks and reposition before the opponent realizes what's happening.
Rian flexed his hands, testing the newfound agility in his limbs. The technique was potent, and he could already imagine how it would change his fighting style, allowing him to strike swiftly and vanish just as quickly. Along with the technique, a plain but sturdy dagger materialized in his hand—a simple, reliable weapon, nothing fancy, but sharp enough to serve its purpose.
He sheathed the dagger at his belt, feeling its familiar weight settle against his side. But even with these rewards, the lingering frustration Eli had caused still burned in his chest. Rian clenched his jaw and glanced around, his eyes narrowing as he spotted something on the ground—goblin footprints, leading deeper into the forest.
A cold, determined expression settled on his face as he began to follow the trail. Each step took him farther from the cottage, his mind fixated on a single goal: kill every last one of the goblins that had attacked earlier. He needed to release the anger building inside him, and this hunt would give him that outlet.
His pace quickened, his senses sharp as he tracked the goblins through the underbrush. The memory of Eli's words still stung, but Rian forced the emotions down. Right now, he wasn't the mentor. He wasn't the calm voice of reason. He was a hunter. And tonight, the forest would be cleansed of the filth that had dared to cross his path.
The hunt had begun.
Rian moved silently through the forest, the trail of goblin footprints growing fresher with each step. The deeper he went, the more disturbed the undergrowth became, indicating a larger group of the creatures had passed through recently. His eyes scanned the area ahead, sharp and alert, until he spotted something unusual in the distance—a jagged opening in the side of a rocky hill, hidden partially by thick vines.
It was a dungeon, its entrance yawning like the mouth of some forgotten beast. Rian narrowed his eyes. The goblins had clearly come from here, an ancient structure left untouched, its dark depths hiding who knew what horrors. He crouched low behind the cover of a tree, watching as a group of goblins milled about the entrance, their grotesque forms shifting in the shadows. They hadn't noticed him yet, but that would change soon enough.
Without a second thought, Rian moved. Using his new Phantom Step technique, he disappeared from sight, his body moving in a blur as he closed the distance in an instant. He reappeared in the center of the goblin horde, the plain dagger gleaming in his hand.
The goblins froze for a second, their glowing green eyes wide with shock as they registered his presence. But before they could react, Rian struck. His movements were a deadly dance of precision, the dagger flashing as he cut through the creatures with ruthless efficiency. Each strike was quick and lethal, the blade finding the goblins' throats, chests, and vital points in rapid succession.
One goblin lunged at him from the side, but Rian sidestepped effortlessly, using Phantom Step again to vanish and reappear behind the creature. He plunged the dagger into its back without hesitation, its body crumpling to the ground. The others barely had time to react before Rian had dispatched them all, their twisted forms lying in heaps around the dungeon entrance.
He stood still for a moment, his breathing steady as the adrenaline from the fight pulsed through his veins. The goblins had been no match for him, especially with the speed and precision of his new technique. But this was only the beginning.
Wiping the blood from his dagger, Rian turned his attention to the dark entrance of the dungeon. It loomed before him, cold and foreboding, the shadows within seeming to beckon him deeper. Whatever lay inside, it had been untouched for too long—and now it would face him.
With a final glance behind him, Rian descended into the dungeon. The air grew colder as he ventured deeper, the stone walls closing in around him. His footsteps echoed softly in the confined space as he made his way down the winding corridors, his senses alert to every sound, every shift in the air.
Soon, he came across more goblins, their hunched figures lurking in the dungeon's depths. But Rian didn't hesitate. He leaped into action, using the Phantom Step to evade their clumsy attacks, his dagger flashing as he cut through them with deadly precision. One after another, the creatures fell, their blood staining the cold stone floors.
As he ventured deeper into the dungeon, the corridors widened, and the number of goblins increased. But Rian was relentless. His focus never wavered, each enemy falling under the sharp edge of his blade. The dungeon was like a maze, its twists and turns hiding more dangers, but Rian pressed forward, clearing room after room.
The deeper he went, the more he realized this dungeon had likely been abandoned for years, left to fester with creatures like the goblins. He would leave nothing behind. Each step brought him closer to the dungeon's heart, and whatever waited there would meet the same fate as those before it.
Rian knew that clearing this dungeon wasn't just about the goblins. It was about releasing the anger that had been festering since his argument with Eli. With each kill, with every enemy vanquished, he let a little more of that frustration go, replacing it with the cold, sharp focus that guided his blade.
Tonight, there would be no survivors.
Rian stepped into the final chamber, his dagger still drawn and ready. The room was vast, illuminated only by faint torches flickering along the stone walls. At the center, shrouded in shadow, loomed the figure of the dungeon's final guardian—a towering Dragonoid, spectral in appearance, its massive wings translucent and its scales glowing faintly with an ethereal light.
But something was wrong. The Dragonoid didn't move, didn't attack like Rian had expected. Instead, it stood there, breathing raggedly, its once-powerful form slouched, as though the weight of its existence was finally too much to bear. The air around it shimmered with the fading energy of a creature near death.
Rian hesitated, his heart still pounding from the battles before, but something in the creature's stance stopped him from advancing. He lowered his dagger, taking a cautious step forward. "Do you need healing?" he asked, his voice echoing softly in the chamber.
The Dragonoid didn't respond. Its head was bowed, its glowing eyes cast downward, unmoving. Rian took another step, uncertainty creeping into his chest. The silence was unnerving. He was just about to repeat his question when he blinked.
Suddenly, the Dragonoid's eyes were locked on him.
Rian's breath hitched as his heart lurched in his chest. He stumbled backward, caught off guard by the creature's sudden focus. His foot slipped on the stone floor, and he fell hard onto his back, his dagger clattering beside him. He quickly scrambled to his feet, but the Dragonoid didn't advance.
Instead, it slowly extended one massive arm. In its clawed hand, nestled gently against its chest, was a small, fragile figure—a baby Dragonoid.
Rian's breath caught in his throat as the creature's deep, weary voice finally broke the silence. "She is the last… of our kind."
Rian's gaze shifted past the creature, where he noticed, in the shadows behind it, the body of another Dragonoid—larger, with a feminine form—lying lifeless on the cold stone floor. Her wings were broken, her once-majestic scales dull and cracked. The sight struck Rian with a sudden, heavy sadness. The female Dragonoid was gone, her life having drained from her long ago.
The male Dragonoid, his voice thick with sorrow, glanced back at his fallen mate before looking down at the infant in his arms. "Me and my wife… we've fought long enough," he rasped, his voice growing weaker.
He stumbled, his large frame shaking with exhaustion as he struggled to speak. "Please, ple—" The Dragonoid coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth onto the stone floor. Rian stepped forward instinctively, but stopped when the creature looked him in the eye again, this time with tears rolling down his ghostly face.
"Take care of my one and only daughter," the Dragonoid pleaded, his voice trembling, a deep cry escaping his chest. His massive body shook with the weight of it all—the battles, the loss, and the final task he was entrusting to this stranger.
Rian stood there, stunned, the dagger hanging loosely in his hand as the enormity of the situation settled over him. The guardian wasn't a monster. He wasn't a threat to be defeated. He was a father, clinging to his last moments, his only wish for his child to live on.
Rian's chest tightened as the Dragonoid's words echoed in the chamber. He couldn't just let this creature—a father—fade away in front of him. Without hesitating, Rian stepped closer, his voice steady but urgent. "Let me try to heal you," he said, his hands already reaching for the Dragonoid's massive shoulders.
The Dragonoid shook his head weakly, his voice a soft rasp. "It's impossible… my time is over."
But Rian wasn't listening. He knelt down, placing both hands firmly on the Dragonoid's shoulders, feeling the faint warmth of the fading life force beneath his ghostly form. Closing his eyes, Rian summoned every ounce of mana he had, pouring it into the Dragonoid in a desperate attempt to heal the dying creature.
His mana surged through his hands, flowing into the Dragonoid's broken body like a stream of light. The energy pulsed with intensity as Rian's face tightened in concentration, beads of sweat forming on his brow. He pushed harder, feeling the drain on his own strength as he gave everything he had to save the creature.
But nothing changed. The Dragonoid's breath remained shallow, his wounds still open, his life force flickering weaker and weaker with each passing moment. Rian's heart sank as he realized his efforts weren't enough. The Dragonoid's body was too far gone.
Rian gritted his teeth, his voice breaking through the silence, filled with determination. "Fight," he urged, his hands trembling as he continued to channel his mana. "Keep fighting for your daughter! She's all you have left, and you're all she has! Don't give up on her now!"
The Dragonoid's eyes flickered with a brief moment of surprise, as if Rian's words had struck something deep within him. He looked down at his infant daughter, cradled in his arms, her small body nestled against him, innocent and unaware of the tragedy surrounding her. The father's gaze softened, and for a moment, he seemed to gather what little strength he had left.
But the wounds were too deep, the toll too great. Despite Rian's desperate efforts, the Dragonoid coughed again, blood spilling from his mouth as his massive form sagged beneath the weight of his injuries. He shook his head slowly, his voice barely a whisper. "I've fought long enough... I cannot…"
As Rian continued pouring his mana into the Dragonoid, urging him to fight, something unexpected happened. The Dragonoid, his eyes dimming but filled with a deep sadness, slowly lifted one massive hand and placed it gently on Rian's shoulder. The touch was warm, though weak, and it caused Rian to falter, his flow of mana stopping as the Dragonoid shook his head softly.
"Enough," the Dragonoid whispered, his voice barely audible. Rian froze, confused, his heart pounding as the Dragonoid's gaze met his.
Before Rian could protest, the Dragonoid's form shimmered, and with a final surge of energy, his wings—large, translucent, and glowing with a faint ethereal light—detached from his ghostly body. The wings dissolved into a soft, glowing mist and flowed into Rian. He gasped as the power flooded through him, the Dragonoid's wings becoming a part of his own being, a gift far beyond what Rian had expected.
The Dragonoid's strength, however, faded rapidly. His body began to sag, his breaths growing weaker. Rian, stunned and breathless from the exchange, could only watch as the Dragonoid collapsed before him, his body too broken to continue.
For a moment, the room was silent, heavy with the weight of the creature's sacrifice. Rian's gaze shifted from the father to the small Dragonoid baby still clutched in his arms. With a determined breath, Rian carefully lifted the child, wrapping her securely against his back with part of his cloak, making sure she was safe and snug. The baby whimpered softly, but remained quiet, as though sensing the gravity of the moment.
Rian's eyes then fell on the female Dragonoid's body, lying still and lifeless behind them. He couldn't just leave them like this—this family deserved to rest together. With great effort, Rian reached down and took hold of the fallen Dragonoid's arm, dragging the massive creature slowly across the stone floor toward his mate. Every pull felt heavy, not just from the weight of the Dragonoid's form, but from the emotions swirling in Rian's chest.
Finally, he reached the spot where the female Dragonoid lay, and he gently placed the father beside her. The room felt still, almost sacred, as Rian stood and stepped back. He watched as the dying Dragonoid, using the last bit of his strength, reached out with a trembling hand and caressed his wife's face. His fingers traced her features softly, filled with a tenderness that defied the brutality of the world they had fought in for so long.
The Dragonoid's eyes filled with tears as he looked upon his mate one final time, a soft whisper escaping his lips. "Thank you," he rasped, turning his head weakly toward Rian. His gaze, though dim, held gratitude as deep as the pain in his heart. "Thank you… for caring for her… for us."
With that, the Dragonoid's hand fell away, and his breath stilled. His body slumped beside his wife, the faint glow around him fading as he passed away, finally at peace.
Rian stood silently for a moment, his heart heavy. He glanced back at the baby Dragonoid now strapped to his back, her soft breaths the only sound in the cavernous room. He bowed his head slightly toward the fallen couple, his resolve strengthening. They had fought long and hard to protect their child, and now, that duty had passed to him.
"I promise," Rian whispered again, his voice quiet but firm. "I'll keep her safe."
With one last look at the peaceful forms of the Dragonoids, Rian turned and left the dungeon, carrying with him the weight of his promise—and the last of their kind.