After killing the undead mage, Aric clutched his staff tightly as he led Li Hua, Li Fei, and Su Jing deeper into the cave. Their footsteps echoed softly in the eerie silence, punctuated only by the occasional drip of water from the jagged stalactites above. The dimly lit cave stretched out before them, flickering torches casting eerie shadows that danced upon the damp walls, creating an atmosphere of foreboding.
"Stay close," Aric whispered, his emerald eyes scanning every crevice for signs of danger.
As they ventured further, the group stumbled upon a collection of weird artifacts and parchments scattered haphazardly on a stone altar. A twisted obsidian dagger lay beside a cracked skull, with runes etched into its surface. An ancient tome bound in leather, its pages filled with indecipherable symbols, rested next to an ornate silver amulet adorned with dark gemstones.
"Look at this," Li Hua said, her voice barely audible as she carefully lifted a yellowed parchment covered with cryptic markings.
"Could be powerful spells," Aric mused, furrowing his brows as he examined the artifacts. He noted their intricate designs and the faint aura of dark undead magic emanating from them. "These must have been the tools used by the Undead Mage."
"Whatever they are, I don't like it," Li Fei remarked, her silver eyes narrowing as she sensed a malevolent energy resonating from the artifacts. "We should destroy them before they fall into the wrong hands."
Aric nodded in agreement, his introspective nature giving way to a sense of urgency. As the group sifted through the pile, Su Jing gasped as she unearthed a drawing depicting a ritual to raise a seemingly very powerful undead, a monstrosity beyond the human realms.
"Look at this!" she exclaimed, holding the drawing up for the others to see. "This... this looks like a summoning ritual of some sorts!"
"What? Where did you find it?" Aric exclaimed, his eyes drawn towards the drawing.
"Right here, look. There is a book as well." Su jing pointed out
Suddenly, Li Hua started feeling cold..
"This book… it's not like any other I've ever seen. The aura coming off of it is suffocating. Even being in its presence is giving me chills." Li Hua said.
Aric cautiously approached the tome and began to read the faded runes, his voice trembling. "It's recounting horrors—unimaginable horrors—that this creature has inflicted on countless worlds."
He flipped through the pages, each one filled with terrifying illustrations and accounts of devastation—worlds reduced to barren wastes, civilizations swallowed by darkness, and creatures twisted into forms so vile that they could hardly be recognized.
Finally, he read out the text on the final page.
"In the depths of the Universe, where light itself fears to tread, there lurks the Malefexium—Devourer of Souls, Harbinger of Chaos. To summon it is to open a vortex of eternal damnation, a maelstrom that swallows worlds whole and spews forth only darkness and despair. Beware its coming, for it leaves in its wake a tableau of unimaginable horrors: skies aflame, lands desecrated, and a silence filled only with the haunting cries of the damned."
With that, Aric closed the book.
Li Hua: "These accounts are too horrific to even fathom. Worlds devoured, people being morphed into unimaginable abominations, the very essence of life sucked dry."
Her words hung heavy in the air as the group shared a look of grim realization.
Su Jing: "We can't let this happen. We can't let this monstrosity enter our world. This arrangement of skulls, the artifacts, they're just missing the final piece for the summoning."
Aric: "We need to destroy it all. This isn't just dark magic; this is an affront to the very essence of life. Even a single misstep, and we could unleash hell on our world."
Working quickly, the group gathered the artifacts and parchments, their hands trembling with a mixture of fear and resolve.
"Let's burn them," Aric suggested, his voice resonating with resolve. "The potential danger of these artifacts falling into the wrong hands is too great."
Li Hua nodded in agreement, her face a mixture of relief and determination. "Yes, let's put an end to this dark magic once and for all."
With a sense of purpose driving their actions, the group began gathering the artifacts and parchments they had discovered moments earlier. Their movements were swift and efficient, fueled by the knowledge that what they were doing was necessary to protect not only themselves but also the world around them.
As they piled the items in the center of the cave, Aric couldn't help but be awed by the complexity and craftsmanship of some of the artifacts. He observed the intricate patterns etched into the surfaces, feeling a strange mixture of admiration for their beauty and revulsion for the malevolent energy they contained.
"Are we ready?" Su Jing asked, her voice betraying her eagerness to be done with the task at hand.
Aric glanced around at his companions, reading the resolute expressions on their faces. "We are."
"Then let's do this," Li Fei said, her voice firm as she ignited a torch from one of the flickering wall sconces.
Aric took a deep breath, steeling himself for the act of destruction that lay ahead. As Li Fei touched the flame to the pile, he could feel a wave of heat wash over him, accompanied by the acrid scent of burning parchment and ancient magic.
"Goodbye to you, foul instruments of darkness," Aric muttered under his breath, watching as the artifacts were consumed by the hungry flames.
He knew that destroying these objects would not erase the horrors that had been committed in this cave, but it was a step toward preventing such atrocities from occurring again. As he stood there, surrounded by the people he had come to care for in this strange, post-apocalyptic world, Aric couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.
"May this act serve as a reminder," he thought, "that even in the darkest of times, there is still hope for redemption and the power to create a better future."
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The atmosphere was noticeably different as the four adventurers sat around a wooden table in Aric's rented room at the inn. Despite the cozy setting, complete with warm lighting and the faint scent of herbs wafting from a kettle, a sense of gravity weighed on their collective shoulders.
Aric broke the silence first, staring intently at the unassuming mirror hanging on the wall. "That mirror... it's bewildering. First, it brought me to this world, and now it managed to reflect the blast from that undead mage. It looks so... ordinary."
Li Hua squinted at it. "I sensed something from it, but it's like trying to grasp smoke. Elusive."
Aric narrowed his eyes. He already knew about Li Hua's talent as an enchanter. He had decided to keep it a secret, but know he was having second thoughts.
Maybe it would be better to have someone else who could fight with magic in the future. Who knew how long their guns and weapons could continue to hold off their enemies.
"Mirrors are said to be gateways," Su Jing mused. "Maybe this one is more literal about it."
Li Fei chuckled, "Well, if it is, it's the most tight-lipped gateway I've ever met. Won't spill its secrets for anything."
The group shared a small laugh, a welcomed break from the heavy air.
Aric sighed, "In any case, I'm just relieved we stopped whatever cataclysm was brewing in that cave. But it's a shame we walked away with almost nothing to show for it—aside from the D-rank mission rewards, of course."
Just then, Li Fei stood up, grinning as she reached into her pocket. "Actually, I picked up a little something."
Su Jing's eyes widened. "You took something from that accursed place?"
Li Hua added, "Are you insane? That could be dangerous!"
Li Fei shrugged, sheepishly revealing a mysterious ring. "I couldn't resist. Look, it seemed valuable."
Aric examined it closely, his eyes lighting up. "Wait a second... this looks like a storage ring!"
Eagerly, he channeled a bit of his mana into the ring. It glowed briefly, and suddenly, a collection of items materialized on the table: 10 greater plasma cores, a heap of gemstones, and two tightly-rolled scrolls.
Everyone's eyes widened, staring at the small fortune now before them.
Su Jing was the first to break the silence. "Well, Li Fei, you reckless actions have actually paid off, it seems."
Li Hua looked at the gemstones and plasma cores with admiration but then her eyes fell on the scrolls. "Those scrolls, though. Aric, what do you think?"
Aric shook his head, still half in disbelief at their newfound treasure. "Let's be careful. We already know how dangerous things can get. We should proceed with caution."
Aric carefully picked up the first scroll, unrolling it with a sense of reverence. His eyes scanned the ancient runes inscribed on the parchment, their glow casting an eerie light on his face.
"This one is called 'Voidburst'," he announced. "It's a spell that gathers immense amounts of undead energy into the caster's palms, and then releases it as a devastating blast."
Li Hua shuddered. "That sounds extraordinarily dangerous. And given its undead energy focus, it could have necrotic side effects."
Su Jing frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "A spell like that could be both a curse and a blessing. Wasn't this the same spell which almost killed us back then?! We should destroy it immediately"
Li Fei grinned, "Oh, come on! Imagine blasting a horde of enemies away with that kind of power! I think Master Aric should learn it "
Su Jinggave her a stern look. "We've seen today what can happen when forbidden magic is misused. I don't think that this is a good idea."
For a moment, sparks started to fly between the two mature ladies.
Aric sighed. This was not the first time this had happened. But the matter was serious, and hence he decided to intervene.
"It is not like I can cast undead spells anyways. I only have a little bit of mana manipulation skills. I can't convert mana into different forms yet."
"Let us leave it for now, and look at the second spell."
The group nodded in agreement, as Aric opened the second scroll.
"This one is 'Raise Dead,'" he said, almost in a whisper.
"Wow, what does it do Master Aric?" Li Hua asked
"This spell can raise corpses and skeletons as undead. And not just any undead—the strength of the reanimated depends on their original power when alive." Aric explained
"Wow!" Li Fei's eyes widened. "That's an incredibly potent spell, but seems ethically complicated."
Su Jing sighed, "Great, from blasting enemies to raising an undead army. What's next?"
Li Fei chuckled, "Well, it does give the term 'skeleton crew' a new meaning."
Aric was however slightly happier this time. "I might be able to use this. It mainly focuses on manipulating skeletons with mana. Of course, it won't be as stong as manipulating it with undead mana, but it can count as a few extra bodies"
"Can you really raise armies of dead?" Su Jing asked
"Not me. I can't control so much mana at the same time. But maybe..." Aric's voice paused as he glanced over at Li Hua.
"Maybe what, Master Aric? " Li Hua asked, sensing Aric's gaze on her.
"No it is nothing." Aric shook his head.
"Nevertheless, both of these spells are extremely frightening. For now, let's lock them up securely until we can decide the best course of action." Su Jing suggested
And thus, the decision was made. They placed everything back into the ring, even the mystical mirror, and went off to sleep,
But no one could notice that the gemstones inside the ring started trembling the moment the mirror came near them