A red alert suddenly appears in front of me, flashing the words "YOU HAVE BEEN POISONED." I clench my teeth in frustration.
Ignoring the searing pain in my arm, I lock eyes with Pirithous, annoyance burning in my gaze. "You made a grave mistake underestimating me," I growl, my voice dripping with venom.
Pirthous laughs heartily as he leans against a sturdy stone pillar. "Hades or Phoenix?" He asks, his tone triumphant. "I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to get back at you, and thanks to this game, I finally can." My body tensed up as I asked him, "Who are you?" I try to look up his gamer info, but all I see is a blocked profile.
"It doesn't matter who I was in college," he replies coldly. "What matters is that I get to show you just how weak you still are, just like back then."
I rack my brain, I don't ever remember making enemies in college. Who was reincarnated as Pirithous? My mind races as I try to recall any lingering grudges from my college days. The memories flood back, faces and names intertwining like a tangled web. But none of them fit the bill for someone who would seek revenge in such a twisted manner.
Pirithous eyes me with a smug grin, reveling in my confusion. "Oh, Hades, don't bother trying to figure it out. You'll never guess who I am. But suffice it to say, I have been planning this moment for years, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike."
The pain in my arm intensifies, the poison coursing through my veins like a venomous serpent. I grit my teeth, refusing to let the pain weaken me.
A notification appears in of me, with a blinking message. I click on it quickly and the prompt reads, "Side Quest: Eliminate toxic substance from your system within 1 minute and receive anti-poison block."
A thought crosses my mind, "Thanatos, can you hold Pirithous back for a bit?"
"Of course." Thanatos gives me a wink and snaps his fingers, and more of his Skelton army emerges.
I bring up my skills, and unlock the teleportation skill.
With a surge of energy, I activate the teleportation skill and disappear from Pirithous' line of sight. In an instant, I reappear outside my castle walls in the Underworld, my heart pounding with adrenaline. The countdown on the side quest starts ticking down, the seconds slipping away relentlessly.
I frantically assess my surroundings, searching for anything that could help me eliminate the toxic substance coursing through my veins. My eyes land on a nearby stream, its crystal-clear waters glimmering in the moonlight. Without hesitation, I sprint towards it, my footsteps echoing in the silence.
Dropping to my knees at the edge of the stream, I cup my hands and scoop up the water, splashing it onto my face and arm. The coolness of the water provides a momentary relief from the searing pain, but I know it's not enough to rid myself of the poison entirely.
Desperation drives me to lean forward and submerge both arms into the rushing stream. The water brings relief, but my time is running out; the countdown reads 30 seconds until my quest ends. Suddenly, a quiet voice startles me and I turn to see a small figure sitting against a charred tree.
"You look like you could use some help," they say, tossing me a vial. I only have 10 seconds left, so without hesitation, I drink it.
"Congratulations! Side quest completed. Here is your reward: 'Anti-Poison'." I dismiss the notification.
I turn to thank the person, but they've vanished. I climb out of the stream and sit on the grass, checking my teleportation skills. I still have 18 minutes before I can use it again. How am I supposed to get back to the main quest now?
As I gaze up at my majestic castle, I notice my dragon lazily spewing flames into the air. It seems to be almost bored. I can't help but wonder if I should return to Lapiths by riding on its back.
With only one way to know for sure, I let out a loud whistle, and the dragon immediately stood up. It turns its head in my direction and takes flight, soaring gracefully through the sky towards me. As it descends to the ground, I can't help but smile at the magnificent creature. "So, how do you feel about your first battle?" I ask with a gentle pat on its head.
The dragon lets out a low growl, the rumble resonating through its powerful body. Its eyes gleam with excitement as it nuzzles its head against my hand. I can feel the bond between us strengthening, our connection growing stronger with each passing moment.
As I climb onto the dragon's back, I can sense its anticipation. It spreads its wings wide, ready to take flight once again. With a swift motion, the dragon springs into the air, its wings beating against the wind as we ascend higher and higher.
From this vantage point, I can see the vast expanse of the Underworld stretched out before me. The rolling hills, dense forests, and towering mountains all seem so much smaller from up here. It is a reminder of the immense power that resides within this game, a power that I have only begun to tap into.
I steer the dragon towards the direction of Lapiths, now marked as unlocked on my map. I sigh to myself, realizing that once this quest is complete, I'll have to venture out and uncover more locations.
The wind rushes through my hair as the dragon soars through the virtual sky, carrying me toward my next destination. Lapiths loom in the distance.
I can only hope that Thanatos is strong enough to keep Pirithous at bay. I know he should be, but I haven't been paying much attention to his power level. I mentally remind myself to start keeping track of players' stats more regularly.
The dragon glides effortlessly through the air, its wings beating with a rhythmic power that propels us forward. Lapiths grow larger on the horizon, its grandeur and intricacy becoming more apparent with each passing moment. As we descend towards the city, I catch sight of the castle I urge my dragon to fly faster.
"Let's make a grand entrance and go wild!" I shout. There's no point in holding back.
The dragon lets out a mighty roar, its fiery breath intensifying as we dive towards the city. The people of Lapiths look up in fear as the colossal creature descends upon them. The streets empty as panic sets in, and I can hear screams and shouts filling the air.
With a surge of exhilaration, I command the dragon to unleash its full power. Flames erupt from its mouth, engulfing the surrounding buildings in a blaze of destruction. The sound of crackling fire and crumbling structures echoes through the city, adding to the chaos that ensues.
My dragon and I flew towards the castle, crashing through the walls with a resounding boom. The castle wall crumbled under the force of the powerful creature's fiery breath. As the flames died down, I dismounted from my dragon and stepped into the smoldering ruins of the castle wall.
The air was thick with smoke and the scent of burning wood filled my senses.
"Pirithous!" I called out, hoping Thanatos was able to defeat him.
"He is busy dealing with your little minion," a voice responded as another player emerged from the shadows. It was Theseus as I read his reincarnation name.
I drew my sword, now that I no longer had to worry about poison, I didn't care who I had to fight.
Time to test out the power of the dragon-breathing skill that is now attached to my sword. Theseus narrowed his eyes as he stared at me, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword. "You think you can defeat me?" he sneered a hint of arrogance in his voice. "I've heard tales of your cheating ways!"
A smirk crept onto my face as I twirled my sword effortlessly in my hand. "I'm not sure what you mean by a cheating way, but your defeat will be an easy victory for me," I responded confidently. Without delay, I activated the dragon's breath skill embedded within my blade, and a powerful blaze burst forth from the metal.
The fire engulfed the air, casting a fiery hue over the crumbling walls of the castle. Theseus's eyes widened in shock, momentarily stunned by the immense heat and strength of the flames. But he quickly regained his focus and charged towards me, his sword slashing through the air with precise accuracy.
Our weapons clashed with a deafening sound, sparks flying as our steel met in combat. Each strike was met with equal force and skill, our swords engaged in a deadly dance.
"In college, I heard about your tactics, Phoenix. Ironically, you were reborn as the ruler of the Underworld, Hades," Theseus remarks as he thrusts his blade towards me.
I continue to attack without pausing, but I'm confused by his words. My Tactics? All I did was attend class, study, and spend some time with my best friend once in a while. As our swords clashed once again, I couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration. Theseus seemed to know something about me that I didn't even have a clue about. But now was not the time for introspection - there was a battle to be won.
I swiftly countered his attack, causing him to stumble back. "What do you know about me, Theseus?" I asked through clenched teeth.
A sneer appeared on Theseus' face as he lunged towards me once more, his blade aimed at my chest. "Don't act clueless, Hades. Pirithous spilled all of your secrets, like how you skipped class and never participated in discussions, yet somehow managed to be at the top of the class."
I deftly deflected his attack, my thoughts racing as I tried to make sense of Theseus' words. How did he know my academic pursuits? It was no secret that I had a talent for achieving top grades with minimal effort, yet I never sought recognition for it. How ironic this situation was.
I furiously swing at Theseus with my sword, but a message suddenly appears in front of me, interrupting my focus. The words on the screen caught my eye: "Side Quest: Defeat Theseus within the next 5 minutes."