As Lucius stepped forward, the voice boomed again, its tone dripping with malevolence. 'Welcome, Lucius. I've been waiting for you.' The prism pulsed with an otherworldly energy, its colors shifting to a deep, ominous red. Suddenly, the air around him seemed to thicken, like a trap closing in. Lucius's heart raced as he realized the truth: he was the first to arrive, and the voice had been waiting specifically for him. The illusion spell that had fooled his companions was just the beginning.
It was an Araxys, a cunning Tier 2 magical beast that flourished on magical illusions, and a weak one at that. Lucius had encountered plenty of Araxys back when he was still an Elf, and he had never had trouble facing them. For some special reason, all illusions, no matter how strong, had little to no effect on him, and the Araxys's illusion was no different. Lucius activated his Doomsday's Magic variation of wind magic, and sliced the beast's head clean off in a single strike.
Just then, his teammates arrived. "Lucius, what happened? Why is there already a dead beast?" Elara asked, somewhat flustered.
Lucius replied calmly and composed, trying to act prideful and reassure the group, "It's nothing. It was just a weak Tier 2 magical beast. In the face of real power like mine, it was nothing special."
"Lucius, you're so strong!" Mira exclaimed, walking closer to him. "You killed a Tier 2 beast within seconds of entering the Mana Vein, and you did it so cleanly. I'm going to stick with you. People back home said I have good luck. Imagine my good luck and your strength - we'd be unstoppable!"
"I almost forgot, let's pick up the mana core and put it inside the box that Lewis gave us," Finn said hurriedly. But just as Finn put the core inside the box, a voice echoed in his head, and not only his head but in every other student's head as well...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Mana Vein, Darius and his team members had just arrived. "We've finally arrived at the Mana Vein; it's so different from what I imagined," Leo said, feeling a bit down. Just as Darius was about to reply to Leo, a voice was heard in their head: "Team A has obtained 3 points for obtaining a Tier 2 Mana core." This announcement sent ripples throughout the entire expedition. It wasn't even a minute, and Team A had already obtained Mana cores - and not just any Mana core, but a Tier 2 Mana core. They had barely even moved yet. Darius, after hearing this, had a smile on his face. "Damn, that Lucius always tries to show off when he has the chance, but this time, I'm the one who's going to have the most points and win. I won't let him shine more than me this time, no way. I'm not going to let it happen again," Darius said, filled with determination to beat his friend and get the spotlight.
Darius, filled with a blend of determination and nervous excitement, led his team deeper into the Mana Vein. This was their first real expedition, and they were all very young. His team consisted of Leo, the ever-optimistic Fire Mage, Katarina, Water mage that specialized on Healing magic, and Orion, another Fire Mage known for his aggressive combat style.
The air was thick with mana, and the ground beneath them seemed to hum with energy. As they moved forward, the atmosphere grew more oppressive, signaling the presence of magical beasts.
Their first encounter was with a pack of Gloom Hounds, Tier 1 beasts known for their stealth and speed. The hounds emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing a sinister green.
"Leo, Orion, take the front. Katarina, stay back and support," Darius instructed, his voice trying to sound calm and authoritative despite his racing heart.
Leo and Orion stepped forward, their hands igniting with flames. The first hound lunged at Leo, but he sidestepped and scorched the beast with a burst of fire. Orion followed suit, his flames burning even brighter, incinerating two hounds in a single blast.
Katarina stood behind them, her hands trembling as she tried to focus on the soothing blue light of her healing magic. She was ready to heal any injuries, but her fear was palpable. The battle was swift, and soon the Gloom Hounds lay defeated.
Nice work, everyone. Let's keep moving," Darius said, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. "Who made Darius the leader? I want to be the one to lead, not Darius. I believe I would be a much better fit than him," Orion said boastfully. "I wasn't made the leader by anyone, and no one is the leader of our group. I'm just pretty good at attacking strategically because I have some experience in it," Darius said calmly, trying to pacify Orion. "Okay, I will let you be the strategist for now, but if you make any wrong decisions, I won't hesitate to step in and take charge." With that, the tension between them was palpable, and the group continued on, their dynamics subtly shifted.
As they ventured deeper into the ravine, the terrain grew more treacherous. The walls, lined with jagged crystals that pulsed with mana, seemed to close in on them. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and ozone. Suddenly, the ground trembled, and a massive figure emerged from the shadows – a Tier 3 Earth Golem. The golem's body was a behemoth of stone and crystal, its eyes glowing with an eerie blue light.
The golem swung its massive arm, and the ground shuddered beneath their feet. The team stumbled back, almost losing their footing on the loose scree. Darius raised his hands, and the earth responded, splitting open a chasm that swallowed the golem's leg. The golem roared, its voice like thunder, and swung again.
Leo and Orion unleashed a barrage of fire spells, striking the golem's joints with blasts of flame that singed the air. The golem stumbled, its movements slowing as the heat cracked and weakened its stone limbs. Katarina's eyes darted between her companions, her hands trembling as she prepared to heal any wounds.
The golem's roar grew louder, its body beginning to glow with an intense blue light. The air around it distorted, as if reality itself was bending under its power. The team stumbled back, blinded by the light. When their vision cleared, they saw the golem had grown larger, its body now a colossal monolith of stone and crystal.
Darius gritted his teeth, his eyes locked on the golem. He raised his hands, and the earth responded with a fury. Boulders erupted from the ground, pounding the golem with deafening crashes. The golem stumbled, its legs cracking under the onslaught.
Leo and Orion pressed their advantage, unleashing a torrent of spells that struck the golem with precision. Katarina's healing magic flowed through her companions, mending wounds and bolstering their strength.
The battle raged on, the golem refusing to fall. Its body began to shift and contort, its stone limbs twisting in ways that defied nature. The team stumbled back, exhausted and battered. Darius stood tall, his eyes blazing with determination.
With a final cry of defiance, Darius summoned the earth's fury. The ground split open, swallowing the golem whole. The team stumbled back, panting, as the earth closed over the golem's body. The silence was deafening, the only sound the heavy breathing of the team.
As they caught their breath, they approached the spot where the golem had fallen. The earth had swallowed it whole, leaving only a faint glow of mana in its wake. Darius reached out, his hand closing around a glowing crystal – the golem's mana core. It pulsed with energy, its power coursing through him.
"Let's get out of here," Darius said, his voice low and weary. "We've got what we came for."
The team nodded, their eyes fixed on the mana core as they followed Darius out of the ravine, the darkness swallowing them whole once more.
---
In a dark corner of the Mana Vein, far away from the team's sight, a secluded area lay shrouded in shadow. Here, in this hidden spot, the air was thick with an oppressive aura, and the ground was littered with the remnants of past battles. It was here that the Tier 5 Frost Wyvern resided, its massive form barely contained within the cavern's walls.
A cloaked figure approached the wyvern, their eyes glinting with malice. The wyvern's eyes narrowed as it sensed the figure's presence, its icy breath filling the air with frost.
"Frost Wyvern," the figure whispered, their voice dripping with venom. "I have a task for you. Seek out Lucius Phale, the Prince of Elara, and kill him. Leave no trace."
The Frost Wyvern let out a low growl, its eyes narrowing with understanding. With a powerful beat of its wings, it took off into the shadows, its mission clear. The figure watched it disappear, a sinister smile playing on their lips as they vanished into the darkness.