The wind howled through the jagged peaks of the Blackridge Mountains, carrying with it the scent of ash and decay, these mountains used to be a place of worship, and liush greenery but now its was desolate and dead, Ban trudged along the narrow path, his eyes scanning the barren landscape for any sign of movement. The elder's words still echoed in his mind. The Sorcerer Kingdom, destroyed. A black mist, an entity capable of annihilating entire civilizations, was now ravaging the land. And Ban, for reasons he still didn't fully understand, was supposed to do something about it.
"Head east," the elder had said. "If there's anyone who can stop this, it's you."
Ban shook his head and rolled his eyes, "You old goat, why would I listen to you just because you beg"
Ban wasn't so sure. He was immortal, yes, but he wasn't invincible. But as he walked, the doubt gnawing at him, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was nearby.
He stopped suddenly, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword. The mountains were eerily quiet, the only sound the rustling of the wind through the dead trees. Ban's senses were sharp, honed by centuries of survival, and they were telling him he wasn't alone.
In the distance, he heard it—a faint, panicked cry carried on the wind. Ban's grip on his sword tightened as he quickened his pace, out pacing the wind around him, following the sound. As he rounded a rocky outcrop, he saw them: a small group of travelers, fighting for their lives against a creature Ban knew all to well.
"A Tarnished" Ban said in annoyance.
It stood over nine feet tall, a twisted, humanoid figure wrapped in ragged, filthy clothing. Its elongated arms ended in gnarled claws that sliced through the air with terrifying speed. The creature's face was obscured by a hood, but Ban could see its glowing, hate-filled eyes as it bore down on its prey.
The travelers—2 elves, a beastman and a human—fought desperately to fend off the creature, but they were clearly outmatched. One elf, a woman with long silver hair, caught Ban's eye as she fired arrows into the Tarnished, only for them to bounce harmlessly off its thick, leathery skin, as the two other elf's were slashing away at the beast, their blades practically doing nothing but making the beast more and more annoyed.
One of the elf's, a short old man screamed as his muscles seemed to bulge and pulsate, as he attacked the Tarnished his attacks seemed to be far stronger than before,"huh his using Battle Will, very advanced if I may add."Ban said behind some bushes. The elf jumped up and slashing at the Tarnished's head cutting it clean off but as the Elf landed he hadn't even realized that the Tarnisheds head had already grown back, The Tarnished screamed out as he swatted away the old elf.
Ban hesitated, wanting to ignore them and go on his way, but the terrified faces of the elf travelers made his stomach churn. He couldn't just walk away. With a sigh, Ban leaped into the fray, drawing his sword in one swift motion, the blade glinting in the dim light.
"Hey, ugly," Ban called out."Pick on someone your own size."
The Tarnished turned its attention to him, its eyes narrowing with a malevolent intelligence. It roared in response, swinging one of its massive arms at Ban with bone-crushing force. Ban ducked and rolled to the side, slashing at the Tarnished's exposed leg as he said "Burn". The creature howled in pain, staggering back as black ichor oozed from the wound as the wound caught ablaze.
As the leg caught fire the elven woman, seeing an opening, shouted to her companions. "Now! Aim for its legs!"
Together, they unleashed a barrage of arrows and spells, targeting the Tarnished's injured limb. The creature faltered, its balance thrown off as it tried to protect itself. Ban pressed the advantage, darting in and out of the creature's reach, each strike weakening it further.
Finally, with a powerful upward slash, Ban severed the Tarnished's arm at the shoulder. The creature let out a final, pitiful wail before errupting into flames and collapsing on to the ground, its body disintegrating into a pile of ash and rags.
The battle over, Ban extinguished the flames on his sword and then sheathed it and turned to the group. The elven woman stepped forward, her green eyes locked onto his with a mix of relief and wariness.
"Thank you," she said, her voice steady despite the chaos they had just faced. "You saved us."
Ban shrugged, a faint smile playing on his lips as he focused on the dust that was once the Tarnished. "Just doing my good deed for the day. You looked like you could use the help."
The woman nodded, though she didn't lower her guard. "I'm Bel, and these are my companions. We were on a journey through these lands, but they were more dangerous than we anticipated."
"That's an understatement," Ban replied, glancing at the human traveler who was clutching his arm, which had been slashed by the Tarnished. "These mountains aren't exactly welcoming to visitors."
Bel followed his gaze and immediately rushed over to the human's side. The wound had already begun to produce pus, and his hand was swollen, his face contorted in pain.
"Hold still," Bel said as she held her hand over his wound. A bright green light emanated from her palm, seeping into the wound, closing it up and mending the damage.
"Healing magic?" Ban whispered curiously as he approached. "That's pretty rare nowadays. But since you're an elf, it should be expected."
As Ban drew closer, one of the other elves, a stern-looking male with a shield, stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"I am grateful for your help, young man," the male elf said, his voice firm. "But do not think that will blind my sense of judgment."
"Wha—" Ban started, but he stopped himself as he realized the elf's intentions. He understood the caution; in a world like this, trust was a rare commodity, especially towards strangers.
"I get it," Ban said, taking a step back. "But you should know that basic healing magic won't work on a wound like that."
In that instant, the human cried out as his wound, which had just been healed, ripped back open, the flesh tearing and the infection spreading visibly before their eyes. Bel recoiled in shock, the green light fading from her hands as she stared at the wound in horror.
"What's happening?" she gasped, her composure slipping as she struggled to understand what had gone wrong.
Ban's expression darkened, his tone serious. "Tarnished wounds are cursed. Normal healing magic might close the wound temporarily, but it doesn't stop the curse. You'll need something much stronger if you want to save him."
Bel's eyes widened as she looked back at the human, whose condition was rapidly deteriorating. The other elves exchanged worried glances, their earlier mistrust of Ban momentarily forgotten in the face of this new crisis.
"What do we do?" Bel asked, desperation creeping into her voice.
"I can help" Ban said looking at the Elf infront of him "That's if you let me", The old elf glared at Ban, but in the end he let him pass.
"Thank you" Ban said with a smirk as he walked towards the human, "Basic healing magic, effective but not versatile, it requires you to use energy from your own body to repair or accelerate the regenerative process of the body-" Ban paused as he pulled out a jar from a sack on his right side.
"But while it's effective it has its down sides, like exhausting the caster, it can't heal complex wounds and most importantly it can't undo curses" Ban says as he opens the jar and he poured out some water from the jar unto the injury.
As the water made contact with the wound, the wound closed and the purple colour dissipated. "H-how did you-" Bell said , but before she finished her sentence Ban answers quickly "It's special water, blessed as you elf's would say" Ban said closing the jar and putting it away.
Bel studied Ban for a moment before speaking again. "You're not just a wanderer, are you? There's something different about you."
Ban chuckled brushing of the observation, "That's all I am really a wanderer." Ban said as he began to walk away.
Bel's gaze softened slightly, though the tension didn't fully leave her posture. "We could use someone like you. The path ahead is dangerous, and its seems you are very inept in magic and combat,If you're heading east, perhaps our paths could align."
"M-Ms Bel" The old elf said shocked by her suggestion, "Mmm nah ill pass" Ban said as he began to walk away.
"W-wait please we can pay you" Bel said in a panic, "Ms Bel!" The old elf practically yelled.
Ban turned back glancing at Bell, "Thanks but no, ill just cause you trouble.", Ban once again shrugged as he continued to walk away.
"For your sake I suggest you turn back and return back to the great forest, that is were your from right?"Ban said.
"You could become an adventurer with your skills" Bel said, "Am already an adventurer of sorts so I don't se-" Ban said as he turned back to Bel, about to make another witty remark before she cut him off.
"I mean an official adventurer, we're you get payed for your escapades, in the Sorcerers Kingdom it's very profi-" Before Bel could finish speaking Ban cut her off.
"The Sorcerers Kingdom?" Ban said,
Ban then smirked "Maybe I'll join you after all.", Bel eyes glowed with satisfaction as she approached Ban thanking him again.