The Fortress at Dusk
The fortress with some of its newly repaired walls seemed a little more safe from goblins than before and now bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. The villagers are hard at work, rebuilding their homes and the fortress walls. Aiden stands at the gate, watching over them with a focused look. He holds the Timekeeper's Shard tightly in his hand, the weight of the vision from the Temple of Time still heavy on his mind.He ponders on the question whether are these walls really enough to defend them from the dangers of the forest, which seemed more scary than those puny goblins which were defeated with ease?
Aiden (thinking):
"The vision of that army... that dark figure. They're coming for us. I need to be ready, but something feels off. Why did the Timekeeper choose a low level Base Keeper like me? I can't remember anything like this from the game which I played like crazy until I lost consciousness.
Suddenly, a distant rumbling shakes the ground. The villagers pause in their work, looking around nervously. Lina rushes to Aiden's side.
Lina (panting):
"Keeper! Scouts have spotted a large force approaching from the east. It's… it's unlike anything we've seen before."
Aiden's grip on the Timekeeper's Shard tightens as the rumbling grows louder, like the earth itself is being torn apart.
Aiden (grimly):
"It's them. They're here."
The Approach of the Shadow General
Aiden and Lina climb to the top of the wall, where they can see the Shadow General's army approaching. The sky has darkened unnaturally, and the air is thick with dread. At the front of the army stands the Shadow General, a towering figure shrouded in darkness, his red eyes glowing with malevolent power. His presence sends a chill down Aiden's spine.
Aiden (whispering to himself):
"Level 150… how is this possible? He shouldn't be here this early. He's one of the game's hidden bosses, a monster no player could handle alone."
The Shadow General raises his hand, and the army halts. His voice booms across the battlefield, cold and commanding.
Shadow General (booming):
"Timekeeper's Chosen. I sensed your awakening. You are not ready for the power you wield, yet you dare challenge the flow of time itself."
Aiden takes a deep breath, trying to steel himself. His Time Distortion ability has a cooldown, and he knows he's vastly outmatched. But he can't let the villagers see his fear.
Aiden (shouting back):
"I don't care who you are! This fortress is under my protection now. If you want to get through, you'll have to go through me. And what are you on about challenging the flow of time!?"
The Shadow General's red eyes narrow.
Shadow General (coldly):
"Foolish boy. Think of protecting yourself first. You will learn the price of defying fate."
Aiden's Struggle
The battle begins with the Shadow General's army launching an assault on the fortress. Goblins, shadow creatures, and twisted beasts charge forward. Aiden draws his sword, holding it firmly and uses Time Distortion - Slow, creating a brief window to cut through the first wave of enemies. But the cooldown kicks in quickly, and he's left to fend off the next wave without his abilities. Lina and Garret help the villagers to hide in the ruins of the fortress.
Aiden (thinking):
"I can't keep using Time Distortion so recklessly. These cooldowns are killing me!"
Sweat drips down his forehead as he fights off the creatures. His movements are slower without his skills, and the enemies seem endless. Just as he's starting to gain control, the ground shakes again.
The Shadow General steps forward, raising his hand. A thick, black mist swirls around him, and the enemies retreat. The battlefield falls eerily silent.
Shadow General (mocking):
"Is this the extent of your power, Timekeeper's Chosen? You cannot even withstand my weakest soldiers. You cannot even protect your fortress and these villagers properly and you are supposed to protect this world! You brat know nothing about this World! "
A child of the villager besides the cold body of the deceased mother cries loudly with fear. Aiden grips his sword tighter, glaring at the towering figure.
Aiden (through gritted teeth):
"I'm not done yet!"
He charges at the Shadow General, swinging his sword with all his strength. But as he nears, the General barely moves—raising one hand to block Aiden's strike. The impact sends a shockwave through Aiden's body, and he's thrown back, crashing into the ground.
Crushing Defeat
Aiden struggles to get up, his body battered and bruised. The villagers watch from the walls, their faces filled with fear and despair. The Shadow General steps closer, his red eyes burning brighter.
Shadow General:
"This is your power? Are you really the one supposed to inherit Timekeeper's legacy? "
Looking towards the sky , the shadow general shouts…
Shadow Genera (mockingly):
"Did you really choose this? Huh!? Timekeeper !"
He raises his hand again, and dark energy begins to swirl around Aiden, pinning him to the ground. Aiden gasps for breath, struggling to move.
Aiden (thinking):
"I can't… move. Is this it? Am I really going to die here… ?"
His vision blurs as the pressure increases. In his mind, he sees flashes of the villagers, of Lina, of the old man Garret and of the base he's been trying to rebuild. He can't fail them. Not now.
Aiden (pleading):
"Please… I'll do anything. Just… spare them."
The Shadow General looms over him, his dark aura crackling with power.
Shadow General (smirking):
"Begging for mercy already? Pathetic. But your life does not interest me… yet."
He lowers his hand, and the pressure lifts slightly. Aiden gasps, but the relief is short-lived as the General's next words cut through the air.
Shadow General:
"I leave you with a curse. Let it remind you of your insignificance."
A dark mist envelops Aiden's body, sinking into his skin. He feels his strength drain away as the status abnormalities take hold. His vision dims, and he is shown with the same game mechanics that his health bar drops into the red, permanently reduced by half.
Aftermath
The Shadow General turns his back on Aiden, his army retreating into the forest and shadows vanishing mysteriously. The villagers rush down from the walls to help Aiden, but their morale is shattered. Lina kneels beside him, her eyes wide with fear and concern.
Lina (shaking him gently):
"Keeper, stay with us! What happened?"
Aiden coughs, his voice weak.
Aiden:
"I… lost. I wasn't ready for him. He's too strong."
Garet who was atop the battlements , his gaze fixed on the sky that had once been clear and unmarred, now shrouded in a veil of sorrow. He closed his eyes, his lips moving in a quiet murmur, words slipping forth like a solemn hymn. It was as if he was weaving a lament for the fallen—a requiem for those lost to the shadows—while at the same time, he whispered a prayer, a tender plea, to breathe courage into the hearts of the living, urging them to hold on to hope amid the encroaching darkness.
Aiden who was lying in the arms of Lina starts to tremble as the curse takes its toll, leaving him with a constant drain on his stamina and reduced health. He can barely stand as the villagers support him, leading him back into the fortress.
As they carry him inside, a notification appears in Aiden's interface.
[STATUS: CURSED]
Health reduced by 50%.
Stamina regenerates at half speed.
Movement speed reduced by 20%.
Status can only be lifted by an ancient relic.
Aiden (thinking):
"I was so overconfident… and now I'm cursed. How can I protect them like this?"
He stares up at the sky, feeling the weight of his defeat settle in. The road ahead has become infinitely harder, and for the first time since arriving in this world, Aiden feels truly vulnerable.
But in his heart, a spark of determination and vengeance remains.
Aiden (weakly):
"I'll find a way to beat you, Shadow General… no matter what it takes."
The Villagers' Response
Back in the fortress, the villagers tend to Aiden's wounds. They look to him for guidance, but he's barely able to speak. The mood has shifted—fear and doubt hang over the settlement like a dark cloud.
Lina stands at the edge of the camp, watching the forest with a grim expression. She knows the Shadow General will return, and next time, they might not be so lucky.
Lina (to herself):
"We need more than just hope… we need power. And fast."
End of Episode 4