The cold wind that swept down from the mountains bit at Ethan's skin as he stood outside the lodge, staring into the distance. The sun had just begun to rise, casting long shadows over the town of Westport. The looming mountains to the north seemed darker, more foreboding, than ever before. Karl had been right—whatever awaited them in those mountains was far more dangerous than the corruption they had faced so far.
As Ethan took in the sight of the distant peaks, Sylas approached quietly, her green eyes thoughtful as she joined him. She didn't say anything at first, just stood beside him, staring at the same horizon.
"We're heading into something much bigger, aren't we?" Ethan finally asked, breaking the silence.
Sylas nodded slowly. "Yes. The corruption we've seen so far is just the surface. What's waiting for us in the mountains… it's connected to something far deeper within the World-Core."
Ethan felt a chill run down his spine, though whether it was from the cold wind or the weight of her words, he couldn't tell. "Do you think Karl knows more than he's letting on?"
"He might," Sylas admitted. "But I believe his intentions are genuine. He's seen this corruption before, and I think he wants to make sure we don't repeat the mistakes of his past."
Ethan nodded, though his thoughts were still clouded by doubts. The system had been strangely quiet since their last mission, its hum barely noticeable in the back of his mind. He wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a warning of something worse to come.
"We'll need to be ready for anything," Ethan said, his voice steady. "The closer we get to the center of the World-Core's corruption, the more dangerous it's going to be."
Back inside the lodge, the rest of the team was gathered around a map spread out on the table. Karl stood at the head of the group, his scarred face focused as he traced a path toward the mountains. His presence had already brought a sense of authority to the group, and though there were still lingering questions about his past, everyone respected his experience.
"These mountains are treacherous," Karl said, his voice low but firm. "The corruption there is old—older than the cores you've faced so far. It's tied directly to the World-Core itself, and the creatures it's produced are far more dangerous."
"More dangerous than a Death Knight?" Gavin asked, raising an eyebrow.
Karl glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "Much more."
Sylas leaned over the map, her eyes scanning the marked locations. "Do we know where exactly the core is in the mountains?"
Karl shook his head. "Not exactly. But we've been receiving reports of strange magical activity—undead rising, storms of dark energy forming seemingly out of nowhere. Those are all signs that a core is nearby, drawing power from the World-Core."
Mira, who had been silent until now, tapped her finger on the map. "So, we follow the corruption. But what's stopping us from walking into another trap? These cores are all connected. Destroying one might make the others more volatile."
Lila, standing beside her, nodded in agreement. "That's what worries me. The more we disrupt the World-Core's corruption, the stronger the remaining cores might become."
Karl straightened up, his voice firm. "That's exactly why we need to be smart about this. We can't just rush in. We need to gather more information before we strike. I've already sent scouts into the area, but the corruption is making it hard to get clear reports."
Ethan crossed his arms, deep in thought. "We need a new lead—something that can give us more insight into what we're dealing with."
As if on cue, the door to the lodge creaked open, and a hooded figure stepped inside. The room grew tense as everyone turned to see the newcomer. The figure lowered their hood, revealing a woman with sharp features and dark eyes. She was dressed in the weathered cloak of a traveler, her boots caked with the dirt of long journeys.
"I hear you're looking for answers," the woman said, her voice low but clear. "And I've got some for you."
Karl's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
The woman smirked, stepping forward. "Name's Nira. I'm a scout, and I've been tracking the corruption in these mountains for a long time. I think I might have found something you'll want to see."
Ethan exchanged a glance with Sylas, his interest piqued. "What did you find?"
Nira reached into her cloak and pulled out a small, glowing crystal. The light it emitted was faint, but it pulsed with an unsettling energy, similar to what they had seen near the corrupted cores.
"This," Nira said, placing the crystal on the table. "I found it near one of the ancient ruins deep in the mountains. It's connected to the corruption—an artifact, maybe. But it's different from the other cores you've faced. It's like it's… absorbing energy from the World-Core, but not just for corruption. For something else."
Sylas frowned, picking up the crystal and examining it closely. "This is different. The energy inside is more controlled, more deliberate."
Nira nodded. "Exactly. The corruption we've seen so far is chaotic, spreading without any real direction. But whatever this is, it's part of something more… organized."
Lila's eyes widened. "You mean, someone or something is controlling the corruption?"
Nira shrugged. "It's possible. The ruins I found it in are ancient—older than any of the other cores. There were markings on the walls, runes I've never seen before. I couldn't make sense of it, but I'm sure it's tied to the corruption in some way."
Karl's face darkened. "If there's someone—or something—controlling the corruption, it means we're not just dealing with raw power. We're dealing with intelligence."
Ethan's mind raced as he processed the information. The idea that the corruption was being manipulated or directed by an unknown force was unsettling, but it also made sense. The way the corruption had spread, the cores' connections to the World-Core—there was a pattern here, one they hadn't fully understood until now.
"We need to investigate those ruins," Ethan said, his voice steady. "If there's something there that can help us understand the corruption better, we need to see it."
Nira nodded. "I can guide you there. But be warned—the deeper you go into those mountains, the more dangerous it gets. The corruption has twisted the land, and the creatures there are unlike anything you've seen before."
"We'll be ready," Ethan replied, his determination hardening. "We don't have a choice."
As the team prepared to leave the lodge and head toward the ancient ruins, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the verge of discovering something far more significant than just another corrupted core. The crystal that Nira had brought them was a clue—one that hinted at a deeper, more organized force behind the corruption.
Sylas walked beside him as they left the lodge, her expression thoughtful. "If the corruption is being controlled, it changes everything. We might be facing more than just dark energy. We might be facing a sentient force, one that knows exactly what it's doing."
Ethan nodded, his gaze fixed on the mountains ahead. "And if that's true, it means this fight is going to be a lot more complicated than we thought."
The mountains loomed in the distance, dark and ominous. The path ahead was filled with uncertainty, but Ethan and his team were ready to face whatever new challenges awaited them.