Dan and Elias stepped through the shimmering portal, its energy swallowing them whole.
As the world twisted and turned, they were hurled out on the other side, landing with a heavy thud.
Dan's face kissed the cold, damp ground with an embarrassing splat. "Ugh, why is it always me?" he groaned, struggling to his knees.
He slowly pushed himself up, shaking his head to clear the dizziness. A wave of nausea rolled over him, and he staggered to the side.
He doubled over, retching into the grass as his stomach rebelled. The whole world still spun, and he was doing everything he could to keep it together.
Elias, standing a few feet away and already composed, palmed his face in frustration.
"Why am I stuck with this guy?" he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
Dan turned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "What did you say?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Nothing," Elias replied curtly, unsheathing his sword, Dark Shard. Its dark edge glimmered ominously in the dim light, and he assumed a battle-ready stance.
Dan burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Oh, come on! You look like you're auditioning for some cheesy warrior flick.
I bet you can't even swing that thing properly. Honestly, I'm still trying to figure out how you've survived this long. Let me guess...you've been leeching off people way stronger than you, haven't you?"
Elias's grip tightened on his sword. "Can you stop talking for five seconds? You're like a parrot that never shuts up. This place is dangerous, and you're making us sitting ducks."
He cast an annoyed glance at Dan, a flicker of irritation showing on his face. Just keep your mouth shut for once."
Dan grinned. "You know, I think I should start a running tally of all the insults people throw at me. I'll make a fortune out of it."
As if on cue, the system chimed in with its usual sarcastic tone:
Ding!
[System Alert: You are now accompanied by a parrot. Warning: Excessive talking may cause death by annoyance.]
It is not really a bad thing for you to die like that though
Dan froze, staring at the system notification. It was a notification that they both can see.
He turned to Elias with wide eyes. "Did the system just roast me? What?
Elias sighed. "Not this again…"
Dan smirked, pulling out his twin daggers and twirling them deftly. "Alright, fine.
Let's get serious. Shall we move before something ugly decides we look like a buffet?"
Elias gave him a dry look. "Your confidence is inspiring, really."
The two took their first steps into the misty terrain.
The world around them was eerie.....tall, gnarled trees loomed over them like silent sentinels, their branches twisting unnaturally.
A faint mist clung to the ground, swirling with every step they took. The forest felt alive, its shadows shifting in ways that made the hair on Dan's neck stand on end.
The system notification chimes cutting through the eerie silence.
Ding!
[Quest Activated: Trial of the Forsaken Forest]
Objective: Survive the onslaught and retrieve the Heart of the Forest.
Reward: Reasonable amount of EXP, Mystery Loot.
Penalty: Death or Reduction of stats
Timer: 25 minutes.
Dan read the notification aloud, his voice laced with skepticism. "Mystery loot? Can't they just tell us what we're fighting for? And 'death or Reduction of stats'? Real comforting."
Elias didn't respond. He had already raised his sword, his eyes scanning the fog for movement.
And then it came..... low growl, guttural and menacing.
From the shadows, a massive beast emerged.
Its body was covered in bark-like armor, its glowing eyes locked onto them with primal hunger. Sharp, jagged claws scraped against the ground as it circled them.
"Okay," Dan said, taking a step back. "This thing doesn't look friendly."
"No kidding," Elias replied, tightening his grip on Dark Shard.
The beast lunged with terrifying speed. Elias reacted first, meeting its charge with a powerful swing of his sword.
The blade struck true, carving a deep gash into the creature's side. It howled in pain but didn't slow down. Instead, it swung one massive claw at Elias, forcing him to leap back.
Dan darted to the side, his daggers gleaming as he struck at the beast's flank.
His blades found purchase between the cracks in its bark-like armor, but the creature barely flinched.
"Uh, Elias?" Dan called out, dodging another swipe. "This thing is tough. Got any bright ideas?"
"Don't die," Elias shot back, slashing at the beast's front legs to slow it down.
"Fantastic advice," Dan muttered, rolling out of the way of a snapping jaw.
The fight dragged on, the beast proving to be more resilient than either of them had anticipated.
Every time they landed a hit, it seemed to grow more feral, its attacks becoming faster and more erratic.
Dan was starting to feel the strain. His movements were slowing, his breathing ragged.
He glanced at his Stats and winced. He felt depleted already.
Stamina: 35%.
Elias, meanwhile, was faring slightly better, though his precision strikes were starting to lose their edge.
"We need to finish this thing fast," Elias said, his voice tight.
Dan grinned despite the situation. "Alright, watch and learn."
He darted toward the beast, feinting left before driving one of his daggers into its eye.
The creature roared in agony, thrashing wildly. Dan was thrown back, landing hard on the ground, but his attack had done its job. The beast was blinded on one side, its movements now more predictable.
Guess it wasn't as easy as I thought ,Dan muttered while still on the ground after the creature thrashed him.
Elias seized the opportunity. With a powerful leap, he brought Dark Shard down onto the creature's neck, severing its head in one clean strike.
The beast collapsed with a heavy thud, its body dissolving into a cloud of dark mist.
Ding!
[Enemy Defeated: +50 EXP.]
[Bonus: Rare Loot Dropped – Healing Balm x1, Skill Card x1.]
Dan sat up, groaning as he rubbed his sore back. "That… was intense."
Elias didn't respond. He walked over to the spot where the beast had fallen, picking up the glowing items that had materialized.
He tossed the healing balm to Dan without a word.
Dan caught it, inspecting the small vial. "Oh, nice. A healing balm. Just what I needed."
He uncorked it and took a swig, feeling its cool, soothing effect wash over him. His bruises faded, and his stamina bar began to refill.
Elias held up the skill card, his expression unreadable. "This is interesting."
Dan peeked over his shoulder. "What does it say?"
[Skill Card: Shadow Leap]
Effect: Instantly teleport behind an enemy and deliver a critical strike.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Danwhistled. "That's a sweet skill. I call dibs."
Elias raised an eyebrow. "You're not getting this."
"Oh, come on! I'm the one who blinded the beast!"
"And I'm the one who killed it."
Dan pouted. "You're no fun."
Elias ignored him, pocketing the skill card. "Let's keep moving. The quest isn't over."
Dan sighed, twirling his daggers. "Fine. But if the next monster kills us, I'm blaming you."
Elias didn't reply, but the faintest smirk crossed his face as they continued deeper into the forest.