Aiden stood in the void, the weight of the cursed ring still pressing against his hand like an iron shackle. His breath came in slow, uneven bursts, the suffocating emptiness of the portal's realm gnawing at his nerves.
The darkness stretched endlessly in every direction, an oppressive silence filling the space. The only thing breaking the monotony was the faintly glowing portal gate behind him. The gateway through which he had entered this strange, desolate place.
He turned in a slow circle, hoping to catch a glimpse of something, anything, that might lead to answers. But there was nothing. No path forward, no lingering presence of the spirit who had guided him. Just him and the yawning void.
"Well," he muttered, his voice sounding unnaturally loud in the emptiness,
"this is cozy. Just me and my cursed ring, hanging out in the middle of nowhere."
The ring pulsed faintly, almost in response, and Aiden scowled down at it.
"Don't get smug," he growled at the artifact, clenching his hand into a fist.
"I've already got enough problems without you adding to the list."
Shaking his head, Aiden turned toward the portal gate, its swirling green-and-grey energy the only anchor in the void. If there was nothing else here—no hidden truths, no ancient secrets—then there was no point in staying. The spirit had clearly led him here for the ring, and now that he had it…
"Guess I'm done," he said aloud, the sound of his voice doing little to dispel the oppressive silence.
With a resigned sigh, he stepped toward the portal. As he drew closer, the swirling energy seemed to react, the colors brightening and churning faster, as though eager to usher him out. Aiden hesitated at the threshold, glancing over his shoulder one last time.
"Nothing, huh?" he murmured, half-hoping something might materialize in the darkness. A sign, a clue, anything to explain what he was supposed to do next.
But the void remained stubbornly empty, its silence unbroken.
He sighed again, running a hand through his hair.
"Figures. Fine. Let's get this over with."
Taking a deep breath, Aiden stepped through the portal.
Aiden stumbled forward, his boots hitting solid ground. The cool, damp air of the forest greeted him, a stark contrast to the suffocating void of the portal's realm. He took a moment to steady himself, his head spinning slightly from the abrupt transition.
Looking around, he realized he was back in the same part of the forest where he had entered the portal. The trees loomed overhead, their twisted branches forming a dense canopy that barely let in the moonlight. The eerie stillness of the place hadn't changed, and Aiden couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.
He glanced down at the cursed ring on his finger, its faint glow barely visible in the dim light.
"Well," he muttered, flexing his hand,
"that was a trip. And now I've got a new piece of cursed jewelry to show for it. Great."
The ring didn't respond, but its presence was impossible to ignore. Aiden sighed, adjusting his cloak and scanning the forest.
"Guess it's time to figure out what to do next," he said to himself, his voice low.
As he reached for his satchel to double-check his supplies, a soft rustle behind him froze him in place. His hand instinctively went to the dagger at his side as his undead animals stiffened, their lifeless eyes turning toward the source of the noise.
From the shadows emerged a dark hooded figure, his cloak blending seamlessly with the dim forest light. Aiden's heart raced, and his grip tightened around the hilt of his blade as he stepped back, keeping a wary eye on the stranger.
"Who are you?" Aiden demanded, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him.
The figure chuckled softly, the sound low and ominous. He took a step closer, their movements slow and deliberate.
"Well, well," he said, his tone dripping with a mix of curiosity and disdain.
"Looks like I've stumbled upon one of those wicked necromancers I've heard so much about."
"Wicked?" Aiden shot back, his voice sharp but defensive.
"Come on, I haven't killed anybody yet. At max, I was just defending myself. Those guys had it coming. Not my fault." He crossed his arms, glaring at the hooded figure as if daring them to challenge him.
"Yet?" the figure repeated, their voice laced with mockery.
"So you're planning to kill eventually? Bold of you to admit that. I'll give you that much."
"What? No!" Aiden protested, his voice rising in exasperation.
"I didn't mean it like that! I was just. Ugh, damn it! You're just twisting my words to suit your own narrative."
The figure smirked, their expression dark and dangerous.
"Twisting your words? I don't need to. Your kind are all the same. Harbingers of death and ruin."
The smirk transformed into a cold, sinister smile, their glowing eyes locking onto Aiden's.
"All necromancers deserve to perish!"
Without warning, the figure lunged forward, twin daggers flashing in the dim light. His speed was incredible, the blades slicing through the air with deadly intent. Aiden's heart leapt as he instinctively stumbled back, his mind racing.
"Shit!" he cursed under his breath, raising his hands defensively.
'What now?'
His undead animals, standing idly nearby, immediately sprang to life at his unspoken command. A twisted raven swooped down, claws outstretched, aiming for the figure's face, while a skeletal fox lunged low, snapping at their ankles.
The figure didn't falter. He twisted mid-dash, his movements fluid and precise, slicing through the raven with one dagger and kicking the fox away with brutal force. The undead creatures crumbled to the ground, lifeless once more.
"Is that all you've got, necromancer?" the figure taunted, closing the distance between them.
Aiden's fingers twitched as panic surged. He reached for the energy pulsing within him, the strange, dark force that had become second nature.
His hand shot forward, and a surge of necrotic energy rippled out, forcing the ground beneath the figure's feet to crack and split.
Roots twisted upward, grabbing at his legs like skeletal fingers. The figure stumbled briefly but slashed through the bindings with ease, his movements like a predator circling its prey.
"Damn it!" Aiden spat, backing away further.
"What's your deal? I didn't even do anything to you!"
"You exist," the figure growled, their voice venomous.
"That's reason enough."
He lunged again, daggers aimed for Aiden's chest. This time, Aiden managed to dodge, the blades missing him by a hair. He clenched his teeth, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He wasn't a fighter; he'd never trained for this. But he had one advantage. His power.
"Damn it," Aiden hissed through gritted teeth as he stumbled back, barely keeping his balance.
"I didn't want to test this cursed artifact here, not with how much attention it could draw... but you're forcing my hand!"
The hooded figure smirked, their daggers glinting in the faint light.
"Oh? Going to show me what you're really capable of, little necromancer? Go ahead—I'll cut you down before you can even try."
Aiden glanced at the ring on his finger, its dark, sickly green glow faint but unmistakable. He could feel the energy swirling within, tempting him, urging him to tap into its power. His heart pounded, a mix of fear and defiance coursing through him.
"Fine," he muttered under his breath, raising his hand.
"You asked for it."
Aiden's shadow began to stretch unnaturally, spilling out across the ground like ink spreading in water. As the shadow grew, the air around him turned cold and heavy. A low hum resonated, a vibration that seemed to come from the very earth itself.
One by one, skeletal hands clawed their way out of the darkness, their forms rising as fully-formed undead warriors. Within seconds, thousand lifeles figures stood before him.
The hooded figure took an involuntary step back, their face paling beneath the cowl.
"Where… where did they come from?" he muttered, his voice betraying a mix of disbelief and apprehension. But the hesitation was brief, and his grip on the twin daggers tightened.
The figure straightened, a determined glint returning to his eyes.
He shifted into a combat stance, their daggers glowing faintly with a golden hue.
Aiden narrowed his eyes, immediately sensing the new wave of energy emanating from the figure. It was sharp and precise, like sunlight piercing through a thick fog. A power that could only come from holy magic.
The figure dashed forward with blinding speed, far faster than before. His movements were fluid, almost impossible to track, as the figure weaved through the mass of undead. With a flash of gold, it struck, slicing through two skeletal warriors with a single swing of the glowing daggers.
The bones shattered into dust, the remains disintegrating as the holy energy eradicated the dark magic animating them.
The figure landed gracefully amidst the chaos, straightening with an air of confidence. A smirk played across his lips, his daggers twirling in his hands like toys.
"Hahh, I thought you'd give me some fun. But well, this is disappointing." he scoffed, his tone dripping with mockery.
Aiden smirked, his eyes glinting with a mix of defiance and malice.
"Well, of course, I save the best for last."
He raised his hand, the dark energy in the ring flaring to life. The ground trembled as a surge of magic erupted from him, the shadows around him twisting and writhing like living things. The battlefield stilled for a moment, as if the air itself was holding its breath.
Then, with a deafening roar, they emerged.
First, five massive undead rose from the ground, their hulking frames towering over the battlefield. Their rotting flesh hung loosely from their oversized bones, and their glowing eyes radiated raw malice. Each of them carried a weapon. Rusted axes, massive hammers, or crude spiked clubs. Yet they moved with a terrifying grace for their size.
Next, three hovering wraiths appeared, their ghostly forms flickering and pulsing with eerie green light. Their distorted faces were barely visible beneath their translucent hoods, and their spectral claws exuded an aura of death so cold it seemed to freeze the air around them.
Finally, two death knights emerged, their armor blackened and jagged, their skeletal hands gripping long, cursed blades. Unlike the other undead, their presence was regal, their movements calculated and precise. Their hollow eyes glowed with a crimson light that spoke of relentless power.
The figure froze for a split second, his confidence wavering as he took in the sight of Aiden's new summons.
"You got more tricks?" he barked, though the edge in his voice betrayed his surprise.
Aiden tilted his head, his smirk widening.
"Hah, you're not impressed? I thought you'd enjoy the challenge."
The figure's grip on his daggers tightened, his golden aura flaring as his resolve hardened.
"Hahaha! Bring it on!" he roared, dashing toward the nearest death knight.