The aftermath of the shadow attack had left El Queen in a state of uneasy calm. Repairs had begun, and the citizens, both NPC's and players, had returned to their daily routines, but the lingering unease was palpable. Something far darker than anyone could comprehend had been unleashed, and it was clear this was no ordinary quest.
Arcodia and her party stood at the entrance of the grand library of El Queen. Its towering columns and intricate carvings shimmered in the sunlight, but even here, there was an underlying sense of foreboding. Dust and silence filled the vast halls, as if the ancient knowledge within had been forgotten by time itself.
"Why do we always end up in libraries?" Kellan grumbled, kicking at the steps as they made their way inside. "I thought we were supposed to be fighting monsters, not reading dusty old books."
"Because," Zenny said, her tone sharp, "if we don't understand what we're up against, all the sword-swinging in the world won't help us."
Kellan rolled his eyes. "You say that every time, and somehow, I always end up doing just fine."
Arcodia kept her gaze on the towering shelves around them, trying to shake the sense of dread that had clung to her since the shadow attack. The library was cold, far colder than the streets outside, and the air was thick with the scent of old parchment. Somewhere, deep within these walls, lay the answers they needed.
"Zenny's right," Arcodia said softly, earning a surprised glance from Kellan. "We need to know what we're up against. That rift wasn't part of the game's design. It's something older… darker."
Thorn, who had been silently trailing behind, flipped a dagger in his hand and smirked. "I like dark and mysterious. Usually it means there's treasure involved."
Zenny ignored Thorn's comment and led them deeper into the library, her hand glowing faintly as she traced symbols in the air. "There's a section here, hidden from regular players. I've only seen glimpses of it in obscure quest lines, fragments of lore about something called the Abyss."
"Abyss?" Arcodia echoed, her brows furrowed. "What's that?"
Zenny's expression darkened. "It's not a place. It's more like a force or a void, an emptiness that exists beyond the game's coded world. Some believe it's where the game's darkest powers come from, things even the developers didn't create. The legend says it's older than Valoria itself."
"Sounds like a fairy tale," Kellan said dismissively. "We've all played these kinds of games before. There's always some 'ancient evil' or whatever. We beat it, get the loot, and move on."
Zenny turned to him, her eyes narrowing. "This isn't just another boss fight, Kellan. That rift wasn't part of the game's script, and neither are these shadow creatures. If we don't take this seriously, the whole world could unravel."
Kellan shrugged, but Arcodia could see the doubt flickering in his eyes. He wouldn't admit it, but even he was beginning to sense that something was different this time.
They reached the farthest corner of the library, where the shelves were older, darker, and more twisted than the others. Zenny raised her hand, and with a low hum of energy, a secret door appeared, revealing a hidden chamber. Inside, ancient tomes lined the walls, their spines cracked with age. At the center stood a single pedestal, upon which a thick, leather-bound book rested, its cover engraved with symbols that seemed to writhe and shift under the dim light.
"This is it," Zenny whispered, stepping forward cautiously. "The Codex of the Abyss."
Arcodia felt a chill as Zenny opened the book, its pages filled with dense script and arcane symbols that hurt to look at. The mage's eyes scanned the pages, her fingers tracing over the ancient writing.
"There's a prophecy," Zenny said, her voice barely audible. "It speaks of a force from the Abyss that will break free and consume the world. The only way to stop it is to enter the Abyss itself, to sever the connection at its source."
Kellan crossed his arms. "Let me guess. That's us, right? We're the chosen ones or something?"
Zenny shot him a withering glance. "The prophecy doesn't name anyone. But the fact that we encountered that rift, we are involved, whether we like it or not."
Thorn whistled low, leaning against the wall. "So, let me get this straight. You're saying we need to waltz into the Abyss, a place no one's been before, and stop some ancient evil that's not even part of the game? Sounds like a suicide mission."
Arcodia frowned, glancing between Zenny and the others. "We don't have a choice. If we don't stop this, those rifts will keep opening. More shadows will come, and eventually, they'll consume everything."
Kellan let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, but how do we even get to this Abyss? Is there a portal? Some hidden dungeon? You can't just walk into an ancient evil void."
Zenny's eyes remained fixed on the codex. "There's a ritual. One that requires a sacrifice."
At that, the room fell silent. Arcodia's heart skipped a beat. "A sacrifice?"
Zenny nodded slowly, closing the book. "To open a portal to the Abyss, something or someone has to be given up. The prophecy isn't clear on what it means by 'sacrifice,' but I'm guessing it's not something we can take lightly."
Kellan's face darkened. "So we're supposed to just, what, offer someone up? That's not happening."
Tension filled the air, and Arcodia could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on them. This wasn't a simple quest, and the stakes were growing higher by the minute.
Thorn, ever the pragmatist, broke the silence with a sigh. "Look, maybe we don't have to sacrifice anyone. We don't even know what the ritual means. Let's not freak out until we have more information."
Arcodia glanced at Zenny, who was staring at the codex with a distant look in her eyes. The mage was hiding something. Arcodia could feel it. Zenny always had a way of keeping things to herself, of knowing more than she let on.
"We're not sacrificing anyone," Arcodia said firmly, her voice cutting through the tension. "But we need to figure this out. If there's a way to stop the Abyss without losing someone, we'll find it."
Kellan seemed to relax slightly, but the tension between him and Zenny was palpable. It was clear that their strategies were at odds. Kellan wanted action, while Zenny sought understanding. And then there was Thorn, whose loyalties seemed to drift with the wind.
"So what's the next step?" Kellan asked, his voice edged with impatience.
Zenny finally tore her eyes away from the codex and looked at the group. "We are going to the Abyss. We gather more information, find out what we're dealing with. And we'll figure out the rest as we go."
Kellan snorted. "Sounds like a half-baked plan."
Zenny glared at him. "It's better than rushing in blind, which is what you'd prefer."
Before Kellan could retort, Arcodia stepped between them. "Enough. We need to stick together. If we go into the Abyss, we can't afford to be divided. We'll figure this out, but only if we trust each other."
For a moment, no one spoke. Then Kellan sighed, his bravado faltering. "Fine. But if this Abyss thing tries to eat us, I'm holding you responsible, Arc."
Arcodia managed a small smile, though the weight of the situation still pressed down on her. "Deal."
Thorn clapped his hands together, grinning. "Looks like we're going abyss-diving. It should be fun."
As the group made their way out of the library, the tension still lingered in the air, unresolved. The Abyss loomed ahead, its dark whispers already calling to them from beyond the veil of reality.
They had set their goal to find the source of the darkness, to uncover the truth behind the prophecy, and to stop the forces of the Abyss before it consumed everything. But as they left the library, Arcodia couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into something far more dangerous than they could ever imagine.
And deep within the shadows of Valoria, something was watching. Waiting.
As they stepped out of the library into the soft twilight of El Queen, Arcodia felt a weight settle over her. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the city. Those shadows seemed darker than before, more alive, as if they were watching her, waiting for the right moment to pounce. The breeze that swept through the streets felt unnaturally cold, and Arcodia shivered, though it wasn't from the chill.
She turned to Zenny, who was walking slightly ahead, her steps slow, her eyes still locked in thought. Zenny hadn't said much since they left the library, and Arcodia could sense the burden weighing on her. The mage always carried secrets, but now it felt like she was carrying something more and something she wasn't ready to share.
Kellan walked behind them, his mood clearly sour. He kept muttering under his breath, the tension between him and Zenny still palpable. Thorn, on the other hand, strolled casually, his daggers twirling lazily between his fingers. The rogue seemed unfazed by everything, as if diving into an ancient evil was just another Tuesday for him.
Arcodia broke the silence. "We need to talk about what comes next."
Kellan scoffed. "Talk, talk, talk. We're always talking. When do we actually do something?"
Zenny didn't look back but spoke in a calm, controlled voice. "If you charge into the Abyss without understanding what we're up against, you'll be dead before you even draw your sword."
Kellan stopped, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon, his eyes narrowing. "And if we keep sitting around reading old books, we'll never get anywhere. This 'Abyss' is already affecting Valoria. We need to act before it spreads."
Thorn chuckled softly. "Well, we could always just flip a coin. Let fate decide. Heads, we go charging in; tails, we sit around reading more about ancient prophecies."
Arcodia sighed, stepping between Kellan and Zenny, who had both stopped walking to glare at each other. "This isn't helping. We're a team, and right now, we're not acting like one."
Zenny crossed her arms, her gaze cold but thoughtful. "We need information, Arcodia. Rushing into the Abyss without knowing the risks, without understanding the prophecy fully, that's how we lose."
Kellan's eyes flared. "What we need is to stop this thing before it gets worse. We're already seeing rifts open, and if you haven't noticed, the shadows are getting stronger. How long do you think we have before the whole world starts falling apart?"
Arcodia's heart raced. She understood both of them. Zenny's caution made sense. There was so much they didn't know, and the cost of ignorance could be fatal. But Kellan wasn't wrong either. The shadows weren't waiting. Each moment they hesitated was another moment the Abyss could sink its claws deeper into Valoria.
Thorn interrupted the tension with a slow, exaggerated sigh. "You know, it's kinda cute how you two argue like an old married couple. But if I can make a humble suggestion, maybe we should compromise?"
Kellan scowled. "Compromise?"
Thorn nodded, his grin widening. "Why not? Zenny can do her research while we head out to the first rift we saw near Ardenwood. If it's still there, we can gather some clues, see what we're up against in real time. Meanwhile, our dear Zenny here can figure out the prophecy without us breathing down her neck."
Zenny raised an eyebrow. "And what do you propose I do while you three go playing hero?"
Thorn winked. "Simple. You keep digging into the Codex, find out what this 'sacrifice' really means, and see if there's another way to open the portal without giving up something important like, say, one of us."
Arcodia looked at Thorn, surprised. It wasn't often that the rogue came up with ideas that didn't involve stealing or stabbing. But it made sense. They couldn't afford to waste time, and investigating the rift would give them a better idea of what they were dealing with.
"That could work," Arcodia said slowly. "If Kellan, Thorn, and I investigate the rift, we'll be gathering real-world data on what's happening. Zenny, you stay here and keep digging into the prophecy. If we find anything useful in the rift, we can bring it back."
Zenny hesitated, glancing between the group. Finally, she sighed and nodded. "All right. But be careful. The shadows will be stronger near the rift."
Kellan grinned, already eager to move. "Careful? That's my middle name."
Thorn snickered. "Thought your middle name was 'reckless.'"
"Depends on the day," Kellan shot back, clapping Thorn on the back as they started toward the city gates.