Walking Towards the Archmage's Tower
The sun had just begun to set, casting a warm, amber glow across the streets of Marveil as Ezra made his way toward the Archmage's Tower. The city was bustling with life merchants hawking their wares, street performers amusing crowds, and adventurers discussing their latest conquests.
As Ezra walked, he activated his Identify skill, his eyes flickering with the subtle glow of mana as he scanned the surroundings.
Identification Results:
Merchant Stall #1: Peddler of Potions
Items for sale: Healing Potions (x3), Mana Restoration Vials (x2)
Cost: 20 gold per potion, 35 gold per vial
None of these items hold any special properties.
Merchant Stall #2: Weapons and Tools
Items for sale: Rusted Sword (x1), Traveler's Pickaxe (x2), Leather Armor (x1)
Cost: 15 gold for the sword, 30 gold for the pickaxe, 40 gold for the armor
The sword is of low quality, but the pickaxe may have some use in mining for Void-infused minerals.
Street Performer: Fire Dancer
An entertainer twirling fiery orbs.
An ordinary human. No magical attributes detected.
Ezra's eyes scanned the crowds, and his attention shifted to a stall at the far corner of the street. A shabby merchant, hunched over a wooden table, was selling various trinkets. Among them, a stone pendant caught his eye.
The pendant was an oddity, made from a dark, smooth stone with faintly glowing runes carved into its surface. The merchant seemed to watch him with interest as Ezra approached.
Identify skill activated.
Stone Pendant (Void Born):
This stone pendant is typically worn by Void Born. It has no effect on its own but will react when in proximity to Void-born creatures. When activated, it enhances senses and grants the wearer the ability to detect Void-infused entities within a 100-meter radius.
Ezra's interest piqued. The stone could be incredibly useful, especially for detecting Void monsters lurking nearby. However, the price the merchant was asking 50 gold seemed rather high. Ezra's keen sense of negotiation kicked in.
He engaged the merchant in a bit of lighthearted bargaining, using his Identify to subtly observe the merchant's weaknesses, making a mental note of his tendencies and habits.
After a brief conversation, Ezra managed to get the pendant for a significantly lower price of 25 gold, a small victory in his ongoing quest to gather resources.
---
Ezra continued his walk toward the Archmage's Tower. As he neared the entrance, he noticed a sense of foreboding, a strange chill in the air. The pendant he had just acquired began to pulse gently, its runes flickering as if reacting to something unseen.
Curious, Ezra held the pendant in his hand, sensing a slight tug at the back of his mind. He continued walking, and the tug grew stronger, urging him to hurry.
Identify on the surrounding area:
Void Detection:
An abnormal concentration of Void energy is present near the Archmage's Tower.
The Void Essence seems to be gathering in this location. It feels wrong too concentrated.
Before Ezra could act, the pendant in his hand flared brightly, its glow intensifying until it erupted in a blinding flash. Onlookers gasped and recoiled as the stone illuminated the entire street, casting an eerie light on everything in sight.
The blinding light made Ezra's heart race, the sudden surge of energy in the pendant alarming him. Something was very wrong.
His instincts kicked in.
With a swift motion, he pressed the Black Button, a signal he had learned to rely on in moments of great danger. The moment his fingers touched the black sphere, the world around him seemed to shift.
Within seconds, Guild Master Ardyn and Guild Owner Thalion appeared at his side, both of them surveying the scene with confusion and concern.
"Ezra, what's going on here?" Ardyn's deep voice rumbled as his eyes darted to the glowing pendant.
Thalion, standing beside him, narrowed his eyes at the sudden burst of power. "A Void-born artifact, I see. And the Void energy here... it's growing. This isn't just a minor disturbance."
Ezra's eyes hardened. "I sensed something wrong. The Void energy is gathering around this tower. I don't know how, but it feels like they've begun to infiltrate it. This pendant—" he held it up for them to see, "—it reacts to Void-born creatures. Something is definitely wrong inside."
Ardyn stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Then let's not waste any more time. We need to investigate."
Thalion nodded, and with a flick of his hand, he conjured a shimmering portal. "We'll take care of it. You've done well to call us. Let's go."
---
Storming the Tower
The three of them stepped through the portal and arrived at the base of the Archmage's Tower. The once-pristine structure now felt like a looming, dark presence, almost as if it had been corrupted by some unseen force.
The entrance to the tower was guarded by a few mages and arcane constructs, but as soon as the guild trio arrived, the guards immediately tensed. One of them raised a hand to speak, but Ardyn's presence silenced him.
"We're not here to negotiate," Ardyn said. "Get out of our way."
With the guards quickly stepping aside, Ezra led the way inside, the pendant's light flickering softly in his hand. The air felt heavier now, and every step seemed to draw them closer to whatever was lurking within the tower.
As they ascended the tower's spiral staircase, the walls seemed to grow colder, the once-arcane runes flickering weakly. Ezra couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.
"I've never sensed this level of Void energy before," Thalion muttered, his voice laced with concern. "If this is what I think it is…"
Ezra looked back at him, his expression grim. "What is it?"
Thalion glanced at the walls, his face hardening. "The Void has infiltrated this place. It's using the Tower's own arcane energy to grow. Whoever is behind this... they're attempting to awaken something ancient."
As they reached the top floor, the door to the inner sanctum swung open before them. A figure cloaked in shadow stood in the center of the room, flanked by several Void-Touched creatures.
The figure's eyes glowed with unnatural light, and their voice echoed through the chamber. "You've come too late."
Ezra's heart raced as the Void-born creatures advanced, and the figure raised a hand, unleashing a pulse of Void energy that shook the tower to its foundations.