The moment I stepped out of the dungeon, a wave of fresh air washed over me, filling my lungs and easing the tightness in my chest. The oppressive darkness that had been my prison was gone, replaced by a vast open world. I blinked against the sunlight filtering through the thin veil of clouds. The field stretched out before me, dotted with wildflowers and swaying grass, framed by distant mountains that reached toward the sky.
Freedom.
For a moment, I stood still, my legs trembling beneath me. The pain from the Warden's strike still lingered, a dull ache radiating from my side. My head felt heavy, my mind clouded, but none of that mattered now. I was free.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the pendant. Its faint blue glow pulsed rhythmically, like the steady beat of a heart. The gem in its center seemed alive, responding to something I couldn't yet understand. As I held it, the air shimmered, and a translucent map appeared before me, projected into the empty space.
[Objective: Travel to the Astralis Estate.]
*Uncover the secrets of the Astralis bloodline and the origins of the curse.*
The words hung in the air like a command. The glowing path on the map led toward the mountains, winding through forests and valleys. My hands clenched around the pendant, a mix of determination and dread tightening in my chest.
"Of course, it won't be easy," I muttered to myself. "It never is."
---
I began walking.
The field stretched endlessly, the only sounds accompanying me the rustling of the grass and the occasional chirp of a bird overhead. My steps were slow at first, every movement deliberate as I tried to shake off the stiffness in my body. The weight of Excalibur at my side was both comforting and burdensome, a constant reminder of the role I had been forced to play.
The pendant's glow guided me, faint but steady, like a distant lighthouse in a storm. The closer I moved toward the forest at the base of the mountains, the more the air changed. The openness of the field gave way to a growing sense of unease, a stillness that seemed to settle over the land.
By midday, the sun had risen high above, its warmth battling the lingering chill of the dungeon's air. My body protested with every step, exhaustion creeping in, but I couldn't stop. Something about the pendant's guidance compelled me to keep going, as though resting now would invite trouble.
The mountains loomed larger in the distance, their jagged peaks cutting into the sky. At their base stood a sprawling forest, its edge a wall of dense trees and undergrowth. I hesitated at the threshold, the shadows beneath the canopy seeming darker than they should have been.
The pendant pulsed again, urging me forward. I clenched my jaw and stepped into the forest.
---
The forest was alive.
Birdsong and the rustling of leaves filled the air, accompanied by the occasional crackle of a branch underfoot. The trail I followed was uneven, overgrown in some places, but always visible. The further I went, the denser the forest became, the sunlight above dimming as the canopy thickened.
I tried to focus on the path, but my thoughts kept drifting. The visions from the pendant lingered in my mind, fragmented and unclear. The faces I had seen, the voices I had heard—they felt like pieces of a puzzle I didn't know how to solve.
The Astralis bloodline.
What was it about this cursed lineage that tied me to it so completely? Was it the sword? The system? Or was it something deeper, something I hadn't yet uncovered?
I pressed on, shaking off the questions. The forest stretched endlessly, its towering trees casting long shadows that seemed to move with me. The pendant continued to pulse, its glow faint but reassuring.
---
By late afternoon, the light filtering through the canopy had taken on a golden hue, signaling the sun's descent. I had been walking for hours, my legs heavy and my breaths labored. The forest seemed endless, the path winding without end.
Just as I began to doubt the map's guidance, the trees thinned, and a clearing came into view. I stepped into it cautiously, the open space a stark contrast to the dense forest.
In the center of the clearing stood a towering gate, its wrought iron bars twisted into intricate patterns. Beyond it, I could see the outline of a massive manor, its dark stone walls partially obscured by ivy and shadow.
The Astralis Estate.
I felt my breath catch in my throat. The manor was both imposing and beautiful, a relic of a bygone era. Its tall, arched windows gleamed faintly in the fading light, and its pointed spires seemed to pierce the sky.
I approached the gate, my steps slow and deliberate. The pendant's glow intensified as I neared, and the air around me grew heavier, charged with an unseen energy.
The gate groaned as it opened, the sound echoing through the clearing. My heart pounded in my chest as I stepped through, my eyes fixed on the manor ahead.
The path leading to the estate was overgrown with weeds, the cobblestones cracked and uneven. The closer I got, the more I could feel the weight of the place—the history, the power, the curse.
By the time I reached the front steps, my legs were trembling, and my vision blurred. Exhaustion hit me like a wave, the adrenaline that had kept me moving finally fading.
I collapsed to my knees, the pendant slipping from my grasp and landing on the stone steps. Its glow flickered, then dimmed, as if responding to my state.
The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was the massive double doors of the manor, their intricate carvings staring back at me like the eyes of a watchful guardian.
--