The arrow I released tore through the air like a bolt of vengeance, its swirling vortex of blue energy crackling with the sound of tearing fabric. Mist trailed behind it, spiraling in a chaotic dance as it honed in on its target. The Crimson Knight who's form is now ragged, stood firm, his towering form shrouded in the dense fog of his own making. But even he could not withstand what followed.
The arrow struck true, burrowing into his chest like a drill. For a moment, everything seemed still, the battlefield caught in the tension of impact. Then, with a thunderous boom, the arrow detonated from within.
The Crimson Knight's left shoulder and arm were obliterated in the blast, his once-imposing figure reduced to a kneeling shadow. Mist-like ichor oozed from the wound, its ephemeral nature refusing to coagulate, unable to regenerate.
His misty sword fell with a resonant clang, embedding itself in the ground as his remaining hand trembled. Yet, even in this state, the Crimson Knight chuckled, his voice a low, echoing rasp that carried an unsettling weight.
I approached him cautiously, my steps slow as I felt every vibration in the misty ground beneath me. His hollow gaze shifted past me, settling briefly on Celia, Jess, and Uvan before returning to meet mine.
"How long," he began, his voice fragmented like ancient glass, "do you think you can live in this damned world, wanderer?"
I didn't respond. His words hung in the air like a curse, digging into the silence that followed.
"Your victory over me," he continued, a bitter laugh escaping his lips, "is but a fleeting whisper… merely recorded, forgotten before it is even remembered."
He tilted his head back as if staring at some unseen sky, his ichor red mist trailing upward like dying embers. "I shall finally leave this madness behind…"
His body crumbled. Piece by piece, his form dissolved into the mist, until there was nothing left but silence and the faint shimmer of fading light.
The screen appeared before us.
[Notification]
+
You Have Defeated THE CRIMSON KNIGHT [Rank_C+]
Killed By +1
Support +3
Vital Imprint Obtained x 30
Vital Imprint Shared - 20
| Checkpoint Saved! |
+
I stared at the notification, my thoughts swirling as much as the mist around me. We had finally survived this wave. Yet the words that followed cast a shadow over our small triumph.
[SUB-MISSION]
+
Remaining Waves — 3
Failure — ???
+
[Wave 3 Begins In 2 Days]
+
Three more waves. Each one likely more devastating than the last. I let out a long, shaky sigh, the weight of it all pressing down on me.
"Two days…" I muttered under my breath.
A hand settled gently on my shoulder, grounding me. I turned to see Celia, her deep blue eyes locked onto mine. There was something in her gaze.... a mix of relief and worry.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly.
I forced a smile. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," I replied, my voice steady.
She didn't buy it. "You're lying again, aren't you?" she said, her tone light.
I sighed again, this time with a dry chuckle. "Can't hide anything from you, huh?"
Before I could elaborate, the ground beneath the place where the Crimson Knight had fallen began to churn. The mist swirled violently, and a faint glow emerged, casting an strange light over the battlefield.
"What's that?" Jess asked, stepping closer.
As the mist dissipated, an item materialized. It was a big sword... long, sleek, and hauntingly beautiful. Its blade emanated mist from each parts, its surface etched with intricate patterns that seemed to shift in the dim light. The hilt was adorned with a dark ash gem, pulsing like a dying heart.
"Mist Sword," Jess said bluntly, her voice tinged with disinterest. "I don't need it."
Uvan examined it briefly, then shook his head. "I've already got a good sword. This one's not my style."
Celia turned to me, her expression soft. "My abilities don't align with mist. Why don't you take it, Agon?"
I hesitated, glancing at all of them. "Are you sure? I wasn't the one who weakened the Crimson Knight. I just delivered the finishing blow."
They nodded, their answer clear. Jess shrugged. "Just take it. We're not exactly hoarders here."
"Besides," Uvan added with a smirk slightly, "you earned it."
With a small nod of gratitude, I stepped forward. The sword seemed to hum as I approached, as if acknowledging my presence. I reached out, and the moment my fingers brushed against its hilt, it dematerialized into a wisp of mist that coiled around my hand before vanishing.
A notification appeared.
[MIST SWORD ACQUIRED]
Stored in Inventory
The ground beneath us quaked suddenly, the entire mist-filled space trembling as the sound of groaning metal echoed in the distance.
The gate the Crimson Knight had been guarding creaked open, its massive doors parting to reveal a swirling portal of faintly glowing light. The mist around it pulsed, as if alive, beckoning us forward.
We exchanged glances, the unspoken agreement clear. There was no time to waste lingering here.
"Time to leave this misty place," I said, my voice steady now.
One by one, we stepped through the portal. The last thing I saw was the fading mist of the battlefield, its oppressive weight lifting as we crossed into the unknown.
With a faint fizzling sound, our figures disappeared, swallowed by the light.