The air was thick in the throne room, laden with a chill that seemed to seep into my very bones. The dark elves surrounding the throne stood motionless, their glowing violet eyes fixed unblinkingly on me. At their center was a hooded figure, still as stone, a faint aura of swirling darkness wrapping around them like a living shroud.
"Kaelrith," I called, my voice echoing through the cavernous space.
The figure tilted their head, almost playfully. "Ah, so the name has reached you. Tell me, Your Majesty, does it inspire fear? Or perhaps... curiosity?"
"Mostly annoyance," I replied dryly, tightening my grip on the Shadowbane Blade. "You've caused me more than enough trouble."
Kaelrith chuckled, a low and resonant sound that sent shivers through me. "And here I thought you might thank me. Conflict breeds strength, after all. Surely you've felt it—the hunger, the power."
Their words struck a nerve, cold and precise. This wasn't speculation; they knew. They knew everything.
"You're connected to Gluttony," I said, my voice steady despite the unease clawing at me.
Kaelrith inclined their head slightly. "More than connected. I am its architect. Its master. And you, Your Majesty, are its chosen instrument."
The revelation hit me hard, but there was no time to process it. One of the dark elves stepped forward, twin blades gleaming in the dim light.
"Shall we test your resolve, then?" Kaelrith asked, gesturing lazily.
The elf lunged at me, their movements impossibly fast. I barely raised the Shadowbane Blade in time, the clash of steel reverberating through the empty hall.
My body moved on instinct, guided by the skills I had absorbed through Gluttony. The elf's attacks were relentless, a blur of precision and speed. But I could feel the strength coursing through me—my sharpened reflexes, my enhanced agility—and met them blow for blow.
The fight ended with one decisive strike. My blade pierced their chest, and a surge of power swept over me like a tidal wave.
+1 Agility Acquired.
Memory Fragment Acquired.
Another elf stepped forward. Then another. The rest closed in behind them, their movements precise and synchronized. I threw myself into the fray, the Shadowbane Blade a blur as I parried and countered with everything I had.
One by one, they fell. Each kill sent another wave of power through me, but it came with the gnawing hunger of Gluttony, growing stronger with every life I took.
By the time the last elf fell, I was staggering back, my chest heaving for air.
Level Up. Attributes Increased.
New Skill Unlocked: Shadowstep (Tier 1).
The notifications blurred before my eyes as Kaelrith stepped forward, their presence washing over me like a dark tide.
"Impressive," they murmured, their voice smooth as silk. "You wield Gluttony well—for one so... unrefined."
"You talk too much," I shot back, raising my blade.
Kaelrith chuckled softly. "Perhaps. But let me teach you one final lesson, Your Majesty: power is meaningless without control."
They raised a hand, and the shadows around them surged, twisting into writhing tendrils. They struck with terrifying speed, and though I dodged the first, the second coiled around my arm, yanking me off balance.
The Shadowbane Blade pulsed in my hand, its runes glowing as I slashed at the tendrils. The shadows recoiled, but Kaelrith remained unfazed.
The fight was unlike anything I'd faced before. Kaelrith moved like the shadows themselves, dissolving and reforming with every strike. My blade cut through nothing but air, and every attack felt futile, like trying to battle smoke.
But I didn't stop.
I focused on the faint distortions where their form shifted, my strikes becoming more deliberate, more precise. And then, finally, the Shadowbane Blade connected.
Kaelrith hissed, their form flickering as the blade tore through them. "You've grown strong, Your Majesty. But not strong enough."
They raised their arms, and the shadows around them surged like a tidal wave.
For a brief moment, I thought it was over.
And then I heard it.
Skill Unlocked: Regression (Active).
The world seemed to shift, the shadows recoiling as a burst of power erupted from within me. Kaelrith staggered back, their form flickering wildly.
"What—" they hissed, confusion thick in their voice.
I didn't hesitate. The Shadowbane Blade burned brightly in my grip as I lunged, driving it straight through their chest.
Kaelrith's scream echoed through the throne room, a sound of pure rage and despair. The shadows dissipated, and their form crumbled into nothingness.
Quest Complete: The Throne's Shadow.
Rewards:
+500 XP
+3 Strength, +2 Endurance, +2 Intelligence
Item: Ring of Dominion
The notification faded as I collapsed to my knees, my chest heaving. The dark elves were gone. Kaelrith was gone. But the throne room still felt cold and empty.
Moments later, Gregor burst through the doors, sword drawn. "Your Majesty! Are you—"
"I'm fine," I interrupted, my voice hoarse and my limbs heavy. "It's over."
He glanced around warily. "Are you sure?"
I nodded slowly, my gaze drifting to the throne. Blood pooled on the floor, faint scorch marks marred the stone. It was a stark reminder of what had just transpired.
"It's over," I repeated.
But as I stared at the throne, Kaelrith's final words echoed in my mind: Power is meaningless without control.
This wasn't over. Not really. It was only the beginning.