>You get 250.000 Monster Diamond
> You get Talisman: The Invisible One
> You get Hematite Gemstones (x1)
> You get Fragment of Life Miracle**(x1)!
*Congratulations! Crystallice Guild and Bain succeed defeating a Boss Monster on Dawn City Raid Mission!
**Collect three of it to gain the Secret of Legendary Recovery
The System's Quest rewards brought a triumphant grin to my face!
My Knight Application also had officially recognized my victory over the Voidwalker!
However, a thorough examination of my spoils would have to wait.
The relentless barrage of Dreadspire's crystalline projectiles continued haunt me on the way, a hail of death pursuing me through the city streets.
My goal: Dawn City's tallest building, a desperate bid for closer engagement with my relentless foe!
One prize immediately captivated my attention: the Talisman of Invisibility.
Its description promised an hour of being invisible – a potent weapon against the Dreadspire!
But first, I had to reach that skyscraper, to close the range and deploy the talisman at the optimal moment.
My pace quickened.
Despite having already annihilated the Voidwalker and his legions, the Dreadspire remained fixated on me, its lethal crystalline onslaught constantly tries to reach me.
Those constant strikes made the pavement fractured under the impact of each explosive strike of Crystal Bullet!
The Dreadspire's attacks were growing unnervingly precise, their trajectory noticeably more accurate!
There was no time for hesitation!
My gaze fixed on the distant building, only a few miles away.
Victory was within reach.
Then, fear, sudden and brutal, overwhelmed me.
A searing pain lanced through my left shoulder, a sharp object piercing my flesh, radiating agony throughout my body.
The Dreadspire had found its mark!
I tumbled, the pain intense and agonizing.
A system notification cruelly confirmed my grievous wounds, a testament to the Dreadspire's destructive power.
>Health Power: 50%
>Warning! You infected by Crystal Poison: Health Power Halved!
Agony ripped through me; a searing, unbearable pain that numbed my legs and half my torso.
Yet, adrenaline, a ferocious tide, surged through my veins, compelling me to my feet.
I sprinted, a blur against the deadly hail of crystalline bullets that whistled past my ears, closing in with terrifying speed.
I hurled myself forward, crashing through the building's entrance, collapsing into the relative safety of the lobby just as the relentless barrage ceased.
The Dreadspires, their aim thwarted by the building's cover, had fallen silent.
Gasping for air, I faltered against a wall, my muscles screaming in protest.
Three crystalline projectiles were embedded in my left shoulder, their wicked poison blooming outward, leaving a trail of agonizing, alien burns.
My system's inventory offered no solution; no remedy existed for this insidious venom.
The cure, I knew with grim determination, most likely lay only in the annihilation of its source: the Dreadspires.
Damn!
Revenge pulsed in my veins, hot and fierce!
I would defeat them, and their vile toxin!
After a moment of recuperation, I stood, surveying my surroundings.
The lobby was vast, an echoing cavern, an evidence to a once-thriving corporate giant now fallen into ruin.
Dust coated everything; the air hung heavy with the silence of abandoned power.
Only the ethereal glow of the crescent moon pierced the suffocating darkness, painting the desolate scene in shades of gray.
At least there's a light, I thought; complete blackness would have been worse.
>The Crescent Moonlight Curse effect: 29 hours remaining!
Twenty-nine agonizing hours the infernal curses lingered, a torment that refused to diminished.
My urgent need to neutralize this malevolent moonlight curses was super important since my victory on defeating the Dreadspires depended on it.
As I scanned my surrounding, I see the elevator, naturally, was defunct – a casualty of the power outage and the brutal Undead siege that had claimed Dawn City.
I traversed the deserted main lobby, my mind racing for a solution, when a familiar stink assault diverted my attention.
From the eastern minibar, a coppery stench of blood assaulted my nostrils, accompanied by a faint, sibilant respiration.
The breath, unmistakably human, sent a shiver down my spine.
A survivor?
A knight in hiding?
Since my curiosity overriding caution, I moved eastward, my suspicion confirmed with grim finality.
Scattered around the minibar, a ghastly parade of fallen knights lay in pools of their own blood.
Their pale faces, vacant eyes, spoke of a death long past, yet that whispered breath persisted.
Navigating the macabre landscape of fallen warriors, I discovered the source.
A woman, a knight, slumped against the minibar wall, her armor shattered, revealing a cascade of chestnut hair framing a pair of weary brown eyes, nearly closed in exhaustion.
Bruises and lacerations scar her body, testament to a brutal struggle.
The shallow breaths emanated from her.
Though her face bore the grim marks of hardship, its inherent beauty, strangely captivating.
Despite her ravaged state, her looks successfully arrested me.
I can say she is an adult, older than Avyanna, perhaps a few years beyond Stella, her features held a compelling grace even in the throes of exhaustion and injury.
My contemplation was shattered by the woman's sudden awareness of my presence.
Before I could offer a greeting, a gasp escaped my lips as I saw the gun clutched in her right hand.
Firearms, once commonplace in the military, were now antique.
Since the monstrous invasion, the Knight Association favored magically imbued weaponry—swords, shields, armor, bows, and arrows—all significantly more effective against both human and monstrous foes rather than modern firearms.
The sight of the woman's gun was profoundly unsettling.
To my astonishment, she wasn't aiming it at me, but at her own head?!
Her vacant gaze, framed by a face streaked with blood and tears, spoke volumes of her despair.
Whatever her intention, I reacted instantly, unleashing a lightning bolt spell that immediately paralyzed her hand, forcing the weapon from her grasp.
"What in God's name do you think you're doing?!" I roared, a mixture of sorrow and fury surging through me.
"I'd rather die by my own hand than fall to a monster," she whispered, her voice frail, yet she somehow managed to rise to meet my gaze.
"I am human. Not a monster. You're mistaken," I said soothingly.
"Human...? With those unnatural blue eyes? Impossible—"
Exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she collapsed.
I caught her before she hit the ground.
Her body burned with fever.
"End me... now..." she mumbled, her eyes half-closed.
The horror of her sad state was a mystery, but the sight of the fallen knights surrounding us painted a grim picture of the Dreadspires' and Voidwalkers' brutal efficiency.
Her survival was nothing short of miraculous.
I swiftly carried her from the blood-soaked minibar, searching for a less tainted haven.
There—a vacant sofa to the north!
Its distance from the carnage offered a sanctuary from the stench of death.
After a quick cleaning, I gently laid her down.
I provided two potent healing elixirs, and she drink them completely.
Within moments, her brown eyes flickered open, widening in astonishment.
A rapid self-assessment revealed her injuries miraculously vanished. "What...how...?" she gasped, a mixture of wonder and disbelief coloring her features.
"Rest. Compose yourself," I instructed, my gaze sweeping the room.
The immediate surrounding area remained clear of undead horrors or the deadly Deadspires' advance.
However, the lingering curse of the crescent moon still held sway for another day.
Venturing outside at this time is a suicidal decision since the Deadspires and their legions are on their prime and would swiftly obliterate me.
If I want to win this battle, the key is surviving within these walls until the Crescent Moonlight's curses finally diminished.
Amidst my though, I settled onto the sofa, allowing my breath to slow due to pain in my back. - The crystal shard lodged in my back throbbed relentlessly.
Twenty-four hours of this agony – God grant me the strength.
"Y-you're Alstair...? The one who defeated two of Dawn City's boss monsters?" Lisa, the healer, blurted, her voice laced with awe and anxiety.
"I...I saw it on the Knight Applications newsfeed," she stuttered, her gaze darting away.
Her hesitation was noticeable; fear etched itself onto her delicate features.
Despite her physical restoration, her spirit remained beaten, struggling to comprehend the wickedness of her ordeal.
"Yeah," I confirmed, my tone clipped.
"But this battle is far from concluded. A far more formidable adversary awaits – the most challenging of the three; The Dreadspire. And the cursed moonlight persists," I added, emphasizing the gravity of our situation.
Seeking to ease her distress, I shifted the conversation. "What's your name, healer?"
"L-Lisa," she whispered, her eyes still avoiding mine.
The weight of recent trauma clung to her like a shroud, obscuring her present reality.
Her gaze drifted aimlessly, a restless search across inanimate objects, until it focused on a knight's dagger resting near the sofa.
Her despair was noticeable, a bleak emptiness etched onto her features as she stared at the dagger.
A chilling unease emanated from her.
"The mission... it isn't finished, is it?" Lisa whispered, avoiding my eyes.
Rising, she stood before the sofa.
"For you, perhaps it's not yet finished. But for me... it's over. The quest, the knighthood, my life... everything." The words, repeated in a monotone sorrow, hung heavy in the air.
"Lisa, wait—"
Before I could react, she lunged, seizing the dagger and pressing it to her throat.
Her body trembled, her grip irregular.
A slight pressure, and the dagger tore a bit into her flesh.
"Lisa! What are you doing?!" I roared.
She flinched, yet her hold on the dagger remained tenacious.
Tears streamed down her face as she looked at me, a hollow smile twisting her lips.
Her eyes reflected a soul devoid of hope.
"Alstair... I'm sorry... I can't bear this any longer. I'm done," she choked out, her voice a fractured whisper.
"Wait! Don't move that dagger! What utter nonsense are you spouting about being 'done'? The health potion I gave you worked! Why are you throwing your life away so senselessly?!" My voice cracked with desperation as I pleaded with her.
"I'm so sorry... you wasted such a precious remedy on a worthless knight like me... As I said, my fight is finished. I can't continue this battle. I... I pray you success on defeating the remaining monstrosity, Alstair."
Her forced smile was a heartbreaking mask, her tears an evidence to her anguish.
Lisa, an A-rank Knight Healer, a status few humans can attain, slumped before me.
"Stand tall!" I urged, my voice sharp. "The fight isn't finished!"
But her anguish was different perspective on her.
"A healer who survives while her comrades fall? My skills failed! They died before my eyes! I'm a failure! My A-rank status is a mockery! I should have perished with them, Alstair! My continued existence is an unbearable disgrace!" Her cry tore through the silence.
I grasped the depth of her despair, yet her self-condemnation was unacceptable.
"Lisa, don't obliterate yourself! Your family... they yearn for your safe return. Don't inflict this agony upon them. Please, I beg you, find your strength."
Her response was a torrent of grief. "Family? They're gone, brutally slaughtered by those monsters! My hands are stained with the blood of my comrades, victims of my inadequacy! How can I face their families? It's hopeless, meaningless!"
The Knight's life is fraught with peril, yes, but this… this was different.
This was agonizing.
Then, a twist of fate.
The System issued a new quest, a stark counterpoint to the devastation surrounding us.
An improbable mission—saving Lisa—lay before me.
It wasn't just a quest; it was a rare, sacred undertaking.
Regardless, a quest it remained, and I resolved to execute it with unwavering resolve. "Lisa," I cautioned, my voice steady, "vent your despair, your guilt, unleash it all. But do not, I beg you, choose such oblivion so carelessly. Any movement towards that dagger, however slight it is, and I will intervene."
"You cannot fully understand this crushing weight, Alstair! I died long ago. It's over for me! I am unworthy! I will end it here…"
The instant Lisa raised the dagger, I reacted.
A lightning bolt spell, precisely aimed, paralyzed her hand, rendering it numb and powerless. Empowered by my Gaia Endowment, I surged towards her, seizing both her wrists.
"Let go! Release me! My life is finished! There's no point!" she sobbed, her despair a torrent.
"There is a point, Lisa! Find it! It isn't over!" I insisted, my voice a firm counterpoint to her anguish.
But her resolve remained unshaken.
"Just let me die! You don't understand!"
"No, I don't understand your loss. But I refuse to watch you extinguish your life before my eyes. If you need a reason to live, Lisa, let me be that reason," I declared, my voice resonating with conviction.
A flicker of astonishment, then…hope.
A fragile spark, but enough to ignite my efforts.
I shifted, lowering myself until our faces were inches apart.
My words were a gentle whisper.
"One final boss monster stands between us and Dawn City's liberation. Be my healer, Lisa. I know you possess the strength."
"But…I don't want…to see more people die…because of…"
"Rise, Lisa! Support me! Prove to yourself—to me—that you can overcome this!" I cut through her wavering cries, my voice a forceful affirmation.
Lisa's sobs wracked her body, a torrent of anguish stemming from her voiceless captivity.
She clung to me, her tears a deluge against my chest, a silent testament to her torment.
Time dissolved into the abyss of her emotional distress; I knew this crippling depression wouldn't gone overnight.
At least, the immediate threat of self-harm had been stopped.
Gradually, her weeping subsided, leaving an unsettling quietude.
But the stillness held a sinister undercurrent, a noticeable sense of malice.
My instincts screamed a warning; a glimpse of azure light, high above in the lobby, revealed the Dreadspires, its bow aimed on us.
The luminescent crystal projectile was unmistakable.
Instantly, I yanked Lisa behind me, shielding her from the impending attack while simultaneously summoning Zephyr, my wind warriors.
Three spectral blades flashed into existence, their swords a blur as they met the Dreadspires' strikes.
The clash of steel shattered the silence, jolting Lisa from her despair into a state of heightened awareness.
The weakened Crescent Moonlight Curse proved a fatal flaw; my warriors couldn't deflect every blow.
Two searing bolts slammed into my shoulder, agony ripping through me.
I gritted my teeth, clenching my fists against the excruciating pain.
The system's stark warning echoed the grim reality of my treacherous situation.
>Health Power: 25%
>Warning! You infected by Crystal Poison: Health Power Halved!
Shit!
A guttural curse escaped my lips.
The vile Crystal Poison was intensifying, debilitating me!
Even standing was a Herculean effort!
Lisa's anguished gaze, etched with profound worry and brimming tears, pierced me.
"Alstair, are you alright?" she whispered.
Moments ago I'd been struggling to lift her; now, I trembled on the edge of oblivion.
The crisis deepened!
Two of my Wind Warriors fell, their skulls shattered by Dreadspire's crystalline projectiles!
This infernal poison shackled me, rendering me incapable of even fleeing, let alone casting the vital Gaia Endowment spell.
Desperation clawed at me.
Time was a dwindling resource.
Frantically, I accessed my System's inventory, retrieving a crucial escape mechanism from Dreadspire's lethal onslaught.
I embraced Lisa, shielding her as my remaining Wind Warrior perished under the monster's relentless assault.
With Dreadspire's menacing gaze fixed upon us, I activated the Talisman of Invisibility, our only hope for survival.
>Utilized Talisman: The Invisible One!
>You and your surrounding become invisible in one hour!
Time seemed to grind to a halt.
Lisa and I remained visible, but Dreadspires and his undead horde were plunged into an unnerving blindness.
His aim, once fixed on us, wavered, then dissolved entirely.
He was hopelessly disoriented, his senses failing to register our presence.
Minutes stretched into an eternity.
The undead archers, under Dreadspires' command, flooded the lobby, their bows amied at our surrounding… yet oblivious to our stark, undeniable proximity.
Lisa's voice, a barely audible tremor, broke the silence.
"What's happening?"
My own breath hitched.
"We're… unseen," I whispered back, "Stay close. Separation will expose us." My voice was strained. "But this invisibility is temporary. We must find safe place quickly."
I struggled to my feet, my legs trembling, and Lisa's steady hand gave me support.
We moved through the bewildered archers, our footsteps audible, yet unheard.
Their reliance on sight rendered them helpless, their leader's confusion mirroring the chaos of their own aimless scrutiny.
The Talisman of Invisibility—my desperate gambit—had worked, albeit at a terrible cost.
An agonizing hour crawled by before I collapsed into a secluded restroom on the second floor's eastern wing, far enough from the lobby's mayhem to hopefully offer rest.
Lisa gently guided me to a bed.
I lay down, fever burning, drenched in sweat, a searing agony gripping my muscles, radiating from the crystal projectiles that put a scar in my shoulder.
A healing potion proved useless against this complicated situation on my body.
Geez, this damn pressure is annoying!
What the heck I must do now?
Agony and disorientation blurred my vision as I saw Lisa swiftly secure the door.
She rushed to my side, her hand instantly on my forehead, assessing my temperature, her expression etched with profound concern.
Even in my weakened state, her transformation was shown; the sadness and despair that had clouded her features were no longer to be seen.
"This isn't a simple wound, Alstair," she declared, her voice firm.
"You've been poisoned—a potent toxin is depleting your strength."
I knew this already; the System's warning echoed in my mind.
My only option was rest, a desperate wait for the Crescent Mooncurse's diminished before I could resume the hunt for the Dreadspires.
Since The Talisman of Invisibility was spent; I really need a new tactic to defeat that accursed skull.
A frustrated sigh escaped me.
For now, my only option was to surrender to slumber, praying the poison's grip would loosen its hold.
"You require specialized treatment, Alstair. I will provide it." Lisa's voice, laced with an unfamiliar resolve, surprised me.
My eyes flickered open, only to witness a sight that stole my breath.
She had shed her clothing, standing before me in nothing but undergarments.
A red blush bloomed on her cheeks as she met my gaze.
"What…what are you doing, Lisa?" I gasped, my voice strained.
"It's an ancient healing technique employed by specialized Healer Knights," she explained, her voice slightly breathless.
"Body heat, strategically applied, can bolster immunity. But it necessitates precise conditions." She placed her armor and clothing by the bed.
"You're using…your body heat? For what purpose?" My confusion was profound.
"To heal you, Alstair. You asked me to be your healer," she replied, her gaze unwavering.
"I need to remove your clothing now."
"Remove…?"
Ignoring my question, she deftly unclothed me, leaving me in my underpants.
I saw her swallow, her eyes lingering on my exposed torso before she steeled her resolve and approached the bed.
Raising myself required an extra effort in my weakened state.
I didn't fully comprehend this unique healing ritual, but her unwavering determination compelled my trust.
Lisa's gentle embrace enveloped me, her warmth a soothing balm against the lingering fever.
The criple heat that had weakened my strength gradually dissapeared, a process oddly mirrored by Lisa's earlier explanation.
Was this, indeed, the restorative power of body heat?
Unconventional, yet undeniably effective.
Though my vigor slowly returned, the insidious poison remained, a tenacious foe.
Lisa's keen nose detected the wounds on my shoulders; I felt her breath ghost over the injured flesh.
With practiced care, she applied bandages saturated in her potent healing elixir.
Her warning – "Brace yourself, this will sting" – preceded a searing agony as she extracted the embedded crystal arrows.
A guttural cry escaped my lips, the pain a volcanic eruption that eventually subsided.
God!
It felt as though something within my shoulder had been ripped apart, yet the bleeding stopped, a sign that the healing had begun.
"Alstair," Lisa murmured, her voice laced with worry, "the poison is spreading on your body. Your weakness came from its relentless advance."
"You know what? Initially I thought, and hoped, to acquire an antidote from Dreadspires," I replied, "believing he might possess immunity to this cursed toxin."
Lisa's frown deepened. "Your current state is dying, Alstair. You are far too risky to confront Dreadspires with these condition."
I shrugged, attempting a nonchalant tone. "A bit of rest, I figured, would mitigate the poison effects."
"I fear not," she countered, her confidence unwavering.
"But I have a plan." Lisa's touch was feather-light, her gaze intense as she followed the insidious crawl of darkened veins across my skin, a map of the poison's relentless march.
Observing my torso intensely, she swiftly retrieved a vial of red liquid.
Resembling syrup in appearance, it was clearly something far more potent.
Lisa drained the contents in a single, desperate gulp, then discarded the empty vial with a flick of her wrist.
Her appearance blazed, a feverish blush spreading across her skin like wildfire, mirroring the flush of drunkenness.
"A quite dangerous technique," she murmured, her voice a soft caress, "to extract the poisoned blood... with my mouth."
"Your mouth? Are you certain of its safety?" I questioned.
"I've already ingested a protective antidote," she lied, her body languidly molding against mine, radiating warmth.
"It's perfectly safe."
"Don't push yourself, Lisa," I whispered, concern etching itself onto my features.
"You demanded proof of my devotion. I am proving it, saving you."
Her words were a seductive purr, a promise whispered on the edge of a knife.
Her lips, soft yet insistent, alighted on my neck, drawing a slow, deliberate trail of kisses.
The intimacy was fierce, a passionate entanglement that ignited a fire between us, our bodies slick with sweating.
I embraced her, surrendering to the intensity of the moment, my trust a fragile bridge spanning a chasm of uncertainty.
Time dissolved, the hours melting into fleeting moments as Lisa's body remained entwined with mine, her breath mingling with mine.
The heat between us was unbearable, a fever dream of passion and desperation.
Finally, a profound release – a shared exhalation of tension – marked a turning point.
Lisa expelled the tainted blood, the vile venom purged from her mouth.
>You no longer Infected by Crystal Poison!
>Health Power: 100%
Lisa, breathless and wiping her mouth, collapsed onto my chest, her eyes fluttering shut.
Exhaustion clung to her like a shroud.
She'd expended every ounce of her being to retrieve the poison—a feat that commanded my profound admiration and respect.
My own heart eased as the system's alert pinged, a stark reminder of the quest's relentless demands.
> You get 50.000 Monster Diamond!
> You get Talisman: Fake Mirror!
I initially believed rescuing Lisa concluded the moment I prevented her self-harm with the knight's dagger.
However, the System's demands transcended my expectations, requiring a profound shift in Lisa's perspective.
Ultimately, I completed this extraordinary task, reaping a richly deserved reward.
The process, however, proved unexpectedly tiring and transformative for both Lisa and me; a grueling journey of mutual growth.
With Lisa now slumbering peacefully, I too succumb to well-earned rest.
In the hushed stillness of the night, our weary bodies found solace in shared repose.
***
>Crescent Moonlight Curses: 1 hour remaining!
As I awaken, my first act was to check the system.
Crescent Moonlight's Curse duration: one hour.
It's enough, I judged, to commence my assault on the Dreadspires.
As I rise from my bed, I observed Lisa, still slumbering, clad only in her undergarments.
Gently, I arranged the covers, avoiding her awakening, before get dressed in my attire.
A small refrigerator held thankfully unelapsed frozen provisions and fresh water.
I retrieved frozen spaghetti, thawing it with a minor application of my fire spell – a surprisingly effective method.
The aroma was undeniably tempting, yet its destination was clear.
It was for Lisa.
"Alstair?" Sleep-heavy, she roused.
"Where are you going?"
"This is for you," I offered the spaghetti and water.
"Remain here. It's time for me to hunt Dreadspire."
"But I'm your healer! I must accompany you!" Her surprise was noticeable.
She attempted to rise, but I gently restrained her.
"You performed very well, Lisa. Now, it's my turn to confront the Dreadspires."
A tender caress to her brow sealed my words.
"But... I can't bear another loss..."
Tears welled, her grip tightening on my hand.
Her pale appearance displayed her exhaustion.
Drawing closer, I wiped away her tears.
"I promise I will return victorious from the Dawn City dungeon. For now, jus wait for my return and have a good rest, Lisa" My tone was resolute.
A hesitant nod, her grasp finally releasing.
"Promise me, we'll meet again, Alstair.", Lisa sounds begged.
"Sure. You can rest now and look the end of this nightmare in Dawn City when you wake up." With that, I secured the room, leaving her to her state of rest.
Immediately, I invoked the Gaia Endowment, fortifying my physique, honing my instincts.
My steps were measured, the atmosphere shifting from tranquility to ominous menace.
Reaching the hallway's terminus, a swift scan encompassed the lobby and upper floor.
The moment Dreadspires, accompanied by their Undead Archers, became visible, I quickly vanished into the shadows beneath nearest wall.
A rapid system check confirmed the optimal deployment of my attack.
>Crescent Moonlight Curses: 10 minutes remaining!
I dropped to one knee, grimly preparing Fire Storm spell to incinerate the encroaching legions of undead, engulfing the entire structure in a raging inferno.
Simultaneously, I secured the crucial item—the Talisman: Fake Mirror—confident that this potent charm would prove a decisive advantage in our rematch against the fearsome Dreadspires.
> Utilizied Talisman: Fake Mirror!
> Magical Fake Mirror generated!
As I utilized my potent talisman, it become a fleeting projectile, zipped across the expanse before settling in the grand hall.
Instantly, it morphed into a shimmering mirror, reflecting my exact likeness—a flawless deception.
Scarcely a moment passed before the sharp strike of crystal arrows echoed through the space; a resounding testament to Dreadspires' and his spectral archers' unwitting entrapment by my cleverly projected semblance.
>Crescent Moonlight Curses: 5 minutes remaining!
Time is crucial!
To ensure my gambit remained viable in this desperate minutes, I invoked a potent spell: Aizel, to resurrect the fallen knights slumped in the hall.
Aizel's ethereal power imbued the corpses with fiery life, transforming them into my obedient legion of Fire Soldiers.
Each soldier, swiftly arming themselves with flaming bows, formed a deadly phalanx poised to engage Dreadspires and his undead archers.
Facing a torrential rain of fiery projectiles from enemies, I command the Fire Soldier to release each of their arrow like a blazing comet, hurtled towards the enemy.
The ensuing conflict was a devastating eruption of crystal and flame, a maelstrom of destruction that rocked the very foundations of the building.
Despite the intense assault from my Fire Soldiers, the cursed crystal bolts, empowered by the Crescent Moonlight Curse, proved superior.
Dreadspires, fueled by dark sorcery, escalated his attack with terrifying speed, force, and volume.
His retaliatory barrage strike like a devastating comet storm, obliterated my Fire Soldiers and shattered my illusory decoy Talisman; Fake Mirror.
All was consumed in a blinding flash in less than sixty seconds.
The explosive devastation illuminated my position, immediately revealing my presence to Dreadspires and his spectral legions.
A wave of suffocating darkness emanated from them, a tangible aura of malice pressing down upon me.
They descended like ravenous wolves, intent on tearing me to shreds.
Undeterred by their menacing advance, I anticipated their moves.
With a swift motion, I summoned the Dragon Scepter from my inventory, its tip aimed directly at Dreadspires and his undead archers.
The system's notification, generate an important message in this deafening chaos, signaled my counter-offensive.
>Crescent Moonlight Curses ended!
>Your Mana power return to normal!
>Your Magic damage return to normal!
>Your Magic Barrier Defense return to normal!
The moment I had long waited for had arrived!
I unleashed the prepped Firestorm without a second thought.
A fiery maelstrom erupted, a blinding inferno that shattered countless windows and instantly reduced the Undead Archers to cinders.
Even the Dreadspires, shielded by potent magical barrier, staggered and toppled under the storm's overwhelming heat.
Exploiting the chaotic inferno, I vaulted into the lobby, landing amidst the Dreadspires' desperate struggle for balance.
I felt his agony, his furious energy contained within the fracturing of his magical barrier.
"A Zeta protégé! The one who survived my venom!" he roared, his voice laced with fury.
"A foolhardy mortal, risking their life for the treacherous Zeta! Such reckless audacity!"
His scorn was so loud.
Like Moonscar before him, the Dreadspires spoke in the monstrous tongue, but his words were perfectly clear to me.
Even though it tempted to claim my victory and the quest's reward, I resisted.
A different objective consumed me.
"You see me now, don't you?" I challenged, my tone dripping with defiance. "Why you're not attacking me now? Why haven't you launched your immediate attack?"
"Such an arrogance!" he spat, readying his shattered bow. "Yet, your power is undeniable! You'll regret this insolence!"
His movements were a blur, far surpassing my capacity for casting a high-damage spell.
"Foolish mortal!" he sneered, aiming his bow at my head. "You've granted me the time I needed. Prepare to die!"
His confidence was unshakeable since he remained blind to the shift in the tides of battle.
His boast, however, confirmed my suspicions: the Dreadspires' perception was fatally flawed.
Unaware of my preparations, the Dreadspire faced the full fury of my Divine Thunder spell.
I unleashed it with the Dragon Scepter, a bolt of celestial energy aimed directly at his arrogant heart.
While seemingly focused on obliterating the undead archers with a Fire Storm, I'd simultaneously charged this devastating counter.
The Fire Storm served as a distraction; the Divine Thunder, a swift and merciless execution.
The blazing flash of the spell seared the heavens, leaving the creature momentarily stunned by the overwhelming brilliance.
In the blink of an eye, the Divine Thunder slammed into him, pulverizing his magical barriers and shattering the majority of his being, his bow reduced to splinters.
A single, focused discharge of Divine Thunder successfully obliterated the Dreadspire's defenses.
The concussive force shattered nearby windows, a deafening roar accompanying the obliteration.
All that remained of the once-proud Dreadspire was a fractured skull, rolling to a stop at my feet.
His life, however fleeting, offered a grim opportunity for a final, pointed remark. "
Your boasted speed is not working," I observed, knowing a sliver of consciousness persisted.
"I anticipated your every move, preparing for this moment long in advance."
"You treacherous sorcerer!" he spat, his defiance a pathetic echo against the carnage.
"This is not victory, but a foul trick!" He continues his resentful shouting grated on my nerves.
I understood his desire for honorable combat, but this was war, not a chivalrous duel.
His constant rant needed to be stopped.
"Zeta sends his greetings," I declared, while preparing my spell incantation. "He assures me you'll soon join your friend."
The Return to Earth spell crushed the skull under an unimaginable weight of gravity, pulverizing it into dust.
With his demise, the mess of the battle faded, leaving only the faint whisper of dissolving undead archers.
An eerie quiet settled over the ravaged battlefield.
From my vantage point atop the ruined building, I watched the night sky yield to the approaching dawn.
Relief washed over me, a profound sense of accomplishment settling upon my weary soul.
The system's confirmation of my triumph echoed silently within my mind; the Dreadspire was defeated.