With Bain trailing, I pressed onward toward Dawn City. Passing through the gateway, a jarring transition plunged me from brilliant midday into the oppressive cloak of night.
It was as if I'd been instantaneously displaced across both space and time, deposited into a realm filled with malevolence.
The darkness itself throbbed with menace; from every shadowed corner, from beneath the crumbling buildings and shattered streets, I sensed the threatening gaze of countless undead horrors fixated upon us.
Retreat was impossible at this point.
Maintaining composure, I conjured Zephyr, my wind spirit.
Three ethereal warriors materialized instantly, their wind-forged blades shimmering, their senses acutely attuned to even the faintest tremor in the darkness.
Bain, oblivious to Zephyr's existence, remained by my side.
The menacing atmosphere, thick with the palpable dread of impending carnage, kept my senses razor-sharp.
The undead legions were inevitable.
Halting my advance, I addressed Bain, my voice low but firm.
"Bain," I warned, drawing the Dragon Scepter from my inventory, "stay close. A stray moment's of careless could prove fatal."
"Y-yes, sir!", Bain immediately shorten his distance with me while his leg shaking in fear.
> Dragon Scepter equipped!
> Mana Power increased 100%!
> Mana Damage increased 100%!
> Magic Barrier defense increased 100%!
It sounds vague at first, but I can sense its incoming.
A howling wind, a banshee scream tearing through the canyons of the city, clawed at my ears from east and west.
It built to a crescendo, a physical pressure, as the wind itself seemed to solidify.
My Warrior of Wind met the onslaught!
The enemy long-range attack incoming!
A crystalline projectile, a drill bit of bright, glacial blue, shattered against the sword's edge with a ringing clang.
Another followed, another incoming after that.
A relentless barrage.
Each strike a violent tremor through the air.
My warrior deflected, each parry a near-miss against my skin.
But the rhythm of impact was growing more frantic.
This wouldn't hold forever.
As soon as I utilize The Eye of Sorcerer, a gift of foresight, I can see far away pierced the howling wind.
Far off, I identified the skeletal silhouettes, currently sitting and aiming, spread around top of buildings in the east and west.
Those are undead archers, humanoids wreathed in tattered black cloaks, horns jutting from their skull-like faces.
Each drew a crystal arrow, their bows strung taut, aiming with chilling precision.
I count there's nine of them.
But there's more, an unique one to be precise.
My gaze sharpened.
Above the others, impossibly tall, a skeletal monstrosity dominated the scene.
Its black cloak, shredded and wind-whipped, billowed around it like a storm.
A jagged hole gaped in its forehead, and within it—a malevolent red crystal pulsed with inner light, a single, baleful eye that locked onto mine.
A cold certainty settled in my gut: this was the one of Boss Monsters I had to defeat. The System's notification pinged, confirming my suspicion.
From my vantage point, the fearsome Dreadspire and his spectral archers loomed, a distant but attainable threat.
I immediately prepared Ice Javelin Spell.
Ten Ice Javelin, meticulously crafted and aimed, materialized in my grasp.
With a decisive gesture, I unleashed this volley, each projectile a shard of glacial fury.
The projectiles hurtled towards their targets with lethal precision, pulverizing the undead archers in a single, devastating wave of frozen destruction.
Yet, Dreadspire's formidable magical barrier proved impenetrable; one Ice Javelin shattered against his arcane defenses before it could deliver its icy kiss of death!
Damn!
Well, at least, the incoming shoot of crystal bullet from those Undead Archers stopped for a moment.
I see Bain kneeled with shaking body due to fear behind me.
Around me, there's lot of broken crystal bullet scattered.
If I observe it, it seems those crystal is not a material that come from the earth.
When I recall at one of mission that fight the Undead Monster in the past, those Undead is different with the monster that getting resurrected by Necromancer.
Undead Monster have their own realm and area, which implies those crystal bullet arrow is originally come from Undead Realm.
Amidst my though, a whirlwind of motion erupted as my Wind Warrior intercepted a crystalline arrow mere inches from my skull.
I retreated swiftly, providing the warrior clear passage to deflect a deadly volley from east and west.
Under the eyes of Sorcerer, I detected a fresh wave of Undead Archers, summoned by the ominous Deadspire.
A simple countermeasure presented itself; I conjured ten of Ice Javelins, poised to obliterate the vile archers.
Yet, a subtle shift in the air preceded a far greater threat.
Though nearly inaudible, each footfall resonated with bone-jarring intensity, a strong tremor of malice.
This was no ordinary approach; it radiated an aura of chilling intent, of imminent, overwhelming menace.
My gaze snapped northeastward, where a towering skeletal figure, humanoid yet ghastly, emerged from the shadows.
Clad in a long, black shroud, it held a katana at its hip.
A single, gaping hole in its skull housing two malevolent crimson crystals.
Before my speculation could solidify, the system's notification arrived, revealing the identity of this horrifying specter.
The System's notification confirmed these undead were among my three targets.
Their discovery, however, significantly escalated the challenge.
These elite undead proved formidable adversaries, demanding immediate, decisive action.
Delay was not an option!
I needed to seize the initiative!
Instantly, I hurled an Ice Javelin at the harassing undead archers, obliterating them with a single, precise strike.
My subsequent attempt to pierce the Dreadspire's defenses with the same spell, however, failed; his potent magical barrier deflected the attack.
Undeterred, I prepared my Divine Thunder spell, hoping to breach his formidable shield.
Simultaneously, with the Wind Warrior now free from the crystal arrow barrage, I directed Zephyr to engage the Voidwalker.
To my astonishment, the Voidwalker expertly parried the Wind Warrior's furious assault.
Anticipating this deft counterplay, I knew direct engagement was necessary.
The Voidwalker's agility suggested that a swift Ice Javelin would prove ineffective.
Thus, I opted for a devastating area-of-effect spell – the Fire Storm – guaranteeing its impact.
Leveraging the Eyes of Sorcerer enhancement, I prepare to unleash a triple-spell offensive simultaneously.
Victory remained within reach; I would subdue these powerful foes.
As I invoked the Firestorm Spell, a strange anomaly manifested.
The nocturnal crescent moon hung unusually large in the sky, an unsettling spectacle.
Instantly, a mystical, piercing agony seized my heart, forcing me to kneel and abruptly halting the incantation.
Damn!
What the hell has happened?!
My bewilderment was shattered by a stark system alert, revealing the critical state I now had to face.
>Warning! The Crescent Moonlight Curse had affected your Magician Power!
>Warning! Your Mana power decreased 50%!
>Warning! Your Mana damage decreased 50%!
>Warning! Your Magic Barrier Defense decreased 50%!
>Warning! Your Eye of Dullahan Ring effect weakened 50%!
>Warning! Your Accelerator Ring effect weakened 50%!
Damn it!
The debilitating lunar influence emanating from Dawn City is crippling my magical abilities!
This unforeseen weakness forced the cancellation of my planned Divine Thunder and Firestorm – a catastrophic setback.
What now?
Destroy the crescent moons themselves?
No, that would be nonsense.
Those celestial anomalies aren't of this world; they originate from the ghastly Undead Monster Realm.
An elite undead creature within Dawn City is the culprit, the source of this malevolent moonlight.
One thing that captivated me, this accursed lunar blight doesn't affect only me.
I see Bain is gasping, kneeling in agony, a condition that I know will be faced by Lance and his raid squad.
Looking at my Wind Warriors, their movements sluggish and feeble, which eventually made them easier to be slaughtered by the Voidwalkers.
Even my intervention proves ineffective under this curse's oppressive weight.
I must identify the curse's origin, but where?