Nova thanked the guard for his sincere words and then turned to Crevan, who was looking at the gate intently, with his eyes narrowed, lost in his thoughts.
He glanced at Nova and then sighed before approaching him, occasionally glancing at the gate. For some reason, Crevan looked uneasy, and Nova could tell, but he did not mention it; instead, he waited to see what the man would say.
"Listen here, once you pass those gates and it closes behind you, all your connection to the outside world will be cut off, if something happens no one will be able to reach you, each class has a different trial, you are a necromancer, not too many has gone through this trial lately, this is built to play with your mind, you are not trained, you will need to be extra careful, trust your instincts and your gears," Crevan said, his tone firm with an underlying of tension, that Nova picked up on.
"I understand, it is a trial built different from most, if not careful you might as well give up or push through, for it could bring you to death's door, right?" He asked as he glanced at the iron doors.
Upon hearing that, Crevan nodded in acknowledgment of his words. He had no intention of sugarcoating things for Nova because it would not do anyone any good, not him and, most importantly, not Nova.
"I understand, thank you for the advice, Crevan, I will see you when it is completed," He added as the guards gestured for him to enter.
Nova took a step forward, the mist engulfing him as the gates slammed shut behind him. The world shifted around him, and he found himself standing in a desolate, otherworldly landscape.
The sky above was a swirling mass of dark clouds, and the ground was dry and cracked. An eerie light flickered faintly from the jagged spires of obsidian that were sticking out from the earth in the distance.
The air around him was heavy and there was a scent around him, one which was unfamiliar and the wind sounded as though it was singing, almost alive, all of which added to the uneasiness of the situation he was in.
He continued moving forward cautiously when he stepped on a mark that lit up purple and his eyes narrowed as he looked down at it, while crows awed and flopped around on branches of the trees that were covered with the mist.
[Trial Initiated]
[Objectives: Defeat anything seen as a threat to you, survive and overcome the challenges ahead of you. Rewards will be given depending on performance.]
The system's notification flashed on the virtual screen before his eyes, and he felt a surge of adrenaline. However, before he could take even another step forward, he paused, upon sensing something near him.
The ground began to tremble under his feet. A deep growl reverberated through the atmosphere, and a monstrous creature with steel-glinting claws and molten eyes appeared out of the darkness, unlike anything Nova had ever seen.
[Creature Identified: Defeat the Infernal Hound.]
Nova's heart pounded in his chest, as the creature rushed towards him, the ground shaking a bit under its weight and pressure. He instinctively reached for his staff, which emerged into its original state within his grasp, while the tip or it glowed eerily amid the mist.
Nova's eyes glowed purple as he channeled his mana to the very tip of the staff, which glowed much brighter than before and the same shade covered his body.
The runes along the staff flared to life, the energy radiating off of it was intense as a warrior appeared beside him. It was dressed in armor, its presence light yet heavy, it carried no life but from its presence alone, Nova could tell it was strong.
The materialized being's armor glowed faintly with necromantic energy. It raised its rusty sword and charged at the beast without hesitation, buying Nova precious seconds to strategize.
[First Undead Summoned]
[Name: Levan.]
Nova's eyes narrowed in concentration as he listened to what Erna was saying, now realizing there was much more to his abilities than he knew, but he had no time to dwell on that.
[Skill: Extraction Activated.]
That particular skill was made to sap an enemy's vitality and weaken its movements. Wisps of dark energy flowed from the beast into the staff, causing it to let out an enraged howl.
"Levan, keep it busy," Nova commanded the undead, who was circling the beast to find an opening.
Levan nodded, in acceptance of his orders and fought valiantly, its strikes clumsy but persistent, while Nova prepared his next move, trying his best to find a way to take the creature down.
Nova took a deep breath as he tried to maintain his composure in his first real fight and focused on his surroundings as well as the energy flowing within his body, casting an Undead Summoning once more.
However, this time, two skeletons rose from the fractured ground of the earth, their empty eye sockets glowing with an unnatural light that made him swallow.
The three skeletal warriors that he summoned, immediately knew what needed to be done and they flanked the Infernal Hound, their coordinated attacks forcing the beast to split its focus. Nova took advantage of the distraction, channeling a concentrated burst of energy into the staff.
He aimed for the creature's molten eyes, releasing a bolt of dark magic that struck true. The beast roared in pain, staggering back as smoke emerged from its scorched eyes, blinding its line of sight temporarily.
However, the fight was far from over. Despite its injured eyes, the creature had keen senses, and with one swift move of its large sharp claws. One of the skeletons was broken into a cloud of broken bones.
Nova's eyes widened and the strain of keeping his summons in place made Nova grit his teeth and tighten his hold on the staff. He knew he had to get this over with and that too quickly, for he did not know what more the trial held for him.