Nova looked around the area that they were in and his eyes narrowed, for he could not see much due to how thick the mist was in the surrounding parts, most things were covered, due to which he could not move around too much or carelessly, knowing he could accidentally fall into a trap, if there was any around.
"Erna, this is not good, they are struggling against it, that much is obvious and I have limited resources, is there any way to amplify my magic?" He asked, a tad bit of desperation, creeping into his voice.
"Yes, there are quite a few ways, but you have to remember, you cannot push yourself too much, you have only now started out as a necromancer, however, in the meantime, the staff can help you but your level is a bit low, so you can channel your mana to enhance your spells, but it comes at a cost," Erna replied. "Be cautious—overuse could leave you vulnerable."
Nova hesitated at first after hearing what Erna said, but the sight of the remaining skeletons struggling to fight the beast, made his decision for him, he knew what needed to be done.
He closed his eyes and focused inward, drawing on whatever energy he could find deep within himself to power his next spell. The staff pulsed with raw energy as he unleashed a devastating wave of necrotic magic that engulfed the Infernal Hound, in a burst of purple flames.
The creature let out one last, ear-splitting roar before collapsing in a heap, its molten eyes dimming as the light faded from its body. The trial grounds fell silent, as the remaining skelon as well as Levan, stood before the beast, looking down at it, with their eyes narrowed.
Nova dropped to one knee, panting heavily as the strain of the battle caught up with him; after all, it was his first real fight as a newly awakened, with little knowledge of his own abilities; however, his previous gaming experience aided him somewhat and that he was thankful for.
[Trial Challenge One Completed. Performance: adequate.]
[Reward: Levan's Ring - Increases mana regeneration and boosts necrotic beginner spells.]
The notification appeared before Nova on the virtual screen before it quickly disappeared, and a small, black ring appeared in his palm. He slipped it onto his finger and felt a rush of energy as its magic took effect within his body.
"You did well so far, Nova," Erna said, her tone positive. "But this is just the beginning, there will be more challenges ahead, due to what Crevan said to you before entering here and how uneasy he looked, this cannot be all there is to the trial, they might be making the necromancer's trials more difficult on purpose."
Nova nodded, determination whirling within his eyes. He had survived the first part of the trial, but he knew that the road ahead would only become more dangerous. With his new staff in hand and the ring's power coursing through him, he was prepared for whatever came next and stood back up, taking deep breaths.
"How much longer will I be able to last here? I feel as though this mist is taking some of my energy, ever since I walked into this place it felt different," He said, as his eyes narrowed and the skeleton as well as Levan approached him, staying by his side as though they were standing guard.
[Scan Initiated.]
[Vitals: Mid.]
[Scan Completed.]
"Your vitals have dropped a little, it seems as though you may be right, the area siphoned some of your energy which is how the creatures around here are sensing you, the place is reading you as though...." Erna replied.
"As though it was alive..." He muttered, under his breath, as he clenched his fists by his sides.
"I now know why Crevan was uneasy earlier, he felt as though something was wrong with this trial, it is as though someone wants necromancers gone from the face of Etarion," He said, his mind swirling with thoughts that only seemed to confuse him further.
So far, Nova had learned a lot and was growing the more time he spent in Etarion, however, he now had more questions than answers and they kept on piling up, he knew he needed to figure out what was going on, there was more to the situation than meet the eye.
"The area amidst the fog is cornering you, this is not the average necromancer trial, I can tell you that because I have seen it, you are newly awakened, this is not the trial you were supposed to have, this is more like a death trial, no newbie could survive," Levan said, his voice gruff beneath his armor, yet he sounded as though he was concerned.
Upon hearing his words, Nova found himself momentarily speechless. He had not anticipated an undead being able to communicate, and the experience felt almost surreal—like something out of one of the games he used to play or even a book, or movie. Yet, at that moment, it was happening to him, a reality that was undeniable, something that he was still trying to get used to.
"You can speak?" He asked and Levan looked at him with a questioning look.
"I just did," He responded and Nova chuckled, he could not help but find humor, despite the dangerous situation he had found himself in, one that could possibly lead to death.
"You are quite carefree for someone who could die," Levan said, his tone snarky and Nova raised his brows, he could not comprehend how an undead could be like that, but he tried his best to remain serious and focus on the situation.
"Alright, I get it, and you are right. This situation is not normal, but this will be the last part of the trial. I have to pass, no matter what, even if what you said is true," He replied, and Levan glanced at him.
However, before he could say anything further, the ground beneath their feet trembled a bit and the mist around them thickened as it turned an eerie glow of dark purple mixed with black smoke and Nova's eyes narrowed, wondering what his final challenge would be.