James awoke to the soft glow of dawn breaking through the dense canopy of trees. The twin suns crept over the horizon, casting a surreal golden light that filtered through the leaves, painting the forest in hues of amber and lavender. For a moment, he lay still, letting the world come into focus. The soreness in his body had eased, though the faint ache in his side reminded him of the brutal encounter with the wolf pack.
His status panel shimmered faintly before him as he summoned it with a thought, a routine that was starting to feel second nature.
Name: James
Race: Riftborn
Class: Reaper
Understanding of Death: 0.2%
Level: 2
XP: 0/200
Health: 120/120
Mana: 100/100
Mana Regen: 0.3 M/S
Strength: 3
Vitality: 12
Dexterity: 3
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 3
Perception: 1
Stamina: 3
SP: 0
SMP: 10
Abilities: Analyze (Level 1) (Unique), Shadow tentacles (Level 1) (Unique) (Channel) (Shadow Affinity), Requiem of Souls (Level 2) (Unique) (Channel) (No Affinity), Grasp of the Fallen (Level 1) (Unique) (Active) (Necromantic Affinity), Death's Embrace (Level 1) (Unique) (Active) (Necromantic Affinity), Summon Scythe (Level 1) (Unique) (Active) (No Affinity)
Skills: Basic Scythe Wielding (Level 1) (Common), Pathfinding (Level 1) (Common)]
Spells: None
Resistances and Immunities: Canadian (Level 1) (Unique) (Locked)
Quests: Find and Explore the Ruins of Eldarath, (Unique Quest) (Tutorial Quest), Reward: 100 XP + Unique Artifact]
He closed the panel with a flick of his hand and climbed down from the tree. The bark's rough texture scratched his palms, but he hardly noticed; his mind was already racing with thoughts of the ruins. The notification from the night before had been tantalizing. A tutorial quest—one that promised 100 XP and a unique artifact. Whatever the artifact was, it sounded like exactly what he needed to gain a foothold in this dangerous new world.
As his boots hit the forest floor, James took a deep breath. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of moss and damp earth. "Alright," he muttered, summoning his scythe. "Let's do this."
[-10 Mana]
[Mana: 90/100]
The forest grew denser as James followed the glowing path that had appeared the previous night. The ethereal trail shimmered faintly under his feet, guiding him deeper into the woods. The further he ventured, the quieter it became. The chirping of birds and rustling of leaves faded, replaced by an almost oppressive silence. The only sound was the crunch of his boots on the forest floor.
After an hour of walking, James came upon a clearing. At its center stood the ruins of Eldarath—or what was left of them. Time had not been kind to the ancient structure. Crumbling stone pillars jutted out of the earth like jagged teeth, and vines snaked their way up the remnants of walls. The air here was different, heavy with an unspoken tension. It felt as though the ruins themselves were watching him.
A soft chime echoed in his mind, and a notification appeared.
[Quest Updated: Find and Explore the Ruins of Eldarath, Objective: Complete the hidden dungeon within the ruins, (Unique Quest) (Tutorial Quest), Reward: 100 XP + Unique Artifact]
James tightened his grip on his scythe and stepped forward, the unease gnawing at the edges of his confidence. The ruins were larger than they had seemed from the forest. As he passed under an archway, the light dimmed, casting long shadows across the broken floor. Strange glyphs adorned the walls, glowing faintly as if imbued with some ancient power.
He paused to examine one of the glyphs, running his fingers over the cool stone. It pulsed faintly under his touch, sending a shiver down his spine. The language was unfamiliar, but something about it felt... alive. He pulled back his hand and shook his head.
"Focus, James," he whispered to himself.
He pressed deeper into the ruins, his senses on high alert. The silence was suffocating now, broken only by the occasional drip of water echoing through the halls. As he rounded a corner, he froze. Ahead of him, the path split into two. One corridor led downward, its steps descending into darkness. The other continued straight, bathed in a faint, eerie glow.
A new notification appeared.
[Choice Point: Select your path]
[Option 1: Descend into the lower chambers. (High Risk, High Reward)]
[Option 2: Follow the glowing corridor. (Moderate Risk, Moderate Reward)]
James hesitated. He'd always been the type to push boundaries in games, to take the road less traveled for the promise of greater rewards. But this wasn't just a game. The pain in his side was a stark reminder of that. Still, something about the descending path called to him, a pull he couldn't quite explain.
"High risk, high reward," he muttered, gripping his scythe tighter. "Let's see what you've got for me."
The air grew colder as James descended the stone steps. The darkness was oppressive, clinging to him like a second skin. He summoned his scythe, its faint glow casting long shadows on the walls. His mana had partially regenerated during the night, but he was acutely aware of how limited his resources were. If he encountered another fight like the one with the wolves, he wasn't sure he'd survive.
The steps ended abruptly, opening into a cavernous chamber. James's breath caught as he took in the sight before him. At the center of the room stood a pedestal, and atop it rested an ornate amulet. The artifact shimmered with an otherworldly light, its surface etched with intricate patterns that seemed to shift and dance as he looked at them.
But James's excitement was short-lived. As he stepped into the chamber, a deep rumble echoed through the room. The ground shook, and from the shadows emerged a figure that made his blood run cold.
It was a guardian, a hulking construct of stone and metal. Its body was covered in glowing glyphs similar to those on the walls, and its eyes burned with a fierce golden light. The construct's movements were slow but deliberate as it stepped between James and the pedestal.
[Analyzing…]
Name: Eldarath Guardian
Level: 5
Health: 300/300
Strength: 30
Special Ability: [Glyph Pulse: Unleashes a wave of energy that damages and stuns all enemies within range, costs no mana, as it can only be used by dungeon constructs, or other constructs with an outside mana source, (Level 1) (Rare) (Active) (Runic Affinity)]
James's heart pounded. The guardian was stronger than anything he'd faced before. He had no choice but to fight, but how could he possibly win? His mind raced as he reviewed his abilities. He had to play smart—he couldn't afford a single mistake.
The guardian let out a guttural roar and charged. James rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a massive fist that slammed into the ground, sending shards of stone flying, a shard embedded itself into his stomach.
[-10 HP]
[Health: 110/120]
He countered with a quick swing of his scythe, but the blade glanced off the construct's stone hide, leaving only a shallow scratch.
"Damn it!" James cursed, dodging another blow. He activated [Shadow Tentacles], summoning two tendrils of dark energy that lashed out at the guardian. The tentacles wrapped around its legs, slowing its movements, but the guardian tore through them with ease.
[-2 Mana][-2 Mana][-2 Mana][-2 Mana]...
[Mana: 92/100]
James needed a new strategy. He activated [Grasp of the Fallen], raising one of the shattered wolf spirits he'd absorbed the night before. The spectral wolf lunged at the guardian, snapping at its limbs and drawing its attention away from James. Using the distraction, James circled behind the construct and aimed for its glowing glyphs, slashing with all his strength.
[-3 Mana][-2 Mana][-2 Mana][-2 Mana]...
[Mana: 83/100]
This time, the attack landed. The guardian let out a deafening roar as cracks spread across its surface, the glyphs flickering like dying embers. It swung wildly, forcing James to retreat. The spectral wolf continued its assault, but it was clear it wouldn't last much longer.
"Come on," James muttered, his mind racing. He needed a finishing move, something that would tip the scales in his favor. He focused mana into [Death's Embrace], channeling the raw necrotic energy into a concentrated blast.
[-5 Mana]
[Mana: 78/100]
[Death's Embrace has leveled up]
[Death's Embrace: Unleash a wave of necrotic energy that damages and pushes enemies in a wide radius, you can concentrate this effect for more power. Costs 5→10 mana per use, (Level 1→Level 2) (Unique) (Active) (Necromantic Affinity)]
"FUCK YOU!" he shouted, slamming the energy into the guardian's chest. The room filled with a blinding light as the construct staggered backward, its movements slowing. With a final swing of his scythe, James struck the guardian's core, shattering it into a thousand pieces.