Ancient Ruins of the Whispering Woods.
I had read countless forum posts about this exact subject.
It was probably one of the most explored areas in the entire ga world, because of its mysterious nature, which seed like a challenge to players who like thrill and adventure.
Every secret passage, hidden room and even snippets of its long-forgotten history had been ticulously docunted by dedicated players who spent hours upon hours scavenging the forest.
Although I had never visited this place in the ga, I could argue I knew it like the back of my hand.
I had even seen so high-quality 3D renders of the ruins created by talented modders, which made even more comfortable with the layout of this area.
Anyways, since the entire area had been mapped out and its mysteries uncovered in the public setting, I more or less knew how to approach the challenges that lay ahead.
I don't know whether it was luck or not, but the guy who discovered the 'Ring of Blood' was also an active mber of the exploration online community and was more than willing to share the way he acquired the Artifact.
Nobody could get it anyway, so why would he bother keeping it a secret?
Basically, he went to the central plaza, threw a specific amount of coins into the broken ancient fountain and then a secret stone slab slid open revealing the underground chamber where the guardian of the ruins resided. Upon defeating it the Ring of Blood fell from its corpse.
At first the player was quite skeptical of the item, but as soon as he picked it up and read its description...
Yeah, that was the entire story of how the Artifact was obtained. Very anticlimactic.
Anyways, it was now my turn to try and acquire the Ring of Blood.
Approaching the fountain in the central plaza, I glanced around the area and carefully pulled out the pouch of coins that was a lot lighter than the last ti. The whispering wind through the ancient trees created an eerie soundtrack, fitting for the task ahead.
With a deep breath, I tossed the exact number of coins into the broken ancient fountain, watching them vanish into the murky water.
A low rumble shook the ground, and I steadied myself as the secret stone slab slid open, revealing the dark entrance to the underground chamber.
"Here goes nothing..."
Taking a final glance at the serene, abandoned plaza, I descended into the depths with the echoes of my footsteps being swallowed by the oppressive silence.
The chamber was exactly as described: vast, dimly lit, and filled with an air of foreboding. At the center stood the guardian, a gargoyle twice my size, its stone body carved with intricate runes that seed to pulse with a faint, ominous light. Crimson orbs glowed in its eye sockets, staring at with an unblinking, malevolent gaze.
Drawing my sword, I advanced cautiously.
The gargoyle moved, a slow, deliberate motion that emphasized its size and strength. With a roar that echoed through the chamber, it lunged at , its stone fists crashing down.
『 Shadow Step 』
Luckily, I was ready and imdiately used my skill, barely escaping the blow that shattered the ground where I had previously stood.
I tried slashing my weapon at its arm, but my sword bounced off its tough skin, the vibration traveling up my arm and making wince.
'Tough bastard...'
Clicking my tongue in frustration, I retreated a few steps, reassessing my approach.
I knew the eyes were the weak points of these stone giants, but getting close enough to strike them was the real challenge.
The gargoyle's movents were slow but powerful, each step causing the ground to tremble.
I darted in and out, landing superficial blows that did little more than chip away at the surface.
It swung at again, and I narrowly avoided its massive fist, rolling to the side and coming up on my feet in one fluid motion.
『 Shadow Step 』
Before the giant could strike again, however, I disappeared out of its view.
Confused, the creature looked around the chamber, it didn't even bother to look above its head.
With a swift, precise motion, I plunged my sword into one of the glowing eyes.
Crack...
The orb shattered, fragnts of crimson light scattering like sparks. A roar of agony echoed through the chamber, reverberating off the ancient stone walls. The gargoyle staggered, clutching at its ruined eye with a massive stone hand.
'One down, one to go.'
I didn't let up.
Seizing the mont of vulnerability, I twisted my blade free and imdiately aid for the other eye. The gargoyle, though montarily blinded, swung wildly, its powerful arms creating gusts of wind that threatened to knock off balance.
『 Shadow Step 』
I disappeared once more, reappearing at the gargoyle's shadow. With another swift strike, I plunged my sword into the remaining eye.
Unfortunately, at the exact sa mont the gargoyle's flailing arm struck with trendous force, sending hurtling across the chamber.
Thud...
I crashed into the far wall, the impact jarring my bones and knocking the wind out of .
Glancing at the gargoyle, I noticed that my sword was embedded into its second eye, however, it hadn't shattered yet.
'Curses...'
With a grunt, I pushed myself off the ground, my body aching from the gargoyle's strike. The gargoyle's movents were now erratic, its rage palpable as it thrashed blindly.
I needed to end this quickly.
Darting forward, I ducked under a wild swing, my eyes fixed on the sword still lodged in its eye.
Timing my movents with the creature's erratic sways, I vanished and reappeared, grabbing the hilt of my sword with both hands.
Twisting the blade with all my might, I felt the orb give way, a satisfying crack echoing through the chamber.
The gargoyle let out one final, ear-splitting roar as the second eye shattered into fragnts of crimson light.
The massive creature staggered, its movents slowing until it finally collapsed, the ground trembling as its stone body hit the floor.
I also followed right after, the floor giving my cheek a cold yet painful kiss.
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