The stone walls of the castle were slicked with moss and decay. Thunder rumbled in the distance, adding an ominous soundtrack to the foreboding structure nestled between the canyon cliffs.
"You're staying here," August said firmly. "I'll need soone to watch my back. Besides, you'd stick out like a sore thumb in there."
"That's… fair," Gregarious admitted, though his tone was laced with disappointnt. "Fine, but if you die, I'm keeping your boots. They look expensive."
"I'll make sure to haunt you if you try," August shot back before activating stealth.
"I'm going in alone," his form shimred and vanished from view.
[ System Notification: Stealth Skill Activated ]
[ Duration: 7 minutes. ]
With silent steps, August approached the castle. Its dark, towering gates were ajar, groaning softly as the wind pushed them.
Sothing seed almost amiss like the castle was occasionally flickering.
Inside, the air was damp and cold, carrying the faint tallic tang of blood. The corridors stretched endlessly, lit only by flickering torches whose flas cast eerie shadows on the cracked stone walls.
It was a labyrinth of silence, broken only by the occasional scurry of rats and the distant drip of water. August moved cautiously while resting his hand lightly on the hilt of his dagger. It wasn't until he reached a wide hall that he heard them—voices, faint and whispering, echoing off the walls like ghosts.
Peering around the corner, he saw a tall, gaunt man clad in flowing black robes.
His pale, sunken face was frad by greasy black hair that fell in uneven strands to his shoulders. Deep-set crimson eyes glowed faintly beneath arched brows, and his thin lips twisted into a permanent sneer. Around his neck hung a talisman shaped like a claw clutching a glowing red gem.
[ System Notification: Warning! Level 85 Sorcerer, Malrik detected ]
[ Threat Level: Extrely High ]
August's breath hitched as the sorcerer's voice rang out, clear yet serpentine, dripping with malice. He stood before a ritual circle etched into the stone floor. Its runes pulsated with the sa eerie blue light as the monolith.
"Fools," Malrik hissed, gesturing dramatically over the circle. His bony hands glowed with black energy, weaving tendrils into the air. "They send their soldiers to the monolith, thinking they are ridding the outskirts of danger. Little do they know they are feeding my power! Soon, Tagharium will bow before , and this divine artifact weapon will ensure my rule is eternal."
A nervous voice answered from the shadows. It belonged to a hunched figure, perhaps one of Malrik's lackeys. "But, master, what if their superiors grow suspicious? They could—"
"Silence!" Malrik's eyes flared with anger as he snapped. "Let them suspect all they want. By the ti they piece together what is happening, it will be too late. The monolith hungers for more souls, and their soldiers will be the perfect offering."
August's mind raced. This was far worse than he had imagined. The monolith wasn't just a trap; it was part of a ritual to summon an artifact that could turn Malrik into an unstoppable force. And judging by the size of the ritual circle, the sorcerer was nearing completion.
[ System Notification: Hidden Quest Completed - The Ritual of Conquest. [ Objective: Uncover Malrik's Plans. ]
[ Rewards: 40,000EXP All Skills Level Up 20 Attribute Points ]
He leaned back into the shadows with a disturbed look. There was no way he could confront Malrik directly—level 85 was leagues beyond his reach. His only option now was to get this information back to Baron Hilderan and hope they could rally forces to stop Malrik before it was too late.
Suddenly, a faint pulse of energy rippled through the hall. Malrik paused as his crimson eyes narrowed while he scanned the room. "We are not alone," he murmured with a chilling low tone.
August's blood ran cold. He had to move, fast.
[ System Notification: Stealth - 30 seconds remaining ]
The orb on the staff in Malrik's grasp began glowing brighter, and for a mont, he felt the sorcerer's gaze sweeping the room.
"Did you feel that?" Malrik's head snapped toward the corner. "Sothing's here."
August's heart raced. He ducked behind another pillar just as Malrik's staff unleashed a pulse of energy.
[ System Notification: Detection Aura Detected ]
[ Detection Resistance: 60% (Stealth Enhanced) ]
The pulse washed over the corridor, but due to the pillar he ducked behind and his stealth, Malrik didn't catch onto him.
Malrik frowned but seed to dismiss it.
"Perhaps just the remnants of this accursed place," he muttered.
August seized the mont and bolted silently back to where Gregorious was hiding outside the castle.
"Greg! We need to move. Now."
Gregorious, who had been nervously poking at a loose stone on the floor, jumped. "Boss, you look like you saw a ghost—or ten."
"Not ghosts. Worse," August replied. "There's a sorcerer in there. Level 85. He's planning sothing big, and if he gets what he's after, Tagharium is done for."
Gregorious' eyes widened. "Level 85? Boss, you can't be serious. We're—what—level 30-ish? I an, I'm 10, but still!"
"Exactly why we're not fighting him. We're warning the right people," August stated while turning around to leave.
As they moved a particular distance away, the ominous castle vanished. It seed as though it was invisible to everyone until they drew close to its position.
August only managed to locate it in the first place due to his attentiveness.
The ride back to Tagharium was mostly quiet but August was thinking about what he uncovered. If he decided not to report this information or if he never went back to Unhidden Mist, what would have happened?
Would Tagharium be taken over and lost to a villain?
The sun was beginning to rise, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple as they approached the Baron's estate.
Gregarious broke the silence first. "I'm just saying, Boss, you've got guts. If it were , I'd have fainted the mont that sorcerer started talking about eternal rule and soul sacrifices."
August smirked. "You're underestimating yourself, Gregarious. I'm sure you would've lasted at least two minutes before fainting."
"Flattery will get you everywhere," Gregarious replied with a chuckle. "But seriously what kind of na is Malrik?"
When they arrived at the estate, the guards let them in without question. Baron Hilderan was waiting in his study. His sharp features and neatly trimd beard made him look more like a battle-hardened general than a bureaucrat.
"Aleman," the Baron greeted with a neutral but expectant tone. "I trust you've uncovered sothing of value."
August stepped forward and gave a respectful nod. "Baron Hilderan, the situation is worse than we thought..."
August went on to recount everything they had encountered the previous night.
"The monolith isn't just a random anomaly—it's part of a ritual set up by a sorcerer nad Malrik," he concluded the narration with this.
The Baron's expression darkened at the na. "Malrik… That na hasn't been spoken in years. He's supposed to be dead."
"Well, he's very much alive," August continued. "He's using the monolith to trap and absorb soldiers' souls and bodies. It's powering a ritual to summon a divine artifact weapon. If he succeeds, he plans to use it to conquer Tagharium."
Gregarious chid in, leaning dramatically against a chair. "And let tell you, Baron, that guy's the real deal. Creepy voice, glowing eyes, the whole villain package... even though I didn't enter the castle, take it from ."
Baron Hilderan ignored the comntary, focusing entirely on August. "Did you see the artifact? How far along is the ritual?"
"I couldn't see the artifact," August replied, "but the runes on the monolith and his ritual circle suggest he's close to completing it. He's drawing power from every soul that the monolith absorbs. If more soldiers are sent into that area, it'll only speed up the process."
The Baron clenched his fists. "This is dire news. If Malrik gains access to a divine artifact, the entire kingdom will be at risk. I must take this information to the council of royals imdiately."
August nodded. "That's the best course of action. He's beyond anything I can handle at my level. This isn't a fight I can win, and frankly, it's not one I should be involved in anymore."
The Baron's expression softened slightly. "You've done well, Aleman. Bringing this information back may very well save Tagharium. Your efforts will not be forgotten."
[ System Notification: C-Rank Quest Complete - Vanishing Patrol ]
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[ Rewards: 50000 EXP, 20 Gold, Reputation Increase with Tagharium ( 10) Hilderan Estate Token ]
As August and Gregarious stepped out of the Baron's estate, Gregarious turned to him with a wide grin. "Well, Boss, that's one way to wrap up a quest. We're not dead, the Baron's on our side, and I'm slightly richer than I was yesterday. I call that a win."
August chuckled, opening his nu to add Gregarious to his friends' list. "I'll admit, you made this trip more entertaining than I expected."
"Entertaining?" Gregarious scoffed as he accepted the friend request. "I'll have you know I was invaluable. Who else would've stood around making sarcastic remarks while you were being stealthy?"
"Point taken," August replied with a smirk. "Till next ti, Gregarious. Try not to get yourself killed before I log back in."
"Sa to you, Boss. And hey, don't be a stranger," Gregarious gave a mock salute as August prepared to log out.
The world around August began to blur and dissolve as the vibrant colors of Tagharium faded into the soft darkness of the log-out screen.
[ System Notification: Logging out… ]
"Ti to go save Tara," August muttered the mont consciousness returned to his body.
########
Thank you all for the gifts and well wishes.
Thanks to GhostRevenant and Abtist, there will be a mass release of five chapters next week Monday. Thank you all once again and season greetings.
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