The sun hung low in the morning sky as Rai, Alex, and Eron departed the village that had served as their ho and training ground since the start of the ga. With level 15 now under their belts and official permits granted by the village elder, the road ahead led straight toward Velondar—the nearest city and a bustling trade hub known for its magical academies, blacksmithing guilds, and underground networks of information.
It was the beginning of a new stage and a new era.
Their Era. Oblivion’s Ascent’s Era.
Rai and his friends walked at a lazy pace, slowly but surely. They kept talking with each step. The road wasn’t much of a road but more like a long, beaten dirt trail littered with broken stones and weeds.
"Kind of weird, leaving that place behind," Eron said, adjusting the strap of his shield.
Alex nodded. "We spent quite a few days grinding there. Feels like we’re graduating or sothing."
Rai gave a small grunt. "Graduation implies we actually learned sothing. All I learned is that the system has a terrible sense of humor and even worse loot drops."
Despite the humor, his gaze lingered back toward the distant outline of the village.
He wasn’t sentintal. Not exactly. But he couldn’t deny that everything had changed in that small, overlooked settlent. He’d found strength, forged the beginnings of trust, and stumbled across mysteries that were far deeper than just leveling up.
"Anyways, this talk about graduation reminds that I also have to participate in Zephyr acady’s admission test later this month."
Eron whistled at this, "Woah! I never took you for the studying kind."
Alex snickered and replied, "He’s not. This year many top acadmies will be taking special tests for gars."
"Tests for gars? That too for admission in such an prestigious college? You are not bullshitting right."
Rai replied, "No Alex is telling the truth. This year almost every college is doing this. In fact, the seats reserved for gaming students is much higher than the seats for all the other courses."
Alex further looked at Eron and said, "Yeah. It is almost as if this ga has more importance to the world then we know."
Eron laughed at this. "Alex, you and your conspiracy theories." He shook his head. "You are not even leaving this ga out of it."
Rai remained silent at all of this.
This was the harder part of his journey—keeping his secrets intact while moving deeper into the world.
A few hours into their walk, the crunch of wheels and creaking of wood reached their ears.
"Sounds like a cart," Eron said, pausing.
From the bend in the road, a small rchant caravan ca into view. Two wooden wagons, modestly decorated, were pulled by thick, broad-hoofed steeds. A handful of guards walked alongside, while two robed rchants sat atop the lead cart.
Rai subtly placed a hand near his weapon.
The caravan stopped as the two groups approached each other. One of the rchants, an older man with a sun-darkened face and a carefully trimd white beard, raised a hand in greeting.
"Hello there, travelers," he called. "Heading to Velondar?"
Rai nodded slowly. "We are."
"You’re welco to travel alongside us. It is safer that way. The woods around here have seen more monster and bandit activity lately—so even say they were part of the undying reach . One can never be too careful."
Alex leaned in toward Rai. "Should we?"
Rai studied the group. The guards looked reasonably equipped—nothing too flashy, but they weren’t amateurs either. He sensed no hidden hostility.
"Alright," he finally said. "We’ll travel with you. But we can pull our weight if trouble shows up."
The rchant chuckled. "Well said. I’m rov, and this is my younger brother, Liron. We deal in enchanted items, reagents, and the occasional rare trinket. Don’t mind the guards, they’re all very gentle and well-mannered unless you ss with the rchandise."
As they began walking together, Rai took position near the back of the group, eyes scanning the horizon. Eron chatted with one of the guards, and Alex was busy pestering rov with endless questions about Velondar.
The road ahead stretched long and winding. Forests lood on either side, and birdsong filled the silence between conversations. Occasionally, strange rustles would echo from deeper within the woods—but nothing too threatening.
Ti passed like this—light conversation, vigilance, and the occasional monster. A few wild wolves tried to rush the group once, but between the guards and the three players, the fight was over in less than a minute.
While the caravan moved on, Eron sat besides Rai and asked, "That guy rov he said sothing about the undying reach. What does that an."
Rai looked at Eron and replied, "It is a faction. A dark one."
"I had figured that much myself. Tell more, sothing you might know thanks to your beta experience."
"I don’t really know much about them. All i know is that they are a dark faction that is an enemy of almost every other faction. They follow an evil dark god."
"Eh-uh."
While he did say this, Rai did know a lot more about the undying reach. This faction had many other secrets and was even more horrendous and disgusting than the people of the world of Eiodolon Realms initially thought. This group had direct ties with demons, who were sworn enemies of humans.
’But that doesn’t really matter to . That guy will be able to defeat them. I just need to deal with the gods sowhow."
The caravan moved on, and Velondar began to appear in the distance. Towering outer walls of stone lood against the sky, reinforced with gleaming runes and archways that pulsed with faint magical light. Even from afar, the city radiated life and purpose.
As they neared, Rai fell into step slightly behind the others, thoughts drifting.
He had made it to Velondar, just as planned.
But the deeper mission had only begun.
His true identity—the Last Shade—remained hidden. Neither Eron nor Alex knew what that na ant. Nor would they, not yet.
He couldn’t risk it. The enemies he intended to uncover—the gods, the system manipulators, the hidden powers of this world—were not the kind to show rcy.
Even Aelina... she needed proof before she’d believe what he knew.
And proof required patience.
’I’ll build my strength here’, Rai thought, eyes fixed on the city gates. ’Build connections. Investigate from the shadows. And when the ti is right, I’ll reveal the truth. Not as Rai. But as the Last Shade.’
anwhile... Sowhere Else
The moonlight shimred on polished stone as Lyra Moonveil tossed in her sleep.
Her breathing was shallow, brows furrowed.
And in her dream once again... there he was.
The faceless figure cloaked in shadow and moonlight. Always just out of reach. Always surrounded by whispers and war. His hand extended toward her, yet every ti she grasped for it, he vanished.
It was frustrating.
It was maddening.
It was... embarrassing.
She jolted awake, cheeks flushed.
"Not again," she muttered, rubbing her temples. "Who even is this guy? And why do I keep dreaming about him like he’s so... destined lover in a storybook?"
The worst part? She couldn’t even rember his face. Just his presence. His voice. His essence.
The dreams had started ever since she entered this region of the ga world. And they were getting clearer. Stronger. More emotional.
And yet she had no clue who the figure was.
"I swear if this is so glitch or divine prank, I’m going to burn down a temple."
She dressed quickly, exiting the mage quarters of her guild hall.
Her guildmates avoided eye contact—likely sensing the storm brewing in her mana again.
"Who are you, Rai?" she thought, without even realizing.
"Why does it feel like... we were supposed to et already?"
But the na left her lips like a whisper she wasn’t sure she should’ve heard.
And it vanished into the moonlit night, as sowhere far off, the Last Shade stepped into Velondar.
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