Echoes of the Past: Deciphering the Path Forward

A few hours earlier:

*Quest Complete*

Bloodcrests Accumulated: 250

Progress to level 4: 210/400 Dark Essence

Generating Skills…

You have acquired (Common) (Vitality Reap - Effortlessly summon the spell upon your quarry and witness their life force slowly drain away. (Cost to cast - 10 Mana), (Damage - 1 Life point per second up to a maximum of 20), (Evolvable with Bloodcrests)

You have acquired (Common) Minor Elemental Resistance - Passive Skill (Grants a humble resilience against elemental incantations and hostile natural forces.), (Perpetually Active), (Evolvable with Bloodcrests)

Mana Regeneration Complete! ~ (5+ Hours Transpired) +5 Mana

Current Stats:

STR: 8

DEX: 32 + 5 = (37)

VIT: 15 + 5 = (20) ~ (+10 health) ~ Current Health: (40/40)

VRP: 2

Mana: 2 + 10 = (12) ~ (+50 mana) ~ Current Mana: (60/60)

MRP: 1

Mystical Power: 0

As the first light of dawn crept across the horizon, the grumbling voice of a guard sliced through the morning stillness, "Why are we even out here?" The armored man sounded disenchanted as he questioned his companion.

The captain, with a disdainful eye-roll, replied, "Apparently the local lord dropped by last night, and this was his last known whereabouts. His family's been hounding our boss, so now we're the ones stuck sniffing around."

As they drew nearer, the guards' scrutiny fell upon the weathered building before them—the humble farmhouse where Grim dwelled.'

*New Quests Generated*

1) Kill the Inquisitive Guards

2) Escape from the Town

3) Annihilate the Entire Town Population

Elysia's voice carried a foreboding edge, "I granted you a single night to grieve. But if you defy these quest options, remember the agony I can unleash to ensure your obedience." She added darkly, "I doubt you'll withstand the looming tempest if you permit matters to proceed unchecked."

"Fine, just do it. My life was ruined when my family went away," Grim declared sorrowfully.

"Break down the door!" A booming voice commanded from the entrance, the resounding thuds reverberating through the house.

Elysia's vexation was tangible, "You insolent child. It's always the same when a host realizes I cannot truly end their life."

"Maybe you should make up better stories, then," Grim countered, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

With a deafening crash, the door splintered, revealing a petrified child huddled in the shadows. The sight of crimson stains on Grim's garments sent a bone-chilling shudder through the captain.

"I will not accept any of your quests. And remember, I promised to transfer you to another," Grim whispered to Elysia. Raising his gaze, he locked eyes with the captain, who was instantly consumed by a gut-wrenching terror. It was as if he had gazed straight into the cold, unfathomable abyss of death itself.

"Thanks for coming to me," Grim said, smiling weakly before wiping away his tears.

"Take the kid away. We'll question him back at our station, and once we get a confession, we can present him to the lord's family so they can do as they please," the captain said cautiously, eyeing Grim with suspicion.

"No doubt he knows something. Just look at his state. I'm not touching him, though; that's below my pay grade," another guard chimed in, wrinkling his nose.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Captain? He's just a kid, after all," another guard said, his voice tinged with sympathy.

The captain smirked, "Well, it looks like we've got a volunteer," he said menacingly.

The sympathetic guard shot a pleading glance at his captain but eventually relented, fearing the consequences of defying his commanding officer.

Grim felt terror welling up within his chest as he listened to the conversation unfolding before him. "No! Stay away from me!" He raised his hand and, with newfound power granted by Elysia, chanted, "Vitality Reap!" A swirling black vortex burst forth from the palm of Grim's hand, piercing through the guard's armor and into his chest.

-10 Mana

Mana: 50/60

MRP: 1

The guard, visibly taken aback, staggered backward onto the weathered wooden floor, never anticipating a child to wield magic.

"Get that kid!" the captain shouted at the retreating guard, slowly realizing the imminent danger they faced. Dutifully, the guard attempted to step forward but collapsed under the crushing weight of exhaustion that suddenly overcame him. "What the hell are you doing?!" the captain demanded, his voice a mixture of fear and irritation. "Go check on him!" he barked at another guard.

Progress to level 4: 310/400 Dark Essence

"I didn't mean to kill him. I didn't think it would kill him that easily," Grim stammered, his voice quivering as the approaching guard drew nearer.

"What do you mean he's dead?" the approaching guard asked, incredulous.

The captain, overhearing their conversation, swiftly changed his mind about the current order and issued a new command. "Never mind about him right now. We'll check on him after we capture this kid," he said urgently.

"Nobody is taking me. Rise. Protect me from the other guards," Grim declared, his voice steely and resolute. At Grim's command, the dead guard slowly rose, standing between him and the encroaching threat.

-5 Mana

Mana: 45/60

MRP: 1

Minions: 1/5

"Oh, thank the gods you're alright! We just saw you collapse and—" The guard's words were cut short as the reanimated corpse swiftly beheaded him with a single stroke of its sword, the blade moving with unnatural speed.

Level up!

Progress to level 5: 10/800 Dark Essence

Bloodcrests Accumulated: 300

Stat points (10) have been allocated where deemed necessary.

Current Stats:

STR: 8

DEX: 37

VIT: 20 ~ (+0 health) ~ Current Health: (40/40)

VRP: 2

Mana: 12 ~ (+0 mana) ~ Current Mana: (45/60)

MRP: 1

Mystical Power: 0 + 10 = (10)

"I didn't sign up for this madness! Nobody warned me about magic. To hell with this ungrateful family; I'm getting out of here!" the captain exclaimed, panic seizing him as he tried to flee the gruesome scene.

The captain and remaining guard attempted to escape, prompting Grim to order his undead minion to stop them.

With an eerie sense of indifference, Grim's undead minion stepped outside, drawing a bow as it went. The reanimated guard methodically fired a series of arrows with chilling precision, aiming to incapacitate the fleeing guards. Each arrow struck true, burrowing into the guards' legs and bringing them to a sudden, agonizing halt.

The captain's gaze lifted in abject horror as Grim advanced toward him, the boy's haunting presence reminiscent of a demonic apparition. The air around them seemed to thicken with an eerie malevolence, as though the shadows themselves were closing in on the trembling man. As the child drew nearer, the captain's heart pounded in his chest like a funeral drum, each beat signaling the approach of his impending doom. His eyes widened, reflecting the image of the spectral child, a sinister embodiment of fear incarnate.

"Wait! WAIT! We were just sent here by the village chief to investigate this place. We're state troops, not locals," the captain pleaded, his voice trembling with fear.

Grim, puzzled by the captain's words, tilted his head in confusion. "So what do you want me to do then?" he asked innocently.

"I can't believe I'm negotiating with a child, but you're no ordinary kid. Please, spare our lives. We meant no harm. We're not bad people," the captain implored, desperation in his voice.

"Spare you? You were going to take me away from my home and hand me over to the lord's family!" Grim shouted, anger flaring within him.

The captain, at a loss for words, struggled to come up with an explanation. "I was on my way to save you! I swear it on my life. Please, believe me," he said, tears filling his eyes as he tried to pull the arrow from his leg.

Grim stared at the captain, his expression void of emotion. As he weighed the man's words, Elysia's voice echoed in his mind:

Quest Progress: Two guards remaining...

"I never agreed to any quests from you," Grim said, his anger evident in his voice, as he spoke to Elysia.

"Foolish child. You're being manipulated by that human. Remember the pain I caused you on your walk to the farm? Well, here it is again. I've had enough of your insolence," Elysia retorted, exasperated.

Grim collapsed onto the grass, clutching his throat as he struggled to breathe. His body writhed in agony, and the shadows cast by the trees seemed to mirror his torment, intensifying the atmosphere of distress that surrounded him.

Seeing the boy incapacitated, the captain sensed his chance to strike him down. "I can't let a monstrosity like you live!" Despite his leg injury, fear and adrenaline fueled his determination, enabling him to struggle to his feet. As he raised his sword to deliver a fatal blow to Grim's vulnerable body, an arrow suddenly pierced his throat, silencing him forever.

Thousands of dark orbs erupted from the captain's lifeless form and shot directly toward Grim, entering his body and filling him with an overwhelming surge of power, even as he gasped for air.

Level up!

Level up!

Level up!

Level up!

Level up!

Progress to level 10: 5,310/25,600 Dark Essence

Bloodcrests Accumulated: 350

Generating skills…

*OVERSIGHT*

*Skills cannot be generated during combat*

Stat points (50) have been allocated where deemed necessary.

Current Stats:

STR: 8

DEX: 37 + 10 = (47)

VIT: 20 + 10 = (30) ~ (+20 health) ~ Current health: (60/60)

VRP: 3

Mana: 12 + 10 = (22)~ (+50 mana) ~ Current Mana: (95/110)

MRP: 2

Mystical Power: 10 + 20 = (30)

"I can't breathe, Elysia! Stop choking me, or I'll cast Vitality Reap on myself," Grim warned.

"Go ahead, and continue that conversation of yours. I'm sure you'll gain a wealth of knowledge from a dead guard," Elysia responded sarcastically.

As Grim regained his senses, he saw the captain he'd been talking to moments ago lying face down in a pool of blood, lifeless and grotesque. Horrified, Grim retched on the ground, the sickening stench of blood and gore assaulting his senses as he tried to catch his breath.

-1 Health

Health: 59/60

VRP - 3

While Grim knelt there, clutching his stomach, the clashing of swords echoed in the background. The last guard put up a valiant struggle against the undead minion. "I refuse to die here! This town depends on me! My children's lives depend on me!" he bellowed, defying his fate as he managed to destroy the undead creature with a flurry of sword strikes.

Minions: 0/5

Not wasting a moment, the injured guard limped towards Grim, blood oozing from the arrow wound in his leg.

"This arrogant human thinks he can kill us," Elysia scoffed, her voice laced with irritation. "You keep forcing me to interfere by using your precious Bloodcrests"

"Shadowbind," Elysia chanted, and shadowy hands erupted from the ground, reaching for the unsuspecting guard.

-10 Bloodcrests

Bloodcrests Accumulated: 340

"What the hell?" the guard gasped, attempting to jump back, but the shadows' grasp bound him to the cold earth.

"Kill him or be killed. I know deep down, you fear death as all humans do. Don't think for a second you're a special case," Elysia stated bluntly to Grim.

Grim considered her words for a moment, not overly concerned with the guard currently wrestling with the shadows. "I just had an amazing idea! I can transfer you to this guard and finally be rid of you!" Grim exclaimed, his eyes alight with excitement.

"If you do that, the guard will surely kill you. Even if, by some miracle, he spares your life, I foresee a gruesome fate awaiting you, considering you no longer have a family to protect you," Elysia said, showing concern for the first time.

"I thought you didn't care about me? I thought all you cared about was completing quests," Grim countered, questioning Elysia's intentions.

A shadow of a smile seemed to materialize in his thoughts. "I admit, it's somewhat uncharacteristic of me to worry about your well-being, but if you truly want to proceed, I can explain the process you'll need to follow," Elysia replied coldly.

"I want revenge on the lord's family first, and that guard is in my way. These wicked people were going to take me to them," Grim declared, his determination fueled by thoughts of vengeance.

"Rise," Grim intoned, directing his command toward the slain captain.

Minions: 1/5

-5 Mana

Mana: 90/110

MRP: 2

The guard glanced up, catching sight of his former captain standing tall. "Wait! I have children! I beg you, in the name of all that is sacred, spare my life for the sake of my little ones. I swear by my very existence, I'll disappear, and you'll never see me again," the guard implored with every ounce of his being.

Grim wavered, hesitant to give the order to execute the guard. His conscience weighed upon him, witnessing such a desperate plea for mercy. Yet, he couldn't help but recall the exhilarating sensation when his minion struck down the captain. The rush of leveling up multiple times had been intoxicating.

"I've invested even more points into mystical power. You'll need every advantage possible when confronting the lord's family, as I suspect they'll be heavily fortified," Elysia remarked nonchalantly.

"Is that why I gained so many levels? Because of mystical power?" Grim inquired, puzzled.

"Mystical power is a crucial attribute. Each point invested in mystical power amplifies the quality of a soul by 3,000 Dark Essence, along with the soul's existing worth. Believe me, you'll need all the Dark Essence you can muster, as the amount required doubles with each subsequent level," Elysia expounded.

"How can you improve their souls so much?" Grim probed.

"To be clear, it is not I who enhances the soul, but mystical power. Creatures often overlook the value of life and fail to grasp the true worth of their souls. This world may be vast, teeming with trillions of beings from diverse races, yet it does not diminish the soul's inherent significance," Elysia elaborated, unbothered by the inquiries.

"But why do creature souls only have a little bit of Dark Essence, just 100? Why's it always like that? And why don't creatures try to make themselves worth more? Oh, and what about Bloodcrests?" Grim peppered Elysia with questions, his young curiosity bubbling over.

"Indeed, these are simple questions, and I shall answer them now. After this, no further queries will be entertained. I shall grant you more knowledge once you have vanquished the lord's family. Life in this world has evolved in an exceptional way. Those creatures that thrive and propagate typically harbor a modest amount of Dark Essence. Lesser amounts of Dark Essence grant less power, thus reducing the chances of self-destruction or mutual devastation. A delicate equilibrium is often established around 100 Dark Essence, offering adequate might for survival and procreation without endangering the balance of the realm.

Each species is endowed with a specific, immutable amount of Dark Essence, vital for mating and the passing of traits. Consider orcs, for instance: each orcish soul bears exactly 110 Dark Essence. To attain magical prowess, a soul must undergo refinement, enhancing both its power and worth. Should an orc elevate the value of its soul by a mere unit, reaching 111, it can no longer mate with its kin unless it encounters another orc of identical soul value.

The enigmatic force of Dark Essence profoundly influences the fabric of existence, altering the hallowed threads that make up the tapestry of life. As beings partake in the age-old ritual of creation, Dark Essence ensures that their legacies intertwine seamlessly, endowing their offspring with the innate gifts and strengths passed down through both ancestral lineages," Elysia expounded with great detail.

"I'm only a ten-year-old uneducated farm boy, and you used such fancy words. How did I understand all that, and you still didn't explain Bloodcrests," Grim persisted.

"Enough!" Elysia exclaimed, her voice laced with annoyance. "I've been more than patient with my explanations. I won't answer any more questions until you've finished your quests."