New Quest Acquired

[New Quest Acquired: Arrival Of The Four Horsemen]

[The advent of the four horsemen marks the fall of the existing alpha families and heralds the rise of a formidable new power on Hallow Mountain. Aligned with the sinister forces of the universe, this emerging force seeks to unlock Bashomon and unleash chaos upon the realms. The host must discover a means to avert this impending catastrophe, safeguarding the standing of the current alpha families. Failure to do so will plunge the universe into disarray.]

Seeing this, Sol was taken aback by the new word used by the system, and this left him wondering what was different from quests and missions.

Ding.

[Missions represent assignments generated by the system in response to ongoing events. The success of the host in these missions holds no bearing on the progression of time or subsequent events. In contrast, Quests signify significant occurrences that wield the power to influence the survival of the realms.]

Seeing this explanation, the only thing Sol could think of was Lyra! After the chat they had that night, he was made to believe she was truly a friend and whatever secret she was hiding wasn't something that would harm him. He believed Lyra wouldn't do anything to harm him, at least without a good reason, yet it turned out he was wrong.

All those moments they spent together were nothing but lies!

Her promise to stand by his side till the very end was a lie!

Sol felt a feeling of betrayal creeping into his heart, and he was reminded of the way he died on earth. It was at the hands of the people whom he gave everything to, even though they didn't deserve any of it.

The world is fair and treats everyone fairly

Lyra did nothing to earn his trust and loyalty, yet he gave it all to her.

Unmerited love and favors are always repaid with evil by the world.

Sol's gaze steeled as he turned the act of betrayal into a failure on his part for making the same mistake he made back on earth. Everyone must earn their place or it will not be appreciated.

"Do you plan to stay there all day?" A cold voice rang across the cave.

Sol frowned as he looked over his shoulders and peeped again only to realize that Lukas was looking in his direction with eyes void of emotions.

"If you spend so much time hesitating, my goblin minions will return and block your path of escape," Lukas said. "So why don't you just do what you came here for?" 

Sol listened in silence while he pondered on his next course of action. Since the enemy had already spotted him, there was almost no chance of fleeing. The least he could do was to try and understand the enemy first, only then can he devise a plan to deal with him.

Thud.

Sol stepped out of the corner and walked into the room. His arrival in his flowing orange robes caught the attention of Lukas, whose look of indifference became turned into a slight frown.

"You are Sol," He said. "Sol Ark…"

Hearing this, Sol was taken aback, since he didn't understand how this man knew about him. 

"How do you…"

Before Sol could finish speaking, Lukas cut him off with a simple gesture of his hand and spoke.

"Lyra is my twin sister. Just like me, we were sent to infiltrate Aetheria and that's why we let ourselves get caught by that weak dog," Lukas said with a disdainful look on his face.

"That doesn't explain how you know my name," Sol said nonchalantly with a deep frown on his face.

"Impatient…" Lukas said with an unchanged facial expression. "Anyway, my sister and I were blessed with the Twin bond enchantment from birth, allowing us to see the world through each other's eyes and communicate with each other telepathically regardless of the distance,"

"I saw everything that happened between you and my sister. I saw the way you deceived the stupid dog and saved my sister. I saw the way you treated her during your time with her and for that I am grateful," Lukas said these words with an indifferent tone, making Sol wonder if he really felt this way or if he was reading these words off a prepared script.

"Unfortunately, the fall of the alpha families is bound to happen. However, my sister begged me to spare you and the Ark family, claiming you have also been wronged by the alpha families and after giving it some thought, I agreed." Lukas said.

As long as you can have the Ark family stand down and observe, I will make sure none of your people die in the chaos about to ensue and when the Shape-shifter race has taken its place as an alpha race, we will grant the Ark's the chance to remain in Aetheria and live under our protection," 

"Accept my offer or die…" Lukas's face turned cold and his gaze frosty as he said these words.

Ding!

[Power Of The One Unlocked!]

[The One's Embrace: The Title of 'The One's Chosen' empowers the host to tap into the Essence of the One, granting a temporary enhancement of strength by one-tier. This formidable power is exclusive to instances when the host encounters the horsemen and their destructive forces. However, its utilization takes a toll, leaving the host physically and mentally depleted. A complete recovery necessitates a full day of respite.]

Sol saw this notification, and he was overwhelmed with joy but did well to hide his emotions. It seems the heavens were looking after him when he truly needed it! 

'Maybe the Lord isn't as shitty as I thought' Sol thought.

"Decide, now!" Lukas's commanding tone rang like a bell in Sol's ears, reminding him of the presence of the man. His gaze shifted to Lukas, carrying the arrogance befitting of an heir of the Ark family and a man who had reached the peak of the world in his past life.

"Who said you can speak without my permission?" Sol hissed, taking Lukas off-guard. "For the sake of your sister, I will overlook your act of disrespect and give you a chance. Bow and plead for mercy, and I will spare your life and that of your entire race!"