Infinite Pathways: Endless System

[Welcome, adventurer, to the lands of Dirgrad! A small town inhabited by dwarves.]

[Despite being a small town, it belongs to a very prosperous domain. Its inhabitants are far from war and have an abundance of food due to the ingenuity of the dwarves.]

[However, recently a curse has plagued the people after their children provoked a witch who lives in a swamp near the town.]

[Your mission is to resolve the curse using the necessary means!]

'I like the adventurous vibe and all, but why on earth should I solve something?'

"Sparkle, why do I have to solve the problems here?"

"There are requirements to open the doors; before they were hidden from you, which is why you were weak when trying to open the doors and needed someone to help you. Now, just solve the problems and you'll open them easily."

"It's important to say that Oliver was manipulating the stairwell, so everything was a bit different from what it should be. If my lord were here, he would do the same."

It was night, so soon an idea came to mind.

"All good adventures start in a tavern, guide me, Triss."She huffed

"Let's get on with it. We have no time to waste."

Walking through the streets, everything seemed normal; from inside some houses, light could be seen, and everything seemed calm until they approached the tavern, of course. The dwarves seemed to know how to have fun, loud music sounded all around, and shouts of men and women filled the air with joy.

Upon reaching the entrance, no one stopped celebrating and continued their joy without noticing the traveler. Sitting at the bar, Light ordered a beer from the bartender, who promptly served it.

"You won't like this."warned the fairy.

"Only live once, and it shouldn't be too bad."

After taking a sip, I immediately felt a burning sensation in thr throat and quickly spat out the contents. The dwarves around laughed heartily at the traveler.

"But what the hell is in this!"

The bartender, with a courteous smile, replied

"For most species, dwarven drinks are not very suitable, sir. Although we receive travelers quite frequently, each species' taste varies."

"Anyway, it's 5 copper coins."Leaning in to whisper in his companion's ear

"Pay him, I don't have anything with me."Incredulous, the fairy looked at him and returned the whisper

"And since when do you think I have anything?"They exchanged a brief glance

"Don't worry, I know what to do."He changed his tone abruptly, starting to speak in a loud and dramatic tone

"Attention everyone, my name is Light and this is my companion Triss. We have come to solve the problems of your village with the witch's curse! As the brave knight I am, I ask for your cooperation, for only then can we combat this great evil!"The solemn air quickly dissipated, replaced by incredulous laughter.

"He? A knight!"

"A fly solving curses? Never heard such a legend."

"This is certainly not the reaction I expected… don't they know what a fairy is?"

"They are from the countryside; they probably have never seen one."

The bartender addressed the customer with an impassive look: "Sir, if your 'show' is over, it's 5 coins. Otherwise, I will have to call the guards!"Looking at the fairy urgently

"Run!"

The two rushed towards the exit, panic driving each step. As soon as the dwarves realized that the strangers were trying to flee, they sprang into action, rushing to block the only exit. Three especially burly dwarves positioned themselves directly in front of them, with determined and resolute expressions.

"Do something!" shouted, his voice a mix of desperation and urgency.

[Triss cast Mystical Breeze]

The air in the room transformed into a fierce gale, the sudden wind sweeping through the tavern like a storm. Chairs and mugs fell to the ground as the gusts kept the dwarves pinned in place, the ones blocking the exit struggling to maintain their footing, eyes squinting as they tried to shield themselves from the hurricane's force.

"Call the guards!" shouted the bartender, who had been kind and welcoming before, now consumed by fury.

They ran out of the city, only stopping when they reached the cover of a large tree. Light leaned against the trunk, panting, while Triss, still on high alert, couldn't stop thinking about the chaos they had just escaped.

"You should have thought it through!" Triss snapped, her voice sharp with frustration. "Dwarves are known for their vengeance—they don't let anyone get away with anything!"

Still catching his breath, Light replied, "How was I supposed to know they'd get so furious over a single coin? I thought a powerful servant of an angel would be above such trivialities!"

Annoyed, Triss retorted, "And why the hell would angels and their servants need money? What world does that make sense in?"

Trying to grasp the gravity of the situation, I asked, "How much are five copper coins actually worth?"

"I have no idea!" Triss shot back, her patience wearing thin after so many mistakes.

"From now on, we'll have to figure things out in the dark, without being seen."

"And where should we go?" I asked, still trying to process the chaos.

"Do you think I know everything?" Triss replied, irritated. "We should have asked the dwarves what was going on! This was supposed to be a simple mission, but look at the mess we've gotten ourselves into!"

Crack crack

Branches snapped behind them.

Someone was standing behind them, watching their argument.ready to run again with Triss almost conjuring a new spell.

"Calm down, visitors. There's no need to be so agitated," said a mature voice, with no apparent malice.

Turning to finally face the newcomer, there was a small, robust man with a lantern wrapped in a cloak, his large round nose standing out along with his white beard and hair. Prepared to defend herself at any moment, Triss questioned, "And who might you be?"

"Rorik, son of Gundor. I'm just an old man living somewhat far from the city."

"Then you might not know what happened," I replied innocently, without considering the consequences.

"Shhhhhh, quiet," the fairy gestured.

"Hahaha, even an hermit can see the mess you've made. But don't worry about that story; the young forget eventually, especially if you actually break the curse" he said, his gaze questioning the travelers' intentions. Regaining his composure, he declared loudly, "Yes, wise old man. I am the Light knight, servant of the angel of justice and death Azrael, and this is..."

"Light, shut up," Triss interrupted.

"We came to fix this mess and leave. We have our own reasons and can't leave without completing our mission." The old sage's hands continued to twist in his beard, lost in thought.

"Well, in that case, I must extend my hospitality. Follow me," said Rorik, turning to lead the way.

I exchanged a brief glance with Triss and shrugged, opting to follow him. As they crossed the underbrush of the low tree forest, the city began to shrink and disappear in the distance. They climbed a hill on the outskirts where the elder resided. Gradually, a small cabin in the middle of nowhere came into view.

"For an hermit, you live quite comfortably…"

"I'm not a depressed old man who abandoned everything; I'm just tired of dealing with others. Occasionally, my relatives visit, and I buy a few things down there."

Inside the house, he offered tea to the visitors, and they sat in small wooden chairs.

"As you might already know, the curse was cast by a witch, Ruairi. She lives west of the city in a rather dangerous swamp, home to some hostile creatures, many of them fallen. Here is a small village; our best guards and mages are merely novices. We cannot offer any resistance against her, as she is a disciple."

"What is the witch's curse?" I asked cautiously, fearing the answer.

Rorik sighed deeply, his gaze filled with ancient sadness. "Our children… They age rapidly, but their minds remain childish. In a matter of days, newborns turn into decrepit old men with long beards and fragile bodies, but with the mentality of a child. The same happens to adults, though at a slower pace. Essentially, everyone is becoming senile, either by retaining childish minds in aging bodies or by the rapid degradation of their bodies and minds."

He paused, the bitterness evident in his voice. "Our village is losing its autonomy. Each day that passes, the curse weakens our ability to survive. It's been about ten years since Ruairi cast this curse upon us. Our masters are dying before they can pass on their knowledge, leaving a generation unprepared and unable to take on the roles and responsibilities that ensured our survival."

Rorik looked at us, his expression filled with desperation. "We are on the brink of collapse. If the curse isn't broken soon, there will be nothing left of our village but empty bodies and shattered minds."

I looked at my companion and questioned, somewhat desperately, "Is there any magic that could solve this quickly?"

She shook her head in negation and sighed. "If I were at the height of my power, it wouldn't be difficult. But in my current state, it's impossible to resolve this without confronting the witch directly."

I sighed, frustrated. "So, we're about to invade a swamp full of fallen creatures, likely stronger than both of us, and try our luck with a witch?"

Triss pondered for a moment before replying. "We could try diplomacy. It would be the best way to resolve this without resorting to violence. Perhaps the village has some value to her, and if not, we could offer something in return."

My expression hardened. "So, basically, we're accepting that she has taken everyone hostage and we're paying the ransom?"

She hesitated before answering. "Well, technically…"

I cut her off, waving my hand. "Forget it. I'm not complaining. We need to move forward, and this place isn't safe. Let's try this approach."

Rorik cleared his throat before speaking, "I'm going to bed. Let's put this aside for now and rest. I have some guest rooms meant for my family. Make yourselves comfortable."

"Thank you for your hospitality," he replied, nodding in gratitude.then turned to Triss. "Let's rest. It's been a long day."

The two went to one of the rooms, where Light quickly threw himself onto the bed and closed his eyes. Triss, however, couldn't hide her dissatisfaction.

"Hey, are you really going to sleep?" she asked, suspicious.

"Of course not," I whispered. "Do you think just because they say to trust, I will?"

Light added, "I'm not feeling sleepy at all. Pretend to sleep for now and stay alert for any suspicious movements."

Triss raised an eyebrow and commented arrogantly, "Finally showing some prudence."

Many hours passed in the night's silence, the completely dark forest was unsettling, the shadows threatening to emerge at any moment and pull them into their ethereal embrace. They began to question if they were being too naive about the old man's intentions.

Creak

Tap tap

Tap tap

The wood started to creak, and the door opened with a groan. The guest room door opened just enough for a needle to pass through, with the host peering in, lantern in hand. He closed it and left the house, his light visible from the window.

he get up and, with a stern expression, searched for the fairy lying beside him on the pillow.

"Time to act." whispered, getting no response.

'Hmm? She isn't asleep, is she?'

"Triss, you idiot, we have to go!" he pushed her off the pillow, and a thud sounded from the floor.

"What happened?" the fairy woke up alarmed.

Briefly explaining the situation, they left the residence, determined to discover where he had gone. Moving through the darkness, lighting a torch might alert the pursued, and only the moon illuminated their path.

"Where is he heading?" I asked, trying to understand the situation.

"We're to the east of the city, and he's heading north," Triss replied. "There doesn't seem to be anything special in that direction."

The trail continued for a while, but suddenly, the host's lantern went out in the middle of the path. Light grew alarmed.

"Don't worry, I can still track him," Triss tried to reassure him.

"And where is he now?" Light asked anxiously.

"Actually, I've lost sight of him," Triss admitted, frustrated. "He must have used some sort of movement skill. A dwarf from the interior shouldn't have something like that!"

Light stood still for a moment, stunned by the situation.

"Well, there's not much we can do now. Let's head back," Light suggested, starting to retrace their steps to the cabin.

"Wait!" she suddenly alerted. "There are intruders in the house. They're searching everything. It looks like they're looking for something. Let's wait until they finish the search."

Agreeing, they both hid in the bushes and waited. After more than 30 minutes of tension, the movement became evident. A figure emerged, dressed in a white robe with a hood shaped like rabbit ears. The holes for the eyes and mouth were deep and black.

The figure left the house, carrying two chains with dogs that seemed to come from hell. The large, spiked-back dogs had vibrant red eyes and constantly bared teeth. Specters accompanied them, floating around the dark figure.

'Check status, for the love of everything holy!'

[Targets too far, move closer for reading]

'Useless system'

As they observed, the figure and its dogs moved away in the opposite direction, allowing Triss and Light to prepare to investigate the situation further.

They retraced the invader's steps in search of clues, but it yielded no results. With no apparent solution, they decided to take turns and try to sleep a little for the next day.

The next morning, as Light woke up, he asked Triss, who had done the last watch:

"Has he returned?"

Nodding, she replied.

"At some point, he used a skill to appear near the house, making sure we didn't leave. Then, he returned to his room."

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation.

"Are my visitors awake?" asked the host's voice.

"Yes, sir," they answered.

"Very good. Come and have breakfast," Rorik said, inviting them with a friendly gesture.

Putting aside their discussions, they sat at the table again. The host's breakfast consisted of bread and honey accompanied by goat milk.

Light watched the host with a curious expression.

'Let's see his secrets'

***

Name: Rorik

Title: Hermit of Dirgrad

Status: Retired

Rank: Disciple

Race: Dwarf

Strength: 7

Agility: 2

Endurance: 9

Skills: Earth Manipulation, Dash, Fury

Characteristics: Old, Wise, Studious

Observation: Rorik is an elder living in Dirgrad and has never explored the outside world. However, he has studied deeply and inherited the ancient knowledge present in his village, becoming one of its foremost scholars.

***

'Can't tell if it's from ascension or fall, would be an important clue'

"I imagine the first meal is different where you come from. Tell me a bit, to this country gentleman, what is it like where you come from?" asked the host with an interested look.

With visible pride, Light took the lead in the conversation. "I come from a great kingdom, vast and diverse, known for its rich biomes and ecosystems. It is a place abundant in food and inhabited by numerous races. Typically, in the morning, we drink something called coffee and eat bread."

"And you, miss?"

The host turned to Triss, waiting to hear about her origin.

"I come from an ancient and forgotten forest," Triss replied. "It is located in a hostile region and is home to unique flora and fauna. Normally, we feed on bee honey, accompanied by some fruits." A touch of nostalgia tinged her voice.

"I've never heard of any of these places. I imagine it's quite far away. What made you leave and pursue your mission?"

"Chaos," they both replied. Triss continued.

"A great war is forming, and I needed to take on a role in it to try to save my land. There are others like us scattered around. The weak are concerned only with their own safety, choosing the side that takes them in without questioning what will be required in return. The strong try to save others and protect what is important to them, even if it means sacrificing themselves and going against the tide."

Light observed her words with caution.

'I thought she was just a servant. Who would have guessed there was more behind it?'

"I don't know much about what's happening in the world, but it's surprising that there are still wars out there. However, don't worry too much; I've seen many of these situations, and they usually aren't the end of the world."

'I disagree. If he saw what lies beyond the staircases, he'd certainly think the same as I do.'

Everyone remained silent and enjoyed the meal until the end. Finally, returning to the main point, Triss resumed.

"We should head towards the witch. She is to the west of the city, in the swamp region, which is filled with creatures. How will we approach her?"

"There's no easy way to contact her, nor do we even know the location of her residence, so you'll need to explore the region in search of her."

Recalling the previous night, I asked, "Does she have any guards or henchmen?"

"As far as is known, she lives completely alone and operates as such."

"Then, let's stop delaying and prepare for what's to come," Triss said with determination.