Quest

Quest

"No one is killing anyone," Idris said firmly, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. Evie's small, alluring horns glimmered in the dim light, and for a fleeting moment, he imagined tracing a finger along their curve. But he quickly diverted his gaze back to Ember, whose intense stare bore into him like a warning. The blood stains framing her clothes raised more questions than answers, and he wondered what kind of chaos had unfolded before his arrival.

"Stay away from her," Ember growled, her eyes narrowing as they flicked back to Evie. Idris felt the pull of the moment, the weight of the air thickening with unspoken threats. Ember's fiery hair was wild, a tempest of emotions, and her stern expression showed no sign of ease. "You're just a girl," he said, trying to diffuse the brewing storm.

"Are you telling me you're blind?" Ember shot back, her grip on the sword tightening. Each breath was a struggle, her chest heaving as adrenaline coursed through her. The heat radiating off her skin was palpable, and shivers raced down her spine, leaving her feeling raw. This girl—Evie—was not just a girl; she was a force of nature, her magical aura crackling like static. "Can't you see what's right in front of you? She needs to be eliminated!"

"You're not the judge of that," Idris retorted, his voice rising. "She's with me. Don't lay a finger on her."

"Master, should we kill her?" Evie asked innocently, tilting her head as if the question was nothing more than a casual inquiry.

"No!" Idris exclaimed, desperation lacing his words. "We should be looking for the others and finding a way out of this place."

« Quest: Kill Ember (New) »

'Kill Ember? I can't do that.' The thought flickered through his mind, but he dismissed it, focusing instead on the fiery mane of hair that held so many secrets. Suddenly, Ember sprang forward, her blade gleaming like a comet's tail. The ground trembled beneath her feet, cracks spider-webbing outward as she aimed for Evie with a fierce slash.

Evie was quicker, a blur of motion as she dodged the attack, laughter bubbling up from her lips. "Oh, is that all you've got?" she teased, her tone light and playful, as if they were merely sparring.

"Stop being stupid!" Idris shouted, clearing the distance between them, panic igniting in his chest.

Ember's expression hardened, eyes narrowing as she glared at them both. "If you don't help me, I'll be forced to kill you too," she warned, her voice low and dangerous.

"Should we kill her then, Master?" Evie asked again, her laughter still echoing in the air, a strange juxtaposition to the chaos unfolding around them.

Idris felt the weight of their eyes upon him, the world around them hanging in a delicate balance. "No one is killing anyone," he repeated, though he could feel the tension straining against his resolve. The choice had to be made, and in that moment, he grasped the reality of their predicament—facing Ember would mean risking everything, and yet, not standing up for Evie might cost him more than he was willing to lose. After all, she was his Grimoire.

As Idris stood there, the tension coiling tighter around them, a sudden notification flashed in his eyes, bright and demanding:

«Battle Mode Engaged.»

His heart raced as he glanced at Ember, the reality of their situation sinking in. Above her, a status bar materialized, displaying:

«Lv 3... HP: 250/300»

« Mana: 200/350.»

Idris felt a rush of disbelief as another notification appeared in his vision:

«Lv 1 HP: 100/100. Mana: 130/200.»

The stark contrast of their power sent a shiver down his spine. Then came the final blow—a chilling notification:

« Kill Ember.»

That was when everything spiraled into chaos. Ember lunged forward with a speed that left him breathless. He barely had time to react, evading her initial slash by mere inches. The air whooshed past him as he rolled to the ground, adrenaline surging through his veins. He lifted his gaze just in time to see Ember poised above him, her hand extended and glowing ominously. Something dark and horn-like began to accumulate in her palm, pulsating with raw energy, aimed right at him.

His heart raced as another notification flashed in his eyes:

« Activate Grimoire: Dark Covenant »

Panic surged through him, but he knew he had to act. "Yes!" he shouted, and the notification prompted him to declare it. With urgency, he mumbled, "Grimoire: Dark Covenant."

In an instant, he felt a surge of power course through him. An explosion of purple light erupted around him, enveloping him in a whirlwind of energy. When the light dissipated, he found himself standing tall, transformed. He wore a dark robe that flowed like shadows around him, and sturdy boots that felt like they were forged from the very essence of night itself. He blinked in disbelief, glancing down at his new appearance, the fabric shimmering with a faint, ethereal glow.

Ember's eyes narrowed curiously, and for a brief moment, the battle seemed to pause as she assessed this new version of him. Above him, his Grimoire—Evie—floated in the air, her presence a beacon of power.

"Spell Activation, Soulreaver!" Idris exclaimed, his voice steady and commanding. In an instant, a blade manifested in his grip, a dark and elegant weapon that radiated with an ominous energy. The blade was long and sleek, its hilt adorned with intricate runes that pulsed with a faint purple light. The edge glimmered dangerously, sharp enough to slice through the very fabric of reality. The grip felt perfectly molded to his hand, sending a thrill of power coursing through him.

As he stood there, weapon in hand, the atmosphere crackled with anticipation. Idris could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him, and he understood that this was no longer just a confrontation—it was a battle for survival, one that would determine the fate of them all. Ember's expression shifted, a mix of intrigue and challenge sparking in her eyes as she prepared to strike again.

Before Idris could fully comprehend his newfound power, Ember surged forward again, her movements a blur as she summoned the dark horn-like energy in her hand. "You think you can stand against me?" she taunted, launching the spell with a fierce intensity, the air crackling around it like the prelude to a storm.

Just as the spell was about to hit, another notification flashed in his eyes:

«Analysis Complete.»

Idris blinked, momentarily distracted. What did that mean? He had no time to ponder it further, as another notification quickly followed, detailing Ember's spell:

« Spell: Dark Lance - A concentrated bolt of shadow energy that pierces through defenses »

The information whirred past him, but he was already in motion. He ducked to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly lance, but Ember was relentless. She pivoted, her blade slicing through the air as she aimed for him again. Idris barely managed to raise his own sword in defense, but the force of her strike sent him sprawling backward.

In a whirlwind of motion, he found himself lying flat on the ground, breathless and disoriented. Ember stood over him, her blade poised dangerously close to his neck, the tip glinting in the dim light. The world around him seemed to freeze, and then another notification flashed in his eyes:

« Mission Complete: Training Session Complete »

Confusion washed over him. Training session? How could this be a training exercise when it felt so real? Ember blinked, as if suddenly waking from a dream, her fierce demeanor softening. She tossed her blade aside, the clang echoing through the air as she dropped to her knees beside him.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with genuine regret. "I didn't mean to attack you like that." Her hand extended toward him, a gesture of peace amidst the chaos.

Idris stared at her, still trying to process what had just happened. Was this world functioning just like a game? Notifications, levels, spells—it all felt too surreal to be real. "What just happened?" he asked, his voice shaky.

Ember frowned, her brow furrowed in concentration. "I don't know. One moment we were fighting, and the next... it's like I was pulled into a trance. I don't usually lose control like that."

Idris pushed himself up to a sitting position, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders. "So, we're just characters in some kind of game?" he mused aloud, trying to wrap his mind around the implications.