Unfulfilled Desire

Kardo made his way back to the inn, feeling relieved that he was able to obtain some useful information and equipment from the mage guild. As he walked into the lobby, he noticed the innkeeper standing behind the counter, counting some coins.

"Excuse me, sir," Kardo said, walking up to the counter. "I wanted to check on my room. Is everything still alright?"

The innkeeper looked up and nodded. "Yes, yes. We cleaned everything up and disposed of the body. It's as if nothing ever happened."

Kardo breathed a small sigh of relief. He had been worried that the dead drow's body might attract unwanted attention. "Thank you for taking care of it. Is my room still available?"

The innkeeper checked his ledger. "Yes, your room is still available. Would you like to go up now?"

Kardo nodded, paid for another night, and made his way up to his room. When he entered, he noticed that everything was just as he had left it. The bed was neatly made, and his belongings were undisturbed. He couldn't help but feel grateful for the innkeeper's discretion.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling exhausted after a long day. As he lay back, he couldn't help but wonder what other challenges lay ahead for him in this strange world of Faerindor. But for now, he was just glad to have a safe and clean place to rest his head.

Kardo settled onto his bed, letting out a deep sigh as he gazed at the glowing screen hovering in front of him. He couldn't help but smile when he saw the familiar interface of the system, which reminded him of the immense power he had gained since being summoned to this world.

As he inspected the details of his new level, he couldn't help but feel a sense of surprise. He had only just defeated the drow thief, but it seemed like the system had already rewarded him with a new level.

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[System Interface]

Name: Kardo

Job: Rogue

Level: 6

Affiliation: Shadow Guild

Experience Points: 250/600

Health: 200/200

Mana : 85/85

Characteristics:

Strength(17) (+3)

Dexterity(17) (+3)

Intelligence(12)

Endurance(12)

Aura (12)

Attribute Points Available: 5 points

Active Skills:

Stealth (Level 2), Pickpocketing (Level 2), Open Lock (Level 3)

Fatal Strike (Level 4)

Swift Strike (Level 2)

Disarm Trap (Level 1)

Shadow Step (Level 1)

Passive Skills:

Dagger Mastery (Level 4)

Critical Rate (Level 4)

Improved Evasion (level 4)

Observant, Persuasive, Agile

Use Magic item

Inventory:

Shadow Guild leather armor (equipped)

Belt of strength (Equipped)

Gloves of dexterity Equipped)

Interspatial ring (equipped)

Dagger (equipped)

Short Sword

Throwing knives

Crossbow

Lockpicks

4,000 gold coins

Sets of clothing

Shadow Guild Gear (leather gloves, leather boots)

Drow's dagger (?)

Mysterious beads (?)

Map: Inn-Elvandar

Quests: Find the wizard

Reward/s: 500 experience points, 200 gold coins

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kardo's eyes scanned the list of new abilities and attributes that had been granted to him. His strength had increased significantly because of his Belt of strength, and he was now able to wield heavier weapons with ease. His dexterity had also improved due to the Gloves of dexterity, granting him greater speed and agility in battle.

He also has five attribute points, and he decided to put them all in Dexterity.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Characteristics:

Strength(17) (+3)

Dexterity(22) (+3)

Intelligence(12)

Endurance(12)

Aura (12)

Attribute Points Available: 0 points

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As he continued to scroll through the interface, he noticed a new ability that caught his attention: "Shadow Step." This was also a reward from the system when he gained another level. It seemed like a powerful ability that would allow him to move quickly and silently through the shadows, giving him a significant advantage in combat.

Kardo couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement as he considered the new possibilities that had opened up to him. He had always been a skilled fighter, but now, with these new abilities and attributes, he knew that he would be able to take on more challenges.

Kardo sat cross-legged on the bed in his room at the inn, staring intently at the drow's dagger in his hand. He had asked the system to scan the weapon and see if there were any hidden abilities within it.

After a moment, a notification appeared in his vision, indicating that the scan was complete.

[+1 unidentified weapon: Drow's Dagger]

Kardo frowned, hoping for more information. He clicked on the notification to see the details.

[Drow's Dagger] Type: Dagger Damage: 5-10 Attribute: Poison Effect: None

Kardo was disappointed. The dagger didn't seem to have any hidden abilities or magical properties. It was just a standard weapon with a poison attribute.

He thought for a moment and decided that he might as well keep the dagger. It was a good backup weapon in case his main weapon was ever lost or damaged. Plus, the poison attribute could be useful in certain situations.

Holding the small, dark beads he had taken from the drow scout's body earlier that day. He closed his eyes and concentrated, calling up the system interface in his mind.

"System," he said, "can you identify these beads I found on the drow's body?"

A moment passed before the system responded, "Scanning...the beads are imbued with dark magic, likely from the drow's homeland in the Underdark. The magic appears to be defensive in nature, capable of absorbing and redirecting energy attacks."

Kardo's eyes widened in surprise. "Defensive magic? That could come in handy," he thought to himself. "Is there any way to activate the magic?"

"Affirmative," the system responded. "The beads can be activated by speaking the command word, which is in the drow language. Would you like a translation?"

"Yes, please," Kardo replied, intrigued by the possibilities the beads presented.

As Kardo was about to activate the beads and find out what they were capable of, there was a sudden knock on the door. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of who could be visiting him at this time of night, but decided to answer it anyway. To his surprise, it was Lirien, the elf he had met earlier at the inn.

"Kardo, are you alright?" Lirien asked, her concern evident in her voice.

"I'm fine, thank you," Kardo replied, still holding the beads in his hand. "What brings you here?"

"I heard about what happened with the drow earlier," Lirien said. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Kardo nodded. "I appreciate your concern, Lirien. I'm fine, really. But I did find this on the drow." He held up the strange beads for her to see.

Lirien looked at them curiously. "What are they?"

"I'm not sure," Kardo admitted. "I was just about to find out when you knocked."

Suddenly, the system interface appeared in Kardo's vision. "Identification complete. The beads are a rare magical item known as Shadow Beads. They allow the user to teleport short distances in the shadows."

Kardo's eyes widened in surprise. "Teleportation? That could be useful."

Lirien looked at him skeptically. "Are you sure it's safe to use them? You don't know what else they might do."

Kardo nodded. "You're right. I should be careful. But I have a feeling these might come in handy." He pocketed the beads and turned back to Lirien. "Thank you for coming by, but I should get some rest. It's been a long day."

Lirien smiles and walks slowly to the bed. She sat at the edge of the bed and spoke seductively. "I was hoping that we could continue where we left off the last time we were alone in my bedroom."

Kardo's face flushed with embarrassment as Lirien spoke. He had enjoyed their previous encounter, but he wasn't sure if he was ready for another one. He cleared his throat and looked away from her gaze.

"Lirien, we can't. Not now," he said, trying to keep his voice firm.

"Why not?" she purred, leaning closer to him. "We have the whole night to ourselves, and I know you enjoyed it as much as I did."

Kardo shifted uncomfortably. "It's not that. It's just that... there are more important things to do, like finding a way to protect myself from the enemies."

Lirien sighed and leaned back, crossing her arms. "Always the responsible one, aren't you? Well, I suppose you're right. We do need to figure out how to deal with them."

Kardo nodded, relieved that she had taken the hint. "Exactly. I can't afford to be distracted right now."

Lirien nodded, her expression serious. "I understand. We'll talk about this later, then."

Kardo watched as Lirien left the room, her face a mixture of desire and regret. He couldn't blame her for wanting what they had, but he couldn't afford to let himself be distracted any longer.

With a heavy sigh, he decided to rest for the day, preparing himself for his upcoming quest. He knew he needed to stay focused and sharp if he was going to find the wizard and get the answers he needed.

Kardo sat on the edge of the bed, running his fingers through his hair and trying to clear his head. He knew he needed to find a way to activate the strange beads he had acquired from the drow, but he didn't want to risk doing it without knowing what they were capable of.

Lirien walked out of the inn, the cool breeze doing nothing to alleviate the heat that seemed to radiate from within her. She was confused and frustrated; her mind was a mess of thoughts and emotions. Kardo had been distant and aloof during their encounter, and it left her feeling empty and unsatisfied.

As she walked down the streets, her mind kept replaying the scene in her head, wondering what could have gone wrong. She had never felt this way before, and it was a foreign and uncomfortable feeling. She had always been in control of her desires, but Kardo had managed to unravel her in ways she couldn't explain.

She stopped in a nearby alley and leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She knew that something was off with Kardo, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that he was hiding something from her.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to find a man dressed in all black, a hood covering most of his face. The man looked around to make sure no one was listening before he spoke.

Finally, the figure spoke. "Lirien, it's me. You don't need to be afraid."

Lirien recognized the voice of her fellow member of the Shadow Guild. She stopped and turned to face him.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"We have received information that a powerful artifact is about to be unearthed in the ruins of an ancient temple," the member said, her voice barely audible. "We need you to retrieve it before anyone else does."

The figure handed her a small piece of parchment, on which were written a few cryptic words. "This is all the information we have for now. You will receive further instructions once you reach the designated location."

Lirien nodded, tucking the parchment into her pocket. "Understood. When do I leave?"

"Immediately," the figure replied. "Time is of the essence."

Lirien nodded again and turned to leave, but the figure called out to her. "And Lirien, be careful. This mission is of utmost importance."

Lirien nodded once more and disappeared into the shadows. She was grateful for the distraction and for the chance to prove herself to the organization once more. Maybe this mission would take her mind off her feelings for Kardo, even if just for a little while.