Kapitel 29: Arc 1 - Echoes of Forgotten Times
We began to explore the chamber, our steps slow and cautious.
"It's weird" Zephyr muttered, his feathers ruffled as he hovered close by. "As if whatever's down here, it doesn't want us to leave."
"It is possible..." I said, my voice firm despite the unease gnawing at my gut. "Let's look around."
The walls were lined with strange, ancient markings, their meaning lost to time. But something about them felt… alive. As if they were watching us, waiting for the right moment to strike.
The air grew colder the further we went, our breath misting in the dim light. Zephyr's glow provided just enough illumination to see by, but it also cast eerie shadows that danced across the walls, making the chamber feel even more ominous.
As we moved deeper into the ruins, the silence was broken by a distant sound—faint at first, but growing louder with each step. It was the sound of metal clashing against metal, of desperate shouts and roars of anger.
"Do you hear that?" Orish whispered, his ears twitching as he strained to listen. "It sounds like… a battle?"
I nodded, my heart quickening with a mix of curiosity and dread. "Yeah. And it's coming from up ahead. We need to check it out."
Yeah... a wise decision - when in a place out of a horror story, go where you hear the sounds of battle. Gosh, I might have damaged my brain. Stupid idea...
We picked up the pace, our paws barely making a sound on the cold stone floor. The closer we got, the clearer the sounds became—there was definitely a fight going on, and it sounded like it wasn't going well for whoever was involved.
Finally, we reached the source of the noise—a large chamber, partially collapsed but still intact enough to see the chaos unfolding within. A group of figures was locked in combat with a horde of grotesque creatures, their weapons flashing in the dim light as they fought desperately to hold their ground.
I looked first at the monsters.
[Activating skill: Eyeglass]
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Species: Night Creeper
Threat Level: Medium
Common Tactics: Ambush, Swarm Attacks, Terror
Weaknesses: Light, Fire, Slashing attacks
Additional Notes: They hunt in huge packs, as when single they're easy targets
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They sounded worse than they looked. Literally black, slick bodies with many legs coming out of them and one head with only huge teeth... no eyes. Disgusting indeed.
I decided to look at the humanoids and see if I could analyze them.
[Activating skill: Eyeglass]
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Name: Unknown
Gender: Man
Race: Fae
Age: Unknown
Class: Druid
Name: Unknown
Gender: Man
Race: Human
Age: Unknown
Class: Warrior
Name: Unknown
Gender: Woman
Race: Elf
Age: Unknown
Class: Archer
Name: Unknown
Gender: Man
Race: Dwarf
Age: Unknown
Class: Cleric
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I was able to analyze them somehow but only some basic information like race and class. Nothing more. They were too far and maybe had high levels? Who knows.
Their battle was a desperate struggle for survival. The fae druid, a striking figure with shimmering green hair and vivid emerald eyes, stood at the centre of the chaos. His hands glowed with a greenish light as he directed the forces of nature to aid his companions. Vines erupted from the ground, entangling the limbs of the nightmarish creatures, but the sheer number of foes made it impossible to hold them all at bay. Sweat beaded on the fae's forehead as he summoned gusts of wind and bursts of earth, trying to keep the creatures at a distance, but his magic was clearly being stretched to its limits.
The human warrior, a burly man clad in dented and scratched plate armour, was in the thick of the fight. His rough, scarred face was set in a grim expression as he swung his massive sword in wide arcs to keep the monsters at bay. Each swing sent a creature flying, but for every one he felled, two more took its place. His armour was battered and his movements were growing sluggish, but he fought on with determination, using his body as a shield to protect the others.
The elven archer, perched on a crumbling ledge, was a vision of grace even in the midst of battle. Her long, flowing silver hair cascaded down her back, and her sharp, piercing blue eyes never missed a target. Her bowstring snapped as she loosed arrow after arrow into the horde. Her shots were precise, each arrow finding its mark in the twisted bodies of the monsters, but there were simply too many. Her quiver was nearly empty, and her breath came in ragged gasps as she struggled to keep the creatures from overwhelming them.
The dwarven cleric, stocky and powerfully built with a thick, bushy beard of fiery orange, stood at the back, chanting prayers as he swung his staff in wide arcs. The glowing crystal at its tip released bursts of holy light that scorched the monster's flesh. But his magic was weakening, the light flickering more and more with each spell. His normally booming voice was hoarse from the strain, and he could barely keep the barrier of light around his companions intact.
"Looks like they could use some help," Orsus said, his voice grim as he took in the scene.
I hesitated, weighing the risks. We had no idea who these people were, or why they were here, but one thing was clear—they were in trouble. And something in me couldn't just stand by and watch them be overwhelmed.
"Let's move," I said, making the decision in an instant. "We help them, then figure out who they are."
Without waiting for a response, I charged into the fray, my siblings and Zephyr right behind me. The creatures—twisted, nightmarish things with too many limbs and too many teeth—turned their attention to us as we entered the chamber, their eyes gleaming with malevolent intent.
"Focus on the smaller ones first!" I barked, using my Tactical Thinking ability to assess the situation quickly. "We need to thin their numbers before we go for the big ones!"
Lorelin moved to my side, her Healing Howl at the ready in case any of us took a hit. Orsus and Orish were already in the thick of it, their teeth and claws flashing as they tore into the nearest creature. Zephyr swooped overhead, using his wind magic to create gusts of air that knocked the creatures off balance, making them easier to take down.
I didn't have time to pay attention to those we came to aid in battle, but I guessed they might've been surprised... a lot. I tried to analyse the monsters we were fighting.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein