บท 18: Final phase
Dan glanced at Elias as the system chimed yet again, its tone carrying a chilling finality.
[System Alert: Final Phase Initiated]
[Objective: Retrieve the Heart of the Forest]
[Penalty: Death]
[Timer: 20 minutes]
Dan groaned, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "You know," he began, his voice laced with frustration, "this death sentence they keep throwing around feels like it's trying to break us. I mean, death, death... every single time. Enough already!"
Elias didn't look at him but kept his hand steady on the hilt of his sword, his sharp eyes scanning the swirling mist ahead.
"Stop whining and start moving, Parrot. You heard the system. Unless you want to give it what it's asking for."
Dan shot him a mock glare. "Easy for you to say, sword boy.
You think you're invincible because of that shiny blade.
Your head will just get chipped and it will be a huge loss to me.
"Move your legs, not your mouth," Elias retorted, his tone clipped.
They stood up and started walking and they hadn't walked far before the mist began to part, revealing their last trial.
A massive, ancient tree loomed at the center, its bark glowing faintly as if alive.
Its gnarled branches reached skyward like skeletal hands, and at its roots, a glowing orb pulsed rhythmically....a heartbeat in the stillness.
Dan let out a low whistle. "Of course. Of course, it's never that simple.
A walking death trap with roots."
[Ding!]
[Final phase identify]
[Final phase initiated]
[Proceed to retrieve the heart of the forest while also beating time to it]
[Failure means death]
[Timer:18 minutes]
The Trial of the Forsaken Tree
Before they could approach the orb, the ground beneath them rumbled violently.
The tree's roots sprang to life, thrashing through the air like whips.
"Crrr....crack!" The roots splintered as they lashed out, carving through the soil with the force of a storm.
Elias sprang into action, his instincts taking over. "Stay sharp!" he barked, unsheathing his sword in a fluid motion. With a battle cry, he leapt forward, triggering his Rip Strike.
[Skill : Rip strike activated]
His blade carved through the first root with ease, sending chunks of bark flying.
Dan, meanwhile, darted to the side, his twin daggers gleaming.
He ducked under a swinging root and slashed at another, severing its tip.
"These roots are fast! It's like they're alive!"
"They are alive!" Elias shot back, sidestepping another attack.
The tree's roots seemed to sense their movements, adapting with each strike.
A thick root lashed toward Dan's chest, the air hissing as it came dangerously close.
Dan dropped to the ground in a roll, coming up with one dagger buried into the root.
"Gotcha!" Dan exclaimed, but his grin quickly faded as the root flung him backward with a deafening crack. He hit the ground hard, groaning.
"Stop playing around!" Elias shouted, his blade slicing through another root. "Focus on the orb!"
Dan stood on the ground whining from the force of the blow. He may have even broken something in his body.
The tree wasn't letting up. Its roots moved like serpents, twisting and coiling to ensnare them.
Elias used his sword like a shield, deflecting blow after blow, the metal ringing with each clash.
He activated his instinctive dodge to be able to parry and dodge the dangerous root.
Dan, recovering quickly, leapt back into the fray.
The air was filled with the sound of battle....the sharp clang of metal on wood, the whoosh of roots slicing through the mist, and the occasional crrrr of bark splitting under pressure.
Dan feinted to the left, drawing a cluster of roots toward him. "Elias! Now!"
Elias didn't hesitate. Using his Rip Strike, he lunged at the exposed orb, his blade gleaming as it struck.
The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, and the tree shuddered violently.
The glowing orb cracked but didn't shatter. Instead, the tree grew more frenzied, its roots moving with terrifying speed.
One root caught Elias off guard, slamming into his side and sending him skidding across the ground.
Dan was there in an instant, helping him up. "You okay, hero boy?"
Elias winced, gripping his side. "Fine. Keep going!"
Together, they launched a coordinated attack. Dan danced around the roots, using his agility to draw their attention, while Elias focused on the orb.
With a final, powerful swing of his sword, the orb shattered, its light extinguishing in an instant.
The tree let out a haunting groan as it crumbled, its roots falling limp.
The oppressive aura that had hung over the forest dissipated, replaced by an eerie silence.
Ding!
[Congratulations, User 223: Elias]
[You have successfully completed the portal trial.]
Rewards: Heart of the Forest (Key Item), EXP, New Skill Unlocked: Bark Skin Armor, Beginner Battle Manual
Dan collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving. "We're alive," he muttered, a weak grin on his face. "That's the real prize here."
Elias nodded, wiping his blade clean before sheathing it.
But before he could say anything, the system chimed again, its voice dripping with disdain.
"You had help, weakling. Don't feel proud. You're just a leech."
Elias ignored it, his focus already shifting to the next challenge.
He was far used to the voice by now.
Meanwhile, in the Wailing Abyss...
Lyra stood before the throne, her heart pounding.
The figure seated upon it exuded a suffocating presence, its eyes glowing like embers in the dark.
The dagger in her hand felt heavy, but she tightened her grip.
"I've come this far," she whispered to herself. "I won't back down now."
The figure rose, its movements fluid yet unnatural. It wielded a massive scythe, the blade gleaming ominously.
Lyra lunged at the figure on the throne without so much as a thought and it came as a surprise when it lunged back at her, the scythe slicing through the air with a terrifying whoosh.
She ducked just in time, the blade missing her by inches.
Rolling to the side, she came up with her dagger ready, aiming for the figure's chest.
But her movements were clumsy, and the figure easily parried her attack, its scythe knocking the dagger from her hand.
Lyra gasped as pain seared through her side...the figure's blade had grazed her, leaving a deep gash.
Clutching her wound, Lyra staggered backward. "Not... yet," she muttered, her vision blurring.
Summoning her remaining strength, she reached for the small vial of healing balm at her waist.
The liquid worked quickly, dulling the pain and giving her a second wind.
The figure didn't wait. It charged at her again, its scythe carving deadly arcs through the air.
Lyra dodged and weaved, her movements growing more desperate.
She managed to retrieve her dagger, using it to deflect the scythe's strikes.
"Crrr-clang!" The sound of metal on metal echoed through the abyss.
Lyra's mind raced. She couldn't win in a direct confrontation. She needed a plan. Spotting a weak point in the figure's armor, she feinted to the left, drawing its attention.
Then, with all her strength, she drove her dagger into the exposed area.
The figure let out a guttural roar, its body convulsing as dark energy erupted from the wound.
Lyra didn't stop. She pulled the dagger free and struck again, this time aiming for its neck.
She brought down the dagger on his neck with a battle cry using all her strength to make it sink deep.
With a final, desperate scream, the figure collapsed, disintegrating into shadows.
Ding!
[Congratulations ,Lyra]
[You have successfully completed the portal trial]
Rewards: Abyss Key (Key Item), EXP, New ability unlock,Healing Balm]
Lyra sank to her knees, her chest heaving. Blood still seeped from her wound, but the battle was over. "I made it," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
The scene shifted and she was no longer standing by the throne.
Rifted marsh...
One by one, the portals deposited them at the marsh's edge. Elias and Dan arrived first, their bodies battered but alive.
Lyra stumbled through moments later, clutching her side. She looked up, her eyes meeting Elias's.
"We made it," she said, her voice weak but filled with determination.
Elias nodded. "Barely."
As the group gathered, the system chimed once more.
Ding!
[Final Trial Completed]
All participants have successfully survived.
There was a strange, tense silence. They had passed the trials, but they knew that they had barely scratched the surface.
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