Chương 22: Blighted

As Cali stood protectively in front of him and Tressa, Dilhan's mind was anything but calm. His breath quickened, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to process the chaos unfolding around them.

"This… This can't be real," he muttered under his breath, a cold sweat forming on his brow.

The assassin before them flicked her daggers idly, her piercing gaze fixed on Cali, as though measuring her worth as an opponent and looking down her as someone inferior. The air in the corridor was suffocating, but for Dilhan, it wasn't just the immediate danger that was weighing on him.

It was the horrifying realization of what this all meant.

"This is it," he whispered, his hands trembling. "This is the event. This is the beginning of Blighted. This is what cutscene showed me."

His mind raced back to his life before he ended up in this world—a life filled with bright monitors, endless streams, and countless hours of grinding through brutally difficult games. And among all the games he had played, Blighted was the one that stood out the most.

"A soulslike action RPG," Dilhan thought to himself, the memories flooding back. "One of the hardest games I ever played… and the one that killed me."

It was all so vivid in his mind. The endless attempts at the hardest boss, the Blighted Queen. A hulking monstrosity with unpredictable attack patterns, devastating combos.

Dilhan clenched his fists, remembering how he had died in his past life. He'd been streaming for hours, determined to finally beat her after weeks of trying. His chat had been on fire, spamming messages urging him on, mocking his failures, and demanding he "git gud."

"And then it happened," he thought bitterly. "I raged too hard. Screamed too loud. Popped a blood vessel mid-stream."

His lips curled into a half-smile as he recalled his viewers spamming the clip of his last moments over and over. His death had gone viral for weeks.

"But I brought that on myself," he admitted silently. "I was one of those stubborn players who refused to adapt. I didn't explore the world or grind for better gear. I went straight to the bosses, cocky as hell, and got my ass handed to me. Repeatedly."

Dilhan's smile faded as he glanced around the corridor. The atmosphere was eerily similar to the game's opening cutscene—the moment where the plot of Blighted truly began.

In the game, the player character awakens in Thimoria, a once-thriving region now reduced to ash and ruin. The attack on Thimoria Academy, orchestrated by the Church of Inquisition, marked the start of the blight's resurgence.

"But this place…" Dilhan thought, remebering the pristine walls and bustling students in the distance. "It doesn't look anything like the game yet."

He could almost picture it—the charred remains of buildings, the sky darkened by unnatural storms, and the streets littered with bodies.

"In the game, most of the people here died in this attack," he muttered to himself. "Students, teachers, even the Arcane Blades. More than seventy percent of the Thimoria's population wiped out in one day."

Dilhan's chest tightened as the weight of his knowledge pressed down on him. He knew who these hooded attackers were.

"The Church of Inquisition," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The name sent a chill down his spine. The Church of Inquisition was a human-supremacist organization that believed in purging all non-human races and anyone who opposed their doctrine. Their arrival in the academy wasn't a random attack—it was a calculated move to destabilize the allied nations.

"This is their opening gambit," Dilhan thought grimly. "They'll massacre the students here, provoke a war among the allied nations, and then use the chaos to seize power of all the humans."

But as he tried to piece together the bigger picture, Dilhan realized just how little he actually knew.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath. "I'm not a lore expert. I didn't pay attention to half the details in the game. I just skipped dialogue and focused on fighting bosses."

He clenched his teeth, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "All I know is that the Church's plan fails. Somehow, their actions make the blight stronger, and it spreads even faster after this."

In the game, the player character begins as a member of the Arcane Blades, an organization that originated in Thimorian Academy. Over time, the Blades became a global force, dedicated to fighting the blight and its demonic corruption. Even among blades only one person can be called the "Veiled one", the protagnist of the game.

"But that's all after this attack," Dilhan thought, his gaze shifting to Cali, who stood resolute in front of him. "Right now, we're just a bunch of untrained civilians trying to survive."

The sound of shattering glass brought Dilhan back to reality. The assassin took a step forward, her daggers glinting in the dim light.

"You've got guts," the assassin said, addressing Cali. Her voice was calm, almost amused. "But guts won't save you."

Cali didn't flinch. She tightened her grip on the iron wand she always had as a mage.

"Stay behind me," she said to Dilhan and Tressa, her voice steady. She knew she was the only offensive type mage among three of them. Even though she was scared and wanted to runaway looking at Dilhan's face, she knew she had to save him.

Dilhan's thoughts churned as he watched Cali prepare to face the assassin.

"This is bad. This is worse than I thought," he realized.

He glanced at Tressa, whose face was pale with fear, and then back to Cali.

"I can't let her die," Dilhan thought, panic rising in his chest. "I can't let any of them die. Not Cali, not her mother, not anyone from Thimoria."

The image of Cali's mother, Rani, flashed in his mind—a hardworking woman who had just experienced her first taste of success thanks to ZeroVeil's recommendation on stream. The thought of losing her—or anyone in this city—made Dilhan's stomach churn.

"If they die…" Dilhan swallowed hard. "If they die, I'll lose subscribers."

The thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. His fans were the lifeblood of his streams, his connection to the world he left behind. Losing even one of them was unthinkable.

"No," he thought, his fists clenching. "I'm not letting this happen. Not to them. Not to anyone here."

His gaze sharpened, and he took a step closer to Cali.

"Cali," he said, his voice firmer than before.

She glanced at him briefly, her eyes filled with determination.

"We're going to survive this," Dilhan said. "All of us."

Cali smirked, her grip on the wand tightening. "Damn right we are."

But as the assassin lunged forward, Dilhan couldn't shake the feeling that words won't be enough and he had to do something.

***

The assassin's grin widened as she darted around Cali like a specter, her twin daggers flashing in the dimly lit corridor. Her movements were swift, almost imperceptible, as if she were a shadow given life. Cali swung her flaming greatsword with all her might, the heat of the fire crackling in the tense air, but the assassin dodged with ease, her steps unnervingly graceful.

"You're getting tired," the assassin mocked, her voice smooth like silk but laced with venom. "And when you fall, it will be one less inhuman vermin in this world.."

"I'm not falling!" Cali yelled back, her fiery determination blazing as brightly as the flames that danced around her weapon. She lunged forward, aiming for the assassin's midsection, but the woman sidestepped the attack with ease, leaving a shallow slash across Cali's arm as she passed.

"Run!" Cali shouted at Dilhan and Tressa over her shoulder. "Both of you, get out of here now!"

"No!" Dilhan shot back, his voice unwavering. He turned to Tressa, who was trembling but still holding her ground. "Tressa, heal her. Real-time healing, now!"

"I—" Tressa hesitated, her hands trembling as she looked at Cali's bleeding arm.

"You can do this!" Dilhan urged, his voice snapping her out of her fear. "If you don't, she's going to die!"

Tressa took a deep breath, her hands glowing with a soft, green light. She began chanting under her breath, her magic flowing toward Cali, slowly closing the wound on her arm.

Cali gritted her teeth as another slash grazed her side. The assassin was relentless, her daggers like fangs striking from every angle. Despite Tressa's healing, Cali was starting to falter, her movements slowing as exhaustion set in.

"Damn it!" Cali spat, swinging her wand in a wide arc and summoning a offensive igni spell. The flames erupted outward, forcing the assassin to leap back momentarily. "Why won't you just stay still?"

The assassin chuckled darkly. "Because standing still is death, little girl. Something you're about to learn the hard way."

The assassin surged forward, her daggers aimed for Cali's chest. Cali braced herself, preparing to counter with a desperate swing of her fiery weapon, but before the blades could land—

BOOM.

The assassin's head exploded in a shower of gore.

Cali froze, her wand still raised mid-swing, her flames sputtering out in her shock. Tressa screamed, and even Dilhan staggered back, his face pale.

"What the…?" Cali muttered, lowering her weapon slowly and quickly felt like puking.

The three of them turned toward the source of the sudden explosion. Walking down the corridor with the poise and elegance of royalty was a woman with flowing white hair and piercing blue eyes. She wore a battle dress adorned with intricate silver embroidery, her very presence exuding authority and power.

Tressa gasped audibly, and Dilhan's eyes widened in recognition. They immediately bowed their heads, their expressions filled with reverence.

"She's here…" Tressa whispered. "The Storm Queen."

"Morgana Ven Crekork," Dilhan added, his voice low.

Morgana's icy gaze swept over the scene, lingering momentarily on the corpse of the assassin. Her lips curved into a faint smile of satisfaction before her eyes softened as they landed on Dilhan and Tressa.

"You two," she said, her voice calm but commanding. "I'm glad you're safe."

Morgana closed the distance between them in a few strides and pulled both Dilhan and Tressa into a brief, warm embrace.

"You've grown," she said softly, stepping back to study them both. "It's been far too long."

"Your Highness," Dilhan said respectfully, bowing again. "We didn't expect to see you here."

Morgana's expression darkened, her regal composure hardening. "These scum dared to attack my people," she said coldly, her voice crackling with restrained fury. "Whoever is behind this will pay dearly."

Her attention then shifted to Cali, who was still standing in stunned silence, her weapon lowered. Morgana inclined her head slightly, offering a small bow.

"Thank you," she said, her voice sincere. "For protecting my people."

Cali's eyes widened in alarm. "Y-Your Highness! Please, don't bow to me!" she stammered, quickly lowering her head. "I'm just doing what anyone would do!"

Morgana's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Not everyone would stand their ground as you have. Your courage is commendable."

Cali opened her mouth to protest further but was silenced by Morgana's raised hand.

"We don't have time for formalities," Morgana said, her tone sharp as her gaze swept over the group. "We need to get you all to safety."

She turned back to Dilhan and Tressa, her expression softening. "I'll find Mesuna and the others. I need to ensure that my subjects are safe."

"Will you be alright on your own, Your Highness?" Dilhan asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Morgana chuckled lightly, a sound that was both elegant and confident. "Lord Dilhan," she said, her eyes glinting with amusement, "are you questioning my ability to handle a few intruders?"

"N-No, of course not!" Dilhan stammered, bowing his head quickly.

Morgana's smile widened as she raised her hand, white electricity crackling to life in her palm. With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a bolt of white thunder that ripped through the hallway, shattering every window and striking down several hidden assassins. Their bodies fell lifelessly to the ground, smoke rising from their charred remains.

The sheer power of the spell left the group in awe.

"Keep your hopes up," Morgana said, her voice steady and reassuring. "I won't let these cowards take anything more from us."

She turned to leave, her presence as commanding as ever. "Get to the evacuation point," she ordered. "I'll handle the rest."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Dilhan and Tressa said in unison, bowing deeply.

Cali watched Morgana disappear down the corridor, her fiery determination rekindled.

"She's amazing," Cali muttered, tightening her grip on her greatsword

"She's more than amazing," Dilhan said, his voice filled with admiration. "She's the Storm Queen of Crekork. And she's not letting anyone take us down."

With renewed resolve, the group turned and made their way toward the assembly hall, the sounds of battle still echoing in the distance.