章節 15: The Price of Secrets
The forest was darker here. Even with the midday sun filtering through the canopy, a strange gloom hung over the air, pressing down on the team as they moved toward their next objective. Liam led the group with Solblade strapped securely to his side, its weight both comforting and foreboding. Elena was close beside him, her sharp eyes scanning the shadows for movement.
The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or snap of a twig underfoot. Even the usual banter among the soldiers was absent. Everyone felt it—the anticipation, the uncertainty of what lay ahead.
Liam slowed, holding up a hand to signal the others to halt. His eyes narrowed as he activated Eye of Revelation. The skill's magic swept over the area, highlighting faint traces of energy in the distance.
"There's something up ahead," he whispered, turning to Elena. "It's not bandits. This feels…different."
Elena frowned, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of her sword. "How different?"
"I don't know," Liam admitted, his tone low but tense. "But it's strong."
The team adjusted their formation, moving cautiously toward the source of the energy. As they crept closer, the forest gave way to a small clearing. In the center stood a crude stone altar, surrounded by symbols etched into the ground. The air hummed with residual magic, thick and malevolent.
"What is this?" one of the soldiers murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Liam stepped closer, his gaze fixed on the altar. The runes etched into the stone seemed to writhe under his scrutiny, their dark shapes shifting in unnatural patterns. He felt the pull of the magic, like an invisible hand reaching out to him.
"Be careful," Elena warned, placing a hand on his arm. "This could be a trap."
"I know," Liam said, shaking off the eerie sensation. "But we need to figure out what they were doing here."
He activated Eye of Revelation again, focusing on the altar. The skill revealed faint traces of a powerful spell, one designed to channel energy from the surrounding area. But what struck him most was the source of the spell's power—a faint connection to something far away, like a thread leading back to a hidden puppeteer.
"It's a siphoning spell," Liam said, his voice steady but cold. "Whoever set this up was drawing power from the land—and possibly the people around it."
Elena's expression darkened. "Then we need to destroy it."
Liam nodded, raising Solblade. The sword hummed faintly as he brought it down on the altar, shattering the stone with a single strike. The runes flared briefly before fading, their power dissipating into the air.
As the last remnants of the spell vanished, a chill swept through the clearing. Liam tensed, his instincts screaming a warning. "We're not alone," he said, his voice sharp.
The shadows around them began to shift, coalescing into humanoid shapes. Dark figures emerged from the trees, their forms wreathed in an unnatural black mist. Their eyes glowed a sickly yellow, and their movements were jerky, as though they were marionettes controlled by invisible strings.
"Corrupted," Elena hissed, drawing her sword. "Get ready."
The creatures moved quickly, their inhuman limbs propelling them toward the team with terrifying speed. Liam stepped forward, Solblade flashing as he met the first attack head-on. The blade cut through the shadowy figure, but instead of falling, it dissolved into mist and re-formed a few feet away.
"They regenerate!" one of the soldiers shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
Liam gritted his teeth, activating Shadow Step to evade an attack from his left. He reappeared behind one of the creatures, driving his blade into its center. This time, the figure let out a distorted scream before collapsing into a pool of black ichor.
"Target the cores!" he shouted. "They're not invincible."
The team rallied, focusing their attacks on the creatures' weak points. Elena's flames roared to life, cutting through the mist like a torch in the darkness. Her strikes were precise and devastating, each swing of her blade leaving a trail of burning light in its wake.
Ding.
[Progression +1%. Tokens Earned: 1.]
The notification barely registered as Liam parried another attack. His movements were a blur, guided by Battle Instincts, which allowed him to anticipate the creatures' erratic patterns. He spun, slicing through another figure and earning another chime in his mind.
Ding.
[Progression +1%. Tokens Earned: 1.]
The battle was chaotic, the team fighting tooth and nail to hold their ground. Despite their efforts, the creatures kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. For every one they destroyed, another took its place, emerging from the shadows like a living nightmare.
"This isn't working," Elena shouted, her voice strained. "There are too many!"
Liam's mind raced as he blocked another strike. The corrupted were being drawn to something—but what? He glanced back at the shattered altar, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a faint glow beneath the rubble.
"It's the remnants of the spell," he realized. "They're being summoned here!"
"Then we need to destroy it completely," Elena said, her flames flaring brighter.
Liam nodded, his resolve hardening. "Cover me."
Elena stepped forward, unleashing a wave of fire that forced the creatures back. Liam dashed toward the altar, using Shadow Step to close the distance. As he reached the center of the clearing, he plunged Solblade into the glowing remnants, channeling all his energy into a single strike.
The ground shook as the spell collapsed, its power imploding in a burst of light. The corrupted let out a collective wail before disintegrating, their forms dissolving into nothingness. The clearing fell silent, the oppressive energy lifting like a heavy fog.
Liam stumbled back, his breathing ragged. Elena was at his side in an instant, her hand steadying him. "You okay?" she asked, her tone softer than usual.
"I'm fine," he said, though his voice was hoarse. "That was... intense."
She nodded, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before turning back to the clearing. "What were those things?"
"I don't know," Liam admitted. "But they weren't natural. Someone—maybe the Whisper—is experimenting with dark magic."
Elena's expression hardened. "Then we have to stop them."
Liam met her gaze, his resolve mirrored in her fiery eyes. "We will," he said. "No matter what it takes."
As the team regrouped, Liam couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The Whisper's plans were more dangerous than he had imagined, and the road ahead was fraught with peril. But with Elena by his side and the power of the Gacha System at his fingertips, he knew they stood a chance.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票