The ruins shook and the surrounding air wavered as the female creature took its position.
Its ugly body shone with black light while its tangled branches stuck deep into an endless night. An older legacy showed itself as the crimson lines of runes activated and glowed on its flesh. The creature released deep thunderous noises from his lungs that filled the deserted surroundings.
The abiding voice resonated through the empty space saying: "You have no right to touch our sacred place of the Forsaken."
"You dare trespass upon the sacred grounds of the Forsaken?"
She pressed her revolver clutch tighter in her hand.
The feeling of danger in her bones demanded she escape and battle before falling victim to the threat.
The unseen weight of danger pressed against her lungs in the form of bad energy.
Alison joined her at the scene and showed determination in his posture.
"Do not underestimate this enemy as you would an ordinary dungeon challenge."
Eldric studied the monster through thin eyes.
"No. It's something far worse."
The monster raised its head and showed a changing facial mask.
Around the entity a multitude of suffering spirits moved causing faces to stutter through their surface. Tormented. Trapped. Forsaken.
Then, with a single step—
BOOM!
The floor beneath it collapsed into pieces.A message appeared on Natasha's field of view:
[New Quest Activated: The Curse of the Forsaken Lord]
Must pass through the test of the Forsaken Lord alive.
Time Limit: ???
Failure Penalty: Permanent Character Deletion.
Everyone in the group stopped talking as fear descended over them.
Dren's fists trembled. "Permanent… deletion?" The faint words came out quietly as normal speak.
Ira's eyes burned with defiance. She made her spellpower materialize in response. "We're not dying here. Not today."
The Forsaken Lord gave a strange laugh that spread like worms across their body areas.
"Struggle all you want. Your fate is sealed."
And then—
Without warning—
The battle began.
The Forsaken Lord extended its heavy limb while darkness held onto it like living metal bands.
CRACK!
Dark chains flew toward Natasha when they snapped out of the air.
As soon as she saw the chains, Alison yanked Natasha away and the chains fell harmlessly between them.
"Move!" he barked.
The scourge hit its mark without her despite her reflexes and the chain missed her target.
Dren unleashed his strength setting his feet against the earth for takeoff. When he hit the Forsaken Lord with his burning fist it sank into the enemy without resistance.
But instead of impact—
The knock hit the demonic creature but vanished into the night as its inconstant body swallowed it up.
Dren's eyes widened. "What the—?!"
He could not escape because the shadows transformed into a snake-like appendage which stabbed his shoulder.
"Dren!" Ira shouted.
Using her staff she adopted a serious position to release a magical light blast. The explosion made the dark fingers let go of Dren who flew back.
He groaned, clutching his wound. "That thing just—ate my attack."
Alison's gaze darkened. "Its body absorbs physical strikes. We need a different approach."
As The Forsaken Lord moved closer a living horror emerged then disappeared repeatedly from its strange body.
His movements quick and deliberate Eldric reached Natasha while speaking in a demanding rhythm. The thing possesses abilities beyond darkness since it absorbs its victims' souls into its being. It's memory. The monster feeds on the trapped lives that power its existence.
Ira's expression twisted. "Which means…"
Natasha exhaled sharply. The Forsaken Lord consumes people by feeding on their past selves.
When he noticed what Natasha comprehended the Forsaken Lord released an intense cry.
The runes on its body glowed stronger and then
The battlefield warped.
———
The ruins disappeared.
Natasha blinked.
She stood in a place she recognized.
A house. Her house.
She turned sharply. The others were gone.
No.
This was another illusion.
A familiar voice emerged with its familiar sound the noise flooded her mind.
Natasha what made you fail to rescue me.
Her breath hitched.
She spun around and faced her brother standing outside the door frame.
His appearance waned yet his eyes reflected emptiness while pale skin wrapped over a fading form.
The mysterious new image of her brother matched the illusion she endured in the labyrinth.
But this time—
It felt real.
She clenched her fists. "You're not real."
He took one step toward her while dark shadows followed his feet. "Aren't I?"
Pain twisted inside her chest.
She knew this wasn't him.
She knew.
And yet…
The shadows tightened around her.
———
Elsewhere in the Darkness Alison stayed without movement while she held the sword firmly. His father stood right in front of him with a blank expression.
"You were never meant to inherit my legacy.
His heartbeat quickened yet he denied her claim. "Lies."
But his father only laughed. The gloom took complete control of him.
———
Dren found himself locked in a different experience of his past.
Looking back at himself in the mirror gave him a sneering response. You preferred physical power instead of better methods. And now? It's useless."
As Dren rushed ahead his assault produced no effect because there was nothing to strike.
His own dark figure played games with Dren through mirages.
———
Ira was drowning.
The voices of her failed past experiences tormented her thoughts.
Her magical abilities which formerly empowered her started fading away.
"You are nothing without it."
The judge started the trial for the Forsaken Lord.
———
A sudden fear made her hands tremble and the smoke trap buried tighter around her.
She was losing herself.
Then a single thought cut through the haze.The others. She had to break free.
Now.
She took a shattered gasp and pulled out her sword.
At that moment she drove her blade into her skin.
Pain seared through her.
The illusion shattered.
She reacted with a gasp that launched her falling back but then she returned.
The ruins. The battlefield.
She observed the Forsaken Lord above them draw pleasure by feasting on their night terrors in his distorted facial expression.
Her team—they were still trapped.
Natasha held back her discomfort while setting her gaze on the enemy.
She raised her weapon. This wasn't just about winning.
This was about surviving.She refused to permit their defeat.
The battle wasn't over.
Not yet.