Rai crouched in the tall grass as the cries of dying beasts echoed across the open plains. His shadow flickered against the swaying reeds, his daggers still wet from the last attack he used to kill a beast. The sun hovered at its peak, casting long golden rays over the wide field, and a fresh breeze tugged gently at his cloak making it wave.
"I am Level fourteen already," he muttered under his breath, checking his status window. "But the pace will start slowing now."
The early levels had come easily—too easily, if anything. EXP gains in the initial phase of Eidolon Realm were like rainfall during monsoon, it was quite easy for a descent player to earn exp and gain levels. One good dungeon clear or quest could rocket a new player ahead of the competition. But that grace period will be going soon now and that man's reign will soon begin.
The man Rai was talking about someone no one knew much about, in the beginning of the game he was an unknown player. But after a few updates and when gaining levels became hard, his time to shine begin. He was a solo player in this world full of guilds and parties. But even then, where ever that man went, he left a mark.
No one, including Rai knew this man's real name but his title was something that every one knew in his past timeline.
His nickname was, GrindReaper.
Meanwhile as Rai was thinking about grindreaper, in another place, hidden deep beneath the sea, where sunlight cannot pierce and silence rules, the city of Neraveth rises like a spiraling coral fortress from the ocean floor. It is not merely a city, but a kingdom forged of magic, pressure, and bioluminescent wonder. In this city there was a middle aged man who could only be described as a male mermaid suddenly sneezed.
"Achoo!"
Besides him was another male mermaid, he looked much younger than the middle aged guy. who looking at the the middle aged guy scoffed and said, "We are merpeople, Kaelen. How can you catch a cold from being in water."
The middle aged guy now recognized as Kaelen got a bit embarrassed at this and rubbed his neck with his hand and said, "Maybe someone is just remembering me."
"Anyways, we are finally on land." As they reached on the land, there mermaid like features, fins suddenly disappeared.
"Yeah, man. I mean, what was this shit luck of ours? We can't even become humans now."
Kaelen put his arm around the young guy's neck. "Don't sulk like that kid. Weren't you the one who told me a few days ago that you saw on social media that we are much ahead of the common players in levels and loot. Could this have happened without spawning here?"
"Even that went well cause of you. Seriously, old man? I still can't understand why a oldie like you is so good at this game."
Hearing this Kaelen hit the other guy on the head, "Seriously, You should learn to respect your elders."
The other guy, yelped in mock pain, "Ow, ow. Sorry, sorry."
Then Kaelen removed a rough parchment from the bag and opened it. Inside was written in a language that could only be understood by merpeople. Even Kaelen an his accomplice didn't know this yet tha the map was written in another language as they could read it as naturally as their first language. "We have reached the location."
Meanwhile, Back to Rai.
Every level needed exponentially more experience. Even with strong monsters, it felt like grinding through wet sand.
Still, Rai wasn't alone. Alex was finally past the 80% mark into level 13, while Eron had reached 13 and was catching up fast. With careful planning and a few healing charms left, they were making steady progress toward their shared goal: reaching level 15 before the end of the first in-game week. That would unlock city access, broader world exploration, advanced class paths, and perhaps most importantly—guild recognition.
They were close.
Rai glanced sideways. In the distance, Alex's bow flashed as an arrow split the air and landed squarely in the eye of a charging Ridgeback Boar. Eron followed with a powerful sword slash, cleanly severing the creature's hamstring. The coordination between the trio had improved massively. They no longer needed Rai's voice guiding them every moment. They were becoming reliable.
His eyes narrowed as he slit the throat of a level 14 Stonehide Wolf. It gurgled, then stilled.
A tremor passed beneath his feet and suddenly mist surrounded them.
Rai instinctively rolled to the side, his senses flaring. From the treeline, a heavy growl emerged.
"Guys, get ready!" he shouted—but no reply came.
He spun around.
Alex and Eron were gone.
So was the clearing. He was somewhere else.
Mist rolled over the forest floor like a thick curtain, obscuring even his feet. The trees twisted unnaturally, their bark pulsing faintly as if alive. The air smelled of cold iron and something ancient.
"What the hell—?" he whispered, daggers drawn.
A system prompt flickered.
[Warning: You have entered a quest zone—The Path of the Forlorn Guardian.]
[Child Of Ruin, Title: Active — Fate Attraction in effect.]
Rai's heart skipped a beat.
So it was his damn title again.
The damned Cursed title—it was supposed to be a punishment. A mark from some unknown entity labeling him as an anomaly, a mistake. But time and time again, it was pulling him toward things he had no business being part of.
This quest wasn't his. It wasn't meant for him. But here he was, caught in a web spun by divine design or cosmic error.
He opened the quest log.
Quest: The Path of the Forlorn Guardian
Long ago, in an age lost to memory, the Guardian of the Emerald Hollow fell in battle, his soul bound to the land he swore to protect. His tomb lies sealed in grief, and his oath forgotten. But his slumber stirs once more…
Objectives:
Locate the tomb of the Forlorn Guardian
Survive the Guardian's trial
Lay the oath to rest
Difficulty: Unrated (Recommended Level: 25)
Quest Giver: ???
Rewards: Unknown
Status: Active
Rai cursed under his breath.
"Level twenty-five? I'm barely at fourteen."
Still, he felt it. The pull. It felt as if the quest was pulling him towards itself.
And not just from the quest—but from something deeper. This wasn't like a normal side mission. The very fabric of this place thrummed with potential danger.
'Danger attracts danger... but also opportunity.'
He then took a step forward.
The mist thickened even more.
From the distance, an echoing roar sounded—not bestial, but mournful. Like the scream of a spirit chained to unfinished duty.
Rai moved cautiously, dagger in hand, invoking his stealth skill to blend into the shifting shadows. Trees groaned overhead as if protesting his presence. The ambient mana was denser than anything he'd felt before outside of dungeons.
'This isn't a random event,' he thought. 'This zone has been placed for something greater. I was never meant to be here…'
...but maybe I was.
Meanwhile, back with Alex and Eron...
Alex glanced around the clearing.
"Where the hell is Rai?"
"He was just next to me," Eron muttered, scanning the perimeter. "No signs of battle. No sounds. It's like he just vanished."
Alex frowned. "Do you think maybe he logged out, maybe an emergency?"
Eron shook his head. "NO, whenever someone logs out he gets enveloped in a strange light and look there."
Alex too looked at the place where eron was a few minutes ago, at that place was some strange markings as if an ritual was done there. " Ok, this isn't looking good"
"Maybe he got sucked into some quest. I mean it is a game, he must have been teleported somewhere."
"Must be. Nothing else explains it. You heard about those special quests, right? The weird ones that can give special rewards and even change the fate of this world's story?"
"Yeah, Like was stated in the ad for the game. but…I didn't think Rai had any quest and he didn't even get to accept or reject the quest."
Eron didn't respond. He gripped his sword tighter.
"I just hope he's not dead."
Back in the mist...
Rai reached a moss-covered archway.
Beyond it, a staircase spiraled downward into darkness.
At its base, faint green light pulsed like a heartbeat.
He paused at the threshold.
'Am I really going in? Alone? Underleveled?'
He laughed bitterly.
"Of course I am."
The mist coiled behind him like a closing door.
There was no turning back now.