The cold air seeping from the mouth of the cave seemed to test Bars and Lina's resolve. The humming was like a groan coming from the depths of the world.
"I'll go first," Bars said, his voice carried a confidence born from his new level and staff. "Watch my back and be ready with a shield at all times."
Lina nodded, gripping her own staff tightly.
The inside of the cave wasn't pitch-black. Moss growing on the walls emitted a pale, sickly green light, faintly illuminating the narrow corridor. This wasn't a dungeon; there were no creatures or traps. There was only a sharp smell mixed with the scent of damp stone—a smell that burned the back of the throat, reminiscent of chemicals and decay.
They cautiously advanced toward the source of the humming and the smell. The corridor opened into a wider, dome-shaped natural hall. And there, in the middle of the hall, they saw it.
A green fire roared under a large, black cauldron, boiling a viscous, dark purple liquid inside. The rising steam was the source of the disgusting smell. At the cauldron stood a tall silhouette with its back to them, dressed from head to toe in a black and tattered robe. Its deep hood completely shadowed its face. This figure was carefully dipping small glass vials into the liquid, filling them, and arranging them on a nearby wooden table.
Bars and Lina instantly ducked behind the nearest rock formation, holding their breath. This wasn't an NPC or an ordinary creature. The aura it radiated was one of pure threat and ancient evil. They secretly tried to figure out what it was doing.
Just then, Lina shifted slightly to get a better view. A small, loose stone under her foot slipped and fell to the ground with a "click."
The sound was tiny, but in the silent cave, it echoed like thunder.
They both froze. The Black-Robed Figure instantly stopped its work and went rigid. It slowly turned around with a mechanical motion. The darkness under its hood seemed to be looking directly at the rock where they were hiding. Bars's heart felt like it would stop. This was the end.
But after looking for a moment, the figure grumbled mockingly. "Rats..." it whispered, barely audible. It hadn't noticed them.
It returned to its work and filled the last vial. Then it began to speak to itself. Its voice was like a rasp, like gravel being dragged across stones.
"Finally... my work is done. Years of preparation are slowly coming to an end. When this poison seeps into the heart of Aetheria, when the minds of the players rot... the real world will fall with them. Humanity will be no more! Hahahahaha!"
As its terrifying laughter echoed off the cave walls, the Black-Robed Figure suddenly began to vibrate. Its body dissolved, turning to black, and transformed into a cloud of smoke, slipping through a crack in the ceiling and vanishing from sight.
All that remained was a smoldering cauldron, the filled vials on the table, a single empty vial, and a deafening silence.
After a few minutes, once they were sure the danger had passed, Bars and Lina emerged from their hiding spot. Lina was still trembling in shock. "What... what was that, Bars? It talked about the real world..."
Bars's mind, however, was working at full throttle. He approached the table. He didn't dare touch the full vials, but he picked up the empty one from the floor. He leaned down and carefully scooped the last dregs from the bottom of the cauldron into the vial, then sealed it tightly with a cork. This was evidence. A clue.
Just as he was straightening up, he noticed something glinting under a dirty cloth on the table. He lifted the cloth. Lying there was a simple, unadorned ring made of iron. It seemed to have no special properties. But the moment Bars picked it up, a system notification filled his entire vision.
[YOU HAVE FOUND A LEGENDARY ITEM!]
Name: The First Ring
Type: Ring
Rarity: Legendary
Attributes:
Intelligence: +20
Agility: +20
Strength: +20
HP: +1000
MP: +1000
[Locked Attribute 1]
[Locked Attribute 2]
[Locked Attribute 3]
[Locked Attribute 4]
[Locked Attribute 5]
[Locked Attribute 6]
Description: The beginning of everything. The key to destiny.
Unlock Condition: Find God Asaleus, the Ruler of Humanity. Show him the ring.
Bars's breath caught in his throat. These numbers... This was impossible. But the words "locked" and "Find God Asaleus" told him this wasn't a power he could use immediately. This was a quest. Perhaps the greatest quest in the game.
"What did you find there?"
He was startled by Lina's voice. His friend was approaching. Bars didn't hesitate for even a second. In an instinctive motion, he closed his hand and threw the Legendary Ring into his inventory pouch where no one could see it. For now, this secret belonged only to him.
When Lina reached him, Bars showed her only the small vial containing the dark liquid. "Just this. I think this is what we need to show Elara."
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Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to rate and leave a comment; any feedback or criticism is welcome!
I'll be releasing a chapter a day. Stay tuned!
This is my first release, so I'm releasing 10 chapters!