Alex stood in the center of the elf village, a leather backpack filled with provisions and magical herbs prepared by Elara slung over his shoulder. The sealed jewel had been safely hidden away by Eldrin, but his warning still echoed in Alex's mind: "The Dark Lord will not stop. You must find allies – start with the Dwarves in the Iron Mountains. They hold the secret to anti-shadow weaponry." Alex nodded, feeling the dark power in his body more stable after the training. His level was now 12, with the new Shadow Barrier skill – a dark shield capable of protecting his comrades. But the darkness still whispered, tempting him: "True power lies in devouring..." He shook his head, dismissing the thought.
Elara stood beside him, wearing an elf leather cloak, her bow slung on her back, her silver hair neatly tied. "I'm ready. My brother Thorne will stay to protect the village, but I will go with you. The prophecy binds us, and... I trust you." She smiled, her blue eyes shimmering, making Alex feel an unusual warmth. During the days of training, they had grown closer – Elara taught him about forest magic, while he shared stories of the old world, tales of technology and modern life that made her eyes widen in astonishment. Thorne saw them off at the edge of the forest, patting Alex's shoulder: "Take care of my sister. If you betray her, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth." Alex nodded, understanding that Thorne's trust was still limited.
The group of two set off, crossing the lush green forest toward the Iron Mountains – a towering mountain range in the north, where the Dwarves lived in deep caves. The journey wasn't easy: the forest gradually thinned, replaced by rugged hills, with cold winds blowing down from the peaks. They chatted to pass the time – Alex told stories of Earth, of cars and the internet, making Elara giggle: "Your world sounds like pure magic! Here, we use eagles to send messages." Alex laughed back: "Yeah, but here you have real magic. And me... now I have the darkness."
After half a day's journey, they stopped by a stream to rest. Alex tested his Shadow Barrier, creating a translucent black shield around them to block the cold wind. "It works better now. No more strong backlash." Elara nodded, but worried: "But the Dark Lord can sense your power. We must be cautious." Before she could finish, a howl echoed from afar – not a wild animal, but human screaming. They rushed toward the sound, and the sight that greeted them froze Alex: a human merchant caravan was ambushed by a pack of Orcs – green-skinned, muscular creatures wielding crude axes and iron shields. There were about twenty of them, slaughtering the horse-drawn carriages and looting goods.
"Dark Lord's minions! They bear the sign of the shadows – look, their eyes are bloodshot!" Elara whispered, pointing at the Orcs surrounded by a dark aura. Alex nodded; the System confirmed: [Enemy: Corrupted Orcs Level 10-15. Quantity: 20. Sub-Quest: Save the Merchant Caravan. Reward: Experience +1000, Random Item.] Without hesitation, he charged in. "Shadow Dominion!" Black tentacles crawled up from the ground, wrapping around the three nearest Orcs, draining their life force with agonizing screams. Their bodies shriveled, dissolving into black dust. [Experience +300.]
Elara shot green arrows from afar, one piercing an Orc's head, exploding and incinerating two others beside it. "Shadow Fusion!" Alex combined the power, and dark-green tentacles swept across, crushing four more. But the Orcs reacted quickly: the leader – a massive Orc with a glossy black axe – roared: "Shadow-bearer! The Dark Lord wants your soul!" It charged, the axe swinging down with terrifying force. Alex dodged, but the blow grazed his Shadow Barrier, causing the shield to crack. "Aargh!" He countered with a Shadow Strike, the blade severing its arm; green blood splattered. The leader didn't stop, using its other arm to swing the axe, forcing Alex to roll away as the ground exploded.
Meanwhile, Elara was cornered by two Orcs. She skillfully dodged an attack, shooting back, but one's spear grazed her shoulder, tearing her cloak and skin. "Elara!" Alex yelled, using Shadow Cloak to vanish, reappearing behind the enemies, and stabbing them through the heart. The stench of blood surged; they collapsed. [Experience +200.] The merchants – about ten surviving humans – looked at him with a mix of terror and gratitude. The leading elder knelt down: "Thank you, sir! They are Orcs from the abyss, corrupted by the darkness. They stole our goods – weapons meant for the Dwarves."
Alex helped them up, checking Elara's wound. "Luckily, it's not deep. Use the herbs." She smiled weakly: "You saved me again." The battle was over; all the Orcs were eliminated. [Quest Complete: Experience +1000. Level up: Level 12 → Level 14. Item: Shadow Cloak – Increases resistance to backlash.] Alex put on the new cloak, feeling the darkness within him grow gentler. The merchants offered to escort them to the Iron Mountains, as they were also delivering goods to the Dwarves. "We are from the Kingdom of Eldoria. The Dwarves are our allies against the Dark Lord," the elder explained.
The group continued their journey, but Alex realized the logic: the Dark Lord was sending minions to block their path, knowing he was moving. "He's tracking us. We must be more careful." They set up camp overnight at the foot of the mountain, with shifts of guards. Late at night, Alex couldn't sleep, thinking about his previous dream. Elara sat beside him: "Are you worried? I am too. But together, we will win." He took her hand, a strange but warm feeling.
The next morning, they entered the Iron Mountains – massive gray stone peaks, with the cave entrance guarded by Dwarves armed with hammers and shields. "Halt! Strangers!" A long-bearded Dwarf shouted. The merchant elder explained, and they were allowed entry. The Dwarf city – Ironforge – was a massive cave maze, with the sound of hammers echoing from the forges and the smell of molten metal. The Dwarf King – Durin, a large Dwarf with an iron crown – welcomed them in the stone great hall. "You are the Shadow Sovereign, I hear? An elf prophecy? Humph, we don't trust such things easily. But if you prove yourselves, we will help – forge weapons against the darkness."
To prove himself, Durin assigned a quest: "The Deep Ore Cave is infested with shadow monsters. Retrieve the Mithril ore for me." Alex, Elara, and a group of Dwarves entered the cave. Inside, it was pitch black, with growls echoing. Suddenly, a pack of Shadow Beasts – fierce, shadowy, animal-like monsters – charged out. "Shadow Barrier!" Alex created a shield to protect the group, blocking the bites and claws. Elara shot arrows; the Dwarves swung their hammers and hacked. Alex used Shadow Summon, summoning the Orc phantom from the previous battle, which lunged and tore at the enemies. The battle was fierce: one Beast leaped, clawing at the shield; Alex countered with Shadow Strike, cutting it in half. [Experience +600.]
The Beast leader – a massive one with black horns – roared, summoning a wave of darkness that enveloped the cave. Visibility was murky; the Dwarves panicked. "Shadow Fusion with my hammer!" one Dwarf yelled. Alex combined the power; the dark-green hammer swept across, wiping out half the pack. Finally, he stabbed the leader, retrieving the ore. [Level up: Level 14 → Level 15.]
Returning, Durin was impressed: "Well done! We will forge a Mithril sword for you. And... we will ally with the elves against the Dark Lord." But bad news arrived: an elf messenger ran in, panting: "Sylvana Village is under attack! The Dark Lord's Shadow Legion is coming!" Alex clenched his fist: "We must go back!" But Durin shook his head: "It's too late. Prepare yourselves – war is about to begin."