Along the way, the monsters grew progressively stronger. The weakest creatures near Red River Village were Level 30. It was no wonder the Lord of Dragon's Peak Citadel was so hesitant to give out this quest; any player who stumbled here now would be signing their own death warrant.
This place wasn't always called Red River Village. Its original name had been lost to time.
A thousand years ago, a Red Dragon had terrorized the Dreamland Continent, leaving a trail of scorched earth and ashes in its wake. A lone warrior rose to the challenge, driving the beast back to this very spot. Their battle raged for three days and three nights, until the warrior finally slew the great wyrm. The dragon's blood poured out, staining the entire river a deep, rusty crimson. From that day on, the place was known as Red River Village.
When Marcus entered the village, he found a small, tight-knit community of about fifty households. The villagers were warm and welcoming, but after asking around, he found no trace of the Dark Sorcerer or the missing reconnaissance team from Dragon's Peak Citadel.
Faced with a dead end, Marcus ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Where was he supposed to even start?
"Hey, mister? Are you looking for some people dressed… funny?"
A young, clear voice cut through his thoughts. A small boy was tugging at the hem of his tunic, looking up at him with wide, curious eyes. Finally, a lead.
"I am, kid. Have you seen them?"
"Maybe. Two days ago, I was playing in the woods behind the village; don't tell my mom, and I saw a bunch of people in weird clothes heading through there. Don't know if they're yours."
"Thank you. That helps a lot." It had to be them.
"Mister, the woods are… bad. Mom says there are monsters. If she finds out I was there, I'll be grounded for a month. So, you know, we never talked."
"Your secret's safe with me," Marcus said, giving the boy's hair an affectionate ruffle.
"Good luck, mister!"
Marcus headed straight for the woods behind the village. The moment he stepped under the canopy, a thin, reddish mist clung to the air between the trees, casting a hazy film over everything and blurring his vision.
He drew his Skeleton Blade and cycled through every buff he had, every sense on high alert. This place was all wrong.
-80, -70. Sure enough, he hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when twin numbers popped up above his head. A leopard, seemingly woven from the red mist itself, had materialized behind him and struck with blinding speed.
He cast Insight.
Blood Mist Leopard: Level 30. Health: 2000. Skills: Stealth (Hides in the blood mist, making it undetectable), Ambush (Delivers a heavy strike when the target is unprepared).
Description: The Blood Mist Leopard was once a small, docile forest creature, but It had been warped by the lingering blood mist; a foul residue of the slain Red Dragon's blood and Dragon Flame, into a vile, bloodthirsty monster.
Seeing the Blood Mist Leopard's information, Marcus noted its connection to the Red Dragon. It seemed the legend of the warrior slaying the dragon here was true. It also explained why rumors of a dragon egg in the area attracted so many adventurers hoping for a chance at a dragon pet.
Aside from its Ambush, the leopard had no other tricks. Marcus activated Knight's Prayer. With his health regeneration now boosted, he made short work of the creature without needing to touch a single potion.
The reddish mist still limited his visibility, hiding any other leopards lying in wait, but it was no longer a problem. He swept his Insight in a wide arc. The skill pierced through their basic stealth, and the leopards, which had been little more than shifting shadows, now glowed with a clear, hostile outline.
'Sorry, boys. Nothing personal.' Without their stealth, they were just target practice. They didn't stand a chance.
Eager to press on, Marcus cleared a path forward, moving deeper into the woods. After about two miles, he found the signs he was looking for: a clear struggle, with shattered sword fragments and splashes of fresh, dark blood staining the leaf litter.
'Now we're getting somewhere.' Marcus renewed his buffs, his grip tightening on his sword hilt. He followed the trail of destruction until it ended at a sheer cliff face, thick with hanging vines.
He pulled the heavy curtain of greenery aside, revealing a dark, man-made passageway cut into the stone, its walls studded with flickering torches that fought back the absolute dark.
If he hadn't followed the trail of the fight, he would have walked right past it. It was a perfectly hidden secret.
"Ding! Congratulations to player Stonehaven for discovering the Elven Path. Reputation increased by 50. Gold Coins increased by 2,000. Experience increased by 10,000."
The moment his boot touched the ancient stone slab, the system notification flashed. The sheer generosity of the reward told him the Elven Path was a major find.
He pulled out Silas the Wanderer's map, but the path wasn't marked. So, even Silas had never found this place. That made him even more cautious.
"Ding! Stonehaven, you have been in the game for 9 hours. Please be mindful of your health and rest. If you do not log off within the next 1 hour, the system will automatically log you out."
Just as he was about to venture in, the system warning blinked.
'Are you kidding me?'
It always interrupted at the worst possible moment. But a quick check of the time confirmed it was late.
'Fine. Whatever. The quest isn't going anywhere.' He could finish it tomorrow.
Logging out, Marcus found Lily already in bed, propped against the headboard and reading a book in the soft glow of the lamp.
The light played over her figure, making her look alluring and serene. Her smooth, pale arms were exposed outside the covers, and he knew from experience how soft and inviting they would feel to the touch.
The sight of her, with her stunning features and quiet focus, hit him like a physical blow. In that moment, she looked like some untouchable goddess, yet the air around her was one of a queen waiting for her king; a combination that stirred a fierce sense of possession in his chest.
A familiar, electric thrill ran through him.
'Yeah,' he thought, a slow smile spreading on his face. 'It's going to be a good night.'
"You're out," Lily said, marking her page and looking up with a warm smile. That mature, collected grace of hers was, as always, completely irresistible.
"I am."
'God, she's dangerous.'
After a quick trip to the bathroom, he made a beeline for the large, soft bed, his entire world narrowing to the beautiful woman waiting for him.
He shucked off his clothes and slid under the covers, his bare skin meeting hers.
"Marcus…" she breathed, a half-hearted protest as he moved against her. The feel of his powerful, muscular body so close made her heart stutter. She closed her eyes, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
"I've got you," he murmured, chuckling softly before kissing her face, her neck. His hands found the curve of her hips, her waist, relearning the exquisite landscape of her body with his touch.
"Marcus."
She was engulfed by the familiar, overwhelming sensation of him; his weight, his scent, his intensity. A helpless moan escaped her lips as his passion ignited her own, a tingling wave of pleasure washing away all thought.
'This is what he does to me,' she thought, her mind growing hazy. 'I can't think straight. I just… I just want him. All of him.'
Her arms slid around his back, holding him tight as she began to move with him, her own kisses and caresses meeting his, an open invitation for him to take everything.
"God, I love you," he growled against her skin.
And then they were lost, burning together. The room filled with the heat of their shared passion. Beneath the covers, a timeless rhythm took hold, a deep, primal connection where each breathtaking thrust was a wordless promise, a shared peak of exquisite pleasure.
"Oh, God… Marcus."
Lily was spent, her body trembling, completely overwhelmed by his relentless rhythm. Her arms clung to him as she collapsed, boneless, into his embrace, capable of nothing more than whispering his name into the dark.
'Incredible,' he thought, his own breath now ragged.
He held her for a long time, stroking her hair until their breathing evened out and they both drifted into a deep, satisfied sleep. Unbeknownst to either of them, the Human Rock technique had begun its silent, automatic circulation within their bodies.