Faerith glanced back and realized the castle stood upon a vast, rocky isle. The great blue waters had returned, stretching endlessly around it, their waves crashing against stone. Above, crows cried as they circled the sky, their voices sharp against the wind.
She turned once more to face the looming fortress.
For a moment, she hesitated.
Then she laced her fingers together, bracing herself as she pushed. The massive doors groaned heavily as they slowly parted beneath her strength.
Cold, dry wind rushed out, carrying dust that stung her eyes. Faerith squinted, trying to shield her face as she stepped inside, allowing her vision to adjust.
Now she found herself in a long, shadowed hall. A red carpet stretched across the floor, leading toward another set of distant doors. Along the walls, candles hovered inches from the ground, their flames burning an eerie blue.
Faeriy drew in a steady breath and took her first steps forward. As she passed the first pair of candles, twisting and bending in strange ways, their flames shifted—going from a cold blue to orange.
She slowed down, a soft gasp escaping her lips.
They changed?
Before she could ponder it further, maybe wonder why this was so, the doors behind her slammed shut. Faerith quickly turned, heart pounding like a drum, seeing that the entrance was sealed tight.
Now there was no retreat and whatever she was about to face in here wouldn't let her leave.
Faerith exhaled briskly, her lips parted slightly. "A warning next time would've been nice."
Suddenly, a presence stirred in the air, forcing her to turn.
[Welcome, Oracle, to Stage Two of the Bronze Gate]
Faerith tilted her head, confusion etched on her face, "Stage two?" she muttered. "What does this mean now?" She rubbed her temples, exhaustion weighing in her. "I think Ravessa mentioned this. I think I'll trust her.... Just this once."
As she walked onward, each pair candles shifting from blue to orange, she gazed upon the system another time.
Name: Faerith Brewer — Lv.004
Title: Common Esper
HP: 109
MP: 69
Energy Used: 2
Strength: 40
Agility: 40
Stamina: 40
Knowledge: 40
Perception: 23
AP: 6
"Well, I do seem stronger now," she mutteted. "But I can't be too certain that I'm strong enough to face whatever is behind the next set of doors. But if Ravessa mentioned coming here, then this must be where I'm meant to be."
At last, she stopped at the end of the hall. Every candle burned brightly now, no meaning to them, their orange flames flickering in unison.
A new message appeared.
[Stage Two Unlocked]
The ground beneath her feet began to tremble.
"Fuck—what now?!" Faerith shouted, struggling to keep her balance.
With a thunderous crack, the floor split open. Where the candles ended, the stone collapsed away, revealing a dark, bottomless abyss.
Faerith cried out as the ground vanished beneath her. She barely caught herself on a narrow ledge, stumbling backward—only to slam against the metal doors behind her. They cracked open under the force saving her from falling into the depths of wherever that led to.
She then fell back, miraculously escaping whatever was in those depths.
Fortunately finding herself at the Bronze Gate's second trial or what looked like it.
Faerith rose to her feet, her balance unsteady but she tried to be firm as she took in her surroundings.
The chamber was vast and circular and unlike the hall, it had windows casting little light in, its stone floor scarred like a battlefield long forgotten. Massive pillars stood evenly spaced, holding aloft the high ceiling. Two shallow steps left to a raised golden platform which Faerith seemed to notice at the far end of the room.
Upon it stood something made entirely from stone. A four-legged creature carved.
A wolf, perhaps.
Faerith stared at it, her lips parting as unease crept into her chest. "What on earth is this place?" she whispered. "Could this possibly be the aeco d stage? It's so small, I thought it would be bigger"
The question the lady asked herself lingered unanswered. With no other path open to her, she moved forward. The moment she crossed the threshold, the door behind her slammed shut once more, sealing her in. One by one, torches atop each pillar ignited, their flames burning a rich, cold blue hue.
Light finally flooded the chamber, the window doing little in the past.
Now she could see everything clearly—the scars in the stone, the ancient wear of the pillars, and the statue itself in chilling detail.
That wolf…
A sudden cracking sound shattered the silence.
Faerith stiffened and stepped back.
Another crack rang out—louder this time.
The stone was breaking.
Not collapsing—splitting, as though something inside was forcing its way free.
The system flared to life.
[Stage Two — Bronze Gate Mission]
[Objective: Defeat the Great Beast]
[Failure will result in the Oracle's extinction]
Extinction…?
Faerith's breath hitched. Is it talking about me?
If she failed, there would be no death. No afterlife. No escape.
Only nothingness.
Her hands tightened around her weapon as dread settled deep in her bones.
With a violent crack, the statue shattered completely.
From within emerged the beast.
Its fur burned crimson like dried blood. Four orange eyes—double pairs—locked onto Faerith with pure predatory hunger. It towered over her, massive beyond reason, its claws and fangs larger than her thighs.
This indeed was a living nightmare and it was ready to sink its teeth into her flesh.
A familiar tab flickered above the creature's head, the same that emerged on the lesser wolves, but the color was quite different.
It wasn't a grassy green, instead a golden-yellow.
[The Blood Beast] — Lv. 5
HP: 200
MP: 150
Faerith stared at the numbers, her eyes widening, her breath caight in her throat.
It's a number five? I'm only a level four.
Doubt crept into her chest, cold and heavy. Do I even stand a chance?
For a moment, fear threatened to root her in place. But something inside her made her steady. The difference was only a single level.
Just one, that didn't change a thing. This meant there was indeed a chance for her.
A new type of resolve burned brighter than fear. With a sharp motion, she summoned her whip, the weapon forming in her grasp, humming faintly with violet energy as her eyes glowed brightly. In mere hours, she had learned to wield it—clumsily at first, but now with growing confidence.
She planted her feet, her thighs firm as she lifted her gaze to meet the monster's many eyes.
"It seems I have no choice but to face you," Faerith said, her voice firm despite the pounding of her heart. She raised the whip and beckoned the beast forward.
"Come then, fiend. I'm ready for whatever you dare to throw at me."
Now the battle had began.
——
The creature attacked without warning.
It threw back its head and roared, the sound so powerful it shook the entire chamber. The stone floor trembled, and the pillars groaned as if they might collapse at any moment.
Faerith staggered, caught off guard by the sheer force of it. A grunt escaped her as she stumbled backward.
Then the crimson wolf lunged.
Sensing her momentary weakness, it closed the distance in a blur of red fur and flashing claws. But Faerith's perception surged, sharp and instinctive—like a second mind taking control. She rolled aside just in time, the beast's fangs snapping through empty air.
It didn't stop.
With terrifying speed, the monster spun and charged again. Faerith barely had time to turn before a massive paw slammed into her.
Pain exploded through her body.
She was sent flying across the chamber, her back crashing into a stone pillar.
[Health: 90 / 109]
• Critical Hit!
The impact knocked the air from her lungs. Faerith coughed violently, pain screaming through her bones. She slid down the pillar, grateful—dimly—that it had stopped her from being hurled even farther.
Still alive.
Barely.
On her knees, she struggled to stand, wincing with every movement as her body protested.
That… was brutal, she thought, teeth clenched. Everything hurts.
Her gaze flicked to the blinking red tab hovering before her eyes. Her health had dropped dangerously low.
Looks like I'm screwed…
The Blood Beast began to advance, heavy paws thudding against the stone. It growled low and deep, savoring the kill.
Then—
[Psychic Cooldown Completed]
Faerith looked up.
A slow smile spread across her lips. "Took you long enough," she muttered. "I was starting to think you'd abandoned me."
The familiar surge of psychic energy coursed through her once more.
As the beast charged, jaws wide, Faerith thrust out her hand. Violet light erupted from her palm, slamming into the monster and freezing it mid-stride.
Seizing the opening, Faerith charged—ignoring the pain screaming through her body.
Her PsyWhip cracked through the air as she struck again and again, lashing the beast's head, its limbs, its massive torso with relentless fury.
[Energy Used: 9]
But something was wrong.
The blows didn't bite. The whip sparked and struck, yet the creature's flesh resisted, as if she were striking stone instead of living muscle.
Confusion flashed through her mind—
Then dread.
A new message flared before her eyes.
[Psychic Ability Nerfed by Blood Beast]
The violet energy around the monster shattered like glass.
It broke free.
Faerith froze mid-step, her breath hitching.
Impossible… That can't be possible.
The Blood Beast turned fully toward her, its many eyes blazing with rage. Its growl deepened, vibrating through the chamber as its fury reached its peak.
Faerith tightened her grip on the whip, but the truth was unavoidable, she was losing this battle no matter how many tricks she came up with.