Drayk tightened his grip on the sword, his footsteps echoing through the corridors above. Time was working against him. Beside him, the hooded man remained still, his eyes keenly watching the shadows moving in the hall's entrances.
"How many?" Drayk whispered, keeping his voice low.
The stranger closed his eyes for a brief moment before answering. "Five… no, six. Two are mages, the rest are warriors."
Drayk took a deep breath. He had faced enemies in greater numbers before, but something about this moment unsettled him. Until now, he had trusted the hooded man, but what if it was a trap? What if he was on the invaders' side and this was all just an ambush?
The hooded man noticed the tension in Drayk's gaze. Without saying a word, he raised his staff and recited an ancient spell.
"Vek'zul thorin, norai'drak."
(Concealing veil, shroud us. Vanish into the ether.)
An invisible aura enveloped the two of them, hiding their presence.
The six bandits entered the hall, which now seemed empty. They quickly spread out, searching through tables, shelves, and drawers, overturning everything in search of something valuable.
"Boss, I think this place has already been cleared out," murmured one of the warriors, glancing at the man who appeared to be their leader.
"Whatever we find is a bonus... I don't get why they keep sending missions to explore these ruins," the leader grumbled.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Drayk and the hooded man slipped silently toward the exit. They were about to climb the stairs when one of the mages cast a fire spell.
BOOM!
The explosion echoed through the hall.
"What the hell was that?! Have you lost your mind?" the leader shouted, turning toward the mage.
"We have company, boss," the mage replied, pointing directly at the staircase.
The blast hadn't been strong enough to harm Drayk and his companion, but it had triggered something far worse: rage. Drayk's blood boiled, a primal heat rising up his spine.
"Hey, you two! Stop right there! What are you doing down here?" the leader demanded.
The hooded man sensed Drayk's raw energy stirring and intervened before it was too late. If he fought here, he could bring the entire place down.
"We're historians. Just investigating the site, but we were already on our way out," the hooded man said calmly.
Drayk turned his head slightly, narrowing his eyes. "What are you talking about? If you're scared to fight, I can take care of them real quick," he muttered, his voice laced with impatience.
The hooded man simply shook his head, never taking his eyes off the enemies. Drayk didn't understand why he was avoiding combat, but he felt his fury gradually subside. His blood began to cool.
"It's better not to fight here. You could bring the whole place—"
SWISH!
The blade sliced through the air. A dagger shot out from the darkness, aimed directly at the hooded man, but at the last moment, a magical barrier shimmered into existence, stopping it.
The leader narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, his men following close behind.
"What are you two whispering about? We'll need to take a look inside your bags… just to make sure you haven't grabbed anything valuable."
Drayk glanced at the hooded man.
"If I promise I won't bring this place down, can I fight them without you interfering?"
The man merely nodded, and in response, Drayk sheathed his sword.
"I won't kill you… Just gonna hit you hard enough to make you forget what you saw."
He walked toward the group, implying he would use only his fists.
Before he could get close to the leader, the two mages in the back began chanting spells in unison, each activating five magic attacks.
"Fire Arrows!"
Ten blazing projectiles tore through the air toward Drayk. In the same instant, he snapped his fingers, and ten dimensional portals opened in front of him, swallowing the arrows as if they had never existed.
"Dimensional magic?!" the mages' eyes widened. That type of magic was not common.
Drayk smirked, clasped his hands together, and murmured:
"Release."
The portals opened behind the mages, and the same arrows they had conjured struck their defenseless bodies. They fell lifeless before the warriors even had a chance to react.
The impact of their bodies hitting the floor echoed through the hall. Drayk gave them no time to process the shock. In an instant, he dashed toward the four remaining warriors.
Their long two-handed swords gave them an advantage in direct combat, but Drayk was far too fast. His movements were a blur. His punches, devastating. Each strike dented the heavy armor they wore, while his opponents swung sluggishly, unable to keep up with him.
In the blink of an eye, Drayk leaped backward, distancing himself from the group. The warriors, already panting, staggered under the weight of their exhaustion.
"I'm surprised… Even after so many blows, you're still standing." Drayk smirked slightly.
The leader clenched his teeth. His gaze held both fury and fear.
"What kind of monster are you?! Those movements… they're not human!"
The hooded man took advantage of the group's hesitation and stepped forward.
"I think it's clear that messing with this boy was a mistake. Retreat while you still can."
"He killed two of mine…" — the leader's voice trembled with rage. — "This won't come cheap!"
He gripped his sword with both hands and murmured:
"Exaltus Anathema."
His eyes glowed an intense green.
[Notice: This physical enhancement is a forbidden enchantment. Your stats are now equalized.]
Drayk grinned, excited.
"Finally, a real fight."
Before he could react, he felt the impact.
CRACK!
The blow struck his side with absurd force, hurling him against the wall.
"Blergh!"
The shock made his body spit out an alarming amount of blood.
"Damn… that hit me full for—"
Another strike followed immediately, but this time, Drayk managed to dodge by instinct.
[Notice: Activate Draconic Form?]
As the leader charged at Drayk, the two remaining warriors attacked the hooded man.
He raised his staff and firmly recited:
"Thal'zor vek'dur, norai'ven shor'thal!"
(Weak blood, be torn away. Become nothing by the king's power.)
"Dar'voth ral'kash, ven'zul mor'kai!"
(Black heart, be ripped apart. Fall into darkness. Eternal death.)
From the shadows, a spectral hand emerged, tearing out the warriors' hearts and killing them instantly.
...
[Notice: Activate Draconic Form?]
Drayk wiped the blood from his mouth and took a deep breath.
"Yes."
{Str. 364* | Int. 244* | Dex. 420*}
His body changed. Power burned through his veins. His claws extended, his eyes shimmered like golden embers.
Now, he was the one dictating the pace of battle.
The brutal blows that had once sent him crashing into walls were now received without effort. His body moved like a blur, and every strike he delivered made the leader stagger.
Even with the forbidden enchantment, the man was at a total disadvantage.
"A-a dragon…! I knew you were a monster!" — he shouted, his eyes filled with both despair and determination. — "I'll take your head to the king and become a hero!"
He tried to charge with everything he had, but it was useless.
Drayk was toying with his prey. His claws struck the warrior repeatedly, not with the intent to kill, but each impact shook his very bones.
The leader tried to resist. Tried to counterattack. But it was too late. His body gave in. His strength abandoned him. He fell to his knees, barely able to hold onto his sword.
Drayk stopped before him, crossing his arms.
"You fought well… forced me to show a bit of my strength." — he smiled, proud of the fight he had just experienced.
The leader, still on his knees, breathed heavily. His eyes, once full of confidence, now reflected the harsh reality before him.
"This… this is impossible…" — he whispered, his trembling hands struggling to hold onto the sword planted in the ground.
Drayk tilted his head, analyzing him like a predator studying its prey.
"You said you'd take my head to the king, didn't you?" — he took a step forward, the impact cracking the ground beneath his feet. His presence was overwhelming. — "Tell me… who sent you here?"
The leader bit his lip, hesitant. His eyes darted around quickly, as if searching for an escape route that didn't exist.
"You really think you have a choice?" — Drayk smirked.
Silence hung in the air, dense and heavy. The hooded man remained quiet, merely observing. He knew Drayk had already won, but he was curious to see how far the young man would take this situation.
The leader finally opened his mouth, his voice trembling.
"We… we weren't sent by the king." — He swallowed hard. — "Our contract came from the Adventurers' Guild itself..."
Drayk raised an eyebrow.
"And what did they want?"
The warrior hesitated for a moment before answering.
"The contract only asked us to explore the ruins, collect any valuable objects, and report on the current state of the place."
Drayk returned to his human form and placed a hand on the leader's shoulder.
"You're not lying to me… are you?"
The warrior felt the pressure of his grip and shook his head frantically.
"I-I swear… that's all I know… w-wait! The contract is in one of the mages' backpacks! It has the name of the person who signed the request!" — He could barely form the words. — "P-please… spare my life!"
Before Drayk could respond, the hooded man intervened.
"You know he can't do that."
"I-I promise to keep quiet about what happened here..."
Drayk narrowed his eyes. "If you have more useful information, I might spare you… Tell me, have you ever heard of the Order of the Eclipse?"
The warrior swallowed hard. "That order that… supposedly conspired to start the Great War? I always… thought it was just a myth..."
"What a shame..."
Drayk tightened his grip on the leader's shoulder.
[Greed activated]
{Str. 190 | Int. 130 | Dex. 220*}
[No compatible skill]
The leader's body couldn't withstand the extraction and collapsed lifelessly.
[Warning: The Exaltus Anathema enhancement is exclusive to human use.]
Drayk let out a sigh. Having that enhancement would have been useful for his journey, but if he couldn't take it, there was no use dwelling on it. He then turned his attention to the mages.
{Str. 192 | Int. 140 | Dex. 223*}
[Warning: A fire magic arsenal has been learned.]
"Interesting…" — Drayk murmured, inspecting his new abilities. — "But what I really want are those other spells… Invisibility and the one that kills instantly. This man seems quite powerful."
Rummaging through one of the mages' backpacks, Drayk found the contract. The requester's name was illegible, but the title was clear: the order came directly from the Guild Master.
The hooded man approached, analyzing the parchment.
"Do you think he might be working with the Order?"
Drayk crossed his arms.
"I don't know… but it's strange to send people here after so many years." — He turned his gaze to the hooded man. — "Now that the problem is solved… who are you?"
The man let out a light chuckle and, in a fluid motion, removed his hood. His form was ethereal, humanoid, with subtle draconic traits. Drayk's eyes widened in recognition.
"You're a Syltharis, aren't you?"
The man nodded, his expression solemn.
"Indeed, Young King. My name is Orzath."
The two walked out of the great hall as they talked.
Orzath explained that Aru'Mathis had guided him to these ruins to find Drayk. As one of the oldest members of the Society of the Guardians of Primordial Knowledge, his mission was to help him awaken his full potential and restore the glory of the Primordial Dragons.
Drayk listened intently. Something inside him told him this was just the tip of the iceberg...
Even though his mission wasn't a complete success, Drayk had recovered one of the Nexum Runes. The first step of his training had been taken.
Orzath watched the young king for a moment before speaking, his voice serene but laden with meaning.
"Do not be discouraged, Young King. This rune will guide you to the others… you just need to connect with it."
Drayk furrowed his brow, turning the small black stone between his fingers.
"And how do I do that?"
Orzath let out a light sigh before answering.
"Unfortunately, each primordial dragon had their own way of communicating with the runes. That bond is unique to each one… so, in that regard, I cannot help you."
Drayk stared at the rune for a few moments. Although it seemed inert, he felt something pulsing within it, a distant echo of an ancient power.
"Maybe the energy of the runes within the village can resonate with it somehow."
He stored the rune and turned to Orzath, his determination renewed.
"Let's go. I want to meet the people of Drakhal."
Without further hesitation, Drayk led his new ally toward the hidden cave in the mountain, where the descendants of his race awaited him.
The journey back to the cave was silent. Drayk walked ahead, with Orzath close behind, their steps lightly touching the damp forest floor. The rune in his possession pulsed faintly in his palm, as if waiting for something.
As they advanced, Drayk felt his mind was heavier than ever. He had faced soldiers, mages, and a warrior enhanced by a forbidden enchantment. He discovered that the Adventurers' Guild was involved in something suspicious and that the Order of the Eclipse, thought to be a myth, might be more real than he had imagined.
And now, beside him, was Orzath, a guardian of primordial knowledge sent by Aru'Mathis, the first dragon.
Drayk let out a long sigh.
His life was changing too fast.
As they reached the mountain, Orzath paused for a moment and raised his hand, reciting the ancient chant once more:
"Zar'keth va'dorin, shal'voth eren,
(Sealed stone, reveal the path)Mordai thul'kash, vek'na saren!
(Tear the veil, break the fate!)Or'zul tharan, vek'kash dral,
(Hidden secret, ancient time)Norai ven'dur, shor'thal ral!"
(Open the door, answer the sign!")
The runes carved into the rock glowed softly, revealing the hidden passage. Drayk felt a shiver run through his skin every time he passed through the long gallery of the cave.
When they emerged into the heart of the hidden village, the Drakhors were already waiting for his arrival. Golden and silver eyes turned to him, filled with curiosity, respect, and hope.
The village elder approached, leaning on his staff.
"I see you have returned… and brought company."
Orzath stepped forward, offering a respectful bow.
"Greetings, Elder of Drakhal. My name is Orzath, and I was sent by Aru'Mathis himself to guide the Young King."
A murmur spread among those present, but the elder merely nodded slowly, as if he had already expected this.
"If the Great Dragon sent you, then your presence here is a sign that fate is finally moving."
Drayk remained silent for a few moments before stepping forward and raising his hand, revealing the Nexum Rune.
"That… that's one of the Lost Runes!" — one of the advisors whispered, astonished.
The elder studied the relic, his eyes narrowing.
"You have recovered a fragment of the past… but your true trial has yet to begin."
Drayk stared at the rune, feeling its energy resonate within his chest.
"I need to learn how to connect with it… find out where the others are."
The elder gave a slight smile.
"Then come. It's time to awaken what sleeps within you."
And with those words, Drayk took another step toward his destiny.