The night wrapped Galdoria like a dark mantle. Three silhouettes moved through the alleys near the lord's castle, concealed by Orzath's illusion magic. The city slept, but danger never rested. The lord was part of the Order of the Eclipse and controlled an assassins' guild. If they were caught, a fight would be inevitable.
Drayk, Kaelon, and Orzath observed the castle from a distance. The security was... disappointing. Only two guards at the gate, no patrols, no archers on the towers. A lord with such power and influence should have far better defenses.
"This is strange..." Kaelon murmured, crouched behind a cart. "Where's the security? Two guards? Seriously?"
"It could be intentional." Orzath narrowed his eyes under the illusion spell. "Or he trusts his own power so much that he doesn't even need protection."
Drayk frowned, watching the inner courtyard. They had already scaled the wall effortlessly, slipping through the shadows. But even inside the castle, the scene repeated itself. No soldiers, no movement. Only the wind cutting through the silence.
"Or no one dares to invade this place." Drayk whispered. "Fear can be the best defense."
Kaelon let out a low chuckle. "Hah... Now I'm even more curious about what this lord is hiding."
"Then let's find out." Orzath cast a glance at the two. "We can't just stand here."
They moved forward, shadows among the stone. At the side of the castle, they found a slightly open window leading to a storage room. Kaelon was the first to check it.
"Old lock. Easy."
A small click. The window opened. One by one, they slipped inside.
The scent of wood and metal filled the air. Crates and shelves were scattered around, packed with supplies. Only basic equipment.
Drayk scanned the room. "Plenty of weapons here... But if there are barely any guards, what's all this for?"
Orzath crossed his arms, thoughtful. "Maybe he doesn't need them. His real power might be beyond mere soldiers."
Silence fell over the trio. The mission had just become even more dangerous.
"What now?" Kaelon whispered.
Drayk looked at the storage room door, a chill running down his spine. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
"We go up. But stay sharp... I have a feeling we're not alone."
The castle's silence hung over Drayk, Kaelon, and Orzath as they climbed the stairs to the upper floor. The old wood creaked under their steps, but it was the only sound breaking the stillness.
They walked through a long corridor dimly lit by flickering torches, the flames trembling as if sensing the presence of intruders. Then it happened.
A cold shiver ran down all their spines, as if invisible hands traced over their bodies. The air turned sharp, dry, and even Orzath's magic seemed to hesitate for a moment. Drayk clenched his fists, his skin tingling.
"This... isn't normal," Kaelon whispered, his eyes locked onto the shadows along the walls.
At the end of the hallway, a grand door stood out. It was different from the others, adorned with intricate details and a crest engraved in black metal. The main suite.
Before they could even touch the handle, the door swung open on its own.
The three exchanged glances. None of them had done that.
Drayk was the first to step inside, with Kaelon close behind and Orzath covering the rear. The room was luxurious, carrying an air of authority... but it was empty. The Lord wasn't there.
They immediately started searching everything. Drawers were pulled open, chests rummaged through, wardrobes inspected. Nothing. No letters, no documents, not even an old scribbled map.
"This makes no sense..." Orzath murmured, frowning. "Not even a paranoid lord hides every single clue."
"He didn't hide them." Kaelon stood up, clenching his fists. "Someone took everything before we got here."
Realization hit the group like a hammer.
"We've been found out!" Drayk growled, feeling his blood boil.
Before they could run, a chilling crack echoed through the air. The cold deepened, spreading through the room as if an invisible presence had just taken hold of the space.
They spun on their heels and sprinted into the corridor.
And then they saw.
Skeletons. Hundreds of them, filling the entire length of the hallway, weapons in hand, eyes glowing with a cold, spectral light. The very air around them shimmered with the dark presence they emanated.
At the end of the corridor, a tall figure stood, draped in a black cloak adorned with silver chains, watching them with an icy gaze.
The Lord of Galdoria. And he was smiling.
"You're too late…" — his voice echoed, deep and menacing. — "But don't worry. I guarantee you won't be leaving here alive."
With a gesture, the shadows around him twisted, and the skeletons began to advance.
Drayk cracked his neck, a wild grin appearing on his face.
"So this is your game? Necromancy, huh?"
The lord tilted his head slightly, as if analyzing his prey.
"No. This is a massacre."
The skeletons charged. And the battle began.
Drayk was the first to move. His sword gleamed in the air before smashing through the skull of the first skeleton. Another attacked from behind. He spun, dodged, and cleaved the creature in half with a single strike.
Kaelon dove into the midst of the enemy army, his fists wrapped in spiritual energy. Skeletons crumbled to dust with each punch. Surrounded, the energy in his hands took the form of two spectral dragons that devoured the enemies around him.
Orzath stayed in the rear. He murmured a spell and raised his hand. Shadows solidified, shooting out like black lances. Five skeletons fell instantly. The necromancer laughed and lifted his arms—the bodies reassembled, rising back into the fight.
"This never ends!" — Kaelon growled, dodging a blade that barely missed his neck.
"I noticed... Kaelon, clear a path! I'm going straight for the source!" — Drayk shouted.
[Notice: Activate Draconic Form?]
"Yes."
Scales shimmered. Drayk's body grew. With a single leap, he tore through the enemy lines, heading straight for the necromancer.
The lord snapped his fingers. Shadows condensed into black chains, launching toward Drayk. He crossed his arms and blocked, but the impact sent him flying backward.
"A-a primordial d-dragon... So it was t-true..." — the necromancer murmured, his voice trembling.
The Order of the Eclipse had known about Drayk but needed confirmation. The lord was merely bait.
Kaelon was the first to act, destroying the chains protecting the necromancer. Drayk took the opening, turning into a blur and landing a direct hit on the enemy's chest.
The necromancer stumbled, trying to cast defensive spells. Drayk didn't give him a chance. He dropped his sword and went in with brutal punches, breaking through the lord's defenses. The necromancer collapsed to the ground, wounded and defeated.
With his fall, the skeleton army crumbled. The magic keeping them standing dissipated.
Drayk grabbed the lord by the cloak, forcing him upright.
"It's time to start talking."
"I-I don't have the rune…" — the necromancer gasped. He already knew what Drayk was after.
"You're smart. Then tell me: where are they?"
"H-hidden…"
A punch to the stomach. The lord spat blood.
"You better start talking."
"I-I'd rather die... You can't defeat the Order without them..."
His voice wavered. His life was fading.
[Notice: Activate Greed?]
"Yes."
The notification flared in his mind. As soon as Greed was activated, the lord's memories and status were absorbed.
{Str. 260* | Int. 210* | Dex. 310*}
[Notice: Do you wish to obtain necromancy?]
(Description: Gaining necromancy as a primordial dragon may cause changes to your race.)
"No. I will bring glory to dragons. If this can change me, then I don't need it."
[Notice: Necromancy rejected.]
[Notice: Assimilating memories...]
The headache returned. Disjointed images flooded his mind. Then, he saw.
Malek, the leader of the assassins' guild, was just a facade. The lord had been using his magic to control Malek's body, manipulating the guild and eliminating any threats before they could grow.
The absorbed memories revealed more. In a hidden vault within the royal capital, the four Nexum Runes were buried. The very magic of the runes resisted the Order of the Eclipse's control, making it impossible to wield them. Unable to use them, the Order had sealed them away, waiting for the right moment to try again.
The memories were fragmented, preventing Drayk from pinpointing the exact location of the Nexum Runes. However, knowing they were hidden in the royal capital was already a huge breakthrough. As his mind stabilized, the familiar notification appeared.
[Notice: You leveled up.]
[Level: 4]
{Str. 265* | Int. 215* | Dex. 315*}
Drayk shared the information with Kaelon and Orzath. The guardian was blunt:
"The royal capital is a minefield. The Order of the Eclipse already knows you exist. Going there now could be suicide."
"But if we wait too long, they might move the runes elsewhere." — Kaelon argued.
Drayk nodded. They needed to act fast, but they couldn't rush into the capital unprepared.
"Before anything else, we rest. We don't know what kind of magic awaits us."
Orzath raised his hand to conjure a portal back to the hidden village, but Kaelon intervened.
"Wait. The lord is dead. This city is going to descend into chaos."
Drayk paused to think. A power vacuum always led to conflict, and Galdoria, without its lord, would be a perfect breeding ground for it. But… what if they could direct that chaos?
A smile crossed his face.
"Then let's speed things up."
Drayk used his dimensional magic to store the necromancer's body. Then, the trio left the castle, moving through the shadows toward the central plaza.
There, Drayk hoisted the lord's body onto a mast, leaving it exposed for all to see.
"Orzath, write a message."
With a gesture, shadowy letters appeared beneath the corpse:
"The era of dragons has taken its first step."
They didn't know how the people would react. The fall of a tyrant was good news, but the return of the era of dragons… that was another matter.
History remembered dragons as a dark past, feared and hated by many.
Drayk wasted no time. There was no reason to stay and watch the aftermath.
"Orzath, open the portal. We're leaving."
Without question, the guardian conjured the passage. In seconds, the trio stepped through, leaving Galdoria behind.
The mission to retrieve a rune had failed, but the information gained was invaluable. Now, they had a clear target. The royal capital awaited them.
It was late. They needed rest. The coming days would be long, and planning their next move was crucial. The royal capital was better guarded, and it was certain that soldiers and members of the Order would be waiting for Drayk.
He tried to sleep, but his thoughts wouldn't let him. Still, exhaustion eventually took over—only to drag him into a nightmare.
In his dream, he and his companions were in the capital. The scene was war. Houses burned, people ran and screamed. Innocents died.
Before him, a humanoid figure, shrouded in shadows. Strange creatures guarded it, impossible to identify. Drayk and the others fought, but the silhouette was absurdly strong. Even in his draconic form, he couldn't wound it.
The creatures advanced. Drayk tried to react, but just as the lethal blow was about to strike him—
He woke up.
The day had already begun, the simulated sunlight from the runes illuminating his room. The nightmare had passed, but the unease remained. The young king knew he was projecting the worst scenarios. He needed to calm himself.
Drayk got up, still feeling the weight of the dream. He couldn't ignore it. Dreams weren't just dreams when it came to someone like him.
He dressed quickly and left his room. He found Orzath and Kaelon already up, discussing their next moves.
"You took your time." — Kaelon crossed his arms. — "Slept well?"
Drayk let out a sigh.
"Not exactly."
Orzath narrowed his eyes. — "A dream… or a vision?"
Drayk hesitated for a moment before recounting everything—the scene of destruction, the shadowy figure, the creatures guarding it.
When he finished, Orzath remained silent, deep in thought.
"This could be a warning. The capital is a real danger. We can't underestimate it."
"We already know it'll be a trap." — Kaelon slammed his fist on the table. — "If they're expecting us, walking through the front door would be stupid."
Drayk nodded.
"Then we won't go through the front door."
The two stared at him.
"We'll infiltrate without them noticing. And for that, we need someone who knows the alleys of that city better than anyone."
Kaelon raised an eyebrow. — "You have someone in mind?"
Drayk smirked.
"If Malek was just a puppet, that means the assassins' guild is now leaderless. Someone there must be eager to take the throne. If we play our cards right, we can use that to our advantage."
Orzath nodded slowly.
"If we get someone from the guild to guide us, we can enter the capital without alerting the Order. But they won't help us without something in return."
Drayk turned to Kaelon.
"That's where you come in."
The warrior grinned. — "Ah… I see. You want me to show them who's in charge now."
Drayk crossed his arms.
"We're going to make the assassins' guild work for us. And then, we move on to the capital."
The plan was in motion. The first step was to take control of the shadows before the Order even realized what was happening.
The three returned to Galdoria sooner than expected. The city, once noisy and chaotic, was now steeped in an unusual silence. As they approached the central square, the murmurs grew.
The entire population was gathered. The atmosphere was a mixture of emotions. The soldiers who had served directly under the lord seemed uneasy. The adventurers and assassins, on the other hand, celebrated together.
The situation was more complex than they had imagined. The fact that the lord had been slain by a dragon didn't seem to bother most—only his downfall mattered.
Trying to prevent the city from descending into complete chaos, the soldiers began dispersing the crowd under the command of one of Malek's former subordinates. With order restored and the lord's body removed from the square, the population gradually returned to their routines.
Wasting no time, the group made their way to the assassins' guild. They needed to understand the guild's next steps now that its leader had been nothing more than an empty puppet.
Drayk entered the building alone, avoiding suspicion. Orzath and Kaelon, following his orders, headed to the adventurers' guild to check the latest job postings and gather intel on any possible movements by the Order.
It was time to find out who truly ruled the shadows of Galdoria.