"There's no point in us staying here any longer," Bars said, his voice clear and resolute in the eerie silence of the cave. "We need to go back immediately."
Lina turned her pale face, still in shock from the Black-Robed Figure's final words, toward Bars. She could only manage to mumble, "Mhm." In her current state of mind, she accepted Bars's leadership without question.
They left the cave with the same silent, swift steps they had used to enter. When they reached the familiar sunlight and clean air of the forest, they both took a deep breath. It was as if they were cleansing their lungs of a toxic air.
As they walked toward the Genesis Grove, it was Lina who broke the silence. "That man... the robed one... he said 'the real world will fall with them'," she whispered. "What could that mean, Bars?"
Bars swallowed, feeling the imaginary weight of the ring in his inventory. The ring made the threat terrifyingly real for him. But he couldn't tell Lina. He didn't want to frighten her, nor did he know how to explain this unbelievable secret. So he offered the most logical explanation he could.
"Maybe it's just the game's story," he said with a shrug. "A dramatic script written to create atmosphere, to scare the players. Very impressive, I have to admit."
Lina immediately clung to this idea. It was the most plausible safe harbor to soothe her fears. "Yes! Yes, that must be it," she said, her voice more lively. "You're right, it's just a game after all. How would an NPC, no matter how advanced, know about the real world? Hah, for a moment there, I was actually scared."
They seemed relieved to take refuge in this explanation, but in a corner of both their minds, that ominous whisper lingered.
When they reached Elara, Bars handed the small vial to the wise instructor. "We found this in the cave. And... we saw someone."
Elara took the vial. She carefully opened the cork and sniffed it for just a moment, and the calm expression on her face vanished instantly. It was replaced by deep concern and disgust. "Ancient Poison... A curse that drains the life force of the Valley, that corrupts souls. So that cave was the source." She turned her eyes to them. "The person you saw, were they preparing this poison?"
Bars nodded.
Elara sealed the vial tightly. "This is beyond you, children. Your courage has uncovered an anomaly, but it is not your duty to fight this evil. Not yet."
[QUEST COMPLETE! YOUR REWARDS: 800 EXP, 150 COPPER COINS, 2x WEAK MANA POTION]
"This poison is proof," Elara continued. "You must take this proof to the Council of Sages in the nearest major city, 'Silverlake'. Only they can understand what is happening beyond the borders of our Valley and take action."
Silverlake. This was a new and massive objective that appeared on their maps. This journey would require preparation. The exhausted pair agreed to meet the next morning to set off. "That's enough for me today," Lina said with a yawn. "My brain is fried. See you tomorrow, Bars!" Her avatar shimmered and disappeared.
Bars was once again alone in the Genesis Grove. He sat under the Great Tree, waiting for his surroundings to quiet down. His heart was beating fast. The moment had come.
Taking a deep breath, he opened his inventory and focused on 'The First Ring'. The word 'Legendary' and the unbelievable stats appeared before his eyes again. This was a power a Level 2 player couldn't even dream of. With trembling fingers, he gave the 'Equip' command.
The ring appeared on his finger. A simple, iron band. But as Bars waited for a massive wave of power to surge through his body, nothing happened. Only a system message appeared.
[WARNING: YOUR CHARACTER LEVEL IS INSUFFICIENT TO WIELD THE RING'S POWER. ONLY 1% OF BASE ATTRIBUTES ARE ACTIVE. LOCKS ARE ENGAGED.]
He was disappointed, but at the same time, relieved. That much power would have scared him. Still... something had changed. He looked at his HP and Mana bars. Both had increased by 10 points. HP: 160/160. MP: 230/230. It was small, but it was better than nothing. It was tangible proof of the ring's existence. He clenched his fist. The simple iron band on his finger was no longer just an item. It was the proof of a terrible threat, the key to an impossible quest, and the first great secret he kept from his closest friend. The weight of this secret was greater than all the experience points he had earned.
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Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to rate and leave a comment; any feedback or criticism is welcome!
I'll be releasing a chapter a day. Stay tuned!
This is my first release, so I'm releasing 10 chapters!