The plain stretched endlessly beneath a crimson sky. Rivers of molten light snaked across the cracked earth, their glow casting eerie reflections on Kael's pale face. The air was thick with the scent of ash, heavy and suffocating, as though the world itself was dying.
And then came the sound.
The low, steady thunder of armored footsteps.
Kael's grip tightened on his newly conjured staff as shadows emerged from the horizon—an entire host of black-armored warriors, their eyes glowing like burning coals. They marched in perfect silence, each step synchronized, each movement deliberate.
The System's notification lingered before his eyes:
> [New Quest Assigned: Survive the March of the Forgotten.]
His heart pounded in his chest. "Survive," he whispered. "Not defeat. Just… survive."
But even survival felt impossible as the army advanced. Hundreds—no, thousands—of warriors stretched across the plains, their armor fused to their very flesh, weapons jagged and cruel. Their silence was worse than any battle cry, for it spoke of death without hesitation, destruction without mercy.
Kael swallowed hard, sweat beading along his brow. "Think, Kael. Think. You're not here to win. Just… live long enough to pass this test."
He raised his staff, its faint glow barely a candle against the endless tide.
The first warrior broke ranks, charging ahead with a guttural hiss. Its blade gleamed with crimson fire as it swung.
Kael reacted on instinct, thrusting his staff forward. "Arcane Pulse!"
Energy erupted from the staff, a shimmering wave of blue that blasted outward. The Forgotten warrior was hurled back, its armor cracking as it hit the ground. The wave carried further, scattering several others in its path.
Kael blinked, chest heaving. "That… actually worked."
But the relief was short-lived. The scattered warriors rose again, their wounds knitting, their bodies unyielding.
"Of course it wouldn't be that easy," he muttered bitterly.
The horde broke into a sprint, the silence shattering as the plains trembled beneath their charge.
Kael's pulse spiked. He turned and ran.
The cracked earth crumbled beneath his boots as he sprinted toward the nearest ridge, weaving between molten fissures. Heat scorched his skin, but adrenaline kept him moving. Behind him, the Forgotten pursued, relentless, their footsteps growing louder, closer.
> [Quest Objective: Survive for 600 seconds. Time Remaining: 588.]
"Ten minutes," Kael gasped, forcing his legs to pump harder. "That's all… just ten minutes."
But ten minutes felt like an eternity when death snapped at his heels.
He raised his staff again, firing another Arcane Pulse. The blast sent a cluster of warriors tumbling into a fissure, their screams lost in the molten glow. But for every one that fell, three more took its place.
Kael's lungs burned, his body screaming in protest. I can't outrun them forever… I need a plan.
As he crested the ridge, the land opened into a canyon carved with jagged stone spires. A faint glimmer caught his eye—runes etched into the rocks, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
Kael skidded to a halt, realization dawning. "A trap… or a tool."
He sprinted toward the runes, pressing his staff against the largest. The stone flared, energy surging through his body like lightning. A new notification appeared:
> [Environmental Interaction Detected. Rune Activation: Storm Bind.]
[Effect: Temporarily immobilizes enemies within radius. Duration: 10 seconds. Cooldown: 120 seconds.]
The air cracked with energy. Bolts of blue lightning erupted from the spires, chaining through the advancing warriors. The Forgotten froze mid-stride, their bodies bound in arcs of crackling power.
Kael didn't waste a second. He unleashed Arcane Pulse again, the blast tearing through immobilized enemies, scattering them like brittle statues.
For the first time since the trial began, a spark of hope ignited in his chest.
But the timer mocked him.
Time Remaining: 452.
Kael's heart sank. Barely two minutes had passed.
The lightning faded, the warriors stirring once more. Their crimson eyes fixed on him, unbroken, unyielding.
Kael staggered back, breath ragged. "No rest… no mercy…"
The whispers returned, threading through the chaos, soft yet sharp.
You cannot kill the Forgotten, Wanderer. They are fragments of what once was. You can only endure.
Kael gritted his teeth. "Then tell me how!"
No answer came—only the steady march of death.
The next wave closed in. Kael's body screamed with exhaustion, but his mind sharpened. He wasn't fighting to win. He was fighting to outlast.
He ran again, weaving through the canyon. Warriors clambered over the rocks, their weapons scraping against stone as they pursued.
Arcane Pulse flared again and again, each blast buying him seconds, nothing more. His mana drained quickly, the staff's glow dimming with each use.
Time Remaining: 278.
Halfway. His legs quivered, each step heavier than the last.
He stumbled, nearly collapsing as a blade whistled past, grazing his arm. Pain flared, hot and sharp, but he forced himself onward.
The canyon narrowed, funneling him into a dead end. His chest tightened. "No, no, no—"
The warriors closed in, a wall of black steel and crimson eyes.
Kael pressed his back against the stone wall, clutching his staff with trembling hands. His breath came ragged, sweat and blood mingling on his skin.
This is it.
The System chimed.
> [Critical Condition Detected. Adaptive Instinct Enhanced. Reaction Speed +20% for 30 seconds.]
The world sharpened again, time slowing by a fraction. Kael moved, ducking beneath a strike, staff lashing out to knock another aside. Sparks flew as blades scraped stone.
But there were too many.
One warrior seized him by the collar, lifting him off the ground. Kael choked, kicking wildly. His staff pulsed faintly, too drained to release another blast.
The timer flickered.
Time Remaining: 121.
"One… more… minute," Kael rasped, vision blurring.
The whispers surged again, louder now, almost desperate.
Call it. The power you fear. The power that listens.
Kael's vision swam. He didn't understand. But he had no choice. His free hand pressed against his chest, heart hammering.
"I… I call it!" he shouted hoarsely. "Whatever you are—answer me!"
The world trembled. The staff blazed with sudden, violent light, a torrent of energy flooding outward. The Forgotten shrieked, their bodies unraveling into black mist as the blast consumed the canyon.
Kael fell to the ground, coughing, his body spent. The mist swirled violently, then fled into the crimson sky, leaving the canyon eerily silent.
The timer blinked.
Time Remaining: 0. Quest Complete.
The System's voice filled the silence.
> [Survival Confirmed. Reward Granted: Unique Skill Unlocked – Veil of Echoes.]
[Description: Channel latent whispers from the forgotten world to shield yourself or disrupt enemies. Unstable. Use with caution.]
Kael's eyes widened, the staff still glowing faintly in his hands. "The whispers… they're real."
For a long moment, he sat there, chest heaving, the weight of his survival pressing down on him. He had not defeated the Forgotten. He had merely endured. But even survival felt like victory.
The canyon walls groaned, runes dimming as a passage revealed itself beyond the stone. A narrow path winding deeper into the unknown.
Kael wiped the blood from his lip, forcing himself to his feet. His body ached, his mind reeled, but his eyes burned with new fire.
"I don't care what you are," he whispered to the lingering voices. "System, whispers, or something older. If you think I'll break, you're wrong."
He stepped into the passage, the glow of the runes fading behind him.
The Wanderer walked on.
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