The air around them was still thick with the remnants of dark magic, the acrid smell of decaying corruption lingering in the ruins. The bodies of the corrupted creatures had dissolved into nothingness, but the tension between Cendikia and Elena Taris remained palpable. She stood over him, her eyes sharp and unyielding, as if she were trying to figure out whether she should be more afraid of him or the creatures they had just fought.
Cendikia's body ached from the effort of casting forbidden magic. His stamina and mana were nearly depleted, and the system's punishment had drained him further than he had anticipated. The weight of exhaustion settled over him like a heavy cloak, but curiosity gnawed at him. He needed to know the full extent of what had just happened to him.
Panting slightly, he muttered, "Status open."
The familiar window appeared before him, displaying his current attributes and ongoing missions in cold and methodical detail.
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Name: Cendikia Paramarta
Role: Scholar (Side Character)
Level: 3
Health: 40/100
Mana: 10/70
Stamina: 30/100
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Skills:
Ancient Language Decoding: Level 2
Knowledge of Forgotten Lore: Level 2
Beginner Combat Skill: Level 3
Forbidden Rites (Dark Magic): Level 3
Arcane Combat Skill: Level 1
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Active Buffs:
Arcane Combat Skill Unlocked: Minor bonus to combat involving arcane or magical opponents.
--
Active Debuffs:
Mana Drain: Reduced mana pool due to overuse of forbidden magic (-20 Mana).
Stamina Exhaustion: Reduced stamina regeneration (-10 Stamina).
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Current Mission:
Explore the Ruins of Talvalis and uncover the Forgotten Scholar's legacy
Mission Completion: 25%
--
Ongoing Mission:
Undermine Aiden Drystan's Influence
Mission Progress: 50%
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Cendikia studied the numbers carefully, his mind racing through the implications. His health was dangerously low, his mana nearly drained, and his stamina reduced to a point where recovery would be slow. The punishments from the system had already taken their toll, and his body was weaker than it had ever been since he first open his eyes in this world.
The Forbidden Rites had increased in power, but every time he used them, the cost seemed to grow. And now, with the new Arcane Combat Skill, he had a slight edge, but it wasn't nearly enough to face whatever else the ruins might throw at him.
The system's constant push and pull weighed on his mind, reminding him that while it granted power, it never gave without taking something in return.
"Damn," he muttered under his breath, wiping sweat from his brow. His body ached, the effects of the magic still lingering, and he knew it would be a while before he felt back to normal. If there was even such a thing anymore.
Elena's voice interrupted his thoughts. "You're not going to collapse on me, are you?"
Cendikia glanced up at her, trying to muster a semblance of strength.
"I'll manage," he said, though his voice betrayed just how close he had come to collapsing.
She narrowed her eyes at him, clearly skeptical but unwilling to press further. "You're using magic I haven't seen in a long time," she said, her voice low and edged with something that felt like suspicion. "That kind of power doesn't come without a price. What's your game, Cendikia?"
He hesitated. Elena wasn't someone he could fully trust, but she was his ally for now, and he needed her skills if he was going to survive the deeper parts of the Ruins of Talvalis. But how much should he reveal?
"I'm after knowledge," he said, keeping his explanation vague. "There are things hidden in these ruins that I need to uncover. Powerful things. Dangerous things."
Elena watched him for a moment, her eyes flicking down to the grimoire tucked into his bag, before she nodded. "You're playing a dangerous game, scholar. Just make sure you don't get yourself killed before we reach the end of it."
Cendikia stood up, wobbling slightly but regaining his balance. "I have no intention of dying in these ruins." He adjusted his pack, making sure the grimoire was secure, and turned his gaze toward the deeper part of the ruins.
The air grew colder the farther they ventured into Talvalis. The ancient stone walls loomed around them, cracked and overgrown with dark vines that pulsed faintly with leftover magic. There was something unsettling about the ruins, as if the very ground beneath them was alive, watching, waiting for them to make a wrong move.
Cendikia could feel the pull of the Forgotten Scholar's legacy growing stronger the deeper they went. The system had directed him here for a reason, and though he didn't know what that reason was yet, he could sense that the answers were close.
The entrance to a large, crumbling hall loomed ahead, its doors hanging off their hinges. Faint whispers of magic drifted from within, pulling at Cendikia's senses. This was it, the heart of the ruins where the real secrets lay buried.
Elena stepped forward, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her blade. "Let's see what all this fuss is about," she muttered, pushing the heavy door open with a creak.
As they stepped inside, Cendikia's breath caught in his throat. The room was enormous, its ceiling lost in shadow. Stone pillars lined the walls, each one etched with runes that glowed faintly in the darkness. At the center of the hall stood a large pedestal, and atop it, an ancient relic that was an orb glowing with a dark and swirling energy.
Cendikia's heart raced. This was what the system had guided him toward the next piece of the Forgotten Scholar's legacy.
"That doesn't look friendly," Elena said, eyeing the orb warily. "Do you even know what that is?"
Cendikia didn't answer immediately. He could feel the power radiating from the orb, its energy pulling at him, beckoning him to come closer. His instincts told him that this was important, a key to unlocking more of the scholar's forbidden knowledge. But the danger was palpable. The magic surrounding the orb wasn't just powerful, it was alive, pulsating with an intelligence of its own.
Before he could move closer, the system chimed softly in his mind:
[Mission Update:
Investigate the relic in the heart of Talvalis.]
[Warning !!
Interaction with the relic may trigger consequences.]
Cendikia hesitated. The system's warnings had become more frequent, and each one carried a weight that couldn't be ignored. He had already faced the system's punishment more than once, and the thought of pushing it further made his stomach churn.
"But this is what I came for," he thought. The relic held the key to the next level of power. The power he needed if he was going to survive not only the dangers of the ruins but the growing threats within the academy.
He stepped forward, his fingers itching to reach out and touch the orb.
But before he could make a move, a deep, rumbling voice echoed through the chamber.
"You dare trespass here?"
Cendikia and Elena froze.
From the shadows at the far end of the hall, a figure began to emerge. Cloaked in tattered robes, the figure's face was hidden beneath a hood, but its presence was undeniable. Magic radiated from the figure in waves, dark and suffocating.
Cendikia's breath caught as he realized what they were facing. This wasn't just some guardian or remnant of the ruins' magic. This was something far more powerful, a being tied to the dark magic of Talvalis itself.
"Who are you?" Elena demanded, her blades already drawn, but Cendikia knew that whoever or whatever this was, it wasn't something they could defeat easily.
The figure's eyes gleamed from beneath the hood, and a cold smile spread across its face.
"I am the last keeper of the Forgotten Scholar's legacy," the figure said, its voice deep and reverberating with ancient power. "And you, trespassers, will not leave here alive."