The road west out of Oakhaven was less of a road and more of a suggestion. It wound through dense, mist-choked forests and over craggy hills that seemed determined to twist ankles.
"Remind me," Elena wheezed, scrambling over a mossy boulder, "why we couldn't take a carriage?"
"Carriages are for people with gold to burn and a desire to be robbed," Silas replied, hopping down from a ledge with the grace of a cat. He didn't even break a sweat. His Agility was at 40 now, making the rugged terrain feel like a stroll in a park. "Besides, carriages leave tracks. We are ghosts. We are the wind."
"I am sweating," Elena grumbled, wiping her forehead. "Ghosts don't sweat."
"You're a very tangible ghost," Silas grinned. "Consider this endurance training. It builds character."
"I have enough character," Elena muttered. "I need a bath."
They had been traveling for two days, putting as much distance between themselves and Oakhaven as possible. Silas's hunch about the Church of Light had been correct; the moment they left the city limits, he felt the prickle of hostile intent on the back of his neck. They were being hunted.
Or at least, they had been.
Silas stopped on a ridge overlooking a deep valley. The air here smelled of salt and rot. Below them, shrouded in a perpetual grey fog, lay their destination.
"The Sunken Ruins of Aethelgard," Silas announced, gesturing dramatically.
It was a grim sight. Half-sunken statues of ancient kings poked out of the murky water, their faces eroded by time. Broken pillars jutted from the earth like broken teeth.
"Looks cheerful," Elena said flatly.
"It's a paradise," Silas corrected. "Rich in history. Rich in loot. And rich in things that want to kill us. But mostly loot."
He paused, his eyes narrowing. He placed a hand on Elena's shoulder, silencing her.
"What?" she whispered, instantly tense.
"We're not alone," Silas murmured. He didn't look at the ruins. He looked at the tree line behind them. "We've had a tail for the last hour. I was hoping it was just a curious squirrel, but squirrels usually don't have a mana signature that feels like a burning candle."
[Sovereign's Gaze: Activated]
The world shifted to grayscale. He scanned the forest behind them. There. Hiding in the shadow of a large oak, about fifty meters back.
A figure in white robes trimmed with gold. A symbol of a sun was embroidered on the chest.
[Target Analysis] Target: Kael
Level: 32
Rank: D-Rank
Class: Sun Scout (Church of Light)
Strength: 25
Agility: 42
Intelligence: 28T
hreat Level: High (Scout classes are fast and deadly).
"The Church," Silas sighed, dropping his hand. "I knew my hair was too fabulous to go unnoticed, but sending a scout? I'm flattered."
"A scout?" Elena hissed, reaching for her dagger. "We have to run?"
"No," Silas said, his voice hardening. "Running implies guilt. And we haven't done anything wrong... recently. We're just going to say hello."
Silas turned around, facing the forest. He drew Requiem of the Void. The blade hummed, a low, mournful sound that vibrated in the air.
"Kael!" Silas shouted, his voice echoing through the valley. "You can come out! I promise I won't bite. Much."
Silence.
Then, a blur of motion.
The Scout burst from the trees, moving with terrifying speed. He held twin daggers that glowed with searing, yellow light. He didn't speak; he attacked.
He was fast. Faster than Silas.
Kael lunged, aiming for Silas's throat.
[Void Step]
Silas blinked to the side, but he was a split second slower. The tip of Kael's dagger grazed Silas's cheek, leaving a thin line of blood that sizzled.
"Holy damage," Silas hissed, touching the cut. "Ouch. That stings. You ruined my complexion."
"Heresy," Kael spat. His voice was cold, devoid of emotion. "By the decree of the High Solaris, you are to be purified. Your existence is a stain."
"A stain?" Silas raised an eyebrow. "I am a masterpiece. And you are underdressed for the occasion."
Silas didn't wait for him to attack again. He surged forward, swinging Requiem.
Kael was a Scout; he was built for evasion. He danced back, dodging the black blade with inches to spare. He countered with a flurry of strikes.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
Silas parried, his arms vibrating from the impact. Holy energy and Void energy clashed, sending sparks of black and gold into the air.
"You fight well for a heathen," Kael grunted, feinting left and spinning right. "But the Light always banishes the Dark."
"Spoiler alert," Silas grunted, ducking under a swipe. "The dark is just where the cool stuff happens."
Silas activated [Void Consumption]—not on Kael, but on the ambient light around them.
The area instantly grew darker. Shadows lengthened, twisting and writhing. Kael's daggers flared brighter, trying to compensate, but he looked momentarily unnerved.
"Now, Elena!" Silas shouted.
Elena had been circling in the shadows, waiting for her cue. She melted into the darkness of the rocks, invisible.
Kael heard the movement behind him. He spun, throwing a dagger of solid light.
Elena materialized, raising her Void Dagger. The light dagger hit her weapon and... vanished. Absorbed.
"What?" Kael's eyes widened.
"Trick or treat," Elena whispered.
She slashed. Kael leaped back, but not before the Void Dagger cut through his white robes, leaving a gash on his side. He gasped, stumbling.
Silas seized the opportunity. He didn't go for a kill shot. He wanted information.
He closed the distance, swinging Requiem in a wide arc. Kael raised his remaining dagger to block.
SHING.
The Legendary sword didn't stop. It sheared through the magical dagger like it was wet clay, and continued its path, biting into Kael's shoulder.
The Scout screamed, dropping to his knees. His holy aura flickered and died.
Silas pointed the tip of the black sword at Kael's throat.
"Game over," Silas panted. "Now, let's talk about your recruitment strategies. They're a bit aggressive."
Kael looked up, his eyes filled with fanatical hatred. "It doesn't matter... The Inquisitors are already coming. They felt the surge from your sword. You cannot hide from the Sun."
"Inquisitors?" Silas frowned. "Sounds like a boy band. I hate boy bands."
"Kill me," Kael hissed. "I will not tell you anything."
Silas sighed. "You religious types are so dramatic. Always wanting to be martyrs."
He looked at Elena. "Elena, check his bag. Take anything shiny. And the rations. I'm starving."
Elena nodded, moving quickly to loot the fallen scout.
Silas looked down at Kael. The man was bleeding out, but still glaring.
"I'm not going to kill you, Kael," Silas said softly. "I'm going to let you live. I want you to run back to your Church. Tell them that Silas Vane says hello. Tell them that the Void is here, and we're not hiding. We're just getting started."
"You... fool," Kael spat blood.
"Probably," Silas agreed. He tapped Kael's forehead with his finger. [Void Consumption: Mini]. He drained just enough mana to knock the man unconscious and heal his own cheek scratch.
Kael slumped over.
[System Notification]
[Combat Victory.]
[Experience Gained.]
[Level Up! Level 29 -> Level 30]
A surge of power rushed through Silas. He felt his stats increase, his body hardening. Level 30. The threshold for C-Rank.
"Level 30," Silas exhaled, standing up. "We're moving up in the world."
Elena finished looting and walked over, handing Silas a wrapped package of dried meat and a small pouch of gold.
"He had a map," she said, holding up a scroll. "It marks our route to the Sunken Ruins. And... it has a warning written on it."
Silas unrolled the scroll. It was a Church map. A red 'X' marked the center of the ruins.
Warning: Abyssal Gate. DO NOT ENTER.
"An Abyssal Gate," Silas whistled. "That sounds like exactly the kind of place a Sovereign should visit for tea."
He looked toward the fog-shrouded valley below.
"Come on, Elena. Let's go find this gate before the 'Inquisitors' show up to ruin our vacation."
He sheathed his sword, the black blade disappearing into the scabbard with a satisfying click. They left the unconscious scout on the ridge and descended into the mist, toward the drowned city of Aethelgard.
[Sovereign Log Updated] Current Objectives:
1. Explore Sunken Ruins.
2. Investigate Abyssal Gate.
3. Avoid angry religious fanatics.
"Business as usual," Silas smirked.