The dim light of the crescent moon filtered through the cloud cover and illuminated the town with a dim glow. Ishani’s shrine lay secluded in partial darkness, with its tinted glass windows glimmering as the moonlight washed its façade at uncertain intervals. The guards stationed outside the shrine had been hand-picked by Lord Sebastian himself, and were actively patrolling the area to keep trespassers at bay. They weren’t like those piggish sentries who gobbled gluttonous meals after dark and fell asleep as soon as the clock struck one. Ezra knew he had to be careful, or else he risked creating a bigger mess than he had ever been in. Attempting to sneak into the shrine would raise several questions about his intentions, and if Lord Wilhelm and the others found out, they would not miss the chance to drag his family name through the dirt and fling accusations at all the Romanovs. “It feels like you are stealing from your own house,” Marlin whispered as Ezra slunk behind a tamarind

The priests returned to their positions once all the candles had been lit, and they immediately resumed their prayer. None of them had any idea that Ezra was right there in the room with them, but one wrong move could give him away. As the priests closed their eyes and folded their hands to ask the Goddess for forgiveness, a heavy voice echoed within the walls of the inner sanctum. “I see your sad plight, and it breaks my heart, children. But fear not, for light shall always drive out the shadows and cleanse the land of all evil!” Startled by the unexpected voice, the priests opened their eyes and stared at the idol of the Goddess. “Who…who are you?” one of the older priests finally asked, gathering his courage. “I am Aranya, the God of Creation!” the voice replied. “As Ishani’s elder brother, it is my duty to protect her and guide her followers when they stray from her path. But I am afraid her light is dwindling from your world.” Ezra quickly unleashed two controlled bursts of

As the night darkened, fleecy gray clouds drifted over the Erubean Plains, and the restless wind whistled from the east, carrying with it the damp stench of rotting mushrooms. Ezra had a tall task ahead of him, with no one to rely upon except the Gunsmith bound to his arm. Unlike the town guards patrolling the streets of Aranor, the Skeletal Warriors looked vigilant and prepared. And since they had been tasked with guarding the tomb by a higher entity, there was no way to lure them away from the area. Ezra peeked around the rock he was hiding behind and carefully observed their patrol routes for a minute. The Skeletal Warriors seemed to be moving back and forth at regular intervals and occasionally turning to their left to observe the area outside. Meanwhile, the Skeletal Archers were standing still with rusty iron-tipped arrows drawn over their longbows, ready to let loose at a moment’s notice. Though threatening in a large group, these lowly undead were the least of Ezra’s con

The fight with the Beholder had left Ezra bruised and battered, but he quickly put all that behind as the newly acquired skill piqued his interest. “Use skill: Shadow Gun!” Ezra exclaimed, raising his right hand, but a searing pain made him clench his fist and drop to his knees. “What the…hell is happening.” “I believe the curse is still active. You cannot use any skills before cleansing your body. The shackles will tighten their grip every time you try to use a skill,” Marlin explained. “You need to visit a shrine and seek the aid of a priest. Only they can dispel dark curses like these.” Ezra swiped to his Gunner profile and tapped on the ‘status effect’ panel. [Two curses contracted:] [1. Shackles of the Fallen.] [2. Trembling Trauma.] [Effects:] [1. All shooting skills are disabled.] [2. Accuracy reduced by 60%.] Ezra was surprised by the last line displayed on his system panel. “I remember my accuracy took a 50% hit. How did that number suddenly increase?” “That was qui

By the time Ezra and Aurelia returned home, Lord Sebastian and the others had already gone to sleep. It saved Ezra the trouble of having to explain himself to his father, but Aurelia still remained cold to him. “Good night, sister,” Ezra wished her, hoping she would return the courtesy, but her words remained measured. “Night,” she replied curtly as she walked back to her room. Marlin was starting to enjoy this family drama, and he could not help but mock Ezra. “Oh, the poor little boy…Losing his only friend in the world. Must feel sad?” “Aurelia still loves me and cares for me,” Ezra replied. “She’ll never give up on me.” Marlin wanted to amuse himself a while longer by taunting Ezra, but he once again proved to be more mature than Marlin had expected him to be. As soon as Ezra was back inside his own room, he shut the door and set to work on his Gunsmithing workbench. Retrieving all the crafting components from his inventory, he put them on the table. He selected the blueprint