Ezra knew a blueprint that had been hidden for so many years would help him get his hands on a powerful new weapon. But for that, he needed to acquire two more components. “Where do I find these?” Ezra questioned Marlin, hoping the Gunsmith would have a better idea about gun components. But Marlin was as perplexed as him. “Like I said before; this blueprint isn’t for a conventional gun. I do not think just any component would fit with this weapon. You might need to acquire very specific parts designed especially for this particular blueprint.” “That’s not very helpful at all,” Ezra replied with a disappointed look on his face. He was so close to acquiring a powerful new weapon, yet its two parts were still not in his possession, and he had no idea where to look for them. Marlin peered at the blueprint for a good while and suddenly a thought occurred to him. “Where is the component you retrieved from that shrine? Show it to me.” Ezra retrieved the customized steel nozzle from his i
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
With his eyes fixed on the priests chanting in front of the altar, Ezra began the countdown. “One…two…three!”On the precise count of three, Ezra flicked his arms in opposite directions, pointing his palms toward the two candelabra closest to him.Whooshing through the air, two powerful bursts of magic energy struck the candelabra, instantly blowing out all the candles. Before the astonished priests could turn around, Ezra realigned his arms and unleashed two more magic burst attacks, extinguishing the two remaining candelabra as well.With all the candles blown out, the inner sanctum descended into darkness, allowing Ezra to easily sneak past the priests and make his way to the other side of the room.Once he had reached Ishani’s idol, he asked for her forgiveness before walking up to her altar. The riddle had mentioned the ‘mother’s lap’, and Ezra knew it hinted toward the altar since all newborns would be placed on the altar to obtain the Goddess’ blessings.“What was that?”“The w
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
Headstrong and determined, Ezra set off to look for the last missing component without paying any heed to Marlin’s repeated warnings. As the night darkened, the clouds gradually drifted away, letting the moon bathe the streets in its dim glow. Most of the patrolling guards had retired to the barracks by now, and the few who were still on active duty were starting to yawn. Since Aranor had not come under any direct attack and the undead hadn’t been spotted on the nearby roads, the guards had become complacent. The prophecy meant little to them, and many even thought it was another lie to keep the people faithful to Ishani. Ezra stuck to the shadows, carefully avoiding the street lamps and bright windows as he traversed the dimly lit streets with the wind still howling outside. As Ezra finally reached the old part of town, the last of the patrolling guards disappeared in the distance. Most of them preferred not to go near the merfolk, and the only ones posted to watch over this gate
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
[New Shooting Objective Acquired: Eliminate the Beholder while under the effect of a dark curse!] [Note: Contracting multiple curses will provide a greater reward!] The throbbing red eye darkened as it glared at Ezra and the Beholder’s twisted black lips parted to reveal a slippery red tongue dripping with saliva. Ezra fired his weapon without a second thought, unleashing a volley of magic bullets at the enemy. But the Beholder’s psionic shield absorbed the flashy blue projectiles, rendering Ezra’s attack utterly ineffective. Without giving Ezra any chance to retaliate, the Beholder rushed at him. “Magic Burst!” Ezra shouted, pointing his right palm toward the Beholder. But his skill failed to activate. Thwack! A slimy green tentacle lashed out at Ezra, smacking him away and sending him flying into the marble pillar behind. The impact from the blow nearly broke his back, leaving him groaning in pain. Blood trickled from the corners of Ezra’s mouth as he tried to get back on
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