The White Rose was the innermost and smallest subdivision of Galladrium. Despite occupying a small area, it was so well-guarded that no soul had ever managed to breach it. Ezra had a tall task before him, but with his shooting skills maxed out, he felt confident about achieving the impossible.“It is already past noon. You might want to hurry things up if you wish to return to Magaravia before nightfall,” Marlin reminded.“It’s better to plan ahead instead of rushing things.” For the first time, Ezra sounded cautious. It was clear from his tone that he was worried about the obstacles that lay ahead.Since no one had ever breached the city's inner ring, no one in Valaria knew anything about its defenses. Ezra’s best option was to consult the Atlas of Altamir to get somewhat of an idea about the traps on the other side.Accessing his system panel, Ezra tapped on the map and zoomed on the inner ring. The White Rose was surrounded by two walls with a small gap between them. But the most p
The frustrated look on Ezra’s face relayed his feelings like a spotless mirror. Ardryll had once again dropped just a few breadcrumbs before deserting them.“I suppose we will need to make a short stop at the mausoleum before heading for the inner wall,” Marlin spoke in an affected tone. “It's clear now that you are never going to make it out of Galladrium before dark.”Ezra ignored his remark and opened his map to locate the mausoleum. He did not take long to find it since it was marked as a point of interest. The Mausoleum of Forgotten Souls lay on the western side of the Blood Orchid, surrounded by an orchard and a wide garden bordered by a simple brick wall.Ezra whistled to his sentry before beginning the long walk. With the Solar Defender watching his back, he cut through the ruined buildings to shorten his journey.A fifteen-minute walk through the old rubble and tangled mess of vines and withered creepers brought him to his destination.The Mausoleum of Lost Souls was the city
The shadow of death loomed over the mausoleum as the Gravekeeper lurched ahead, its swollen joints creaking with every step. A disgusting yellow slime oozed out of the puss-filled warts on its grotesque face, and its dirty white teeth glinted in the dim sunlight filtering through the dusty gray clouds.Ezra grabbed the Bonecrusher with his right hand and conjured an elemental grenade in his left. Keeping his eyes fixed on the wobbly hunchback, he slowly backed away to put some distance between them.Meanwhile, the Solar Defender raised its lance high above its head and unleashed a grating war cry to warn the mummified corpses shambling across the chamber.As Ezra narrowed his eyes on the Gravekeeper, his passive skill automatically scanned the threat, analyzing its strengths and weaknesses.A bright red display flashed in front of his left eye, highlighting all the information on his enemy.[Dragon eye activated!][Target identified: Corrupted Gravekeeper.][Type: Corrupted undead gua
The odds were stacked firmly against Ezra as the Gravekeeper continuously kept raising its minions from death.“You must have a weakness.” Ezra shifted his gaze away from the Gravekeeper and focused on the mummified corpses. But his Dragon Eye skill was blocked by a magic cocoon that prevented him from analyzing the corpses.“That elf knew about this, and he still led us into a death trap!” Marlin grumbled, his hatred against the elves boiling over.But Ezra knew cursing Ardryll would not change his situation. Although he was alone now, he still had his Spectral Companion to count upon.Without a second thought, Ezra summoned his Spectral White Wolf.It leaped forward and bared its glistening white fangs at the mummified corpses. As they shambled toward Ezra, the wolf let out a terrifying howl. But to Ezra’s great surprise, the corpses kept lumbering onward without showing any signs of fear.“I think these ones no longer have any feelings. They look like soul-less beings controlled by
The Gravekeeper’s shoulders pulsed with dark energy as it raised its scythe high above its head, holding it like a great battle axe. Despite having a deformed back, it possessed unimaginable strength, allowing it to pull the weapon back and bring it down with such power that it cleaved through the air and unleashed a blade of dark energy.Ezra crossed his arms in front of his chest to conjure his Reflexive Armor as the arcing blade of darkness cut across the room and rushed toward him. It struck the protective barrier encasing him, releasing a burst of energy that crackled and exploded, pushing him back and slamming him into the door behind.Even though Ezra sustained a few minor burns on his arms and his back was bruised from the impact, his shield had absorbed most of the dark energy, protecting him from certain death.[Magic Power completely drained!][Current Magic Power: 0%!]Ezra felt exhausted and weak. He had expended all his magic power to fortify his shield, and the result w
Outside the eastern gate, Ezra was stopped by two mechanical sentries armed with shock batons. He was surprised to see how advanced the city was. It reminded him of Silver Springs.“Entry to the White Rose is not free. Please pay your dues,” one of the sentries drone out mechanically.“One Celestar for each person,” the other added.Ezra pulled out the coin pouch and handed the guards the whole thing. “Keep the whole thing. I am feeling generous today.”The sentries examined the coins before dumping them inside a collecting vessel attached to their backs.“Donation accepted. You are free to enter the White Rose without any toll from now on.”Ezra felt a bit awkward about acknowledging the robots, but he still thanked them with a short bow before walking past them.When he walked out of the gate and entered the White Rose subdivision, his eyes were dazzled by the granite and sandstone wonders towering before him.There were shrines dedicated to the old gods and statues of the legendary
A shrine only accessible during the freezing cold winters was something only the first civilization could have thought of. But with the necromancers aggressively conquering the human settlements and tightening their grip on Valaria, Ezra did not have the luxury of waiting that long.Retrieving the Beacon of Purity was the only way to stop the demonic forces. Ezra tried to think of a plan as he gazed at the lake. The monstrous alligator could be anywhere now, and one little slip could prove to be fatal.For a brief moment, the thought of making a run for it crossed Ezra’s mind, but when he saw one of the floating stones wobbling on the surface, it made him change his decision.Ezra realized that he could never reach the shrine safely as long as the alligator was prowling inside the lake.“I need to kill that thing first,” he said, staring at the calm surface.“Now that is a decision I can support wholeheartedly,” Marlin added.Ezra knew he only had an hour to enter the shrine, retrieve
Crossing the lake was just the beginning. Ezra realized the Goddess was not ready to accept him into her abode so easily. And to prove his faith, he needed to survive a baptism by fire.“First she tries to drown her devotees and then burn them alive,” Marlin sneered. “I have to say I am slowly starting to lose my faith in the Goddess.”“But I know she would never harm those faithful to her,” Ezra replied. “It’s time to prove my loyalty.”As Ezra approached the flaming corridor, Marlin became increasingly nervous. “Are you really planning to walk through that fire? There must be another way!”“There is no other way.” Ezra walked into the fire without giving Marlin another chance to stop him. But miraculously the golden flames blazing around him parted as he took his first few steps, allowing him to walk right through them.As Ezra kept walking toward the prayer hall, the flames rolled away, creating a narrow path for him. He followed the hallway and soon reached another door while the