2025-01-13 19:51:31Vardy stepped onto the Sign, and the teleporting light him and everyone else. In a moment, they arrived in the dim interior of the Apex Realm temple, with its gray stone and tall gothic pillars.
"The Apex Realm. I never thought I'd be back here with you, master," said Ferah. She seemed happy at first, but then she squinted. "Something feels off about this place."
"What do you mean?" asked Vardy.
"The Apex Realm is supposed to be a safe space created by the twin gods Amara and Sindri. It should have a warmth to it from their powers. But I don't sense it. It feels...dead," said Ferah. "It's like this place is just a copy, lacking the real 'life' but still having its powers."
"I noticed that too," said Vardy. "My theory is that this isn't the real Apex Realm. It's just a replica, still holding its powers but lacking the true essence."
"Is that so?" Ferah looked around warily. "As long as you trust it, I will too."
"So far, it hasn't let me down," said Vardy. He leaped over the Wellspring of Life to the Forge where he found the System hammering away at nothing.
Ferah followed Vardy closely, raising her shield against the glitchy stick figure. "There's no point, Ferah. The Apex Realm is a no combat zone," said Vardy.
"Forgive me, master," said Ferah, lowering her shield but still eyeing the System suspiciously.
"I understand your caution," said Vardy. "This thing seems to be a fusion of Amara and Sindri, performing their functions in the Apex Realm. Can you sense anything unusual about it?"
Ferah stared at the System for a moment before shaking her head. "I sense no hostility. It feels unfinished, like raw energy."
"That's what I thought," said Vardy. "It only responds to certain commands. We have to rely on it for now."
"I trust your judgement," said Ferah. "Especially over my impulsiveness."
Vardy approached the System. "Here for a forging request."
"Ah, a forging, is it?" said the System. "I can do that any time! What'll it be, lad?"
"Soul forging," said Vardy, selecting the "Soul of Sly" from his inventory.
The orb floated to Vardy, and he absorbed it into his inventory. "This will do," said Vardy, equipping the mask. "Piece by piece, I'm ready for battle."
"Marvelous!" said Ferah, clapping her hands. "Onwards, then!"
Vardy and his growing entourage of undead traveled through the Vagrant forest. He knew the general direction of Haven, but without an Eye-Phone, he lacked a reliable map.
To make up for this, he had the Evil Eye float above the trees to guide them.
Every now and then, Ferah would sense danger with her "Defender's Vigil" passive. When this happened, Vardy would stand behind her shield while the Evileye scouted ahead with its permanent invisibility.
Although it couldn't pass through solid objects, it could maneuver through tight spaces and its omni-directional vision made spotting threats easy.
Mostly, Vardy encountered Essentrias, the most common Vagrant in the forest. These were easily defeated - Vardy alone could handle one with his physical stats.
In total, he defeated 5 Essentrias and gained 50 EXP.
After about an hour of traveling, they stumbled upon a pack of them, led by a larger Alpha with a red line of fur on its forehead.
The Evileye spotted them sleeping in a clearing by a stream, with a few keeping watch.
What do we do, master? Ferah asked telepathically. Should we just pass by?
I have a plan, Vardy replied, glancing at his skeletal allies, Luthor, and Tracy. Let's add an Alpha to our ranks.
Why not replace the zombies? Ferah queried. They're the weakest.
They stay with me, Vardy asserted. No more questions.
Understood, Ferah said. I'm sorry-
Don't be, Vardy interrupted. You're fine. Let's proceed.
Ferah charged in with her shield, drawing the attention of the Essentrias. She easily dispatched them, displaying her combat prowess.
The Alpha, blinded by the Skeleton Rogue, charged at Ferah, but she stood her ground, deflecting its attack with her shield.
As the other Essentrias swarmed her, Ferah unleashed her "Bloody Strike", incapacitating them.
Only the Alpha remained standing, but Ferah quickly disposed of it by impaling it on a tree with her shield.
Turning to Vardy, she removed her helmet, revealing a wide smile. Despite her exhilaration, she remained sane.
"A job well done, Ferah," Vardy praised. He paused, offering her a nod, hoping it would suffice to lift her spirits. He wasn't accustomed to giving praise, given his solitary upbringing.
The only commendations he'd ever received had come from his parents, who had spoken from a place of genuine warmth in their hearts. It had been many years since Vardy had felt that same warmth within himself.
"Thank you, master!" Ferah replied with a bow. "Mhm. Mhm." She nodded to herself, accepting Vardy's acknowledgment, no matter how awkward or minimal it seemed.
As Ferah absorbed Vardy's praise, he focused on the experience gained from the battle.
"Alpha Essentria slain!"
"+70 EXP"
"Essentria x10 slain!"
"+100 EXP"
"EXP Bar: 75/250 " 245/250"
Vardy sighed, frustrated to be just five points shy of reaching level 7. He disliked falling short of leveling up after a battle, but dwelling on it wouldn't help.
"Now, to resurrect this Alpha," Vardy stated, stepping toward the corpse impaled on a tree trunk by Ferah's shield. He tugged at it but found it too heavy for him to move alone. "Ferah, could you lend a hand with this shield?"
"Of course!" Ferah rushed over and easily dislodged the shield, highlighting the contrast between a warrior like herself and a mage like Vardy.
The Alpha Essentria's corpse fell to the ground, and Vardy, wary of any remaining threat, instructed his skeletons to stand guard over it.
Vardy explained to Ferah about the potential powers the Alpha might still possess, cautioning her to remain vigilant.
His concerns were alleviated when he saw a floating, green-outlined grave above the Alpha Essentria's body.
To resurrect the Alpha, Vardy needed to make space in his unit control, which was already maxed out at 8/8.
"Perfect," Vardy remarked, dismissing one of his Essentrias. "Rest now."
The Essentria licked Vardy's hand before disintegrating into nothingness.
"Now," Vardy said, kneeling beside the Alpha Essentria's corpse. He retrieved the curved daggers from its eyes and tossed them to the Skeleton Rogue. "Catch, Rogue. You'll need these."
With the daggers retrieved, Vardy activated his "Nega Force Rank 1", enveloping himself and his undead allies in a healing aura.
"Ahhh," Ferah sighed contentedly as she breathed in the negative energy. "The scent of negative energy!"
"It's still low-ranked," Vardy explained. "But I'm working on improving it. I'm curious to see how Altanas and Vagrants will react to it at higher levels."
"At least you won't have to deal with weaklings like these much longer," Ferah remarked disdainfully, eyeing the Essentria corpses.
Vardy contemplated the consequences of his power, acknowledging that it could inadvertently harm innocents.
But if necessary, he was willing to make sacrifices for the greater good. He had lost his reverence for life after his parents' deaths and now saw lives as mere game pieces.
"This is a discussion for another time," Vardy decided, focusing on resurrecting the Alpha Essentria.
"Serve," he commanded, channeling mana into the creature.
"-5 Mana"
"Mana: 93/93" 88/93"
Bright green tendrils flowed into the Alpha Essentria, causing it to shudder before rising to its feet.
"Alpha Essentria Lvl 7 reanimated"
"Units controlled: 7/8 " 8/8"
Vardy observed the reanimated Alpha Essentria, noting that he couldn't access detailed stats for reanimated Vagrants. He relied on his intuition to gauge their strength and abilities.
Based on his assessment, the Alpha Essentria was solidly D-rank, possessing multiple powers like muscle enhancement and shockwave generation.
"Now, Ferah," Vardy instructed, noticing her envy toward the Alpha Essentria. "You can drain the remaining corpses."
Ferah complied, using her "Crimson Furnace" ability to strengthen herself with their blood.
"Let's continue," Vardy suggested, but he paused as the Evil Eye signaled danger.
He linked his sight with the Evil Eye and saw something that made his heart skip a beat.
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 12: Shadows over Haven
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 13: The Dark Soul
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 14: Unveiling the Dark Warlock
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 16: The Rebirth of the Dark Storm
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 18: The Battle of Ashes
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The five set out to find leverage against Sly and his goons but little did they know it was under their nose the whole time. The group still sat in the War Room late into the night with candle light around the room. Losing hope and as exhaustion overtook their bodies, they sat down around the table with sighs of defeat. Vardy glanced at his staff and felt for the light within. It was dim, more than it had been in recent days. "The light.....seems to be more dim than usual...." Tracy observed. Inside Vardy was in a panic with no idea what to do but outside, he held his face and body in the same loose, confident and poised manner. He nodded. "It is. I don't know how to fix it." His voice came out even as he spoke. Tracy sat there, thinking and mentally Flipping through books she had been reading for research purposes and remembered a particular spell book that had caught her fancy just earlier that day. Scrolls and ancient diaries sat open and scattered across the table making it hard
Chapter 26: Shadows Rising
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Chapter 25: The Unbelievable Return
Days have passed since Aziel’s fall, and the city began its slow recovery. The people were freed from the darkness that had shadowed them, they all started to rebuild, unite, and see each other once again, and the air was lighter than it had been in years. But Vardy and his team knew better than to think the war was over. The presence of the Dark Warlocks lingered like a shadow on the horizon. Despite Aziel’s defeat, there were whispers of power far greater, a force that had been pulling the strings from the shadows for age's.One evening, as the team gathered in their makeshift headquarters at Oak Academy, the familiar figure of Sly appeared on the horizon. His silhouette was unmistakable,tall, confident, and exuding an aura of pure malevolence. His face was partially concealed by a hood, but his eyes gleamed with the same unyielding determination that had marked his every step since the beginning of this journey up till the moment."Sly," Vardy commanded, his voice filled with a m
Chapter 24: The Light against the Dark
The citadel, once a monument to Aziel’s reign of terror, stood silent in the wake of his fall. Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the stone, casting long beams across the ruin. The oppressive darkness that had once hung heavy over the city was gone, but the cost of victory weighed heavily on the survivors. Vardy, Ferah, Tracy, Jesse and Luthor stood at the heart of the shattered citadel, the echoes of the battle still roaming through the air.Vardy’s chest rose and fell in labored breaths, the toll of the final confrontation taking its toll on him. The light within him had faded, leaving a hollow emptiness in its wake. He had given everything to defeat Aziel, but in doing so, he felt the last of his strength slip away.Ferah knelt beside him, her gaze soft but unwavering. "You did it, Vardy. We did it. The city is safe because of you."Vardy’s eyes met hers, filled with both gratitude and sorrow. "It doesn’t feel like we are done yet," he admitted, his voice soothing the situatio
Chapter 23: The Confrontation of Vardy against the Dark
Vardy kept on pushing in, giving all he could to stop all of this, he knew. He was no match for what was ahead of him, but should he just. Give in, after all, No he can't do that, not if it was him alone in this,, but for the precious sake of, the one around him, I'll rather die by my hand than give in to this forsaken darkness lurking inside, I won't accept defeat not so soon,His heart was still pounding, it looked more like the dark could listen to everything he was saying, and with every step they took towards the citadel, the depth would always yawn to park them in, but was not a match for the three skills and what they had encountered so far..The air inside the citadel was thick with the weight of dark power, pressing down on them like an invisible hand. The walls seemed to pulse with energy, their surfaces slick with shadow, as though the very structure of the citadel was alive. The distant echoes of Aziel’s laughter vibrate through the halls, mocking and sticking, but Vardy
Chapter 22: The Heart of Darkness
The air was alive with crackling energy, and the very earth beneath Vardy's feet seemed to hold with a dark, unyielding power. Tendrils of shadow reached out from the cracks in the ground, twisting and writhing like serpents with a mind of their own. Each movement sent a shiver through the city, as though the streets themselves were groaning under the weight of an ancient, forgotten force.Aziel’s figure loomed above them, the faint glow of his eyes illuminating the darkness. He stood unaffected, unrestricted, not to be destroyed, his confidence over shadowing him, his hands raised in a commanding gesture. The dark energy swirled around him like an obedient pet, bending to his will. His smile, cruel and knowing, sent a shiver down Vardy’s spine."You still don’t understand, do you?" Vardy. Aziel’s voice was soft, almost coaxing. "This power, and this darkness,is your inheritance, Vardy. It has been waiting for you. All this time, waiting for your presence just to embrace, you’ve fough
Chapter 21: Eyes of the Dark Storm
Now, dark and cold, tired and weary, the city loomed ahead like a dark stain on the earth surface, its towering spires reaching up to the sky like cracking teeth, sharp and unforgiving. Vardy could feel the oppressive weight of its presence pressing on him, the air thick with a sense of looming danger that seemed to emanate from the very streets.Ferah, Luthor, and Vardy walked in silence, their footsteps muffled by the dirt road beneath them. The wind had picked up, circling dust and debris around them, as if the very world was preparing for something monumental."We’re getting close," Luthor said, his voice low, almost as if speaking too loudly might provoke something hidden in the shadows. "This place… it feels wrong.""I can feel it too," Ferah agreed, her expression tense. "Something's off about this city. It’s like it’s been waiting for us."Vardy said nothing, his mind consumed by the storm of thoughts swirling in him. The darkness within him, the pull of Aziel’s words, the ch
Chapter 20: The Daring Choice
The reality is now and here, a way forward is all I can only think of, I don't care about myself, but for those who have journeyed with me up till now, Vardy spoke to himself in silence, I can't put them down, I can't give up on them, he said to himself.Vardy’s heart raced, the weight of Aziel’s words pressing down on him like a thousand stones. The very idea that the darkness, something he had fought so desperately to escape, was a part of him was too much to comprehend. His mind reeled, struggling to understand how he could possibly be connected to the very force he had always seen as an enemy.Aziel’s gaze held steady, watching him closely, almost as if he were savoring Vardy’s internal conflict. "You’re torn, I can see it. You want to deny it, push it away, but you can’t. You’ll come to understand, eventually. We all do."Vardy shook his head, trying to clear the fog clouding his thoughts. "You’re lying. I’m not like you."Aziel’s lips twisted into a cruel smile. "You think you’r
Chapter 19: The Depth Unraveling Threads
The Oracle’s words continued striking Vardy as he and his companions began their journey from the mountain. The cold, thin air had stung their limbs, but the weight of the Oracle’s prophecy hung heavily on their hearts. He had expected guidance, a path to follow, but what he had received was a riddle, a cryptic warning that left more questions than answers.Ferah, ever monitoring, noticed Vardy’s troubled expression as they walked. "You’re still thinking about what she said, aren’t you?" she asked, her voice low and steady.Vardy glanced at her, then nodded. "She’s right. It’s all tied together. The darkness... it’s not just some evil force. It’s alive. It grows. And it has a price. But what does that mean? What exactly is the cost?"Luthor, who had been walking ahead, turned to face them, his eyes seen in thought. "The Oracle speaks in riddles. The truth isn't always easy to see, especially when it’s buried in layers of metaphors, unknown words and heart-pounding questions.""True,"
