2025-01-30 04:46:17Vardy stared back at Tracy, “I do..” he muttered before stroding off.
“Damn it!” Tracy sighed. “I just can't believe all this.”
“What is the problem?” Luthor asked weakly, his voice barely audible as Ferah helped him sit against a wall.
“Just rest…” Tracy said and strode off.
Selene gestured toward the city around them.
“Corruption, power struggles, people too scared to fight back. Dean’s hold on this place is strong, but there are others waiting to take his place the moment he falls. If we’re not careful, we’ll end up replacing one tyrant with another.”
“And you think you have the answers?” Vardy asked, his tone sharp.
“I have a plan,” Selene said, her smirk returning. “But it’s going to require more than brute force and your fancy undead tricks. We need allies, influence, leverage.”
“You’re talking about politics,” Ferah said, her voice filled with disdain.
“Exactly,” Selene replied, unbothered by Ferah’s tone. “Haven’s chaos is its strength and its weakness. If we want to win, we have to play the game.”
---
DEAN'S YARD
Dean stood in his private chambers, his fists clenched as he stared out the window looking at the chaotic streets below.
“Vardy’s making moves,” Marcus said, standing near the door. His voice was calm, but his posture was tense. “The people are talking. They think he might actually stand a chance against you.”
Dean let out a low laugh, though it held no humor.
“The people are fools,” he said, his voice a growl. “They cling to hope because they’re too weak to face reality. Vardy’s nothing but a spark. I’ll snuff him out before he becomes a fire.”
“Hmm, will that work master?” Marcus asked carefully.
Dean turned slowly, his gaze locking onto Marcus with an intensity that made the man stiffen. “I don’t fail,” Dean said coldly. “And if anyone doubts that, they won’t live to see the aftermath.”
Marcus swallowed hard, as though in agreement to what the Dean said.
---
“Who's that standing?” Vardy asked, stepping closer to Selene.
“I can't tell but it is a he, though he isn't paying attention to us.” Selene answered.
“Get some rest everyone.. we might move earlier than intended.” Vardy muttered, staring back at everyone.
After about two hours, they moved. The once shadow was gone and were faced with reality. Carrick’s base.
“That's it .. Carrick's base..” Selene smirked, her pace increasing.
“Slow down, Selene.” Vardy said.
Carrick’s base was a sprawling warehouse, its windows.
Two guards stood at the entrance, their postures relaxed but alert.
“Leave this to me,” Selene said, stepping forward.
The group watched as she approached the guards.
She exchanged a few quiet words with them, and after a tense moment, they stepped aside, letting her through.
“Showoff,” Ferah muttered as the group followed Selene inside.
The interior of the warehouse was just as imposing as its exterior.
Carrick sat at a desk near the back. He looked up as they approached, his expression unreadable.
“Selene,” he said, his voice smooth but edged with caution. “It’s been a while.”
“Carrick,” Selene replied, her tone polite but distant. “I need a favor.”
Carrick leaned back in his chair, his gaze flicking to Vardy and the others. “And who are your friends?”
“People you don’t want to mess with,” Selene said, her smirk returning. “But that’s not why we’re here.”
Carrick raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you here?”
“We need information,” Selene said. “About Alaric.”
Carrick’s expression didn’t change, but Vardy noticed a flicker of something in his eyes, recognition, or perhaps fear.
“I don’t know anything about Alaric,” Carrick said smoothly.
“Don’t lie to me,” Selene said, her tone sharp. “You know exactly where he is. And if you don’t tell us, I’ll make sure Dean finds out just how much you’ve been keeping from him.”
Carrick’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond immediately.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Selene,” he said finally.
“I always do,” she replied.
“You don’t scare me,” Carrick said, though his voice wavered slightly.
“You should be scared,” Selene replied. “Because if you don’t help us, Dean won’t be your only problem.”
Carrick studied her for a long moment before letting out a resigned sigh. “Fine. Alaric’s been lying low in the north quarter. He’s been moving between safe houses, but the last I heard, he was hiding in the old brewery.”
Selene’s smirk widened. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”
Carrick leaned forward, his expression dark. “You’d better pray this doesn’t come back to me.”
“That’s your problem, not mine,” Selene said, turning to leave.
Vardy followed, his mind racing. He didn’t trust Selene, but for now, he had no choice but to rely on her.
Outside the warehouse, the group regrouped, the night air cool against their skin.
“This feels wrong,” Tracy said, her voice low.
“It’s the only lead we have,” Vardy replied.
“And what happens when it blows up in our faces?” Ferah asked.
“Then we deal with it,” Vardy said firmly.
Selene smirked, her gaze fixed on the distant lights of the north quarter. “Welcome to Haven’s game, Vardy. Play it right, and you might just survive.”
“Wait, I think I just saw something…” Vardy stopped in his tracks, his voice cutting through the silence of the underground corridor.
The others halted behind him. Ferah gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, her eyes darting around the damp passageway. “What is it?”
Vardy moved closer to the cracked stone wall to his left. His fingers traced the ancient carvings etched into the surface. “These markings,” he said quietly. “They’re not random.”
Selene stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied the wall. “Runes,” she murmured. “Old ones. Older than Haven itself.”
“You think they mean something?” Tracy asked, her spear resting against her shoulder.
“Everything means something,” Selene replied with a faint smirk. “The question is whether we want to know what it is.”
“We don’t have time for riddles,” Ferah said sharply. “If this is a dead end…..”
“It’s not,” Vardy interrupted, his voice firm. The whispers from the artifact grew louder, more insistent, urging him to act. He pressed his palm against the center of the carvings, feeling a faint warmth beneath his touch.
A low rumble echoed through the corridor, and the wall shifted.
The others stepped back as the hidden doorway slowly slid open, revealing a staircase.
“Well, that’s not ominous at all,” Luthor muttered, his voice shaky.
Vardy tightened his grip on his staff. “Stay close,” he said, stepping onto the first stair.
The staircase spiraled downward, the air growing colder with each step.
The group moved cautiously, the silence broken only by the sound of their footsteps and the occasional drip of water coming from the passage.
At the bottom of the stairs, the space opened into a vast chamber.
Rows of towering bookshelves stretched into the distance, their surfaces covered in dust and cobwebs.
Suddenly, a faint light shown from the stone casting it on the bookshelves.
“This place…” Tracy whispered, her voice filled with awe. “It’s incredible.”
“More like a tomb,” Ferah said, her tone wary.
Selene stepped past them, her gaze sweeping over the shelves. “No one’s been here in centuries,” she said. “This is older than anything I’ve ever seen.”
Vardy moved deeper into the chamber, his eyes scanning the rows of books and scrolls. The whispers from the artifact were louder now, almost deafening.
They pulled him toward a pedestal at the center of the room, where a single tome rested beneath a layer of dust.
He hesitated before reaching out, his fingers brushing against the book’s worn out leather.
“Books, old books…” Vardy whispered to himself, staring everywhere.
Vardy stood in the stillness of the ancient library, his hand resting on a shelf.
The others lingered near the edges of the vast chamber, staring round in awe.
The spectral wolf at his side shifted showing its glow. But Vardy barely noticed any of it.
A voice filled his mind, one he’d heard before but never this clearly. It wasn’t the faint whispers of the system. This was something else, louder, sharper, more deliberate.
“You’ve come far, but you could go further. Accept my gift, and nothing will stand in your way.”
Vardy stiffened, his knuckles whitening around his staff. He closed his eyes, his breathing steadying as the words echoed in his head.
“What’s wrong?” Ferah asked, her voice cutting through the silence. She stepped closer, her hand resting on her sword.
“Nothing,” Vardy lied, his tone flat. “Just... thinking.”
Selene leaned against a nearby bookshelf, watching him with a sharp, knowing gaze. “You don’t lie very well, you know.”
“Not now, Selene,” Tracy said, her spear propped against her shoulder. She studied Vardy carefully. “You’ve been acting off since we got here. What’s going on?”
Vardy shook his head, his gaze fixed on the floor. “I just... I need a moment.”
The others exchanged glances, but they gave him space.
They stepped back staring at him from a distant.
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The system’s voice continued, unrelenting.“You’ve seen what you’re up against. Dean’s empire, the Altanas, the corruption eating Haven alive. You’ve only scratched the surface of your potential. Let me show you the rest.”“I don’t need you,” Vardy muttered under his breath.“Don’t you?” the voice countered. “Your power has already grown because of me. The spectral wolf, your magic, your resilience. Do you think that came from you alone?”Vardy’s jaw tightened. “I’ve fought for everything I have. Nothing was handed to me.”“And yet, you’re here because of me. Without the System, you’re just a man with a grudge. With me, you’re something more. You could be unstoppable.”The words were tempting, like a melody he couldn’t ignore.---In a distant part of Haven City, Marcus paced round a fire place.“You’re sure about this?” he asked, his tone edged with doubt.A woman seated near the fire nodded, her dark eyes glinting in the light. “Dean’s orders were clear. If Vardy is still in the cit
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Vardy stared back at Tracy, “I do..” he muttered before stroding off.“Damn it!” Tracy sighed. “I just can't believe all this.”“What is the problem?” Luthor asked weakly, his voice barely audible as Ferah helped him sit against a wall.“Just rest…” Tracy said and strode off.Selene gestured toward the city around them. “Corruption, power struggles, people too scared to fight back. Dean’s hold on this place is strong, but there are others waiting to take his place the moment he falls. If we’re not careful, we’ll end up replacing one tyrant with another.”“And you think you have the answers?” Vardy asked, his tone sharp.“I have a plan,” Selene said, her smirk returning. “But it’s going to require more than brute force and your fancy undead tricks. We need allies, influence, leverage.”“You’re talking about politics,” Ferah said, her voice filled with disdain.“Exactly,” Selene replied, unbothered by Ferah’s tone. “Haven’s chaos is its strength and its weakness. If we want to win, we
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“Just go on with it..” Vardy responded.“Vardy, don’t,” Ferah said, her voice pleading.“We don’t have a choice,” Vardy replied, his tone grim.Selene reached into her cloak and pulled out a small bottle of liquid. “This will keep him alive. But it’s not a cure. He’ll still need time to heal.”Vardy nodded. “Do it.”Selene uncorked the bottle as she poured it onto Luthor’s wound. The effect was immediate. The bleeding slowed.Luthor’s breathing steadied, his eyes fluttering open.“You’re going to be okay,” Ferah said, her voice trembling.“Thanks,” Luthor whispered weakly, his eyes closing again as exhaustion overtook him.Vardy stood, his gaze locking onto Selene. “You’ll get your favor,” he said, his voice cold.Selene smiled faintly. “I know.”Ferah knelt beside Luthor, her hands trembling as she adjusted his bandages. Tracy leaned against a crumbling wall, her spear still in her hand, though the battle had long since ended.Vardy stood rigid, his gaze fixed on Selene.The spectra
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In another part of the city, Marcus stood in a darkened room, his arms crossed as he listened to the report from one of Dean’s informants.“The Dud’s grown stronger,” the informant said, his voice shaking slightly. “He’s got some kind of... spectral beast with him now.”Marcus frowned. “A beast?”“A wolf,” the informant clarified. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. Glowing, silent, dangerous.”Marcus turned toward the window, his gaze fixed on the city below. “And Dean knows about this?”The informant hesitated. “I... haven’t told him yet. Thought it best to bring it to you first.”Marcus nodded slowly. “Good. Keep quiet about this for now. Dean doesn’t need distractions.”“But what do we do?” the informant asked.Marcus’s lips curled into a faint smile. “We let the Dud think he’s winning. And when the time comes, we'll remind him who holds the real power.”---Back in the alley, the group rested briefly.“You think Dean’s already heard about this?” Luthor asked, glancing nervously at
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The cave was silent, the kind of silence that pressed against the ears and made every breath feel louder than it should. Vardy stood at the entrance, his staff glowing faintly.The artifact pulsed in his hand, the whispers louder now.“This is it,” Selene said from behind him, her voice low.“Your first Trial Quest. It’s not going to be easy.”Vardy glanced over his shoulder at her, his expression grim. “They never are.”Ferah stepped up beside him, her sword resting on her shoulder. “You sure about this? You don’t even know what’s waiting for you in there.”“I don’t have a choice,” Vardy said, his tone firm. He turned back to the cave, his grip tightening on his staff. “If I don’t do this, I won’t survive what’s coming.”“Then we’ll wait out here,” Tracy said, leaning against the cave wall. “Just don’t take too long.”“Be careful,” Luthor added. “These Trials aren’t just tests. They’re meant to break you.”Vardy didn’t respond.The air grew colder as Vardy went deeper into the cave.
