The mountain road stretched endlessly before them, its winding path bordered by dense evergreens dusted in frost. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine, a stark contrast to the horrors they had left behind in Karthmere. Though the town was behind them, its echoes still lingered in their minds.
Word of their discovery had spread quickly. The temple had been raided, its clergy dragged out in chains, many of them screaming their innocence while others remained eerily silent. The town guard, under newfound scrutiny, worked tirelessly to root out those who had turned a blind eye to the atrocities. Justice, it seemed, had begun to take hold—but whether it would last was another matter.
The rescued women had been taken in by a network of local healers and sympathetic merchants who ensured they received proper care. Some were even considering joining the Adventurer’s Guild, hoping to take control of their futures rather than remain victims of their past. That, at least, was a small victory.
Yet, even with their deed done, Lorelai’s group had no time to linger. The Whispering Wilds still eluded them, and with little to go on, they needed every scrap of information they could find.
“We should reach the next settlement by nightfall,” Kael noted, adjusting his bow across his back. “Someone there might have more details on the Wilds.”
Thrax, walking ahead, scoffed. “Assuming they don’t just give us cryptic nonsense like the last bunch. ‘Something ancient stirs beneath the roots’—yeah, no kidding.”
Lorelai sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “It’s a dangerous place. Of course, they speak in warnings.”
“That, or they just like sounding mysterious,” Aeryn added. “It makes them feel important.”
Thrax smirked. “Speaking of sounding mysterious… Lorelai, remind me again what you said back in that house?”
Lorelai stiffened. “What?”
Aeryn grinned wickedly. “You know… when you got really into that whole ‘divine savior’ moment.” She cleared her throat, then put on an exaggeratedly breathy voice. “‘Ahh… ahh—hnngh! AURA OF PURITY!’”
Thrax let out a bark of laughter before adding in his own mockery. “‘No! WHY AM I SO BLOODY SENSITIVE! Aaaaahh!’”
Lorelai’s face turned a deep shade of crimson. “I DID NOT SOUND LIKE THAT!”
“Oh, but you did.” Aeryn nudged her playfully. “And trust me, if you had an audience, they would have given you a standing ovation, we sure were.”
Thrax wiped a fake tear from his eye. “Truly inspiring. The passion, the emotion. I felt that in my soul.”
Kael, who had been warned by Lorelai before had a more neutral approach, merely chuckled under his breath. “To be fair, you were pretty dramatic.”
Lorelai groaned, attempting to hide her face in her hair, a weak attempt to hide her burning face. “I hate you all.”
“No, you don’t,” Thrax said smugly, slinging an arm over her shoulder. “You love us and we love reminding you of your… performances.”
Lorelai swatted his arm away. “I swear to the gods, Thrax, if you don’t drop this, I’ll smite you where you stand.”
Lorelai groaned, quickening her pace. “I despise both of you.”
But despite her words, there was no true malice in them. Their laughter filled the cold mountain air, a warmth against the frigid wind. For the first time since their grim discovery, it felt like the weight of the past was beginning to lift.
With the Whispering Wilds still ahead, mysteries still needed unravelin, and battles that still needed to be won, it was nice in this moment—just for a little while— to enjoy the simple pleasure of friends on a journey, teasing each other like they always had.
The group left the town behind, descending the rugged mountain pass. The frigid wind howled between the crags, and the road beneath them was uneven, a treacherous mix of ice and loose stone. Their journey was far from peaceful. As they wound their way down, the distant howl of a beast echoed through the air.
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“More trouble,” Thrax muttered, tightening his grip on his axe.
The trouble came fast. From the rocky overhang above, a trio of frostfang wolves leaped down, their white fur blending seamlessly with the snow. Their fangs dripped with freezing mist, and their glowing blue eyes locked onto the group with predatory intent.
Kael moved first, his bowstring snapping as an arrow found its mark in the lead wolf’s shoulder. It yelped but kept coming. Thrax met it head-on, swinging his axe in a wide arc that sent the beast skidding back.
Aeryn dashed forward, her rapier flashing as she struck at the second wolf, forcing it to veer off. Lorelai called upon her magic, summoning an enormous arch of crimson lightning that engulfed the entirety of the final wolf, leaving it smoldering in the snow.
Within minutes, the battle was over, the frostfangs defeated. Thrax shook the snow from his axe, breathing hard. “They’re getting bolder.”
“They’re getting hungry,” Kael corrected, retrieving his arrows.
As they pressed on, the wind carried the sound of voices ahead. They slowed their pace, listening carefully.
“…heard rumors that the Whispering Wilds are moving again, we have to enter this time.”
Lorelai exchanged a glance with her companions. They had been searching for information on the Whispering Wilds, and now they had stumbled upon it.
Rounding a bend, they came upon two travelers—a young woman and a man. The woman was strikingly beautiful, her hair an unnatural silver, her features sharp but oddly devoid of expression. She watched them with an eerie stillness. The man, tall and broad-shouldered, carried himself with a similar unnatural air.
The moment their eyes met, the woman tilted her head. “You are not human.”
Thrax arched a brow. “Neither are you.”
That seemed to break some unseen tension. The woman’s lips quirked in what might have been an attempt at a smile, though it felt oddly rehearsed. “Then we are among kin of sorts.”
Lorelai stepped forward cautiously. “You mentioned the Whispering Wilds. What do you know?”
The man crossed his arms. “That depends on why you’re asking.”
Aeryn met his gaze evenly. “Because we are searching for something that is said to be there.”
The woman studied them with intense curiosity. “Then you are either very brave… or very foolish.”
Thrax smirked. “Can’t we be both?”
The two strangers exchanged a glance before the woman spoke again. “The Wilds are not what they once were, they are part of a separate dimension the gods created. They are hidden vaults of treasure...and death. Ancient gods created them to award adventurers, to help them survive this harsh world but deadly tests and monsters await inside. If you seek it, you will not return unchanged.”
Kael frowned. “Do you know how to find it?”
The man exhaled. “We do. But the location changes frequently, and knowledge comes at a cost.”
Lorelai squared her shoulders. “Then let’s negotiate.”
The two strangers shared another unreadable glance before nodding.
The fire crackled between them, casting long shadows that danced across the crumbling stones of the ruined watchtower they used as a base for a temporary reprieve from the elements. A tense silence fell, heavy with unspoken warnings and unseen paths.
The woman extended a gloved hand. “I’m Nyra. This is Calder. We are Seekers—bound by oath and by blood to find the Gilded Hallows, a special dungeon found within this secret realm.”
Calder gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable. “You won’t buy this knowledge with coin.”
Aeryn tilted his head. “Then what is the cost?”
Nyra’s eyes flickered toward the edge of the forest, where the trees stood too still. “You assist us in conquering the Gilded Hallows dungeon. If you survive the dungeon and return... its supposed to reward you with something special to the individual. We are unsure we can complete it ourselves."
Lorelai narrowed her eyes.
Kael let out a low whistle. “Cryptic.”
Thrax crossed his arms, grin still in place. “We’ve dealt with worse bargains,we're looking for the Gilded Hallows too, though we didnt know it was a dugneon.”
“Have you?” Nyra asked softly, her gaze piercing. “The Wilds don’t just test your strength. They test your mind, your loyalty, even your memories. The gods built it that way. To weed out those who aren't worthy.”
Aeryn’s voice was quiet, but firm. “We’re not turning back.”
Nyra studied them a long moment before nodding slowly. “Very well. There is a tree—a white ash, scarred by lightning. You’ll find it at the border where the mist gathers thickest. Mark the runes we give you into its bark, and wait until moonrise. The Wilds will find you.”
Calder pulled a small pouch from beneath his cloak and handed it to Lorelai. She opened it carefully to reveal a set of etched bone tokens, each one carved with strange, looping symbols that shimmered faintly even in the dim light.
“Burn these in the ash’s roots,” Calder said. “Only then will the path open.”
Lorelai closed the pouch, nodding once. “We’ll be ready.”
Nyra’s voice turned solemn. “Be warned—if you lie to the Wilds, or enter with a selfish heart, you may never leave.”
Thrax chuckled. “Good thing we’re all saints.”
Kael elbowed him. “You’re going to get us cursed.”
They rose, tension giving way to the resolve of a decision made. The fire burned lower now, the night deepening.
As the group turned to leave, Calder called out, “One more thing—when you cross the threshold, do not look back.”
Lorelai hesitated. “Why?”
His gaze was grim. “Because the Wilds remember the shape of your soul. If you look back… it might follow you out.”
Nyra slightly eased their worries, "We shall meet again within the wilds."
class: Martial Force
Agi - 24
Will - 22
End - 21
Int- 20
Lightning Animus: Scarlet Thunderbird
Aura of Purity (Rank II)- emanate a protective aura that radiates from you granting allies protection and curing against poison, charm effects, and status ailments such as paralysis and petrification. Cures minor curses. After a meditative prayer the caster can cause a small healing instead of purification
Bolt Slash/Piercer: A slash(sword)/Punch (Spear) that sends out lightning/radiant magic attack from a weapon. Small chance of paralysis effect, duration 1.5 s
Gravity Slash/Piercer: The slash presses down, the punch presses to a wall or other object. Str of gravity effect coordinates with WILL stat.
Daylight(light magic)- illuminates dark areas, weakens undead, and dispels magical darkness below a certain level/tier
Zakir- large bolt of lightning shot with two fingers, high piercing effect
Oppression- greatly increase the gravitational force in an aoe
Gravity Centrifuge-you create a focal point to create your gravitational pull point. Any enemy within a fifteen meter radius is pulled towards the center. The closer to the center, the stronger the pull. The ball of gravity explodes at the end of the spell dealing damage proportional to proximity to the center
Repulse- can repel or pull any metal object under the effects of lightning clad
Weight Manipulation (upgrade pending)- Alter the weight of yourself or target, concentration required. Drastic changes are available at a higher tier
Spatial Storage: Provides a pocket dimension to store non-living things in, the size of the space is dependent upon your INT stat.
Rapid thrusts - Give numerous quick thrusts, number of thrusts dependent upon AGI stat power of thrust dependent upon STR stat
Dash(Rank II)- rapidly increase movement speed for up to 2 meters cd 15 seconds. Speed of dash is dependent upon AGI stat, distance is dependent upon STR stat. At a small mana cost create an after-image to confuse enemies
Counterstrike- Parry and counter strike with a higher chance to critical. crit chance dependent upon WILL stat, damage dependent upon STR
Smite(Rank II) - coats weapon in radiant energy and provides a minor heal/stamina to allies within 60 feet when an enemy is slain by smite. Radiant dmg is scaled off of STR and WILL
Affinities: holy, radiant, light, lightning, gravity, spacetime, electromagnetism
basic skills- dash unarmed combat
Swordsmanship: Diamond Cutter: Dragonslaying Sword (second form)
Spearmanship: Spear of the Divine: Precision and Punishing (second form)
unique talent - shapeshifting (human only)
