Author's Note:

Thanks for the good words guys, they help me to keep motivated and sit down and write.

One of you mentioned such a thing as schedule and I thought about it hard and long. That sole word sends shivers down by back with all its horrible implications but maybe a gun to my head is exactly what I need to be able to go and write instead of sitting and watching random shows because I'm too lazy to do anything. (It happens more often than I'd like to admit.)

So for the moment I decided I'll try to keep a schedule, one of my old ones. Each Friday, at any random point in time, there should be a new chapter uploaded. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep it, a single week or couple of months, but let's try it. Some six thousand words for a week isn't too much but it does take some time if one gets stuck on some scene.

Anyway, enough with my rants. Happy reading and please say your opinions. I love to hear form you guys!

Character List

Titles and Abilities

***

Ace’s sharp hearing was the thing that saved his existence as one who lives in the shadows and yet is a welcomed sight everywhere. Even through his rush to test one of his theories on the giants king, he heard Hawk’s whispered word, or part of it.

Silver Wing.

‘I’m supposedly still dead’ Ace thought to himself as he moved upwards, dodging a chain of some guy he’d never seen before. He would have left him on his own, but being recognised he couldn’t let such a thing happen.

Before the guy took notice of him, Ace sneaked behind his back and used all his assassination skills finishing with [Heart-Seeker] infused with [Curse of the Hungry]. This gave the kid a moment to sift through the dead man’s belongings or more accurately take all them away to look through later on. Ace also picked the silver chain with daggers attached before removing the curse and letting the body disappear.

Done he looked downwards, standing on the giant’s shoulder. Electricity was tingling him but he ignored it having more pressing matters. Like putting on his mask, for example.

His group was watching him with wide eyes and undisguised fear. He was a killer, worst monster of them all.

Ace wasn’t sure how to proceed when something moved at his back and his evasion skill instantly moved him of the projectiles path. Before he had time to understand what was happening a dark blob the size of him slashed at his side. Evasion moved him off the way and Ace took out a pair of normal dagger to actually start fighting.

It was unsurprisingly frustrating against an opponent he couldn’t see.

Unable to use magic as Silver Wing was a simple assassin Ace activated [Echo]. He closed his eyes and only listened for the movements of his opponent. Slash from the left, stab coming straight, fancy footwork to get behind him and a couple slashes more. Ace dodged them all with ease, having used [Echo] for a couple of his assassination adventures, and thought he had won when he felt air under his feet.

His eyes snapped open to see that he had stepped off the giant’s shoulder trying to dodge a kick and was now quickly approaching the ground. His survival instincts kicked in and he took out the stranger’s chain, throwing the dagger at the link between the leg armour on the giant’s knee. The weapon got stuck and Ace lurched upwards, rising a few meters upwards and catching on a rocky part of the armour.

He had had enough of falling to the ground for one day.

He pulled himself up and ran upwards where the black blob was waiting for him. On his way Ace remembered where he had seen it, Nein had used it as a buff on him when they were facing Perin. With those buffs no wonder this creature, whatever it was, was in par with him and even outsmarting him.

Well, that is not going to last for long, Ace promised, clashing daggers with him again. They clanked as sparks flew and both fighters jumped backwards to stalk the other.

Ace followed the blob’s movements through both seeing and hearing but the latter was extremely hard without eyes closed; sight distracted him. Still he moved carefully in a small circle matching the blob’s movements.

From somewhere far down he heard pieces of conversation which centred around his presence here. No one was happy about it. Well, besides Lancelot. That guy was surprised but instead of feeling scared or angry, he was elated. It almost felt like he was happy that Ace had showed up.

The kid wondered how was he possibly feeling that way when his thoughts were cut off by a slash from the right. The dark blob had noticed Ace’s slight distraction and used it to the largest advantage. His attack was swift but Ace was able to deflect it.

However, it put him dangerously close to the edge of the giant’s shoulder. Without looking back Ace knew a small waver and he was going down. Again. That was an unwelcome prospect so he decided to do it himself.

Midfall he decided to us [Shadow Dash] and move towards June. She had wanted to trick him and this was going to be her reward.

He landed on top of her, crushing her to the ground. It softened his landing and stunned her so he could quickly stab her and finish off. Before anyone was able to react he snatched her things and used the dash again to move away.

Ace wanted to go for either Nein or Lancelot but he guessed it would be more trouble than it was worth. The first guy was a mystery man with skills he had no idea about while the other was a monk with unbelievably strong close combat abilities. He didn’t fancy facing them on equal footing.

“Par go back!” Monthu shouted out as Ace founded himself some ten meters away from the kid. ‘Dammit’ Ace muttered in his head as he jumped for the kid’s head. Thankfully, he was intercepted by a swordsman with bright green hair.

‘That was close’ Ace though as he dodged an attack from the right, stabbing with his own right. The guy blocked it with his scabbard and aimed for Ace’s unprotected side. The kid was forced to deflect it with the left hand which made him cross his hands and that was very bad.

He used [Shadow Dash] to get away but the guy dashed after him. Ace evaded taking a step backwards and then slashed at the guy. It was blocked but Ace specifically aimed for it and used his free hand to sneak in an attack.

It would have been a perfect hit had an arrow not burrowed into his hand, making the shoulder move backwards from the impact and lose the momentum. Ace’s deadly hit was turned into nothing but a scratch on the opponent’s leather armour.

And it wasn’t over yet. Before Ace could rethink his plan and maybe make his way out, a flash of blinding golden light assaulted his eyes making him momentarily sightless. [Echo] saved his life, warning him about the new opponent coming from the back.

Ace rolled to the right, and then again when an arrow followed by a slash of a sword landed where he had been not a second ago. He used his dash again and threw some poisoned daggers but they were all blocked by an invisible shield.

A scream of fury came from his back, warning Ace on time of a giant axeman coming from his back. The guy was huge even in human standards so he towered over the kid like a giant, his weapon’s blade three times the size of the kid’s head.

Ace didn’t like the idea of fighting the guy one versus one but he wasn’t given a choice. The huge man came at him with bloodshot eyes, grumbling some nonsense and swinging his weapon in wide arcs, trying to split the kid in two.

Ace decided to rely on [Evasion] to survive until he could think of a plan to escape this predicament. He had a feeling one attack from this monster and he would be sent to the respawn place with a check for a twenty-four hour holiday.

The swings were strong and uncharacteristically swift for such a mountain but quite monotonous and soon Ace would have fallen into a rhythm of dodging, without even needing to pay attention to it, but an arrow came which he evaded by a hair’s breath. Soon they were coming quickly one after the other, right where Ace would have to dodge. He was forced to choose whether he wanted to get hit by an arrow or stuck by an axe.

It wasn’t hard to guess what he chose. He received several hits but were lucky enough to be able to block a couple more arrows. He was afraid his daggers would break after meeting the axe and the thing would continue its swing at him without even slowing down.

Another flashing light came and a ball of fire followed by some holy light descending from the sky. It didn’t do too much damaged since he had a word good in his alignment but it chipped at his health none the less. It was going down little by little and he wasn’t gaining any ground or achieving anything at all.

The rapid strikes came at him repeatedly while long ranged players supported from the back. Ace didn’t have time to think of any plan! If he wasted even a milisecond, he was going down instantly. There were just too many things coming to claim his life all the freaking time.

Something had to change.

Dodge to the right and block an arrow. Roll forward, wait a second and roll backwards. Jump to your feet and spin kick the huge man in the side so he’d waver. Evade his sloppy swing, move backwards to dodge the light hammer and duck so the fireballs and one more arrow passes over you.

Wince as blood rushes from the wound on your back the dark blob had just made , and again when you only half-deflect the green hair’s curved blade. Move forwards to step in the huge guy’s personal space so he can’t attack you with his axe, use him to block a couple of arrows and jump backwards before you’re squished by giant hands.

Ace’s eyesight begun to blur as he continued to get hurt and lose health. There was just no way to escape. The huge guy followed him with a madman’s persistence, long ranged attacks came whenever he was not hidden behind the giant’s frame and if he left even a slight opening green hair and blob moved in on him, dealing damage and then leaving before the huge guy caught up.

Every time he moved all of them matched his pace, they were like a well oiled machine that was made for hunting. He was slowly being bled out while his strength was going out of him with the last bits of his stamina. If not [Last Stand], he wouldn’t even be able to stand by now. Assassins were never known for being any good in drawn out fights.

“I need a way out” he whispered to himself as his mind was going blank from the exhaustion. Something had to be done for him to survive this, but what.

He clumsily dodged an axe, opening himself for an arrow, fireball and a holy cross. They hurt like hell and a grunt escaped Ace’s lips as he desperately moved closer to the axeman so the other two would not make their move. He had to do something! He screamed that at himself but it didn’t change the present. He was still stuck in a horrible position with no way out.

Something flashing red caught his eyes and for the cost of another fireball he learnt that he had some seven percent health. It was past something nature could heal. He needed to drink some potions and now. But there simply wasn’t time. If he even tried to open the bag, it would have been all time they’d need to finish him off. He was a hit or two, depending on whose, from death.

To top it off he was even bleeding internally so if the fight dragged out, he’d fall and without receiving a single hit more.

Ace felt like a dead man walking, slow, useless and doomed, so as one in his position should he went for suicidal tactics. He rushed towards the large guy, jumped on his weapon and used [Shadow Dash] to get as far away from where he had been as he could.

It wasn’t as far as he would have liked, but since he was improvising it didn’t really matter. He rushed towards the middle of the group, slashing right and left with his poisoned daggers ignoring the sounds of his pursuers at the back. The axeman couldn’t swing his weapon freely here if he didn’t want to injure his comrades and the ranged attackers were vulnerable from up close.

His poison was quick to find its way to the hearts of Lana and some golden female so Ace finished them off even if he knew it gave the others time to regroup. He couldn’t let them keep so many healers slash ranged mages.

He turned to go for Hawk or Aurora but found Monthu in front of himself instead. There was presence of three more people surrounding him from the back. He was getting circled so he used his dash forward to escape it and stopped besides Nein. However, his attack was blocked by a mountain of armour that materialised in front of him.

Ace dropped the idea of going that way and saw only Par and Skele undefended. It was something horrible but he did have a reputation to uphold. Yet ten skeletons went for him before he could get anywhere near them. He turned to run but there Monthu with his gang of meele fighters and armoured mountain with green hair on the right, blob and some youth on the left.

He was thoroughly and utterly surrounded.

Ace took a deep breath and smiled. He was Silver Wing and even if winning was nowhere in sight, he had to keep his façade. He was a mad man, one that sought reaper on regular basis to show him a new harvest. He was friends with death. So he couldn’t be afraid.

Or at least couldn’t show it.

He slowly moved into a crouching position with his head held high and a mocking smile on his face. It was laughing at their concentration, at how much they had to spend to fight a single him and how much they were afraid. His eyes were telling pretty much the same with pride shining brightly at the top. He pulled his head backwards and laughed heartily as his health fell to three percent, it was hard to say of whose blood there was more on his clothes, theirs or his.

Kalin twitched, surprised, and jumped to shatter Ace’s skull but the kid was hoping for exactly that. He used the sudden opening in the circle to jump through and ran to the giant.

His speed was slow and gait unnatural but he made do hiding behind the creature while the group cautiously chased after him. They wasted just enough time for him to throw the chain with a dagger at the edge of the cave and climb upwards, powered by desperation and fear. A fireball caught him in the shoulder when he was almost there and Ace felt the last of his strength fade away.

The chain slipped through his hands and he almost fell, catching himself a moment before it was too late. He crawled deeper inside, hardly able to move. One percent.

He lay there for a moment, breathing heavily before using his remaining energy to open the bag and take out a bottle with crystal clear water inside. He drank it, spilling more than a half as his hands failed him.

Ace closed his eyes and stayed there waiting for his end to come, but as luck would have it, it never came for him. His health and mana regenerated at a decent speed if you took in the fact he had only taken in a couple sips while no one from the group had dared to follow him up here.

“Cowards... Cowards all of them...” Ace muttered to himself, sitting slowly. His health might have regenerated but his brain needed time to get around the fact that it wasn’t dying. He could still feel his muscles straining and the hardness to breath even if he knew it was only in his mind. “They missed such a chance. What cowards...”

He waited a couple more minutes before standing up and hidden beneath his [Shadow Veil] going to the edge to watch what was happening below.

The group seemed to be in hot dispute over something while the skeletons kept the giant at bay. ‘That’s why they could fully focus on me’ Ace thought angrily to himself. ‘I seriously hate you, Skele. Weren’t you supposed to lose power after giving me Mystic eyes?’

He saw Kalin stalk angrily away and in a few moments, after a few words to the rest of the group, Monthu followed him. The group went to engage the dragon with the tactic they had used previously, not fearing the electricity as Nein had given them resistance against it.

Ace was interested where was Monthu and Kalin going so he carefully made his way down and followed them from the distance. They walked to the edge of the large cavern where they couldn’t be seen behind the rocks and stopped.

“What is your problem?” Kalin asked. “Go play the hero, everyone seems to like you good enough again.”

“Again? What are you talking about?” Monthu asked standing some good ten feet away from the angry axeman. He had followed him in hope to talk him into returning as the guy seemed to have a problem with him, but he was starting to think it was a pointless act. The guy was mad about something and didn’t seem to want to calm down.

“Really? You don’t remember me?” Kalin laughed with a cruel note to it. “I’m not even surprised. I knew you were the lowest of the low when you stole my rightful place as the expedition’s leader, I knew it when you were too scared to fight me for it and I know it know. You’re such a weakling!”

Monthu at first wanted to say the guy was mistaken but then from the corner of his mind a memory rose. He was watching a tournament with his friends, brother and Ace when he was called out to lead the force to reclaim Vascas castle. The winner of the tournament hadn’t been too happy about it and Monthu could remember the lord having had to suppress him with the guards.

“It wasn’t I who chose to lead the expedition” Monthu said in a calm tone with little to no emotion in his voice.

“Yeah, right” Kalin chuckled. Monthu didn’t answer anything so he continued. “ You couldn’t win so you cheated. It’s a good skill for someone as weak as you but that time you crossed the wrong guy.

And without wasting any more breath Kalin dashed at Monthu with some kind of skill, slashing at his chest. Monthu was too late to react so his armour was cut and his health dropped to half instantly. He swung his scythe now but it wasn’t much of use. Kalin took a large step back, laughing cruelly. “Weakling” he said to him before going in again.

This time Monthu was prepared and blocked the swing, catching it between the blade and staff of his scythe, like that he tried to wrench the weapon from his opponent’s hands but to no avail. It seemed all those levels gained here didn’t strengthen him as much as he had believed. Or maybe it had been Nein’s buffs that were wearing out one by one.

Kalin used more force and with superior strength pulled his weapon closer along with Monthu who didn’t see a good reason to release his own.

It was a mistake he noticed all too late.

The axeman dropped his weapon and used a small dagger attached to his belt. He stabbed it into Monthu’s side as he tried to move away, having abandoned the idea of keeping his weapon. He was defenceless now, he knew that, but without looking around he also knew there wasn’t anything to save him here.

It didn’t take long for Kalin to understand that and he took small steps towards Monthu at leisurely pace. “Ha! The great commander going down so easily! What would all your soldiers think if they saw you now?”

“How did I gain so many levels so quickly” Monthu answered with a look that was half mocking, half serious. He was mad in truth, at himself for following this madman, for being unable to defeat him but mostly for leaving Par alone while this guy was around. The only thing that kept him feeling somewhat okay was that Ace was coming back soon and he had told the necromancer to care for the kid or something as the mage was always close to him.

Kalin didn’t like the answer.

He used his punches to express that. Monthu tried defending but for the first time in the game he felt what difference in levels meant. All his skills were easily intercepted while he could barely follow Kalin’s with naked eye. His punches took ten percent of his health with each direct hit even if he tried to avoid them desperately. He guessed Kalin had put almost all of his points into strength with only a few in agility while he had been balancing between strength, agility and vitality to be able to function as a damage dealer and a tank for his group.

In moments, he was dying with health below ten percent and no one to see him. He wondered what devil had tempted him to follow the guy far enough so even their weapons clashing wouldn’t be heard through the Harp’s music and behind the rocks too. He deserved that for being so stupid Monthu decided trying to evade the last punch and knowing he won’t be able to.

To his surprise it never came.

“Whaa?” Kalin whispered before him, a trickle of blood running down his mouth.

Then he fell with a heavy thump, Monthu barely managed to take a step back to not be squashed down.

When he raised his head he saw a kid standing over the body with long crimson hair and black robes covered with dried up blood. It looked extremely filthy and reeked. Monthu took a step back to get some fresh air and get a better look at his saviour. He knew better than to call him that, he was probably going to be the next victim of him but for the moment it was truth.

As if reading his mind, the person raised his head and looked straight at Monthu with eyes the colour of wine. They weren’t red but not violet either. His mask was very simple with only a few artful lines around the eyes and two going from the uppercheeks to near the ears. Mouth wasn’t covered and from it Monthu knew the guy was young. It was a child’s face, made older by crimson hair falling over his shoulders.

That however, was strange. Hadn’t their attacker had short, blood glued hair?

“How does it feel to be betrayed by one’s you should be trusting?” Silver Wing, one who was feared by half the game’s population asked in a conversational tone.

“He was not a friend of mine” Monthu said carefully, watching the body of Kalin with a strange fascination. It was supposed to turn into grey mist and disappear but the assassin seemed to have found a way to preserve it somehow.

“And yet you fought by his side and entrusted him your life in battle. Isn’t that the same as saying you believe in him? You even followed him to this remote place” Wing shifted his head as if puzzled as he said that.

Monthu had nothing to say to that so he sat down and looked for a potion in his backpack, of course it was empty after having been fighting for hours and days. “I doubt you’ll let me go to my friends so they can heal me?” he asked without really expecting anything, maybe only to anger the guy.

But Wing didn’t seem to really care that he wanted to leave so quickly. He smiled as if that was the most usual thing in the world and motioned with his head for him to leave.

It took Monthu a whole minute to take in the fact that the notorious assassin was letting him go. Or was that a trap? What could he gain by returning him to the group?

“You don’t seem in a hurry” the assassin noted as he took a step to the edge of the fallen rock formation and looked what was happening on the other side. “I can say your friends are doing quite well, or are they not your friends too?”

“Not all of them” Monthu answered standing up and walking in a wide circle around the killer to leave the rocks.

Wing snickered at that. “You know if I wanted to kill you, that distance wouldn’t mean a thing to me, right?”

“I’d rather not risk it” Monthu answered as he took a step out. “But why are you letting me out? Aren’t you bent on killing every human being you find yourself near?”

The eyes darkened as Wing smiled dryly. “Not every, just all the bastards that would lie and betray, kill and hurt for nothing more than to get revenge or further their own needs.”

“Aren’t you doing exactly the same as them?”

“That’s the point” the young man answered with mockery in his eyes. “Now go before I change my mind. You might have been betrayed this time so I’ll leave you alone but know that next time, you’re back to being just another person and its in human nature to hurt others intentionally or not.”

Monthu took another step away. “So you think you’re some kind of avenger or a hero?”

Wing laughed humourlessly. “Avenger? Don’t make me kill you. I’m just another bloody murderer without conscience but with a soft spot for idiots who get themselves betrayed.” Month nodded and turned to leave when Wing added. “And don’t waste your time trying to lure me out with it. I’m smarter than to act the hero.”

A shiver ran down Monthu’s body from the way the last word had been said. It was filled with so much hatred, disgust and painful mockery he wasn’t sure how it all fit within.

Half way down to his group he turned around but the assassin was gone, faded into shadows somewhere. He wondered what all of this had been about but put it for later examination. He waved for Aurora who noticed him and threw a couple heals his way and then turned to the giant king. The guy was even more enraged now and there was fire coming from his fingertips.

“What happened to you?” Aurora asked worried as he came closer but he dismissed it with a wave. “What changed since I left?” he asked her instead.

Ace let her answer go through his one ear and leave the other as he stayed in the shadow of two large fallen stones. They made for good cover and were close enough for him to hear the group’s conversations even through the clamour of battle. He scratched his head, moving the fake hair slightly as it made his skin itch. Wig had been an ingenious idea but he had never expected for it to be so uncomfortable.

That brought him back to the question whether it had actually been a good idea to help Monthu out. At first glance it had seemed like the stupidest of things to do, he would risk his secret identity which was the main power behind his character for what? Helping out his friend which didn’t even count him a friend and wouldn’t recognise him? One who had tried to kill him not twenty minutes ago?

But this reminded him that Monthu had been the reason he’d survived. If not the guy’s cautiousness, the group would have chased after Ace and killed him without a doubt. Of course, it would have been better for them but they didn’t knew it was him they were facing. Normal people, unlike Ace, prepared plans before going in and made their ways out and that’s what kind of a person Silver Wing seemed to be. Monthu had made a smart decision based on what he knew, it just didn’t mean it had been the right one.

Yet no matter what it had saved Ace’s life and he always repaid his debts.

On top of that he didn’t expect to keep his identity secret forever. It could stay that way for another month, maybe a year or two but like all secrets he was sure it would be found out one way or another and when that happened he didn’t want to have to explain anything. Monthu was the guy who could forgive anything but hurting those he cared about. Ace had to be sure that Wing never killed anyone from the group or left them, when he could have helped, or he would be out before he could count to three.

That added with his debt had made him leave his hiding place and engage in conversation. He had spouted some nonsense, he wasn’t even sure about any longer and now only hoped Monthu wouldn’t share it to everyone. The guy himself didn’t look like a chatterbox but if he told his team mates Ace was sure Hawk would post all the information online in a heartbeat.

It had been dangerous business and Ace wondered how anyone could not recognise him under his mask but it was like an impenetrable disguise somehow. He scratched his head again, positioning the stupid wig better. It was itchy and the hair fell in his eyes, obstructing his view horribly as he moved. He wondered how could anyone fight with long hair. It seemed impossible to him.

A sound of metal gears shifting reached his ears, yet when he looked around nothing seemed to be out of place. Monthu had borrowed a broadsword from someone and was rushing to hack at the giant, who was growing more crazy by the second even though his health wasn’t dropping that fast. In truth, the adventurers had barely made a dent in his large health pool.

Ace decided to test out his suspicions again but this time to go a bit more sneakily about it. He climbed the wall closest to the giant king, keeping himself in the shadows of the light provided by one of the priestesses, and, when he was high enough, jumped onto its shoulder. Instantly he sneaked behind the neck, so out of everyone’s view, and searched for something out of place.

At first everything seemed normal enough; stone armour, hard skin and so on but quickly enough he noticed a strange scar that looked almost like a crack in the stone. Ace took out one of the stronger daggers and used the blade to widen the gap. It didn’t give way and the kid was about to give up when his hand slipped and instead of sideways he pushed the dagger upwards.

It didn’t do much but the stone underneath him groaned and lifted slightly. Ace smiled victoriously at that little achievement and went on to push and pull around the crack until it gave way and opened up.

To the kid’s horror the entrance had the width of his head. If he had been a cat, it might have been fine, but he wasn’t. There was no way he could get inside. He would have to break the stone to get in and that was not the way of assassins. His daggers would rather break than achieve that kind of task.

Ace hissed in anger and disappointment before thinking up a way to flush out those that were inside. He took out a couple elixirs of his and threw them in. One was pure acid that ate through anything and the other alcohol which he lit up with [Flare] the moment it landed on something. Flame caught up soon and Ace could see the inside of the giant which was nothing what it should.

There were dozens of wheels there with little frogs jumping around in panic. They were releasing painful crying noises as they burned and scrambled around to escape. Of course, the only way out was where Ace sat and watched the whole show. He didn’t plan to intercept the creatures, fighting his group once a day was more than enough for his tastes, but he planned to find out what this quest had been all about.

Frogs jumped from the burning stone robot landing on the ground before the stunned adventurers and rolled around to doze off the flames. A few seemed to be mages as they casted something and a little cloud rose over the twenty something frogs and started raining. All of them sighted in relief before raising their heads and understanding they were in deep trouble.

“What is this?” Aurora asked in horror, taking some fifty steps back. There was a spell of holy hammer on her lips.

The rest had been rendered speechless as their opponent giant turned motionless after a bunch of frogs jumped from its head. And before they could react; do or say anything, Aurora killed the small creatures. She might not have been a battle priestess but her holy magic was enough to kill a couple of disgusting frogs who disappeared leaving no items behind.

Ace wondered why did she hate them so much but knew it was something she more than likely wouldn’t share so he opened the quest menu instead. What lies had appeared there now if any?

*Reclaiming Home

Frog people were forced out of their place by giants and their pets. Because they’re lacking physical power, they’ve tasked you with fighting for them. If you succeed, you’ll be the hero of frog people.

You can invite up to ten people to aid you in this mission.

*Quest Difficulty: C

Quest Reward: two items from the treasury to each person

Eternal gratitude of frog people.

Update1: You have found the Field of Nara which should have housed the remainder of frog people. There are signs of them having lived there, burial ground, pieces of broken items, but everything is very old. It doesn’t seem like anybody entered this place for the last couple of ages.

Upadate2: You swam in the lake of Glu. It restored your health and mana almost instantly. The water there must be blessed. What could be the power of the two plants that can live there? And how can a race having an unlimited supply of this water could be exterminated?

Update3: You have entered the Pit of Despair. It stinks of blood and death but there are traces of frogs here too, although not in the way expected. Those red walls are pictures showing the history of frogs. To your surprise it tells that the frogs have been gone for more than a couple of ages. Long before the giants came to this place. Had you been tricked or is this story a lie?

Update4: You have found a book containing the history of snakes throughout the ages. They seem to have been friends of frogs before something happened separating the two races and starting a war. The snakes seem to have lost but the pages of battles are kind of hazy. Did the frogs really lose or something has happened to make them go extinct? And by the way whose that frog calling himself prince? It is getting pretty obvious he omitted a lot of truths.

Update5: You have stumbled upon the Sacrificial Dagger. There’s a children’s tale that frog people hold a ritual every month for people that do not follow set rules. They are then brought to a certain room where they are strapped to the altar and sacrificed using this particular dagger. Blood that runs down the sides of the altar collects in the bowl like indentation on the ground. At the end of the ceremony the priest washes his hands in it and all the believers come over to take a sip.

Update 6: You have found the cursed cellar. Many have lost their lives here so could this be the ritual room? There’s no altar here but a bookcase and a small canal for water. Does it smell like blood?

Update 7: You have found out the secret of the frogs and that they had a giant king built by the gnomes to become the rulers of the mountain. It shows you’re a smart one but not quick enough. “Monsters banished from this world, take souls of those who’ve died today and feast upon them. Let their sacrifice not be in vain and rise from your long sleep. Your Medusa’s eyes shall turn their enemies to stone and dragon sharp claws slash their insides open. You’re the rulers of this world so rise and take your rightful place, the souls of today’s fallen shall be your first meal and reminder of who you protect...”

It took Ace a long time to notice that it wasn’t his own inner voice chanting the spell but someone from outside. His eyes quickly found the culprit as the frog prince stood on one of the highest fallen stones with his head bowed in the general location of the adventurers.

Ace didn’t think much and simply threw one of his daggers. It pierced the frog’s heart, who turned into a snake before disappearing, but it looked to have been too late. His spell had made the cavern grow chilly and it felt like there was an unseen presence of something floating around. Something huge, old and dangerous.

In another moment the ten giant rings Monthu had been carrying left his bag, glowing a faint yellow. They intercepted each other to form a skeleton of a ball and then started to spin so fast there didn’t seem to be any space between them. And just as suddenly as they had started, they stopped. Or it. There strangely seemed to be only one very large ring through which a different dimension could be glimpsed.

Ace could see something moving there. It was trying to get out but was too fat, only parts of its large body could be seen as the creature tried to squeeze through in any way possible. It would have been funny had it been not such a dire situation. Ace had a feeling if this creature escaped the whole world would be put in peril, not only their kingdom. Although, it would be the first one to fall.

He though about trying to hit the ring with his daggers but it seemed like a bad plan even to him. Magic rarely went well when interrupted and more often than not it exploded on such occasions. Or was that a good thing? Ace asked himself as he readied a dagger.

He wasn’t the only one with such thoughts. Hawk’s arrows hit against the golden ring, shaking it. The image within rippled and dark creatures rushed out. They were spectre like with greyish bodies and shrieking voices, flying high over the heads of everyone and escaping though the walls.

Ace wanted to cover his ears and get out of here but he doubted it was the best course of action so he just threw his dagger at the ring. It wavered, stopping to release the monsters out but then only intensified the process as if something within was hurrying them. Ace decided to do exactly that too and started throwing his daggers as if there was no tomorrow. Hawk did the same followed by others, and soon their efforts were rewarded.

The ring shuddered for the last time, dividing into ten of different size, and fell from the air. The parts landed some hundred meters away from the adventurers and lay there innocent and harmless looking, reflecting the soft light of someone’s spell. You could never tell they had just been used to try to summon a creature that could threaten the whole world.

Ace made his way downwards from the giant and went to the remains of the frog/snake that had given him the quest. There was nothing but a bottle of ink, scroll and some faded parchment left of him. Ace picked the items and rushed to the pit. He jumped in, waiting for the dirty water to meet his body. It didn’t make him wait long and the kid felt his whole body being enveloped in some putrid, slime green water.

He would have liked to not have to swim in it again but it was the easiest way out and he wanted to see the lake of Glu again. It had strong magical powers and was amazing for relaxing one’s tired body and mind.

He raised his head to take a couple huge gulps of air and dived in. He swam for almost a minute before another place to get air showed up. It was stale and smelled, but still full of oxygen so Ace breathed it in and continued on his journey. He had to make five more stops before he emerged in a cave that after a turn led to the Field of Nara where the lake was.

The place was deathly silent. There hadn’t been any creatures here before either, but somehow it felt different now. He walked slowly to the lake, his dagger at ready, but it wasn’t an enemy he found. The lake had crimson red streaks running from somewhere at the bottom. They were spreading slowly and engulfing more of the place with each passing moment.

Ace walked where the water was still crystal blue and took a sip. It still had the taste of summer and happiness in it. It also restored all his energy; health, mana and stamina. It felt as if he had been born anew.

He took out the rest of his empty bottles, ten or so, and filled them with the miracle water. He put them near the others in his bag and marvelled for a moment at his collection. Ace was pretty sure he was the only person in the kingdom who had it and he had around fifty bottles of it stored with twenty close to him for instant use.

It is unknown how long he would have stared at them if not the sound of footsteps entering his cavern. He was too late to hide but didn’t feel like meeting and most likely getting into a fight so he jumped into the lake and quickly swam to the the other side where some small undergrowth grew. He walked out dripping wet and escaping from sight behind the bushes activated [Shadow Veil].

With it active Ace sneaked out and made his way back around the lake where he had originally stayed. It was the safest place as nobody would expect him to return into a place which had no way of hiding someone.

From there he watched as Lancelot made his way in, followed by Monthu and Nein, the three were drenched like rats and smelt like they had just left the sewers. Ace could feel the stench twenty meters away.

They entered cautiously, their heads twisting here and there, searching for him. “I think I saw something red diving into the water” Monthu noted as they went closer. Lancelot nodded in agreement while Nein only took in his surroundings. “It’s a very old cave and I don’t think anyone’s explored it yet” he said, taking a step to the wall. He touched it gently while others eyed him suspiciously.

Lancelot just shook his head and moved towards the lake. “I believe this is the lake I was searching for! I can save the town from the sickness now!” he said hopefully, walking swiftly.

However, his hope died on his face when he noticed what was happening to the lake. It was being polluted on quickening pace; there was little to no clear water left.

He fell on his knees before it, staring in horror. Nein came to see what was happening. He didn’t seem too displeased and put his finger in the water, drawing it out swiftly as if burned. “It’s like acid” he murmured taking out a bottle and filling it. Water swirled for a moment inside before dissipating into steam and rising to the top of the cave. “What a curious defensive mechanism,” muttered Nein trying some different vials to no avail.

“You’re an alchemist, right?” Lancelot asked turning to him with his hope born anew. He didn’t wait for the answer. “Can you clean it? How long would it take? Can you clean the lake in a week? I need to get the medicinal herb by then!” He looked like a small child begging for a miracle he knew was above human power but still tried.

Nein didn’t take time to crush his dreams. “Not even in a year. This lake will be empty in five hours and do you think anything could survive such strong acidic substance? Your herbs are long dead.”

Lancelot’s face fell as he heard the news. “This cannot be!” he hissed to no one in particular, moving towards the wall and hitting it with full power. It cracked from the blow but Lancelot didn’t seem to be satisfied. He kept on muttering how this wasn’t fair and hitting the wall again and again until it fell, revealing one of the tunnels used by the snakes. He went to another wall then to continue venting his frustration out.

Ace smiled at that. The guy had annoyed him with all that children business and now he paid the price. It was a fitting end to him.

“Do you have an idea what could have happened here?” Monthu asked Nein, who had a thoughtful expression on his face. The guy looked at him and after a moment said “I think you can guess yourself, the assassin poisoned the holy lake with the blood of innocents. You can hear their screaming if you listen carefully.”

‘Whoops’ Ace though as he listened in. There was the sound of four hearts beating, wind blowing through some tunnel in the east but nothing more. He wondered whether it had been an expression of Nein’s speech or could he really hear spirits. It sounded very realistic when he remembered how the guy had seen him as one.

Monthu nodded and turned towards Lancelot with a heavy sigh. “We need to bring him back” he said without really taking a step forward to act on it. Nein seemed to agree but he was no more eager to have a chat with a furious monk than the scytheless scytheman. “Maybe I should lead everyone here with my spirits and then this guy’s team mates can pick him up?” he asked after they stood silently for some five minutes.

He had the leader’s consent in moments and Ace watched as the black blob materialised before Nein. The guy ordered him to bring the other back through the tunnels and the creature used some skill to dash forward, blinking from sigh before reappearing some ten meters away.

It took the group a long while so Ace grew bored and made his way out from the cavern. He met them face to face but his veil kept him hidden from untrained eyes. He waited for them to pass him and made his way outside the dungeon.

Before he could take a breath of fresh night air, he was barricaded by a mountain of messages all originating from a guy named L. He shook his head annoyed but called the guy none the less.

“What do you want?” he asked him.

“When did you have time to travel to Kallamore kingdom? Wait don’t answer that, better say where you are now” the guy said. He talked quickly with his usual business tone but there was tiredness in his voice.

“In Mora. Did something happen?” Ace asked sitting down on the rock in the mists. It was a bit cold there but not too much.

“Remember the guy named Morion?”

Ace thought for a moment. The name sounded familiar but he didn’t really know from where. “Maybe..?”

There was a sigh from another end of the conversation. “He’s the lord that is trying to eat me up and one I told you to find dirt on” L sounded even more tired than he had previously. It was the main feeling coming from him instead of anger or disappointment.

“What happened?”

“His power is extending more than I had predicted. He took over the city we’d been in previously, where I had won over the priest. The city was devoured and the guy is at my door now, even Vascas castle is under political attack.”

Ace winced for the guy; he was in a big hole. It was no surprise he was lacking in sleep. “Is there any chance for you?”

L laughed. “Thanks for the good word” he coughed.

“Did you catch a cold?”Ace asked in wonder. How could a lord with all his riches get sick?

“Leave me be. I need your group to come here and start working under me. I’ll pay you handsomely so it should be fine. There will be some silly missions of hunting monsters and passing messages and in exchange you’ll go to Vascas and say to the leader’s that you work for me as it’ll be truth. Does that sound okay?”

Ace doubted Monthu would ever agree to serve anyone in a game but he didn’t want to destroy L’s last pieces of hopes. He wasn’t that cruel. “Maybe. Why you need it?”

“It was told that mercenaries saved the castle and I have no right to ask for anything from the survivors. If you work for me, I’ll have the eternal loyalty of the leader there and that’s something I really need at the moment.”

“I’ll bring it up to the group.” Ace answered. “Is there anything else you might need of me?”

There was silence for sometime before L cursed under his breath. “I shook my head. There’s nothing you can do. Or wait yo-”

His words were interrupted by a large message window appearing before Ace’s eyes. He wondered how L knew it showed up for him and he was about to ask when he read the text. “Oh, damn...” he murmured.

*Beast from the Greater Realm

Young adventurers looking for hidden treasures and unsolved mysteries had stumbled upon one. Without knowing better they allowed the circle of summoning to work its magic, releasing an evil from another plane of existence. The creature called upon was too strong to get through so it separated itself into smaller forms which flew out into the four directions.

Now they travel the world, hunting and gaining power to reach the state where they could combine into one again. You have six months while they hunt and two more till they find each other. If they manage to combine, you should start praying as the world will become a much darker place.

Participants are all that live in this world, no matter the kingdom or land.

Quest Difficulty: S+++

Quest Reward: The continent continues to exist under the rightful rule of all the races and doesn’t get overrun by monsters from other realms

Ghost Parts eradicated: 0/666*