The fractured sky above still pulsed with remnants of that eerie presence. Though the entity had vanished, its words lingered in my mind like a curse. "You do not belong here."
I let out a breath, steadying myself. The system's latest notification echoed in my head.
[Quest Updated: Prove Your Worth.]
"What does that even mean?" I muttered, running a hand through my hair. Was I supposed to find something? Defeat someone? The system loved to be cryptic, and I wasn't in the mood for guessing games.
The land ahead stretched into the unknown—a jagged terrain of broken earth, twisted trees, and distant ruins peeking through the mist. There was only one way forward.
With no immediate threats, I started walking.
The silence pressed down on me. The absence of life was unsettling, as if the world had been abandoned by all except ghosts. My own footsteps echoed unnaturally. I wasn't used to this quiet.
I sighed. "Alright, Rael. You just survived an encounter with some eldritch nightmare, got a cryptic quest update, and now you're walking alone in a land that looks like it barely remembers what the sun is. Fantastic start."
I had to admit, talking to myself helped. It kept my mind from spiraling into paranoia. Because paranoia was starting to feel like a necessity in this place.
Then, as if the world had been listening, I saw them.
A group of figures loomed in the distance, their silhouettes barely visible through the thick mist. They weren't moving—just standing there, watching.
My instincts screamed caution, but curiosity won. Weird people in a weird world? Of course, I had to check it out.
As I approached, the mist thinned, revealing them more clearly. Cloaked figures, their faces hidden beneath deep hoods, stood in a circle around what looked like a crumbling obelisk. Faint whispers carried through the air, their words unintelligible.
I slowed my steps. This didn't feel like a friendly gathering.
One of them turned their head slightly, as if sensing my presence. Beneath the hood, I caught a glimpse of an unnatural grin, too wide, too sharp.
Nope. Nope. Nope.
I took a step back, but before I could turn, one of them spoke.
"You walk without purpose, yet you demand to exist." The voice was distorted, layered.
My hand hovered near my sword. "I don't recall asking for a philosophy lesson."
Another chuckled—a hollow, rattling sound. "You seek to prove your worth. But do you even know what worth is?"
The system remained silent, offering no guidance. Of course.
I clenched my jaw. "Is this leading somewhere, or are you just here to mess with my head?"
The tallest figure stepped forward. "The forgotten do not prove their worth with blades. They walk the unseen paths."
That… sounded suspiciously like a quest requirement.
I crossed my arms. "And where exactly is this unseen path?"
The figure lifted a hand, pointing past the obelisk, where the land dipped into shadow. "Follow the road of echoes. Only then will the truth whisper its name."
I frowned. "That's really dramatic for 'go in that direction.'"
None of them reacted. I sighed. "Fine. Whatever. I'll bite."
I turned toward the path, glancing back once—but the figures were already gone, as if they had never been there.
I exhaled. "Yeah. That's not unsettling at all."
As I walked into the deepening twilight, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was stepping into something far bigger than I understood. The quest had changed, the stakes unknown. But there was no turning back now.
The unseen path awaited.
[Chapter 5 end]