CHAPTER 2: THE ILLUSION OF THE STALKERS
The sun had begun its slow descent, casting long shadows through the towering trees. The dense forest stretched endlessly in all directions, its silence unnerving. There were no birds chirping, no rustling leaves—only the faint sound of boots crunching against the damp earth.
The group moved in formation, with the knights in the lead, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords. Lira walked beside the protagonist, her gaze scanning the surroundings cautiously. Althar, as usual, kept a few paces ahead, his presence radiating authority.
The protagonist—still shaken by the summoning—tried to process everything. Seven days to the capital. Seven days to figure out why he was here. Seven days to survive.
But something felt… off.
A creeping chill crawled up his spine, like unseen fingers brushing against his skin. His footsteps felt lighter, almost as if he was walking on air. He stopped, blinking.
Then, everything shifted.
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THE ILLUSION TAKES HOLD
The trees around him twisted unnaturally, their trunks elongating, stretching into the sky like grotesque towers. The ground beneath him rippled like water.
And then he saw them.
Skeletons.
Not the brittle, dry-boned kind that crumbled at the slightest touch, but eerie, shadowed figures with glowing hollow eyes. Their bodies flickered like mirages, their grins stretched impossibly wide.
Lira stopped mid-step, eyes widening. “No… this is—”
But before she could finish, the world shattered around them.
The protagonist found himself standing in front of his home.
The city lights flickered in the distance, the warm breeze of an evening brushing against his skin. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He could hear the faint sounds of laughter, the hum of traffic.
He was… back?
Was everything just a dream?
Confused, he stumbled forward, reaching out for the door handle.
And then—
"It’s not real."
The voice echoed, distant yet familiar. A sharp pain stabbed through his mind.
The world flickered.
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The illusion cracked.
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LIRA BREAKS THE ILLUSION
Lira clenched her staff, her hands trembling. “Stalkers,” she hissed.
These creatures weren’t normal undead. They didn’t attack with claws or weapons—they preyed on the mind, dragging their victims into an endless nightmare. If she didn’t act fast, they would be trapped here forever.
She turned, scanning the group. The knights were frozen, their eyes vacant, caught in their own hallucinations. The protagonist was reaching out toward thin air, his breathing uneven.
“No,” she muttered, gripping her staff tighter.
She slammed the base of her staff into the ground. “Lumis Dispel!”
A surge of golden light burst outward, washing over the forest like a tidal wave.
One by one, the illusions shattered. The world snapped back to reality. The twisted trees.
Reformed into their natural shapes. The distant laughter vanished, replaced by the eerie silence of the forest.
The protagonist gasped, stumbling backward, his body drenched in sweat.
“That was…” he panted, still dazed.
But before he could recover, the true horror began.
THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STALKERS
The skeletal creatures screeched as they emerged from the shadows, their hollow eyes now burning with fury.
The knights, now freed from their illusions, immediately drew their weapons. One of them swung at the nearest Stalker—only for the blade to pass right through.
“No effect?!” a knight gasped.
Lira’s expression darkened. “They’re magic-born. Physical attacks won’t work.”
A sickening laughter echoed through the trees as the Stalkers advanced.
Lira gritted her teeth. “I need time to cast the banishment spell. Protect me!”
The knights quickly surrounded her in a defensive formation, raising their shields. But without magic, they were defenseless.
And then—
A sharp whoosh cut through the air.
A silver blur shot forward.
Commander Althar.
Unlike the other knights, his sword glowed with a faint golden hue—spirit energy.
With a single swing, he cleaved through the first Stalker. The creature shrieked, its body splitting apart before dissolving into black mist.
Althar smirked. “Finally, a real fight.”
He moved like a predator, cutting through the creatures with effortless precision. His aura-infused blade struck true, sending the Stalkers screeching into the void.
Meanwhile, Lira stood in the center, eyes closed, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. A soft glow surrounded her as she chanted, her voice rising above the battle.
But the Stalkers weren’t finished yet.
One of them slipped past the knights, rushing toward Lira.
The protagonist, still breathless, saw it move—but his body wouldn’t react fast enough.
The creature lunged.
But before it could reach her—
Althar moved.
His sword pierced through the Stalker’s skull, disintegrating it instantly. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Stay out of the way, human,” he sneered at the protagonist.
The boy clenched his fists, frustration burning in his chest. He hated this.
He hated being useless.
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VICTORY AND AFTERMATH
With one final incantation, Lira slammed her staff into the ground.
“Banish!”
A massive wave of radiant energy burst from her staff, washing over the battlefield. The remaining Stalkers let out ear-piercing shrieks before they disintegrated into nothingness.
Silence fell.
The knights let out slow, shaky breaths, their grips on their swords loosening.
Lira sighed in relief. “It’s over.”
The protagonist sat on the ground, his head still spinning.
Althar sheathed his sword, his expression unreadable. “Tch. That was pathetic,” he muttered before walking away.
Lira turned to the protagonist, offering a hand. “Are you alright?”
He hesitated before taking it, pulling himself up. “…Yeah.”
But deep down, he knew the truth.
If this was just the beginning—then he was in way over his head.
The journey had only began.
End of Chapter 2