DING!
QUEST CREATED!
CALL OF THE CAPTAIN!
YOU HAVE BEEN MARKED AS ONE WHO COULD BEAR THE GARB OF CAPTAIN!
…
…
YOU MUST EARN THIS RIGHT!
THE NEXT TIME YOU ENTER THE LABYRINTH A PLOT WILL BE CREATED FOR YOU!
WITHIN THAT GATE, COMPLETE YOUR PLOT AND EARN YOUR TITLE!!
IF YOU MAKE IT TO CAPTAIN YOU WILL BE REWARDED!
…
The system pinged, popping up and Tera Nema was incensed, she hadn't even been gone from the faction for an hour. But Jazmel was creating nothing but missives and tasks for them all.
Her girls, her party members had all been sent the same system notice.
“Well the faction retainers have increased. They will need leaders to lead it.” Morwen offered and Tera Nema agreed with her. She was right after all.
“Well I am going to do it.” Myn uttered, Tera Nema turned to look at her.
“We owe him, we owe them.” she said, Tera Nema nodded, and she was right. She felt constantly bad, nobody said anything. They were nice enough towards them all. But she felt the looks on them, she felt the eyes on them when they were moving around the outpost. The main faces, the people she had seen with Jazmel in the labyrinth before he made the outpost. They were nice, they had saved them simply because they needed to be saved.
But Jazmel wasn’t that way, he had come to her when she and the others had accepted. Thanking them greatly and ensuring she knew they were safe there. But Jazmel was a good man, a good person. She knew that much, though he fought like a demon. His heart was good, and they were all under him now.
“Alright girls, we are earning our keep and then some. Figure out your plots, your needs and we get busy in the city. Meet back at the entrance in an hour? Send a swan if you get into trouble.” She commanded, they split off and she made her way into the city.
Tera Nema strode through the city and if anyone was watching her. She would like she had the heir of confidence, her Mana was pure within her. It was all to do with her build and class, she had a connection to Mana, to magic. It was what allowed her to wield her wand the way she did. It hummed with strength beside her, always providing a safe space.
She moved deeper into the city and wandered around. But the system, ever present and always providing direction appeared.
DING!
…
GARB OF THE CAPTAIN QUEST!!
…
A RANKER HAS DECIDED TO TAKE OVER THE CITY!
THE RANKER HAS DONE SO WITHOUT THE SYSTEM!
STOP HIM!
…
Tera Nema released her swans, each one fluttering like delicate paper birds, weaving through the air with uncanny precision. The message was sent. Now, all she had to do was wait.
Moments later, a sharp breeze swept past her, heralding the swift approach of Myn. The rogue slid into view with her usual silent grace, her eyes glinting with anticipation. Myn’s dark hair was tied back tightly, her expression serious, but the slight smirk betrayed her excitement.
“I knew it was something urgent,” Myn said, eyeing the surroundings cautiously. “What’s the story?”
Before Tera Nema could reply, a soft shimmer of magic swirled beside her, and Morwen stepped out from a subtle veil of illusion. Her robes fluttered gently as if she were walking out of a dream. Calm and perceptive, Morwen’s gaze swept over Tera Nema, catching the tense lines in her expression.
“We’re here. What did you find?” Morwen asked, her voice steady.
Tera Nema took a deep breath, her fingers brushing the handle of her wand for reassurance. “The system gave me a quest. It’s not just another test—it’s a real problem. There’s a Ranker trying to take over the city. The system says he’s doing it without permission, without the system’s blessing.”
Myn’s brows shot up. “A rogue Ranker? That’s not just a challenge; that’s dangerous.”
Morwen nodded, her eyes narrowing as she processed the information. “If he’s acting outside the system’s rules, he’s not going to play fair. This isn’t going to be easy.”
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Tera Nema met their gazes, her voice firm. “We have to stop him. The system wants us to handle it, and if we pull this off, we earn more than just respect. We earn our place here. No more feeling like we’re outsiders.”
Myn’s fingers twitched, as though she was ready to draw a blade at a moment’s notice. “I’m in. We owe Jazmel and the others. This is our chance to prove it.”
Morwen’s eyes softened, but her resolve was clear. “Then we need a plan. We can’t just rush in blind.”
Tera Nema nodded. “You’re right. Here’s what we’ll do.”
She pulled them into a tight circle, her voice low and focused.
“Myn, you’ll scout ahead. Find out where this Ranker is operating from. We need to know his strongholds, his defences, and if he has anyone working with him.”
Myn grinned. “Consider it done.”
Tera Nema turned to Morwen. “Morwen, you’re our best at illusions and wards. I need you to set up a way for us to move through the city unseen. We need to get close without him knowing we’re coming.”
Morwen’s eyes glowed faintly with magic. “I can do that.”
“And I’ll prepare the offensive spells,” Tera Nema said, gripping her wand tightly. “Once we know where he is and can get close, we’ll hit him hard and fast. No hesitation.”
Myn’s smirk faded into a determined smile. “We stop him, and we do it together.”
Morwen laid a hand on Tera Nema’s shoulder. “We’re with you. No matter what.”
Tera Nema looked at both of them, pride and gratitude swelling in her chest. This was her team, her family. Together, they were more than capable.
“Alright, let’s get moving. The city doesn’t have time to wait, and neither do we.”
They exchanged firm nods and split off into their roles, each step measured, each action determined. The swans had delivered the message. Now, they would deliver justice.
The narrow alleyways of the city twisted around them, cloaked in shadows that felt heavier than they should. After days of hunting, Tera Nema, Myn, and Morwen stood outside a crumbling stone estate. The windows were dark, and the air seemed to hum with a wrongness that made Tera Nema’s skin crawl. This was it—the lair of the rogue Ranker. A Seeker who had chosen power over morality.
Morwen’s voice was a whisper, but the edge of tension was unmistakable. “He’s in there. I sense the threads of magic tangled in his wards. Sloppy, but dangerous.”
Myn crouched beside her, eyes sharp as she surveyed the perimeter. “He’s barricaded himself well. Looks like he’s been expecting trouble.”
Tera Nema’s jaw tightened. He should be. The atrocities the Seeker had committed haunted every street they walked, every hushed conversation they overheard. Fear clung to the air like smoke. The people needed this nightmare to end.
“No more waiting,” Tera Nema said, determination anchoring her voice. “We’re bringing him down.”
Morwen nodded, lifting her hands as threads of light wove through her fingers. “I’ll break his wards. Be ready.”
Myn unsheathed her twin daggers, their edges gleaming wickedly. “I’m always ready.”
Morwen muttered an incantation, her eyes glowing with ethereal light. The wards flickered, resisting at first, but then shattered with a sound like glass breaking underwater. A pulse of corrupted energy spilled from the estate, foul and cold.
The moment the wards fell, Myn slipped forward, a blur of motion. She vanished into the shadows, scouting ahead while Tera Nema and Morwen stepped through the shattered threshold.
The air inside was suffocating. The faint stench of blood and decay assaulted their senses. Broken furniture and claw marks lined the walls, evidence of the Seeker’s madness.
Then, from the darkness, a voice oozed malice.
“You think you can challenge me in my own domain?”
A figure emerged from the shadows, tall and gaunt, his eyes glowing with a sickly yellow light. The Seeker’s grin was twisted, his teeth stained with old blood. His robes, once elegant, were tattered and smeared with crimson.
But he wasn’t alone, many others appeared from within the shadows. But Tera Nema wasn’t swayed or worried. Tera Nema didn’t hesitate. She raised her wand, her voice firm. “Your reign of terror ends now.”
The Seeker chuckled, a hollow sound. “Fools. You walk willingly into death.”
With a flick of his wrist, black tendrils of energy shot toward them. Tera Nema snapped her wand forward.
Wand Warfare!
Her wand moved in rapid, fluid arcs, deflecting the tendrils with pinpoint precision. Sparks of magic scattered with each strike.
“Myn, go!” she commanded.
Myn blurred into motion, dashing through the openings Tera Nema created. Her daggers flashed, and she roared.
Severance!
A surge of energy coated her blades, and she struck the Seeker’s side. Black blood sprayed as the cut tore deeper than a normal strike should.
The Seeker hissed in fury, his twisted gaze snapping to Myn. His hands crackled with corrupted magic, ready to retaliate, but Morwen was already moving.
Wrath!
She snarled, her voice vibrating with righteous fury.
A wave of crimson energy erupted from her palms, crashing into the Seeker. His body shuddered under the relentless assault, his form briefly outlined in red light as if being seared from within.
The Seeker staggered, his eyes burning with rage. “You dare—”
Inferno!
Tera Nema shouted.
A torrent of flames exploded from her wand, engulfing the Seeker in a vortex of searing heat. He screamed, his robes catching fire as the inferno licked at his corrupted flesh.
But he wasn’t finished. With a snarl, he unleashed a shockwave of dark energy that sent them stumbling back.
“Enough!” he bellowed, his form flickering with unstable power.
“Now’s the time!” Myn yelled. She lunged forward, her muscles coiling. “Savage Smash!”
Her daggers glowed, and she brought them down with devastating force, smashing through the dark energy protecting the Seeker. The impact cracked the ground beneath them, forcing the Seeker to his knees.
Morwen stepped up, eyes blazing. “Let’s end this.”
Cardinal Choler!
A brilliant red sigil formed beneath the Seeker, binding him in place. Tendrils of crimson light coiled around his limbs, drawing power from his own rage and feeding it back into him as burning pain.
Tera Nema seized the moment. Her wand glowed brightly, mana surging through her veins.
Bolt Strike!
A blinding bolt of electric energy shot from her wand, striking the Seeker dead centre. His body convulsed, his scream cut off as the energy shattered his form. His corrupted essence burned away, leaving behind only ashes.
Tera Nema whipped round, wondering if the others were going to seek revenge. But once he died, they booked it. breaking free and rushing out of the broken residence. Frayed from their fight. It was as it
The silence that followed was deafening.
Myn straightened, breathing heavily. “Is it over?”
Morwen lowered her hands, the glow fading from her eyes. “It’s over.”
Tera Nema’s shoulders sagged with relief. They had done it. The city was safe—for now.
She turned to her friends, pride swelling in her chest. “We earned this.”
Myn grinned, wiping her blades. “And we’ve only just begun.”
The three of them stepped out into the dawn light, ready for whatever came next.
The system popped up just as Tera Nema breathed a sigh of relief. Her quest completed, now she was wondering what was next.