A potent odor of decay ushered me into the veiled chamber, instantly unleashing a surge of revulsion in my senses. The room was close and menacing, its walls seeming to exude an energy so malign that it was palpable.
Grotesque forms of shadows pirouetted upon the stone canvases, their eerie dance stirring a cocktail of fear and fascination within me.
In a shadowy corner, a solitary elderly figure huddled, his gaunt visage and wild eyes were a testament to relentless torment. His eyes seemed bottomless wells of despair, their emptiness revealing a dreadful descent into madness.
The room hummed with an inexplicable dread, echoes of bygone horrors and unseen abominations pervading the stale air, sending icy tendrils of fear coursing down my spine.
Maintaining a cautious berth, I was acutely aware of the room's oppressive weight, its tangible dread worming its way into my thoughts. My gaze was inexorably drawn to the elderly figure.
His endless ramblings ricocheted off the cold stone walls, an ominous chant that betrayed his obliviousness to my presence. I felt a primal urge to tread lightly, a disquieting mix of wanting to reach out to him and to maintain a prudent distance.
A glimmer of familiarity caught my eye, emanating from a broken sword lying nearby. Guided by an instinctive compulsion, I summoned my Cosmic Lore skill. A flood of data unfurled before my eyes, painting a detailed analysis of the intriguing artifact.
[Sanity reduced by 1]
[Cosmic Lore Activated]
[Analysis in progress...]
[Interference detected… Unable to complete analysis]
Name:
Aldrich Percival Ravenshaw
Class:
[][]
Level:
[][]
Experience:
- / -
Sanity:
1 / 170
Strength:
75 / 200
Agility
35 / 150
Intellect:
9 / 100
Wisdom
10 / 100
Charisma:
8 / 100
Perception
9 / 100
Fortitude:
56 / 200
Special Ability
[][] [] [] Creation:
Abily to create a pre br where no malt ents c er, sg a a se hn for ry and p**g.
[][][][][][] []:
[][] [] [] AB@[].
Inherit Weakness
[][][] Surge:
[][] [][]][]
A profound realization struck me. This man, Aldrich, was integral to the narrative of the game, his survival and sanity pivotal to the story. His almost depleted sanity level was a brutal reminder of his endured torment, igniting in me a potent rush of empathy.
Summoning my resolve, I murmured the incantation for my Ethereal Emancipation skill. The oppressive gloom of the room seemed to ripple in response, an undercurrent of hope briefly punctuating the overwhelming dread.
"Atash-Na...N'gha...Ya...N'ghft."
[Ethereal Emancipation Activated]
As the invocation of the Ethereal Emancipation skill echoed in the stifling chamber, I watched Aldrich intently, each tick of the second feeling like an eternity. The room, suffused with an oppressive aura moments ago, seemed to hold its breath, waiting, anticipating.
Aldrich's eyes, previously lifeless, stirred with a fleeting spark. The echo of my plea seemed to reverberate in his consciousness, bringing a brief pause to his ceaseless muttering. A flicker of recognition passed across his hollow gaze before it vanished, shrouded once more in the depths of his madness.
Yet, the shift in the room was perceivable. The stifling weight of despair began to wane, a ripple of hope subtly coursing through the stale air.
[Ethereal Emancipation**: Effectiveness analysis in progress...]**
The hum of my Cosmic Lore skill provided an unsettling soundtrack, its calculation working to analyze the effectiveness of my Ethereal Emancipation.
"Fight it, Aldrich!" I urged, injecting my words with as much conviction as I could muster. "You are more than this… this prison. You are not a pawn of this narrative. You have a purpose!"
Aldrich Percival Ravenshaw, a primary protagonist in "The Dreamer's Legacy," held more than mere narrative significance. His digital existence, as vital to the game's foundation as the very code that breathed life into it, had echoed countless hours of my relentless struggle within this virtual expanse. Aldrich's survival in this distorted reality mirrored my own quest for sanctuary.
As my plea dissipated into the foreboding silence, the room, once suffused with an inescapable dread, pulsed subtly with the onset of an unfamiliar sensation - hope. The ghostly figure of Aldrich, until now locked in a cycle of ceaseless rambling, responded with an infinitesimal tilt of his head, the faint spark in his eyes suggesting a strained effort to comprehend my words.
Slowly, his chapped lips parted. His response, though initially a mere whisper in the haunting quietude, gradually gained strength with each syllable, echoing the incantation I had uttered. A phrase so simple, yet laden with the promise of potential liberation.
"Where am I… Who are you?"
As his voice trailed into the silence, a flicker of triumph ignited within me. The Ethereal Emancipation, I hoped, had breached the relentless madness shrouding Aldrich, coaxing forth a glimmer of his forgotten self.
But my heart sank as I glanced at his status, the numerical representation of his sanity still at a dire low. The Ethereal Unshackle hadn't accomplished as much as I'd hoped.
As I meticulously examined the skill's description, a wave of pity washed over me, engulfing my heart. The critical line stared back at me, cold and unforgiving: it offers only a slight, temporary reprieve for one's sanity. With each word I read, my hope dwindled, leaving behind a hollow ache of disappointment. The dream of victory now lay shattered, like a fragile glass ornament in the merciless desert of despair.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Yet, within this desolate landscape, an unexpected encounter unfolded. Aldrich's haunted eyes bore into mine, their depths filled with a mixture of anguish and longing. His voice, barely more than a ragged whisper, trembled with a yearning I could not ignore. "I remember now… Would you lend your ear to my tale?" he implored, as if these words had been trapped within him for an eternity, longing to find solace in the presence of a compassionate listener.
As Aldrich began to unfold his haunting tale, I couldn't help but feel a shudder of familiarity. His voice, thin yet burdened with the rawness of lived experiences, was telling a story that felt so incredibly personal.
As Aldrich unfolded his narrative, it was like reliving the chapters of friendships, love, and battles that I'd only known within the digital realm of Dreamer's Legacy, the game I had been intensely engrossed in.
Then it dawned on me - this was not just a game I was recalling, it was a haunting reflection of my own life and his, now breaking its boundaries and cascading into harsh reality.
Intriguingly, his story didn't end where the game did, upon conquering the final adversary on the 99th floor. It continued on, filling in the blanks beyond the game's conclusion.
"I was trapped...alone, on the 99th floor of this forsaken tower," he began, each word a testament to his enduring torment. "There, I was betrayed...abandoned by the one person I trusted most, my love, my confidante..."
A single name slipped from his lips, a name that sent a shiver of recognition coursing through me: "Elara."
Elara, a name that was familiar yet distant, was not just any character but a crucial ally I had encountered in the game.
This digital companion, whose name was now intertwined with Aldrich's sorrow, awakened a rush of memories within me. Reminiscences of victories celebrated together and bonds formed in the game now felt remote and hazy, due to the cruel twist of the game's transition into reality.
Towards the climax of the game, it was scripted that one of the two main characters was destined to perish. However, I defied that fate, managing to save both. Or, at least, that's what I believed.
"She cursed me, stripped me of my strength and left me here, bereft, my mind hanging by a mere thread," he confessed, his voice breaking on the bitter remembrance.
Listening to Aldrich's sorrowful confession, I felt a deep sympathy seizing my heart. His words painted an image of despair that underscored the critical importance of his sanity's restoration. I knew my Ethereal Emancipation skill could only grant him a brief respite from his suffering. Yet, I yearned to give him solace, to reassure him he wasn't alone in this grim reality.
With a soft voice barely punctuating the solemn quietude of the chamber, I found my words. "Aldrich, I was there...there with you when you first gripped your sword, your inaugural battle, the day you lost your family...I shared your trials and tribulations."
His weak laugh echoed through the room, not mocking but filled with a nostalgic resonance. "How could I forget an old comrade who weathered every storm with me? I must apologize...remind me of your name?"
"They called me Aegis," I confessed, the name of my digital alter ego clinging to the air. Aegis never existed to Aldrich; we were strangers in this newly tangible world.
This Aldrich was a different entity from the companion I had ventured with. Dreamer's Legacy, with its high level of detail, left indelible scars on its characters, testaments to their journey, and Aldrich bore his own unique marks of battle.
This world was far harsher, its trials amplified in their realism.
Nodding, Aldrich seemed to accept my presence, his sanity teetering on the brink. "It's been a long time, old friend," he mused, a hint of warmth touching his tone.
"Yes, indeed it has...”
"Do you recall Elara?" Aldrich asked in a soft voice, uttering the name of the one who had betrayed him.
"Long hair, usually reserved but transforms into a warrior when her friends are in danger..." I confirmed, the memory of her vivid in my mind.
"Yes, your recollection is impeccable. I wonder how I missed noticing you... If you ever encounter her, could you inquire something on my behalf?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"What would you like me to ask her?" My question came out as a whisper, my heart thundering in my chest.
"Why did she leave me behind?" There was no resentment in his voice, only a deep, abiding sense of loneliness.
"I give you my word, Aldrich, I'll pose your question to her," I responded with a solemn promise, feeling as if I was talking to my friend for potentially the last time.
“And one last request, please release me from this nightmare…”
Suddenly, a chilling notification appeared.
[Warning: Ethereal Unshackle's effect on Aldrich Percival Ravenshaw has been nullify out due to unknown source.]
[Aldrich's Sanity: Critical Status - 0/125. Condition: Permanent Madness has been inflicted]
[Alert: Safe zone is no longer secure]
His voice, now a hollow echo, filled the room. "Elara... Elara... Elara..." The name of his betrayer was the only word he spoke, a haunting refrain as he slipped further into the abyss of insanity.
With the waning of Aldrich's sanity, my heart pounded heavily in my chest, like a drum echoing the passing of a great man. I needed to try again, to push through the veil of madness that now consumed him. Desperately, I invoked the Ethereal Unshackle once more.
"Atash-Na N'gha Ya N'ghft."
I commanded. Yet, my words were met with only silence.
[Error: Ethereal Unshackle has no effect on Aldrich Percival Ravenshaw.]
A cold sweat formed on my forehead. My hope was shattered, replaced with a horrifying reality. There was no saving Aldrich.
The silence stretched on, filled only with Aldrich's echoing chant, the name of his betrayer. An abyss of insanity had claimed him, but I wouldn't allow it to be his eternal prison. I owed him that much.
I approached Aldrich, and took his broken sword into my hand. My heart heavy with sorrow. "I'm sorry, Aldrich," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. With a swift, merciful strike, I ended his suffering.
[You have leveled up to 2… Your Potential has increase…]
[You have leveled up to 3… Your Potential has increase…]
[You have leveled up 4… Your Potential has increase…]
…
[You have leveled up 20… Your Potential has increase…]
[You gain knowledge of a new skill: Harbinger's Fury ]
[You have reached the max level this class.]
I saw the messages, but I ignored it as I felt gaining strength by sacrificing someone like a friend, even it was character from a game, was not a pleasant feeling.
As Aldrich's body crumbled to the ground, I felt a knot in my throat as I knelt beside him, making a silent vow. "Elara... I'll seek her out, Aldrich. And I will get you your answer." His name echoed in the silence, a muted farewell to a comrade now lost.
The sanctuary we had shared, a haven amidst the tumult of this unpredictable room, began to dissolve. A probable result of Aldrich's class being nullified. Although his class was unknown to the system, I had known it intimately, experienced it in my hours of shared digital existence. However, none of that held any significance now.
The purpose that consumed me was the promise I had made to Aldrich - to confront Elara and unearth the truth, and to right my wrongs.
[Warning: Emergence of unstable mental state detected. Permanent alterations to user's psyche possible.]
My heart throbbed in my chest, echoing the rhythm of a pledge. "Your legacy will persist, Aldrich. I will carry your name."
[Warning: Sanity has decreased by 1]
[Warning: Manifestation of mental disorders imminent due to prolong low sanity.]
"From this moment forward, I'll assume your mantle, champion your cause. I'll be Aldrich..."
[Update: Name is now set to Aldrich Kerrigan]
[A new skill has been developed: Dual Identity - The Forgotten Hero.]
[A new Inherent Weakness has been developed: Fractured Mind.]
[https://i.imgur.com/5BJIzhr.png]
Name:
Aldrich Kerrigan
Class:
Creeping Harbringer
Level:
20 (MAX)
Experience:
- / -
Sanity:
10 / 100
Strength:
5 / 35
Agility
5 / 40
Intellect:
7 / 70
Wisdom
6 / 80
Charisma:
4 / 25
Perception
8 / 80
Fortitude:
6 / 60
Special Ability
Madness Insight (Passive):
Ability to see the unseen, perceiving the things that remains invisible to others. As Sanity decreases, Perception increases.
Cosmic Lore (Active):
Allows user to understand fragments of ancient, unspeakable knowledge. Increases Intellect temporarily, but reduces Sanity.
Ethereal Emancipation (Active):
The sacred chant, "Atash-Na N'gha Ya N'ghft," drawn from the ageless wisdom of the eldritch depths, grants the wielder the power to shatter unseen or otherworldly chains, calling forth the sacred chants of the Elders to illuminate the obscured. Note: Usage demands caution
Harbinger's Fury (Active):
Unleashes a wave of destructive energy on adversaries. Power is proportional to the wielder's Intellect and Sanity loss.
Dual Identity - The Forgotten Hero (Passive):
Offers the user a spontaneous connection to some of the memories and abilities of Aldrich Percival Ravenshaw.
Inherit Weakness
Frail Psyche:
Reduced resistance to mental damage. Sanity drains faster when confronted with Malignant entities or uncanny events.
Fractured Mind:
A consequence of Dual Identity - The Forgotten Hero, Aldrich experiences unpredictable episodes of personality shifts and memory overlap. This randomness can result in cognitive instability and, if unchecked, an overall degradation of sanity.