Chapter 12: The Relic’s Call

Kaelen felt a surge of anticipation as he joined the group at dawn. The council’s sudden interest in relics near the gates was troubling, but it was also an opportunity he couldn’t ignore. If the council was willing to send students on dangerous missions to retrieve these objects, they must believe that these relics held powers beyond their current understanding.

The team he’d been assigned consisted of five students, including himself and Mara, each chosen for their unique elemental abilities. Alongside them were Darius, an older student adept in air magic, capable of manipulating currents with precision; Serra, a skilled lightning mage known for her quick reflexes and powerful strikes; and Len, a steady, unshakable earth mage whose calm demeanor was as solid as the barriers he could summon.

They departed quickly, moving through the mist-covered fields toward the gate where the relic had been detected. Magister Lorn had given them minimal instructions beyond locating and securing the artifact. Yet the unspoken warning in his eyes had said more than words ever could.

“Remember,” Kaelen said as they walked, keeping his voice low. “This isn’t just about retrieving the relic. The council will be monitoring us, expecting us to test our limits. We should proceed carefully.”

Mara nodded, her gaze sharp. “We stick together. Whatever the council wants, we’re not letting them use us as bait.”

Darius gave a slight smirk, his eyes glinting. “Good. I prefer being on the giving end of surprises.”

Serra and Len both murmured their agreement, and together they moved with purpose, each understanding the stakes.

Entering the Gate

They reached the gate by midday. Its dark energy shimmered faintly, the air around it heavy with anticipation. Kaelen took a steadying breath, activating Dark Shroud just in case as they stepped through the portal together.

The world shifted around them, colors dulling as they found themselves in a desolate, rocky landscape. The ground was uneven, broken by deep fissures and dark, jagged stones. Shadows pooled in every crevice, creating an almost maze-like terrain where creatures could lurk unseen. Kaelen’s energy heart pulsed, resonating with the Dark particles that permeated the area, fueling his senses as they pressed forward.

They didn’t have to wait long before encountering resistance. A creature emerged from behind a rock—a humanoid figure cloaked in shadows, its form flickering and insubstantial. Its eyes glowed an eerie yellow, fixed on the group as it began to advance.

“Get ready!” Kaelen called, spreading his stance and summoning Nightcaller. Shadows twisted around him, forming a thin barrier as the creature lunged forward.

Darius reacted first, conjuring a gust of wind that sent the creature staggering back. Serra’s eyes flashed as she raised her hands, lightning crackling between her fingers before she released a bolt that struck the creature, forcing it to retreat.

But the creature was relentless, shrugging off the attacks as it continued to approach. Kaelen felt the weight of its presence, the dark energy surrounding it resonating with his own. Taking a deep breath, he activated Umbral Grasp, reaching out with his spectral hand of darkness to drain energy from the creature.

The shadowy figure shuddered, its movements slowing as Kaelen sapped its strength, but its resistance was stronger than expected. He could feel his energy heart straining, the drain taking a toll on him.

“Let me bolster you,” Len said, stepping up beside Kaelen as he raised a thick wall of earth between them and the creature. The barrier provided a moment’s respite, giving Kaelen a chance to catch his breath and steady his energy.

“Thanks,” Kaelen murmured, feeling the steadiness of the ground beneath him help him regain control.

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Mara took advantage of the barrier, freezing the ground around the creature and anchoring it in place. Kaelen focused, releasing a pulse of Dark energy from Dark Pulse to destabilize the creature further. With one final surge, the figure collapsed, disintegrating into wisps of shadow that faded into the air.

They exchanged glances, each of them breathing heavily.

“Definitely not a normal D-rank gate,” Serra muttered, her gaze fixed on where the creature had stood. “The council knew this would be different.”

Kaelen didn’t respond, his focus already turning back to their mission. “Let’s keep moving. The relic should be nearby.”

The Discovery

They continued through the twisted landscape, the shadows growing denser the further they went. Kaelen’s energy heart thrummed in response to the ambient dark particles, feeding him energy but also making him more cautious. The air was thick with a tension that hinted at something powerful lurking in the darkness.

Eventually, they came upon a stone altar, similar to the one Kaelen had seen on a previous mission but larger, its surface etched with intricate, swirling patterns that seemed to pulse faintly with dark energy. A strange, jagged shard lay on the altar—a fragment of black crystal, its edges glowing faintly as though alive with trapped lightning.

Serra’s eyes widened as she took in the shard. “Is that… the relic?”

Kaelen felt a strange pull from the shard, its energy resonating with his own as if calling to him. But he held back, wary of the council’s intentions and of the unknown power within the relic.

“It could be dangerous,” he said, stepping closer but keeping his distance. “Let’s assess its energy before touching it.”

Mara gave a nod, extending her hand cautiously toward the shard. Her frost particles hovered in the air, mingling with the dark energy surrounding the relic. She pulled her hand back, her brow furrowed.

“It’s unlike anything I’ve felt,” she murmured. “It’s stable but… strange. There’s power within it, but it’s as if it’s waiting for something to activate it.”

Kaelen’s curiosity deepened. The relic felt like a puzzle, a hidden piece of the council’s greater scheme. But before he could investigate further, a rumbling noise echoed from behind them.

Turning quickly, they saw three figures emerging from the shadows—more of the humanoid creatures, their forms flickering like distorted shadows, eyes glowing with that same eerie yellow light.

“Back up!” Kaelen ordered, his voice firm. He activated Midnight Cloak, the shadows wrapping around him in a protective barrier as he positioned himself in front of the group.

The creatures moved with an unnatural fluidity, spreading out to surround them. Kaelen’s pulse quickened as he realized they couldn’t rely solely on their defensive skills here. They needed to end the fight quickly before the creatures overwhelmed them.

Darius conjured a vortex of wind, directing it at the creature nearest him, but the figure merely staggered, its form reforming as it advanced. Serra launched a crackling bolt of lightning that hit another, momentarily disrupting it, but the creature recovered quickly.

Kaelen knew he’d have to go on the offensive. Summoning his focus, he activated Nightcaller, calling forth shadows that twisted around him before launching them toward the creatures. The shadows struck one of the figures, disrupting its form, but Kaelen could feel the toll it took on his energy heart.

Beside him, Len raised a pillar of earth, slamming it into the creature nearest him, while Mara coated another in ice, holding it in place. Kaelen took advantage of the moment, lunging forward and activating Umbral Grasp, draining the creature’s energy as quickly as he could manage.

The creature shuddered, its form flickering, but it was resilient, resisting his efforts even as he strained to maintain control. Kaelen gritted his teeth, his energy heart pounding as he drew the creature’s energy into himself, finally forcing it to dissolve into shadows.

The second creature lunged, its clawed hand aiming directly for Kaelen. Reacting instinctively, he activated Midnight Cloak, the shadows thickening around him to absorb the impact. The creature’s strike glanced off his barrier, but Kaelen felt the tremor reverberate through his energy heart.

With a final push, Mara shattered the frozen creature with a blast of ice, while Len and Darius worked together to corner the last one, weakening it with wind and earth until it collapsed.

When the clearing was finally silent, Kaelen took a deep breath, his energy heart still throbbing from the strain. They had succeeded, but it was clear the gate held more dangers than they’d anticipated.

The Shard’s Influence

With the creatures defeated, Kaelen turned back to the relic on the altar. Its glow had intensified, as if responding to the energy they’d unleashed in the battle. The pull from the shard grew stronger, resonating with his energy heart in a way he couldn’t ignore.

Cautiously, he reached out, letting his fingers hover just above the shard. He could feel its energy radiating, a dark, electric hum that called to his Dark particles like a beacon. Part of him wanted to withdraw, to leave the relic untouched. But he sensed that the council’s interest in this artifact was tied to its influence over Dark energy.

Gathering his resolve, he placed his hand on the shard. A surge of power shot through him, the dark energy resonating with his own particles as he absorbed a fraction of its essence. His energy heart pulsed, expanding to accommodate the sudden influx, and he felt a new layer of control settle within him.

The status window appeared, updating his progress:

[Status Window]

Name: Kaelen

Energy Heart Rank: Novice (Dark, Peak)

World Particles:

•Dark: 800/5000 (Next Rank: Adept Start requires 5000 particles)

•Light: 750/1000

•Space: 540/1000

•Mind: 470/1000

Skills:

•Dark Element Skills:

•Shadow Veil (F)

•Dark Pulse (F)

•Dark Shroud (E)

•Umbral Grasp (E)

•Nightcaller (D)

•Midnight Cloak (C)

New Effect Gained:

•Shard Resonance - Briefly enhances Dark-based skills when within proximity to Dark relics or artifacts. Effect duration and intensity increase with user rank.

He could feel the shard’s lingering influence enhancing his Dark energy, heightening his sensitivity to the particles around him. It was a small but valuable boost, one that he could use strategically. But it also came with risks; the connection he felt to the relic was powerful, almost consuming. He would need to be careful not to rely on it too heavily.

Kaelen withdrew his hand, steadying his breathing. The shard’s resonance had given him a glimpse into the depths of Dark energy, but he knew that exploring those depths would come at a cost.

“We have what we came for,” he said, his voice steady. “Let’s get back.”

The team nodded, each of them visibly relieved. As they made their way back through the gate, Kaelen couldn’t shake the feeling that they were only beginning to uncover the council’s true motives—and that the path ahead would be darker and more treacherous than any of them could imagine.