Needle point
The place was so silent that a dropped pin could be heard, that sound that comes when a sudden high pitch was ringing in your ear while others hear nothing. Like a ghost that was screaming in at you from afar. A miss-matched chord on your guitar. That metallic scratching and the pounding of an anvil, annoying. But must be endured.
[AleyaNala: You're finally online, we are at the academy gate, come quickly.]
This was the message that SayaShin and Mizarin received from their friends, waiting for their arrival, the group has gathered information on what the quest's story was. But to their disappointment, not one of the information they have acquired was related at the very least, ranging from killing a boss to hunting a hundred thousand minions, the number of the quests was rarely repeating.
[SayaShin: Thanks for waiting? What's new with that NPC?]
[System: Party invitation form AleyaNala.
"Accept." The latecomers said resonantly. Which initiated the laughter of the terrible two.
"So... Update us," Mizarin stated over the voice chat.
"The NPC gives out a variety of quest and the quest depends on luck, some received a quest with a reward of a book of knowledge, some hints on the special and hidden subclass, others a party quest," Leyardi informed.
"So what is the quest you received?" SayaShin questioned.
"A group quest that requires collecting a void beast from the Void Temple, ten times." Stated VerBoss.
"How many could participate? And what is the reward(s)?" Mizarin inquired
"The quest requires us to collect a void beast from the Miniature Void Temple, with minimum participants of twelve players, the reward depends on the quality of void beast that we bring back, and any extra will be scored as well." GurinBare provided.
"We actually had plans for today." Mizarin excused.
"Ten Time Loop Talismans are guaranteed as a reward to all par..." Ashanti stated.
"We're in," Mizarin responded quickly when she heard, time loop talisman, cutting off Ashanti.
"Wow, that was quick." MowRen pointed.
"A true Oracle... Hahaha..." Laughed Blissful
"What's so funny about it Blissful?" Serendipity scrutinized.
"Yeah share it to us, what do you know?" Sanki pressed.
"Haha... Are you perhaps referring to the Infinite Void source?"Leyardi noted.
"Yes... unless that's not what insights you?" Blissful directed to Mizarin.
"I'm not sure, I might be or I might not. But one thing is for certain, I want those Talismans." Mizarin tiptoes around the bush.
"SayaShin why is she like this?" AleyaNala questioned.
"I'm not sure myself, maybe its just the time of the month." SayaShin made fun of his friend.
"So are we needed to take the quest from the NPC or just go to the Dungeon?" Mizarin reals back the train.
"You need to accept the quest from the NPC first. You're already in the party, so just head straight to him. We'll be waiting." AleyaNala confirmed.
"Okay, we will be on our way," SayaShin said to the voice chat before departing towards the front gate.
Walking down the hallway, the two was discussing how to proceed with their plans, given that the time before someone's departure is approaching. Unbeknownst to the pair, a group of combatants' are watching them from afar, with spyglasses on hand and an image recording device.
"Leader, the two Oracles have finally left the library!" Reported the warrior that had been keeping an eye on the library doors, sitting there for more than ten hours, couldn't leave nor could do anything else, a person without a subclass wasted all those hours loitering.
"Good, keep an eye out. Were on our way. Don't let them get out of your sight." The group's Leader commanded the underlings.
"We have already placed at tracking mark on them rest assured." A ranger beside the warrior informed the agitated Leader.
If the two just looked out the window of the academy, they would have noticed that there are people watching them. But that was not something to worry about, those who are watching should have been more vigilant.
[System: You have received a tracking mark.]
Mizarin who was aware of the existence of the tracking spell was notified of its affliction. This is because when a player who eas able to detect the tracking spell, the same mark will no longer be a secret mark to him or her, thus, a message pops up every time the spell is received.
"How did your brother react when you said you are departing for the institute?" Mizarin asked not wanting to expose the threat that follows them.
"Haha... He said I was going crazy, that I should be sent to a mental institution instead." SayaShin said half smiling.
"Haha... he called me earlier too, asking; 'What did I feed you to be suddenly so nice, are you sick or something?.' It was hysterical..." Laughing out loud.
"And..."
"When I asked why he is asking, he responded; 'Tell me so that I can feed it to him every day.' Even mother who heard it was laughing so hard, our bellies hurt." Narrated Mizarin, about the night's happenings.
"..." SayaShin was dumbfounded.
"So, I am assuming you didn't really tell him about your departure."
"No. We had a family meeting earlier and told them about it, mother and father supported me, but my brother, he wouldn't talk to me, and just went crying until he fell asleep."
"Are you going to attempt again?"
"Of course, I have to. I'm going to pamper him with love and violence, he'd better watch out."
In the corridors the pair's voices echoed, while they kept talking about trivial things, like what movies are about to be released, the music they listened to this morning, anything just to keep the time from moving too slow.
"Over here!" Shouted AleyaNala when she spotted the pair who are heading towards the NPC.
"We'll get the Quest first." Shouted SayaShin when he heard the shouts coming from the corner of a building, not far from the gate.
"Greetings Elder. We have come to receive a request you have also given to our friend's" SayaShin greeted the NPC.
"Greeting as well as youngsters. So, you are here to receive the same; Void Beast Sealing Quest?" Cardinal stated.
"Yes, we are. Elder." SayaShin returned his confirmation.
[System: You have received a Quest from Cardinal, Void Beast Sealing.]
[Quest: Void Beast Sealing
-Seal ten 'Void Beast' and bring them back to Cardinal.
-A shared Quest
-Void Beast (0/10)
Reward:
-10 Time Loop (Talisman)
-Sealing Orb (Depends on the Void Beast Quality.)
-Random Class-Specific Item
-****EXP, **** Gold]
"So how are we going about this," Ashanti asked AleyaNala and Mizarin how they are going to do the quest.
"I'm thinking, this time, we challenge the boss," Mizarin spoke with confidence.
"How about the void vial and the wood?" Ashanti questioned the possibilities of the drop and farming method.
"There is more of us today, farming materials from the void should be easier," AleyaNala stated as a matter of factly.
"Yeah but the question comes after we finish the farming, materials will flood our inventory, and there is no bank in the town of beginnings," Mizarin spoke her concern.
The player inventory has limited slots, and the vials and woods would only stack up to 5000 per-slot on average, this posses the concern of dividing the loots, placing them on sale will saturate the market, and it would be a waste to just let them be reset.
"We'll think of that later, Let us first collect as much as we can. Maybe later in the game, we could make a good fortune out of it." Leyardi convened the meeting.
Taking out the portal Orbs, all twelve of them ported to the Holy Lands' fountain, in-sighting the thoughts of the people standing, loitering and chatting along with the resurrection point;
'It must have been a team wipe.'
'Pity, they received one of the hardest quests available.'
'Do you think we should offer help.'
Thoughts of pity and mockery rolled around the whispers of the spectators. But this did not affect the mood of the transported.
'Are they really going to challenge that dungeon?'
'They should have just given up and taken another quest.'
The whispers continued, while the group made their way to the Miniature Void Temple. They were not the first to challenge the quest and then quite. But they are really determined to obtain the Talisman and the sealing Orb.
"Boss, the group disappeared again!"
"Where are they now?"
"Holy Land. They must have a group teleportation scrolls."
"You must find them, we must know where they got the teleportation scrolls."
In this stage of the game, teleportation is not yet found or has been concealed by those who found it, for their own use. To those who are smart enough to do the later, they found an opportunity to become rich. Buying the items at low cost and selling at great profits.
"Greetings, we would like to enter the Miniature Void Temple." AleyaNala greeted the gate guardian.
"Enter at your own risk." The guardian said.
[System: Your leader wishes to enter the Miniature Void Tower. Will you accompany?
"Accept," everyone agreed in unison.
"Holly light." Was heard from four voices that resonated with each other, just after the usual entering scene of the dungeon.
Four white light, on four corners, guided the group to the hallway leading to the void beasts dwelling. Two Avath's and a Paladin leading the group. A Harbinger, a Knight, and a Herald followed. A Bishop, an Oracle, and a Shaman were grouped together, followed by three Druids.
Reaching the cavern-like section of the floor, the team positioned themselves on an octagonal shape, intercepting the eight pillars of the pavilion. I n the middle are four people; Mizarin, Ashanti, SayaShin, and Blissful, one on each cardinal direction, in between them are four Druid staves.
If anyone will view the pavilion from above, the structure would look like two transparent umbrellas stacked over each other, a width of ten and five meters. While the smaller one looks like a plain umbrella with eight pins that hold the canopy in place, the larger one looks like an artistically designed decoration, having eight pins just the same, but has a colorful chime hanging from the shrouds lining.
"Here they come, " Shapeless who could see far distances announced through the team chat.
"Hows the tactics, Mizarin?" AleyaNala asked mizarin who was the expert on the Void temple.
"SayaShin will cast a wide area draining spell, we will test it out, for the time being, we three will assist him in the mana consumption, Right of you will need to cast the [Frozen Time] spell."
"Alright, but if this testing proves to be inefficient we will use the old formation." the leader informed the group.
"Understood!" the listeners declared in unison.
"Alright, let's begin!" AleyaNala gave the final command.
Hearing her command, the group took out their Magicians set, Weapon socketed Weapons, and begins growing spells after spells, drawing magic circles after magic circles.
Staves waving, Wands drawing, Orbs orbiting, Quills Writing, and Books flipping. This is the sight that beholds the outer section of the pavilion, but one, the Knight who does not have a Grimoire, a Quill, not a Wand. Fortunately, the Knights weapon was a magic sword that was obtained from the Master Knight, an initiation weapon just like the Druid's. The magic sword has the passive ability to posses some spells by engraving, but can also be overwritten.
Engraved with a [Frozen Time], [Aura Drain], [Aura Compression], [Aura Blade], and [Mana Leach] these spells can be invoked by swinging the sword and reciting the incantation simultaneously.
With the help of the Weapon socketing from the blacksmith, four off-handed weapons were inlaid to the sword. Unlike the others, the knight could not use the Oracle Orb, a class restriction. Fortunately, the Shamans weapon stash had a special item that many knights would wish to obtain, an Off-Handed weapon called Spirit sword.
The Sword that the Knight currently uses were socketed with four Spirit sword, with the blessing of four elemental spirits; Wind, Light, Fire, and Lightning. Being inlaid to the two-handed sword, the Spirit sword Exhibited the spells that were engraved on to the weapon, allowing the user to cast the spells through the suspended blades. The Paladin was envious of the Spirit sword. Unfortunately, the blade could only be wielded by every other Class but guardians.
Blades were flying towards the enemy one-after-another, sent with the [Frozen Time] spell, the Knight did not fall behind.
"SayaShin is the spell ready yet?" AleyaNala could no longer wait for the spell to activate, the foe's time frozen was about to come to an end, and they have yet to weaken the beast.
"Almost!" it was Ashanti who spoke through the intercom.
The wind blasted from behind, or rather, from within the pavilion distracted the time stoppers, a large wind-orb was hovering in front of the four members at the center. With the [Aura Drain] in action the spell that SayaShin cast started to devour the Void Energy that those monsters were leaking.
"Yes! It worked," SayaShin and Mizarin exclaimed in unison.
"What Spell is that?" The Time stoppers asked unconsciously.
"It is a four spell combination!" the four synchronously declared.
"Explain it to us." GurinBare's thirst for knowledge jumped forth.