SOULSWORTH

Aildrin immersed himself in Silas' lore, but when the old man mentioned his actual name, his face blanked. He thought it was just a gimmick from the system to make the scene more convincing, but when the red note appeared, it was a different story.

He pinched himself hard, hoping it was just a dream. But it was not.

"Five years ago," Silas said, "humans not of this world appeared from portals. They came in friendly terms, and one of them was your father, Adil. We called them adventurers as they helped us fend off monsters from the abyss. And some of them could even invoke magic that allowed them to change their appearances similar to the other race."

"Stop!" Aildrin said. His chest heaved, and the veins on his forehead bulged. "I need to get out of here. My mind is playing games with me; I need to return to the real world…"

"You think like some of those fools back then. But your father was different. He knew that they've just discovered a new world—a real one. But his colleagues kept on using that damnable word—game. They called this entire continent, the World of Wargrounds." Silas then laughed. "Life is a war, but it's not a game, Aildrin."

Aildrin clenched his fists. "I've had enough of this crap! Whosoever you are, show yourself to me in person. Stop messing with me! Where are my parents?"

Silas shook his head in disapproval. "I'm real, Aildrin. I am me. I was the one who sent you the red card. And that necklace you're wearing, that once belonged to me. I gave it to your father as a gift. A sign of friendship and a promise. He said he'd help me."

Aildrin felt like there was a grain of truth in Silas' words, but he could not just reconcile the things he had heard. "But who are you? Are you a game developer in dad's corporation?"

"You're not listening, son. And I'm afraid I don't understand what you are trying to say. But we cannot keep on bickering over the past. There is so much that needs to be done."

"No! You said you'd tell me the truth about my parent's death! Now, tell me!"

"I said nothing, young man."

"Liar! You wrote it in the note!"

Silas' face soured. "This," he said, twirling the red note in his fingers, "is a soul card. It allows you to track its holder anywhere in Fitz. It's also one of the acceptable proofs of membership to the secret alliance between the ten races. But I wrote nothing on it when I sent it to your world."

Aildrin pursed his lips. "How did you send it? How did you get out of this game? I mean, this world? How about the Battle Station, no, the box! Were you the one who sent it too? Because I found the card inside the box and there were words written in it."

"Creating a portal consumes an enormous amount of mana and energy, and I'm not in my peak anymore. But yes, after years of searching, I finally found you yesterday, and so I gathered all my remaining strength and sent the card, but I ran out of fuel, and it only reached your doorstep. As for that thing you called the Battle Station, the box, and the writing, what are you talking about?"

Aildrin's heart skipped a beat. There was someone else working in the shadows, and it was not Silas.

"Hm," Silas said. "No wonder why I sensed two souls yesterday, but the first link was immediately cut off. Are you still in that small place? You need to get out of there."

"Who could it be? He said he knew something about my parents' death," Aildrin said.

"Two years ago, your father stopped visiting the continent. I had a bad feeling because he once told me that something evil was going on in your world and if he could not return, I must find you. So, I used most of my time to search for you just as I've promised to him. I'm sorry, son. Even I know nothing about your parents' disappearance."

"My brain is in a mess. I need time to sort this out. I need to leave here."

"And where will you go?"

"I don't know."

"Son, I can help you find your parents, but I need your help first," Silas said.

"How can I be sure that I can trust you?"

"Son, there's no assurance in trusting someone. Just like what I did when I consumed the last of my reserves to send the card. It did not even reach you at first, but I trusted that it would find you despite the impossible odds. And look where we are now."

Aildrin sighed. "How can I help you?"

"Kain had weakened the barrier, that's why the lesser monsters from the abyss could enter the territory. And Karcel, one of his disciples and a shapeshifter, took my identity and cursed me. I can't enter the castle nor leave this city, but I need my staff back so I could regain my power...and that bow won't be of help to you in the things about to come."

"What do I do? The castle is so big; I need a clue where to find it. And what about this place, aren't we beneath the castle?"

"Karcel is wielding my staff, pretends to be me, and now commands the city. He's proficient with dark magic. And could even influence the consciousness of anyone, especially those who came from your place like that thief. I've been hunting them down for ages. They knew that I'm here, but they can't enter the door without the key. And this place is the original castle, protected by a complex barrier, but now we're just standing on its ruins."

"Then why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

"Because we're being followed and outnumbered."

"So, I'm not safe in this city, right?"

"Here." Silas closed his eyes and chanted some words. A part of the floor cracked open. He then squatted and removed the rubbles.

In Silas' hands was a long object covered in a dirty cloth. "It's one of those things I've saved before this continent went down into ruins." He opened it, revealing a flamberge with a silver hilt. "This…is the Soulsworth. Alistor's priced weapon. I once offered this to your father, but he won't accept the responsibility."

"Soulsworth…so this is where dad got the name."

"But this is incomplete…not even reaching a tenth of its original power," Silas said. He then handed the sword to Aildrin. "Son, you need to restore this weapon to its peak before the crimson moon appears, a year from now. Karcel is just a pebble that we must overcome, and there are still boulders waiting for us and a perilous mountain to climb."

"How?"

"By collecting a soul fragment from each of the remaining Nine Kings. Soulsworth is nothing but a blade right now with Alistor's essence. Without the other soul essences, it won't be able to do much harm against the weakest of the enemies."

"Do you mean, I need to kill the Kings of the other races?" Aildrin shivered.

Silas nodded. "If only needed. And you need to leave here, with your current state, you'll only die from Karcel's servants. They must be waiting for you outside. And that resurrection technology of your kind will only weaken your soul. Make haste and go to the town of Lazybones. North of here. Some orcs will help you. Find Brutus and show him your necklace."