Chapter 22: Silverweynn part 3
[ ] = Doruuk thoughts
Solmir and I began descending the stone stairs. The air grew progressively colder, saturated with an ancient smell of dust and magic. As soon as we crossed the threshold, the massive door above us closed with a dull thud that echoed in the depths of the crypt.
"It closed!" I exclaimed, an involuntary shiver ran down my spine as the echo of my voice bounced off the stone walls.
Solmir turned to me with a smug smile, his eyes shining with a calculating intelligence that made me uncomfortable. "Yes, I know. It will open again when I want it to. Except for me, no one can enter here alone." His tone was that of someone accustomed to power and control. "And you're probably thinking: what happens if someone kills me? Or if I die? In that case, the door will remain locked until the magic of the Silverweyyn family chooses its next heir." He scrutinized me with penetrating eyes. "You won't understand these things because you don't know yet, so it's better that we move on."
[This old man enjoys keeping me in the dark. He treats me like an ignorant servant. One day I'll make him swallow that arrogance of his.]
As we descended deeper, an incredible spectacle opened before my eyes. It wasn't simply a crypt, but almost another underground villa, filled with unimaginable treasures. My eyes jumped from one object to another, trying to absorb every detail. Shelves of ancient books with leather covers worn by time extended along an entire wall. Shimmering armors of unknown metals reflected the dim light of the torches. Weapons of every type and size, some emanating a palpable aura of power, were arranged in perfect order on intricately carved wooden stands.
"All the things you see here," explained Solmir with a tone that betrayed his pride, "are very valuable and have very high worth because they were used by heroes of the past." He made a broad gesture with his hand, indicating the entire collection. "This is more than a treasure. People would kill each other to obtain just one of these things, because beyond their value, their functions and attributes have tremendous power."
[Good, good. I need to keep this in mind. It might be useful to me in the future. Knowing the value of what others desire is power.]
"But are there guards here to protect these things?" I asked, trying to mask the greed I felt growing inside me.
Solmir laughed, a cold sound that echoed in the vaults of the crypt. "No guards are needed here. This entire place is surrounded by magic that monitors everything. If it notices that someone has bad intentions and tries to steal something, it burns them to ashes in that exact moment, without them even realizing it."
[Oh maan!... I better behave as well as possible. This old fox has thought of everything.]
"Good," I replied with a flat tone, as I felt a drop of cold sweat slide down my back.
We continued walking in silence through the vast collection. Our steps resonated on the polished marble floor. After what seemed like an eternity, we finally arrived at our destination.
Before us stood an intricately crafted door. Arcane symbols were engraved on its surface, glowing faintly with contained energy. Solmir advanced confidently and opened it with a fluid movement of his hand.
"Come inside, Doruuk," he invited me, with a tone that sounded almost friendly, but his eyes remained cold and calculating.
I crossed the threshold and was left breathless. The room was filled with magical objects of all kinds: ancient scrolls floating in mid-air, crystals pulsing with energy, mysterious artifacts... and above all, Luminousa in great numbers. The crystalline spheres pulsated with their own light, as if they were alive, arranged on shelves that surrounded the entire room.
"Doruuk," Solmir began, his voice suddenly serious. "Since you helped Lillia and Frenya survive, I want you to obtain a Luminousa of your choice." He made a studied pause, observing my reaction. "Choose the one you want and let me know. Don't worry if the Luminousa will choose you or not; we have removed this ability with magic, so you can choose without problems. Enjoy yourself, but..."
He remained silent for a moment, letting the tension grow.
[What 'but'? What does this snake have in mind?]
"Doruuk, you know, right?" he continued with a subtle smile that didn't reach his eyes. "This world is already cruel, so don't expect too much even from me. I know you saved my daughter's life, but I can't give you something very powerful for this." His gaze hardened. "It may seem dishonorable, but that's life, dear Doruuk."
His voice lowered, becoming almost a whisper. "Since I don't want your favor on my shoulders, I give you permission to choose a Luminousa up to rank 7, no more." His smile widened into a self-satisfied smirk. "Choose wisely, dear, hahaha! And then, the Luminousa that Frenya received is also rank 7, so think of it as a fair exchange, hahaha!"
His laughter resonated in the room, cold and calculated. It was clear that he enjoyed putting me in a position of inferiority, reminding me of my place in the social hierarchy. His eyes stared at me intensely, and the message was clear: he was doing a favor for an inferior being like me.
[This dishonorable old man! I didn't think he was so underhanded. It's true that I'm receiving a Luminousa, but the way he looks at me... Those eyes of his clearly say he's doing a favor to a lowlife like me. One day, when I'm strong enough, my dagger will be at your throat, Solmir. Wait for that day, you old man.]
With one last contemptuous look, Solmir left the chamber, heavily closing the door behind him. His oppressive presence vanished, but the sense of humiliation remained like a stain on my dignity.
Now I was alone in the room, surrounded by power that I could only touch, limited by the arbitrary generosity of my benefactor.
[Well, well, well... let's see what we have here.]
I began to methodically explore the room, observing each Luminousa carefully. Each sphere shone with a unique light, some pulsing intensely, others emitting a constant glow. I analyzed them one by one, trying to perceive the power contained within. Since I was about to obtain my first Luminousa, I decided I would take only one of rank 7, not lower.
I moved cautiously among the shelves, turning and returning between one Luminousa and another. Occasionally I would pause on a particularly interesting sphere, feeling its energy vibrate under my fingers. Time passed as I weighed the options, aware that this choice could determine my future.
Three hours of careful evaluation passed. My mind was tired, but I finally managed to select five Luminousas that seemed promising. From these, I would choose only one.
[The most disappointing thing is that again I don't have much information about Luminousas. I only know the generalities, I never took the instructions too seriously when I played "Shadowveil: Chronicles of Orvhalis," and today I'm bitterly regretting it.]
I gritted my teeth in frustration as I tried to recall any useful details from the game that could help me in my choice.
[As soon as possible, I'll need to gather more information about this world. Ignorance is a weakness I cannot afford.]
The monsters from which all the Luminousas I was considering derived were found beyond the third world, creatures of power and mystery that few had the privilege to encounter.
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The first Luminousa was derived from the Phantom Stalker, a spectral creature that hunted silently in the ruins of abandoned cities. The sphere shone with an iridescent black, like oil under sunlight. I could almost see the Phantom Stalker within it: a humanoid shadow with blurred contours, lacking solid form, its eyes two red glows, and its body vibrating slightly, making it difficult to see clearly.
Its abilities were seductive:
Passive - Phantom Veil: It would make me imperceptible (no sound, smell, magical or instinctive perception) up to 3 meters. If I moved slowly or remained still, the radius would increase to 7 meters. However, it wouldn't make me invisible. An enemy with high sensitivity could still attack me. Additionally, if I attacked or was attacked, the veil would vanish for 20 seconds.
Active - Death's Gambit: The next attack within the following 10 seconds would ignore armor and inflict 2.5 times normal damage. If it hit a vital point, the damage would become quadruple. The cooldown would be 45 seconds, and if the attack was dodged, the bonus would be lost.
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The second Luminousa was extracted from the Titanic Juggernaut, a semi-living colossus made of stone and flesh, capable of enduring immense damage without falling. The sphere emitted an amber glow, solid and constant. Inside it, I could glimpse the Titanic Juggernaut: a gigantic humanoid creature, at least 8 meters tall, with a body of stone and hardened muscles, massive arms, and eyes that shone with an intense yellow light.
Its abilities promised unparalleled resistance:
Passive - Battleborn Endurance: When I was wounded, my stamina would increase by 50% and would not be depleted until a portion of life was healed. The effect would last 20 seconds after the last wound. If the wound was above 70% of life, the effect would be doubled.
Active - Indomitable Aegis: It would absorb 70% of the damage received in the last 5 seconds, transforming it into a temporary shield. In this state, I could not be attacked in any way until the shield was broken by high damage or its time expired. The shield would last 15 seconds, with a cooldown of 70 seconds. If I had not suffered damage in the last 5 seconds, the ability would not activate.
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The third Luminousa came from the Dread Revenant, a cursed warrior spirit that grew in power with each life it tore away. The sphere pulsed with a deep black with blood-red veins. Inside, the Dread Revenant appeared as a skeletal knight, wrapped in black armored armor, surrounded by a dark aura. Each of its movements seemed to leave traces of smoky shadows behind.
Its capabilities were terrifying:
Passive - ( Mark of Ruin ) - Each of my attacks would inflict on the enemy a mark in the part hit, preventing healing for at least 15 seconds. The mark could neither be removed nor healed during this period, unless the adversary's magic was stronger.
Passive - ( Bloodlust Manifestation ) - Each enemy or monster that I wounded or killed would be counted, and based on the number or damage done, my mental state and strength would increase by a percentage. If the damage was minor, the increase would be minimal, but even with fatal damage, the maximum would be 30%, lasting for 10 seconds until the next attack.
Passive - ( Aura of Dread ) - Every time I wounded or killed an enemy, I would accumulate Unease, an oppressive aura that would instill fear in the hearts of nearby enemies. Here too, the effect would depend on the damage inflicted, with a maximum of 30% and a duration of 10 seconds. Each wounded enemy would slightly increase the Unease, while each killed enemy would significantly increase it. With high levels of Unease, enemies might hesitate in their attacks, lose precision, or even flee. If the enemy had a strong mental state, the Unease would not have its full effect, but would still produce a reduced impact.
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The fourth Luminousa was extracted from the Blood Titan, a gigantic warrior born from the fury of ancient battles. The sphere pulsed with a vivid red, like a heart beating with force. Inside it, the Blood Titan appeared as a humanoid beast 6 meters tall, with dark red skin and enormous muscles. Its veins shone with a crimson light, and it almost seemed like I could hear its roar that made the ground tremble.
Its capabilities were oriented toward brute force:
Active - Titan's Wrath: I could concentrate 60% of all my stats in a single blow. The stats would return to normal after 40 seconds. If I suffered an attack before striking, the effect would be halved instead of being completely nullified. The cooldown would be 90 seconds.
Active - Apex Frenzy: I would enter a state of berserk fury, doubling speed and strength for 25 seconds. The cooldown would be 2 minutes.
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The fifth and final Luminousa was obtained from the Divine Sentinel, a guardian that protected secret treasures. The sphere shone with pure gold, emanating an aura of serenity and power. Inside it, the Divine Sentinel appeared as a golden golem, with wings of light and a floating crown above its head. It almost seemed like I could hear its voice, a metallic echo that reverberated in the air.
Its abilities were focused on protection and resilience:
Passive - Transcendent Resurgence: Every malus or weakness (poison, slowdown, stunning) would be converted into a 30% bonus to physical resistance for 5 seconds. This cycle would repeat every minute, until there was no weakness. If the malus was removed earlier, the bonus would vanish.
Active - Divine Reversal: When activated, it would block all damage for 6 seconds and reflect 40% of the damage received. The cooldown would be 4 minutes.
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After carefully studying each Luminousa, I felt the weight of the decision weighing on my shoulders. Each offered unique advantages, each could change the course of my destiny. My fingers caressed one after another the crystalline spheres, perceiving the energy that pulsed within them.
"SO MY CHOICE IS..." I murmured, reaching my hand toward the Luminousa that would define my future.
Chapter-End.