Ancient Ruins

Something was wrong…

I suddenly felt treacherous dread overwhelm me.

If my memory serves me right, these Whispering Woods should be teeming with various abominations and disgusting creatures and yet I had encountered none of them.

'…'

Unknowingly, my fingers had tightened around the hilt of my sword, ready to swing it at a moment's notice. This was purely instinctual - I was aware that the monsters in the area are immensely more powerful than I am and knew my chances of survival in a direct confrontation were slim.

Every single sound drew my attention, prickling my senses and exhausting my mental state each passing moment.

"This is… seriously taxing."

Muttering under my breath, I slowly began advancing forward, my golden eyes scavenging the fog coating the surrounding world with utter vigilance.

I needed to be extremely cautious because if something was to sneak attack me from the mist, I only had a mere fraction of a second to Vanish and evade the enemy's assault.

Crack…

Suddenly, I heard the sound of twigs snapping nearby.

Without even hesitating, I immediately used Shadow Step and appeared high above the ground, perching on a sturdy branch of an towering oak tree with grey leaves that obscured my presence.

Scanning the ground from my elevated position, I immediately noticed a hunched figure entering my field of vision, emerging from the thick mist like a ghost.

My face contorted and my lips pressed into a thin line. The being was… disgusting and horrifying to behold.

It was a grotesque amalgamation of rotting flesh, twisted limbs, and jagged teeth. It seemed as if multiple creatures had been stitched together into a single abhorrent entity.

"A Chimera…"

Placing my hand on my chin, I exclaimed.

To my knowledge, there shouldn't be a Chimera in these Woods. The only beings that should inhabit the area are ghouls and zombies.

…

Tapping my foot lightly on the branch, I observed as the being, if I can even call it that, wandered aimlessly with a disconcerting motion around the surroundings before disappearing back into the mist.

After making sure it had truly left the vicinity I quietly descended from the tree.

I was deeply perplexed by the Chimera's presence, but had no time to dwell on it further.

Even if something fishy was happening in this accursed forest, all I needed to do was grab the Artifact and dip. I had neither an interest nor the desire to engage in unnecessary battles or investigate the strange occurrences here.

This was no longer a 'game' after all. I couldn't just rush in and recklessly put my life at risk.

'Mind my own business.'

With a deep sigh, I kept advancing with caution.

Along my trek through the forest I encountered a few more of the Chimeras lurking in the mist, but they seemed to pay me little notice, their attention focused elsewhere.

During these confrontations I noticed that all of the Chimeras' bodies were made out of the same decaying two species: ghouls and zombies…

The creatures that were supposed to roam The Whispering Woods.

Whoever created these twisted abominations clearly had some abnormal obsession with merging the local denizens of the forest into such grotesque hybrids.

That was also probably the reason why I hadn't encountered any of the regular ghosts and zombies that normally inhabit this area.

On one hand it was a relief to not have to deal with the typical hordes of undead creatures, but the presence of the unsettling Chimeras was deeply concerning.

By now, I had already understood that a Dark Magician was likely behind the appearance of the abominations.

In the 'Realm of Legends', Dark Magicians were introduced as foes for every player as they drew their power from signing contracts with Demons, direct enemies of humanity and other races.

They dabbled in the darkest of magical arts, bringing back the dead, summoning horrors from the void, and corrupting the natural order.

If one of them was currently stationed within the forest then I needed to be extremely cautious and avoid direct confrontation at all costs.

I am no hero. I will not try to or even debate taking on a powerful Dark Magician.

If I am unable to kill a ghoul or even a zombie, how can I possibly hope to defeat a man who captures them alive and then fuses them into monstrosities beyond imagination.

Also, if I get caught, I'd probably become the next victim of the Dark Magician's experiments.

And I have no desire to gain any new body parts…

Thud…

Suddenly, while lost in my own thoughts and scanning the surrounding mist, I tripped over something and gracelessly fell to the ground.

"What the hell…"

I cursed, standing up and dusting off my clothes.

My eyes immediately found the object I had tripped over.

It was a corner of a stone slab, partially buried in the overgrown foliage of the forest floor.

Whoosh…

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept through the area, causing the dense fog to retreat slightly. As the mist pulled back, the massive ruins of an ancient civilization began to reveal themselves.

Towering stone structures stood amidst the overgrown vegetation, their once-grand architecture now crumbling and weathered by time. Vines and moss clung to the ancient walls, their tendrils weaving intricate patterns over the stone. Broken pillars and archways hinted at a bygone era of splendor, now reduced to eerie remnants.

I took a cautious step forward, my eyes scanning the surroundings.

The ruins sprawled in every direction, a labyrinth of decay and mystery. Statues of forgotten gods and heroes stood sentinel, their features eroded but still exuding an air of solemn dignity.

The ground was also littered with fragments of pottery, rusted weapons, and remnants of what once might have been a bustling town square.

Although I hadn't seen the exact place, I instantly knew that these were the 'Ancient Ruins' where the Artifact was located.

Taking a deep breath, I readied my sword and turned my head to the old plaza of the crumbling ruins.

It was time to claim what's mine.