Part 2 – A New Task Begins

The sky was a golden orange as the sun slowly set behind the mountains. Kaelan and Lyra sat by the edge of a small river, trying to regain their strength after their battle with the Orcs. The sound of the flowing water and the gentle breeze helped calm Kaelan's mind, though the fatigue still weighed heavily on his body.

"So, you really don't know anything about this world?" Lyra asked as she cleaned her bow.

Kaelan weakly shook his head. "I don't even know how I got here. One moment I was on Earth—where I'm from—and suddenly, there was this huge light, and I woke up in those ruins with this strange symbol on my chest."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Earth? So you're from another world?"

"Yup," Kaelan replied, sighing. "And now I'm stuck here, being chased by monsters, and supposed to protect a crystal I don't even know the purpose of. What a great day I'm having."

Lyra smiled faintly. "You're calmer than I thought. Most people would panic if they knew they were the prime target of Orcs and demons."

Kaelan chuckled bitterly. "Oh, I panicked. Believe me, I panicked big time. But, it seems like panic doesn't help right now, does it?"

Lyra nodded, seeming to agree. "True. Panic won't save you."

---

**The Story of the Eternal Fire Crystal**

Kaelan stared at the glowing symbol on his chest. "So, you said you know something about this crystal. What exactly is it?"

Lyra set down her bow and looked at him seriously. "That crystal is one of the most powerful ancient relics in this world. It's called the Eternal Fire Crystal, and it contains the primordial fire power that never dies. It has existed since the time of the gods and plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of this world."

Kaelan furrowed his brow. "Balance of the world? You mean... this is some kind of world-saving magical artifact?"

"It's not just that," Lyra answered. "The crystal is also the primary target of the forces of darkness, especially Varion."

The name sent an eerie tremor through Kaelan's body. "Varion... who is he?"

Lyra took a deep breath before replying. "He is the Demon God, the ruler of the sword of darkness. He has tried to destroy this world for thousands of years. Now, he's rising again, and his goal is to collect all the remaining elemental crystals. With them, he will be able to dominate this world, and nothing will be able to stop him."

Kaelan swallowed, feeling the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders. "So, I just happen to be the guardian of this crystal? Why not someone else, someone more... experienced?"

"Because the crystal chose you," Lyra replied firmly. "It's not something that can be forced. The crystal has its own will, and now, you are its vessel."

Kaelan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, great. Of all the people it could have chosen, it picked a regular gamer who doesn't even know how to fight."

Lyra chuckled softly. "Maybe that means you have potential you haven't realized yet."

---

**First Task: Head to the Cursed City**

Lyra stood up, brushing dust off her clothes. "Either way, you can't do this alone. We need help."

Kaelan looked at her, confused. "Help? From who?"

"There's someone who can help us," Lyra answered. "A swordsman who lives in the Cursed City, not far from here. He might be rough and hard to approach, but he's one of the best swordsmen in the world. We'll need him if we want to fight Varion and his army."

Kaelan frowned. "The Cursed City? That name doesn't sound very friendly."

Lyra grinned. "Believe me, it's worse than its name. But if you want to survive, we have to go there."

Kaelan sighed, feeling that this adventure was getting more complicated. However, he knew there was no other choice.

"Alright," he said finally. "Let's go to the Cursed City. But if I die, I'm blaming you."

Lyra chuckled, giving him a light pat on the shoulder. "You won't die, as long as I'm here."

---

**The Journey Begins**

They began walking toward the dark forest, where the sound of the wind whispered through the trees. Kaelan felt uneasy, especially with the feeling that something was watching them.

"So, what should I know about the Cursed City?" Kaelan asked as he watched his steps.

Lyra glanced at him with a mysterious smile. "Only one thing. Never trust anything you see there."

Kaelan swallowed. "Oh, great. That sounds very reassuring."

---

The day was growing darker as Kaelan and Lyra continued their journey to the Cursed City. The forest they were passing through grew denser, and the air felt heavier, as if the world itself was watching them. Each of their steps was accompanied by strange sounds of nature, like whispers that couldn't be fully understood, making Kaelan feel uneasy.

"Why does this place feel so... frightening?" Kaelan asked in a low voice, his eyes scanning for any possible danger.

Lyra walked ahead, remaining calm despite the increasingly oppressive atmosphere. "This is part of this world. Many places are connected to ancient energy. The Cursed City is a place filled with history and deep secrets. But don't worry, nothing is going to attack us tonight. At least, we hope so."

Kaelan furrowed his brow. "You don't sound convincing at all."

Lyra chuckled softly. "Trust me, if anyone wanted to attack, they would've done it already."

However, as they ventured deeper into the forest, they heard heavy footsteps from behind the trees. The footsteps grew closer, and Kaelan could feel the air suddenly growing hot.

"This isn't fun, huh?" Lyra said, slowly turning around. "Looks like we're not alone."

Not long after, a giant figure emerged from behind a tree, accompanied by a rumbling sound that shook the ground. A massive creature with a muscular body and rocky skin, resembling a golem, stomped toward them, shaking the earth with each step. Its eyes glowed red, and its large hands gripped a massive weapon that appeared to be made of stone.

"A golem? Why is there a golem here?" Kaelan asked, anxiety creeping into his voice.

Lyra nodded. "This is the guardian of the forest. This golem won't let anyone enter the Cursed City without permission."

Kaelan's heart raced. "So, we have to fight that thing?"

Lyra spun her bow and quickly readied an arrow. "No, we have to avoid it. A golem like that is not easy to defeat, and we don't have enough power to face it. But we have to get through here."

Kaelan took a deep breath. "Alright, so what do I do?"

"Walk slowly and don't make any noise," Lyra replied flatly, signaling Kaelan to follow her.

They moved cautiously, trying not to draw the attention of the massive golem. However, as they were nearly past it, Kaelan felt his foot slip slightly, making a small rustling sound.

The golem suddenly stopped, its eyes flashing with a sharp red light, signaling that it had detected them. Lyra aimed her bow, ready to release an arrow, but Kaelan felt a strange impulse from within, as though something inside him had awakened.

In an instant, the crystal on his chest glowed with an intensity he had never felt before. The blue light spread throughout his body, and before he knew it, the blue flame power surged into his right hand. In the blink of an eye, a large fireball formed in his palm, surprising him.

"Throw it!" Lyra yelled, seeing the golem starting to move toward them.

Without thinking, Kaelan threw the large fireball with all his strength. The fireball flew and collided with the golem, causing a massive explosion. The golem staggered from the blast, but its stone body prevented it from being severely harmed. Still, the explosion was enough to push it back.

Kaelan quickly retreated, astonished by the power. "What was that?"

"It looks like you just used more power from the Eternal Flame Crystal," Lyra said in awe, her eyes sparkling. "Your power is growing fast. That's incredible, Kaelan."

However, the golem wasn't giving up. With a terrifying growl, it rose again and began moving forward, swinging its massive weapon.

"Run!" Lyra shouted, pulling Kaelan in the opposite direction. "Now!"

Kaelan felt his body moving faster than ever, the energy flowing through him allowing him to run at an incredible speed. "Are you sure we can avoid this thing?"

"If we can get out of this forest, we'll be safe," Lyra replied, shooting several arrows at the golem, though the arrows had little effect. "We just need to get through this area and reach the Cursed City."

They ran through the forest, dodging large trees and bushes blocking their path. The golem was still pursuing them, and Kaelan felt the ground tremble every time the creature took a step.

But just as they neared the edge of the forest, Kaelan felt the crystal on his chest glowing brighter. Instinctively, he looked back and raised his hand. In an instant, another fireball appeared, this one bigger and stronger. Kaelan launched it at the golem with incredible speed.

The fireball struck the golem with an even more powerful explosion, shattering the golem's stone body instantly. The massive creature's body broke into flying stone fragments, and thick dust clouded their vision.

They stopped for a moment, breathing heavily, before Lyra spoke. "That... was amazing, Kaelan. You just destroyed that golem with a fireball."

Kaelan stared at his hand, still glowing with blue light. "I don't know how I did that... but it seems like this power is getting stronger."

Lyra smiled widely, though her expression remained serious. "That power isn't just for battle. You'll need to learn how to control it if you want to survive."

Kaelan looked at Lyra with a new seriousness in his eyes. "I'll do it. I can't let this world fall into the hands of someone like Varion."