Chapter 66 : Echoes of the Deep and Cultist Comedy

Drake and Corvus emerged from the Sunken City, the chilling sight of the ruined metropolis still fresh in their minds. The encounter with the Deep One scouts had been a stark reminder of the growing threat. The whispers of something larger, something more sinister lurking beneath the waves, lingered in the air.

"That was… unsettling," Drake muttered, shaking the water from his hair. "Those scouts were more organized than the ones in the Shadowfen. They were patrolling, searching for something."

"Indeed," Corvus replied, his brow furrowed. "Their presence here suggests a more significant operation. The Deep Ones are clearly acting on someone else's orders."

They returned to the coastal town where they had chartered their boat, finding a quiet tavern to discuss their findings. The Deep One artifact, the obsidian crystal, lay on the table between them, its faint internal light pulsing rhythmically.

"This crystal," Corvus said, tracing its smooth surface with his finger, "it's a key, of sorts. A focusing lens for Void energy. It's likely being used to amplify the connection between our world and the Void."

"So, someone's trying to open a bigger door for the Void to come through," Drake summarized. "Lovely. Just what we needed."

They decided to consult with the local fishermen, hoping to glean more information about recent Deep One activity. The fishermen spoke of strange occurrences: unusually large waves, sudden changes in the currents, and sightings of monstrous aquatic creatures. They also mentioned a remote coastal village to the north, where strange rituals had been observed.

"A village, you say?" Drake mused. "Sounds like our next destination. Maybe they have a nice gift shop. I could use a new keychain."

They chartered another boat and set sail north, following the fishermen's directions. After a day's journey, they reached a secluded cove, where a small village nestled among the cliffs. The village was eerily quiet, with no signs of activity.

*Notification: "Location Discovered: Coastal Village. Suspected Cult Activity."*

As they approached the village, Drake activated *Observe*. He noticed strange symbols carved into the rocks around the cove, symbols that resonated with the dark energy of the Void.

*Notification: "Magical Symbols Detected: Void Runes. Purpose: Unknown. Likely used in Rituals."*

They landed their boat and cautiously approached the village. The houses were deserted, their doors hanging open. The air was thick with the smell of salt and a faint, metallic odor.

*Notification: "Enemy Detected: 10 x Cultists. Threat Level: Low."*

Suddenly, figures emerged from the houses, their faces hidden by dark hoods. They carried daggers and chanted in a low, guttural language.

"Well, hello there, hooded fellows," Drake said, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Nice robes. Very… dramatic. Are you guys having a convention or something? Because I didn't get an invitation. Rude."

The cultists stopped chanting, their heads turning towards Drake. They looked confused for a moment, then their expressions hardened.

"Silence, infidel!" one of the cultists hissed. "You shall be silenced in the name of the Void!"

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be silenced eventually," Drake replied. "Probably when I'm, like, really old and my voice gives out. But until then, I've got a lot more witty remarks to deliver. And by the way, that chant? Needs work. It's a bit… repetitive. Try adding a chorus. Maybe some interpretive dance. That always livens things up."

The cultists, clearly annoyed by Drake's antics, lunged at him with their daggers.

"Alright, alright," Drake said, activating Void Embrace, feeling the familiar surge of dark energy. "Party's over, robe-wearers. Time for the main event. And by main event I mean me kicking your butts."

*Notification: "Skill Activated: Void Embrace (Level 3). Health Drain per turn: 2."*

He then used Void Tendrils, summoning several shadowy appendages that lashed out at the cultists, ensnaring and disarming them.

*Notification: "Skill Activated: Void Tendrils (Level 3). Cost: 60 Mana. Damage Dealt: 40 (each tendril). Ensnared 5 targets"*

*Notification: "Health Drain: 2. Drake Health: 71/100"*

"Ooh, look at you all tangled up," Drake teased. "Like a bunch of dark, hooded… spaghetti monsters. That's it! I'm going with that one."

The cultists, caught off guard and struggling against the shadowy tendrils, were easy targets. Drake and Corvus quickly moved in, dispatching the ensnared cultists with swift strikes. The remaining cultists, seeing their comrades fall, tried to attack, but Drake's enhanced Dexterity and *Street Fighting* skills allowed him to easily evade their clumsy attacks.

"And another one bites the dust," Drake said, kicking one of the cultists into a nearby pile of seaweed. "Or, in this case, the seaweed. That's gotta sting."

*Notification: "Enemy Defeated: Cultist (+200 XP)."*

*(Repeated for each cultist)*

*Notification: "Experience Gained: Cultist Encounters (+2000 XP)"*

*Experience: 17200 + 2000 = 19200/9000*

*Notification: "Level Up! Drake has reached Level 11!"*

*Notification: "Stat Points Available: 11"*

*Notification: "Skill Points Available: 2"*

He allocated his stat points putting 6 into Dexterity and 5 into Strength.

*Notification: "Stat Points Allocated: Dexterity +6. Current Dexterity: 44."*

*Notification: "Stat Points Allocated: Strength +5. Current Strength: 47."*

He allocated his skill points, putting one into Void Shatter and one into Shadow Strike.

*Notification: "Skill Point Allocated: Void Shatter (Level 2). Effect: Increased damage and blast radius."*

*Notification: "Skill Point Allocated: Shadow Strike (Level 7). Upgraded to Shadow Rend. Effect: Increased damage and now has a high chance to inflict the 'Bleed' status effect. Bleeding enemies take damage every turn and have reduced movement speed."*