The Gala of Ghosts
Ashvale shimmered under the crimson dusk, its spires piercing the sky like blades, the Imperial banners fluttering with arrogance.
But tonight, even royalty would bleed.
Riven stood before the outer gates of General Caelis' grand estate, wearing a stolen noble's cloak and a silver half-mask — elegant, anonymous, dangerous.
Beside him, Nyra limped slightly, still recovering, her form hidden behind a delicate black veil and highborn dress woven with microblades.
The system now functioned at 120% optimization, reacting to every pulse of danger like a second heart.
---
🧠 Objective Active:
> Infiltrate General Caelis' Gala
Find the Vault Room
Acquire "Memory Shard – Project Genesis"
Optional: Kill Caelis without being detected
---
> "This is suicide," Nyra whispered.
> "It's war," Riven replied.
The gate guards scanned their sigils, enchanted to detect any forgeries.
But the system whispered in his mind — subtle illusion overlays, slight heartbeat manipulation.
> ✅ Status: Noble Guests Verified.
They entered.
---
Inside, the estate was a maze of gold, crystal, and lies. Courtiers laughed with venom behind their smiles. Assassins danced in shadows disguised as violinists. And above them all, General Caelis loomed from his throne — elegant, silver-haired, radiating charm like a sun that burned too bright.
> "We find the vault. Then we end him," Riven muttered.
> "Or he ends us first," Nyra added.
---
As they slipped into the crowd, the System pulsed.
---
⚙️ Passive Skill Activated:
> 🐍 Whispers in the Crowd
— Gain fragments of intel by listening to political gossip
— +10% Stealth when surrounded by nobility
---
From passing nobles, he caught fragments:
> "Did you hear? Caelis is keeping a prototype soul weapon in his vault."
> "He's even rumored to have the original Ashborn blueprints."
> "They say he betrayed someone… an academy genius…"
Riven smiled beneath his mask.
> They remembered. Good.
---
They reached the vault wing. Two high-ranking guards stood post — enchanted armor, alert eyes.
> "We'll need a distraction," Nyra whispered.
> "No," Riven said. "We'll use a ghost."
---
From his cloak, Riven pulled a small device — a shard filled with corrupted memory.
He crushed it between his fingers.
> A hologram flickered into life — an image of Emperor Valon, bleeding and screaming, projected into the hallway.
> The guards panicked.
> "Protect the emperor!" one yelled, running forward. The second followed.
In the confusion, Riven and Nyra slipped past.
---
Inside the vault, the room glowed with dangerous enchantments.
Shelves of magical scrolls, forbidden crystals, and sealed soul containers hummed in silence.
But one object glowed differently.
🧩 Artifact Found:
> Memory Shard – Project Genesis
Status: Locked (Blood Key Required)
Owner: General Caelis
> "We'll need his blood," Riven muttered.
---
Then the alarms blared.
> "Unauthorized access. Intruders in the vault!"
Outside, footsteps thundered.
Riven turned to Nyra.
> "Time for Phase Two."
She nodded, then — with practiced grace — stabbed herself in the arm, triggering an embedded Sympathy Rune.
---
⚠️ System Sub-Protocol Triggered:
> Disguise Protocol – Bloodline Forgery
You now appear as "Commander Velian," Caelis' own nephew
Duration: 7 minutes
---
The guards broke in.
> "Commander?!"
> "They tried to steal from us," Riven barked in a perfect aristocratic tone. "The girl escaped. I held them here."
The guards looked between him and the broken vault seal — confused, nervous.
> "Get Caelis," Riven ordered.
They saluted and vanished.
Nyra looked at him, stunned.
> "How many masks do you wear, Riven?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he walked to Caelis' personal lounge, where the General waited — wine glass in hand, eyes like razors.
> "Velian?" Caelis asked. "You look like hell."
> "I saw something," Riven whispered. "About the Ashborn... about Project Genesis. You lied."
---
Caelis' eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"
> "You betrayed him."
> "Who?"
> "Me."
Riven's hand surged with red light. The Sympathetic Rune shattered.
The mask fell.
> "You—" Caelis choked, too slow to move.
Riven's dagger plunged into the General's heart — but not to kill.
> To bleed him.
He caught the blood in a small vial and stepped back as guards screamed.
---
✅ Blood Key Acquired
> Memory Shard unlocked. Downloading…
> ⚠️ SYSTEM EXPANSION IN PROGRESS…
— "Project Genesis" blueprint acquired
— Soul Weapon Concept unlocked
— New Evolution Path: System Override Protocol [LOCKED]
---
Riven looked at Caelis, barely alive.
> "You stole everything from me. But I didn't come to kill you."
He leaned in.
> "I came to show you… that I won."
---
Then he vanished in smoke and flame as the gala turned into chaos.