The roar of engines and the glow of distant lights made Richard press the fragment of knowledge against his chest. The vehicles of the Society of the Veil were getting closer, and his only option was to run. He activated "Wind Steps," feeling his body become lighter, and launched himself toward the dunes, leaving the temple behind.
The desert wind struck his face as he advanced, raising clouds of sand that impaired his vision. Each step brought him closer to the limit of his endurance, and he could feel his mana diminishing rapidly. Despite this, he couldn't stop. He knew that if they caught him, he would not only lose the fragment, but also the chest he had protected so carefully, and perhaps even his life.
"You can't escape, Wonder!" shouted a voice behind him, resonating with a mixture of mockery and threat.
Richard turned briefly, and what he saw paralyzed him for an instant. A man dressed in the Society's uniform was floating in the air, surrounded by an aura of magical energy that distorted the space around him. His hands glowed with intense blue fire, and his eyes burned with a ferocity that made the air feel heavier.
"Magic?" Richard murmured, incredulous, as he tried to process what he was seeing.
The man extended a hand with a fluid movement, and a burst of blue fire shot toward Richard with terrifying speed. He barely had time to react, activating "Wind Steps" to move aside and avoid the attack. The explosion raised a cloud of sand and left a smoking crater where he had been standing.
"This can't be happening..." Richard gasped, feeling fear beginning to take hold of him.
The Society's magician landed in front of him with a cruel smile, his magical aura intensifying with each step he took toward Richard.
"You thought you were the only one with access to magic, didn't you?" said the man, with a tone of superiority that made each word feel like a blow. "You have no idea what we've accomplished."
Richard instinctively backed away, desperately seeking an exit. However, the magician raised both hands, and with a quick gesture, created a wall of blue fire that blocked his path. The flames danced with an almost hypnotic intensity, emitting a scorching heat that made the air ripple.
"You have nowhere to go," the magician continued, his voice resonating with unshakable confidence. "Give me the fragment, and maybe I'll let you live."
Richard gritted his teeth, feeling desperation beginning to overcome him. He knew he couldn't face someone with that level of power, but he couldn't surrender either. Instinctively, his hand moved toward the chest he carried in his backpack, feeling its comforting solidity and weight. Before he could respond, an explosion of light appeared behind the magician, illuminating the desert as if it were day.
Elyndra emerged from the shadows, her body surrounded by a silvery aura that pulsed with an almost divine energy. Her eyes shone with determination, and in her hands she held a spear of pure energy that emitted a constant hum.
"Run, Richard!" she shouted, launching a burst of energy that forced the magician to step back several paces.
The magician turned toward Elyndra, his expression changing from confidence to surprise and then to fury.
"Who the hell are you?" he growled, raising a hand to prepare another attack.
"Someone who will not allow you to touch my disciple," Elyndra responded, with a firm voice that left no room for doubt about her determination.
Richard hesitated for a moment, his instinct telling him he should stay and help, but Elyndra looked directly at him, her eyes conveying a mixture of urgency and confidence.
"Go! Now!"
Richard nodded, though his heart felt heavy. He activated "Wind Steps" once more and launched himself toward the dunes, leaving the scene behind. As he ran, the sounds of battle filled the air: explosions, screams, and the roar of fire. Each sound made his chest tighten more, but he knew that staying would only make things worse.
As he moved away, he couldn't help looking back one last time. In the distance, he saw how Elyndra and the magician exchanged attacks, their auras clashing in a spectacle of lights and energy that illuminated the desert.
"Please, hold on..." Richard murmured, clenching his fists as he continued running toward the safety of the shadows.
---
After what seemed like hours, Richard reached a shelter hidden among the rocks. It was a small cave that Elyndra had mentioned before, equipped with basic supplies and protected by magical barriers that emitted a faint blue glow. These barriers not only kept intruders away but also concealed the presence of the refuge from any magical detection.
He collapsed to the ground, panting, as the fatigue and stress of the pursuit finally caught up with him. He took the fragment of knowledge from his pocket, observing it carefully. It glowed weakly, as if responding to his touch, emitting a soft warmth that felt both comforting and strange at the same time.
"What exactly are you?" he murmured, holding it in front of him, trying to find some clue in its smooth, translucent surface.
Suddenly, the system activated, projecting a message before his eyes with golden letters that floated in the air:
[**Fragment of Knowledge Acquired: 1/7**]
[**Objective: Gather the 7 fragments to unlock access to complete knowledge.**]
Richard frowned, processing the information. Each word seemed to weigh on him, as if the system were understating the magnitude of the task.
"Seven fragments?" he reflected quietly. "The voice in the temple said they were necessary to maintain the balance between worlds..."
While contemplating the importance of his mission, his hand automatically moved to his backpack, seeking the guardian's chest. The object that had triggered this whole adventure remained a mystery to be solved. Despite the chaos of the last few hours, he had never forgotten his primary objective: to decipher the secrets of the chest.
He carefully extracted it, feeling its comforting weight in his hands. The symbols engraved on its surface seemed clearer now, as if responding to the proximity of the knowledge fragment. Richard placed both objects together on the ground in front of him, watching fascinated as they seemed to subtly resonate with each other.
"The chest and the fragment are connected somehow," he murmured, recalling the vision he had in the temple. "Perhaps one is the key to the other..."
Before he could explore this connection further, a noise at the entrance of the cave made him turn quickly, his body tensing with the instinct of survival. Elyndra appeared staggering, her clothes torn and blood stains covering her body. Her aura, normally imposing, seemed weakened, and each step she took was an evident effort.
"Elyndra!" Richard shouted, running to her with his heart pounding hard.
He held her before she fell to the ground, feeling how fragile she seemed at that moment. Without wasting time, he carried her to one of the improvised beds in the shelter, made of thick blankets and worn pillows. Elyndra was breathing with difficulty, and her eyes could barely stay open, but even so, she tried to speak.
"I stopped him... but not for long..." she whispered in a weak voice, before losing consciousness, leaving Richard with more questions than answers.
With no time to doubt, Richard frantically searched among the shelter's supplies. He found bandages, ointments, and a small flask of purified water that Elyndra had previously mentioned as a valuable resource. With trembling hands, he cleaned her wounds, applied the medications, and carefully bandaged the most affected areas.
"Don't die..." he murmured, as he worked with a mixture of desperation and determination. Each movement was a reminder of how much he depended on her, not only as his mentor but also as his only ally in this struggle.
After what seemed like hours, Elyndra began to breathe more regularly. Her face, though still pale, showed signs of relief. Richard collapsed into a nearby chair, exhausted but relieved to see that his effort had paid off.
As he watched Elyndra rest, an idea began to form in his mind. He could no longer depend solely on her to face the dangers surrounding them.
"This can't continue... I have to become stronger," he said quietly, with a renewed determination that shone in his eyes.
His fingers unconsciously caressed the edge of the guardian's chest he had left at his side. He knew that within that ancient container there could be crucial knowledge for his development, but he had not yet reached the level necessary to open it. The system had clearly indicated: "Level 2 required."
"I need more power, more knowledge," he murmured, looking alternately at the sealed chest and the glowing fragment. "And perhaps the key to achieving it is right here, in front of me."
---
Over the following days, Richard dedicated himself to exploring the shelter with a mixture of curiosity and necessity. The walls of the cave were covered with ancient inscriptions that seemed to tell stories of past battles and magical rituals. Some of the inscriptions glowed faintly when he touched them, as if responding to his presence.
In a dusty corner, he found an improvised bookshelf filled with ancient books and rolled scrolls. Each one seemed more fragile than the last, but they contained invaluable information about the temples, magic, and the mysterious "other side" that Elyndra had mentioned on occasion. One of the texts, written in a language he could barely understand thanks to Elyndra's teachings, mentioned the location of a temple in a distant region, hidden among mountains covered in perpetual mist.
"This could be important... but I can't leave while Elyndra is in this state," he murmured, carefully setting the book aside.
Determined to make use of the time, Richard began to study the texts more deeply. One of the books spoke about the basic principles of mana and how to channel it efficiently. Although the explanations were complex, Richard strove to understand them, taking notes in a notebook he had found among the supplies.
"First, I have to better understand magic..." he said to himself, as he tried to replicate one of the exercises described in the book.
He sat on the floor, closed his eyes, and tried to feel the flow of energy in his body. At first, all he perceived was the beating of his heart and the sound of his breathing, but with time, he began to notice something else: a subtle, almost imperceptible current that ran through his interior. It was like a calm river, waiting to be guided.
With patience, he tried to manipulate that energy, concentrating it in the palm of his hand. After several failed attempts, he managed to create a small orb of light that floated weakly over his skin. Though it was a modest achievement, Richard felt a wave of pride and hope.
"This is just the beginning..." he whispered, observing the orb before it vanished.
At the same time, he did not neglect the security of the refuge. Using "Echo Vision," a skill that allowed him to detect movements and presences within a limited radius, he constantly monitored the vicinity of the cave. Every time he saw something suspicious, like the movement of a shadow or the sound of distant footsteps, he prepared for the worst. However, until now, the refuge had remained safe, protected by the magical barriers that Elyndra had established.
Occasionally, Richard would take out the guardian's chest and study it under the dim light of the cave's crystals. The symbols on its surface seemed to subtly change each time he observed them, as if they were alive or responding to his growing understanding of the magical system. Sometimes, he would place the knowledge fragment next to the chest, observing the silent dance of energies between both objects.
"Ritual of Blood and Knowledge," he remembered the system's words. But without reaching Level 2, he knew that any attempt to open the chest would be futile. Even so, he couldn't help feeling that the solution was getting closer, almost within his reach.
---
During one of his tours of the cave, he found a hidden compartment behind a loose rock. Inside, there was a blue crystal the size of his fist that emitted a pulsating glow. Upon touching it, a voice resonated in his mind, like a distant echo:
"Bearer of the fragment... time is limited. Prepare yourself."
Richard stepped back, surprised, but the crystal remained silent after that. Although he didn't fully understand the message, he knew it was a warning.
"I have to become stronger... and quickly," he said, clenching his fists with determination.
Each passing day, Richard divided his time between caring for Elyndra, studying the texts, and practicing his mana control. Although progress was slow, he felt he was advancing, step by step, toward a future in which he could face the Society of the Veil and protect what mattered most to him.
---
One night, while practicing with a small orb of light he had managed to create, Richard watched fascinated as the luminous sphere floated between his fingers. The pale glow illuminated the cave with dancing shadows that projected against the ancient walls, creating figures that seemed to tell stories of forgotten times. He had spent hours trying to stabilize the energy, feeling how the mana flowed from his center to his hands in a process that required absolute concentration.
The sensation was indescribable; a mixture of warmth, tingling, and something deeper, as if he were connecting with a part of the universe that had always been there, waiting to be discovered. With each attempt, the orb became a little brighter, a little more stable. His fingers trembled slightly from the effort as he tried to maintain the constant flow of energy.
"Control your breathing," he reminded himself, repeating the words that Elyndra had told him so many times. "Mana responds to your emotions as much as to your will."
Just when he began to feel that he was mastering the technique, the orb flickered and grew slightly, adopting a more bluish tone. Richard smiled with satisfaction, but his moment of triumph was interrupted when the system suddenly activated, projecting a message before his eyes with golden letters that glowed in the dimness:
[**New mission available.**]
[**Objective: Develop your own magical ability.**]
[**Reward: Increase in mana capacity.**]
Richard read the message carefully, feeling a mixture of excitement and pressure that made the orb of light fluctuate dangerously before stabilizing again. The idea of creating something of his own, something unique, awakened in him an almost childlike curiosity, but also an overwhelming responsibility.
"A skill of my own..." he murmured, letting the words settle in his mind as he contemplated the possibilities. "This is going to be interesting, but also extremely difficult."
His gaze shifted toward the guardian's chest that rested nearby. Could this new challenge be the key to reaching the level he needed to open it? The timing seemed too perfect to be a coincidence.
He stood up and began walking around the cave, with the orb of light following him like a faithful companion. His steps echoed slightly as he reflected on what he had learned in the ancient texts. Creating a unique skill required not only technique but also a deep understanding of oneself, of one's strengths and weaknesses.
"Perhaps something related to light..." he thought aloud, observing how the orb pulsed gently, as if responding to his voice. "Or maybe something completely different."
Richard's concentration was interrupted by a dull sound that resonated from the entrance of the cave, a sound that made his entire body tense by instinct. The orb of light went out instantly when his concentration broke, plunging the cave into partial darkness. Without wasting a second, he activated "Echo Vision," feeling how the energy flowed to his eyes, allowing him to perceive movements and presences beyond normal vision.
His heart beat hard as he scanned the entrance, prepared to face any threat. However, what he saw was not an enemy, but a familiar figure leaning heavily against the rocky wall. It was Elyndra, visibly weakened, with her silver hair falling messily over her pale face and a grave expression that Richard had never seen before.
"We need to talk..." she said, with a weak but urgent voice that resonated in the cave like an omen.
Richard ran to her, feeling a mixture of relief and concern that reflected in each hurried step. When he reached her side, he noticed that although her physical wounds were healing, there was something else in her eyes, something like fear, an emotion he had never associated with his strong mentor.
"What's happening? Are you okay?" he asked urgently as he helped her sit on one of the flat rocks that served as improvised seats. "You should be resting; your wounds haven't fully healed yet."
Elyndra breathed deeply, as if trying to gather strength for what she was about to say. Her hands, normally firm and sure, trembled slightly as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The dim light of the oil lamps cast dramatic shadows over her face, accentuating the sharp angles and concern in her features.
"I've been... connecting with the mana currents while recovering," she began, her voice a little stronger but still laden with unusual gravity. "I've seen things, Richard. Fragments of the future, echoes of decisions not yet made. The next temple... won't be like the previous ones."
She paused, as if the words were physically painful to pronounce. Her eyes, an almost supernatural blue, shone with an intensity that Richard found disturbing.
"And we won't be alone," she finally continued, each word weighing like lead between them. "The Society has mobilized its best agents. They've found something, a clue they shouldn't have. They're advancing faster than I anticipated."
Richard felt a shiver run through his body, a cold sensation that settled at the base of his spine. The memory of the magician in the desert, with his blue fire and overwhelming power, returned vividly to his mind.
"What exactly do you mean?" he asked, although part of him already feared the answer. "Is it about the man you faced in the desert?"
Elyndra shook her head, her eyes fixed on a distant point, as if she could see through the rock walls.
"It's not just him," she replied with a tone that mixed resignation and determination. "It's all of them. The elite of the Society. The Seekers."
The name fell between them like a stone in a pond, creating waves of tension that Richard could almost touch. He had heard that name before, in fearful whispers among the ancient texts he had been studying.
"The Seekers..." he repeated, trying to process the magnitude of the threat. "I thought they were just legends, stories to scare apprentices."
Elyndra let out a bitter laugh that quickly turned into a painful cough. Richard hurried to hand her a canteen of water, which she accepted with a grateful gesture.
"Many legends have their origin in forgotten truths," she said after drinking. "The Seekers are very real, and extremely dangerous. Magicians trained specifically to find and extract ancient knowledge, regardless of the cost. Each of them possesses skills that would make that desert magician seem like a mere apprentice."
Richard ran a hand through his hair, feeling how the weight of this new information added to the pressure he already felt. His eyes briefly rested on the guardian's chest, which seemed to glow faintly in the dim light, like a constant reminder of his unfinished mission.
"How do we face them then? If they're as powerful as you say..."
Elyndra looked at him directly, her eyes shining with an intensity he hadn't seen before, a mixture of iron determination and something else, something that seemed almost... pride.
"That's why I've been training you," she responded, placing a hand on his shoulder. "That's why the system has given you that mission. We need every possible advantage. A unique skill, something they can't anticipate, could make the difference between success and failure."
Richard nodded slowly, processing her words. The system's mission no longer seemed like a simple exercise in personal growth, but an urgent necessity for their survival.
"How much time do we have?" he asked, feeling how his determination began to overcome his fear.
Elyndra closed her eyes for a moment before responding, as if she were consulting some information invisible to him. When she opened them again, there was a terrifying certainty in them.
"They are already on their way," she said gravely. "Three days, perhaps four if we're lucky. We must be prepared to leave for the temple before they find us. And we must be ready for whatever awaits us there."
The silence that followed her words was laden with tension. Richard felt his mind working at full speed, processing everything he had learned, everything he still needed to learn.
"Then there's no time to lose," he finally said, standing up with a new determination. "I have three days to create a skill that not even the Seekers can counter."
Elyndra observed him with an expression that mixed concern and something resembling pride, before nodding slowly.
"And I have three days to make sure you're ready for what's coming," she responded, her voice regaining some of its usual strength. "Because what awaits us in that temple could change the course of this war forever."
The atmosphere in the cave had changed, charging with a new urgency and purpose. Richard stared intently at the guardian's chest, feeling that very soon he would finally discover its secrets. Outside, the desert wind howled among the rocks, as if even the elements sensed the storm that was approaching.