A World on Edge Ethan stood in the Guild’s private meeting room, his mind racing. Another party had vanished. The Guild was starting to notice the pattern. But they were still missing the truth. The Shadow-Touched weren’t just random anomalies. They weren’t dungeon creatures. They weren’t even supposed to exist. And yet— They were multiplying. Spreading. And Ethan knew, deep in his bones, that the Master’s influence was growing with them. The obsidian door in the library ruins had been sealed for a reason. But if these disappearances meant what he thought they did— Then something was breaking those seals. And soon? They wouldn’t just be hunting Shadow-Touched. They’d be fighting whatever came next. The Guild’s Response Elias exhaled, rubbing his temple as he looked at Ethan’s team. “You’re telling me you found evidence that the Shadow-Touched existed before the System?” Leah nodded. “The records were clear. They were known as Masters of Shadow. The Order of Black Dawn studied them—tried to contain them.” Kara crossed her arms. “And failed, apparently.” Elias didn’t argue. Instead, he looked at Ethan. “What do you think?” Ethan hesitated. Then—quietly: “I think history is repeating itself.” Elias narrowed his eyes. “Explain.” Ethan’s fingers tensed around his belt. “The ancient Order tried to stop them—tried to lock them away.” His voice dropped lower. “…But they didn’t succeed.” Elias was silent. Then—finally—he leaned forward. “I want you four to investigate the eastern ruins.” Ethan blinked. “That’s where the missing party went.” Elias nodded. “If these disappearances are connected… we need to know why.” His gray eyes sharpened. “We need to know what we’re up against.”
A New Mission: The Eastern Ruins
Mission Type: Investigation & Recovery
Objective: Locate missing high-rank adventurers
Secondary Objective: Identify any new Shadow-Touched activity
Location: Abandoned ruins deep within the eastern forest
Estimated Threat Level: Unknown
Ethan and his team left the meeting with heavy thoughts. “We’re running straight into another cursed ruin,” Kara muttered. “This is becoming a habit.” Gareth sighed. “It’s worse than that. If we don’t figure this out, we’re going to start seeing Shadow-Touched inside city walls.” That thought made everyone pause. Leah swallowed. “Then we better be ready.” Kara visited the weaponsmith, reinforcing her sword with a sharper mana-conductive edge. areth replaced his damaged armor, upgrading to a reinforced chest plate. Leah stocked up on potions, scrolls, and mana restoration elixirs. Ethan— Ethan went to Boros. The blacksmith looked up as Ethan entered the Hollow Fang Forge. “Back already?” Ethan set his Twin Shadowfangs on the counter. “I need them upgraded.” Boros studied him for a long moment. Then—with a knowing grunt—he took the daggers. “I’ll see what I can do.” Ethan exhaled. He had a feeling he was going to need every advantage he could get.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
The eastern ruins were a day’s travel from Portland. The first half of the journey was uneventful. No monsters. No signs of other adventurers. No attacks. But the silence was almost worse. The deeper they traveled, the heavier the air became. The sky seemed darker, even in daylight. The trees twisted slightly, their branches curling in unnatural angles. And worst of all? The System notifications stopped. No new location discovered. No danger level alerts. It was as if the System itself refused to acknowledge this place. That sent a chill through Ethan’s bones. “Does anyone else feel that?” Kara muttered. Leah nodded. “It’s like the air is… watching us.” Ethan clenched his jaw. This wasn’t just a missing persons mission. This was a warning. And they had already stepped past the threshold.
By mid-afternoon, they reached the first signs of the lost adventurers. Footprints in the dirt—leading toward the ruins. A discarded Guild-issued dagger, half-buried in mud. **Faint traces of mana residue—evidence of a battle. Gareth knelt, running a hand over the dagger. “This belonged to one of the missing party members,” he muttered. Ethan frowned. “They made it here. But they didn’t come back.” Leah’s fingers tightened on her staff. “They were fighting something.” And that meant they were walking into the same fight. Ethan exhaled, gripping his daggers. Then they pushed forward.
The ruins appeared just past the tree line. Crumbling stone walls, half-covered in moss. A massive, circular courtyard—worn symbols carved into the ground. Statues of cloaked figures, their faces long since eroded. And in the center of the ruins? A staircase leading underground. The entrance was wide open. Kara scowled. “That’s not a good sign.” Gareth nodded. “They went down there.” Leah’s hands trembled slightly. “There’s something wrong with this place,” she whispered. Ethan didn’t argue. He felt it too. The mark on his chest throbbed. The same way it had in the library ruins. This wasn’t just an ancient ruin. It was another sealed site. And if the Shadow-Touched were here… That meant something was trying to get out.
They stepped into the ruins. The air grew heavier. The moment Ethan’s foot touched the first step of the staircase— The whispers returned. “Ah… you’ve come again.” Ethan froze. It wasn’t the Master’s voice. It was something else. Something older. Something buried deep beneath these ruins. His breath came out shaky. This wasn’t just another forgotten place. This was something far worse. And by stepping into it— They had already awakened something waiting inside.
