11- The Dark Continent

The smoke of a fire can be seen next to a big boulder in the dead of night, amid a wasteland filled with dried grass and decaying trees, with two individuals sitting on top of the boulder clutching longbows, peering around as they kept watch. while four others sat in front of the campfire.

*tk*

*wood is engulfed with flames*

*tk*

"We've been here for 5 days and still haven't found what you're searching for," grumbled a middle-aged guy as he tossed a chopped piece of wood into the fire.

He was dressed in golden armor with tree-like patterns and four daggers strapped to his back; his blonde hair was neatly done into a ponytail, and he had a big scar over his nose and serious green eyes that reflected the campfire, it was clear that this man had been through many battles.

"Patience is key. General Alric, we're getting closer every day; I estimate it's about 2 days east of here, and we should be there without any issues "The wrinkles on his face were visible as he sat next to the light of the campfire, wearing loose black mage robes that covered his body frame and a hood that covered most of his head.

Despite his plain ordinary-looking mage attire, this old man was renowned as the Sage in the elven kingdom.  The elves held him in high regard not only because he was a skilled mage, but also because the Sage is the equivalent of the Courtmage. Yes, this guy is the second-highest authority in the elf kingdom behind the king, but unlike humans who abused thier ranking, the elf spends much of his time experimenting with and studying runic magic.

" With all due respect, Sage, we've already squandered 5 days; we don't have time for this." What is it that the king considers so vital that the inflicted are ignored, and why have you gone this far into this dead place? "As the head of the elite squad, we should be out there pushing the inflicted away from our shores" Alric grumbled.

" You know general. I've lived for a long time, and things wasn't always like this. Have you ever pondered where the inflicted came from? or what is the dark continent's history? Why is it so... Deafening?" While forming a circle in the air, the Sage inquired, a book appeared out of thin air in his hands.

"The king once told me that it used to be our original home, the original sharandor," Alric said, "but now, after the blight, it's just a wasteland populated with the inflicted, high-leveled monsters that have mutated owing to the dark blight's remnants."

"That is right, but there is more to it than that; the black continent used to be known by a different name.It was called " Faewild." It was a continent that not only elves, but also sylphs and Spirits called home. Everything was going swimmingly. According to legend, our forefathers succeeded in cultivating the Great Tree of Life, Almara, the secret power of elves, with the help of Sylphs and their spirits, and as Almara expanded over time, so did Sharandor's magic. The elves rose above all other races as the kingdom and its people expanded in power." Sage replied as he glanced at the book in his hands and opened it.

Alric and the other two Elven elites recognized this as an opportunity to learn about the elves' long-forgotten history and sat closer to pay attention.

"The elves' knowledge increased over ages with the help of the tree of life Almara; they learnt to interact with spirits like sylphs and studied them even further. Those spirits had proven to be a valuable ally, but they also possessed a powerful force that could be used.. Of course, the Sylphs did not agree with these new tactics, and research into the subject was halted by a king's edict, or so the public believed at the time" p. Sage continued as he painstakingly went over papers packed with phrases written in Ancient elven symbols, "but a tiny group of ambitious elves didn't waste such a chance and remained working on this topic secretly."  

" one day. There was a phenomenal

 It was discovered that a space distortion had appeared somewhere on this continent.

because they were so hungry for knowledge,The elves went and studied it for years until at some point, they figured out what was causing the distortion.

They ultimately opened a dimensional portal that led somewhere. It is unknown what was behind the portal or what the elves did within. But one thing is stated clearly.

The elves returned bearing a shiny dark sphere-like object "said the Sage. as he flipped the book to a page with a painting of the black sphere on it.

"Through countless experiments and observations, this magical object has never failed to demonstrate that everything the elves thought they knew about magic was incorrect; one thing they discovered about the sphere is.that it viciously absorbed any type of living force that came into contact with it, "As he flipped to another page, showing a drawing of two spirits chained by a magical seal.

When Alric and the other elves heard the story and saw the drawing, they were astounded by their ancestors' history and their old homeland.

"The group of insane elves who were secretly working on the spirit project were successful in seizing control of two high leveled spirits sacred to the Sylphs. In their rage, the sylphs attacked the mad elves in an attempt to free their sacred. As the mad elves lost the battle, the majority of them were killed or captured by the king. Only a few people have escaped. and this set in motion a chain of events that led the insane elves to steal the sphere and then use it to summon a power that does not belong in this world

It was later known as the dark blight,  a vicious hungry power that attacked and drained anything in its path." Flipping to the next page, showing a picture of a Dark elf wearing black armor with spikes and shit, holding the Sphere.

"And it was the first appearance of the mad elves as dark elves; no one knows who or what caused them to transform, but they were more evil and stronger than before," the sage explained as he flipped to another page.

" The dark elves were invincible. They used the dark blight to kill and destroy the entire continent of faewild, believing the sphere to be the property of a powerful entity. And they could only claim the power contained within their item if they fed the it enough souls.

The remaining elves are forced to flee south to Grand Mundora. Later, as the blight began to spread southward. All of the races had banded together to push back the dark elves, but it wasn't enough; whatever magic the sphere bestowed upon the dark elves was no joke anymore. Everyone waited for the end until the Celestials intervened, putting an end to the blight and destroying the sphere.The dark elves, on the other hand, had mysteriously disappeared before the celestials could locate them "..

The sage continued, closing the book and giving Alric and the other elves a serious look "What we're looking for here is another surge of unstable mana similar to that of the Sphere. If the dark elves return, our second home and all other races will be in great danger."

********************************

* Boomgg *

*dbouff*

The once-quiet graveyard was now littered with craters, cracks, and debris. A tall humanoid creature on all fours can be seen pursuing and smashing everything in its path in order to reach a tiny black monster that resembled a spider.

*Buuuuf*

"Did I say I could do this all day, IM SORRY " Siphex screamed, panting and huffing as he rolled and avoided another claw swipe that sent a tree trunk soaring.

Looking at the ghoul, there were slash marks all over its body, and despite having its eye sockets ripped out, the ghoul didn't seem to mind as it continued its assault at the same devastating pace. Siphex, on the other hand, was severely injured, losing one of his legs and sustaining a large dent on the side of his chest.

"It was easy at first, but my speed slowed as I lost my stat boost from bloodlust and ran out of stamina." "One hit and I took all this damage, I even lost a leg, that friggin Guardian wants me dead," Siphex grumbled as he tried to flee, but it was futile as the ghoul swiped a boulder, sending several pieces of flying debris at Siphex, sending him flying and crushing at the ground.

* bang * burshggg * 

" I'm dead, I'm dead," Siphex exclaimed in terror as he saw the ghoul soar into the air, fists clinched together, attempting to reduce him into flesh paste.

* fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff*