Arcana System: Rise of the Forsaken Prince

Chapter 6The shadow lurking

Leon looked at the trees around him, feeling something wrong. There is a voice ... a voice that shouldn't be there. Like a whisper that fell in the air. 

He turned to the variant. "You hear that?"

A silent variant for a moment, then nodded slowly. "It's not the sound of the wind."

Leon felt his hair standing. He activated Arkana's vision deeper, trying to see the source of the sound. And that's where he saw it - a faint -shaped humanoid shaped that stands between the trees, staring at him with blank eyes. 

[Entity unknown detected]

[Analysis ... failed]

Leon immediately grabbed his sword. "There's something there."

The variant is not surprised. "I know."

"What's that?" Leon asked in a low voice. 

The variant stares forward with a serious expression. "If we are lucky, it is only the spirit of this forest guard. If we are not lucky ..."

Leon is waiting for the sequel, but the variant does not finish his words. 

Suddenly, the whisper sound even louder. Now, Leon can understand some of the words. 

"Back ... retreat ... don't see ..."

However, instead of retreating, Leon even stepped closer. If this entity gives a warning, it means that something is hidden in this place. 

Variant sighed. "I know you will do that."

Leon didn't answer. He continued to walk toward one of the giant trees, where he could see strange symbols of vague glow. He touched the trunk, and suddenly ... 

The explosion of light enveloped the world around him. 

-

When Leon opened his eyes, he was no longer in the forest. 

He stood in the middle of an endless vast plain, with a red blood sky above it. In the distance, black mountains towering, and in front of them, a giant city stands in destruction. 

In the middle of the city, a black tower towering. 

Leon could feel something - the dark energy that was so strong, flowing from the tower was like a heartbeat. 

Then, a deep voice echoed in the air. 

"You finally arrived."

Leon turned around, and that's where he saw it. 

The tall figure is dark robe, with a face covered with an iron mask that only has a narrow gap for the eyes. His aura was so pressing, as if the world itself was subject to him. 

"Who are you?" Leon asked, preparing for his sword. 

The figure did not answer. He just raised his hand, and in an instant, the world around Leon changed again. 

-

Leon gasped and returned to the forest, his breathing hunted. 

The variant stared at him attentively. "You see something, right?"

Leon grasped his chest, he could still feel the rest of the fear of the vision. 

"Black tower ... an iron -robed figure ..." he muttered. 

The variant eyes widened. "Black tower? Are you sure?"

Leon nodded. "Do you know something about him?"

Variant sighed long. "If your eyesight is true ... then our journey has just become much more dangerous."

Leon clenched his fist. "I don't care. I have to know what happened."

The variant stared at him for a long time, then nodded. "Then, we must find an answer before they find it first."

And with that, their journey to deeper truth began. 

The forest remained quiet, as if holding his breath after Leon returned from his eyesight. Although the cold air pierced his skin, cold sweat soaked his neck. The vision about the black tower and the figure of the iron -robed continued to ring in his mind. 

The variant stared at him sharply. "We have to go. We can't linger here."

Leon is still trying to control his heartbeat. "Tell me, what do you know about the black tower?"

Variant sighed, then looked around, making sure no one was eavesdropping. "It's not just an ordinary tower. Black tower is the center of the power of darkness that has long been lurking in this world. Those who entered into it never returned in the same condition."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "So you believe it's real?"

"I'm more than just believing. I've seen it."

Leon stiffened. "When?"

The variant of tightening the gloves. "Five years ago, when I was still part of the order of the light guard."

Leon was surprised. He did not expect this man to have a background in the legendary order. 

The variant continued, "We were sent in a mission to investigate the increase in dark magic activity on the royal border. We thought it was just an ordinary disorder ... until we found them."

"They?" Leon repeated, his heart began to beat faster. 

The variant nodded. "The shadow of eternal. Followers of the darkness who vow to be loyal to something bigger than we can imagine."

At that moment, Leon felt the cold spread to his backbone. He remembered the whisper sound he heard earlier. 

"So you think we are connected to them now?"

"I don't think." The variant stared at him with a serious expression. "I'm certain."

-

They began to move deeper into the forest, their steps barely voiced between large roots and scattered dry leaves. Leon tried to understand what was happening. The system has brought him so far, giving him the strength and opportunity to survive. However, is he really ready to face something this big? 

Suddenly, the system rang again. 

[Warning: Unknown Entity is approaching.]

Leon stopped in place. "There is something approaching."

The variant is immediately prepared, pulling the sword. "From where?"

Leon closed his eyes for a moment, relying on Arkana's vision to detect sources of threats. 

And then he saw it. 

The shadow moves between the trees, has no exact shape, only lumps of darkness that seem to move alone. They crept in the ground like life fog, surrounding them in a slow circle. 

Variant swear slowly. "The imagination of eternal ..."

Leon gripped his sword tighter. "Can they be hurt?"

"Only with a holy magic or Arkana's energy attack."

The system sounds again. 

[Analysis is complete.]

[Abadi Shadow: Dark Energy -Based Entities. Vulnerable to light -based attacks or pure energy.]

Leon looked at his sword and made a quick decision. He activated the strengthening of Arkana, letting the blue glowing energy enveloped his sword bar. 

"Then let's try it."

-

The battle broke out quickly. 

One of the shadows shot towards Leon, its shape turned into a sharp spear. With a quick reflex, Leon parried him with his sword, and when his blades touched the shadow, there was a hissing sound like boiling steam. The shadow shook violently before being destroyed into a dark flake. 

"This works!" Leon exclaimed. 

The variant has moved quickly, using his energy-coated sword attack to destroy other shadows. 

However, more and more shadows have sprung up from the forest. They seemed endless. 

[Warning: The number of enemies increases.]

Leon gritted his teeth. "We can't keep fighting like this. They are too many!"