Arthur lumbered through the cracked ground of Cinderspire Gorge, his claws leaving deep furrows behind him as his horns throbbed. The white blip on his [Map] pulsed steadily, drawing him deeper into the heart of the gorge, and with each step, the glowing runes on his horns flared brighter. The pressure in his skull mounted—a dull, relentless throb that grew sharper the closer he got. It wasn’t just discomfort; it felt as if something was pulling him, beckoning, demanding his presence. His vision blurred slightly, and he could feel the pulse of ancient energy resonating with his very core.
The temperature shifted suddenly—cool, almost cold. In a place as scalding as the Scorching Badlands, the chill felt unnatural. Steam gave way to a dense, blue mist that swirled like ghostly tendrils, shrouding the ground in eerie silence. Arthur slowed his steps, claws scraping against the obsidian-like stone. He activated [Analyze], his eyes narrowing at the notification.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Location: Temple of the Forgotten Flame
Description: A structure erected centuries ago, twice the size of the average drake. Once used as a containment site for an offspring of Volcranax. It was built by nomadic tribes desperate to control the volatile power of the dragon’s kin. The altar was destroyed, and the temple left in ruin—likely at great cost.
Current Hazard: The Blue Mist that surrounds this area disorients most creatures, causing them to lose their bearings and fall into the gorge. The air here is imbued with the energy of Ice, Water, and Spirit, warding off fire-attributed beings.
Arthur frowned. So that’s why the mist felt so oppressive. It wasn’t just any mist—it was designed to keep creatures out. He wondered if any of the other monsters on this island even knew what lay within the temple. That explained the eerie calm... and why no beasts had been drawn to the treasure waiting inside.
He used his psychic abilities to push the mist aside, revealing the temple at the heart of the gorge. It loomed before him, blackened and weathered, twice his height. The crumbled remains of a charred altar stood at the center, surrounded by jagged stone columns that twisted upward like petrified flames. Bones—some humanoid, some monstrous—lay scattered across the floor in silent testimony to whatever had transpired here.
Arthur’s horns pulsed harder, and the headache surged. It was no ordinary altar. As he stepped closer, the pressure built, as if the very air wanted to crush him.
And then he saw it.
Nestled within the shattered remains of the altar, resting atop a bed of charred stones, was an orb—no bigger than a boulder, yet radiating an energy so potent it made Arthur’s core tremble. It was translucent, shimmering with threads of light that spiraled through its surface, shifting between colors—silver, gold, crimson, and blue. Arthur didn’t need Analyze to tell him what it was.
He knew instinctively.
This was an Enhancement Orb—a phenomenon so rare, so powerful, it defied the natural laws of the world. Centuries of condensed energy had crystallized into this single, magnificent object. A gift, the system called it. A chance for those who found it to transcend their limits without the usual prerequisites or talent. A shortcut to power.
Arthur’s claws flexed. "Why hasn’t anyone taken it?" he muttered, glancing around.
The system pinged again, providing another insight.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
The Enhancement Orb is the byproduct of extreme spiritual energy and accumulated death in a sacred area. Formed only through exceptional circumstances, it can boost one skill to the next level with no effort or conditions.
Be warned—this artifact is unregulated by the natural laws of this world. Use it wisely.
Arthur’s tail swished, stirring the bones at his feet. So this was the price—sacrifices, death, and shattered hopes. The nomads had created the temple in desperation, seeking to control one of Volcranax’s offspring, a monster too dangerous to roam freely. Judging by the crushed bones and destroyed altar, they had succeeded—but only temporarily.
Arthur stared at the orb, the light dancing across its surface. His horns throbbed painfully now, as if something deep within him urged him to act. His claws twitched. He thought back to the Titan of Light, to that devastating encounter in his mindscape. The memory still stung—a reminder of what it felt like to be weak.
The system’s warning flashed again in his mind. Choose wisely.
Arthur hesitated. Was it worth it?
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He exhaled slowly, a growl rumbling deep in his throat. "Screw it." He was done waiting for the system to reward him. If the orb gave him the edge he needed, then he’d take it.
Without another thought, Arthur reached forward and engulfed the orb with his jaws.
The moment the orb cracked between his teeth, a surge of power erupted inside him. His horns glowed violently, the runes along them twisting and growing in complex patterns. His mind exploded with new clarity—every thought sharper, every sensation amplified.
His psychic range doubled. He could feel the subtle tremors in the air, the faintest emotions emanating from distant creatures. Fear, hunger, desperation—they were like whispers in his mind. His control over objects through telekinesis became second nature, and the energy cost of each mental feat was halved.
Arthur snarled as the runic veins along his horns turned a deep, pulsing crimson. They elongated further, curling slightly inward—a crown of psychic prowess. His entire being thrummed with new strength, and for the first time in days, he felt powerful.
"This... This is incredible." The air shimmered around him as he tested his new abilities. Objects lifted effortlessly at his will, and distant sounds reached his mind like clear echoes.
And then something shifted.
Arthur froze.
The ground trembled faintly beneath his claws, and a deep, low growl rumbled from somewhere far below the temple. Arthur’s horns buzzed with warning, and he immediately opened his [Map].
The white blip still pulsed, but now there was something else—a faint signal from deep underground. A disturbance. Something had stirred, awakened by the energy released from the orb.
From beyond the cracked floor of the cavern, deep below layers of stone and molten rock, six red eyes flickered open.
A massive creature shifted, its enormous body coiling slowly within its ancient prison. The golden runes on the chains that bound it flickered weakly, their light dimming with each passing second. The beast stirred, restless, its mind foggy but filled with an undeniable yearning.
"Mother..." it growled softly, a deep, guttural sound that echoed through the hidden tunnels beneath the temple.
Arthur stood still, the buzz of newfound energy coursing through his veins. But before he could relish in his enhanced psychic prowess, the system chimed—low, ominous, and unsettling.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Prepare yourself. Soon, something wicked this way comes.
The message lingered longer than usual, the words seeping into Arthur’s mind like a whisper from some unseen force. His horns pulsed painfully, and the runic patterns etched into them flickered with unease, as if sensing what lay ahead. A chill ran through him despite the heat of the gorge, the weight of the warning pressing heavily on his mind.
Arthur tensed, the weight of the presence below pressing against his mind like a suffocating fog. He didn’t know what it was, but he knew one thing—it was coming.
And it wanted out.