The sun had just begun to set across the sky of the quiet village when Rai returned to Lily's cottage after looking for the missing children and the dark mage. The post he had read long ago, didn't offer any details about where to find the dark magician, so he had to find them himself. A gentle breeze passed through the air, but tension lingered beneath the surface.
Lily, the woman who had requested Rai's help, stood at the gate of her home. Her eyes were tired, puffy from endless crying, but the moment she saw him, her face lit up with hope.
"Did… did you find anything?" she asked, voice trembling.
Rai gave a slight shake and stepped closer. "I'll find her. But I need more information to go on."
Lily took a shaky breath. "My daughter… she always loved to play near the eastern woods. There's an old well there, and some abandoned storage sheds left from when the village used to trade iron ore. Sometimes she'd go there to look for rabbits." Her hands twisted into each other. "She's always been curious. I told her to be careful…"
Rai listened intently, mentally noting each landmark. "Did you see anyone suspicious recently?"
She hesitated. "There was a man in dark robes. I didn't get a good look at his face. He'd often be near the farmlands at dusk, just… watching. But no one believed me."
Rai's eyes narrowed. It wasn't much, but it was enough to start.
His objective was clear—the hidden quest known as "The Price of Secrecy." He needed to complete this quest and gain that ring at any cost. He couldn't afford to draw attention right now—not when so many enemies from both past and present could still ruin everything for him.
A notification rang softly in Rai's ear.
Clues About The Quest Gained
This was it.
He bowed slightly to Lily and turned to leave. "I'll bring her back. I promise."
Rai began combing through the outskirts of the village. He checked the abandoned well, the nearby collapsed barn, and the ancient herbalist hut overgrown with ivy. Using his real-life deduction skills and talent, he noticed some small clues: drag marks in the soil, a child's ribbon near the fence, faint remnants of blood residue on a stone.
The trail led him north into a shack deep in the woods. The door hung askew, creaking ominously as Rai stepped inside. The air was heavy with suspense. Strange symbols marked the walls in dried blood, and bones were arranged in ritualistic patterns. A tattered robe—black with a faint crimson trim—hung on a hook.
This was it.
Among the bones, he found a strange scroll with the insignia of the Undying Reach, a cult notorious in the later stages of the game. Rai knew them well. He'd fought their members in the future… and he knew what they were capable of.
He noticed a parchment pinned to a corner of the room. It was scribbled in a dark crimson ink.
"Prepare the vessels. The Master requires pure souls. Offer them under the twilight."
"Twilight…" Rai murmured. That was now.
Pocketing the parchment as proof, he turned to leave.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the shadows.
"Too curious for your own good, aren't you?"
Rai spun around as quickly as he could, his weapons drawn out in a blink. From the doorway stepped a man—a NPC, also clad in a dark robe. He looked younger than what the post described, face partially masked by shadow. A status screen flickered over his head:
[Level 10] Dark Mage Apprentice - Marek
Rai cursed in his mind and thought,' That bastard he posted that no one will be here and he wrote nothing about an apprentice'.
Still Rai didn't show his nervousness. He narrowed his eyes. "You're not the one I'm looking for."
"You knew about us?," Marek hissed. "How interesting! Maybe it was luck that master called me here suddenly."
'And my bad luck, damned cursed titles'.
Marek raised his staff, and with a chant, three orbs of dark energy shot toward Rai.
Rai sidestepped, barely dodging the barrage, his HP scraping dangerously low with each grazing hit. He lunged forward, using [Phantom Step] to close the gap instantly. His dagger lashed out, meeting Marek's staff mid-swing.
The apprentice grunted, and the staff's runes pulsed with cursed energy, pushing Rai back.
"Die!" Marek screamed, unleashing a stream of dark flames.
Rai threw himself behind a broken shelf, catching his breath. He wasn't strong enough for prolonged battles. But one mistake—just one—that's all he needed to win.
When Marek advanced, Rai activated [Shadow Rend], a deceptive feint that concealed his real movement. He slipped behind the apprentice and plunged his dagger deep into Marek's back.
The NPC gasped, choked, then fell to his knees.
You have slain [Dark Mage Apprentice - Marek].
EXP Gained: 1500
Loot Acquired: Apprentice's Black Ring (Common), Mage's Note
LVL UP!!!
Rai fell to the ground beside the corpse, bloodied and breathing heavily. His health had dropped dangerously low, and his potions were depleted.
He took the mage's note, quickly scanning it. It confirmed the name and location of Marek's master—the true target of the quest.
Rai limped back to the village, slowly healing on his way back. Blood was flowing out of his wounds on his cloak, but he kept moving forward slow but determined. The guards saw him and their eyes widened.
"Elder!" one of them shouted. "Elder! Come quickly!"
The elder arrived moments later, his cane clacking against the stones. "By the gods, what happened to you, lad?!"
"I found the one responsible," Rai rasped, handing him the evidence. "There's more. The children… they're being used for rituals. We have to move now."
The elder glanced at the parchment and seeing the insignia his face darkened. He barked orders. "Gather the men! Ten of you. We're ending this madness tonight!"
As the soldiers marched out to battle, villagers and players alike cheered. Even though this was a hidden quest, its events rippled through the village. Torches lit the path ahead, and the night air rang with resolve.
They arrived at a crumbling tower hidden in the woods. Inside, eerie chants could be heard. Children's cries echoed faintly. The evil mage stood in a summoning circle, draped in crimson and black.
[Level 25] Dark Mage - Salazar of the Reach
"Who dares interrupt my sacred rites?!"
The elder didn't answer with words. He slammed his cane into the ground, emitting a surge of light magic that disrupted the ritual. Then soldiers charged in.
The fight was brutal.
Salazar summoned skeletal minions, used hexes that drained life, and cursed weapons that broke on impact. But the elder was no fool—he was once a great warrior in his prime. He fought with righteous fury, and his soldiers supported from the shadows, stabbing summoned minions before they could be overwhelmed.
One of the soldies fell due to the an attack by a dark spear. His body crumpled beside the summoning circle. The rest shouted in rage and fought harder.
The elder and Salazar fought for more than an hour.
Finally, Salazar staggered, the elder's enchanted blade cutting through his final defense.
"No… not yet… I had such plans…" he wheezed before crumbling into dust.
Quest Updated: Salazar Defeated. The Children Have Been Saved.
The group returned to the village, carrying the fallen soldier's body. The mood was a mix of mourning and relief.
The elder approached Rai, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You've done us a great service, lad. Come see me tomorrow—I'll ensure you're rewarded properly. Now go, rest."
Rai nodded and turned toward Lily's house.
She stood outside, her eyes wide and tearful. In Rai's arms, the small girl, was weakened but still alive.
"Elya!" Lily ran forward, tears falling freely as she embraced her daughter. "Oh gods, thank you—thank you!"
Rai said nothing, simply handing her the child and witnessing this scene.
After a moment, Lily went into her room and reached for a small wooden box and pulled out a ring. "This belonged to my grandmother… she said it hides you from danger. I don't know if it shall be useful for you or not, but please, take it."
Quest Complete: The Price of Secrecy.
Reward Obtained: Ring of the Masked Veil [Unique Grade]
Effect 1: Hide your nickname in party displays. Set an alias of your choice.
Effect 2: Light disguise magic to alter facial features and height slightly.
Note: Disguise ineffective against NPCs above Level 150 or those with special perception traits.
"Thank you," Rai said quietly.
Lily smiled through her tears. "May the gods watch over you."
Rai turned to leave. The sky had turned black, stars glittering faintly above the rooftops.
He walked back to the inn, slowly climbing the stairs to his room. Once inside, he closed the door behind him, sat on the bed, and opened the system menu.
[Log Out Successful.]