For a moment, I floated in darkness — in a void — but I wasn't alone. I felt a gaze pressing down on me, a weight that seemed to dissect everything I was, and everything I would ever be.
Then, in the next second, colors returned to the world.
I found myself in a wide room, dimly lit by torches and filled with wooden crates and boxes covered in dust and shadows. My lungs burned as I took a breath; the dust invaded my throat, making a nuisance of itself. I coughed and wheezed, only sending more of it swirling into the air. Waving my hand to clear it, I waited until the haze began to settle before taking another cautious breath.
Stepping out from between two crates, I realized I had appeared in a corner that hadn't seen life in a very long time. I looked around — where was I?
Turning to one of the boxes, I saw it was unlocked. I opened it, revealing animal skins of all colors and sizes, seemingly taken from many different beasts. Strange, I thought, but of little interest. I moved on to the next crate — and that one caught my attention.
Inside, I found gold. Piles of it. But what truly drew my eye was the red jewel sitting atop the heap like a crown upon a king.
The jewel seemed to call to me. My thoughts grew sluggish, until only one idea remained — I had to take it. It was mine. I just hadn't claimed it yet.
My fingers wrapped around the ruby. Thoughts of what I would do if someone tried to take it from me filled my mind — threats, fire, death to anyone who dared. But before those thoughts could finish, the ruby began to melt, flowing over my hand like blood from an open wound.
The red liquid seeped into my skin, leaving it unblemished. I stared in awe and confusion as, once again, a blue screen appeared before me.
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System:
Congratulations. You have unlocked the Greed King's Ruby.
It is said that a great king once lived, ruling over a poor and desperate kingdom. One day, a mountain of gold was discovered, and soon the kingdom rose to power, conquering its neighbors. It became an empire — all thanks to that endless mountain of gold.
But as the king grew old, so did his paranoia. He feared his friends and family would steal his treasure. One by one, he had them killed. And when his last brother drew his final breath, a red scale grew from the king's chest, right over his heart. Day by day, the scales spread — and so too did his greed.
He stripped his lands bare, demanding every jewel, every coin. When one lord refused to surrender his wealth, the king's body changed. Scaled wings burst from his back. He grew and grew until his shadow could swallow a city whole — and it did, when he flew to the rebellious lord's domain.
What followed was fire and blood. Not a single soul survived the flames; their screams echoed across the empire. The once-great city was reduced to ash and ruin, and the king finally had what he desired — all the gold.
When word of his madness spread, the people rose against him. An army one hundred thousand strong marched upon the mountain of gold, which by then reached the sky itself. Upon its peak rested a creature of red and black. The battle raged until both dragon and army were dead.
When the dust settled, the gold was gone. All that remained was the dragon's ruby heart. Those few who survived swore the king could not live without his treasure — even in death. They were right. In his final moments, he sealed all his riches within that ruby heart.
And from that day on, it was said that whoever held the Ruby Heart could do the same — store their riches where no mortal hand could reach.
But never could they find the old king's gold. The one thing he would never give up — not even in death.
And now… a new king holds the Ruby Heart.
Its power is yours — to hoard, to covet, and to hide your wealth from the world.