Untold Legends: The Shadow Realm

The Arrival, the New Quest, and the Journal

After we got back home, I was expecting for the queen to tell us that we should be rewarded with something of great use for the future battles, get some rest, and give us a feast, but no. Instead, she decided to make us suffer and send us to some cursed cave that once belonged to a former drug lord or something.

Blade decided to go back to the inn and rest for a short while. I asked the queen if I could have a quick visit at Elder Damon's sacred groves and check on the overseer and see how she was doing. Thankfully, she said yes and decided to give us some time to rest. Before I could step away from the palace, the queen grabbed my arm and spoke.

"In any event, you were quite remarkable, Guardian. I didn't expect so much from you. Still, it seems that our ceremonial positions may have become a bit more real. Well, at least yours has. I've yet to find out how I can be of any real help in our current situation. All I've done is cause grief and trouble by being abducted," She dropped my arm and looked at me, her eyes reflecting fear. "You know,  it was strange now that I think back on it. That monster you slew, it kept talking to my shadow.  A whole crazy conversation. Gibberish! And worse, sometimes I thought I understood it. Nevermind all that now. It wasn't supposed to be like this. The emergency isn't over yet. Lysetta needs your help." I nodded and headed for the wild groves first.

I easily found Elder Damon, standing in the middle of two golden Bretachianne trees, his eyes closed, his lips muttering a prayer. I decided not to disturb him, so I turned to walk away, but I stepped on a twig, snapped it into half, emitting a loud cracking sound. The elder opened his eyes and smiled once he saw me.

"My dearest guardian! I knew you'd survive. I was confident that you'd make it unharmed." He said in his wavery and shaky 'old' voice.

"It's good to see you again, elder. I came back here to check up on how you're doing."

"Our grove and temple were untouched by the invasion, but I thank you for your concern. I pray that the Academy has fared as well. Just in case you'll be going on a journey again, here's a reminder: every tribe leader holds a sacred object, totem, book, or a device. Do not forget to bring them here to be studied for further understanding."

"Sure, elder. I'll make sure to bring anything that is of great importance. I must be going now. The overseer will be explaining the details of my new quest. It's best not to keep her waiting." I bowed my head and proceeded to the Academy. There near the gates stood the overseer, her hand waving at me.

"Raven!" She ran towards me. "Now that the queen is secure, I have another urgent mission for you. While you were rescuing our Crown from that...creature, we were attacked again. I am afraid I was bitten by a Shadowlancer, like the one you've defeated in the inn. The toxin is like nothing I've seen before, and this illness, it is unique. I do not think it merely causes death, but something more sinister. That shadowy creature reeked of Eldritch. It fled into the Forbidden Catacombs, and I need you to pursue it. Try to locate the nest. Be careful though. That place is said to be cursed." Lysetta told me, her face was serious and dim. She showed me the praetox bite on her arm. It was becoming deeper and turning into a purple-ish color.

We spoke for a long time, talking about what I should do, where I should go, who's coming with me, and what I should bring. She reported that while I was out saving the queen, she made a potion to help alleviate some of the symptoms from the bite, but it's not a permanent cure. She knows how to get one, but there's a catch: it must be created from the venom of a Praetox queen. And we all know who she volunteers to get it, don't we? To make this even more fun, she reports that the Howling Pine Inn is under attack again. She posits that the nest must be under it, and where there's a nest, there's a queen.

"Your timing could not be more precise, but I'm afraid our transformation...I mean, our deterioration is accelerating." She shifted, and her eyes suddenly grew wide. She slowly backed away while facing me, and I realized that there must be something behind me that scared her. "The shadows, did you see that?" She pointed behind me.