MMORPG : Ancient WORLD

Once again, the darkness faded away, and Alex was welcomed by another unexpected sight, a single look making his blood run cold, an icy dread crawling through his veins, as both his hearts momentarily stopped beating.

The room was vast, its aesthetic something straight out of a medieval fantasy, with walls of snow-white wood etched in intricate, natural patterns that were both mesmerizing and serene.

The floor was made of rich, inky-dark wood that seemed to devour the light around it, while the ceiling was a massive white crystal with every inch of it carved with runes.

Where a fireplace would typically crackle with warmth, chunks of bone-white crystal sat in place of wood, emanating a cold so intense it chilled the air.

On opposite sides of the room, two towering windows let in the only light, framing a breathtaking view of towering frozen tundras, floating mountains, and fog that drifted in layers like phantom clouds.

In the center of the room, a grand bed dominated the space, draped in a thick blanket of snow-white fur, and beneath it, two figures lay entwined, the picture of peaceful intimacy.

But there was one thing out of place that stood out like a sore thumb, a shadowed figure standing at the foot of the bed, clad in black, silently staring at the duo.

'Well, this is one way to make an impression,' Alex thought wryly, his eyes meeting those of the couple, who stared back at him with icy, murderous intent, though beneath the fury, there was a flicker of surprise.

"I am an immortal adventurer, and I used a Ruler's wish to meet with Grand Arcanum Elara because I bring crucial information that I believe she would want to hear," Alex said, with his hands raised, his voice lowered to a near whisper as he continued.

"It's about the whereabouts of her daughter," The last words slipped out as his mind slowed down as if slowly freezing to a halt.

"Speak," Lady Elara commanded, her voice cold and cutting.

The single word shattered the mental fog gripping Alex, freeing his mind from the suffocating haze, yet in its wake, a new sensation crept in, a chilling awareness, like the edge of an unseen blade hovering just at his throat, ready to strike at the slightest misstep.

Alex unconsciously swallowed as his heart raced, knowing that one wrong word could seal his fate and all his work for months on end would be down the drain.

"Vykan Zeld has kidnapped your daughter," Alex said, and seeing her silence, he continued.

"There is a city named Nocturna that lies in the region of Obsidian Wastes, far from the boundaries of the three empires, ruled by a man named Vykan Zeld, holding the title of Monarch of Whispering Shadows," Alex said, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

"You seem to be speaking the truth, but how can you make us believe that you are not just a puppet of the Umbryssan or the Tharokarn clan?" The man questioned, his calm, laid-back tone carrying a quiet skepticism.

"I heard it directly from the Ruler."

"As for why you were unable to get this information and I was, it is because I happened to learn that intel just before Vykan kidnapped your daughter and used an adventurer to restrict another adventurer from finding that information," Alex said, knowing fully well that his answer while making the most sense, was not perfect.

Alex knew that if Lady Elara knew of the absence of her daughter, she would have used many magic items and a Ruler's wish, which was a sure way to find something not obtainable with normal means.

"When and why did you learn about my daughter?" Lady Elara questioned, the crumpling fear of death fading away.

"A year, seven months, and twenty-two days ago, and I did so because I needed someone or something to deal with Vykan Zeld so I could explore the pocket dimension hidden beneath his palace in the city of Nocturna," Alex replied in all honesty.

"You have our gratitude for everything you've done, and in return for your help, we would be more than happy to assist you with anything you need. Consider our support yours should you ever call upon it," The man said, his already calm demeanor softening with appreciation.

"Now, if you could give us a few minutes," the man said, gesturing toward the door, and without a moment's hesitation, Alex gave a slight bow and swiftly made his way to the exit, closing the door behind him as he left the room.

"A year and eight months, but we used a second-grade Ruler's wish more than two years ago," The man said, a calm smile stretched across his face, his statement implying that Alex was lying.

"But he is telling the truth, which should be impossible unless The Realm Ruler broke its own rules, which is more unlikely than the kid being one of the three kings."

"Darling, it's quite an interesting morning, wouldn't you agree?" The man said, leaning in for a kiss. But all he got was a cold hand pushing his face away.

"Asher, whether it's a lie, a trick by a king, or a trap, I don't care; I need our daughter back, safe and secure," Lady Elara said, tearing her gaze away from the door to meet his eyes.

"My lady, as you wish," Asher replied with a calm smile as he leaned back closer to the cold beauty but stopped inches away, his smile swiftly getting replaced by a lifeless look.

'Asher, the boy will remain with the clan and train to become a vessel candidate,' A message came, the voice calm yet carrying an unnerving edge.

'I did not realize it before, but the kid does have the physique of the Dark Ancient, and then there are those runes that look like they belong to a Domain Ruler, but there are other ancient runes mixed in,' Asher thought, as his senses scanned the unsuspecting Alex, discovering nearly all of his secrets.

'This should be fun,' Asher thought as he fully leaned in to get his kiss, but again he only got a cold hand pushing his face away.

"You received a message from the patriarch?" Lady Elara asked, seeing the sudden change in her husband's expression.

"Yes, the patriarch has given us the green light to handle Vykan however we see fit."

"So now, can I get my kiss?" Asher asked with a cheeky grin, and finally, he got what he wanted.

-------------------

Alex was relieved to finally get the help he needed, eager to claim the sword and prepare for the upcoming battle, not knowing that it should be the least of his concerns.

Alex was blissfully unaware that he had been given information the Realm Ruler should have kept hidden and what the patriarch of one of the three Behemoths of the Ancestral Realm truly wanted from him.

Alex stood at the edge of the vast landscape, something that was far more absurd than any place he had seen in the Ancestral Realm until now.

Before him stretched an endless expanse of ice, a colossal river frozen in time, with layers of solid ice flowing beneath thick clouds of gas that rose and swirled in the frigid air.

Colossal, jagged mountains pierced through the fog, their icy peaks vanishing into the sky. Above, floating glacial islands drifted like ancient behemoths, suspended in the sky, with one such island housing the small cabin behind him, all coming together to paint a hauntingly beautiful scene.

Yet, for all its beauty, the land exuded an overwhelming sense of dread, as everywhere Alex looked, there was only ice, cold, still, and lifeless.

He could not spot a single living creature, but when he activated his eyes, a few things were revealed as all around him, monstrous auras pulsed beneath the surface, hidden in the shadows of the frozen world.

The fog that seemed like an ordinary mist was anything but that, and in reality, it was a mixture of poisons, clouds of microscopic organisms teeming by the millions, and illusions concealing creatures or entire areas from view.

"So this is the place of the Drakaryx Clan," Alex thought, taking in the mesmerizing yet terrifying sight before him.

"Yes it is, but if you wish to see the real beauty and not a boring sight of ice and death, then you should visit the Garden of Lady Erda," a calm voice answered, as a figure appeared next to Alex.

Alex took a good look, seeing that the man was handsome, with slick back dark hair reaching his shoulders, ashen dark skin, and dressed in a casual cyan-colored long coat lined with white fur.

"My name is Asher Winter, and you, young man, have my eternal gratitude," Asher said, extending his hand in a formal gesture of greeting.

'Asher Winter, The First Seat,' Alex thought, as he felt his heart skip a beat.

The man before him was the First Seat, a figure renowned by many titles, like The Harbinger of the Shattered Glacium or The Keeper of the Silent Cold, but none carried more weight than his position as the First Seat.

This title commanded the greatest respect, for it marked him as the second most powerful force within the Drakaryx Clan, a figure whose authority was only surpassed by the clan's patriarch, and in the outside world, few were on his level.