Ronan left Briarfield Village behind, setting his sights on the Eldermere Highlands. His mind lingered on the Luminis Drake, a formidable draconic monster.
The Rank One variants were grounded, devoid of wings. The Rank Two ones bore powerful wings, granting them the gift of flight. However, the Rank Three Luminis Drake was a sight to behold—its wings shimmered with a radiant seven-coloured glow, and a few iridescent scales adorned its neck.
These creatures were notoriously resistant to elemental magic, their natural defences rendering most attacks ineffective. Even their physical resilience was remarkable, making them daunting adversaries.
However, Ronan knew of their singular weakness—the point where their wings connected to their body lacked protective scales. If he could strike that vulnerable spot, victory was possible.
It took Ronan two nights and a day to traverse the wilderness between Briarfield Village and the Eldermere Highlands. As dawn painted the sky with hues of gold and crimson, he emerged from the dense forest and beheld the grandeur of the highlands.
Towering mountains loomed in the distance, their jagged peaks crowned with wisps of mist. Verdant meadows sprawled across the land.
Streams wove through the valleys like silver threads, their gentle murmurs blending with the rustling leaves. The air was crisp and invigorating, carrying the scent of fresh earth and wildflowers. Ronan's eyes widened as he took in the breathtaking scenery.
"What a beauty…" he murmured, his voice laced with awe. He inhaled deeply, allowing the pure mountain air to fill his lungs. For a fleeting moment, he felt at peace.
Shaking off his reverie, Ronan touched his storage ring and retrieved a round, folded map. Unfurling it, he traced his finger over the parchment. "Let's find a safe place first," he muttered to himself.
His gaze landed on a marked location—an old temple, situated approximately four kilometres from his position. According to the map, monsters avoided the temple, though no explanation was provided as to why.
Curiosity sparked in his eyes. "That's worth checking out."
With a swift motion, he secured the map and took off towards the temple. As he ran, his Keen Eye ability heightened his perception, allowing him to detect even the slightest movements around him.
He manoeuvred through the terrain effortlessly, evading lurking beasts before they could even sense his presence. His awareness extended beyond the visible, picking up subtle disturbances in the environment—rustling foliage, the distant echoes of creatures, and even the faintest shift in the wind.
After hours of travel, Ronan arrived at the temple's outskirts. The sight before him was both mesmerising and melancholic.
The temple still stood, a testament to its once-glorious past, yet time had not been kind to it. Deep cracks ran along the stone walls, and a portion had crumbled entirely, leaving a gaping void.
Moss and vines had claimed the structure, weaving through the weathered carvings like nature's reclamation. Despite its decay, there was an air of solemn grandeur to the place.
In front of the temple, remnants of what once might have been a flourishing garden lay in disarray.
Overgrown foliage covered the ground, masking the original pathways. Two stone pedestals stood near the entrance, their surfaces worn by time. Whatever statues had once adorned them had long since vanished, leaving only their eroded bases behind.
Ronan approached cautiously, his fingers grazing the rough stone of the temple's outer walls. There was a strange stillness in the air. No creatures lurked nearby, no birds perched upon its roof—only silence greeted him. His brows furrowed as he stepped further into the overgrown garden, scanning his surroundings.
"Why do monsters avoid this place?" he wondered aloud, his voice barely above a whisper. A shiver ran down his spine, though whether it was due to the eerie atmosphere or the temple's ancient presence, he couldn't tell.
Taking a steadying breath, he pressed forward.
The temple's door had been broken long ago, its splintered remains a testament to the passage of time. Ronan stepped inside cautiously, his sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit interior. A strange coldness lingered in the air, unnatural and unsettling. His instincts prickled, urging him to be wary.
As he moved further in, his boots echoed against the stone floor. The temple was empty—eerily so. No murals adorned the walls, an unusual absence for such a sacred place. His brows furrowed.
"Temples always have murals... so where are they?" The only object in the vast, empty hall was a solitary statue of the Light Goddess standing in the centre, bathed in faint luminescence.
Curiosity gnawed at him. "Should I check the area with my Keen Eye?" Without hesitation, Ronan activated his ability, his perception sharpening to an extreme. He meticulously examined the walls, floor, and ceiling, expecting to uncover hidden details—but there was nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"Strange…" Frustrated, he sighed. "Maybe Mr. Alden knows something about this place." He was about to deactivate Keen Eye when, out of curiosity, he glanced at the statue.
Instantly, his body froze.
A paralysing sensation gripped him, his breath hitching. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as his gaze locked onto the base of the statue. His pulse quickened. Something was there—something terrible.
Forcing himself to suppress the rising dread, Ronan mustered his courage and slowly lifted his gaze to the statue's face. The moment his eyes met the ethereal figure before him, an overwhelming pressure crashed onto his body. His knees buckled under the sheer weight of it.
A towering woman had appeared from the statue, a luminous projection of divine majesty. She was clad in an elegant white gown that shimmered with golden light, her very presence exuding an ancient power. A golden cloth covered her eyes, veiling an unfathomable gaze that seemed to pierce through his soul regardless.
"The Light Goddess...!" The words thundered in his mind.
Instinct screamed at him to kneel—to submit. His muscles trembled, and he nearly fell to his knees when, suddenly, an image surfaced in his mind.
A girl's face.
Dust clung to her skin, her sunken eyes devoid of hope. Her lips, cracked and dry, looked as though they hadn't tasted water in days. Her frail body carried an unbearable weight, yet she showed no expression—no life, only an empty shell of existence. A hollow stare. A silent suffering.
A surge of anger and defiance flared within Ronan. "No… I refuse!" His teeth clenched, his hands curling into fists. "I won't kneel."
With a roar of sheer willpower, he forced his head up, meeting the divine projection's gaze head-on. Then—darkness. The temple was silent once more.
The Light Goddess was gone.
Ronan collapsed onto the cold stone floor, gasping for breath. His body trembled, drenched in sweat. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, his limbs heavy as if weighed down by unseen chains. "Was it an illusion?" He couldn't tell. He had turned off Keen Eye the moment he faced her, but the overwhelming sensation still lingered, like an imprint on his soul.
Ronan murmurs, "Hmm? Did I just advance to Adept Tier Four from Three? Why? What was that?"
Minutes passed before he gathered enough composure to sit up. He steadied his breathing and entered meditation, trying to reclaim control over his shaken state. The temple remained silent, untouched by time.
As evening descended, a few adventurers arrived, seeking shelter for the night. Ronan paid them little mind, his focus still on the statue. His lips curled into a smirk, a quiet chuckle escaping him.
"I won't kneel before you… But since you're offering free protection, I'll gladly take it."
The sun had barely risen, casting a soft orange glow across the sky, when Ronan left the temple behind, setting out for his search. His mind was sharp, and his senses heightened, as he utilised his Keen Eye to scan the dense, tranquil forests of Eldermere Highlands. The forest was unusually still this morning. The Luminis Drake monsters were elusive, and their presence had remained a mystery despite Ronan's relentless pursuit.
Hours passed, and by the time the sun had reached its zenith, Ronan was growing weary. His sharp gaze was relentless, scanning the horizon, every crack and crevice of the forest's undergrowth, as if he could will the creatures into appearing.
Then, with a sudden flicker of his senses, something caught his attention. Through the shimmer of his Keen Eye, a faint distortion in the air, a flicker of movement that didn't align with the natural flow of magic.
It was odd—there was no mana trail leading into the nearby cave. Normally, caves like these were saturated with traces of magic, either from magical beasts or the residual effects of spells cast long ago. But not this one.
A deep instinct told Ronan to investigate. He approached the cave cautiously, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword, his mind already calculating potential threats. As he stepped inside, the air grew colder, the oppressive silence only broken by the faint rustle of wind brushing against the cave walls.
Ronan's eyes adjusted quickly, his Keen Eye ability revealing the intricate details hidden in the darkened space. His gaze flicked across the jagged rock formations, his senses acutely attuned to any sign of danger.