Codex Arcana

Selene's tear-filled eyes remained fixated on Alistair's lifeless body, her mind clouded with shock and disbelief. No matter how much she longed to weep, not a single tear could escape her eyes, leaving her trapped in a numb and desolate state.

The sight of her fallen comrade, crawling towards her in his final moments, had shattered Selene's spirit completely.

She sat motionless in the darkness, bound by despair, unable to utter a word or react to the horrors that unfolded before her.

Marvet, his voice laced with an unsettling calmness, approached Selene and firmly grasped her shoulders. "Listen, Selene... They had to die for my growth," he whispered, his words resonating in the stillness of the cave.

"But fear not, I won't harm. I promise," Marvet assured her, releasing his hold on Selene's trembling form.

"I'll leave you now, someone would find you," He rose to his feet and began navigating the murky depths, seeking what he believed to be the exit of the cave, leaving Selene behind, vulnerable and alone, like a lamb awaiting its fate.

As Selene remained bound and defenseless, the retreating goblins sensed her vulnerability and emerged from the cracks, their sinister nature urging them to attack the weak and defenseless, regardless of age or gender.

*KEHKEHKEHKEH

Their malicious laughter filled the air as they closed in on Selene, their intentions clear.

The goblins loomed over her, relishing in their prey's broken figure, she was going to be their meal but not before that had satisfied something else.

With aggression, they all jumped on her and began tearing off her clothes revealing her smooth, and succulent skin.

Selene had little armor on her so it wasn't hard to rip off her clothes. Their claws tore through her skin as they horridly undressed the adventurer.

maybe it was the pain or probably the thought of being a goblin's plaything, whatever it was had snapped Selene back to reality as she tried to fight back.

"Noooo!!!.... Get away from me!!!" she demanded, but it was twelve to one... She was outmanned and overpowered by the distasteful creatures.

"Someone HELP!!!!... ANYONE PLEASE!!!" She desperately called out into the dark as the goblins pinned her arms to the ground and began forcing her legs open.

"HEELLPPPPP!!!!!!"

[You used -Soul Shroud. -10 MP]

"KURGH!!" A sword had impaled one of the goblins, causing it to writhe in pain.

[You've killed a goblin. +10 XP, +3 coins, +1 point(s)]

The attacker wrapped in a black cloak, invisible yet lethal, with every swift and unseen strike, followed death.

Panic gripped the remaining goblins as they swung their rusty blades, hoping to strike their unseen foe.

[You've killed a goblin. +10 XP, +3 coins, +1 point(s)]

[You've killed a goblin. +10 XP, +3 coins, +1 point(s)]

[You've killed a goblin...

Slash by slash, the goblins fell, unable to identify their assailant. They were all left to the mercy of his blade, but mercy never came.

[You've killed a goblin. +10 XP, +3 coins, +1 point(s)]

Selene, tears streaming down her face, watched in awe as her would-be captors met their demise. Immense gratitude began to surge within her as she realized that someone had answered her desperate plea for help.

"You're safe now, there's no need to cry anymore," her savior said, stepping out of the shadows. It was none other than Marvet.

Selene ran towards Marvet, her heart overflowing with gratitude, and embraced him tightly. "Thank you, you saved me," she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Shhh... Shhh... You're safe now," Marvet reassured, his hand gently stroking her glossy black hair.

'It should be here,' Marvet thought to himself, scrolling through the system's shop.

[You've purchased a bottle of water. -55 coins]

"Here, take this. You must be dehydrated," he said, handing Selene the newly acquired bottle of water.

Exhausted from the anxiety, fear, tears, and screams, Selene wasted no time in guzzling down the entire bottle without a moment's pause.

"Thank... Thank you," Selene murmured under her breath, unable to meet Marvet's gaze.

'I'm glad she pulled through. If she hadn't, I would have gained more XP from her. But now, I can use her to gather information about this strange world,' Marvet contemplated silently, his fingers still caressing her hair.

"Selene, do you know how to find the way out of this cave?" Marvet inquired. After hesitating for a few seconds, Selene nodded in affirmation.

"Before we leave, here, take this... You need to cover up," Marvet said, offering Selene the black cloak he had on him.

Now concealed beneath the cloak, the two set off toward the cave's exit. Each step they took resonated loudly in the deafening silence of the cavern.

------

Six days had slipped by since Marvet found himself thrust into this enigmatic realm of magic, along with the unsettling events that transpired within the confines of the treacherous cave. During this brief span of time, Marvet had gleaned a wealth of knowledge, courtesy of Selene, his newfound companion.

Now settled within an inn nestled in the quaint town of NORX, Marvet found himself deep in contemplation, pondering his next move.

"Selene, let's review all the information we've gathered," Marvet beckoned, capturing Selene's undivided attention.

"So, according to your account, magic permeates this world, serving as the cornerstone of Arindor, the Kingdom we find ourselves in," Marvet began, his words hanging in the air.

"Indeed, and the capital city of Arindor, Everreach, stands as a bastion of progress and enlightenment, owed in large part to the utilization of spell books known as 'Codex Arcana'—now colloquially referred to as 'Codexs'—which grants its wielder access to a myriad of spells," Selene interjected, providing further clarity.

'But then, how am I able to wield these skills without possessing one of these magical tomes?' Marvet's inner musings posed a perplexing question.

"So, what type of codex would you normally possess?" Marvet inquired, directing his gaze towards Selene, who had settled herself beside him.

"Unfortunately, I do not possess a codex, as they are quite costly to obtain. However, if I were to possess one, it would likely be of the flame-type, given my natural affinity for fire," Selene revealed, her head resting gently upon Marvet's shoulder.

'The cave in which I first awakened was a low-tier dungeon, teeming with goblins,' Marvet delved deeper into his thoughts, piecing together the fragments of his memory.

'And dungeons are classified into various tiers, ranging from the pinnacle of SS+ down to the lowest, F-tier. The higher the dungeon's grade, the greater the rewards it holds.'

"Selene, do you recall the difficulty rating of that goblin-infested dungeon?" Marvet inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"That particular dungeon was considered the lowest tier, an F-tier dungeon," Selene responded, raising her gaze to meet Marvet's inquisitive stare.

"I see," Marvet murmured, absentmindedly stroking his chin, his ruminations now taking form. "I intend to venture back into that dungeon and clear it out... Do you believe you have recovered sufficiently to lend me your aid?" he proposed his question hanging in the air.

After several moments of deliberation, Selene's determination and admiration gleamed in her eyes as she resolved to stand steadfastly by Marvet's side. "Yes, you saved me, and I am forever indebted. I shall accompany you with unwavering resolve," she declared, her voice infused with determination.

'As sad as it is, I need her if I'm to complete these quests.' Staring at Selene, Marvet thought.

<Weekly Quests>

-Reach Level 25 (Pending)

-Spend 200 coins at the shop (Done)

-Unlock Secondary skills (Pending)

-Clear a dungeon (Pending)

[Time Left: 77 hrs]

And so the two began to prepare for their adventures to come, for at the break of dawn they'd set out to clear the goblin's dungeon.

[Name: Marvet]

[Level: 18]

[Health Points: 180/180]

[Mana Points: 350/350]

Job class: None

Strength: 35

Agility: 37

Intelligence: 35

Stamina: 25

Coins: 311

{Points to distribute: 0}

{-Skills-}

-Reaper's Grasp [Lv2]

-Shadow Strike [Lv1]

-Soul Shroud [Lv1]

Title: None