Sylf looked around as she pull her head back from waterfall after drinking some water she realized the beauty of it.
The soft sunrays reflecting from the water making it loook like a pool of jewels glistening everything was all so beautiful she got stunned by the scenery momentarily forgetting about everything that happened last night.
She watched Kuro and Shiro swimming playing around relaxing a bit too and then her gaze turned towards karma and the whole atmosphere shifted around him she felt dark a gloomy kind of vibe.
Sylf sighed *huh* "Hey Karma, don't be so gloomy all the time look Shiro and Kuro and enjoying, it will be ok for you to relax a little too".
Karma looked at her and gave her a smile as if she was telling a joke of some kind.
Karma patted both Shiro and Kuro and turned to Sylf " Sylf I think we should start moving we will our have time to relax after we leave this forest of illusions by successful retrieving the artifact".
Karma used miniaturization spell on Shiro and Kuro shrinking there size and put them on his robes front pocket there heads sticking out.
Sylf looks " Oh how cute Karma you look like a mother carrying her children" She giigled by her on mischief.
Karma sighed and picked her up put her on the shoulder and said " Done mocking me now let's get going pipsqueak " Making Sylf angry.
"What did you call me?, you are such a jerk" Karma giggled.
They move deeper in the forest and the atmosphere started to shift the brighter greener flora started turning darker and more gloomier as they continued moving forward, it's like the environment itself was giving them a sign of warning.
Due to restless without break walking Karma and his companions reached at the center of the forest now the only thing was remaining to find the dungeon of illusion to retrieve the Artifact.
They searched for the dungeon enterance till evening and as the the sun begins to set, the forest starts getting covered by the dense fog and suddenly ground underneath Karma's feet began to tremble a cold spine chilling sensation wash over Karma as he canceled miniaturization spell on Kuro and Shiro to their original size Sylf still flying around Karma's head.
The ground started shaking violently Karma with the flick of the wrist draw his sword from the spatial wristband but instead of another monster an ancient ruin structure started forming before his eyes Karma stayed stunned.
Karma's throat getting dry by this intense situation. As the structure formation completed a loud shockwave spread around the structure which knocked out all of Karma's companions including Sylf Karma was now on his own.
Karma glancee around seeing everyone unconscious he gathered them all in the one place and removed his cloak and wrapped in around them as he prepared to enter the structure.
"This is my ordeal the ruins has choosen me I am on my own like I use to and to be true this was my ordeal to begin with I dragged all of them with me here. " Karma said while everyone was unconscious.
He turned his back towards them and entered the ruins which was surprisingly empty without any undead monsters which is usually the part of ordeal in this kind of ruins but this was different Karma felt uneasy by every step he took forward in the ruins.
After walking through he entered a paasageway that led to a massive door which reveals easily what's inside the chamber and he saw Lich sitting on the throne ( A Lich is a undead monster fromed by the death of a great magician).
As Karma entered the chamber the Lich opened his eyes not red but purple full of darkness. Lich glanced towards Karma and starred Karma right in his eyes Karma felt light headed and Karma was in his village standing in the middle of town square before he could figure anything out Lich walked towards Karma "so this your Hometown adventurer looks like a place with all your good memories" As Karma glanced towards the Lich frighteningly the Lich turned the atmosphere toward the night where everything went South in Karma's life.
"Looks like I found the dark corner in your memories " Lich's evil laugh echoed through the walls "Every Living Being has a dark pool present in their past but looks like there's a ocean of darkness beneath your memories, are you trying to forget them adventurer HOW PATHETIC!!" Lich laughed " It will be so fun to watch you relive those memories right" He casted the spell and Karma started living every cruel memory every happened in his life.
This display of pure horror broke Karma down he got on his kness sweat beads falling from his forehead as he came back to reality.
Lich with notorious laugh asked Karma "After all that you still want to continue to live, there is no point in living this pathetic life of yours" Lich offered Karma a hand "Hold my hand the world of undead will welcome your darkness, the undead world straves for people like you adventurer".
Karma almost extended his arm but few faces flashed in front of Karma.
Maria laughing beside him.
Shiro and Kuro playing with Karma looking forward for praise.
The amazing people he fought in tournament.
And lastly Sylf showing her care for him.
He snapped back to reality and chopped off Lich's arm with his sword. Turns out the Lich was part of the illusion and a ordeal itself which disappeared as Karma got over his trauma and realized his past would never disappear. Those memories would remain with him, but they no longer had the right to decide how he lived.
The monster Groaned and disapperd leaving a diamond shaped redstone Karma took it and glanced around to see a wall having a proper spot of same shape without hesitation Karma put the stone in the carved spot.
As Karma placed the stone the whole room lit up with red glowing patterns all across the chambers and the wall in front of him split open. A golden light starts reflecting towards Karma.
He stepped forward and saw a magnificent golden scarab beetle floats at the center of an ancient magical summoning circle, its metallic shell glowing with divine golden light. Intricate arcane runes surround it, while radiant beams of energy burst outward.
Karma examined the artifact through turns out it was a fosill of a golden Scarab bettle, he felt a slightlest a very small amount of life energy from the fossil.
Karma took the Scarab bettle fossil in his hand and the ruins started collapsing around Karma rushed out of the ruin as fast as possible.
As Karma escape the ruins it was already morning the sun has started to rise.
He looked and his fist clenched he opened his fist to see the artifact a ancient Golden bettle fossil "I think I can revive this creature using emence life force. "
----------------------------TO BE CONTINUED--------------------------
Monster Info :
LICH : A undead monster formed by the death of a great magicians which has different types the one Karma encounter was one of the weakest illusionist.
Monster rank : B+
Adventurer below emrald tier are told by guild to retreat at the sight of one.