New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Standing before him, looking like Slenderman directly from hell, a tall, skinny, black demon with a featureless face, aside from its wide open mouth, relentlessly slashed at the barrier he was holding up.

The demon's claws were sizzling from the contact with the holy energy of the barrier, but it didn't seem to care.

Silent was looking at it, aghast, as memories of watching a horror movie with a monster looking like this one in it. He had been terrified of the dark for years after that movie.

But he had to snap out of it, as his mana bar was already flashing red.

"Fuck! I didn't want to use this skill so early in any fight. I don't have a choice, though…" he complained, bringing his hand to his chest.

He brushed his hand against the holy symbol dangling from his chest, which lit up in bright yellow before flaring in red and orange hues.

"Legacy Skill: Herald Of Solaris!" he chanted as a solar flare erupted from him.

The demon shrieked in agony as the holy flames licked at its demonic essence, forcing it to jump away.

It jumped back an impressive distance, steering it clear of the radiating divine energy, shielding its eyeless face from the bright light.

Silent stood in the middle of that bright light, his chain armour suddenly glowing with his entire equipment in a golden glow that would blind anyone looking directly at him.

A crown-looking halo hovered behind his head, wreathed in golden fire, as a cape fluttered behind him, made of the same flames.

This was a new skill he had unlocked recently when Solaris had reached out to him on the peaks of Kormir. That day, he had received more than just words from the god tied to his class.

Silent Light looked behind him, where Gale's body lay still on the ground, unconscious.

*Gale*

Level: 52

Race: Human

Hp: 67/9,775

Mp: 1,439/6,435

**

With how much health he had left, it was a miracle he was even still alive. All the contact with trees on his way to the road must have taken a lot out of his health pool.

"Flaming Mantle," Silent whispered, waving his hand toward Gale.

A cloak of soft orange fire appeared over the boy's body, covering it gently. On contact, wounds on Gale were already starting to close up, and the blood flowed back into his body.

It was a slow process, but Silent didn't care.

The Mantle wasn't just a healing spell but also a protection spell. With this over his friend, he could battle the demon without worrying about a sneak attack on the unconscious boy.

Silent Light turned his head toward the demon, who was snarling at him from afar. He quickly scanned it as well.

*Faceless Demon*

Level: 50

Grade: Special (Zone Boss)

Hp: 43%

Mp: 81%

**

Silent frowned.

'Percentages? This is the first time I see percentages instead of hard values…'

He wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or a bad one. He hadn't scanned the demon before using his legacy skill and didn't check to see the damage he did to it, either.

So, he had no idea how high its health pool was. He would only find out as he fought.

"I guess I don't have a choice but to go in practically blind…" he muttered, gripping his mace tighter.

But the grin on his face belied his true feelings. He wasn't afraid or even nervous.

Instead, he was glad he found an enemy that would make him test out the full power of his legacy skill.

Ever since getting it, he never had a chance to use it to its full potential. When he activated it, the lower demons mostly vaporized, and the corrupted beasts immediately fell unconscious, the corruption gone from their bodies.

It was the most incredible tool he had ever had against monsters of that type. But this also meant he couldn't try it out to its maximum extent.

But this demon, although seemingly reluctant to approach him, wasn't dead immediately. This meant he would at least give him a good idea of the skills capabilities.

"Alright, you fugly demon. Show me what you got," Silent murmured to himself, lowering his stance.

The next second, a sonic clap and a cloud of dust replaced Silent Light where he had been.

***

All the way west of the continent of light, in a recluse forest of the Ash Elven kingdom, a small delegation had just appeared at the entrance of the growing fortress that now housed Prince Nalafein and the guild Knights of the Sun.

The once smooth stone walls, shaped like stuck-together monoliths, were now covered in spikes. This had been an addition offered by the guild's druids.

Although Prince Nalafein had been reticent at first, Kloud had convinced him to agree, given the additional defence it would give them.

But to visitors, it looked like the walls were uninviting and that simply stepping too close to them could spell trouble.

But they hadn't walked ten feet from where they appeared, that already a group of players and Natives surrounded them, with an Ash Elf rogue already in their midst, daggers pointed at two different throats.

"This area is off limits. Identify yourselves!" Korin barked, his face stern.

A few of the mages were already considering returning to Themiscus, as the welcoming committee was not… well… welcoming. But a death glare from one of the surrounding players made them gulp instead, realizing someone was locking the surrounding mana.

"We are diplomats from Themiscus, here on orders from the council and the great alliance! Please! We were sent to deliver a formal invitation. We aren't a threat!" the man at the front pleaded, his face pale as chalk.

"I'll be the judge of that, lad. For now, you're coming inside with us. We'll sort you out there. Come on, walk!"

Korin wasn't trusting anyone who could just appear at their walls. All the players from Knight of the Sun were supposedly here already, and there shouldn't be teleportation outside the walls anymore.

The only things appearing now should be enemies. And with the enemies they had here, a hoax was not out of the question.

"General Kloud will decide if you are lying and what fate you'll have."