Level Up: Voidwalker

[Nuliajuk Sivuraq POV]

Nuliajuk stood on her ledge overlooking the Northern Wastes as a Monster Wave was underway. She turned her gaze to the south, where the mountains blocked the way to the Summerlands.

The two moons lit up the sky, and thanks to the cloudless night, she could see everything below. She saw thousands of monsters heading west where The Northern Trade City was, causing her to think, 'Will the soldiers be able to hold them off? Luckily, the village is in the mountains, and Frostbear Warriors will guard the way, but that won't stop those creatures.'

Following that, she was urged to travel south but dismissed it while walking back into the cave as it was getting cold. Just as she approached the entrance, the creepy howling started, causing her to turn back around.

'I wonder where they came from,' she thought, her blue eyes glowing briefly before she shook her head. 'There's no point in speculating. They're here and won't be leaving anytime soon.'

As she stood there, a sound reached her ears. Nuliajuk quickly walked to the entrance and moved the boulder in front of it. Just as something reached the ledge, it slammed into the large stone, causing it to shake.

Nuliajuk walked into her living room, where Atek sat while watching the entrance. He growled before standing up and walking over. She ran her hand through his beautiful white fur as his eyes were stuck on the outside world, causing her to comment, ''The Monster Wave is underway; they are heading west.''

''Don't worry, you silly cat, they won't be able to get in here, and I blocked the entrance already,'' Nuliajuk said while making her way to bed.

She crawled under the covers before falling asleep, only to wake up when a woman's voice was heard, ''Little Nulia.''

When the Frostbear girl heard this, her eyes flew open, and she found herself on the Eastern Shore. Nearby, a woman stood by the wall, smiling at her. Nuliajuk was stunned when she saw her.

"Goddess Sedna," she whispered.

''Yes, child,'' Sedna's smile grew even more. ''It warms my heart that not all my children have forgotten about me.''

Nuliajuk's eyes widened. ''The Frostbears have lost their way. The new chief has delusions of conquest to the south, leading them to steer away from the Path you set out, but I have not.''

The Goddess nodded in understanding, ''Yes, they have a child, but I brought you here because I have a mission for you.''

''A mission?''

''Yes, little one, the Chosen One has finally arrived, but danger is approaching him from all sides. Many gods and goddesses hate his presence in this world,'' the Goddess said with a concerned voice.

When Nuliajuk heard this, her eyes widened, and she dropped to her knees and started praying, '' Messiah of heaven, hear our prayers, lead us through the shadows of life. Carry us to the blessed land, where peace and happiness abound. The one who shows the way will guide us to the Summerlands.''

''A true believer, I see,'' Sedna said with a beaming smile. ''You're a true Frostbear; your ancestors would be a proud little one.''

Nuliajuk stood up and nodded, ''Of course I am. That and Atek were the only things that kept me sane while living in the Northern Wastes.''

''Good child, but I'm here to inform you that you must travel to the Summerlands to find the Hinn Utvaldi. He will need your help on his adventures,'' Sedna revealed.

When Nuliajuk heard the Goddess's words, her eyes widened. She shook her head and asked, ''How can I find him? I heard the Summerlands are endless.''

Sedna smiled, ''He will be in a city called Thalassar in an empire called Thalassian when the first days of Solaris start,'' she said.

Nuliajuk nodded, ''Will you show me what he looks like, and when should I depart?''

''During your journey, I will show you in a dream because I used too much of my power to bring your soul here,'' Goddess Sedna said. ''You must wait a week or two; more Monster Waves will cover the Northern Wastes.''

"Thank you, my Goddess, for bestowing such an honor upon me," Nuliajuk replied, bowing her head before awakening back in her cave.

***

[Grishna's POV]

Grishna stared at the Thalassian Fort, its size a testament to its role as a bulwark against Monster Waves that plagued the southern part of the empire. She approached the gate, knowing she needed to register at the Adventurer's Guild before delving into the dungeon.

'Damn rules! I don't see why I must tell the guild I'm diving! I know they hate their adventurers dying and try to rescue them, but that's not the point,' she thought.

Several merchant caravans waited outside as Grishna approached the gate, eager to enter. The soldiers seemed unusually tense as she joined the queue into the fortress. Standing in line, she overheard nearby traders discussing a Monster Wave ravaging the western part of the empire, which troubled her deeply.

However, they also mentioned that the Demon General of Thalassia and the Silvershield Company had joined forces, successfully pushing the monsters back. Grishna stopped listening and checked her status, as she was third in line now.

[Level Up: 106→107]

[Experience: 1420/5000]

[Experience Gained: 1500]

[Health: 896→900]

[Mana: 2490→2500]

[Strength: 2150→2152]

[Stamina: 1418→1424]

[Intelligence: 390→392]

[Razorwind Blades: 1→2]

[Silver Shriek: 1→2]

'Ah nice, ma stats have increased a little, but it's getting harder to do,' Grishna thought. 'I'll crack more skulls on my journey west.'

Ten minutes passed, and the guards let her into the fortress when they saw her guild card. Grishna stepped in and saw dozens of buildings clustered in the center while a large space circled it.

She saw hundreds of soldiers and mercenaries training while adventurers practiced their spells. Grishna didn't bother watching any longer and went down the cobbled streets. 'There are loads of shops in this fort,' she thought while glancing around.

After a brisk walk, she spotted a general store ahead. "I should buy some food. I don't want to eat disgusting monster meat again," Grishna muttered to herself.

Entering the bustling store, Grishna began scanning the crowded shelves. She carefully selected items ranging from spices to Elven Waybread and other long-lasting foods before walking to the counter, where an older woman stood serving people.

Once Grishna reached the counter, she put all the food down as the woman started counting it before speaking, ''That would be 64 silver, young lady.''

She nodded while taking out a gold coin and handing it to the worker before receiving 36 silver coins as change, ''Thanks for shopping at Old Teds General Store.''

Grishna nodded as she stowed all the food in her space bag. Leaving the store behind, she approached the Adventurer's Guild. It was a quick ten-minute walk, and upon arrival, she found dozens of adventurers milling about.

Disregarding the curious glances, Grishna confidently pushed her way into the guild. She made a beeline for the counter, where a woman stood available, not occupied with any other adventurers.

The woman looked up with a smile. "Hello miss, how can I help you today?"

"I want to explore the Goblin Nest to clear it for my rank-up test," Grishna replied.

"Alright, please give me your guild card," the woman requested. "I need to record your entry so the empire's soldiers are aware you're inside the dungeon during your expedition."

Grishna nodded, handing over her guild card. Its brown color indicated her Rank G status. After five minutes, the receptionist handed it back, ''You can head to the Goblins Nest; I assume you know the way?''

"Yeah, I know how to get there; thanks for the help," Grishna said before leaving the building. She made her way towards the Aurora River, where the dungeon was situated.

She knew of its location between the cities of Barter's Bay to the south and Waterfalls Piers to the north, with a road running from north to south. The fortress stood just off this road, opposite the dungeon's position.

Grishna walked away from the fortress and made her way to the dungeon twenty minutes from its gates. She soon saw the entrance, which the Thalassian Army guarded. The soldiers wore a mix of leather and metal armor that covered all their weak spots.

'I can see why the Berserkers loved fighting the Thalassians and their weak armor,' Grishna mused with a smile.

Each soldier carried a sword and shield, numbered nearly one hundred. They guarded the Adventurer's Guild shop and the other stores outside the Level 1 dungeon. Grishna had always found it fascinating how small villages could spring up around such dangerous places.

That's when she noticed a soldier rushing out and stopping her from continuing, ''Halt! Do you have your Guild Card, young lady?''

Grishna handed her card to the man. "Here you go, got my permission from the Adventurer's Guild."

The man nodded and handed the card back. "Be careful if you go below the 3rd floor, miss. There have been reports of powerful Goblin Shamans spawning."

Her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Why hasn't the kingdom dealt with them? Are you not strong enough?"

The nearby soldiers chuckled. "No, miss. Whenever we raid the dungeon, they vanish. It seems they only go after small groups and solo adventurers."

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