Chapter 2: The Ember of War
Morning came too early.
The sun peeked through the cracked palace walls like an annoying little brother bright, loud, and impossible to ignore.
Lykos groaned.
"Why do ruins have so many birds...?"
He rolled over on the floor of the palace chamber, which, for the record, had no bed. Just one old tapestry he was using as a blanket, and Homerus's snores echoing softly from somewhere under a pile of scrolls.
A notification pinged in his mind:
[System Alert]
Mission Countdown: 2 Days Remaining
Mission: Recruit Your Army (3/5 Units Summoned)
Bonus Objective: Defend the City from Imminent Threat
"Wait, imminent wha—?"
A knock.
Lykos scrambled up. It wasn't a servant—it was Ariadne, standing tall in full armor, not a single dent on his bronze chestplate despite sleeping outside.
"There's trouble," Ariadne said. "Smoke on the eastern hill. Something's coming."
Side Quest Triggered: [Bandits or Beasts?]
Scout and defend Aetherion's farmlands.
Reward: +25 System Points, chance to discover rare materials.
Warning: You are underleveled.
Lykos paled. "Underleveled? I haven't even unlocked a spear yet!
Rushing to the altar, Lykos checked his points. Thanks to the last speech and mission rewards, he had 100 System Points.
Not bad.
He scrolled through the options.
Available Summons:
Greek Archer (15 pts)
Basic Spearman (10 pts)
Heroic Strategist (Locked: 150 pts)
Healer Priestess (Unlocked!) – (40 pts)
Pegasus Scout (Locked)
"Alright. Let's go with… one archer and one priestess. Defense and support. Classic combo."
[Summoning Greek Archer… 15%]
[Summoning Healer Priestess… 15%]
Golden light formed again, slower this time. The Forgotten Flame pulsed like a slow drumbeat, each beat pulling energy from Lykos's system points.
Finally, two figures stepped forth:
The first was a young woman, sharp-eyed with a short bow slung over her shoulder. She had a bandana, chipped leather armor, and the confident smirk of someone who could probably shoot a fly mid-flight.
"Name's Thaleia," she said, not waiting to be asked. "I shoot. I don't miss. I don't talk unless paid in olives."
"We… don't have olives," Lykos admitted.
"Then I'm here for revenge. Someone owes me a war."
Lykos blinked.
"Okay. You're perfect."
The second figure was taller, robed in white, carrying a staff shaped like a crescent moon. A soft glow surrounded her, like moonlight in daylight.
"I am Eirenaios," the priestess said calmly. "I was once the temple healer of Delphi. I answer the call of the Forgotten Flame."
[New Units Acquired]
Thaleia – Greek Archer
Skill: Precision Shot (Cooldown: 30 seconds)
Passive: Eagle's Eye (Increased range)
Eirenaios – Healer Priestess
Skill: Minor Restoration (Restores 20% health)
Passive: Aura of Calm (Reduces fear in nearby allies)
Lykos turned to his growing party.
"Okay. We've got a tanky Spartan, a ranged sniper, and a healer. That's a real party right there."
He paused.
"Wait... who's going to tank if Ariadne dies? …Not me."
The group moved fast.
The outskirts of Aetherion were less "fields of grain" and more "fields of weeds and regret." But the smoke Ariadne saw wasn't a false alarm.
They crested a hill—and saw them.
Beasts.
Not just bandits. These were malformed creatures, like twisted wolves with too many eyes and armor growing from their bones. Half-magical. Half-feral. Fully hungry.
"Those aren't local wildlife," Thaleia said, knocking an arrow. "What in Hades are those things?"
Eirenaios narrowed her eyes. "They carry curse energy. They were corrupted."
Lykos's blood ran cold.
"System, what are those?!"
[Enemy Identified]
Corrupted Monsters – Class: Magical Aberrations
Origin: Unknown
Weakness: Holy Light, Headshots
Warning: These creatures may be linked to mythological invasions.
"Oh great," Lykos muttered. "We're being attacked by magical roadkill."
Ariadne grinned for the first time.
"Shall I begin?"
"Yes. Please. Kill the things before they chew my new archers."
The monsters charged.
Ariadne rushed forward, shield raised, deflecting the first pounce with a clang.
Thaleia loosed an arrow—right into the eye of a beast. It fell without a sound.
Eirenaios raised her staff. A soft glow surrounded Ariadne, slowing his bleeding and boosting his energy.
Lykos? He hid behind a tree.
"Don't judge me. I'm the tactician."
By the end of the fight, five monsters lay still. Thaleia was covered in blood—but none of it hers. Ariadne's shield was cracked, and Eirenaios was out of magic for the day.
Lykos stepped forward slowly.
"Okay... not bad."
[Mission Cleared: Bandits or Beasts?]
+25 System Points
Loot Acquired: Monster Bones ×3, Cursed Core ×1
New System Feature Unlocked: Crafting Menu
Lykos raised a brow. "Wait... we can craft now?"
[New System Feature: Crafting Menu Unlocked]
Basic recipes now available:
Bone Blade
Reinforced Leather
Minor Cursed Charm (Requires 5 Cursed Cores)
"Okay," Lykos said, "this just got interesting."
The battlefield was quiet now.
Except for Lykos.
"Okay… okay, I didn't die. That's good. Nobody died. That's even better. I only peed a little. That's... survivable."
Thaleia snorted. Ariadne said nothing—he was already sharpening his blade like the professional war machine he was. Eirenaios, meanwhile, was humming softly, placing a hand over a wounded villager they had rescued near the fields.
Then it happened—
Ting~!
[System Notification]
Loot Identified:
Monster Bones ×3
Cursed Core ×1
New Feature Unlocked:
CRAFTING MENU
"Oh?" Lykos blinked. "I can craft now?"
A translucent interface appeared in front of him, shimmering like sunlight on the Aegean Sea.
[CRAFTING MENU: Basic Tier Unlocked]
Recipes Available:
Bone Blade (2x Monster Bone): +5 Attack
Reinforced Leather (2x Monster Bone, 1x Cloth): +10 Defense
Minor Cursed Charm (5x Cursed Core): +5 Magic Resist (Warning: Attracts cursed creatures)
Crafting costs no System Points, but resources are consumed.
"Sweet. Free upgrades."
Lykos quickly selected the Bone Blade option, tossing two monster bones onto a nearby flat stone. The flame from the altar shimmered beside him—then flared.
Boom…
[Item Forged: Bone Blade]
Crude, but sharp. Just like your personality.
Lykos picked up the blade. It was rough but balanced. He tested it with a swing and nodded.
"Not bad for a first try. I'll keep this as my emergency stabby-stabby."
He checked the charm recipe next but paused.
"Nope. Not touching cursed stuff until I have soap, salt, or holy water. Preferably all three."
Later that afternoon, as the group returned to the city gates, a horn sounded from the west.
Tooot—tooooot.
Not a war horn.
A messenger horn.
"Someone's coming," Thaleia said, already climbing the crumbled wall for a better view. "One rider. Torn robes. Flag looks... red and silver."
"Red and silver?" Lykos frowned. "That's not one of ours."
The rider reached the gate, panting. His horse collapsed from exhaustion. The man himself looked like a skeleton wearing mud.
"P-Prince Lykos… of Aetherion?" the rider gasped.
"That's... me, apparently."
"I come from the city of Thyra. South of the Gorgon Cliffs. We saw light—flame—from the mountains. Your flame."
He bowed, nearly fainting.
"We bring warning... and offer. Choose wisely, for the gods watch once more."
He handed over a sealed scroll—its wax emblem bearing the old mark of Athena.
Ding!
[Story Event Triggered: Message from Thyra]
You may now interact with nearby ruins and hidden cities.
Choices will affect diplomatic relations and divine attention.
Lykos opened the scroll carefully.
Inside was a message written in ancient Greek—but somehow, he could understand it.
"The winds shift. Monsters gather. But so do gods and kings.
If your flame still burns, meet us at the Temple of Echoes.
Bring warriors. Bring will. Bring truth.
We will judge your worth."
—Archon Theon, City of Thyra
Lykos closed the scroll slowly.
"I guess we're not as forgotten as we thought."
Thrum...
[Main Mission Unlocked: First Dungeon – Temple of Echoes]
Objective: Clear the dungeon with a party of at least 3 heroes.
Danger Level: Moderate
Rewards: +200 System Points, Rare Hero Summon Ticket
Optional: Discover the Source of the Whispering Flame
Time Limit: 7 Days
"A dungeon quest already?" Lykos groaned. "I've barely had breakfast."
Thaleia grinned. "It's okay. I'll shoot first. You run later."
Ariadne grunted. "You won't need to run. Not with me in front."
Eirenaios raised an eyebrow. "And who heals me if you fall?"
"Okay, okay," Lykos said, raising his hands. "We'll go. But first—we train. Then we stock up. Then we maybe die."