We took a short break to recover, setting up a small camp in a clearing. Devon stayed on watch, his sword resting across his knees as he scanned the area. Selene polished her daggers, her eyes occasionally flicking toward Ethan. Mason brewed some basic mana potions, and Fi entertained herself by poking at her balloon pet she had gotten from one of the markets.
I sat a little apart from the group, summoning my hellhound again to practice. The beast padded around me, its glowing red eyes scanning the area for threats. My HUD showed its status:
[Dire Wolf Hell Hound]
Status: Effect:
“Getting the hang of it?” Ethan’s voice startled me, and I turned to see him standing a few feet away.
“Sort of,” I admitted, dismissing the hound with a wave of my hand. “It’s powerful, but it drains my mana fast.”
He nodded, his expression thoughtful. “You handled yourself well back there. That last move with the hellhound—it was impressive.”
“Thanks,” I said softly, though the praise only made my chest tighten. I could still feel his gaze on me, the memory of his hands on my waist flashing through my mind. My face heated, and I quickly looked away.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice gentle.
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just... trying to stay focused.”
Devon’s voice cut through the moment. “We’re moving out in five.”
I didn’t have to look to know he was watching us. His tone was neutral, but there was an edge to it that made my stomach twist. Ethan nodded and stepped back, giving me space, but the tension in the air remained.
As we packed up and headed deeper into Obsidian Veil
My HUD glitched again, the waypoint pulsing with increasing intensity. Whatever was waiting for us at the source of the anomaly, I knew one thing for sure—it wasn’t going to let us leave without a fight.
The ruins of Wyrm Hollows
[Warning: Environmental Instability Detected.]
[Corruption Increasing: Hostile Presence Imminent.]
The waypoint ahead pulsed erratically, guiding us deeper into the ruins. The crumbling stonework gave way to jagged, metallic roots, glitching in and out of reality. It looked like the game's world was tearing apart at the seams, and the whispers that had been faint before now filled the air like a broken audio file.
“I don’t like this,” Devon muttered, his shield raised. “It’s too quiet.”
Selene, walking a few steps ahead, had her daggers at the ready. “The corrupted zones are never quiet for long. Stay sharp.”
Mason shifted uneasily, gripping his hammer. “You think it’s another horde? Or something worse?”
I didn’t answer. My focus was on the glitched waypoint on my HUD, its erratic blinking making my stomach churn. Something was here. Something big.
The silence shattered as the ground shook violently, throwing us off balance. My HUD blared a new alert:
[Warning: Guardian Detected.]
[Initiating Protocol...]
A massive figure emerged from the shadows, its form towering and menacing. Its body was a mix of gleaming armor and corrupted code, its glowing red eyes scanning the area like a predator locking onto prey. I knew this figure all too well.
[Guardian Oberon - Protector of the Code]
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Level: 35
HP: Abilities:
“He’s back,” I whispered, my voice trembling. My chest tightened as memories of our last encounter flooded back—Lucien’s sacrifice, our desperate escape, and Oberon’s relentless power.
Devon stepped in front of me, his shield raised. “Stay behind me.”
Selene’s daggers gleamed as she crouched low, her body tense. “We’re not running this time.”
Guardian Oberon’s deep, mechanical voice echoed through the ruins, filled with cold, calculated menace.
“Corrupted anomaly detected. Initiating termination protocol.”
Without warning, he slammed his massive staff into the ground, sending out a shockwave of glitched energy.
[Code Purge: Area of Effect.]
Damage: 1,500 to all players in range.
The blast hit us like a freight train, knocking me off my feet. My HP bar dropped dangerously low—barely above half.
[Kiera - HP: 4,300/7,000.]
“Spread out!” Devon shouted, charging forward to draw Oberon’s attention. He absorbed a massive hit from Oberon’s staff, but even with his high defense, the impact sent him skidding backward.
Selene darted to the side, to blink behind Oberon. Her daggers slashed at his armor, landing critical hits.
[Critical Strike: 2,000 Damage.]
But Oberon barely flinched. His massive HP bar barely budged as he turned, unleashing a [Rift Slam]
“Watch the ground!” Mason shouted, leaping out of the way as the spikes erupted beneath him. He swung his hammer, landing a solid hit on one of Oberon’s legs.
[Hammer Strike: 1,800 Damage.]
Fi launched firebolts from the backline, aiming for Oberon’s core. “His weak point’s the chest!” she yelled. “Focus fire there!”
I summoned my [Dire Wolf Hell Hound]
[Dire Wolf Hell Hound - Infernal Bite: 3,200 Damage.]
The attack staggered Oberon slightly, but his HP bar still felt insurmountable. My chest tightened as I realized how badly outmatched we were.
We’re not strong enough for this.
Just as Oberon raised his staff to unleash another [Code Purge]
“Looks like you guys could use some help!” a voice called out.
Some players stepped into view, their armor gleaming with high-level gear. Their guild emblem, a golden phoenix, stood out against the darkness.
The leader, a tall man with auburn hair and a massive greatsword, grinned as he pointed it at Oberon. His username hovered above him:
[Player: Kaelion - Level 32]
Guild: Phoenix Ascendant
“What’s the big guy’s deal?” he asked, casually stepping forward. “Boss fight? World event?”
“More like game-breaking anomaly,” I muttered under my breath, but before I could explain, Selene took charge.
“Don’t get in our way,” she snapped. “This thing’s not your fight.”
Kaelion ignored her, his grin widening. “A boss is a boss. Let’s take it down.”
The rogue beside him—[Player: Rya - Level 31]
“Don’t you?” Kaelion countered, already charging into the fray.
With Phoenix Ascendant joining the battle, the tide began to shift. Kaelion’s greatsword cleaved into Oberon’s armor with devastating power, while Rya’s agile attacks landed multiple critical hits. Their mage, a woman with flowing silver hair—[Player: Elara - Level 30]
Even with their help, Oberon wasn’t going down without a fight. His [Annihilation Surge]
I scrambled to heal the group, using [Essence Feast]
[Essence Feast: +1,500 HP to party.]
“Keep it up!” Devon shouted, his shield raised as he blocked another of Oberon’s strikes. “We’re wearing him down!”
Oberon’s HP bar dropped to 20%, then 15%, and finally 10%. Kaelion moved in for the final blow, his greatsword glowing as he activated a powerful skill:
[Phoenix Strike: 5,000 Damage.]
The attack hit Oberon square in the chest, shattering his core. His body flickered violently before collapsing, his voice echoing one last time:
“Failsafe... compromised.”
The battlefield fell silent as Oberon disintegrated, leaving behind a pile of glitched fragments. My HUD pinged with the reward notification:
[Guardian Oberon Defeated.]
Rewards:
“Glitched data?” Kaelion asked, crouching down to inspect the fragments. “Weird. Guess it’s part of the event.”
I forced a smile, my heart still racing. They didn’t know the truth—that this “data” wasn’t loot but pieces of the fragmented binary code. I quickly collected the fragments, hoping they wouldn’t ask too many questions.
“Well,” Kaelion said, sheathing his sword. “That was fun.” As the dust settled, Phoenix Ascendant regrouped, their energy high after the victory. Kaelion turned to us with a satisfied grin. “Not bad, huh?”
Devon didn’t look impressed. “You nearly got in the way.”
Rya rolled her eyes. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
Ignoring the tension, Kaelion extended a hand toward me. “Why don’t you come back to our camp? We’ve got supplies, rest points, and maybe some info on what’s going on with this anomaly.”
I hesitated, glancing at Devon and Selene. They didn’t look thrilled, but we needed a safe place to regroup—and answers.
“Fine,” I said, shaking Kaelion’s hand. “Lead the way.”
