From the moment I was chosen by the holy relic

The clear sky was high and bright, and the morning light shone on the earth, gilding the vast grassland with a warm golden hue.

Despite the bright sunshine, a chill still lingered in the air. A gentle breeze swept by, bringing the crisp scent of early spring, making each breath feel exceptionally refreshing. Eric pulled his cloak tighter and gazed into the distance, where the boundless grassland seemed to stretch all the way to the horizon in the morning mist.

They had been trekking across this grassland for several days, surrounded by an undulating green sea. Whenever the wind blew, the vast expanse of grass swayed and rolled like waves.

Occasionally, you can see herders grazing their livestock in the distance, herds of cattle and sheep dotting the verdant grasslands, leisurely munching on tender grass. When the wind picks up a bit, the air carries the faint scent of cattle and sheep, along with the distant aroma of smoke rising from chimneys, a glimpse into the lives of the herders.

The expedition members traveled by day and camped on the open grasslands at night. Since this was a relatively safe route frequently used by caravans, they didn't have to constantly worry about lurking dangers. Every evening at sunset, they would gather around the campfire, enjoying a short rest.

"Here's Eric," Reg handed him a tender leg of lamb. "I've heard you're quite the swordsman. How's your cooking?"

Eric took the lamb leg, a slight smile playing on his lips: "It's a little less impressive than swordsmanship, but it shouldn't disappoint you."

He took out his dagger and skillfully cut the lamb leg into pieces suitable for roasting, then marinated it with the seasonings he carried with him. The night on the grassland was cold, but the flickering light of the campfire cast a warm glow on everyone's faces. Eric skewered the meat on iron skewers, turning them slowly as they roasted, occasionally brushing on a sauce made with herbs and salt.

The aroma of meat gradually filled the air, and Roy couldn't help but swallow hard: "It smells good."

Targ laughed: "If the taste is as good as the smell, I have to admit that you, the swordsman, are more reliable than the cook."

When the first batch of roasted meat was put into their mouths, everyone showed expressions of satisfaction. Reg exclaimed, "Eric, did you learn how to cook at the knight training camp?"

Eric chuckled and shook his head: "No, I figured this out myself."

Over the course of several days, Eric gradually became acquainted with the group. He learned that the team originally had a swordsman, but his family had suffered a sudden misfortune, forcing him to return home, thus creating a vacancy. It was at this time that Kahn decided to recruit a new warrior to fill the gap in the team.

“We come from different places, but we’ve come together because of Kahn,” Roy said, chewing on his grilled meat. “He’s experienced and trustworthy. You won’t go wrong following him.”

"You seem to admire him a lot." Eric looked up at Kahn, the captain who was studying a map with a calm and composed expression.

Targ nodded. "Of course. He led us through many dangerous places and helped us survive. The most important thing about a good captain isn't being at the forefront, but making sure everyone gets home."

Eric pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "That's quite rare."

"And you?" Reg looked up at Eric. "Tell me your story?"

The campfire crackled, its light flickering in Eric's eyes. He remained silent for a moment before recounting his story, from his past as a knight to the night he was forced to flee the capital.

A silence fell over the crowd, especially when he spoke of his wrongful imprisonment. Targ slapped his thigh indignantly, "Damn it, are the people of Nosteria all filled with mud?"

Reg sighed softly, "I've seen this kind of thing far too many times."

Kahn remained silent, simply staring at Eric with eyes as deep as the night. He nodded slowly, his tone gentle yet firm: "The past is the past, but you are still alive, and the living always have the chance to rewrite their destiny."

Eric looked at him, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. He knew he had no other way but to keep moving forward.

A few days later, mountains finally appeared at the edge of the grassland. The journey entered a more treacherous area, with towering peaks on both sides, leaving only a narrow mountain path in the middle. The cliffs on both sides soared into the clouds, like a crack in the sky, inspiring awe in all who beheld them.

Kahn checked the map to confirm they had arrived at their destination. He dismounted and gestured for everyone to stop: "We're here."

Eric looked around, but apart from the exposed rock walls and desolate mountain paths, he found no entrances to any caves or ruins. "Are you sure this is the place?"

Kahn smiled slightly, walked to a stone tablet covered with ancient runes, and brushed away the dust to reveal faint engravings. His accompanying mage, Gray, stepped forward, ran his fingers along the engravings, and whispered a strange incantation.

A deep tremor came from the ground, as if the entire mountain was shaking slightly. Then, the stone tablet slowly moved, and a crack appeared in the rock wall. As the stone door slowly opened, a chilling aura surged out from the depths of the cave.

Eric stared at the dark cave entrance, gripped his sword hilt tightly, and felt a vague unease in his heart.

The cave entrance was as deep and dark as a bottomless abyss, and the chilling air emanating from within sent shivers down one's spine. An ancient, damp, musty smell permeated the air, and moss covered the stone walls, with faint, indistinct ancient carvings visible beneath. The flickering torchlight cast shadows on the cave walls, illuminating solemn faces.

"No one has set foot here for a long time," Kahn said in a low voice, his gaze sweeping across the darkness before gesturing for the others to follow.

Eric gripped his sword tightly, feeling his heart race. The darkness of this place instinctively made him uneasy, but he forced himself to calm down. He glanced back at the group; everyone was ready for battle. Reg held his staff, Roy had his bow drawn, Targ was caressing his battle axe, and Leah was nervously clutching her green staff.

Kahn was the first to enter the cave, followed closely by the others. He lit torches, illuminating the tense faces of everyone.

It was a short path, but due to everyone's heightened vigilance, it still took considerable effort to traverse it until they came to an ancient stone gate, covered with the marks of time, and faintly discernible hieroglyphs. The air was thick with the smell of mildew and damp earth, and the moss and vines on the stone walls indicated that no one had set foot here for a long time.

Kahn frowned and brushed the dust off the stone door with his fingers. "This site may be older than we thought."

Reg crouched down, carefully examining the patterns on the stone door. "This is a long-lost rune; I can sense a faint trace of magic. What's behind this door is definitely not simple."

"That's exactly why we came here." Targ raised his battle axe, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I didn't come here for nothing."

Kahn nodded, took a deep breath, placed his hand in the groove on the door, and slowly applied force. The heavy stone door creaked and groaned as it slowly opened, and a cold wind carrying the aura of death rushed out, causing everyone to shiver involuntarily.

Once the stone door was fully opened, a vast and open space appeared before them. The torchlight illuminated the surroundings, revealing a spacious chamber with ancient murals carved into the walls, telling a story of long-forgotten history. In the center of the chamber, a stone platform piled high with treasures came into view.

Golden light bathed the entire secret chamber, illuminating gold coins, gemstones, exquisitely carved gold cups, and jewel-encrusted daggers, rings, and necklaces, all gleaming in the firelight. At that moment, everyone held their breath.

"This is too easy, isn't it?" Roy muttered to himself, glancing around warily.

"That's right, it's gone far too smoothly." Eric frowned, pressing his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Targ scooped up a handful of gold coins without any hesitation, and snorted smugly, "Perhaps it's a blessing from heaven, we're lucky today."

"Don't let your guard down," Kahn said calmly and steadily. "A place like this won't just leave behind treasure."

As if in response to Kahn's warning, the previously deathly silence in the chamber suddenly froze, and a deep malice awakened in the darkness. The next instant, the earth trembled slightly, and an ominous, eerie blue light began to seep from the walls surrounding the stone platform, accompanied by a low, clicking sound—

The sound of bones colliding.

"Oh no—" Reg suddenly looked up, his voice trembling with tension, "This isn't an ordinary ruin! It's a cursed tomb!"

"Be on guard!" Kahn shouted, and the troops immediately took up battle formation.

In an instant, a patch of eerie blue light appeared deep within the dark cave, like countless eyes of the dead peering into the darkness at the intruder. Then, footsteps approached, and several skeletons clad in tattered armor slowly emerged from the darkness. Their bones were as white as frost, and their eye sockets flickered with cold blue flames; each step they took carried a chilling, sinister aura.

"Here they come!" Eric roared, charging forward with a sudden burst of speed. His longsword sliced ​​through the darkness, leaving a chilling trail. Before the first skeleton could even fully raise its sword, he severed it at the waist, reducing it to a pile of scattered bones. Yet these dead seemed to feel no pain; once severed, a blue, eerie light would emerge from their bones, piecing themselves together into a new form.

"Damn it!" Targ exclaimed as he hacked away.

"Reg!" Roy shouted decisively.

Reg immediately understood. He raised his staff high, chanted a spell in a low voice, and a blazing flame condensed on the staff.

"Try this!" he shouted, and with a sudden flick of his wrist, directed the flames toward Roy's arrow.

Without hesitation, Roy drew his bow, and a flaming arrow shot forth, striking the skeleton soldier precisely in the head. The flames instantly engulfed the skeleton, its bones twisting and burning, emitting a silent wail before finally turning into a pile of charred ashes.

"Fire! They're afraid of fire!" Eric shouted, his heart leaping with excitement.

As Lia began her incantation, a pale green light enveloped the group, and warm magic slowly flowed into their bodies, slightly revitalizing their muscles weary from the intense battle. However, her focus prevented her from noticing several skeleton soldiers quietly circling behind her.

"Leah! Watch out!" Roy cried out. He wanted to shoot the skeleton soldiers, but it was obviously too late.

Leah whirled around, only to find herself surrounded. Skeleton soldiers raised their rusty swords and slashed at her. She retreated in terror, but the cave walls blocked her way.

In the nick of time, a figure flashed past like a gust of wind. Eric rushed forward almost instinctively, his sword flashing with fury, severing the arm of the foremost skeleton. Then, with a whirlwind, he decapitated another skeleton. Just as the third skeleton was about to raise its weapon, Eric strode forward, shattering its kneecap with a powerful kick, sending it crashing to the ground, before piercing its sternum with his sword.

"Stand behind me." He turned and glanced at Leah, his gaze resolute.

Leah's face flushed red, and she nodded quickly, whispering, "Thank you..."

As the last skeleton soldier fell, before everyone could even breathe a sigh of relief, a dull tremor came from the depths of the cave.

"What's that sound?" Targ frowned.

Before anyone could react, a colossal figure slowly emerged from the darkness. It was a gigantic skeletal giant, as tall as three people, wielding a rusty greatsword. Its bones were massive, as if it were an undead creature transformed from the corpses of ancient giants. At the same time, behind it, several skeletal war elephants pieced together from bones slowly stepped out. Their eyes also burned with eerie blue flames, and their bony hooves pounded the stone ground with a chilling sound.

"Damn it..." Reg cursed under his breath, "We're in big trouble."

Kahn took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, listen to my command! Roy, Reg, provide ranged support! Targ, draw the giant's attention! Eric, join me in holding it back! Leah, prepare to restore your magic!"

The group acted almost simultaneously. Targ roared and charged at the skeleton giant, swinging his battle axe fiercely. The skeleton giant's greatsword came down, but he actually caught it without moving an inch!

"Haha! You think you can go toe-to-toe with a dwarf with your pile of bones?" Targ laughed.

Roy's arrows flew relentlessly, each imbued with the flames of Reg, causing the skeletal war elephant to howl in agony. Eric, meanwhile, moved like the wind across the skeletal giant's legs, each strike precise and swift, severing its joints and slowing its movements.

Leah stood at a safe distance, gripping her staff tightly with both hands, and chanted softly, "Light of Healing, grant life to the warrior..." A warm green light enveloped Eric, repairing his arm that had been scratched by broken bones.

Finally, under the combined attack of everyone, the skeletal giant collapsed with a crash, and the skeletal war elephant was also blasted apart by Reg's fireball.

The group stood panting in the center of the cave, looking at the broken bones and burning remains scattered all over the ground.

Before anyone could catch their breath, the walls of the stone chamber suddenly began to collapse. Kahn quickly regained his composure and raised his arm, shouting, "Quick, we can't stay here any longer! Get out!"

Carrying the treasure, the expedition quickly retreated. Behind them, the ruins slowly collapsed, as if swallowing all intruders. The moment they burst out of the cave, the dawn sunlight shone upon them, illuminating each of their tired yet excited faces.

The warm sunlight illuminated the excitement on everyone's faces. The air was filled with the smell of earth and dust, but no one paid any attention to it; their attention was focused on the gold, jewels, and ancient artifacts before them.

Targ sat atop a collapsed stone pillar, rubbing a dwarven ring inlaid with a ruby ​​between his hands, and grinned, "With this money, I can go to Ironforge Mountain and find that old geezer Brom, and have him reforge my grandfather's battleaxe!"

Eric leaned against a stone tablet, stroking his sword hilt as he pondered how to use this wealth.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps broke the noise, and a group of figures walked along the path. Their leather armor reflected the faint sunlight, and weapons were vaguely visible under their cloaks.