Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

The glowing hot spots on the map: each marking a critical location, caught Jett's eye as he analyzed the situation. "Five locations," he muttered to himself, tapping his finger against the map: the garden, the throne room, one of the guest rooms, the castle walls, and the princess' room.

"We should probably check out the other locations, starting from the princess' room," Jett said, mentally forming a plan of action. It was already fully morning by now, with sunlight filtering through the windows, though Ella was still fast asleep in her bed.

"It's only a matter of time before she wakes up," Jett noted, glancing at the peaceful creature. His stomach growled suddenly, reminding him he hadn't joined the others for dinner the previous night. "Time to eat."

*****

Breakfast was served to all of them in their rooms, presented with an elegance that resembled high-class room service. Platters of fresh fruit, pastries, and steaming meats were laid out on delicate trays. Jett devoured his food quickly, savoring the rich flavors as he replenished his energy.

Soon after, everyone regrouped in Cedric's room, but it didn't take long for the others to notice the obvious absence of two people.

"Didn't Morrigan say she'd go look for Seraphina?" Freya asked, looking around with a hint of concern.

"You don't think something happened to them, do you?" Cedric added, glancing at Jett for reassurance.

Jett's expression remained neutral, completely unfazed by the situation. "Something definitely happened to them, but it's safe to say they're still alive. It's manageable." His calm demeanor contrasted sharply with the growing concern among the others.

Without wasting any more time, Jett reached into his pocket and brought out the map, laying it out for everyone to see.

"What's that?" Rey asked, leaning in to get a closer look.

Jett pointed to the five glowing hot spots. "This map shows us five key locations we need to check out. Each one is marked as important, including the princess' room, where Morrigan and Seraphina last were."

Freya furrowed her brow, clearly processing the information. "You think they could be at one of these spots?"

"Possibly," Jett replied. "But we'll need to explore each one. If they aren't at the princess' room, then we move on to the next."

"Our ticket out of here," Jett replied, his tone sharp. "After sacrificing a level, I was able to get this map. You can thank Asher for scouting the castle."

Despite his confident explanation, the others just stared at him, still not quite following. The confusion in the room was palpable, which made Jett shake his head in disappointment.

"Alright, pay attention." He pointed to the four glowing spots on the map, excluding one. "Here, here, here, and here. We'll be checking all four locations simultaneously. I can't say precisely what it is, but the key to ending this trial is tied to whatever we find in these places."

Elora crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "So, you want us to join you on some blind treasure hunt?"

Everyone exchanged hesitant glances, clearly reluctant to commit.

Evelina, however, broke the silence. "I'm in."

Asher, caught off guard, opened his mouth to speak, but Evelina cut him off. "What? It's not like you were going to take the initiative. You were just waiting to see what would happen. And don't forget, he was the one who gave you guys tips on leveling up faster." Her usual playful tone was replaced with a serious resolve that seemed to echo through the room.

Her words struck a chord with the others. Slowly, the atmosphere shifted as they reconsidered their hesitation.

Jett took a step forward, addressing them again. "Look, I'm not here to force anyone. I know you're all probably more worried about the girls, but our priority should be ending this trial. They're strong: they can take care of themselves. We need to trust them and focus on our task." His words, though logical, were also meant to ease their minds, though he wasn't entirely sure if it would.

The tension in the room lingered, but the urgency in Jett's voice seemed to push them toward a decision.

"So, what's the plan?" Rey asked, giving Jett a nod of confidence.

Jett smiled in relief. They were all on board, willing to trust him and follow his lead. He replied, "No complicated strategy this time. Four groups, three people each. It's pretty straightforward."

Matthew frowned, raising a concern. "What about the last location? Isn't anyone going there?"

Jett shook his head. "That's excluded for now. Just a hunch, but I think we should tackle that one last."

"Alright then," Elora said, stepping up with a determined expression. "We only have six days left, so let's get a move on."

*****

"Ugh… Where are we?" Morrigan groaned, rubbing her head as she regained consciousness.

"Probably underground," Seraphina answered, offering her hand to help Morrigan stand. "We need to find an exit: if there is one."

They looked around, finding themselves alone in a dimly lit underground tunnel. The oppressive darkness surrounded them, but thanks to her druidic traits, Seraphina could see clearly, though it wasn't necessary.

{Fire Essence}

Morrigan cast a spell, summoning a flickering flame in her hand to illuminate the area. The orange glow revealed the jagged stone walls and the long, seemingly endless passage ahead of them.

They walked for what felt like hours, with nothing but the sound of their footsteps echoing in the tunnel. The path twisted and turned, yet no exit or significant landmarks appeared, leaving them with a growing sense of unease.

Finally, they stumbled upon something: at the end of a long corridor stood a dozen towering golems, their stone bodies motionless as they guarded a large, ominous door. Nearby, at the corner of the room, they spotted a girl frozen in stone, her expression locked in a look of terror.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Morrigan and Seraphina quickly ducked into a corner, hidden from the golems' sight. They exchanged a glance, both trying to gauge the situation.

"What's with the petrified girl?" Morrigan whispered.

"She's either a warning... or a clue," Seraphina muttered, her eyes narrowing as she studied the scene. "Whatever's behind that door, it's heavily guarded for a reason."

"That's gotta be the princess, right?" Seraphina whispered, squinting at the petrified figure.

"Yeah," Morrigan sighed, her eyes darting between the girl and the golems. "I can't think of anyone else it could be. What the hell happened to her?"

"Beats me," Seraphina muttered, her mind racing with possibilities.

Morrigan frowned, frustrated. "This would be a good time to contact the others, but this place won't even let me use my ring."

They both stood in silence for a moment, contemplating their next move.

"That door... it screams boss room. If we can defeat whatever's behind it, maybe we can go back—and maybe the princess will return to normal," Seraphina suggested, her voice low but steady.

Morrigan crossed her arms, eyeing the golems. "What if it's too strong? What happens then?"

Seraphina watched the golems move, noticing their jerky, uncoordinated motions. "I don't know, but we have to try. First, let's deal with the golems. They're not moving right, maybe they're easier to handle."

Morrigan nodded, her face tense but resolute. "Fine. But if it gets hairy, we retreat."

Seraphina smirked. "Deal. Cover me."

With a swift dash forward, Seraphina closed the distance between herself and one of the golems, catching it completely by surprise. She launched her fist into its head with immense force, shattering the stone into a cloud of dust. Before the body could collapse, she reached into its midsection, yanking out the glowing core lodged within.

The golem faltered and then crumbled, its movements ceasing entirely.

The other golems immediately took notice. With a collective, eerie shift, they turned towards Seraphina, their hulking bodies lurching forward in a rush.

"Hey, Mori, a little help?" Seraphina shouted, ducking under a heavy swing as she dodged the incoming attacks.

Morrigan sighed, already casting a spell. "Ugh, for crying out loud. Avoid the ground!"

{Earthen Surge}

The ground beneath the golems erupted in jagged, thorny spikes, destabilizing their movements even further. The golems stumbled, their movements even more erratic as they struggled to keep balance on the uneven terrain.

"Nice!" Seraphina grinned, dodging another swing and preparing to take down the next golem.

"Another?" Seraphina asked, spotting Morrigan readying another spell. Without hesitation, Seraphina leaped onto one of the golems, using her claws to cling to the wall, her nimble form scaling it with ease.

{Quicksand}

Morrigan muttered the spell, and the ground beneath the golems began to soften, turning into a pit of quicksand. The massive stone figures were instantly immobilized, their heavy bodies sinking into the thick, shifting earth.

"Now it's my turn," Seraphina grinned.

[Man Beast Transformation]

Her body shimmered, muscles surging with newfound strength as her eyes glowed with a feral intensity. In that brief moment, all of her stats skyrocketed, making her faster, stronger, and more lethal. With a growl, Seraphina launched herself off the wall, her claws gleaming in the dim light as she tore through the golems at lightning speed.

She targeted the cores in their chests, ripping each one out with precision. One by one, the golems collapsed into lifeless piles of rubble as Seraphina darted between them, her speed and strength unmatched.

"And that's all of them," Seraphina said, triumphantly giving Morrigan a high five.

Morrigan accepted the high five but crossed her arms, looking slightly annoyed. "That was really reckless, though. You could've given me a heads-up before you rushed in like a battle junkie."

Seraphina just smirked, brushing off the warning. "Yeah, yeah, but we got the job done, so what's the issue?"

Morrigan sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing when Seraphina was in this kind of mood. The battle had been won, but the reckless nature of Seraphina's approach still irked her.

Seraphina turned her attention to the petrified girl. The sight was heartbreaking: the girl was completely encased in stone, as though she had been frozen mid-scream. Even her facial expression suggested sheer terror, as if she had been attacked by something before being turned to stone.

"Once we get her out of here, we'll be home free," Seraphina said softly, gently patting the petrified girl's shoulder before walking toward the ominous door: the boss room.

Morrigan followed, both of them taking a moment to stare at the massive door. Its surface was adorned with intricate carvings, but something about it felt off.

"What do you think we'll find inside?" Seraphina asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"A boss monster, obviously," Morrigan replied, reaching out to touch the door.

The moment her fingers brushed the surface, the carvings on the door shifted, and a face emerged from the stone. Its eyes glowed with a sickly green light, staring straight at Morrigan.

Seraphina reacted instantly. She grabbed Morrigan's arm and, with all her strength, hurled her companion away from the door. But before Seraphina could move herself, a flash of green light enveloped her body.

"No!" Morrigan screamed as Seraphina's body stiffened, her limbs turning to stone right before her eyes. In mere seconds, Seraphina was fully petrified, her fierce expression frozen in place just like the other girl.

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As if triggered by Seraphina's transformation, the ground rumbled, and the golems respawned once more, their stone bodies rising from the rubble. Morrigan, now alone, found herself facing the stone army and the mysterious boss door.

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We made it to a hundred chapter guys. That's for staying with me on this journey.