I'm an Extra, so What?

The forest seemed to close behind them, shadows thickening like ink as Luka and Serene raced through the rotted underbrush.

Snow darted ahead, his wings beating furiously against the chill night air, scouting the way and screeching warnings.

"Arthur's not exactly an ally," Serene hissed, glancing back at the smug figure striding easily behind them. "We need to be ready for whatever he has planned."

Luka didn't reply. His mind was focused on the keystone—and the nightmare that awaited if they failed to stop it.

Ahead, the faint glow of the city lanterns beckoned like beacons of hope. But between here and there lay the old well—a forgotten relic wrapped in cobwebs and superstition.

They burst through the last treeline and slowed, catching their breath on the edge of a narrow alley behind the Guild hall.

Luka's fingers brushed the map scribbled on a scrap of parchment in his pocket, guiding him to the well's exact location.

Snow fluttered beside him, eyes sharp, tail flicking anxiously.

"Stay alert," Luka warned.

The well yawned before them, stone cold and dark as a mouth swallowing all light. Vines crawled over the edge, and the air smelled faintly of damp earth and decay.

Serene stepped forward, setting her shield aside to kneel and push back the tangled vines.

A faint pulse thrummed from within the well, steady and maddening.

Luka swallowed. "This is it."

Suddenly, a rustle from the alley's shadows.

"Looking for this?"

Arthur's voice was a smug drawl as he held aloft a glowing orb—the keystone.

"You're a little slow on the uptake," he said, twisting the orb between his fingers. "I found it weeks ago. Been keeping it safe. For my own use."

Serene's eyes narrowed. "You lied to us."

Arthur shrugged. "I lied to you and the Guild. No offense, but I don't trust a bunch of amateurs to handle something this volatile."

Luka's jaw clenched. "You're playing with forces you don't understand."

Arthur's grin faltered for a heartbeat before hardening. "Maybe. But I'm the only one with the guts to take control."

Without warning, he hurled the keystone toward the well.

It smashed against the stones and shattered, releasing a burst of corrupted energy that blasted upward, tearing through the night sky.

The ground shook.

The well's pulse surged into a deafening roar.

From its depths, black tendrils of mana snaked upward, coiling like serpents ready to strike.

Luka and Serene braced themselves as the summoning began anew—this time fueled by Arthur's reckless gamble.

"We need to seal it now!" Luka shouted.

Serene nodded, gripping her shield.

Snow circled above, ready to unleash his flame.

Luka's eyes locked on the black tendrils spiraling from the well, twisting and writhing like living shadows. The corrupted mana pulsed with raw, unstable energy, crackling in the cold night air.

"Serene, cover me! I'll try to disrupt the leyline!" Luka shouted, sprinting toward the well's edge.

Serene raised her shield defensively, positioning herself between Luka and the dark energy. "Just don't get reckless!" she warned, planting her feet firmly.

Snow dove forward, wings beating rapidly as he released a scorching jet of flame at the nearest tendril. The dark energy hissed and recoiled, but it was far from defeated.

From the shadows, Arthur stepped forward, eyes gleaming with arrogance. "You're fools if you think you can stop this," he sneered, raising his hand.

A surge of crimson energy burst from his palm, lashing out toward Serene like a whip of fire. She barely raised her shield in time, the impact sending her staggering back with a grunt.

"Arthur! What are you doing?!" Luka yelled, breathless but furious.

Arthur smirked. "Taking control. Someone has to."

Luka tightened his grip on his daggers, feeling the familiar hum of mana flowing through him. "You're making this worse."

Suddenly, the corrupted mana around the well erupted, forming a massive shadowy figure with glowing red eyes — a twisted guardian summoned by the corrupted keystone.

Serene recovered quickly, blocking Arthur's next fiery lash with her shield and stepping up beside Luka.

"Focus! That thing's feeding off the corruption!" she shouted.

Luka nodded and darted forward, blades flashing as he aimed for the creature's core—its pulsating, dark heart.

Snow flitted overhead, scorching the creature's eyes and distracting it momentarily.

Arthur, seeing the danger, reluctantly backed off, though his expression was far from regretful.

With a shared glance, Luka and Serene moved in tandem — Luka striking precise blows while Serene's shield slammed into the beast, each attack weakening the corrupted guardian.

The monster roared in fury, its form flickering and destabilizing.

Finally, Luka plunged both daggers deep into its heart. A brilliant burst of light exploded, and the creature dissolved into a cloud of harmless black ash.

The well's pulse slowed, then faded to a calm, steady rhythm.

Luka exhaled, wiping blood and sweat from his brow.

Serene looked over at Arthur, who stood apart, arms crossed, trying to look indifferent.

"Next time, maybe don't endanger the whole city just because you want to prove you're better," Serene said coldly.

Arthur sneered. "I'm the only one who's going to save it. You just don't see the bigger picture."

Luka shook his head, disgusted.

But there was no time for arguing now.

"We have to report this," Luka said quietly, "and prepare for whatever else is coming."

The night was quiet again, but the danger was far from over.

The walk back to the Guild was heavy with tension.

Luka's mind churned with frustration and exhaustion, Serene's footsteps steady but sharp beside him, and Arthur trailing behind with that infuriating smirk.

Inside the Guild hall, the usual buzz of chatter and laughter felt muted—almost as if the adventurers could sense the gravity of what had just happened.

Luka pushed through to the reception desk. "We need to speak to the Guildmaster. It's urgent."

The receptionist's eyes widened as she saw the blood and dirt on their clothes. "I'll get him right away."

Minutes later, the Guildmaster—a tall man with streaks of silver in his dark hair and a scar running down his left cheek—entered the room, his gaze sharp and commanding.

Luka stepped forward, recounting the night's events, the corrupted leyline, the obelisk, the Nightwing, and Arthur's reckless use of the keystone.

The Guildmaster listened silently, his expression unreadable.

When Luka finished, he turned slowly to Arthur.

"Is this true?" he asked.

Arthur shrugged, clearly unfazed. "I found the keystone first. I tried to use it to control the corruption before it got out of hand. I was doing what needed to be done."

The Guildmaster's eyes narrowed. "By endangering the city?"

Arthur met the glare without flinching.

Serene stepped forward. "He nearly destroyed us all. His arrogance could have cost lives."

The Guildmaster sighed heavily. "This situation is worse than we thought. We need to investigate the source of this corruption—and the keystone's origin."

Turning to Luka and Serene, he nodded.

"You two did well tonight. Prepare yourselves. You'll lead a team to secure the affected areas and find out who—or what—is behind this."

Arthur scoffed. "I'm going too."

The Guildmaster's gaze was icy. "If you come, you follow orders. No more reckless stunts."

Arthur folded his arms but said nothing.

Luka exchanged a look with Serene—neither trusting Arthur, but knowing they couldn't afford division now.

The Guildmaster's voice dropped. "This is only the beginning. The corruption will spread if we don't act fast."

Luka swallowed hard, the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders.

Outside, the night had deepened into an ominous quiet.

A storm was coming.