Box of the Distorted Dead

Dastard Bheg NPC Knowledge, the Master of the Chain

Countless times I had readied myself, and yet, a face-to-face encounter was always a nerve-wracking event, indeed. To flee from one's fate is akin to attempting to escape one's shadow... quite the meaningless effort it is, and easier to stomach once you accept the futility of it all.

It was a difficult adversary like all the others. "Master of the Chain" Bheg ravaged his surroundings with that dastardly hooked-chain. He was surprisingly agile for his size. I struggled targeting his weak points at close range, and attempting to widen the gap between us was near impossible as his chain possessed some uncanny ability and was never far behind. How many times did I tumble, parry, block... Bit by bit, I noticed the patterns in Bheg's assault. His massively towering body soon crumbled before me.

I learned something from this bout. The monsters of the rifts seemed to weaken the longer I delayed their encounter. Was it the same for all of these "Dark Rift" bosses? I wasn't sure, but I felt it was a theory I should definitely explore. I find myself thinking about it from time to time. Such occurrences... were they a set of trials bestowed upon me by a god? And yet, I take another step forward, as so, wondering exactly what awaits me at the end of this journey...

A Peculiar Tree, Dim Tree Spirit NPC Knowledge

While chasing after the voice that was giving me a splitting headache, I found myself in a thick forest. In this forest was another Dark Rift.

A peculiar Tree Spirit emerged from this rift. I felt that I needed to defeat this foe to escape from my haunting nightmares. The spirit threw a stone as a warning shot. Strangely, it did not feel like a warning shot threatening an impending fight. It felt like the spirit was warning me of something greater. On one hand, this spirit felt stronger than my previous foes, yet on the other hand, I felt that I too had become stronger.

After I defeated this tree spirit, I returned to the path I was on. I could not rid my mind of the uncomfortable thought that the spirit was indeed trying to warn me of something.

That was when a young woman suddenly appeared before me.