Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

"Why are skeletons here?" William asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. "This isn't the kind of place you'd expect to find them."

Skeletons were typically found in dungeons, crypts, or tombs—places steeped in death and decay. Finding them in the middle of a forest was unusual, and it left William puzzled. The forbidden zone was full of mysteries, but this one seemed particularly out of place.

Sarah, however, had an answer. She had done extensive research before coming here, and she was eager to share what she knew. "There are quite a few high-grade skeletons in this area," she explained, her tone matter-of-fact. "Some of them are incredibly powerful, like liches. In fact, they're among the strongest creatures here."

William's eyes widened slightly. "Really?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. "I knew there were liches in the forbidden zone, but I didn't realize it was this… organized."

Sarah nodded. "This area used to belong to demons," she continued. "After they disappeared, beasts took over. But now, the undead rule this place. Some people are even considering giving the area to them officially, allowing them to form their own kingdom."

William blinked, processing the information. "An undead kingdom?" he repeated, his tone a mix of disbelief and fascination. "That's… something."

Victoria, who had been listening quietly, chimed in. "Imagine how that would be," she said, her voice tinged with both curiosity and unease. "A kingdom ruled by skeletons and liches. It sounds like something out of a nightmare."

"Right?" Sarah agreed, her tone light but her expression serious. "It's not exactly a comforting thought."

As they continued walking, the landscape around them grew increasingly grim. The trees were dead and gnarled, their twisted branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The ground was littered with fallen leaves and patches of frost, and a strange, eerie fog hung in the air, obscuring their view of the path ahead.

The atmosphere was heavy with an unnatural stillness, broken only by the occasional caw of crows perched in the dead trees.

It was the first time they had heard the sound of any animals since entering the forbidden zone, and the crows' harsh cries only added to the sense of foreboding. Their black feathers glistened in the dim light, and their beady eyes seemed to follow the group as they passed.

William couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. The forbidden zone was living up to its name, and he knew they were only scratching the surface of its dangers.

"And why exactly are you searching for someone here? What did they do to you?" Sarah asked, her sharp gaze locked onto William.

He had been expecting this. It was only a matter of time before she started asking questions—questions he couldn't answer truthfully.

William hesitated, carefully choosing his words. He couldn't just tell her the truth. That he was a demon. That Kier, the man who had flown away, was desperate to obtain a demon bloodline of his own. That they had planned to work together to uncover the dark secrets of their kind.

No, that would never work. Even if Sarah didn't immediately turn against him, such knowledge could bring far more trouble than he could handle.

Instead, he took a breath and gave her something close to the truth. A believable lie.

"I'm on a mission for a noble," he said, keeping his voice steady. "I was sent to retrieve an item, and the man I'm chasing stole it. He took everything valuable he had and fled here. If I don't find him soon, the noble won't be happy."

It was just enough truth to sound convincing. Sarah studied him for a moment, as if trying to judge whether he was hiding something.

Then, to his relief, she nodded. "I see. Makes sense."

"You've been doing missions too, right?" he asked, steering the conversation away from himself.

"Yeah," Sarah said, adjusting the strap of her satchel. "It's a good way to make money. Might as well use strength to earn something, right?"

William let out a small chuckle. "It is indeed."

But inside, he was sighing in relief. At least for now, she believed him.

The two continued through the dense forest, their boots crunching softly against fallen leaves and twigs. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, and the occasional rustle in the distance kept them on edge. The deeper they went, the darker it became, as the towering trees blocked out the sun.

Then, after what felt like hours of searching, they stumbled upon something interesting.

"Look at this," Sarah said, pointing to a clearing ahead.

William followed her gaze and saw it—a firepit, its stones still arranged in a neat circle. The ashes inside were cold, long abandoned, but unmistakable. Someone had camped here.

Excitement surged in William's chest. "This could belong to the man I'm after," he said, stepping closer to examine it.

Sarah, however, remained skeptical. She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. "Maybe," she admitted. "But there are plenty of people who explore this place. And don't forget, some beasts are smart enough to make campfires too."

She knelt down, running her fingers over the charred remains. "Still," she added, glancing up at him, "there's a good chance this is your guy. Let's explore a bit more before jumping to conclusions.

The chance that the campfire belonged to Kier was there, but the traces were old. Too old.

According to what the villager had said, Kier had passed through this area twenty days ago. There was no way he had been traveling this slowly. A mage as strong as him wouldn't need to linger—especially not in a dangerous place like this.

William clenched his jaw. If Kier had already moved far ahead, catching up to him was going to be a challenge.

Still, they had no choice but to keep moving forward, staying alert to avoid getting caught off guard by any roaming skeletons or other creatures lurking in the shadows.

Then, a sharp, piercing screech tore through the air.

William's head snapped up just in time to see a massive skeletal bird soaring above them. Its hollow eye sockets burned with an eerie blue light, its bones rattling with each wingbeat. But what truly sent a chill down his spine was the figure riding on its back—a skeleton draped in tattered purple robes, gripping a twisted scepter.

A lich.

Sarah's breath hitched. "Where should we hide? Most of the trees here are dead—there's no foliage for cover!"

Victoria looked equally panicked, her eyes darting around in search of shelter. William knew they had only seconds before the lich noticed them. If that happened, they were dead.

Or rather, they would have been—if not for Stuart.

The small magical rat poked his head out of William's pocket, his whiskers twitching with urgency. "Lean against the tree and stay still. I'll handle the rest."

Without hesitation, the trio pressed their backs against the lifeless trunks. Stuart scurried onto William's shoulder, his tiny paws glowing faintly as he worked his magic.

Almost instantly, their appearances began to shift, blending seamlessly with the decayed surroundings. Not just their bodies—their very presence faded, their auras dissolving into the air. To the naked eye, they were no longer there.

Or at least, that was the hope.

The lich hovered above them, its empty gaze sweeping the ground as if searching for something. For a tense moment, it lingered. The skeletal bird let out another bone-chilling screech, circling once before finally soaring off into the distance.

Only when the creature was completely out of sight did William let out the breath he'd been holding.

"That was close," Sarah muttered, rubbing her arms. "If it wasn't for your magical rat, we'd be in serious trouble."

Stuart puffed up proudly. "Right? I am the best." With that, he scurried back into William's pocket, clearly satisfied with himself.

But William's mind was still on the lich. "Was it looking for us?" he wondered aloud.

There was no way to be sure.

Sarah shook her head. "I don't know, but we should be extra careful. A lich like that is way out of our league."

No one disagreed.

The place was crawling with undead. No matter where they turned, there was always something—skeletal remains twitching back to life, eerie moans echoing in the distance, or the unsettling glow of hollow eye sockets watching from the shadows.

And as if things weren't bad enough, the lich returned.

William wasn't sure if it was the same one or a different one, but that hardly mattered. Either way, it made their journey exponentially harder. With the constant threat looming above, they had to slow down, moving carefully to avoid drawing attention.

It was suffocating.

Then, finally, they found something unexpected.

A fissure in the earth.

The crack in the terrain stretched deep, revealing a hidden world below. Unlike the decayed wasteland around them, the bottom of the crevice was… alive. Lush vegetation thrived in the depths, untouched by the corruption above. And even more astonishing, there were structures built into the walls—houses, carved directly into the rock. The craftsmanship was intricate, precise. Whoever had lived there had done so with skill and purpose.

Sarah was the first to speak. "I think this belonged to the demons. These buildings—they match descriptions I've read before."

William barely heard her.

A sharp, searing pain erupted in his skull, a sensation so overwhelming that his knees buckled beneath him. He barely registered the sensation of the cold ground against his hands as he collapsed. His vision blurred, his breath came in ragged gasps.

Something about this place…

It was calling to him.

And it hurt like hell.