I stood in Thirdborn's residential district, the eastern breeze carrying whispers of legends and forgotten tales. The year is 2025, and yet here in this fantastical realm, time feels different – stories of old heroes like Keipo still echo through cobblestone streets as if they happened yesterday.
An Aumaua youth with a distinctive hat called out to me from across the square. "Traveler!" His voice carried urgency that cut through the ambient market chatter. Kai immediately perked up beside me, "Chiko? Is that you?" The recognition in his voice suggested a history I wasn't privy to.
Chiko approached with worry etched across his features. "The great Keipo hasn't left his house in weeks. Something's wrong. Would you speak with him? He might listen to a fresh face."
The Dying Legend
I climbed the worn steps beside Chiko's post, finding myself at a modest doorway. Inside, bathed in golden afternoon light, sat an elderly figure gazing out his window at the town square below – where a magnificent sculpture of a leviathan dominated the center.
"Come in, stranger. These old bones don't get many visitors these days," Keipo's voice cracked with age but carried the unmistakable weight of someone who had lived many lives in one.
His eyes never left the window as he spoke. "Death comes for us all, and he's standing particularly close to me these days." A melancholic smile crossed his weathered face. "Before I join my ancestors, there's something I need retrieved – something precious I hid away long ago."
The Heart of the Leviathan – not just any trinket, but the actual heart of the beast immortalized in bronze outside. Keipo had secured it in ruins to the east, protected by traps he designed himself in his younger, more nimble days.
"Why hide something so valuable?" I asked.
"Some treasures aren't meant for just anyone," he replied, his gaze finally meeting mine. "Some require the worthy to prove themselves first."
The Journey East
The eastern territories stretched before me like a painting – rolling hills giving way to ancient stones half-buried in earth. Undead soldiers patrolled aimlessly between crumbling columns, guardians without purpose.
I darted between their patrols, my footfalls silent against the soft earth. An opening appeared – a structure sinking into the ground like a stone being slowly swallowed by time itself.
People Also Ask: How difficult are the traps in Keipo's ruins?
The traps range from simple damage-dealing mechanisms to complex timing puzzles. Most can be avoided with careful observation and patience, though some require quick reflexes.
Keipo's Gauntlet
Inside, a lever stood prominently with faded lettering: "DO NOT PULL."
Naturally, I pulled it.
A sharp pain and a mechanical laugh echoed through the chamber. Keipo's sense of humor had survived the decades, it seemed.
The elevator carried me downward into darkness. Ancient mechanisms groaned to life around me, as if the ruins themselves were awakening from slumber. A charging plate glowed faintly in the distance, beyond a crumbling wall.
I'm not one to fall for obvious traps. Instead of charging forward, I leapt back to higher ground, watching as rolling pin-like contraptions slid across gaps – deadly if touched, but perfect stepping stones if timed correctly.
One... two... three leaps of faith, and I landed safely on the other side, my heart pounding against my ribcage. The adrenaline rush was exhilarating – this is why I live for adventure!
Blades and Treasures
The next chamber presented a different challenge: whirling blades spinning in predictable patterns, guarding a purple-glowing chest. I weaved between them, disarming trip wires along the way. Their mechanisms were intricate – Keipo must have been quite the engineer in his prime.
Among the fallen who had failed this test before me, I discovered an Exceptional Bow – a silent testament to those who had come seeking Keipo's treasure and found only death instead.
The massive chamber beyond teemed with skeletal warriors. Rather than engage in needless combat, I scaled a ladder to my right, traversing ruined walkways high above. A leap across stagnant waters brought me to a crossroads – a locked door ahead, and an open passage to the left.
People Also Ask: Can you fight all the enemies in the ruins?
Yes, but it's not necessary. The ruins are designed to reward stealth and careful navigation over brute force. Many encounters can be completely avoided.
The Guardian's Den
The final chamber held my breath captive in my lungs. An Elder Grizzly Bear – massive, ancient, and terrifying – stood between me and my prize. Its fur was patched with scars from countless battles, its claws worn but deadly.
Fortune smiled upon me as the great beast lumbered into its cave, settling down for a nap. I crept past, my every movement calculated, every breath controlled.
To my right, a wheel mechanism – rusty but functional – opened the barred path forward. The grinding of metal against stone seemed deafening in the silence, but the bear slumbered on.
And there it was – the Heart of the Leviathan, pulsing with an otherworldly glow upon a stone pedestal. I approached reverently, feeling the weight of legend in my hands as I claimed it.
A Choice of Legacy
I returned to Thirdborn with the heart secured, climbing the steps to Keipo's home once more. The old fisher's eyes lit up at the sight of his treasure – a spark of youth returning to his weathered face.
"You've done what many could not," he whispered, his hands trembling as they reached for the heart.
A choice lay before me:
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Return the heart to its rightful owner, receiving his legendary spear in gratitude
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Keep the heart for myself, gaining a powerful vampiric trinket
In that moment, looking into the eyes of a dying legend, I understood why he had hidden the heart away. Some treasures aren't about their power or worth – they're about the stories they carry, the lives they've touched.
I placed the Heart of the Leviathan in Keipo's waiting hands.
"Thank you," he said, tears welling in his eyes. "For letting an old man hold his greatest achievement one last time."
In return, he presented me with his spear – Tidecaller – a weapon that had brought down the very leviathan whose heart I had retrieved.
People Also Ask: What happens if you keep the heart for yourself?
If you choose to keep the Heart of the Leviathan, it becomes a powerful vampiric trinket that drains health from enemies. However, you miss out on Keipo's legendary spear and the satisfaction of fulfilling a dying man's wish.
Reflections on Mortality
As I left Keipo's home, spear in hand, I couldn't help but wonder about the nature of legacy. The old fisher had spent decades protecting his greatest treasure, only to willingly part with it at the end.
Would I make the same choice when my time comes? What treasures am I accumulating now that will truly matter when I face my final moments?
The Heart of the Leviathan could have granted me power, but returning it granted something far more valuable – a glimpse into the soul of a legend, and perhaps a lesson about what truly matters when the end draws near.
In this world of Avowed, where heroes rise and fall like tides, what will your legacy be when your adventure reaches its final chapter?