《Ascended》 C.0 : Prologue Eyes closed, I submerged my face into the sink. My hands moved constantly without rest, scrubbing hard as if to wash away the tiredness. Once I could feel the refreshing cold seep through my skin, I pulled back. Before me was a mirror, which held the image of a striking young girl with large, watery blue eyes, ashy blonde hair and a face too innocent for its own good. My current appearance, however, completely betrayed that looks. I had what could only be described as sex hair. My clothes were way more than just a little disheveled and I was pretty sure that my underwear was torn. In my defense, I looked perfect when I left the house this morning, but it was a rough and long bus ride, though I must admit, I did enjoy it a tad bit too much. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Fortunately, it was near the time to go to class, meaning there were less people around and I could have the bathroom for me and me alone. Smilling to myself, I wiped the white substance running down my thigh, then proceeded to rearrange my clothes in a hurry. Next, I checked my black silk thong, noting that it was still suitable for wearing, albeit a bit wet, sticky and torn near the crotch. Done, I looked at myself one last time to check if I missed anything. I only saw my usual-self stare back at me, though I''d been doing a lot of fucking lately that I must wonder whether this or my previous appearance was the usual for me. "Time to go." I said, an aloof smile plastered on face as I took my bag, which had been left laying on the ground slight a meter away and got out. C.1 : Family Life is a bitch that likes to kick us while we''re down. Don''t let it do so. Or at the very least not for free. - Lilith Encantado
The ball flew through the air inches away from her face, the heavy smell of sweat and rubber filled her nostrils caused the frown on her flawless face to slightly deepen. For a brief moment, the girl wondered if it would''ve been a better idea to decline the offer instead. Not that it mattered now, she had already agreed to it after all. Sighing in her head, her ashy blonde hair swayed along with her movements as her small, yet toned arms instinctively caught the ball. Then she ran, at a pace as fast as her tired legs could carry her, ignoring the burning sensation in her throat. Honestly speaking, this was nothing to her, she had been in worst situations when using the VR headset. Even hers and the enemy team seemed so much slower compared to the monsters she had fought in [Infernum], her favourite VRMMORPG. Although her physical traits did not come close to how she was in the game, her senses which had been honed in many battles put her in a very advantageous situation. The others could not even keep up with her, much less take the ball from her hands. Everytime a defender came near, she''d quickly spin around to get past them. Just like that, soon she was able to approach the basketball hoop. Putting all the strength she could muster into her legs, she leapt up, throwing the ball with accuracy none could ever hope to match given the distance. The ball bounced on the rim, circling around it a few times before falling awkwardly into the hoop. Successfully named her school the new champion of the tournament. And it didn''t take long for the people betting on her win to chant her name in succession, followed by cheers from all sides. Weirdly enough, most of these cheers did not include any of her teammates, only her alone. It was quite understandable when one took into consideration that she pretty much won the entire tournament by herself. Her teammates were inexperienced and weak with little to no practice. It wouldn''t be an overstatement to say they were literally dead-weights to her the entire season. At least it was all over now. She wouldn''t be participating in the next season, she had made that clear enough. In fact, if it wasn''t due to her pushover nature, she wouldn''t have participated ever. "Lilith, we did it!" As the young teenager, Lilith, silently thought over what to eat this evening, a cheerful voice called out, interrupting her thoughts. Lilith turned towards the source of the voice and was rewarded with a huge pair of breasts, squishing against her face. That wonderful feeling made all the tiredness, all the bullshit she had to deal with throughout the season seem so worth it. As Lilith looked at the brunette hugging her, a soft smile that not even she knew she was capable of showing graced her beautiful face. Mischief flashed in her eyes before she drew closer and closer until their lips touched. The sudden kiss caused the brunette to shudder not only in nervousness but also anticipation. "Yes, we won..." Lilith stopped, her breath gently tickled the brunette ear as she continued in whispers. "And I believe you owe me my reward, love." Of course, Lilith didn''t yell out these words, but she did not attempt to hide it either. Thus, her obvious flirtation was seen and heard by everyone nearby, making the other teammates'' faces burn red as they took off one after another. "Y-Yes! I''ll pay you back, but not here okay?" The brunette stuttered, her misty eyes seemed as if she was about to cry from shyness. "Well, I''ve been waiting all season, guess a bit more won''t hurt." Lilith chuckled, a devilish smile that didn''t fit her innocent and childish image crept up. Her hands ran up the brunette''s thighs, then she took off into the changing room, thinking to change out of her sweaty uniform and now wet panty.
Lilith stood still, looking at the old, worn out name tag on her locker. Lilith Encantado - It said. Droplets of water were rolling down her smooth white skin and her sleek blonde hair was freely let loose. She only wore a tight skin short and a sport bra, both black. Rather than pretty, the current her had an air of sexiness that was hard to ignore, the innocence and childishness were long gone. Roughly drying her hair with a towel, Lilith pulled open her locker. Inside were a collections of souvenirs, all proof of her eventful high school life. Among them was a picture of her biggest crushes, taken months ago when she had snuck off on her own to go to their concert. It resulted in a month of no allowance and being grounded, but she had no regrets. Just thinking back to those few days made her shudder in pleasure. Juices started to overflow down her crotch, wetting her panty. Good thing she always brought backup panties. One might think she was weird for doing this, and in truth having such a high sex drive really wasn''t normal, but there was no helping it, she was born this way after all. Beside, she''d rather be called a weirdo than a pervert. Though perharps it didn''t matter much. She was already quite famous in the school for her loose lifestyle. As much as she hated to admit it, walking around town with a wet panty somehow seemed strangely exciting to her, if one didn''t take into account how uncomfortable it would be. Immersed in her thoughts once more, Lilith took up her bag and left. Her teammates had asked her if she''d like to go celebrating with them, but she had other plans. She was going to come home, lie on her bed and log into [Infernum], it had been weeks since she last did this and she was dying to venture the world the game had to offer using her ungodly strength once more. Sex and socializing could wait. It''s gaming time. It was dark when she got out. Everyone seemed to have either gone home or left to celebrate. Only a night guard was still there to do his job. The guard was a young man, his eyes shone with admiration the moment he saw her. Lilith, feeling the pair of eyes on her back, turned to face the young guard. Before she could say anything, he shakily pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "C-Can I have your signature?" He was shaking, fear of being rejected evident in his blue pupils. Seeing no reason to refuse, Lilith shot him a soft, business smile and took the pen. Just as she was about to sign the paper, she saw a black SUV out the corner of her vision. For a brief moment surprise could be seen on her face before it was replaced by an annoyed scowl. Quickly, she finished writing her signature, gave back the young guard his pen and jogged towards the car. "Young miss." The middle-aged man driving the car greeted, he opened the door and let her slip in. "What does he want." Not wanting to waste more time, Lilith asked, hostility quite literally dripping from her voice. "I do not know. I was only ordered to get miss after the tournament." The man replied, getting into the driver seat and drove away. Thus, Lilith could only sit back unsure what to think, her questions remained unanswered. No doubt whatever that man wanted from her wouldn''t be something she approved of, that at least she was sure of it.
Standing alone in the elevator, Lilith impatiently tapped her feet. She ransacked through her bag, looking for the cigarette she was sure she left somewhere in there. She herself wasn''t much of a smoker, but she knew how much that man hated smoking. If she could annoy him, then what was this bit of discomfort? Soon after, the elevator reached its destination. Lilith got out, ignoring the beautiful, yet unfamiliar woman wearing business suit who was about to talk to her, and walked into the room further down the hall. Once there, she kicked open the door, wisps of smoke from her cigarette wafted all over due to her violent movements. "How many times must I tell you? Knock before you come in." An annoyed voice echoed, boucing against the walls. Until this day, Lilith had never understood why he liked this design so much when be himself didn''t enjoy the loudness. Not that she cared. If he wanted to torture himself, she wouldn''t mind. Though she honestly wished she wouldn''t have to suffer along everytime. As the echoes died down, Lilith stared at the man across her. He was sitting behind an obviously expensive wooden desk. Brown hair with a hint of greyness, that vicious face that she was oh-so familiar with. She looked at him, clearly irritated, and threw out everything in her bag. Then she showed the man the now empty bag and said, a mocking smile plastered on her face. "Do you see this, father? That''s how much fuck I give to you and your damned complaints!" The man, her father squinted his eyes at her provocation yet remained calm and collected. "I see you haven''t fixed that foul mouth of yours yet." He said, fixing his glasses in a calm manner. This small action of him was not taken well by Lilith as she cursed. "Fuck you, asshole." While giving him a middle finger. None of them said anything after that. An uncomfortable silence descended upon the two as they silently had a staring contest. Finally, Lilith sighed out loud, roughly ruffling her hair as she sat on the couch opposite to her father. "So what do you want." She asked. "You should know I''ve been quite close wi-" Lilith interrupted, glaring at her father. "Get to the fucking point!" "Fine, I want you to marry Jason." He calmly replied, yet the repeated tappings of his fingers against the smooth desk betrayed that facade. It was clear that he was quite nervous, or at least stressed in some ways. "Jason, as in that womanizing scumbag? No way." Already expecting this answer, he took off his glasses. "That''s not your choice to make." His voice resounded like thunder near Lilith''s ear. Trembling, her voice shook as she opened her mouth, fearing for the worst. "W-What do you mean?"
Anna had been working in this company for weeks. The salary was nice, there was a canteen for the workers and the boss wasn''t some perverted creeps so she''d call this a dream job. Today, like any others, she was organizing her boss'' schedule when from the elevator came a young teenager. Anna very much wanted to stop this girl, but her attempts to communicate were mercilessly ignored as the young girl charged towards her boss'', the CEO''s room. Unable to comprehend what had happened, Anna stood still, rooted in place. She thought of many things, wondering whether or not her boss would fire her after this. Then she thought of how she''d fare if she was really fired. The other large companies would most definitely not want to take her in. After all, nobody would want someone who messed up only in the third week of their job. Her last choice would be those small, shady companies but then she doubted she''d do any better in those given her temper. Sighing, Anna collapsed on her chair, the chair she was so proud of when she first got this job. Minutes later, the young intruder stormed out, her eyes were slightly red as she stared at Anna. "You''re the new secretary, right?" As if compelled by something, Anna nodded nervously. Now that she had a look at the girl, she couldn''t help but be in awe. In her entire life, Anna had always been acknowledged as a beauty by everyone else. She had rarely ever seen someone who could compare to her in terms of appearance. But before this young girl, she felt so inferior. All those compliments she had recieved throughout her life suddenly seemed more like sarcastic remarks. "I suggest you should change your job." The girl said, pointing her thumb at the door behind her. "That guy is bad news." Finished, she walked off leaving Anna who was still in a daze alone. Only after the girl had disappeared from view did Anna finally snap out of it. "Beautiful." That seemed to be the one word she could describe the goddess that had talked to her just now. C.2 : Her Worth If you think that you are someone that matters, that you mean something, then you''re wrong. - Lilith Encantado
In the middle of New Washington DC, the capital of America, a beautiful and gigantic mansion stood tall in all of its glory. Rays of light shone down from above, plus the green garden that spanned hundreds of meters made the place seem like the heavenly palace where the gods themselves resided. It was obvious that whoever owned this mansion must be awfully rich, no doubt about it. But, for some odd reasons, this heaven on earth had a particularly ominous and depressing air surrounded it. Cries and screams filled with despair of a little girl could be heard echoing throughout the mansion as the maids and servants ran around in panic, clearly scared out of their minds. Though no one could really blame them. After all, the woman they served, or once served had just been found dead on her bed this morning. The person who found her corpse was none other than the young princess of the house. Worse yet, the woman, their madam didn''t simply pass away peacefully in her sleep, but bled out from the cut on her wrist. Taking the razor in her hand and the position of the cut into consideration, it was clear that she killed herself. Everyone, whether it was the butler or the maid painfully looked at their young princess holding her mother, pity and sympathy evident in their eyes. One such braver manservant approached the crying little girl, his hands reached out to her head. Then, he pulled her into his embrace, only when the warmth seemed to have calmed her down somewhat did he carefully loosen his hold on her. "Alexander, my mom is fine, right?" Feeling his grasp loosened, the little girl lifted her head. Her misty, amber eyes stared straight at the manservant, traces of hope could easily be seen in them. The manservant, Alexander hesitated. For a brief moment, he considered lying to her, but thought of how painful it''d be once the truth seeped in. Once she realised her mother wouldn''t be coming back. Bitting his lower lip, Alexander clenched his fist. Ultimately, he decided it''d be best if he told her the truth as to avoid any complications in the future. He had seen it before, people who lied to themselves everyday, ignoring reality to keep their fragile selves from falling apart. He knew if he really said it, there would be no going back. He''d most likely lose his job, and the girl might even end up hating him. But he had to. He didn''t want to see such a sweet girl become mentally damaged, to become one of those people he saw. Forcing a mouthful of saliva down his throat, Alexander spoke. His voice wasn''t too loud but it was enough to be clearly heard by everyone else in the room. "No, I''m terribly sorry, Lilith. But your mother, the madam is dead... And she won''t be coming back, ever." Lilith stood rooted in place, her heartbeat accelerated and her breaths fastened. She felt suffocated, the stabbing pain in her heart grew ever so stronger causing her to collapse on her knees. She brought her hands, which were stained with blood, near her beautiful, yet immature face. The metallic odor of blood closed in on her made waves of nausea surge in her body, as her stomach churned in disgust. Soon, the world around her along with everyone else started to shatter piece by piece, leaving only her and the corpse that once upon a time was her mother. The blood that pooled below the corpse, under her surprised and fearful gaze, moved. The coldness that it gave off turned her body stiff, she dearly wanted to stand and run but her body refused to listen to her. Lilith watched on helplessly as the blood surged forth, completely drowing her in it. She could feel her breath weakened by the second. To put insult to injury, the blood didn''t finish her off immediately but slowly penetrated her skin, making her mouth widen in pain. Screams and pleads for mercy were soundlessly coming out, yet the torture didn''t stop and got stronger instead.
Lilith panickingly sprung up, gasping for the air that she so desperately needed. Once she had finally calmed down, the young lady fixed her vision on the plain alarm clock on the wooden nightstand next to her bed. 3:42 - It said. So that damned nightmare had robbed her of her much desired sleep again. Wiping the sweat off her body, she lamented silently in her head. Lilith doubted it, but perharps she could make due of that therapy session her old man bought for her. Despite thinking so, she''d never really take it. If her experience had taught her anything, then that was there was no such thing as free meal in this world. Everything had a price no matter how big or small. And given his personality, she just knew nothing good would come out if she had taken up the offer. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Sighing to herself, Lilith roughed up her already disheveled hair before making her way into the bathroom of her apartment. She had a habit of sleeping naked and rather than a hot bath, she much prefered a cold shower. It was quick, efficient and it helped her mind work faster. Thus, aside from preparing a towel, she didn''t have to do anything else. Soon, water began to trickle down her body. In the shower, Lilith leaned tiredly against the reinforced-glass. She brought up her hands to see they were shaking uncontrollably. Forcing out a dry laughter, she bitterly thought back to the past. When her mother was alive and her father wasn''t the asshole he was now. Memories of them going to the zoo, eating cheap stall food near their house brought a smile to her otherwise emotionless face. Satisfied, Lilith turned off the water and leisurely got out while still soaking wet. The droplets of water rolling down her smooth skin made she seem so much more mature and sexy than normal, it was unfortunate that no one was able to see this heavenly scene. Once she was done drying herself, Lilith threw the towel on the couch. She took the pure white VR headset in her hands and began to turn it on. She had wanted to play after she was done with the tournament, but the talk about marriage with her father hadn''t exactly been pleasant. She couldn''t understand what the man was thinking, she was barely seventeen this year. It was hardly what she''d call a marriageable age. Not to mention out of all the people he could''ve chosen, why must he choose Jason? Others mightn''t be clear of his true nature, but she knew the bastard was twisted in every sense of the word. The amount of women who had had their lives ruined by him probably surpassed the thousand mark. In fact, if not for his family cleaning up after him, the bastard would''ve long been jailed to atone his sins right now, or perharps he might even be put to death straight away given all the deeds he had done. How could her father promise her to that guy? "Am I that worthless to you?" Lilith bit her trembling lip, her nails had unknowningly dug several inches deep into her palm. Endless rage surged in her heart yet at the same time, an indescribable sadness caused her to weakly fall on the brown, leather couch. Her body shook ever so often as tears poured out in stream down her face. She felt abandoned. Her mother had left her alone in this world and now her father too forsook her. Was it as those people said? Was she really the cause of their family''s misfortunes? She couldn''t tell, the line between reality and those hurtful insults seemed blurred. Just once, she only needed that father of hers to care for her once. It might seem pathetic to others, and strictly speaking, it was painfully pathetic. However, was it so wrong for a child to long for parental love. Indeed, a genius she might be, but a daughter she still was. Was it really so wrong? Or did they think because she was a bit smarter than other kids that she couldn''t feel pain? As she hugged the VR headset, Lilith couldn''t help questioning her very existence. Maybe, just maybe if she hadn''t been born, would it have made a difference? Would her mother have died? Would her father have become so distant and cold? Well, none of that mattered anymore. What''s done was done. There was no changing it, she could only forge on and hope for the best out of life. At least, she still had that. Lilith stared at the white headset in her hands. Here, she''d alway be the cursed child of the Encantado family. A worthless existence. But there, in the game [Infernum] she was a godly being. A mortal who had transcended the limits and become a powerful, unignorable Ascended. There, her words were laws. There, she could change the world with a single command. There, she was someone who meant something. It was a holyland, her holyland. Something that no one would be able to take away from her, and if they tried to sully her holyland then may the gods be merciful on their souls for they would feel the full force of her wrath. Clenching the VR headset, Lilith gently put it on her head. Her red lips moved as a serene and almost peaceful voice sounded. "[Login]." The VR headset flashed a deep blue light as it began scanning her facial features for abnormalities. Once it had confirmed her identity the scanner was shut down and replaced by a room where countless runic like codes were going back and forth on the walls.
Welcome Back
"I''m back..." C.3 : NPCs Since the beginning of time, whether it was to satisfy their curiosity or open up doors to opportunities and go beyond our own limits, humankind had always been hungry for knowledge in some ways. And as technology continued to advance, our ambition too grew. We moved from simply uncovering the secrets of our planet to trying to uncover the mysteries of the great black void, otherwise known as the universe. However, as if trying to solve the unsolvable, our confusion only grew stronger and stronger. That was until ten years ago, when [Infernum Online] came to be. Nobody knew who made it, and whoever cared enough to try and find out disappeared never to be seen again. Still, despite the possible dangers associated, the temptations were simply too... Great to ignore.
Stationed inside the [Forbbiden Zone], near a small solar system that floated around indefinitely was an island the size of Japan. Its odd shape and the obviously man-made structures that stood high and tall defused any notions of it being just another random asteroid flying aimlessly through the vast cosmo. The still active mana barrier, which seperated this island and the space outside, only further strengthened this belief. And if one took a closer look, they could most probably make out blurry figures of both humanoid and non-humanoid beings walking about, living their daily lives in peace and prosper on this very island. Perhaps, they might even mistake this for Heaven and the people who lived here for celestial beings, for to them, this was a sight that could never be found in the [Mortal Plane]. Unfortunately, this wasn''t Heaven. But instead a Galatic Queendom governed by its one and only ruler, Her Majesty, Queen Lilith. Said Queen was also Julius'' master. To the citizens of this Queendom, she might be nothing more than a figure they could never hope to reach, but that wasn''t so for Julius. He had served the Queen long before she established this country. Back when she was still weak and inexperienced. Lilith Encantado, that was her name. In fact, it wouldn''t be an overstatement to say he was the one who knew her the most. From her likes to dislikes, her worries to insecurities. As one could probably guess, the feelings he held for her weren''t just simply that of a servant to his master or admiration, but also love. He didn''t know how or when it happened, the one thing he did know was that he would protect her no matter what, or at least die trying. After all, she was his everything. That was why he would most definitely not let her throw her life away like this. Thinking that to himself, Julius stood up, his hands moved towards the halberd hanging on his back. "I''m sorry your Majesty, but I cannot let you go." With that said, he drew his weapon, the same one she forged for him the day he achieved the [Human Form]. Looking at him weapon drawn, the Queen simply raised her eyebrow, unamused, while the other subordinates of hers, his comrades shouted in rage, demanding to know what he was doing. As all kinds of insults were hurled his way, Julius determinedly stood his ground. "You know you aren''t my opponent, right?" She asked him, her voice seemed soft and relaxed, as if to coax a child into submission. He knew she was telling the truth. He simply wasn''t her opponent, she could probably defeat him with an eye closed. But that was fine, he wasn''t going to fight her to begin with, just the thoughts of pointing a weapon at her made his heart ache. Instead, he put the blade against his neck. "I know." A soft yet helpless smile plastered in his face as he answered knowingly. As expected, the moment she saw blood roll down the small, swallow cut on his neck. The Queen stuttered, her eyes widened in shock and confusion. "Wha-at are you doing?!" In her hands, golden glows of magic had already been ignited. If it really came down to it, she wouldn''t hesitate to fight him, so this was the only way he could think of. As her right hand man, he naturally understood how confident she was in her strength, that''s why he never stopped her from doing all the reckless things she wanted. But that thing wasn''t something that could be killed by normal means. Last time someone challenged that thing, they brought an entire army comprised of [Outsider], and still they were wiped out. He''d be damned if he willingly allowed her to fight that thing alone. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. In fact, if she was like the other [Outsider], he wouldn''t mind her fighting it at all, but the Queen, her Majesty was different. Unlike those [Outsider], she couldn''t revive after death. This was something she told him years ago. Meaning once she died, she died for good. There was no going back, no resurrection, at that time Lilith would be no more. And to him, a life without her wasn''t that different from death itself. He believed he wasn''t the only one to think this. Most of the people in this Queendom, including him were once slaves, or those who were forsaken by their own worlds. It was she that took them in, gave them a home, a family, a purpose in life. Without her, it wouldn''t be long ''till this Queendom started to fall apart. That''s why... "Your Majesty, I ask of you, please reconsider your desicion...!" He asked once more, hoping to reach her with his feelings. Then, in a tacit understanding, the others, his comrades, those who had also recieved her grace too fell down on their knees. "Please reconsider your desicion, your Majesty!"
Lilith frown deepened as she stared at her familiars in frustration. She never knew NPCs could be this fucking stubborn since they normally listened to whatever she said. She couldn''t even comprehend what was going on anymore. Exhausted, she fell on her throne, her eyes never once left these subordinates of hers. For a short moment she wondered if she had been too easy on them. Familiars were beings tamed by an [Outsider], another way to call a player. As they''re familiars, they could be controlled by ultilising the marks tattoed on them when the two sides made a contract. In other words, she could force them to do what they wouldn''t normally do with magic. But the NPCs of [Infernum] were simply too... Real for her to do that. Controlling sentinent beings just felt wrong somehow. She didn''t mind killing one, however enslaving them was a completely different matter altogether. Perhaps she was being stupid, maybe she should''ve put them in line right away, then this would most likely not have happened. Yet, as a person who longed for love and regconition, knowing these NPCs genuinely cared and worried about her made her beyond happy. It was a feeling she never thought she''d experience again. That said, she sadly couldn''t back down. She had made a bet with her father, and she intended to win it. If she won, the man would drop the marriage matter as a whole, but if she lost... Sighing to herself, Lilith grabbed Julius'' shoulders and pulled him up. This guy was a [Sun Deer], a being born only in the hottest of suns, creatures whose bodies were deemed incomparably precious by others, so much so that many players, or [Outsider] would risk losing their progress to catch him. She first met him on the [Forbbiden Continent] of the training planet and he had been with her ever since. He was her first familiar, the first to become a citizen of her Queendom. Although he was by no means strong, as Sun Deers were known for being literal walking treasures and not for their strength, she still somehow grew attached to him. Gods knew she wouldn''t have reached this level so fast without the money from selling his fur. Gently, she embraced him in her arms. Using the softest voice she could muster, Lilith whispered in his ears. "I''m sorry, but this is something I must do." Then, a golden light flashed through her eyes as she pushed mana into the seal on her hands. "Julius, by the power of the [Contract], I order you along with my other familiars to try your best to live. You may never give up on life no matter what happens." Done, she locked her lips with his. The humanoid Sun Deer, still shocked from what she did, didn''t dodge and instead stood rooted in place. "Protect this place while I''m gone, ''kay?" Lilith beamed the Sun Deer a happy smile before jumping out the window. Her skin cracked open as wings and horns began to grow on her body, shredding the dress she wore to pieces. In less than a second or so, the once young Queen had disappeared, replaced by a black, menacing dragon with glowing golden eyes. The majestic being attached itself to the castle, giving off a mighty roar and soon flew away loftily. Although she had half a month deadline to win the bet, Lilith wanted to finish this quickly. She had prepared all there was to prepare anyway. Not to mention, she doubted half a month time would be enough for her to increase her strength. Thus, this was for the best. If she lost then perhaps it was meant to be, she could blame no one but herself. C.4 : Pagoda The one who wishes for death more than anyone else... Was none other than the [Grim Reaper] himself. - Lilith Encantado
Several minutes passed by as the flickering green flame in the skeleton''s orbit began to grow increasingly dimmer. The crazed creature thrashed around madly, trying to loosen the ominous sword that pinned its skull to the cold, stony floor. Painful shrieks echoed through the chamber as its ever fading life force slowly, but surely trickled out of the bony vessel that had imprisoned it for years, and would''ve undoubtedly continued to do so... Had today not happened. Finally knowing how futile its struggles were, the creature stopped, something similar to a smile graced it skull. It had lived for too long, reaped far too many lives to remember. Vague memories of who it once was flashed through its mind, memories that had long been forgotten, burried deep within its subconscious, or so it thought. It was too much, the despair, the sadness, and the heart-rending pain that clawed at its stilled heart. It wanted to weep, but its vessel rendered that simple act of grief forever lost to it. "Why are you crying...?" A gentle voice sounded, dragging its attention away from those painful memories and back to the present. The creature, [Death], turned the flaming green orbs that were its eyes towards its soon to-be killer, a young woman in her teen, at least that was what her appearance suggested. Black, silk-like hair that fell loosely on her shoulders. Blazing golden eyes that brought both fear and admiration to the on-looker. And facial features that shouldn''t have appeared on anyone beside the [Goddess Of Beauty] herself. Coupled with that lithe body, the young woman looked so gentle, so innocent that just the thoughts of her hurting a fly seemed unlikely. But Death knew better than to judge someone based on their appearance. And even if it did, the sword that embedded its skull simply displled any notions of her being just a normal, naive, young woman who somehow stumbled her way down to the lowest level of the [Demon Suppressing Pagoda]. Death stared at the young woman in confusion, wondering how she could make out what expression its skeletal face was making. Peharps a skill that allowed one to read the facial expression of skeletons really existed? Although it didn''t know why someone would be so free as to learn such an useless skill, that didn''t mean it couldn''t happen. Living beings were hard to understand after all. For all it knew, the young woman could have some weird fetishes for skeletons. But it didn''t ask, nor did it speak up. A skill like that was just interesting enough to rouse its attention, but clearly not enough to keep its interest. As silence descended, the two incredibly powerful beings leisurely spent their time having a staring contest, a comical sight one might say. Finally, unable to endure its escaping life force, Death mouthed a small ''thank you'' before it skeletal body shattered, turning into white dust. Unbeknownst to it, the happy expression it had as death approached left the woman uncomfortable, wondering if she had done the right thing by killing it.
Achievement Unlocked!
The Grim Reaper
Become what you kill. As the slayer of [Death], you''re entitled to recieve its power and become the new [Death]. Due to your nature as an Outsider, debuffs and abnormal status accompanied this title won''t have an effect on you. In turn, the power you recieved will also be greatly weakened.
Lilith stared at the blue notification floating gently before her. Unlike her usual self, which would haveno doubt jumped in joy at the opportunity to get stronger, she was currently frowing. Killing Death left a bad taste in her mouth, especially when she knew of its past. Death wasn''t always [Death], once upon a time, it was a young girl who wanted nothing more than to help others. It was this mind-set that turned her into the hideous monstrosity she was, forever bound by her vessel and destiny as one of the [Four Horsemen]. Peharps, she could have helped it. Lilith knew of a few ways to reverse curses and the likes, but those took time, time she didn''t have. Not to mention, she didn''t know whether they''d really work or not. And so, as if to lessen her guilt, she softly slapped her pale cheeks, reminding herself that no matter how real they might appear, these beings were still NPCs, merely a collection of words and numbers, coded by humans to look and act the way they did.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. And like that, she felt as if she had relieved herself of a huge burden, though Lilith knew this was only a temporary solution as this feeling of guilt would just return bigger and stronger than before... It always did. Letting out a tired sigh, Lilith''s frown deepened as she reached out for her sword, which had been covered in the unholy ashes, remains of the being known as Death. Even in this state, the [Death Energy] couldn''t hide the ominous aura given off by her sword, [Dawnbringer]. Forged from mostly demonic materials and body parts of an [Outer God], the name was the result of her tasteless humour, or what she thought was humour anyway. As she shook the ashes off Dawnbringer, a dreadful aura exploded outward, ghastly screams and cries of men, women, even children echoed, begging for mercy they knew they wouldn''t get. Phantom of an organic mess, smashed and kept together by unknown forces. Atop of it all was the upper body of Death, now had a more organic feel to them, its flaming green eyes replaced by glowing dark red orbs, in which madness and insanity dwelled deep within. This was Dawnbringer''s truest form. A half organic, half metallic parasite. Its presence so vile that it corrupted the very fabric of the world around it. Untrue to its heroic name, this longsword brought anything but dawn. And Lilith had no doubt that whoever dared set their eyes on her baby for too long would be driven mad by the raging storm of death and destruction held inside. Unless of course, they were vastly stronger than her or were allowed to wield Dawnbringer at her command. Smiling ather baby, Lilith wiped off the remaining ashes and began to loot, searching for anything that might help in the upcoming fight. She was very near her target, she could feel it. The being whose life she needed to end was only a floor away. Unbeknownst to the young Queen, a wretched grin, one which would undoubtedly give children nightmares for years, had etched itself on her otherwise beautiful face. Lilith''s hands unconsciously tightened on Dawnbringer''s handle, her nervousness and fear blown cleanly away by the baleful aura of the sword. "Thank you." She said, feeling thankful at the sword''s attempt to calm her down. Courage reignited, she walked up to the beautifully decorated door hidden behind Death''s throne. Her thoughts drifted back to the being she was sent to kill, [Father Time] Chronos, the unofficial titled strongest boss of [Infernum]. The same monster that single-handedly slaughtered a legion of high level Outsiders. It wasn''t surprising that her father knew of Chronos too. In fact, most people in the world knew him. As [Infernum] had almost the exact same laws of physics as the real world, humanity started experimenting things they would never even consider in reality. If something went wrong, they could simply redo it all. Dead scientists? No problem, all dead Outsiders resurrected after all. Destroyed worlds? Not a problem, they could simply move to a new planet. Basically, there were no true consequences here. Thus the government could do whatever the hell they wanted, as long as they didn''t disrupt the game for everyone else. It was for these reasons that the game grew in fame so fast, companies and cooperations also had their staffs test stuff that would normally be deemed illegal to do in real life. And her father''s was one of such companies. Hell, she heard the old bastard even had an entire in-game empire to play with. Since this was the case, he must''ve known who Chronos was. Yet he still sent her to kill him. Lilith knew the bet was just a huge joke, killing Chronos alone was a faraway dream that she''d most probably never succesfully do, even if given years to prepare and level up, much less a meager 15 days. Worst yet, she was one of the few who played in [Everyone Dies Mode], meaning she couldn''t revive after death, her character would be erased, making her chances of winning lower than 0%. But giving up wasn''t her style. Clenching the door handle, Lilith took in a deep, long breath to stable herself and pushed open the reinforced steel door. Glowing magical runes appeared one after another, activated by the same golden mana coursing through her veins. Sounds of working machines sounded along, opening the door for her. Behind it, blinding neon green light flashed, causing Lilith to close her eyes in pain. So here she was. The end of her journey. The final boss room of the Demon Supressing Pagoda where the monstrosity whose name struck fear into the hearts of all, NPCs and Outsiders alike, resided. "So what do think the odds of me winning are?" Lilith asked nervously, her question was rewarded with the humming of her sword as the poor thing trembled in fear. So turned out even Outer Gods could feel fear. "Good to know." C.5 : The Undoing Draws Near Fate is a funny thing. Funny and wicked. - Lilith Encantado
The maze belonging to the overpowered old monster was timeless, much like its immortal, unaging owner. Mismatched, clearly poisonous glowing fungus adorned the dusty walls, while neon green flowers decorated the, otherwise plain and forgettable, walkway. If one didn''t know any better, they would most probably shrug off this place as suspicious and left as fast as they could. The occasional inhumane shrieks and moans that echoed out from within didn''t do it much favor either. But to Lilith, who had spent days stranded in this shit-hole, the mere sight of light made her feel like she had struck gold. And it seemed her sword, Dawnbringer, also shared her joy as it hummed excitedly in the sheath. Not that she could blame it, for she too was sick and tired of killing giant rats and rotting zombies. She had had her fair shares of them while trapped in this maze, enough to last her a lifetime. Peharps now that she had found her way out, she could finally see something other than rotten, reanimated corpses. Unfortunately, her happiness didn''t last long. From behind her, unholy roars were let loose as the zombies who had been lucky enough to be ignored by her got down on all fours and broke into a sprint, instantly reaching the speed of sound. "Ungrateful fools." Lilith muttered in annoyance, she really didn''t want to see these rotten idiots ever again. And she had no doubt most people would agree with her. Their obnoxious screaming and smell undoubtedly contributed as to why they were unpopular. But the real reason they were so hated was because they were unnecessarily hard to get rid off and yet, for some odd reasons, the meager amount of EXP they gave was hardly noticeable at all. Simply speaking, it just wasn''t worth it to waste time on them. Especially when there were tons of other weaker monsters that had more uses and gave more loots. If that wasn''t bad enough, these assholes always hunted in group... And the few that chased after her were no exception. Her hands reached to grasp Dawnbringer, which she always kept sheathed around her waist. Her boots stutter-stepped, bringing her away from the claws that sought to tear open her flesh and blood. Her leg lashed forth, enchanted with [Holy Energy], skidding into the knees of the unfortunate bastards; sounds of crushed bones bounced off the stone walls. It was an unpleasant crunch that was soon hidden beneath wails of pain and agony that would no doubt give children nightmares for years to come. Without hesitation, Lilith moved in for her next attack. The stockier zombie was hunching over, its balance lost after tripping over the immobilized body of its (currently) crippled friend. Having next to no time to react, it was easily dragged towards her once she had managed to grab the collar of its tattered shirt. Usually, she''d knee her opponent in the face, but the unpleasant thoughts of being covered in rotten brain-matter stopped her from doing so. Instead, she threw it down sprawling on the floor, then her slightly raised foot stomped down. Needless to say, the poor zombie didn''t survive. Lilith reckoned dying under the hands, or rather feet of a beautiful woman such as her was in itself rewarding to it. Judging from its ugly face, she doubted it had ever had the chance to touch anything with a pussy before it became this. She might be wrong though, after all prostitution wasn''t exactly rare or useen in this universe. If anything, it was probably one of the most popular occupation around, for both male and female. At this point, the other five remaining zombies had finally caught up only to find their leaders either dead or crippled. Not that they could take their eyes off the tasty meat before them long enough to care anyway. The high-pitched shrieks they let loose weren''t that of anger, but pure bloodthirst and bottomless hunger that could not be sated. Lilith made short work of them with [Nether Grasp]. The hand made of [Eldritch Energy] shot towards two of them, clutching, crushing their souls in its bloodied claws. She felt this itch in her right wrist¡ªThe familiar twitching sensation she got when she was in the mood to let Dawnbringer out for some fresh air. Fresh blood and flesh, too. And she gladly gave into that sensation, quickly unsheathing her sword. The three remained were all heavy-armored opponents so their speed was nowhere near their predecessors. Lilith did an upward arc, slashing beneath the zombies'' exposed underarm. But she misjudged the distance and only managed to make contact with the tip of her blade. Still, that was enough to almost sever its entire arm. Then, her blade twisted in an impossible angle as she did another downward slash, this time successfully splitting the zombie in two halves, causing its blood and guts to spill all over. Next, Lilith lunged forth. She didn''t cover any real distance but the smaller zombie was being carried by its momentum and flew right into her sword. It didn''t so much as flinch even as Dawnbringer sent its upper-body flying. The last zombie somehow dodged her swing, however Lilith wasn''t discouraged by this as she caught it in the neck, her scaly hand broke through its thick skin, ripping out its vocal cords in fast motion. Its head toppled to the floor, mouth agape. Its eyes followed Lilith as she stood above it, expressionless. "You shouldn''t have followed me." She mouthed, knowing full-well the rotten bastard probably didn''t understand any of what she said. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Eventually, she brought down her sword. Dawnbringer easily pierced the zombies'' hardened skull, ending its suffering.
Congratulation!
You''ve killed 7 zombies...
Blue notification flashed, but Lilith shrugged it off. She didn''t have any expectations for these guys anyway. She just didn''t want them to follow her and cause a ruckus. While small groups of zombies like this one were easy to handle, it was a completely different story when they started to flock together. That was something she didn''t wish to see. Even at her level, high-leveled zombies and their poison could still pose a large threat if not treated carefully. Done with the zombies, Lilith turned to the path she had just found. It was exactly as described on the forum. The path led to [Father Time], Chronos. No one really knew the actual methods to find it, only that you''d find it in the most unexpected places and time. Many players had died here, trapped unable to find the path, and their corpses now wandered the maze as zombies, skeletons and the likes. The group of zombies she had just finished off was most likely one of the unfortunate explorer groups. Since [Space Magic] didn''t work in the maze, they probably got lost and died, killed by the other undead that roamed the area, given their tattered equipments. Lilith shuddered in fear, thanking her luck. She knew a day ago, she too was not that far off from these guys. Peharps if she hadn''t decided to take that turn, she''d also be wandering the place along with the other undeads, spending her unlife trying to eat people''s faces by now. If that were to happen, she''d have lost both the betandher character for literally nothing. It seemed putting a few points in [Luck] wasn''t a waste after all... "Who is laughing now?!" Lilith chuckled, thinking back to her online friends who had dared laugh when she said she wanted to raise her [LUK], which was deemed useless by many. Then again, the stat wasn''t that useful since she rarely got the time to use it, meaning the question whether it was worth raising or not was still up to debate. Though considering how stubborn and unyielding she was, Lilith would never admit her loss, at least not directly anyway. "Focus Lilith, focus!" Finally, after a small internal war about the true worth of [LUK], she noticed she had slowed down considerably, and with not much time left, she couldn''t allow herself to be distracted. Thus, in an attempt to pull herself back together, she softly slapped her reddened cheeks. It wasn''t a good habit and, for some reasons, was considered rude to do by a few more intelligent races such as [Angel], but it was effective in helping her focus. Beside, habits die hard... Dragging her mind back from the land of fantasy, Lilith took her first step into the oddly decorated path. Unbeknownst to her, the moment she set foot on this path, the [Wheel Of Fate] had turned, leading to her [Destiny] being drastically changed and altered. Of course, she didn''t know this, not yet. But even if she had known beforehand, she probably would have done it still.
Chronos sat eyes closed on his throne, his wrinkly old face combined with the deep frown he always seemed to have made him look like a battle-hardened war veteran. And honestly speaking, such descriptions didn''t deviate much from the truth. He was a being much older than the current, or rather former Death. He had been here since the beginning, old enough to be the grandfather of the [New Divines]. Thus naturally, he had also participated in many wars. People often mistook him as the personification of [Time] and he didn''t blame them. Given his affinity with it, he might as well be. But he wasn''t, and that was why he was now here, sealed in this shit-hole. Usually, he''d spend his time sleeping. Needless to say, there was not much to do in here. But today was different. He wasn''t deep in his sleep. The presence of an intruder in his domain had stirred him awake. This wasn''t rare nor was it unseen. Time and time again some idiots would challenge him, hoping to change their fate or make a name for themselves. Of course, most ended up either buried in his personal flower garden or thrown into the end of time. Yet something about this to-be challenger excited him. Igniting emotions he thought he had long forgotten. His entire body was itching for actions. All the blood inside him was boiling. Had the seal not kept him here, he''d have charged towards the girl already. Alas, he wasn''t what he used to be. Breaking this seal proved to be far harder than he initially thought. The only thing he could do was wait for her to come to him. And wait, he did. Waiting a few days more wouldn''t hurt, he had all thetime in the world after all.