《The Last Boss》 Summary THE LAST BOSS Like the how the hero and last boss share the pact of the dual commitment, so too does the worlds, of the land of Magic and the land of Artifice. Plagued by the powers to Break the Heavens and Shake the Earth, numerous like the spirits of the army of the undying, yet be by the power of the word or the gold could topple their view in an instant. They will know there is no one care for you and me. Legends are brief and they told of the Cycle of "The Last Boss and the Hero of the Old" Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The legend, however, doesn''t say, that he needs to stop him EVERY TIME. But the god''s smile, making the happy fool, knows as the hero, ignorant and the villain sad revenant. In the Dark Castle where the Cursed Villan Mordread resides, seated on his throne his time abide. Enter a The Great Hero seeking to end their fated life where just one of them in this world will reside, armed with the blessing of the gods and the best allies he could have gathered. Storm his castle for all his life was for that moment, to show his people his true commitment. For the Hero will be the greatest battle of his life. For Mordread, will be another Thursday night. Not because he despises his enemy or that he doesn''t see the epic battle to follow as less important than the couple lasts hollow blight. How many more times Mordread will have to face the hero, the question plagues him every time he opens that door. Their fate isn''t one bound by a small thing like life, cursed with Immortality to repeat each time the clash and despair alike. Bound and shackled to just at the face of his tormenter to progress in life even if but a moment. For can be Just one Lord of the End. PROLOGUE - For The Lord of The End The tower as black as the darkest of night, so dark that someone could wonder if they hadn¡¯t become blind as the complete darkness raised a pillar holding the heavens. At the top a throne In the past could be heard the sharp swing of metal cutting the space and the devastating sound of construction itself breaking under the weight of the blows. The flares of fire arcane fire and frost mist mixed in a paradoxical balance.The elegant accuracy martial and mystical techniques that are long forgotten clashed with the forbidden words and skills. The sound echoed in the wind, overpowering the dull explosion. The despair of confusion and regret scarred the earth and heaven. The wrath of the unjust and betrayed ask, ravage the mind and soul. Ask without anyone to answer, alone around thousand, lost between hundreds at his sight, and their dozen at his arm''s length. The masses listen to his words but like the wind remain silence, with each word sink in powerlessness in the suffocating fear of having their core squished to break this stalemate but the void of answers was the loudest scream of mercy they could make. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The elite soldiers that would march glad to the mouth of The World Eater, couldn¡¯t muster their courage. How many times, how many life¡¯s, how much suffer you desire?How many times, how many life¡¯s, how much suffer you desire?Can you dear reader, sing a lullaby for The Lord of The End?The Last Boss of this dying world. old?Can you dear reader, sing a lullaby for The Lord of The End?The Last Boss of this dying world? The generals that faced all that life has to offer and lead their duty to be the bitter end if necessary, couldn¡¯t form a simple sentence. The arch-magicians that controlled the very rules and power of principles of nature couldn¡¯t control their emotion. The king of spirits, souls, and death that made their life to understand and command the beyond, to link what was broken and mend what is shattered, they couldn¡¯t even touch the endless abyss that is in front of them. Demon spilling hellfire from their mouth and angels that spread the light of The One are in that moment shared the very same place beside the winner, a sad and struggling winner. They are master of their planes, kings of their subjects and gods of their temple and yet not a word, their banner still flutter high but their symbol is laying in the center. He asks one last thing and none of them can give. ... Ohh¡­ who? who I ask, would sing a lullaby for The Lord of the End? How many times? how many lives? how much suffer you desire? Can you dear reader, sing a lullaby for The Lord of The End? The Last Boss of this dying world? Chapter 1 - Canvas of the world On the infinite nothingness, an elderly voice echoed: ¡°In the darkness, there isn¡¯t time, there isn¡¯t space, there isn¡¯t emotion, there is only nothing, however, the place where even the darkest of creatures wouldn¡¯t venture or better saying aside from a selected few, no one knows. This place that doesn''t exist and was never told is your origin and is also your name. What is your name?¡± ¡°Mordread. Hm... to name what doesn''t have a name, maybe was a mistake for you that never had anything? But thinking about is an irony,it isn''t? because before your name you already have a ¡®Legend¡¯, you can see a gift of the world, if you so wish.¡± ¡°Sealed Deep under a mirror" "Lies the other half of the Fate" "However don¡¯t matter how much the mirror shatter the Fate of they are but a reflection" "Until either the last breath" "Where meet The End¡± ¡°Have fun, also remember that the first impression is the most important.¡± ¡°Color the world with your own paint stroke¡­¡± --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mordread regained his conscience, the memories in his head were fuzzy and fleeting. He knew that someone had talked to him before, but the more he thought about it, the less he remembered. He could only recallwas that some time ago he was moving, going somewhere, when this... this elderly voice appeared, talking in half words and insulting his naming sense, but everything that just happened was blank. At a loss, he could only let out a tired sigh, and mumbled to himself: ¡°This isn¡¯t even the beginning and I feel tired already¡­¡± He looked around and waited patiently while the ethereal colors jumped and danced around him. However, no matter how long he waited nothing changed, the whole space around him was always the same experimental canvas of colors and tones, where the only constant is the ever-changing random mixes and compositions of colors floating around in a vaguely logical pattern, filling the whole space, but otherwise uncaring for Mordread¡¯s presence.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. When he raised his hand and "touch" the color, they freeze and a world pass would open, with it vague base is hidden on the colors that form. But Mordread wasn''t impressed, the forms are always beautiful but lacking in something that himself couldn''t put a word, his mind wanders on what meaning of his action was to find this, without much attention of the sweet calls that each time he "touch" offer, a small glimpse of their wonders. Until, the wonderous of the sight in front of him. That stood out from the rest, as even though the colors are still like always, at their very border of each ''color cell'' the illusion of the colors slowly sliding as if a very thick liquid was gently dripping out, and this effect wasn''t more clear than on the white ring at the very center of the ''canvas''. In fact, was part of a three composed piece, a chalice-shaped black shadow with a light cloud of colors filling the rest of the space around. The central ring was filled with a pure black while the borders the golden red like a mix of radiant flames and dripping blood, slowly moved in the line that created in the middle, dividing one hemisphere, of the ''chalice'', that was in fact made out of colorful but waterly dark shades of iridescent colors outside, as if was dark chalice inlaid in this multi-colored moss. At the edgy, the pale colors give space for dreamy clouds of colorful fume that seen to both drifts toward and apart of each other mixing and separating. While the only clear line is the division between the ''chalice'' and the ''cloud edgy'' in a smooth curved line and the white ring and the black center. The special qualities of this ''canvas'' were beyond its composition. Everything is surrounded by this gold, gray and black colors, giving instead of the usual reliable sensation of what is about, an unspeakableunsettled feeling. What is know is that there are many conflicts happened everywhere, be the fierce splashes on the center or the ¡°calm¡± assimilation at the borders, there isn¡¯t a main motive like the others canvas, no great fight us versus then, no great apocalyptic threat, no cultivation to nirvana. And neither have a deciding factor or main way of life, Mordread can feel the golden desire, the bloodbath conflict, and even the peace-loving cooperation just inches apart. Was this moment that struck him, it was way past the couple of seconds that he normally had before sinking on the painting, but even now still fine on the surface. With a frowned face Mordread, decide to push forward, only to find under the gelatinous layer, a conflicting feeling of touching a hard crystal barrier and thin plastic film. Unknowing to him he was using more and more strength, but like trying to swim in a very dense liquid the crystal refused to let him past that point, was for a moment but he feels the ''crystal film'' stretch under the pressure of his fingertips, and absorbed by the progress he hasn''t noted that almost all his arm was already sucked inside the dead center of the black and white circle. Until it popped like a bubble, a distant shattered glass could be heard, and like waking up from an illusion he noticed his surroundings, everything was black and breaking the logic become dark darker, yet darker, his mind freeze at the same time the scream of a thousand nails on boards resounded like a mocking laugh in his ears, the horrifying situation prompted him to hold his breath and luckily he had done. Because, soon he was feeling as if was drowning in this black ink, his non-existing body become heavier and heavier, while the ink become even more dense, before he could even struggle he feel his hand broke through something above him, the force that was around was gone, and he with a clear objective he tried everything to get to wherever it was. Chapter 2 - Beyond The Veil Chapter 2 - Beyond the veil When Mordread head finally crossed the threshold, he greedily sucked the cold air. But before he could understand what was happening he started to sink again, the complete darkness that leaves no sight of where he might be or what was happening, prompted him into a desperate attempt to escape the grasp below, would take some seconds of flailing helplessly to keep himself afloat enough to swimming in a random direction hoping find solid ground. Thankfully it was but a few feet away from where he was when he feels the banks of sand and stone he never feel more relieved, and well¡­ like a drowning man, he lunged himself over it and got to the shore. Where he crawled his way out of the water back to his feet, tumbling and out of air he had time enough to look around. His body looked fine, aside from the exhaustion and have almost drowned, but he keep blink rapidly because he couldn¡¯t be sure if he was with eyes closed or open, until he turned around and saw the platinum reflection on the water he just left, perfectly still, like if he hasn''t just crawled his way out of it, looking around revealed a terrible, a bad and a maybe good news. Now that he was ¡°safe¡± the adrenaline rush was in rapid decline, and the already tired body was making convincing arguments to just fall back to the ground, however all his instinct is warning him against it, while in the look for the platinum light source of the lake, nothing could be found and also don¡¯t reflected anything aside from the eerie platinum light. But his effort was not for nought, after he looked back to where he was crawling towards, the shine outline could be seen at the distant, and when he tried to move toward it the effects of his body becoming less responsive, just after a couple of steps his was already out breathing and tumbling two steps to the side and one forward. He was sure that clearly wasn¡¯t a light source, but something was reflecting there, and for now was enough for him, his mind now filling with haze. His objective was but a dozen steps away, each of them was incredibly laborious. In his small journey, he saw some other shining trinkets slight outside the path, some of them are towering behemoth and others small as a mouse, but he keeps dead set on that first spark, he couldn¡¯t trust his even more tired mind than he could trust his slightly less tired mind from before.Still, his wandering mind rambled out about it: ''Surely the words of almost dead men of 10 seconds ago is way more trustworthy than the words of dead men of 2 seconds ago¡­ genius...'' When Mordread finally arrived, was but some kind of black metallic boxy armchair still illuminated by a light that he couldn¡¯t see. However, what filled his mind wasn¡¯t the sense of accomplishment but futility, looking at his ¡®prize¡¯ was just a chair. While he tried to give a self-deprecating laugh his body couldn¡¯t resist anymore and his turbid vision blacked out over it. The next time Mordread wake up was in a completely different place, with a distant grave and ominous sound. The mind was at least clear now, but the body unresponsive and the eyes heavy to go back to sleep, trying to open the eyes he thought: ''The first time I open my eyes on this new world and my great entrance was interrupted by almost drowning.'' But trying to force it open turned to be a more difficult task than he imagined, and after weighing his possibilities, he decides to explore more pressing facts, while he slowly moved each one of his muscle. ''Two legs; ok, one head; no, problem. Two arms, well¡­ ok. Five fingers, hum¡­ No tail, no wing, tentacle or any other new or extended appendix¡­ wait... male. Well, a good sign? No, I need to focus. Ok, but, with so many bodies and possibilities and yet a humanoid one¡­'' - Mordread let a long sigh - ''Is because great for my luck or is as unforgiven as I imagined? at least I can hope for some dragon skin or something¡­wait there... that voice¡­ could be¡­'' After shaking his head to clear the mind, he was satisfied with exploring his new body and once again Mordread forced the eyes to open. Now was visible easier, but still filled with blurred figures and dark interiors. ''Maybe my prayers were heard and aside from everything normal I was born with fish eyes to be blurred all the time, great...'' As if hearing Mordread complains the figures are slowly taking shape, that grave sound once again resounded, now very close, he could almost feel the place he was slightly trembling. A great hall extended before him, that sadly he couldn¡¯t discern it exactly scope with his eyes still on this state and his surroundings poorly illuminated between complete dark and slightly less dark, an effect of the gigantic hole on the left wall that extended all the way to the ceiling and small orange sparks scattered around. Attracted by the main light source, his head turned to the see the sky hole. must be clouded as Mordread could vaguely see the pale hue of the moon behind it, but it wasn¡¯t this cold light that illuminated the room, but the warm light of fire, that was raising somewhere behind the hill, not very far from where he is seated, but the sound of its source couldn¡¯t reach with the strong wind blowing.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Knowing that would be impossible to discern the geography in this darkness, he turned back to the hall, and focused on the left lighter side, that was particularly full of wreckage, big and small pieces of stone are prominent laying around, probably from the fallen column that was in the direction of whatever made the hole. Making the probably 4 pair of columns, that support the endless ceiling. As the incongruous feeling in see the hole in the ceiling edgy but when he tracked anything going after a feel meters disappeared into dark above. ''Dark adobe maybe¡­'' The two columns could be seen close to each other at the far end of the hall while the other is evenly spaced between the now fallen and the other two.Making the only one that Mordread had a good look of what suppose to be the columns. A 60 cm circle wide made only of stone, without any fancy detail sculpted but a metallic outer layer circlet that gave the impression that was twisted and torn, that took Mordread a moment to guess what may be, but soon figured, is a brazier or what remains of it, most of the metallic basket is barely hanging on the pillar, while other had already torn at it feet, alongside the big pieces of glass. Noticing that the number of glass and metal pieces that was spread on the wreckage, was far greater than expected and that confused Mordread until a moving red color was caught at the left corner of the vision, it was the dark red curtain that he hasn''t seen covering the large stained glasses, in fact almost all the left wall was just a mix of stained glass and pillars like rib bones between the windows, making most of the left hole but remain of the gigantic stainless glass, hidden behind the red curtains. Curtains that with the blowing wind the fluorescent blue drawing on it was revealed capturing mordread attention. ''This¡­'' But before could delve further on trying to read with the blurred vision, was a light green particle that floated in front of him and unlike the rest wasn¡¯t a blurred, dark silhouette, making stick out on the same second, that quick flow to somewhere above him, or more correctly a little in front of him. Because over his head a massive raw crystal the size of a melon with all sharp edgy and rough asymmetrical shape was secured by a couple of chains and crude metal pieces that like the columns extended to the black infinite, giving the illusion that is just floating there. That green speck of light joined others colorful specks that danced around the crystal, sometimes going inside, sometimes going out, each second that passed more and more light points surrounded the crystal. Making him remember the ¡®canvas¡¯ and say; ''No¡­ this is more alive and¡­ free. Like fireflies.'' He hasn''t noticed when he first started at it but every time a colorful speck got inside the crystal it never left, and the dead center of the crystal a black and white light see to shine and dim at each new speck that entered, but was the smell of burnt wood and flesh that drifted from the right that urged for his attention. What he saw scared him slight, making him almost jump out of the armchair, just a few meters away almost at the corner of the room, a big ball of almost faded fire, only ambers now, however unlike it originator the a great collection of books and scrolls was scattered and burning weirdly silent and with the help of the gigantic hole on the left the probably almost dead ember rekindled once again making the remains scatter in the wind, he slowly raised his arm try to stop it but knowing it futility still tried to grab a slow rising of a half-burnt page with a figure of something in detail draw in, but as his hand tried to close in before was gentle wind surge blowing it away creating micro tornados, with it ashes remains. However mordread eyes weren''t following the ashes anymore but a suspiciously placed crevice, forming straight lines and curved ones. In a sudden turn of head he once again tracked the scene before him, on both dark and lighter side of the hall is there, and always have been this strange etched interconnected crevices,under the remains of the columns, the metallic brazier, on the chains holding the crystal and even on the stained glass. In this sudden moment of revelation, while at the edge of the armchair, Mordread sudden howled in pain while pressing his eyes. The overstrained eyes gave him a backbite, giving an excruciating experience as if nails have been pierced on the inside of his head. Fortunately for him, the worst of the pain go away as suddenly as it came and only left a discomforting ¡°burn¡± in the eyes and a headache. Now free from the torture, the sudden tired Mordread fall back to the stone armchair and eve hit the head on it, making a frustrated expiration, while using his right hand supported by the chair and massaging his eyes trying to soothe the pain, without a care of how he is seated. And for the final time Mordread heard the grave sound that definitely shacked the castle, but after pausing slight, Mordread keeps treating his eyes. When at the end of the room the rusted hinges resound announcing a presence of someone, but the moon slowly rising from behind the clouds that the first rays of moonlight hit him straight in the eye, prompting Mordread to slight grid his teeth, but besides protecting his view he decides to bide his time, while the ¡°''seared'' pain feeling is about to pass, while his mind for some reason wander on the question of making such massive hinders that echo so far. The sound of metal boots brought Mordread back to reality, and watching in between the gaps of his fingers, the sight was finally restored, gaining an almost inaudible snort, while thinking on all that had to pass before he could see. However the hall was quiet and the swordsmen haven¡¯t taken kindly the snort, and it confident face frowned slightly before going back to what it was. When he stopped a few meters away from the throne, that Mordread mind focused on him. And Thought on his head. ''Finally, it was already time for this game start.'' Chapter 3 - Expectancy and Disparity The swordsmen armor was a very bland leather armor with a piece of metal pauldron on the right arm going all the way to right side of the chest, probably to protect the heart. That aside from the brand new look wasn¡¯t something special. But thankfully for the loud armor on this quiet hall, that the drowsing mind of Mordread was cleared. And so in that moment when Mordread heard the very first words since arriving here, it speaker was a young man with his golden hair flying and a face filled with determination and the voice yet to mature totally, with a tint anger he proclaimed with great pomp as to everyone outside the hall could hear: ¡°Ritm@??? ?nipkm asm?uAS ru o??kuRO AK*#K?ITER!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mordread was at loss, not one word that he could understand, but the hostility is clear and without himself noticing that the custom of squinting his eyes when he was stupefied, was stamped on his new face, while his mind is trying to create a plan on what to do. But such action was interpreted as an insult and his great tale about something that Mordread don¡¯t have a clue about what he was talking about was cut short in a wrathful end. ¡°If his only reason to come here was that what he was talking about, I¡¯m sure that is quickly turning into a personal affai- mordread thought was interrupted for a moment- ahh he even took out the sword to prove his point¡± With a frowning on his face, the swordsmen pointed toward Mordread. His sword was, in a way, impressive, creating a strong contrast to the rest of his lackluster attire. The sword itself that was fairly normal for a one-handed sword,ifit wasn¡¯t for the strong metallic blue core. Was that moment that Mordread got out of the throne, using the opportunity to finally see what he was wearing, but in order to be too conspicuous he decide to while got up he took out the strand of white hair from his face long enough to fall into his the thin dark red cape, that hides a fairly normal and plain black suit without any detail, but couldn¡¯t cover his bare foot. The problem lies in the fact that he might have raised too fast for his newly arrived body, sudden vertigo assaulted him for but 1 sec, his body contracted while he tried to maintain eye contact with the swordsmen. The resulting scene was the slow hand swiping my hair and raised chin looking down on him. Mordread controlled himself to not close his eyes and sigh on what he had just done, the swordsmen showed caution by Mordread sudden movement and but haven¡¯t charged straight like Mordread expected. Looking him in the eye mordread asked this aggressive man, his voice was deep and raspy voice: ¡°Who are you?¡± Don¡¯t drag on how was like to hear his voice like that, the bitter taste start to fill Mordread mouth as he looks at the hero reaction ¡°Not a clue, hm...wasn''t that the worst possible scenario?Ok, maybe that wasn¡¯t the key language maybe¡­- after a brief pause he finished his plan- well nothing to lose...¡± What happened was that the swordsmen looked equally confused as Mordread was when he first heard him, with a mix of confusion and wariness. Mordread, took a quick breath and tried again on other languages he knows, but even trying to maintain a more neutral intonation possible, but the sharp words were the basis of the language and each new word he made a more active gesticulation as if was giving a speech. Now in the inverted position is the young swordsmen that crumpled into hostility, each strong intonation getting worse, ending with a click of the tongue and thought: ¡®Look like my manners seen to have upset the young man. making a straight face was harder than I thought. Have to extend on ¡®who/what are you¡¯ and ¡®Why you are here¡¯. Well, well, but, was enough time to look around¡­¡¯ The swordsmen blue eyes were already wandering over Mordread attire and posture, choosing his first strike dead set on his move. While thinking about his performance a mix of self-depreciative and excitement have turned his superiority gaze, into a condescending one without him noticing. That was the last straw, the swordsmen lost his hesitation and filled with anger rush to sword high in his direction. ¡°a-ah-aa¡­¡± On a twist of fate, Mordread freezes when the sword really descended on him, standing there and stuttering gibberish, but he took his bearing back, least stopped trembling, and gracefully make a dodge roll to the left side. Or so he wanted, what happened was that the trembling was taken care of by the fear of being chopped in two and the dodge was a product of his instinct of survival but the graceful dodge roll was but a pipe dream. Even with Mordread showing the bare minimum skill to roll sideways, when coming to the action of jumping over the stairs, into the debris and with a weapon millimeters of taking his life, ended basically with him threw himself down the stairs like a tumbleweed and relying on pure luck.Stolen novel; please report. Mordread mind was racing like his heart, while he clumsily got up while cursing all his way out of tangled cape, and each second spent fighting the cape, was an extra second for things get worse. When he becomes free from his own cloth he finally could see the swordsmen and understood why he hasn¡¯t been cut yet. Mordread only manages to glimpse the last movement before the swordsman entered in another attack instance, but his face was still showing a frowning doubt. Mordread wanted to make a small bitter smile while he imagined what was going through the swordsmen mind: After all that talk, making such a big deal must be¡­ unsettling at the least, the great enemy show such embarrassing- but Mordread thoughts were cut short even before that smile could form on his face. So just as he got his equilibrium the young swordsmen followed the strike. His eyes changed, the anger is gone and now his face shows focus while his eyes confusion. Mordread wasn¡¯t surprised as last time and used his everything to dodge away from him while forgoing any roll, more often than not each jump and sidestep was meet by hitting or stepping on a sharp piece of rock and glass. He wanted to take something from the ground to defend himself but the swordsmen were tireless attacking him. He wanted to turn and run to the exit but with the swordsmen so close he couldn¡¯t give the luxury of giving his back to it. He wanted to at least dodge on a place he would get the advantage of, but that was a back of the mind concern as he devoted entire attention or try to dodge. The swordsmen were skilled and his attack firm, that riddled Mordread body with small flesh wounds. However, each a couple of swings he would make a pause and slight shock head and focus again on his attack because of each attack even if he manages to leave a wound his face crumpled and his eyes would quickly leave the battlefield. And so for a while, the situation was looked in this dance of the weak attempt to dodge and the basic swings of the swordsmen, Mordread doing his wide steps and jumps was getting him out of breath, as the swordsman looked well rested and sudden his face became blank. But his attacks haven¡¯t changed and Mordread was more interested when he would shake his head again. Like the sun rising the small breathing time has come, closing his eyes to shock his head. Mordread eyes were already looking at a suitably placed iron bar, the swordsmen sudden rushed much faster than before. Mordread had just taken away his eye from the swordsmen face. When the blue silver razor falls seemly dividing the heaven and making a straight line for his left eye. Mordread once again panicked and hesitated for a second but was enough, even though that he broke away with quick arching his neck, it wasn¡¯t enough to save his vision, and his face was crossed by a red line, passing right on his right eye. And before he could even understand what is happening, the blade still hasn''t finished his path and now with the head out of the way, the rest of the power had fallen right on his chest. Mordread wasn¡¯t quick enough to save his face even less for therest of his body. Who would have expected that was the pain that informed what happens. First the pain of having his eyelid torn quickly to reach his brain, followed shortly by the pain from the chest being cut deep that was being suppressed by the cut on the eye, but what was more excruciating was the blunt pain on his bones and as the blade scraping its nerves, stopping from giving a fatal blow. Mordread howled in pain, his mind was a mess for an instant before calmed itself and while he gritted his teeth fighting the suffering turning into raging growls he thought with some difficulty. ¡®I''m surprised the metal on metal clash haven¡¯t resounded¡­ but...arggg¡­ this the pain is¡­. fuck¡­¡¯- the pain surged again messing his mind - ''this bastard is smirk at me!¡¯ Mordread was quick to press against the bloody wound on his face with his right hand that as expected only made a wave of pain, stumbling to keep his ground. On theother hand, the swordsmen were momentarily taken back by how sturdy the bones are, soon, however, his mind relaxed and a smug smile crept on his face, like watching a fool. Therefore for a couple of seconds, they just stared each other the leisure positioning swordsmen and the twisted face of Mordread fighting the pain. Thick blood drip on the floor cracks and the cloth of both of them are covered in blood. Was when he opened his mouth to mock: "Unsm??-..." Mordread just turned around and flee, while the swordsmen were busy with his taunting. Quick some plans started to take form, but the plan was fogged by the excruciating pain of running while pressing his eye make him growly under my breath, but even with all this,his eyes are dead set on a suitably shaped piece of torn metal. Mordread hasn''t wasted time talking with the swordsmen, in such passionate speech. Was all in order to scan the local for the quickest weapon he could grab. Still in the few seconds he couldn¡¯t find any magic sword, in fact all he could find at hand is only remain of stuff, broken staff, cracked red crystal, torn green book, a sword that was cut in exactly two halves, some bent metal poles and sharp rocks, there is more but they are all too far away to any use. So he used his previous plan with his perilous situation, he has forgone continue pressing his wound and now raise his bloody hand in the direction of the coiled pole and the other on his neck. Was when feeling the cape pushing against him, strangling Mordread, in the moment a new tactic was about to be born. This unexpected result happened and in an instant, he found himself now flying in the air. And was that exact moment that Mordread knew that he fucked up. Chapter 4 - Descending His clear mind was chaotic, the surprise move, the world turning around as losing balance, his vision obstructed to tangling on the sorry excuse of a cape, that he once again find himself, filled him with confusion and frustration, the pain when he hit the ground just aggravate his mental state. Against the odds what caused this unexpected result was exactly the capes. At the time Mordread started to run, his thin cape following is sudden movements flown high instead of just trail behind him. That in turn, throw off his plan by a couple of seconds that he needed, by the swordsmen grabbing his too soon formed tail, even though that was exactly what he was waiting, but he found his blood hand was still struggling with the simple knot at his, now strangled, neck and the cold feeling on his right hand. So instead of fight against the tide, he gave up and let the swordsmen pull him, in fact, he even jumped back. As the grab gave a window between halt and throw, so he jumped back as the swordsmen used all his power to pull, the crying of the torn cape was heard together with the confusion growl of the swordsmen. The lack of the expected resistance throw him off balance, and Mordread body ended hitting him instead. That was the moment for the right counter-attack, the swordsmen were both out of balance and stupefied, even his grip on the sword wasn¡¯t as firm as before, however everything was too rushed, and so when Mordread hit the ground he made a muffled scream in pain, because of his sudden lack of air. There wasn¡¯t time to change position in mid-air, or to borrow the moment to strike him like he or a number of actions that if given another chance he would have liked to try. In fact, because the pole was slight stuck on the ground, when he was pulled it disturbed any resemblance of control and making him fall slightly sideways, blocking his right hand under his body. It wasn¡¯t the scraping feeling of the small pebbles on the skin, wasn¡¯t the lack of air on his lungs or the reopening of the big wound on his chest. When the body hit the ground feel as if he was have been gouged out his eyes, and the cold air of night that had hit his face, made him doubt for a second if it hadn¡¯t really lost the eye. In the end, the first to recuperate was the swordsmen, brought back by Mordread moaning, on his right hand the poorly made red cape was torn but not enough to stray him out of his grasp. What was a sure kill move just reverted back to the start, and so he raised his blue sword delivered a stab, right for the heart. The sword fell, blood gushed but he only managed to make a flesh wound on the deltoids, as he trashed in the ground using his bones as shield, with a frown the swordsmen tried to expand the wound with pressing it down, but in that position he couldn¡¯t transmit much power and ended in a blood-filled but not aside from the first stab not very deep, but was enough to turn him back to the tilted position from before as the rock he was over wouldn¡¯t permit him to face him. When the new scream of anger and pain was heard, his frown soon faded in favor of a devilish smile. As he was turned again by the sword, hitting the wall, his sight was returned to him as he wasn¡¯t tangled on the cape, looking for the next strike. However, there was a brief moment of respite as the swordsmen started to grin at his work. All frustration hit a peak with this and was rapidly filling him with anger, but his clear head keeps things straight and saw an opportunity to escape, and tried to roll away from him. However the swordsmen weren''t worried in the least, he kicked the back of Mordread and just gave a few steps while the cape twisted as a rope in his hand as he watched in glee his prey rolling in the dirt. When the few was enough stomped over him, pinning Mordread down, and hitting the left arm he get exactly on the previous wound and seen to hesitate when he heard the painful gasp, but as if waiting for the cue when his gaze struck and locked onto Mordread hateful gaze he slowly twisted his boot on his wound, expanding the suffering, his face haven¡¯t changed the same smile, but somehow looked more twisted by the second he prolonged the twist. Mordread rapid breathing became harder and his vision would blurry slight in that moment or at least what remained of it, everything in his body was aching in pain and anger. He would suspend other 2 strikes before he manages to get his vision back, just at time of seeing the menacing now crimson sword that just was pulled out from stab, and tried to once again roll away from it, but needless to say the sword hit true and now deeper than ever, the kick wasn¡¯t even necessary, to stop him on his track, the pressure of the metal boot wasn¡¯t stable but no matter how he struggled he just played around and put him in position for the next strike and as if to mark the beat he would twist again the wound, both to stop any escape attempt and get a regain a foothold. As each new struggle against his lethal attacks, let rock debris and dirty that entered before grind between his flesh, torn further the cuts that just gained. However, stop the struggle would mean give up and the growing anger couldn¡¯t accept that in special that each time Mordread couldn¡¯t hold anymore and released an angsting cry his respiration became erratic just to confirm that in Mordread mind that he was laughing at his misery. He could almost feel the breeze on the bones of his back as two big and messy cuts are slowing bleeding away, but there was always a new pain to keep his mind busy. Another strike now deflected by a rib bone, but the feeling of the blade try to sculpt on then was enough to lose any voice, the air couldn¡¯t get out, the muscles are all contracted, was when he heard his voice again. ¡°?masd§¿§´ ida ¨B???re§° ?ntk ??§°???! ??¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t understand, but the tone was the same serious and accusatory, but that wasn¡¯t what was on Mordread mind but the internally screaming: ''THIS¡­.BASTARD!...I¡¯M SURE HE IS ENJOYING HIMSELF NOW'' He wanted to tell him but the problem in breathing was already turned such wish secondary, and as the feeling of impotency was making him tremble, didn¡¯t matter what was the reason he was doing this because in Mordread mind was dead set that the swordsmen were a motherless sadist. The thought of just forget the useless metal pole and just tried to bite him or anything was by each wave of pain a more reasonable plan. He trembled as tried to push away this internal wrath, saying to himself: ''ke-keep the cle-clear mind,hurmm¡­. don¡¯t let lose everything¡­ keep moving¡­ keep¡­ arrgg.. cle-ar, clear, clear mi-'' He indeed had some success with his mantra, but his clear mind would make each slice, each inch of the cold blade tear the flesh and lacerate his bones. The last strike, for example, the swordsmen changed his strategy and didn¡¯t press the arm anymore but his head on the ground, pressing the wound on his eye on the ground and before he could do anything the vicious strike hit between the radio and plasma right in the gap of the forearm bones, while aiming to pierce the belly, the nerves of and tendons of the left arm was brutally damaged and the belly was already drawing blood.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. In that instant that the struggle paid off and instead of letting him keep going forward, Mordread used all his strength and pulled his arm away, forcing him to go back, but at the price of losing a great part of his left arm movement, and a deep cut beside the belly. But, it hasn¡¯t stopped here, as he was being hacked and slashed in pieces, he wanted to use the weakened flesh on the shoulder in conjunction with the extra blood pouring from each twist so he could lose it the foothold. However now that his feet were on his face, was easier to twist his head away and have been long blooded enough. Getting away was one thing, however, the cape was still in his hands, and his sudden arm movement wasn¡¯t enough to somehow trap and rob his weapon away. The swordsman instinctively tried to hold on something, and the cape he was holding was a good candidate as any. Mordread that barely got up almost lost everything with the quick pull, but the constant tears and this last one make it weaker than it should, the swordmen in reflex tried a long attack, that was stopped by the coiled metal he still holding on the right hand, now covered by the dirty and his blood still dripping. Trying to capitalize on the failed attack, Mordread twists his whole body in order to make his weapon a long metal pole at least the double size than the blue short sword, travel over the cape leash in an almost 360o arc. In his anger fueled logic, the swordsmen right hand still holding the cape, unprotected, that he would still hold because there still as a useful cape leash and using all the muscle and borrowing the centrifugal force he was all boosted as the feeling of the attack increase in his hand, he could almost feel that there was a special power building up on his long-winded attack. That was easily blocked, no special power was used, no special technique, the most basic block. His attack, in fact, has indeed surprised the swordsmen as how weak it was, and he knows that better than anyone how he was wide open that time and was worried that such strange attack might hold some greater power. In fact, if he wasn¡¯t indeed worried about the cape leash he might have deflected or go for a counter. However the language barrier hasn''t stopped Mordread on realizing all this, the whole set of expressions on his face, was like he was a bad actor. On another hand, this was lesser matter, all left behind in favor of his rage that consumed him. Each scene replayed in loop in his head, the time he noticed him wasn¡¯t as dangerous he thought, when he almost lost his life, the time he had to keep to fight to try to take him seriously, as wounds spread over his body; the face when his faint move worked, tearing his face and eye; his face filled with ridiculous that was mocking him, as he tried to keep the blood inside his body; the smile of having him at his feet; and the torture that followed as he played around with him, cutting, stabbing, twisting, scraping his dignity away humiliating; and now his long-awaited ¡°comeback¡± was blocked so easy, not by some bad luck, not by some special power but a simple block that by itself seen to be the crystallization of the past experience. His eyelid left was trembling, his eyes red, his teeth showing, his expression twisted, and instead of retreat to a new attack, he keeping pressing the coiled metal locking swords with the swordsmen, however, his strength hasn''t raised because of it and was leisure keeping up. Was when the peak was reached and the clear mind couldn¡¯t hope to control it, as it was deep into the anger too, all kinds of insults swarmed his mind without an outlet when his mouth started to open, it broke open. Sudden the force was lifted and the swordsmen that used the opportunity to deflect the long metal pole and got a free hit, however, he looked at Mordread face and the maniacal anger was gone and now his face is staring at him with big eyes and emotionless face, while the metal pipe was easily pushed away, the swordsmen rushed in a stab right through the belly, in order to get another swallow wound by the bones. There was a delay on his prey reaction from the strange body tear his inside, took about a second from his deadpan expression to change to the wincing pain and swift retreat, or at least while still attached to the cape. In a rare moment of the break on the attacks, the air was heavy with killing intent was but 3 seconds, each time he breath faster, but in the adrenaline pumped bodies was enough for the rush as a madman. Mordread could see where he ended, and was just after the broken column, behind the swordsmen there was a mirage-like view of a reflection of water in the middle of the dark right side of the room, books pages torn flying with the fire still burn in them. The distant sound of an eagle could be heard behind him. However was dubious if Mordread noticed any of it, as the madding wrath was, the hand was pressing the newly made wound, as the other was tight holding the coiling pole, as the almost torn cape was creating a rope to the left swordsmen hand, while the other hold the one hand and the sword that seen to have lost it original blue in favor a dark red with a tint of purple as the thick blood dripped from it. Their gazes locked, was his smirk deepening that break the thin balance Mordread screamed his frustration away and delivered a flurry of attacks. There was, he only bashed the pole away, in a loose sword like grip. Amateurs attacks, lead only by instinct and the desire to hit faster and stronger, each movement that stretched many of the torn muscles and the response of cut tendons, and so each attack was heavier both for it wilder as for it opponent, reflected only by the higher volume of his battle cry. The swordsmen were in fact troubled by his enemy, not for his battle powers by itself, but its tenacity and as an experienced man, he knows about the corned rat tale and the difficulty of a decisive strike was his greatest problem. But this man now was just all he wanted, making great wasteful moves, often see on the militia, and wide and easy to block attacks was the what he needed to wrap it nicely. He wasn¡¯t in no hurry to go for a counter attack, as is attacks looked faster and heavier, in fact, had become inconsistent and the body riddled with holes would just accelerate, each messy moves that he poured his everything and his eyes red in hatred, fear, and confusion was all he needed to see. Unknow for both of them what his remaining eye was getting filled with each failed attack wasn¡¯t fear by itself but the memory of the previous low points and a sickening disappointment, but such deep thoughts aren¡¯t relevant Mordread Mind was busy maintaining his crazy blood face and fury of attacks, trying to get to him, but some occasional small push and block bought enough time for them to travel most of the visible part of the room in twisted circle, marked each attack by a splash of Mordread blood around, as the body of mordread was giving more and more sight of wearing down. When Mordread advanced too early the defensive swordsmen decide to go for the neck, he now not just smirked but smiled like the sun and not forgetting his well-known secret weapon. However, instead of pushing away his face, Mordread put his skull forward, with just an eye left. Making a terrible cut that torn his cheeks enough for his teeth are showing, that earned an incredible scream, as much nervous are in crazy response. Now they separate once again, but even if the swordsmen is a little tired, the other is utter exhausted, with a prominent new mark on his face, but as still with the will to keep attacking, with weaker and slower attacks, the mouth is wide open try to swallow the air around. And so wasn¡¯t a surprise that not much after, Mordread fall to the ground on his knees in the middle of another wide attack. The reason lies on the left foot is bloody from walking on rubble and wreckage, had stuck into a crevice. The swordsmen had a little regret on his expression as the cape lash block the view because is holding it high, but was very momentary as he the end of this drawn-out battle would come to an end, thinking on this his smirk that in fact haven¡¯t changed from the start of the battle, but now is even showing the white teeth. The fear and despair hit the face of Mordread like lighting, and his unresponsive body seen to have great difficulty to get out of the situation, even trying to hold on the lash to get up. The swordsman saw the perfect chance to literally kill 2 birds with 1 stone, lowering the cape he could enjoy the view while the sudden lower the height of the lash, make Mordread that was bare holing on it almost fall. Now he just made a minor twist my arm around it, he quickly cut the distance short between them. Chapter 5 - I hear Nothing Halfway through, a head sized rock was thrown with unexpected swiftness and hit the knee of the swordsmen by surprise.The damage wasn¡¯t that great as most of the body is covered in armor, but it wasn¡¯t the end of it. At the same time Mordread give the last pull of the cape, that finally torn into two blood rags attached precariously at his back, the swordsmen lost the balance and the previous stuck enemy jumped out of the ground with ease, rising the coiled metal pole as fast as possible in his other hand and like a woodcutter chopping the wood he delivered a hit the side of his head, without even given the chance to parry it. Blood spilled out of his mouth, with maybe some tooth, as his body spun in the axis trying to keep balance, his astonished face made a contrast with Mordread calm face, with all that unbound rage gone as if was never there. However that doesn''t slow his new strike, now with the 2 hands freed he put all his strength on his veins bulged arms in an upward swing that even before the rags of the cape hit the ground aiming for the head again. The turning body of the swordsmen ended in front of it and redirected the beeline for his jaws to his left shoulder, tearing a new wound on his shoulder and with it part of the leather armor, his left hand holding the sword couldn¡¯t stand and let the blue sword fly to the side. However, the lack of edge of the coil pole proved a disadvantage as most of the force was lost in bypass his armor. The stupor wore off and noticing Mordread still recovering from his wide swing, the swordsmen quick throw himself in the direction of the fallen blue sword, that haven¡¯t fallen far away in a roll. That wasn¡¯t enough, and instead of prepare another blow, Mordread decided to change direction and just smite down the now rolling man, but the wound on his arm made very difficult to control his left arm losing much of the needed power as it hit his back. The painful grunt resounded on halls, as Mordread that advance forward with a kick to the side of the swordsmen that was about to secure his weapon, ended rolling away because of the kick as his fingers scraped on the surface of the hilt making the blade spin. The metal pole descended again to create a chain of attack, but before the assault could reach him, he rolled out of the way, giving Mordread the opportunity to kick away the sworda few feet away, as himself wasn¡¯t confident enough that he could take the sword before his enemy. This game of cat and mouse had continued for a whole minute, circling half of the hall all the way back to the front of the black throne, before the swordsmen manage in a sudden forward roll take his sword back, trading for a heavy blow of the coiled pole. Now he was riddled with bruises and wounds, his brand new armor was covered with both his and Mordread blood and the blood of the lost teeth still flowing from his mouth. Experienced by the pattern of attacks, he raised the sword in front of him as soon as possible in order to defend from the revenge attack, that... never came. Still kneeling, he noticed that Mordread wasn¡¯t in front of him anymore, but his following the trail of blood he saw his cold face quickly being surrounded by the darkness of the other half of the hall as if he was immersing himself in a thick black ink. However, the disappearing face wasn¡¯t able to keep the emotionless mask and he could see trembling and twitching of absolute anger that ended in the same malicious smirk he showed to him before. Furious, he broke into a mad sprint, raising the sword above his head in order to cause the greatest damage, watching that the tip of the twisted metal was poking out of the darkness giving away Mordread position. However, right before he would cross the umbra, from inside the darkness an insidious object aim right for his eyes, prompting to hastily stop the charge to defend himself, but what he ended blocking wasn¡¯t the metal pole but instead a flying rock and soon followed by a stab on his chest from Mordread weapon, however his hand wasn¡¯t stable and made cut a hole through the armor on the intestine instead. The sloppy attack in fact that troubled him to pull it out, because was stuck on the armor and protected from most of the damage. Giving the counter-attack opportunity for the swordsmen, that because he couldn¡¯t advance for not worsen his wound wasn¡¯t able to reach his enemy body but was more than enough to attack his weapon. The just pulled coiled sword, received a heavy strike from the proper sword, and chip away a big part of the metal pole but this time almost severing in two. Both by the result and backed away from each other, the swordsmen grieved his injury and Mordread tried to calm his breath because as soon he retreated he almost fallen to the ground it wasn¡¯t using the pole as a support. From the both sides of the hall could hear painful moans, Mordread trembled a little as the pain of the wounds resurfaced again now that he was out of the immediate danger, and beads of sweat are already forming on his face. The swordsmen on other hand looked he has the energy to spare as he flayed himself around in pain. This gave enough time to review his possibilities, he could see the door with the white blinding white light from outside, there was the throne that was black as the darkness he was hiding but nothing else, he could see birds flying outside the hole in the wall. The problem was behind him, there even if the cold wind comes from the hole in the other wall, there was a chilling feeling everything he gazes at the deep, something seen to reflect from there. In fact, was so black that the mind seen to play tricks on him, creating fog abstracted images and colors, that he couldn¡¯t be sure it really was there. Still, he focused again on the swordsmen, that have overcome the pain and walked slowly to the dark side of the hall. Once again when the swordsmen got close to the wall a rock flew from it, that he evaded, and the tip of the pole attacked, now lower than before. His defense ware ready and stopped the attack, retreating back to the dark it came, but even before a moment passed new attacks followed, trying to stab any part of his body, that put him on the defensive. However, Mordread that was holding the pole like a lance wasn¡¯t related and grumped in his mind: ¡®so¡­ This is the extent of my knowledge of the spear like this will be impossible to make a decent attack on him.¡¯ ¡°tsc¡± -clicking his tongue. They fought to the sound of the metallic clashes of the now battered coil spear. Using his shallow knowledge he ended with some success, even though that his attack was limited to a slight variation of stabs him as quick as possible, he compensated by moving around and using the total darkness of the half of the room in his favor. The swordsman favored deflecting with his own sword, using even if mean receive part of the spear stab. That decision looked connected with this problem on dodge, there was a micro gap in his movement every time he jumped out of the way and in between long horizontal slash, his face flinched a little. Unfortunately for Mordread his plan wasn''t perfect, as the blue sword was able to find him a couple of times and after the first surprise stab, all other attacks are but flesh wounds. After the few minutes of fighting, his attacks with debris and spear was gradually being controlled and the tiredness looked affecting him quicker than his enemy. Wasn¡¯t long that he was having almost the same leisure as before, the wounds don¡¯t see to affect him much. Mordread skills had a real improvement in the hundreds of stabs from the shadows, making him a little fond of the spear, but wasn¡¯t anywhere enough to match his swordsmanship, building up anxiety on his heart. Just as mordread jumped out the ruins of the collapsed column, a chance appeared, the swordsmen last attack was delayed and the blue light of the sword cut the air and keep going on a wide horizontal cut, while Mordread was already under him, the wound of the stab seen to kick stronger than ever and he flinches for 2 sec, frozen and open. He rushed in his assault, knowing that would be difficult to pierce the chest, he took advantage of his that the swordsmen still was on high ground, and try to hit his heart from below. The swordsman quick realizes what happens and before he could do anything the look of despair was already on his face. Mordread wasn¡¯t just watching but savoring his enemy peril, that he couldn¡¯t help but show my pair of a toothed smile. The coil spear cut the air in an upward motion, trembling for excitement and the blood loss, that now might have splashed at least a drop in each tile on the ground. With the mind filled with the vicious desire to impale him, took him a moment to realize that there was something wrong, as the swordsmen jumped in the same hole as him and his face didn¡¯t show the despair from before. But there wasn¡¯t enough time, to stop anything, even if decide to, at most slight change the angle and his clear mind was busy speculating: ¡®His sword still too far to deflect and now that he is closer is even less time¡¯ - looked instinctively to his face in look for the answer, there was only confidence, that just caused more unease - ¡®should be alright, right?¡¯ In an instant his clear mind factored their previews clashes that are in almost 100% of the cases they fought on evenly terrains and that give his guts the feeling there was nothing wrong on the attack from what he remembers. The spear point finds its target but the feeling that was transmitted wasn¡¯t the resistance of leather, but instead a strange feeling that his attack was slipping to the side and at the same time having difficulty in piercing deeper. Lost in contemplation of his next action, Mordread forgot to change the attack angle and when he turns back to reality, the silver shine reflected the slight orange tint of the fire somewhere nearby. As the horrible scratch sound entered Mordread ears, he finally understood what was happening but instead of backing away, he put, even more, effort, but the hardness is unexpected. As he tried to pierce the even knowing that wouldn¡¯t work against the metal plate of the pauldron. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. His efforts paid off and piercing the protection of the pauldron and armor, and make a bloody hole. However, was too much effort, that ended with him that had the upper hand lost the moment he tried to pull away and the swordsmen free right hand to finally grab coil spear, pushing with all his strength back into to him. That moment Mordread blood almost frozen, his eye was wide open, that reflected the swordsmen a toothed smile, lacking one in fact, and his sword that strangely hasn''t yet come back in so long was diving full power. Mordread looked back at his stuck weapon while all kinds of insults for his stupid to fall the most obvious flaw of his spear technique, if he could call like that, but was the desire to just leave the weapon behind and flee was filling most of his mind. Sudden the badly chipped coil spear snapped exactly where the first hit almost broke in two. That was caused by the fact that wasn¡¯t the sword but knee of Mordread that arrived first and hit on the weakest point. As the parts separated and for the last time the stretching metallic sound resounded, their holders sudden suffered the rebound, the swordsmen lost his golden chance and the small metal pole in his hand that he was pulling ended hitting his own face and while the sword finished its attack, was but a flesh wound. Mordread on another hand, that was pressing down, needed to tank the sword attack in order to pressed forward in time. He took the rest of the metal pole and try to pierce his neck, the point was mostly blunt but is all that is left. The swordsmen, maybe from the experience of being stunned many times, wasn¡¯t an easy prey and reacted quickly as he jumped away trying to dodge and hastily wide slash, scare me away from approaching. With some easy the slash was avoided but his sudden jump makes him miss the attack to the neck, and quick rotating the scrap metal, holding like a dagger, and content hitting between his shoulder and neck. This scream of pain was the worse he had made yet, a small and satisfied smirk was stamped on his face, that quickly turned into a bitter smile, as he retreated from him while delivering a kick to his chest, a decision that he would soon regret, he has spent too much time on this attack and he paid for it as the sword come back and made a gaping wound on his right leg. Limping away from him back to the darkness, that looked so far away even if was just a few steps. He was still smiling, but this one is a frozen filled with an ever-growing anxiety and likewise was his line of thoughts: ¡®I couldn¡¯t make deep enough, that attack made almost nothing to him, what I was thinking? I think there is a pole somewhere around here or was in the other columns, no that one I kicked together with the sword, has he managed to lift himself? he already moving, why are you screaming so loudly? I still have my finger? why is so hard to press my wound with my left hand? Am I dying of blood loss? who is him? what if¡­¡¯. Each step he made away his eyes are frantically scanning his surroundings in look at everything and yet seeing nothing. Many times he hesitated and looked at one direction or another or a rock, piece of glass, flaming floating page, not too far away, before going back in his way to the half dark. If his breath was bad before, now is on very of passing out, his heart was beating strong enough for him to feel pain on his chest, his mind started to wander: ¡®must be hard with so little blood left¡­, no! focus! the, the, pole¡­¡¯- he shacked his head and blinked every time he found himself, float away to other questions. He hasn''t noticed he was already inside, the dark half before he turned around and found that the swordsmen were already up. Now his mind a little less erratic than before, focused on the strange action of looking at something on his back when he pulled something from there, he connected at the small pouch he had on his back. However what followed brought his mind right back to its nervous breakdown, he had taken out a green paste and when he smeared on his wounds, they quickly healed and even his out of breath for being kicked on the chest looked to have got better. Looking back to his own body, the pain seen to have fared even worse, the scraped bones on the chest and back, the many cuts all over his body, his feet bleeding with many pieces of glass clearly sticking out of it; a variety of gaping wounds, the latest on his right leg, the worst the sore state of his left arm, so bad in fact that he can bare close his hands, and he almost can see the other side looking for the hole between the bones on the forearm. The puddle of blood that already formed after a few seconds there, reflecting half of his face that is torn by the attack that took his eyes. When he glanced back to the halls he saw the trails of his splashed blood everywhere on the hall, bring a cold feeling to his bones, the body felt many times weaker all sudden. His clear mind tried to think things logically but looked like the more the time passed, the more his mind goes wild, he started trembling until the memories of all his anger and humiliation reappeared and for very little he didn¡¯t rush to him to bite his neck and bash his head on a rock. The clear mind prevented the worse and tried to focus on what needs to be done, but the memory of him faking the uncontrolled rage to fool him was coming back time and time again, because that time wasn¡¯t all fake that was a very real desire and now this desire keep coming back. Without managing to come to an easy solution he decides to walk deeper into the darkness and do something from there. In fact, when he was using the dark to attack him he never had gone too far into the dark side of the room, for 2 main motives, one that was the fact that all his instinct warned against going there, and each step toward only made it get worse. The second was the strange puddle that reflects even in total darkness, no matter on where on the room he was fighting, every time he looked to the deep darkness the puddle always looked just at the edge of the vision, when he tried to look direct there was nothing there. However, while his mind was lost, thinking all kind of things and limping his way back the platinum puddle was now in front of him, without any ideas he decides to see if in the strange puddle he could find something. Now Mordread can¡¯t see to get closer, the feeling of granular rocks, like a little bigger than sand, was always poking on his torn foot. However, there was nothing anymore, not even the other things he swore his mind was making up to fill the darkness. He felt like he walked for hours without and, but when he looked back he could still see the throne room like watching a light from a very long dark tunnel that gets increased smaller, until he was sure that would become a small candle, even if the distance from there doesn''t see to change, is just the scope of view getting smaller. On another hand the reflective pond still just a few feet away. As the time seems to drag, the swordsmen are about to enter the dark side of the room, but doesn''t matter how many steps he takes when looking behind still almost the same distance, his mind wanders again: ¡°Maybe I¡¯m walking into a wall at the other end of the room and I''m so close to death that I can¡¯t even tell¡±, But he even manages to entertain such thought for long, the feeling of getting increasingly cold and paradoxically the anxiety was burning within. ¡°With so much blood loss and torn muscle is a surprise that the bloodlust keeps me alive for so long.¡± He sees the swordsmen run toward the dark side, the sense of defeat poured like a waterfall over him, and he tries to combat it by the focus on his wrath against him and all have passed until now. Clear Mind repeated to himself that this is the path, the right path, and now there is only anger, no more fear. There was a small problem with this, because deep inside there was another voice he can¡¯t control that whispered what he really thought and feeling. Soon when the swordsmen cross the umbra he is also consumed by the dark, and in the same instant, Mordread froze in place. And his mind started to wave a reason with great difficulty: ¡®I can¡¯t see him, but I can hear his footsteps. Stop. If I can hear he also should be capable right?¡¯ - In the most cautious move he ever tried, he slowly kneeled to look on the ground for something. With bitter taste in my mouth, the only thing I find is this almost sand size pebbles most with sharp end.- change position now would be very difficult without alerting him, yes, both my tired body and my stealth strategy are against such move. yes, let''s wait and hear. ¡®I hear his steps on my right side¡­¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡®I hear his steps on my left side¡­¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡®I can hear him just some steps at my side, I can almost feel his breath¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡® I hear him behind me¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡®I hear him over me, his breath is so loud?¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡®I hear him on my lef...wait...right sid¡­ between behind and¡­ I hear under me¡­¡¯ ¡°...¡± Have been just 10 min, Mordread still frozen in that same pose facing the puddle and refuse to turn my head to not make a sound or spend my energy that he said to himself that would be needed when the fight broke out. However, he can¡¯t see behind him, just the vague radiation of the light of the other half of the room. However you can also say he can¡¯t see the puddle either, and remaining in silence trying to do is listen to, something, but reality is cruel and uncaring, and with the dry throat hurts and his trembling mouth, with a bloodline just about to fall from it, just move but no sound is produced: ¡°I...I hear nothing¡­¡± He searched frantically for any sound, but even the ones that that appeared from time to time are completely gone. Deciding that even eyes movements were too much of a risk, his eye stared unblinkingly to the silver pond. Saying that he will wait him tire himself when his guard is down, he just need to wait to get just in front of me, when he sleeps, he would need to just follow his sound, follow his breath and so he needs to be patient, but a question couldn¡¯t leave his mind ¡® nothing? ¡® The complete dark, the absolute silence, and even the feet have lost it sensitivity being in the same position for so long. However nothing of that has calmed him, in fact, each second was worse than when his footstep was getting closer, now the noise of his own blood flowing in his veins sounded like an insupportable as scratching glass with metal. He can¡¯t hold anymore, he needs to do something. Chapter 6 - Wake The next time he opened his eyes, there was only dim illuminated ceiling by a pale blue light. His previous easy breathing turned into frantic panting, the body trembled and scream of absolute pain echoed through his apartment, as all his muscle contracted in agony and arched his chest up. Soon it turned into grunts, as he wriggled in pain, at the same time something was also making noise but was being drowned by its grunts. When he gritted his teeth he could hear; ¡°...e heartbeat out of sync; connecting to Support¡­;...; unable to find connections¡­¡± This soft voice, repeated again and again, until it finally stopped the alarm as himself was trying to take his breathing back to normal, receded back to just ask if should ask for Support, a question that was ignored as before. He stared at his left hand of in shock.It wasn¡¯t the bloody torn muscle arm from before, it was a smooth and thin health arm, that moved its fingers in an odd manner and with great difficulty. His eyes unfocused as if trying to look within, he gulped dry, his hand that was approaching his right eye, started to tremble again, and for many times he hesitated in continuing. When it finally touched his eyelids his face twitched unable to determine an expression, but there is fear in his eyes. After that, as he checked his body for his other injury, he could only find a weak body of a young man, as young as the Swordsmen, but unscratched.Until there was nothing else but the only thing he had been hesitating in looking at, the very center of his chest. Now with only his fingertips, as if was touching a soap bubble, refusing to make any real pressure, when anger flashed on his face and his pressed forth. He hasn''t noticed but he was holding his breath, that was relieved released as he found his heart beating in an uncontrollable and out of pace rapid manner, flashing once again the distant voice asking if should connect to Support. This new resolve wasn¡¯t enough to put an end to it, because the whole day passed and he didn¡¯t dare to look behind his t-shirt, putting his work cloth over it. When he leaves his house he put a polite smile on his face and tried to go to work, even if was going to be obscured by the gas mask. He moved in a robotic manner, for the whole day, gazing at something that wasn¡¯t there, all his responses was only one word and there was any progress on his work, and his he constantly used his left hand to touch his chest. The closer he got home faster his feet moved, on the last street before he was already running. He didn¡¯t take the gas mask off that he usually leaves close to the door and pressing his chest he moved to his bedroom at the very back of the house, but without entering as he stared at his room and at its heart the strange machine that was towering over the rest of the furniture A slick streamlined black coffin in slight inclined vertical position, almost touching the ceiling, with the only identification a white number 01 the crossing diagonally over it. On its back many cables and a rusted hydraulic out of place of this otherwise smooth machine. In fact, if wasn¡¯t the cables connecting to it, might as well be really a coffin for someone very tall. The rest of the room was a messy, with tools and screws dividing space with others miscellaneous objects and clothes. seating on the edge of the pushed aside bad, he keeps typing his fingers in a wave manner as he stared at it. Was only when he gave a sigh and wanted to rest his head on his palm that he noticed the gas mask. That he hurried took off, making his face reflected on the machine a little deformed by the dim light from outside. The face had a great resemblance with Mordread, but not many could make the connection, there is no strength on it and the short black hair hide most of the face making the black eyes almost covered by it. In the end, he neither moved towards it or turned the lights on, before he sleeps he had waved his hand in front of one of a black line that runs in most of the rooms, a blue screen appeared and after a few commands a music started playing. This night he slept like a log, without even listening what was the music. The next time he opened his eyes, was that cold pale blue light painting in the world in shade of gray. He keeps staring at the ceiling, the music had long stopped and the sound of his breathing was all that is left. When sudden the was invaded by strong white-yellow light followed by the loud noise of a train passing close by. The lights danced around the room creating new shadows each time the light of the passenger window passed. He took a deep breathing and looked to the side, only to find the black coffin blocking most of the view, a bitter smile was there. He gets up and moved once again his hand over another black line on the wall and the holographic scream showed once more. Now he didn¡¯t need even to make any extra command, there was big red 5:17 showing. Wasn¡¯t long that he put his cheap suit, then his black and white jacket over it and his black gloves. After confirming the sleeve and cuffs are properly tied and walks away of the room with the old two filters gas mask but before he goes he takes a last look at the room. The fog dim window still bathed everything in the gray-blue as the sound of the train become fainter. But the blurry shape of the bright warm colors could be seen in the distance. But after a second of hesitation, he reached for a broken black mirror and swift put in his pocket. Passing the main room, he not even glanced at the only two pieces of furniture, a tucked back old battered couch and an expensive looking armchair in the center, that the thick layer of dust show that was never used. He made a beeline for the brand new freezer that occupied most of the kitchen, but there was no handle to open it. He waited some seconds when a stream of text appeared in a small display that it hadn¡¯t moved, was impossible to notice it exists on the black freezer as background. < Connection Failed, all channels offline... loading manual mode> The door opened alone but when he looked inside, there were just some condiments. With a face of someone that chewed something bitter and visible tiredness, he put his mask, confirmed all his credentials as he turned an old key on the lock behind him.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. On his floor was most of the doors are opened, and when he glanced at one of them before taking the stairs, was an apartment that was at least 2 times bigger than his, however not a single furniture was there. Walking right at the center of the main street, as a thin fog covered most of the things. If he wasn¡¯t listening to a song as he walks he would have listened in the distance some mechanical sounds and maybe some other steps also echoing in the empty streets. In the middle of it, the first sunlight reached the city, the dark mirrored glass of most of the skyscrapers around him was quick in reflect the green light back to the streets, as the sun rises in the sky. furring his eyebrows he checked the timer on the corner of the visor of the mask. <7:01> then he looked back at the green-tinted light reflection that was shining right in his eyes. And looked back at the timer again. and mumble: ¡°this¡­¡± Taking out that cracked black mirror on his hand he pushed one of the small buttons on its side, without response. Without batting an eye he started a quick ritual, that was while pressing all buttons and shack it. The phone came sudden to life. but instead of shine the screen itself a holographic projector raised some inches over it, that from time to time liked. the simples 3d lines are minimalistic and very close to a regular phone. The time was 7:01. but even before the whole shape materialized he already clicked on a barely formed icon.
The image frozen in a half-formed state started to glitch, but he just put back to the pocket. moved his hand over the mask and it got a lot darker to see and said: ¡°Is already time¡­¡± The thin mist over the city started to get colorful as the seconds pass the thick the color became thicker until small electric sparks could be seen from the higher altitude. Then like a micro explosion the mist broke on a glitter snow. As the color slowly changed from green to blue to red and slowly faded out of view. his calm steps through the now clear desert street were accompanied for small spark and electrical currents that were randomly all around. From the walkway small cylinders raised in an orderly fashion and shining a rotating yellow light, without any apparent effect. ¡°No delivery today, I guess¡± Before he could keep walking, a strange noise started to interfere with the music. He first action raised the vol, but the noise was rapidly getting louder. Turning off the music, the mixed noise of high-speed fan rotating with loud intermittent dull sound made him stop his track and look around frantically To his right, the glass from one of skyscraper at least 30 meters high broke out and three red mass quick flow through the sky. It was three people wearing a bright red jacket, he was jumping on the top of the building to building when a white mass with flashing blue and red light also break after him. Was a flying machine in the shape of two motorcycles are fused together to form a loose car form. The ¡°wheels¡± are furiously turning with a dim light under it, trying to keep the machine in the air as it chased the red hooded group. While a pair of spider-like legs sprouting from the back that from time to time would either fling toward the men trying to catch or push the closest building for a quick turn. However, before three seconds passed in front of the Red hood, another white mass appeared, flying between the buildings. This one was much bulkier, in the rough mix of a zeppelin with a trapezoid a yellow stripe crossed it surface and slowly started to turn away from the two. This one was double the size of the first but was clearly running away from the red hood. The red hood was nimble and elusive as he was using the complex terrain of the top the building to always be out of reach. On another hand both machines showed with defects, keep shaking without apparent reason and every time they tried to raise the high or speed the sound of the energy being cut could be heard as the ¡°fan noise¡± start to lose power. After another couple of seconds, small baseball shaped objects started to appear behind and in front of the red hood and started to dive at them. The first volley was too sudden and just as the ball touched the red hood it opened into a tentacle-shaped cords to immobilize them. However, if the 2 big machines were having some problem these baseballs are flying in kamikaze manner, with a faint ability to dodge. The two left split, one jumped over the Zeppelin while the other made a sudden turn after throw an orange cylinder to his companion. Both run out of sight and continued their chase somewhere between the buildings. After some moments of awe and the sound of them already distant, he keeps his calm pace, while stroking his mask: ¡°Red Caps are very late today¡­¡± As he walked more and more masked persons joined him but were less than 100 people, most walking in groups. After a turn between the narrow street, he was greeted by an illuminated gigantic square, at the end a shiny metal temple-like building with great columns with an ancient feeling. Inside he could see thousand of people walking inside in a variety of clothes and style most with some skin showing unlike the ones walking toward it. He waited for a long time in line, he saw once again that zeppelin machine, that came from all around the city. Connecting to the station many towers creating a yellow and orange cylinders flow to somewhere inside the station. After he passed for the decontamination room, he was free to enter the , that was densely packed with people but the only ones going to the shops around is the one that is carrying some form of gas mask or helmet with them. ¡°Sir. Yang give me a special number 4, like always¡± ¡°Ohh of course, dear customer. Want to choose between one of your 3 exclusive D-Lounges?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s me remember? The funny masked guy?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, funny guy, like to grab chairs and say it is a girl right? I remember you. Number 4, right?¡± ¡°yhee,,,¡± Sir Yang quick got to talk to other customers, before he could say anything. At least the food was quick, some pasta with an unidentifiable meatball with it. He would offer his D-Lounge and likewise service another two times. When he sees most of the people stopped for a moment before going their way. He reached his mask and he could hear the voice repeating itself ¡°Dear customers, the next train will be delayed for 20 min, following the law 171, be at ease as the North Iridium Station will provide a Virtual Code to prove your misfortune, thx for listening¡­ Dear¡­¡± He could hear complains all around him, just to his side two guys talked. ¡°Will be a pain to reconnect there¡­ and what is this law 171?This isn¡¯t the first time the Excitement happened early, this might be work of the Lammars boys, again¡± ¡°We can at least hang on the D-lounge there and since when Lammar get out of the hole he lives? He is just old men dirtying the city with that art of him. I¡¯m telling you, I have a pal on the Air Patrol and he said that this is thing of the Red Caps¡± ¡°Ha, just because some kids showed up on Iridium city, they still just Burnt Rats, they are prankster! At least Lammar got on the screen someone is trying to divert our attention. Like that guy I follow on Ascension, to fool¡­¡± With a sigh, he looked to his cracked phone, still frozen and glitching. The mask showed 8:12. He sighed once again. Would be another 2 hours before he got to the train moving, at the window he could see that a Blue and Red train with Police written on it. Just disappearing on the tunnel. The train quick took velocity, leaving behind a column of dust, not long it also started to move. Chapter 7 - (New) Iridium City and Noth Inside the train was packed with people, as he opened his phone finally the applicative finished loading, there was an old themed Login in Password, but he didn¡¯t need to wait anymore and so Noth was online. He took a glance at the list of friends before even the main page load. All names there were gray, is a couple of names, and all of them had 10 years or more since the last login. He took off his view from the phone and looked up, his eyes lost in the explosion of colors hit his eyes and he was brought back to reality. All around him, in the tight-packed train, hundreds of people no one was using protective cloth. but a variety of styles. Girl favored sharp edges and tight fabric with color hue with black or white details. Mens varied between a loose armor like feeling to tank tops that weren''t sure it would change much if he took off, favoring geometric shapes and one or two solid more pastel colors. However, two things stood out from the rest, the branded jacket and scarfs with a variety of accessory stick out of it. Some looked like war medals, other that was covered by belts, some were chains but you could start to see a pattern between them. However aside from Company ones most of them are in fact D-QR Codes, with the original image compressed on a please looking geometric form, but otherwise abstract and even hard to tell each one apart. The other thing was the wide use of headphones from young to old or at least some kind of head accessory, circlets, tiara, glass all of them with small neon light. While headphone was the favorite among the crowd was rare to see someone with nothing. Their hair was just as colorful, from candy colors to a blackness that makes you question if wasn¡¯t looking at a 2d figure. In the end, was his mute cloth and hair that stand out, but he never attracted the attention of any of his fellow travelers. As he looked at them he smiled like he just heard a great joke and was having trouble keep himself composed, but even with this, no one bats him an eye. Many of them busy in conversation, singing, playing instruments and yet the car remained in silence if not from a few and far between, conversation. He had just checked his phone as the 10:05 exactly 5 minutes after the train departure, Noth started to count with his fingers, just mumbling with his mouth, but the closer he got to the last number the louder he gave the countdown, raising his hand in anticipation. ¡°3...2...1!¡± For the next 10 seconds, nothing happening, but Noth expectation wasn¡¯t hampered by such thing, his hand moved like a maestro to his invisible band. Everyone looks up and their body glitched before vanishing in a blink of an eye. Noth smiled while he was making an explosion sound. ¡°Haha, if should get the one of this day''s Overture, wasn¡¯t like Maofang always said: When in doubt, Explode it¡± But his happiness was short-lived, as he looked around the complete empty car, with but a very old men sleeping like a log in one of the seats and dressed just like him if wasn¡¯t for the orange color of his protective coat, if not more worn out, with a almost empty bottle in his hand. Noth couldn¡¯t help but look at himself, shaking his head he heard a voice as if someone was talking right in front of him. The voice was a calm and professional female voice: ¡°Dear customers, our Dive Avatar Connection is malfunctioning, as previously mentioned. Don¡¯t worry that every avatar and data is safe and will be resuming normal activities once we cross the Magalh?es Line. We of Breksta Company North sorry for your inconvenience, please enjoy the rest of the trip¡± Now with the vision clear, he could see the ocean that the train was crossing over, with destroyed ships still showing their corroded hulls like sharp metal reefs, could be seen on the horizon, now as they are about to cross Magalhaes Line he could see two cities at once. One filled with square towers in gray and black building and black smoke rising from afar, covered with the green light, while the other side the sun was already completely out of the fog influence and the sky was blue without one cloud. On this side everything was brilliant white plaster, highlighting the clean and fresh feeling. While most of the high rise is covered in mirrored glass, most of them have either a detail or big lines in some primary color crossing. When everything went dark for an instant, they entered the tunnel as the final part of their journey. The windows turned into screens called Iridium News, was mostly filled with a wide range of advertisement, the news itself was pushed into the second plan. Things like new type of food and drink, promising taste that shouldn¡¯t be possible like electricity and clouds. While others showed new fashion style with a special bonus to match with your Dive Set. Or a new Dive Lounge that could simulate for the first time Colony Prometheus-2 environment, with a private guide and a small room of the wide acclaimed Eleonora Coffee Lounge. As Noth eyes started to fall to sleep a news sudden showed in all screens, however as he saw what was about he, shacked his head and tried to take take a nap, getting bits of words of the news. ¡°With Weed-le¡­ First Monarch... defeat¡­ 10 million ¡­ Last Year... Razor Road¡± At the screen could be seen great palace, made of crystal that was floating slowly fall into the ground with a great destruction, while a crowd of tens of thousand wounded medieval soldiers is screaming the name of Weed-le, as the report is extremely excited as is trying to get closer but Noth mind was already far away. When he wakes up he had finally arrived with the announcement Welcoming to Iridium City and a group of people in fantasy like clothes, looking at the blood dripping from somewhere over them, talking to the screen he said as he left. ¡°Well, maybe next time pal¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. As he moved to his work, he could see the orange and yellow container being connected from the train to the station terminal and with each new container, a new batch of colorful or stylish people surged from one of the many doors on the building. When entering the Iridium city, was filled to the brim with people, cars and even people riding small flying machines. Most of them are used by some force of security or is a variation of one blue and red machine from before, just now the edgy are softened and weapons hidden inside the bodywork, giving a less threatening feeling when you look at it. The number of colorful people was the great majority inside the train but the more they disperse inside the city more pastel colors are present in a small amount to highlight some detail like they are mirroring the art style of the building. However while he was distracted looking at the calm floating the now printed Police machines, he stranded a little from his path. At the same time, a girl and her boyfriend moving in a mix of floating board with rollerblades are quickly approaching and with both parties distracted they crossed each other, Noth noticing at the last moment and could only prepare for the impact. However there wasn¡¯t a hit, but a small distortion on the couple, that after checking their matching blue and white jacket, in surprise looked back. Noth on another hand when there was no impact he flinched a little and took a deep breath looking back to the couple. ¡°Ohh, I have not even seen him or connect, with any channel¡± -said while moving an imaginary table in front of her ¡°Hey,- with a mocking smile - haven¡¯t you feel the shiver of a Ghost walk past you?¡± ¡°ghost? stop that your idiot, this is not funny¡± ¡°so why are you smile, let¡¯s go let the dead play with the dead, Harikan called us¡± In the end, they bare glanced at him before leaving and before he could go, he stumbled into another man that were talking to someone on wearing a very expensive looking headphone and a lab coat. However this time he didn¡¯t even look back, he just shoved Noth out of the way and said something about Specters and Peasants. ¡°well... fuck you too¡± But before Noth could even take finish taking his card that had fallen, something stopped in front of him. Watching that there was a shadow but not legs, he could just let a small tired sigh before looking up. ¡°Hello officer¡± In front of him was, a floating chrome basketball, look alike the one that was throwing himself into the escaping Red Caps. ¡°Please sir, establish Horizon Connection¡± ¡°Please sir officer, this is impossibl-¡± ¡°don¡¯t test my patience boy, is better you link your ID if you don¡¯t want me to do it¡± ¡°I can¡¯t I¡¯m a Spectator¡± ¡°Ohh¡­ You think I will fall for the oldest truck in the book, Specters, come with me Mr. one in a million¡± As he followed the floating ball, he was lead to an officer, it wasn¡¯t even the official Police Building, just guarded him with the ball on a small room. Most of the time he spends was waiting for an hour before the cop come back make some simple question. ¡°Where your Dive Identification?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Why you intentionally hit a member of Aperturia Dive Science? ¡°Why you insulted a member of Aperturia Dive Science?¡± ¡°What your purpose in coming to Iridium City¡± ¡°You have fixed residence? And stable job? where you live and work?¡± "what gang or clan you are part of" Noth answers are without delay and at the time he almost started answering before the question finished. In the end, he has to show all his ID cards. Running to work. Was already past 12 am when he arrived. However it wasn¡¯t the angry words of his boss that greeted him, but a calm and composed boss, that spend most of his time fiddling with a tablet on his hand, he used many terms and redundant words that while Noth remained silent most of the time, he mused himself in deciphering what his boss was saying in fact ¡°... the company¡­¡± ¡®I(the boss)¡¯ ¡°...in face of recent new expansion and economic change and adversity¡­¡± ¡®the high up finally decided to cut you¡¯ ¡°...after a long and difficult evaluation¡­¡± ¡®I got a great opportunity to screw with You¡¯ ¡°...As a man of your ability would be restrained by this new environment¡­¡± ¡®you are useless here, probably my job will also be taken by a robot¡¯ ¡°...Take into consideration the future and the cut in the resource of our department¡­¡± ¡®you are part of a dying job and if you aren''t the greatest genius get outta here¡¯ ¡°... A unique opportunity with the great chance of rising through the ranks, almost tailored to a man like you¡­¡± ¡®I think they got an open spot for next guinea pig or shit cleaner, wait I already do that here¡¯ ¡°...is close to where you live, less time walking¡­ ¡®we find something horrible to be done on the hellhole you call Old Burnt city, and I recommended you¡¯ ¡°...There is a chance to get a voucher for the company from simply going to work¡­¡± ¡®they will pay you in participation trophy for kid¡¯ ¡°...Was a great pleasure, and so on¡­¡± ¡®Now go away that I need to go back to my DD like normal people¡¯ Well now Noth moved his belonging from the small Holographic Development Room and started to walk out of the building, passing one of the Lounge Virtual Deep Dive Service Development-3,; the Citizen Management Service, also know as Birth of Nobility and Redevelopment Effort of the West Side, also know as ¡°police repression and train maintenance¡±, Iridium city official lab B-2, was what he left behind, as he was out. It was on the corner of the city, in an area less important, however, was the first class if compared with his next working building. In a middle of an artificial valley of a hill and high rising, this place in shadow 200 days each year and so most of the building here is heavy on neon light and the metal plates can be seen raw, just like when they used on the construction of the base of the city. When someone was approaching him, Noth was on guard, however, when the face of the one behind the pilot helmet was visible, Noth was flabbergasted ¡°Ohh if isn¡¯t my brother Noth, how are things on the plaster part of the city?¡± ¡°W-well is fine I guess¡­¡± ¡°fine? good, good - he slowly nodded his head - I assume you are also fine?Sleeping well, eating good stuff, work with the greatest mind on Holographic? ¡± ¡°No Dean this, that, it wasn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Oh ho, it wasn¡¯t? so now that I heard that everything will be fine? like old time when I got your back and you...well... sometimes didn''t get mine. Chapter 8 - Time tickles The new boss approached Noth, covered in muscles and bald, in his neck the faint blue flicker from a gadget hold in place by a thin strap choker. He growled for a moment with a smile on his face, but there was a thinly veiled anger transpiring and in each of his strides, Noth gave a small step back. Amidst a barrage of comments followed without the chance for Noth to respond. ¡°Trouble speaking? I¡¯m sure is the fresh air of the Westerner Vents, working in the confined spaces of the main building must have been a great suffering, right? ¡°No need to be worried, we don¡¯t bite... Well no more than the rats of the Burnt City¡± ¡°Wait, what silly of me you know what is like that, only a real native to know how their rat''s bites, better than anyone. You need to forgive me, as you are well aware that is because had to come to understand these things for the last few years. ¡°Where that smile you always carried with you? I saw you yesterday with him, I even greeted you but I¡¯m sure you had more important business to do. As he mentions the past day, he gets a strong reaction from Noth that freezes in place, gulping dry trying to push something back inside. Dean takes the opportunity to quickly grasped him by the shoulder and guides him to the closest building. ¡°You don¡¯t want to scare your new friends right? Don¡¯t worry I already made the introduction for you. I know you like to finish the work quickest way possible, isn¡¯t?¡± As their sudden entrance clear disturbed the ambient where many eyes quickly draw to them. And for one second there was an awkward silence before they returned to their business. Room was brightly lit with long corridors spread like an octopus tentacle, in this main hub there were people looking to many types of strange pieces of still dust equipment, while still wearing part of their protective equipment... However, not everyone dismissed them, some lingered their gaze on Noth. Dean dumped him exactly to this group of people, saying to meet him at end of the work. Noth tried to exchange a greeting, but the five men aren¡¯t really interested. One of the redheaded twin simple turned their back to Noth without telling him a word. An old man wearing a weathered cowboy hat and a metallic right hand scoffed and walked back to somewhere deep in the complex, following the other twin. There were two masked men looking at Noth extended hand, gas-masked with but one respiratory filter like an elephant nose and bright green visor, that addressed the other with a black sleek motorbike helmet; ¡°Want to do the honors, Maicom?¡± ¡°Sure, Maycon, there is so much time we can keep the staring at Nothing here.¡± Clear tired, Noth took a big breath and took his hand away and said: ¡°Ok, I know how much you were annoyed with me here, so let¡¯s keep things straight and just tell me what you need me to do?¡± ¡°Well, what I need is that you to go back to your office and didn¡¯t keep cut your paycheck, for some bullshit reason, however, we aren¡¯t here to talk what I need.¡± ¡°You know well that I wasn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I really know? on your reports was clear that I didn¡¯t know what I was doing. So I keep it simple for you, don¡¯t try to greet me, don¡¯t talk to me and maybe we will not have problems. ¡°yes, sir¡± - said Noth unwilling Maicom just shook his head and continued. ¡°Here is simple, I will send you some paperwork and when I become tired of it they will send us to see if we can get something useful out of that wasteland you call home.¡± ¡°The rest you are even more familiar than me when we inevitable comeback with garbage someone that is just like you will find reasons to cut our salary.¡± ¡°And the rare cases we find something that still working, they will send someone to pat us on the back and just burn it alongside all the other stuff we had found. our work is so easy, right? I¡¯m sure you will agree after some time working here¡± As Maicom with the bike helmet leave the other Maycom approached and said: ¡°I never expected to find a Brother of Mask in a newcomer from the main building. I¡¯m Maycom Ross, or just Maycon for the closed one¡±- here lean a little closer and whisper - ¡°We and the captain are really close, he is the only one that calls me Maycon¡± ¡°Ok¡­ Ross, but-¡± ¡°No, no, call me Maycom, I noticed that the captain liked you too. ¡°I don¡¯t see how you noticed it¡± ¡°That is because the captain only talk so much with me, still, you have a long way to start threatening my position on captain heart¡± - he pointed his thumb to his chest full of confidence before remembering something ¡°But I¡¯m bit worried that I¡¯m not really into classics, like you Kirim and I are more into sci-fy and space. Now, now follow me that we are already late¡± Maycom Ross didn¡¯t wait for Noth response and just moved in the direction of the South Wing, of the building. After a moment of hesitation looking at the remaining redheaded member working on a strange cross piece without even spare a second glance at him, he followed. In the end was just the top of the building where they can see one of the big digital Billboard flying in the sky attached on one of those zeppelins he had seen earlier, Noth couldn¡¯t help but ask, mostly to himself.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°They still use this kind of zeppelins on Iridium?¡± ¡°Silence! the great one will speak!¡± ¡°sure pal, whatever works for you¡± Was when the news anchor a steel gray hair in a suit decided to call the reporter, the scene changed to the view of the reporter behind many colorful tents and some armored men carrying spears could be seen walking in the background. ¡°So what is that? Razor Road? Sabre Apex Online? or the end of the beta of Ascension?¡± But was the reporter that answered Noth disinterested question ¡°We are here in Nortundria Hill on the two hours of the Great Iridium City, Where the fans are already gathering for the great Jourgumand Camp Festival, two weeks before the festival even started and some even before. This year the 50 year anniversary of the festival is promising to be the biggest yet, the¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha, rejoice Kirim for that the Serpent will rise again! This year we will finally be the Jourgumand Champion! and then The World!¡± - turning back to Noth - ¡°so this year you will appear?¡± yheer... - His mask was strangely expressive, as it was clear that he was trying to remember something - ¡°Nooor..th?¡± Sigh¡­- ¡°Just call me Noth, and no I will not go there, I don¡¯t even have a Personal AI to show to them.¡± ¡°hun?¡± - as if he had listened to the most paradoxical thing. Their mutual confusion was interrupted by the sound of a siren and a reddish orange light that slowly started to cover all around. Noth instinctively looked up, but there wasn¡¯t any fog and the sky was still that clear blue in contrast with the white plaster all around. Not far from him, the circular building started a strange noise getting higher and higher pitch, and with it was louder and louder, like a machine slowly getting more and more power. In that moment the circular building, started to grow, as tubes of various sizes and number started to rise from them, some were just the same building double the size, other branched in a dozen of tubes. ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t dangerous?¡± ¡°Common north, you will need to talk to Berker, before go out with us¡± Maycon pulled Noth without regard for his will, he tried to put resistance but aside from being a minor inconvenience, he was dragged along. As his request to be released was ignored, until they passed the door leading back to the building, from the rooftop. ¡°Sorry north I couldn¡¯t hear you with all these noise fans, be extremely famous has its downsides.¡± ¡°What your problem? you dragged me like a pile of potato and now you come with this? As Maycon closed the door, the incredible wind pressure and hot air started to blow from the closing door. The fan sound reached its apex and from the gap, he can see the white steam columns from over the circular building. Still, he closes the door and inside the building itself was just a faint noise, that one might be mistaken for a central air conditioning. Maycon shack head disappointed and said. ¡°North North, you can like a hot sauna but the duty come first. Don¡¯t worry later I buy you an Ice Cream, the captain gave me some tickets, for my excellent work.¡± Maycon was both literally and in the mentally moved on, while Noth still looking at the previous steaming hot, sure that he can see the slight distortion of heated air around it. Running down to the nearest window, he couldn¡¯t find Maycon anywhere on the short interval in the narrow stair to the lower floor. But now Noth was impressed by the scene in front of him. The white of the plaster and the white from the cloud merge into given the illusion that the is, in fact, holding the sky, as the hot air is being pumped out from underground. The orange light was now light red on the roads below the user didn¡¯t seem concerned with such event. ¡°Haha, you should look at your face son, you look like a pigeon hit by a bolt from the blue. You really didn¡¯t think that this was called ¡°The Ducts - A¡± just because of our extreme emotional personality?¡± This time was the old men with metal hand and cowboy hat, that Noth stumbled on. ¡°what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking that boy? or are you as dumb as the boss said you were?¡± After his eyes were taken from the window, he could see the old man fixing his hand with a variety of small tools, spread over the table, slightly stained with oil. There are a few other more raw works, working on rusted gears and screws were giving the stink eye to the old men and Noth, as the rammed door still slowly closing back to its original position. ¡°I- I''m sorry for disturbing your work, I still not familiar with the rules here¡± - saying both to the old men beside him and the other worker, that come back to figure the origin of such rusted pieces. ¡°At least the basic manners could be worse I guess.¡± ¡°Well if that is all, Is time for me to leave, was a pleasure. Looking up and down on the cheap salarymen cloth Noth, he disagreed with him going anywhere dressed like that and finished saying. ¡°Also, you owe me 10 bucks¡±. ¡°I own nothing to you, this is just the second time we meet. Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡­ a bet?¡± ¡°That right kid, you didn¡¯t run with the tail in your leg before the Chimney ¡°sprout¡± and I don¡¯t want to lose 10 bucks, what am I gonna eat?¡± ¡°Well, old men, you can just try fasting I hear it make miracles for someone of your age.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to bullshit your way out of this, with your vegan non-sense, boy. You aren¡¯t a cat in midst of pigeon but a pigeon throw in midst of cats.¡± ¡°Well, I can get you some milk sake then and we are even?¡± ¡°I like the way you think, but still too small, you can try again tomorrow, I¡¯m sure the Captain will lose your wits.¡± ¡°Well, for me to keep the cat alive I need at least to feed myself, so can¡¯t you guys just tell me what I need to do?¡± ¡°Sorry, but my other bet didn¡¯t allow me to break the rules¡± ¡°What about 2 sake milk?¡± ¡°You should already be able to figure out but, I recommend you get into something more ¡°stylish¡± before the white pigeon stand out in the black coal¡± He says as he left the room with his arm fixed and putting the hat a little over the eyes. ¡°You aren¡¯t that good with keeping the theme, are you?¡± ¡°What you wanted? I¡¯m just a cat. And you owe this cat 2 bottles¡± As the old cat exited was Maycon green visor that sprang in front of Noth and wasn¡¯t a mere expression, he literally was thrown by a truck bumper that was being analyzed in one of the tables around. ¡°Noire! you lost the great discoverer of spring transportation that I proposed for my fellow scientist. They seen baffled by such idea¡­ Wait a minute, we shouldn¡¯t be here¡± ¡°Maycon, maybe you should be with the rest of the group? probably telling me what you guys do here in detail?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Norsemen, we are tasked with greatest of the tasks and you want to spend time explaining, a true norse-men always move forward.¡± ¡°Let me rephrase it, Maycon, maybe the destiny of our fellow companions are in grave danger and only the mystical knowledge of what I need to do can save them¡± ¡°Aha! I know you would understand it, now follow me to the land beyond the sea!¡± Maycon would still roam for another 10 minutes the building, knocking most of the wrong doors before arriving at a 1408 room, where the rest of the group would mainly work. A cramped room with too little space for 5 people and their desk. He caught the act of the old men paying something for one of the twins and give him a knowing wink before retreating back to his seat, as the captain looked at everyone gathered. Chapter 9 - Back in Black-Throne The bike helmet captain keeps staring at a tablet in front of him and wasn¡¯t even clear if he noticed they arrival of Noth. ¡°I will keep it short. Well, we will have a scout the outskirt of the 14-D area before the full out. ¡°I know is a pain, to go so close to Red Hood zone, but orders are orders. Old Cat you will be our driver this time¡± Don¡¯t make this face, you are the best one after Jim. I will take care of the backup in your place. Teu and Tim you guys have the best synchronization so you will keep with Old Cat and get that piece of junk working. ¡°And rookie¡­ dressing like a princess will get you killed in no time, so go home before I need to write another KIA report. Ok so now¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t do that captain, I need this job.¡± ¡°What I said about talking to me? This is the second time already. ¡°Captain, I can¡¯t use the synchronization like the twins,but I have my protective suit here¡± - take out the black and white jacket from the bag he was carrying - ¡°I still don¡¯t know what we need to do, but I if is going to the Burnt old city I have enough experience.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have the experience you just live in a dead zone inside a dead zone, you don¡¯t even know the powers around your own house. Now leave this room¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that captain, I ask you to let me join this expedition¡± Noth Lowered his head and waited for the Captain aproval ¡°I¡¯m too tired to deal with you get out of my face or I have to kick you out?¡± Closing his hand into a fist with his head lowered he waited for some seconds before leaving the room in large steps. Moving with long strides, he swift avoided the other person walking in the building and stopped a few steps in front of the main entrance, looking at the dual-layered metal door, written, Technical Support AR-42. His finger quick typed his body rapidly, his face contorted trying to not show his frustration in his face, when he was hit from behind by long red-headed girl, carrying a heavy looking box. Shooting him to get out of the way. This looked the last drop before he stormed out of there, but stopped just before cross the door pressing roughly his hand on his face, until he decided to turn back to the corridor Dean had left for when they entered. But not before he passed in front of a bathroom and changed to the full protective cloth even with his old style gas mask on his face. Wasn¡¯t hard to find Dean Room, the words Department Sub-director was clear in golden letters on the digital screen made into a door. Making Noth hesitant if he should knock it or not, but without alternative, he knocked it. After some minutes waiting in front of the door was a foul mood Dean that opened him to fill with militarily styled furniture this time he wasn¡¯t wearing the cap. There is some screen with videos from all over the building and a Deep Dive headset just over the desk. ¡°Now what? ¡°I need to go with the team to next mission and they keep blocking me¡± ¡°And you come here for¡­¡± ¡°I wish that you could sort things out for me¡± ¡°Oh, oh¡­ sort things out. I also asked for you to sort things out for me, remember? So I will say to you exactly what you said to me at that time. Do I look like your mother? go resolve the problem yourself, piece of shit. see how it good to be on the other side? - he smiled devilishly before vanish it back to his displeasure - ¡°Now if you show again here without a good reason and I will beat your ass¡± He closed the door on Noth face, making him tremble and growl low in anger before moved back to the team room, however when he arrived there, there was anyone inside. ¡°Fuck!¡± - he hit the desk on his side and something fall. It was a white mug with a red heart drawn on it, the mug broke in many pieces, over a pile of cut paper, making him sigh. When he started to clean the debris he found a note. As he looked indeed the papers are written with a variety of style and language the word Hot, however, was the word ¡°Report¡± on the back of one of the pieces that interested him. After some work in assembling the pieces, he found that was field report filled with cuts and observation to correct. The date and what in the end was the report about would take the rest of the day to identify.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Noth looked around the piles and piles of paper on their desk, and saw many of this reports, after looking around for typing his finger on the desk, he finished cleaning the mug debris and moved to get this Reports and other papers that he has seen to recognize and after sorting out some info he started work on it. He had to run around a lot to get the bare minimum information of what they are talking about on that reports so mostly he just corrected their mistakes, in short, paperwork. They would come back late that night and found Noth working in some of the paperwork. Captain was getting really angry but with Noth remember that he said that he needs to do their paperwork he just dispensed Noth with the remainder of the start of his work. Noth would almost crawl his way back to his house, this time the train was full the whole journey, without a chance to look at the advertisement projected on the walls, and when he arrived there was again the sleek black coffin-like machine. He would eat the fast food he brought home and take a shower always with one eye on the coffin. He takes a breath and moved his hand over the side of the machine looking for something, soon he found what he wanted as the hissing noise of decompression and the cold mist started to be released, white lines started to form around where the black steel plates separated and moved aside revealing a transparent glass, showing the padded interior without no one inside, the Number 01 was still clear on the folded pieces that formed it lid. On this transparent glass could be seen many small screens projected over it with the status of the machine and the user showing side aside. But aside from the many technical details, a two set of words stand out. < SYNCHRONIZATION: 2%> He took a look on his phone, the battery was dead, he left on the wireless charger and entered the machine, in the moment he closed his eyes and his mind quick faded. - - - - - - - Mordread feels his body floating again in the nothingness, but now very exhausted the desire to sleep was so strong, the complete weightless feeling of his non-existent body was just like sinking on a soft plumes bed. Noth Clear Mind was wavering into giving in such pleasure, the memories of his aching body only tilted the balance to the gentle embrace. But, was the strange feeling inside Mordread that made him decide to move away from this place. The explosion of abstract colors was all around him again, what made anxiety build in him as he thought that he would have to once again pass the experience or interact with that worlds canvas. But this time he feels bound, he could move, like trying to move a muscle under the pressure of the ocean deeps. Helpless he watched the once spectral-looking colors turn into a fine-grained made of solid colors in a weirdly pleasant way, as the colors black and white painted the background around. Then the colors shoot forward in great velocity, but aside the surprise of the sudden change there was no feeling of danger from it, but wonder. As the Colorful lines crossed the horizon of his vision everything flashed black and white before setting in a deep dark. Now in control again from his body as Mordread, there wasn¡¯t that overbearing pressure over him but the feeling that he was seating in something gradually filled his sense, in fact, the darkness was his closed eyes that twitched with the light over him. As his body awake, Noth keeps the clear mind as the fact that this was a simulation after all and there was this detachment from the reality of him as Mordread and him as Noth. There he was, now with the vision clear from the start he saw that once again he was in the throne room from before, the same hole in the left side the same endless ceiling covered because the shadow illusion and the right side was slightly different. The burnt books still float alongside the still in ambers but the complete and total darkness wasn¡¯t there anymore, he still couldn¡¯t make the wall of the right side but the creeping freezing he felt every time he looked to it isn¡¯t there. However with the realisation of the situation he quickly looked down to his chest and simple black suit without any special detail was the only thing he saw but he wasn¡¯t satisfied and almost tore it to look to his chest, but was a muscle of the chest that was under it, without anything to stand out. Mordread keeps staring at it for some seconds when he was drawn to analisy close the state of his left hand. A big, strong hand without any marks or particularly big nails, at most a little rough when he focused on it, staring at it like an alien instrument, repeating the same moves he made when he left the DD capsule in the format of a Black Coffin. The first grave drum at the distant he awoke back to reality, he looked to the far end of the hall, at the still hidden by shadows, but he knows it was there the great and cracky gate. He moved quickly, this time his body didn¡¯t suffer vertigo and he looked around for anything of use but was a few steps and he with wide eyes he felt the cape flapping behind him. Hitting his chest with his hands looking for a way to release this cape, but nothing was found. He looked and his cheap made cape held by some simple knots was nowhere to be seen in it place a tattered spectral-looking cape, filled with holes and torn almost in two parts in the middle.The cape at the first glance was as black as the first one, however looking closely was an extremely deep shade of head that aside from it wearer no one would notice. But as he looked behind of him to look at the spectral cape, there was the throne he was sitting moments ago. It wasn¡¯t the same simple rock throne from before, it was darker than night obsidian throne that it¡¯s hight blended with the darkness of the ceiling. Still shaped as the same of the simple boxy rock throne, however, it obsidian color didn¡¯t limit to the throne itself but now is spreading in a small area around in a mix of splashed ink and veins. For some reason, the feeling that that blue core sword from before would be just beside the throne but like it simple nature revealed at the first glance there was nothing, there but the same couldn¡¯t be said from the rest of the hall. The first place he moved was the big hole in order to look at his surroundings. The closer he got the louder a strange noise got, but in the moment he was a step away, a sharp cry from resounded as from the unseen below and with it a gigantic eagle surged like a geyser to the sky, almost knocked Mordread out of his feet. The warm upward current was very clear from so close the hole, making him approach with more caution. Where the great forest valley surrounded by mountains was all he could see, at his right beyond its hills the battle raged with the orange tint of fire, at his left tall ice peaks could be seen ever growing the farther he looked. Below, what he could see was gray crags isolated this valley from the outside world as the veil of fog isolated from sight, and his castle was at very edgy of it. Not far from where he was a waterfall disappeared inside the fog sea and in it midst the shadow of many big and small birds that fly close to it. Further into the valley he could see was only trees, over he could see that eagle that was 3 times his size was quick to hide over the low clouds that shrouded the moon. Chapter 10 - Trial by Fire and Brimstone As the time tickles so he observes the strange blue symbols in the red curtain, only to find a complex set of sharp-angled scribbles that had a blue fluorescent over it, but no matter how much he looked they don¡¯t hold any visible power and are held in place fairly well. The glass that it protects is a stained glass without color but the opaque gray letting only light pass through. So he moved closer to the burnt library, as the cold breeze pushed him away from the hole in the wall, passing over the familiar rock debris, but the pieces of metal that should compose the stainless glass to hold the last stained glass are nowhere to be seen. However as he approached the dark corner of the room his feet lost momentum and gradually turned the sprint into a walk, but while he moved to the corner illuminated by the remain ember, his sight was drawn to that deep shadow. He tried to salvage any of the papers and tablet, but most were reduced to fragment or lost pages still flying over the hot air and this was mostly blocked by the great amber that didn¡¯t seem threatening but the mere approach of the paper was the reason to combust from the heat. He looked around for a solution, only rocks that are either too big or too small to help him with anything and on the far corner some items that he couldn¡¯t see in the poor illumination. The second grave drum resolved he started to feel the anxiety building up on him, but he still detached conscience was able to keep him in tore 2 pieces of cloth from this shirt and strapped haphazardly, using the close rocks as makeshift sole. However the lack of fitting rocks made him strap two big rocks to his feet by a simple knot, the rest of the rags he used to cover his hand. And so with great difficulty, he tried to climb over the ember bolder. with the extra weight on his feet he couldn¡¯t jump over it, so he had to grab with his hands. The pain soon followed through his hand, but he and the rag still hold on. With great hurry he moved the rest of his body, using the rock on his legs to touch the burning rock. When he was about to arrive at the top of the ball he tried to put his weight again on it but it collapsed inward by his touch and the hot air gushed out making him have to hold firmly with his other hand to not fall by the recoil from the pain. He could hear the cracks from holding what was basically burnt charcoal, grinding his teeth even harder he pushed himself forward as his eyes dead set on the few books left. When he finally stood over the burning hill, his hand was trembling the cloth his had had partially melted with his skin. However like cloth on his hand couldn¡¯t keep up, the cloth holding the rocks at his feet also burnt to crisp. On that last step, he lost the balance as his feet moved forward but the rock bare moved. His whole feets are now few centimeters deep on the still hot core of the siege munition. His scream echoed the hall as the muscle are barely held in place by his bones. With a face twisted in pain and the veins covered what was once a deep black eye into a bulging red of pain. All the caution was thrown out the window and his hand greedily grasped whatever it could in front of him and throw it away from the fire hell he was suffering. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t hold for long, the pain he was suppressing in his throat couldn¡¯t be contained anymore. His feet moved once again, this time back to where he came, but he couldn¡¯t bear step again in this thin hold charcoal and sink on the hell pits. His body flow with all the strength his burnt legs allowed. But was just for a moment as this hurried attempt of getaway ended hitting his back on the burning munition and leave a scorch of his back scraping over as he hit the ground.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He gasped for air as the impact expulsed any air inside, his whole body contracted as he screamed meaningless noises however he was still trying to contain that pain as he didn¡¯t let himself close the eyes. Now exhausted from the ordeal he had trouble in keep standing, his long white hair was falling over his face stick to the incredible amount of sweat, dripping over his black powdered body and most of it was burnt in his attempt to climb it, his shirt had become a wild sleeveless rag. Moving his feet that he was sure that would find just bones, it was burnt black while the part of the bones visible was faintly glowing red, like the blue from the symbols on the curtain. He gathered every piece of paper he could get his hand, as he saw that many of what he had thrown ended back into the burning fire, but he just cast a depressed glance before going back to work. But this depressed glance would soon turn into a depressed face because he looked at the bundle of papers and scrap of paper he had and each page are different language some even looked that had more than one per remain. He tried to piece together what he could, but the memory of the broken cup keep flashing on his mind. After he suppressed these idle thoughts he valued h discover. His anxious face slowly morphed to a rage inducing madness. hitting the ground again and again with his burnt fists. The total was more or less 72 scraps, few of them were linked to the same style and even fewer looked like was from the same book. None of the languages was remotely close to the ones he knew, even that strange sharp scribs on the curtain was only found inside a drawn diagram. The only number was the same, but the only equation he could vaguely understand still resulted in a completely different result than it should. Something on the lines of 1+1 = 3. The rest was some diagrams filled with interconnected geometric forms with numbers and letters. The only two images he was sure was a rough the cut section of a castle or other building, but any detail had blurred because of the heat and the ones that he could see was some high stylized depiction, something you would expect to see a middle age book. There seen some detail of it was writing on the side, given the topical division, but that was it. As the anger subsides, the pain rushed with all strength squirming in pain for a couple of seconds, closing slowly its finger over each piece of paper he gathered and puffing in a rage he rose bundle of papers high into the air gathering all his strength to toss it back to the fire rock. However, he stood there, with rage turned into frustration and screamed: ¡°FUCK!¡± Taking it back and tossing beside the throne, where he saw the crystal still hanging from chains over his head, the colorful dots of light carefree circled it. But was just out of his reach, if he jumped he would miss for millimeters. He looked back to the hall now looking for anything, he could feel his time ending, there were only rocks and broken glass around and whatever was hidden far away in the shadow wasn¡¯t in his priority right now. Without choice he grabbed a piece of a hand-sized shard of glass, that light cut him when he touched and moved forward into that strange region that covered the right side of the room. Unlike last time, it wasn¡¯t complete darkness like a veil that cut it out from outside, it was now a mysterious but normal shadow. As the light from outside grows weaker, he slowly started to crouch, fumbling his surrounding in look for anything of use. He couldn¡¯t see the other half of the hall as clear as the first time he entered this place, the previous vision of looking through the end of a tunnel also wasn¡¯t there, or the creepy freezing feeling. His movements cautious and slow, each of his steps didn¡¯t the same dull noise of walking into the rock tiles from the throne room but the sound of stepping on sand or more accurately a fine gravel and the sharp points that poked at his burnt feet collaborated with it. But aside from the rocks in the umbra between the dark side and the light side of the room no rocks or any other terrain deformity was found and the memory of the same feeling when he ran away in the past made him show a complex set of emotion. Guilty, pain, fear, anger and something that overwhelmed all this emotion that he couldn¡¯t put in words.Touching his chest he keeps on moving, was when he started again to see things. A small dot of green popped in the corner of his eyes, but every time he looked at it was gone like was never there. Then a pale blue dot that he missed for just a moment too late. This pattern would start to get more common until a red and silver flash also joined. So he stopped his search, he looked back at the crystal over the throne, but he could make just the rogue outline but didn¡¯t see responsible for his visions. he was almost the middle of the hall when he halted. Mordread let a tired sigh, as he took his upright position, and turned himself for the farthest corner of the hall because it was time already. Time for the last grave war drum resound throughout the whole castle and with it, the rusted hinges noise soon followed. Chapter 11 - Fire Glass in True Darkness In the end of the hall, a pillar of light cracks from the darkness. Piercing right to Mordread eye, hiding in his brightness a man slowly took form at it button. But in the dominion of shadows the light struggled to gain ground, barely cleared the few meters around, from the small open. But was enough for a muscle man pass through scanning the surrounding and finding only the silent dark. Mordread eye is unmoving, not in greed of the man gloves and sandals. Nor the worry of the club he is carrying with ease. What he looked was the small dots growing into small sparks of flame, at the edge 9f his vision. When the light from before hit his pupil the pain forced him to blink. Scaring them away from his view. Now he watches in detail the Warrior that barged in, talk with pride as it shows his bare chest and toned arm. The Warrior words are short. Anxiety was slowly building up inside of him, but he couldn¡¯t accept. Furrowing his eyebrows as he looks around, after a couple of seconds he takes two step back and looks from where he came. But just like the hall, the brightly lit corridor was just as eerie silence. As if sensing something he quickly turned around ready to any attack, but the wind blow was all that grazed him. His face twisted further in a mix of annoyance and anger. But indeed there was a movement, Mordread slowly moved his eye in the direction of the colorful flames. To his surprise they don¡¯t vanish but grown in shape and colorfulness, still, the closer he gets to the deepest part of the dark side of the hall the more erratic became the colors. The Warrior now calls in mockery, louder than ever he screams threats as if trying to drown how tense his muscle was. Inevitable his exertion leads to a bead of sweat forming on his forehead, but as he noticed cleaning with his free hand like if blood was droping he gasped in shock, before using to fuel his remarks with newfound determination, even spitting on the ground to show his point. Mordread couldn¡¯t keep the discipline and quickly moved the eyes, he was so close to finally understand what was he try to look. But in the deepest of the shadows there was no color or shape, and no matter how much he starred the colors didn¡¯t come back. Now only the darkness cover his view, as the Warrior low mumbling and slow but ever closer steps demanded attention louder than any of his words before. His imagination started to run wild. He could almost see in his hand rocks and spears, each step carried him a dozen of meters and with deadly purpose as his eyes reflected his defenseless figure. As the anxiety grow worse so too did his visions, now the shadows were dancing, distorting dark light from it like the heated air over the frying rock. But he was sure, this time was just his head tricking him, the feeling he got from it was exactly the same he had when outside the game. Now was his turn to frown his head in displeasure. He closed his hands into fists trying to keep the composure, the mumbling of the Warrior ended in an audible reverence intonation. Now his small step got bolder, as the sound got closer twice as fast than before. But was a wet drip over his right thigh that kidnapped his attention and made him involuntary blink. As a flash of color overlap for a moment over the strange distortion, but was so fast that he could tell what he really saw. His senses heightened, the creeping steps; the calm cold wind blowing over his charred and torn cloth; and now the awe of the colors. But all he could feel was the second drop in the same place as before, the black pants couldn¡¯t soak it and so started to run in his leg. He loosened his grip but the drop stayed the same as his uncertainty if he indeed loosened his grip. His head trembles, fighting against the urge to look to the side and quell his anxiety, look at down and assert his own well being. But he persevered looking straight to the distortions, blinking many times he still doubted of his eyes, the flash of color like small floating blobs filtering the background. The Warrior now was but a few meters of him, he could almost feel his breath. The more he focused on the sound the less visible the distortions become, typing his finger he could just feel the pressure over his leg. And making his decision at the same time the wind started to howl. He closed his eyes, now no distorted shadow, no colorful flashes, no colors in the corner of the vision. His deep breath was masked by the powerful wind and so the dark was whole again. Unknowing to him, the Warrior was elated, the dark was wavering as moonlight rays occasionally pierced the heavy clouds. Giving him a glimpse of the area in front of him and revealed the sky over the hole in the ceiling, the clouds are slowly breaking apart, the moon will soon show in all its glory. After a couple of seconds, he wasn¡¯t alone in the dark anymore, sparks like scraping flint burst into existence in the golden shower, trying to kindle something but the sparks were too few and far between. In his finger, he could feel the cold metal touch of the flint, but like trying to move buried in mud his movement was sluggish and the spark he created was equally slow even to move or burn out. The tremulous as he scraped the flint, traveled right through the bones of his finger like lightning was cruising his body. Each indentation friction and each spark created forced the muscles into a micro spasm as it traveled, wearing his stamina in every try, but with a tiny amount of exhilaration along. While Mordread was scraping and kindling the wind, the Warrior weighed his options. He was battle ready but immobile as he watched the light show created by the ravaging wind. Now he had an idea on where he was, the existence of the rocks spread around and something dark at the very end of it. But as each second pass, his patience wore thin, touching last time his teeth necklaces he decided to keep moving forward at the same speed as before. He lied tried to be more cautious but the newly made known that he wasn¡¯t just walking into an endless abyss affected his vigilance, as he was walking to pass right beside Mordread. However the Warrior wasn¡¯t the only that the patient was ending, from the distant sound of the Warrior steps once again resounded and no progress aside from getting increasingly tiring the sparks just fly in the space like pathetic fireworks, without cause but to die out. The drip on his leg increased once again, his hands trembling, he tried to keep his breathing calm and put more focus on his task. After a few seconds he started to notice, the pale gold of the sparks was turning crimson not only his but the mysterious one that seen to come from nowhere. The red flame over the remainder of the golden one in the dark background morphed into an ember rock from his memory. The image itself hadn¡¯t changed was just the crimson sparks, but his focus takes his conscience away from the task right into the past not so long ago. The jolting of each hit on the flint, makes Mordread flinch. No more was accompanied by that minuscule sense of accomplishment and empowerment. What is running through his body was an equally minuscule the pain of the burning hands and feet falling deep into the embers. When he was trying not gritting his teeth was when the sparks hit something and turned into a flare and soon after into small vermillion flame, shocked by the development Mordread hesitated and the flame died right in front of him. Almost prompted him into an angry scream, but instead, he pressed deep into the flint as if to cut apart, his hand trembling and his veins bulging, the wet feeling from his leg now in changed to his left arm. He slashed the flint in a speed that vastly surpass his previous attempt, but that saying it was still half the velocity of in a normal situation. The sparks still flow slowly in their own decelerated world, but this didn¡¯t stop that from the flinch in the shape of a great vermillion plume surged forth, creating small flares soon after hitting something invisible in front of him. The wet and hot from his left seen to respond to it and increase accordingly, In midst of the cloud of sparks the shape of what it hit to become a little more clear, as it resembled the strange distortions from before. The small flame once again lived and raged fiercely while Mordred indulged himself with older memory. Now each new try was accompanied by a spray of sparks, that created other micro flames around him, but clearly with the big and first flame in the center. An evil smile had creepy in his mind without him noticing. As he could see chronologically like flash and with each new memory his anger built up, his breathing was now in disorder and his heart beating fast. He stopped, his smile turned into bitterness that could stand but some seconds before all emotion was gone. The sparks and flames like a releasing a long breath, they quick died and faded. Now not even the sparks could be seen only darkness. His mouth moved but no word came, but the meaning was clear: ¡°All gone...¡± The Warrior steps were also gone. Now he his right at the center of the throne hall and beside Mordread that was back to him, one step to left and he would have crashed into him. As he waited for the moon. The time for the wind to clear the sky has come, like a curtain being pulled it light slowly slid through the hole in the direction of the center. First, was the ruined wall and what left of light through the stained glasses, creating small moonlight pillars as it passes the slip of the red curtain. At this point, the reflection already showed the outline of the collapsed column and it remains. As the light moved and the cloud gets out of the way, was the white pillar be washed by the blue moonlight uncovering the feeling of looking at an ancient ruin, as the scattered rocks tell a story in itself, creating their own shadow on the floor. Now the light from the hole will quickly converge at the end of the hall. The Thorne suck the light around him, hiding whatever is sitting on it unless is directly hit by light, the Warrior knows this and adjust his position and reaffirm his grip he knows that the battle is close. In this distance the dark side of the hall starts to falter, almost a meter is already cleared in the area closer to the hole. This time is not the same ink darkness from before, where light and sight follow the rules of that severed dimension, blocking any prying eye from outside.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Mordread opened his eyes but he isn¡¯t looking to the heart of the dark side of the hall like before, his eyes are lost and his head looking down into the void. His arms are dropped without any strength on it as the red stained glass in his right hand is almost falling. His right leg is stained with drops of blood while his left arm has many cuts from the forearm to his burned palm, most of them are superficial messy cut but 3, in particular, are deep enough to show the bone. The right hand still dripping from the cut of hold the glass shard and the left has many streaming blood, dripping from the tips of each hand. The time await no one, as the strong wind has no effect in bringing him back the moonlight is about to touch the Darkthrone and reflect enough light to shadow around him not be enough to hide him. In that moment Mordread rises his head with the same deadpan expression and slowly grip over the bloody glass shard. Moving his head slightly to not alert the Warrior and confirm that he is at his side. While the Warrior has his attention on the enemy on the throne. He raises his hand and bolt forward, glass in hand and aiming for his thick neck. The light finally hit the throne and is empty, the Warrior is taken aback but he notices the sudden movement at the corner of his vision, he tries to turn and get away from it. But the body of the Warrior isn¡¯t nimble enough and the shard hit him deep in the neck, however, Mordread doesn''t stop there and is throwing himself at him. The surprised and out of balance Warrior could do nothing but be tackled to the ground. All he saw was something jumped out of the shadow with a spectral aura spreading from it, as a bloody red something approached him in great velocity. The last thing he saw before losing his balance was the hollow eyes in the middle of a white mass. When they hit the ground Mordread try to use his mass to make it deeper, however, it wasn¡¯t a clean strike as he had to make a sudden turn before the attack, so the shard broke before could go deeper. The Warrior cushioned Mordread and both rolled on the ground. Mordread in one breath raised and used what left of the shard as a dagger, to hit him while he was still on the ground. But even out of breath the Warrior still had the presence to block his attack raising his club. Without support from a stable footing is limited the power of the club by itself, however, the club was wide enough to protect his vitals enough for him to raise. The next attack was to get somewhere on the neck or eye, that was swift parried out of the way by a club swim. As The Warrior tried to roll away, Mordread latched around the arm holding the club and put his knee on his chest for him not easily turn. Stopping him with this extra weight. He quickly stabbed his forearm try to weaken his grip on the club, just like he had done to his own arm. The Warrior still stronger than Mordread and stopping one of his arms that flailed wildly to break free and receiving punches to his side while he tried to him it wasn¡¯t a clean job as he hoped to be. The moment he latched the punches showered on him, while his own stab to weaken his grip has a mild result. He couldn¡¯t reach his face so he tried his best to punch him away, it wasn¡¯t the horrible position to throw a punch that he was, it would be easy for him to break a human bone with one of his punch. That moment that the warrior gave up the club and pushed Mordread away, Mordread in response rolled while bracing the club and got up more or less at the same moment than the warrior. Now he was armed, however, he didn¡¯t look like someone that was winning. The Warrior had his neck bleeding with a big piece of glass stick out of his left side, his white wolf pelt cape was dirtied by rolling on the ground and his right arm had a variety of cuts while his left fist was purple and trembling slightly. Mordread was with his white hair disheveled and burnt, his eyes finally returned life, but now his red eyes looked like a psychopath, the edgy of his cloth was torn and burnt. His feet in special was so badly burnt that part of the bone could be seen red. Holding point down the newly acquired club on the right hand could still see the blood dripping from the deep cut on his palm. While his left side is slightly forward the forearm is hanging down as if broken and dripping blood from the many cuts looking almost like a glove. The Spectral cape fluttered with the strong warm wind coming from the side, giving the illusion like he was opening one wing. They faced each other while soothing their breath, a few feet away from one another, Mordread had his back to the pile of rubbles of the column while behind the Warrior was the second column. The club was a simple yellow hummer bone with some carving in the handle to improve the grip, the shaft has a small increase until the tip with a knob at it widest was a little bigger than a fist, however it was many times heavier than someone would give credit. The warrior didn¡¯t see to have any spare weapon, his furred boots and pants don¡¯t have any hidden compartment, instead of gripping one of the tooth in his teeth''s collar. With that in mind was Mordred that took the initiative and attacked the warrior. Mordread attacks could only be called desperate, his hand was injured and there was no sight of any ability. However a club isn¡¯t a complex weapon, and the warrior without the weapon was forced into a corner, or so was for a while. Because Mordread could see the strange distortion around the warrior, akin to he had seen in the darkness before. And his attack that should at least broke a bone or two didn¡¯t have much effect, the warrior was clear felling each strike but not after that. When he was distracted with the warrior defense, he opened his hand to grab the club. For a hair breath, he didn¡¯t manage to hold on it, in fact, his finger was the target of the next strike, forcing him to retreat. Their quick fight ended next to the hole on the wall. The hot wind blows their hair as Mordread keep the pressure with his attacks. When a crow flies by the hole and broke Mordread concentration. The warrior took this chance and bolted toward a rock big rock in the ground, something the size of a men chest and started to lift it. Mordread was quick to follow his attack, on his exposed back. But his attack, on the back, arm, and even head was complete shrugged off as his enemy took a deep breath while rising that bolder. The distortion was now stronger enough to his form slight wave as covered his body, but when he took that deep breath the air that he sucked was also filled with that distortion. Watching his attack fail he instead took a handful of glass shards and pebbles and tried to blind him with it. Without a surprise, the plan failed but small cuts could be seen on his arm start to bleeding. Quickly he grabbed a long sharp glass shard and when he was about to throw it, stabbed him, but his target changed midway. While he wanted to simply put the glass in the middle of his throat, his last moment dodge saved his life, but he ends up losing his right into the eyes. Surprising enough the sharp point cut through the distortion and took his sight from him. However, the warrior wasn¡¯t a simple man and still throw the halfway raised bolder at Mordread. Mordread that was already counting with him just let go the bolder because of the pain was taken off guard and tried to jump away from it, but his burnt leg wasn¡¯t fast enough and was grazed by the bolder. The crack of his bone breaking could be heard anywhere in the hall but this was drowned by the scream of utter agony from both of them. The bruise was deep and bloody already creating a pool of blood around, a bone was showing and the leg to twisted to an angle that shouldn¡¯t be possible was already clear in his fate of it. And after agonizing on the ground he took a larger stone and strapped with what was left of his shirt, and used the club as a walking stick and limp his way back to the dark side He hasn''t noticed, but the one that was roughly touching together was at a visible rate sealing the connection between them, like if it was wielding two pieces of metal. Meanwhile, the loss of his eye and the sudden throw of the rock had a great impact in the warrior, his breath was erratic his face pale and the distortion around him was fading in and out around him, as he screamed of pain. Every Time he opened his good eye or tried to keep his lost eye closed, the pain would sting like an ice pick right into his brain. Where the only action he could take was rolled around the rubbles and press his face for some kind of comfort. When he managed to withstand the pain enough to keep his eye open, Mordread was trying to fix his leg a few meters away from him and after rolling around he was clear what kind of rocks there is here. He groped around until he found a piece that was just a little smaller than his head, in a rough diamond format was probably created when he throws that bolder. But this simple task was constantly interrupted by the sting pain from the moving his head around when his vision was cut in half. When he was finally ready, Mordread had already got up and was trying to move away, he took a quick breath and throw the rock. But he regretted soon after, as the sudden move of throwing such heavy thing, was akin to beat his head with a hammer, as the pain flared stronger than ever. Mordread was already used to it his own and of his enemy scream of pain that he hadn¡¯t paid attention to another. Was from the corner of the eyes that he managed to see the rock come toward him. However it was too late already, half of his muscle is beaten black and blue, he is limp his leg with his recently burnt leg, and using the club as a walking stick he didn¡¯t have time to do anything aside from bracing himself for the impact. He, in fact, tried to use the walking stick as a last second defense, taking away from his support on the left side to try to shield the body from a direct impact. However not only the movement couldn¡¯t arrive before the hit, now the support of him keep standing is gone. The rock hit the side of his chest, in the same place that he was punched before and his body falls like a log over the rocks and glass. The glass pierced most of his left side and because the way he had fallen it had embedded in his skin, while the small rocks provided the Bludgeoning damage. But he couldn¡¯t squirm much or risk his first-aid go for nothing, making him freeze in an extremely uncomfortable and painful position as he screamed the effect on his recently broken leg. Took a considerable amount of time before Mordread manages to crawl his way to the fire bolder. As each time he tried to walk the warrior throws the nearest stone he could find, this doesn''t mean he always hit but each time he gets would be another fall into rocks and glass. When he arrived there, he was on the dark side of the hall and even in the moonlight, that was now partially covered, was very hard for the warrior to see. However, his scream was getting farther and farther apart and he had seen him try to walk toward him on more than one occasion. However, for now, he had some time to think. While he cleaned the glass shard still embedded in his body he started to formulate his plan or so he wished, the more he thought the less believable was the chance of him get out of this alive. His body is mostly broken, he have a weapon but his enemy can stand and walk, the blood loss was already making his body feel cold, but he couldn¡¯t enjoy the heat from the bolder. A rock the size of a head flew by almost hitting him resting with his back against the wall, but manage to hit the edge of the fire bolder. Golden and red sparks spread as small chunks of glowing rock fall from the bolder. However when he looked at the rock it was the same diamond shaped that he been hit and this time he didn¡¯t hear any scream of pain, but just a muffled and angry noise. But while he analyzed the rock that small chunks of hot rock hit two pieces of glass and they quickly melted in one piece. This scene gave him the insight he needed to finish this fight. The Warrior, from time to time throw rocks at the general area where Mordread ran too, however fueled by anger and pressing his face with one hand and attacking with other he quickly approached him, now that he could bear better the pain but that doesn¡¯t mean that he still need to wait for a little and vent some pain, before he can proceed. When he was crossing the threshold between the dark side and the light side of the hall, he was read, one hand was holding a big piece of rock ready to launch and other carrying in front of him if he jumped from it. Was when he started to see the warm colors of fire somewhere there. The Distortion around his body was as strong as the time he was lifting that bolder, as he gets closer the warm of it made clear the origin, a flammable siege ammunition. And behind it look like there is something hiding, he can see what look like a head already. His step is cautious, looking all around, but try to circle whatever is hiding behind it. He gives a small jump in the direction of the prey behind the boulder, only to find a pile of rocks that he had throw early and the head was that diamond head sized rock. At the same time Mordread lung forward from his side, but he isn¡¯t swinging the mace at him, but instead he is using like a spear as a strange warm radiance emanates from its tip. The first swing miss as the attack came from the side he lost his sight, Mordread didn¡¯t forgive his mistake and pierce the glass tip right in his chest. As the distortion falter and stretched thin around him, as it trembles in response to the sudden attack. The warrior screamed in rage as he launched his attack with the rocks like his own version of the club. This time hit right over Mordread head, blood spew and his eyes turn back making him lose conscience for a moment. Next he aimed right on the club and breaking the red glass tips, making the club almost escape from the partially conscient hands. Chapter 12 - The Core and The Exit He could feel the blood on his mouth and his teeth grinding in pain, the blood gushed out from his forehead quick blocking his limited vision fighting in the shadows, but the pain of have to use his broken leg to keep up brought him back from the blackout as the warrior turned to bash his head once again. With a small jump, he evaded the next strike as he turned the club around where another glass tip was poorly attached to it but was enough for another stab aimed to his face. But facing this attack he quickly raised his right arm to defend and used as a shield. The glass tip pierced the already cut forearm and the tip could be seen on the other side before breaking as the free hand once again hit Mordread face. Mordread stumbled to the side fighting to keep up but the broken leg couldn¡¯t hold him this time and he ended in his knee.The noise of the rock falling and hitting the ground sounded distant as if was a thousand meters from him, he feel lightheaded and if wasn¡¯t for his Clear Mind, as detached view from the situation, he wouldn¡¯t be able to respond to the buffing in pain and madness warrior in a hasty beeline for him. With his own face feeling the baking of the embers now centimeters from him he tried to get up but he didn¡¯t have time, so he holds griped the club with all strength he had left as the warrior raised the remaining rock on his hand. Turning his body in a quick spin, hitting the fire bolder edge and the flying embers quick covered the warrior body and some even hit his cut eye, prompting him to stop in his track to protect his face. The club, however, didn¡¯t stop only there and keep in his track and hit the Warrior jaw, taking blood and some teeth with it. Now was the warrior that blackout, Mordread that had bare stand didn¡¯t lose this chance and screaming obscenities he hit now from above his head. But the trembling hand couldn¡¯t hold the bone club with all the blood from his own palm and this time the club couldn¡¯t be kept in his hand and ended rolling somewhere outside his view. He stood before the still confuse warrior and kicked him with all his might with his broken leg, that once again cracked with the impact, the extra weight of the stone still strapped on it gave enough momentum to throw him right over the smoldering rock raising flames and spark high in the sky. The pain, however, the crushing pain was severe and traveled through his bones marrow, losing his balance and falling over the burning warrior. Their reaction while they echoed each other suffering and agony howl, the warrior trashed about wildly trying to get out of his burning hell, but the bolder was partially hollow and like an egg, his back was deep in his center while his feet couldn¡¯t touch the ground. Mordread froze in pain as he feels his foot was held just by the muscle around it trying to move it the least possible, but over the crazed men under him was but a vain hope and each time he moved his feet swayed in pain. The warrior conscience had long-leaved him but his anger was enough to try to push and break his enemy in front of him. First was a flurry of punches with all his strength and without any regard for his fist hitting the painful hard bones under his skin, but he keeps protecting his head with his arm and the more he punched the more the fire rock scraped the skin of his back. Changing his strategy he couldn¡¯t feel enough satisfaction with such punches so he started to strangulate him, blood was start to boil on his mouth but he didn¡¯t mind, showing his teeth he could feel the blood from his torn eye streaming for his mouth and this only makes his wrath hit another level, now even the pain of the flames was secondary. He needed to see the moment where the light vanishes from the bastard in front of him. Mordread was struggling to break free and release the pressure from his neck, but the warrior that was already stronger than him gained an iron grip and his own muscles couldn¡¯t make him budge a centimeter. His white hair was in a patch of red blood, black charcoal, and gray dust, sticking on his face that had a big bruise on half of it from moments ago that would have difficulty his vision it wasn¡¯t long covered by the blood oozing from the strikes on his head. But his expression was filled with an unwillingness to surrender to the fate that he was quickly running towards, as he also was gritting his teeth and try his best to suppress the burning pain on his lungs longing from free air. The anxiety builds up as the air run out, the burning pain of the embers falling over him, his vision started to fail and the well illuminated by the fire hell around him was starting to get dark. He gave up to try to break his grasp and grabbed a handful of the burning rock around him and pressed in his face, as the embers entered his mouth and wound he screamed loud but his determination in strangling his enemy to death was above such problems and after some seconds of the grip weakening just enough to take a small breath the strength come back. Mordread knows that in the moment his vision vanished would be his end. His hand reaches for the stone strapped to his broken leg but he couldn¡¯t reach, just scrap the very edge of it, the club was long gone somewhere in the darkness and his hand bare reach the warrior''s face. Now as the despair started to set in and half of his vision gone the groped around for anything. For many time he could just feel the painful touch of fire around and the tattered cloth of both. Was when he found something his vision was just a third of what was and now that heat distortion started to fuse with the darkness distortion from before. Now that red fire could be seen again but it was dirtied by other colors, in fact, was almost consumed by them like sick green and pale blue, each second that pass the blue gained ground. Gripping the long tooth on the warrior teeth necklace, he has torn it apart, the other teeth scattered into the embers around while the white pelt on his back couldn¡¯t hold anymore and was burning wildly on the warrior back. So he raised his new weapon high, the warrior that could see only red in front of him hadn¡¯t noticed and was dead set on finish his task. However, mordread strength started to falter trembling he could bare hold the tooth in his hand, and now the flame overlap with the face of the Warrior and with just a feel centimeters left the black flame from before raised from its center and his target from the neck changed mid attack to take away his other eye. This time he couldn¡¯t just shrug off, the warrior release the strangling and took one hand to his eye while the other gave a sound impact on Mordread face that was almost thrown back to the ground, as he greed absorbed the oxygen around, even if the hot hair entered like blazing shrapnel scrapping his throat and lung, for him it was sweet as a dream of vengeance itself. But now he could reach the stone on his leg, he didn¡¯t hesitate and tore the burning cloth around it, the leg rocked around and he couldn¡¯t keep from agony filled roar as he lifted high above his head. Opening his eye facing the miserable state of the now blind warrior, as the drops of blood flowed as stream like tears to his cheek, but there was only rage on his eye, as he holds the rock with both hands, the warrior finally manage to pull off the tooth that he so dearly hold before now was extremely difficult to simple touch it. And so the rock fall with all his weight and strength behind and again and again, each time he would repeat one of the words. ¡°YOU¡± The rock was once again raised and bashed ¡°KNOW¡± the rock bashed again ¡°WHO¡± the rock bashed again and again ¡°I¡¯M?¡± the rock bashed again and again and again ¡°I¡¯m NOBODY!¡± and again ¡°NO FUCKING BODY!¡± and again ¡°YOU GET IT? NOBODY!¡± and again ¡°Tell everyone that was all work of NOBODY!¡± againUnauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°NO HARKAI, NO MAKUI, NO FUCKING TETHENNAK! again ¡°NO NOBLE, NO COMMONER, NO FUCKING USER!¡± Now the cracking was muffled by the squishy wet noise ¡°I¡¯M NOBODY! I¡¯M A FUCKING GHOST¡± The blood splashed all over his face and back As he stopped in his attack he was out of breath, his hand and body was just as bloody as the rock he used to bash the warrior, he glanced for a few seconds the poor state of his weapon and with disgust he throws it aside looking down but not at him but inside his memory when a small schism noise was heard. The chest of the warrior was still moving but with difficulty, what remains of his jaw bone was trembling as he leaves painful gasp for air. Mordread eye starts to tremble his face showed an emotionless shock as his own mouth mimicked the movement of the warrior. But in the very next instant, he was taken by a blazing rage enough to prompt his still good leg back into the pit of fire and his knee over the bloody body of the warrior. His hand grabbed his now burnt black hair, and with difficulty raised his from the rock and looked close to the pitiful minced meat that was now the warrior''s face, that at the moment looked like was the start to drown on the blood oozing from his mouth. After looking around for a bit he found the core of the bolder and started to use the warrior head to carve into his deep. Time and time again, his own breathing was out of place and the vision was already blacking out slight but he didn¡¯t stop until he heard a crack. But not the crack of the warrior skull that not soon after being used as a hammer started to make such noise in each new collision. What happens was the crack of the ember bolder. In fact after such long time burning the boulder was less of a rock as it was a big pile of charcoal and after being hit time and time again while two grown men fight over it couldn¡¯t hold anymore and break almost in the center. Making both slides as part of the rock give in, as they fall back to the ground and scattered blazing pebbles. Mordread fall that was partially standing ended rolling back with the loss of the foothold and end up spread out on the ground. His previous good but already burn leg was black and only the gnawing pain from his leg could be felt, while his broken leg without the support and rocking around while he attacked had cut part of his muscle and part of it was sticking out like a red broken twig. The warrior wasn¡¯t making any noises or movement as his body has just slid slightly from where he was and most of it was still being blazed by the hot rocks of the core of the bolder. He tried to suppress, but was for naught he started to thrash around like a worm as each of his muscle spasmed out of synchrony and control. Hist gasp turned into a scream that turned into howl agony louder than his hot and dry air managed to squish through the blood on his mouth. For minutes the agony continued, a stream of tears washed his face alongside the blood from his wounds. After calming his internal demons all it was left was the empty darkness from the paradoxical endless ceiling that hangs broken chains and unending columns and walls without never showing how far it goes. With the center now exposed the bolder could blaze brighter each time the cold wind blows but also fading it¡¯s light as soon as the wind is gone, pulsing the orange and red light in the corner of his vision. The sleepiness and tiredness hit him as strong as the fight before, the embracing dark the dim and warm light and the sound of rain on the background that brought the direly needed humidity to the ambient. Supported by the pain fading alongside his conscience, everything feels right for quick close his eye, for just one moment. However, Mordread hadn¡¯t ended yet and even with the help of his clear mind was difficult for him to move his body again. He first raised his body enough to sit, there he saw again the warrior oozing smell of cooking meat, the water from the rain entering from the hole was already making it well to where he was and his leg keep tormenting him while the sleepiness, attack become more and more relentless. Whoever there was a new wound on his side that he hadn''t noticed before, the tooth was sticking out from his belly. Deciding against touching the tooth that didn¡¯t look like was bleeding as much as the other wounds he focused on the state of his broken leg. After some hesitation, he pressed it back inside, as he screamed in pain and after a long time, the strange redbone wasn¡¯t visible anymore but his leg was just as black as his other one, that after all this time eased a little. But his mind keeps reminding him that probably the new pain just overrides the previous unbearable threshold. But now he had nothing to use, the blazer had been lost in the middle of the fight and his shirt was torn not too long ago, while his pant had turned into a short at the time of the first contact with the smoldering flames. Looking around was equally desert as before, without choice he crawled again his way to the bolder, but now with both of his legs out of commission and only his burnt and cut hand to pull him around. As he approached the warrior body he looked at the previous white wolf pelt on his back, now was torn riddled with holes and black from the blazing rocks, part was even sticking in his muscles. A strange anxiety started to build up as his hand was slowly closing his body, his eye quick interchanged between the wolf pelt that he was after and the hidden face of his. As he touched the warrior, he flinched waiting for any sudden movement, but there was nothing. With a sigh he keeps his work and struggled to tie out from his neck the remain of the now black and white pelt, but as he finished his job and the body slid a little more because of the movement the smell of burnt meat filled the air but was a minor annoyance for Mordread at this point. However, at the very core of the bolder, he could see a bright light, hitting the center of his eyes forcing him to look away from the piercing pain. However, it was neither the light of the fire and ember or the flash of the electric lights, after the first glance he could see that in fact was a dim and soft radiating a golden white light, with blazing light from the embers surrounding it, creating most of the painful light. He had seen such thing somewhere before, but he couldn¡¯t put a name on it. As he grabbed it the consistency was a mix of smooth crystal feeling along with the consistency of a tensed muscle, it was hot but after all, he had passed it wasn¡¯t enough to suppress his curiosity. When it was away from the boulder that he noticed, the core also pulsed in a strong light, just like the embers, every time the wind fly over it and got the temperature raised alongside. When he feels the cold water touching his feet Mordread was surprised, but the rain had already created a pool reaching the bolder, soon the fizzy and sparkly sound of the water hitting the hot rock followed as the steam clouds formed. Mordread quick took another way too big rock to keep his broken leg in place, but the feeling of his bones slight out of place plagued his mind. When the hall started to fill with stream was when Mordread started to move, but like he expected he couldn¡¯t put any weight in neither of his legs. So he crawled to the big door at the end of the hall, back to the center where this fight started he pass the broken remains of the now wet pillar; the column that was just behind the warrior at the end of their first exchange; the hidden third pillar that none of its features could be seen and lastly the stairs. The pillar of blinding light was still there, radiating from the small crack that the heavy door allowed, hiding from prying eyes just like the ink black dark from before. On each side the pillars closer to the door and the wall than the rest give a strange sense of imposing importance, the only instance he saw the pillars from the dark side of the hall, but was the same as the others before what lowered his expectation a little. The stair matches one of the thrones. However, while the throne is three steps here is just two, both are wide and not very tall make one wonder what was their purpose. The gate was a plain two door plank that it only feature was it thickness and size, that easy reach 5 meters, with a small arc on the top. His cut and burn arm is also filled with bruises, but the pain is a distant reminder while his eyes that fight to keep open, Mordread would try to flex the muscle on his leg to sting himself in order to wake, sadly the pain didn¡¯t stop there and keep gnawing his muscle for a couple of seconds longer. The problem is this was getting less and less effective as the time pass, the pain was strong as always but the tiredness and sleepiness keep in a steady rise. Mordread with the core, on one hand, he finally was three steps away from crossing the door. The long and torn spectral cape had stretched three to four meters, giving the illusion that his body was long as a snake. As his leg protested against have to climb the stair, the vertical cut in the center it opened by the uncontrollable spasms, cutting in right and left long tracks of spectra cape coming from his bare and blood back. At the same time, his hand was having trouble raising his weight for the task because he was unwilling need to scrap even more on stair than he already would, making the climbing of each step took much more try. Ironically was only the strong and blinding white light that helped him help in his waking his increasingly dull body. The moment he crossed, the blind light slowly faded and in its place, the warm light of dozen of big black iron braziers lit in a checkerboard manner on a short hallway. Their design mirrored the ones on the columns inside the throne hall, simple rounded triangle shaped bowl with the big indentation on its border, the only difference was while inside they have three indentations one in each corner like wide leafs sprung from it. this has just one at the very center shaped like a tooth or sword. They provided all the source of light as there was no window come from the hallway itself. Mordread decide to keep going forward, crawling over a long red-carpeted with mud footprint, but otherwise clean that stretched all the way to a well lit courtyard. Each time the crystal approached the fabric it started wrinkle and the color fade a little before have to pull with increasing difficult himself forward again. The cold wind was now chilling his bone and he could swear that there is steaming cloud each time he exhales. But he just took a deep breath and keep moving, or so he wished. The vision of the long and numerous thin white pillars of the courtyard started to blur, as the color of the green grass and ash white of the adonmentless fountain mix in a that same sickly pale green from before. The core almost fell from his hand but in last resort Mordread turned around and sprawled in the middle of the red carpet and hugged the crystal in his chest that at the time was almost freezing. The warm over him was the last straw and succumbed to the sleep, but until the end the warm failed to warm his inside. Chapter 13 - From Your Dream <4%> The next time he opened his eye, it was greeted by an unfamiliar ceiling. His mind needs a moment to sink in, meanwhile, the background slowly takes shape as the sound of the air decompression could be heard echoing inside the small room. The pale blue light gently beat fill the surrounding with just enough light to see around and not bother the still sleepy eyes, with the intensity increase and degrees the same tempo as the breath of someone in deep sleep. Was but a few seconds and when he saw the tight space he was in everything clicked together. In the holographic screens spread around the machine that showed a variety of data was instantly overridden by a warning on his condition, the heartbeat skyrocketed as the calm blue changed to a yellow hue still the intensity didn¡¯t increase by much and the long pulse. Mordread was trembling, looking around in panic he could see the white padding with black lines over it radiating from under him. His eyes moved erratically with little focus as he suddenly looked at his hands in front of him, was a perfect pair of uninjured hands. He slowly touched with cation the palm of his right hand only to feel the gentle pressure. But like had received a jolt of lightning he rebounding his hand far apart from each other. He looks again at the ceiling, the lamp of the center of the room was slight to the side, staring while squinting his eyes he with determination, crumpling all his face in the process like something hard to recall. In the moment his vision cleared he could easily see the edgy and detail of the featureless ceiling, his face showed surprise. After long irregular sigh, he closed his eyes and tried to take a breath slowly possible but wasn¡¯t much better than his rapid breathing, but after a few tries the warning signal was gone as the reading on his condition come back to acceptable levels, first the yellow light turned back to the calm blue then the report of his condition no more filled the whole screen and was demoting back to where it was before, back to normal condition. Opening his eye he was much calmer but still his face still bitter, he shacked his head a little and then come to look at his feet he hesitated a little, sneered to his own action and when he finally saw their state. The Loud noise of a train passing close by filled the silent room. He flinched and almost jumped out of the machine, cursing nine different gods while he confirmed the safety of his fingers, making him release air that he didn¡¯t know he was holding. The black casket started to slowly lift him to a upstand position, the blue light from before started to fade; the small screens projected streamed their last set of data, before starting to fade back to the spotless sleek black coffin hull and normal see through cover. He took the few seconds that took to experiment moving his fingers and toes and after a momentary awkwardness everything went fine, but his face wasn¡¯t much better, as he walked out of the Deep Dive Station, he looked back watching slowly assembling his part back to look just like a normal sleek black coffin, but with a 01 drawn in white over it. Noth''s hand was typing fast on the desk on his side, but he just released a tired sigh while he glanced red clock beside machine: < 5:11 > His eyes were drawn to the blurred window, he could see the small line of light of the train merging with the small colorful outline of New Iridium city, while all around only the dark of the night, his cracked phone looked as dead as always but the small shack and started, confirming the time and loading that
app from before. He took a cold shower and moved through the almost empty and dusty main room and once again find himself waiting for the freezer to fail to connect. After he was granted access, there was only condiments but no food, making him palm his forehead lightly as he closed the door and waved his hand over a black line on the wall that he was close by. A simple and rough image of a light switch showed up, but even before finished loading the image he waved his hand and the image changed, as five smaller switches appear side by side, and once again Noth waved his hand. Big red numbers that showed just like the one in his room. <5:50> He looks to nothing in particular while counting something on his fingers, until he stopped midway and release some small click with his tongue, before moving on to the door. In order to start to put the protective cloth around his cheap suit, he stopped for a moment looking at him partially covered suit by the black and white jacket and sneered with a quick burst of air, that turned into a small laugh. His hand moved to take out the tie but he stopped mid-action and finished preparing himself and put the gas mask. As he closed the door he took something from his pocket, where the rectangular black mirror luckily this time opened a little faster than before as the bold words: < Welcome back Noth > The very first thing was a list of a variety of people still gray with 10 or more years without connecting, under it. After confirming he moved around the tabs and chat windows that still had some scattered people talking and entered on specific place < Personal Workshop > There he could see a list divided into four category < Private > < Collab > < Guild¡¯s > < Public > After a quick browsing on earlier projects, on the Private tag, he found what he was looking for. There was a couple of mundane named objects, but the one he was looking for was one was only a few works without a number beside. <...> < Prototype_Lock> <...> <...> <...> < Prototype_Seat_13 > <...> But before he clicked, a word on the bottom of the screen stole his gaze, with many with a small variation of the same name around it was much heavier than the one beside him. after gazing for a couple of seconds his finger moved down and clicked on it. Prompting a message on the screen After he clicked No another pop-up appeared. < Private > < Collab > < Guild¡¯s > Now he clicking on Private, after a couple of seconds the last window showed: Noth waited for some for about a second, but he wasn¡¯t looking at his phone anymore but the black door of his apartment. When the door of his house merged with a new forming figure, the simple door changed for a metallic luster monoliths, white a white symbol a little over his head. The hologram was failed when touched the edge of the door and knob, creating small occasional glitch all around the hologram and the metal luster gave a fake digital feeling from it even without the glitches, however Noth wasn¡¯t interested in any of this he just stared with a small smile creeping on his face as his eyes looked beyond the simple white symbol over it.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Ending with his raising his hand to reach the heart of the symbol, but a sudden glitch took it away, making his release a long sigh as the screen of his phone a red window showed: Clicking, No, again he quickly moved to the previous Prototype_Lock object and without even waiting for the hologram finished loading he moved away. With the corner of his eye, it was easy to see the door fusing with the wall surrounding and only another section of the bright orange wall was there. When he walked outside was pitch black, if not for the night sky still visible. But all around him, the one thing he could see was a blurred diffused light that didn¡¯t illuminate anything. The lack of public illumination means that today he would need a lantern to walk and not just use the reflected light from the lively part of the city. Moving his hand over the hood and touching a small black sensor the lantern build on the shoulder was turned on, revealing the true nature of this darkness, a dense gray fog from the clouds that lowered too much in the night. The timer left of the battery showed in the corner of the visor, a little less than 24 hours, another click and a dim soft blue light started to radiate from his cloth, the visor changed from the 24 to a week on the time left, but it wasn¡¯t that what he was looking, but the small blue lines on his sleeve that created this fluorescent light. His hand trembled a little, soon after he left the house using the lantern. He walked a few meters before he stopped and took a deep breath. In the corner of the mask said was humid, but he could only trust the mask as the air he is breathing was controlled to never feel neither smell or humidity. The only thing he could feel was the cold air entering his system proving that indeed was below 16 co. He looked up at the shadow of the building to the east. ¡°Is hot today¡­¡± As the contemplation ended his feet moved toward Iridium North Station. ¡° Maybe too hot - after a moment of silence he completed before he scoffed lightly - and yet¡­¡± His feet was fast and the music louder than usual, but when the first sun rays broke through the clouds over the city a light green light started to reflect on the very tip of the building, slowly descending, like watching the world on fast forward. The green light directed right over where he was, but in automatic response, he turns off the lantern, his step or his sight never changed, just the visor readjusted a little the light. However, while the green was turning blue and the first sparks popped here and there and the yellow canisters around the street started to slowly rise from the ground he stopped dead in his track. His vision suddenly got dark, the gas mask visor quick corrected and he looked up and saw, there the black crack midst of the mirror dark blue obelisk, with a yellow hue from under it. Around he could still see the big and small damage, on a clear path, the cracked wall in a basketball format; the bent poles due to support a weight that they weren''t designed to do; the deep indentation like a stake just hit it; the twisted metal and plastic of the previous row of windows frames; and the gigantic graffiti covering the front face of the skyscraper. Noth frowned, In fact, what he saw was the last vestige of the graffiti as red dot worked fast in cleaning it like it never existed in the first place with a quick cone of light. The building has a close to the center there was an eye, a deep ice blue eye, staring right at him and Noth calm look was changed to a look to match the piercing eyes of the graffiti. When the robot cleaned the eye, Noth scoffed lightly and keep moving, he shacked his head as he started to hear the noise of fans. But unknown to him, while he indeed took out the murderous gaze he had before, was exchanged to a constant crumpled face, almost twitching to show his teeth. The rise of the yellow canister on the pathway marked the harbinger of the flying machines, as the rotating light gave a yellow glow to the surroundings like if the buildings and skyscraper are pillars over a glowing pool or river. By the time the sparks are common like fireflies on grass, the Transporter with the massive size and loud high-speed motors blew air to help keep in place with some visible difficulty in maintaining its stability start to harvest the canisters. Noth looked to it and then to the hole in the building, but after a few seconds, the only thing that changed is that red got lighter but don¡¯t disappear like last time, now the black building make the perfect surrounding to give the burning feeling all around. The visor showed that the temperature had fallen to 11co, Noth glanced at it, and put the volume even louder than before, his breathing got a little faster and his face was now terrible, anger and displeasure is the only thing it is conveying while he had to walk another hour until the North Station. ¡°Too hot indeed¡­¡± On the busy corner inside of the station Noth rested his head on his hand, while seated on the counter of the restaurant Raising Dragon, a gray boot with other 5 people working in a small space, serving a variety of food, from soups to full set meals, as the strong smell of spice filled the air. When the familiar voice echoed. ¡°Costumer, what you want?¡± ¡°oh Sir Yang, sorry, I was daydreaming, you know how it is.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, time very short, life very busy, so what will be? You look like someone that would like to try our new D-Lounges, best you will find in all Station. Great View, spacious and even Augmented Reality for when the food arrived.¡± ¡°You know that I can¡¯t¡­ wait, Augmented Reality, you are still using this?¡± ¡°Ohh dear customer, don¡¯t be silly, how you think I keep this majestic palace inside the station? you don¡¯t think this spiral is real right?¡± ¡°Oh, well¡­ Haven¡¯t they prohibited from you using the spiral 2 years ago?¡± ¡°What? No, no, what happened was that we are focused on this new lounge technology so we couldn¡¯t keep the AR on.¡± ¡°Sure, that is what happens, I will just take the same as always, special number 4.¡± ¡°Yes, but you know that if you take the special number 4 you have an 8% off of our Special Augmented Table? no, I can make 9% for you. I can even get a special sake for just half of the price.¡± ¡°The one that came with the special number 4 order?¡± ¡°ohoho, sorry costumer someone is calling me, I need to leave. Enjoy your stay.¡± As Mr. Yang showed speed unlikely for someone with more than 50 and mixed in seconds with the other''s employee and customers. Noth looked around and just see the same small gray booth on the white slat of the station, it was almost full, but there weren''t that many food booths left on the station, to begin with. Putting again the mask there was nothing different, he looked at the small AR letters written in a corner almost invisible gray, after some touching around, the color was lit and the AR shinned green. Was when the world has seen to glitch in and out for a moment, black and white static spot here and there. Until everything go back to normal, like hexagonal tiles turning, the gray food stall was taken by a bright red. First the stool table, that his arm was resting, the dull metal become a one-piece carved wood with snake-like Loong dragon at the corners. Then it hit the tableware from the others, customers, food that is seated at his side, they changed from the hard plastic to a luxurious looking gold and white jade. By this time everything changed, the inside of the stall where the food was hidden by a panel of the water tank with colorful fishes swimming around. Looking up it could see the cloud pierce redwood spiral, with the words Raising Dragon in golden marking the place. Still looking at the detail that his food arrived, he looked back, who was in front of him was an elegant old man, with a long white beard and bearing that screamed martial artist, but when he opened his mouth: ¡°Here, costumer, enjoy your food¡± "Was the voice of the Mr. Yang. Took the mask to eat, the illusion is broken and he is back to the same small busy food stall, but he wasn''t surprised, even with everything with a new look, the cold feeling of the metal or the sound of the kitchen work never changed." "Hey, Mr. Yang, you see to have something good here. You never thought to expand to the Dive?" "How could I? dear customer, The Raising Dragon is a memory passed from generations is my family." "Really so is so hard to go to the virtual world?" "No, is not hard to go to the virtual world, is hard to leave, you see in the virtual world there is no hunger so how can I sell such ancestral taste?" "Really, I always thought that what happened in there don''t matter. You could always come back here." "haha, you are funny guy costumer, You know that when you enter the dive world you don''t leave without betting everything." "What a bold word, is that also from your ancestral past." "No, is from a fortune cookie. But who say isn''t full of ancient knowledge. Hun, they are calling me already, will be 100 funny guys." Is good to see you again Mr. Yang. "You too Funny guy. Hun? 80? " "Are you charging for the free sake again?" "No, no, is just the mind, you know how it is right." "Yhee... too busy, too tired." As Noth turned the AR mode off again he commented to himself, ready to eat. ¡°Well, this explains why he didn¡¯t recognize me.¡± Chapeter 14 - Daddle: The Number One Waste Time Noth looked up to his phone, dd was open, in the black and empty background with only small dots of light slowly raised like fireflies in the summer on a lazy night. He waved over them and a chat would show up, each of them with a small change that, the fonts are in three dimensions or a small avatar showing their emoticons, other are glittering colors over strong contrast that could almost blind him. Most of them are talking in other languages or disturbing things, but Noth looked accustomed to such sight and keep scrolling between the fireflies, didn¡¯t take long for him to scroll every chat. When he finds one almost empty with other three people, was the standard clean configuration with their static image on the side and a discussion was going on. Red: the pie with chicken still better than the any other Blue: what a foolish thought, the superiority of the sweet ambrosia that is Pudim is unmatched Red: salt is the very basic of human equilibrium and chicken the foundation of our Empire Blue: I don¡¯t remember being part of a ranching empire, are you talking about salty Hermes Captain again? Yellow: ooh... a new lurker, hello anon *wave* Red: hehe, that was a crazy bastard we don¡¯t see often Blue: I can say that he went into a spiral after the fall of the crystal city Blue: In fact, I speculate that he is hiding something, probably that salt mines =) Red: Stop talking about Hermes-chan like that,( ¨R§¥¨Q)...he is just a little slow. White: stop you will scare him away, you can¡¯t show sudden movements when hunting¡­ Yellow: *wave stealth* Red: sure show him how it¡¯s done grampa white, like that time with the unicorn ( ?o ?? ?o) Blue: Hey, we promised to don¡¯t talk about, ¡°the unicorn incident¡± Yellow: such terror, such horror, how many lives are lost that day? *tragedy_war_dog.gif* ... ... ¡­ Red: The use of Kaiter-class RPG was madness, that would take him and the Cloud_Nine Blue: You can¡¯t see strategy even if is draw in front of you Red: So you are saying the loss of the Lite and Titan ship was part of Malten strategy? [Anon]: hello people Yellow: Welcome young one, are you ready to accept your destiny? White: Hi again White: I imagine that you are already an old veteran, but a recap chooses a new nickname in each chatroom. Yellow: No new blood since the attack 10 years ago. ahh that was the years White: And they call me gramps, are you sure that you aren¡¯t old as dust? [Anon]: thx, is just I see you guys are colorful, here so¡­ Blue: Hm¡­ I think is easier to say what color we have left than otherwise White: Don¡¯t try to impress the anon, he even got as far to get a color, we have many open spots just name one and see if the chat let you use it. White: Congrats you almost a real boy now. Black: I didn¡¯t expect the first to work Yellow: maybe so many thought of it that no one tried Red: Or no one wanted Blue: Well the strings still attached to every one of us Black: Let¡¯s hope the evil AI doesn''t decide to destroy the world Red: Hey guys, don¡¯t let me out of the fun. Please, ELI5 Blue: Isn¡¯t what we have been doing since you arrive? Red: *stab with eyes blue* White: sigh¡­ Black: haha, so¡­ anyone here is into this new DD games? Yellow: Oh no Blue: the forbidden words Red: run to the hills! quick Black: ? (Red private comment: Is white, get kinda out of hand when is about ) White: News? there hasn''t been anything since last year and with the death of Yggdrasil and Razor Road, they don¡¯t see the opportunity to jump into this market? ¡°Rom Software¡± tried miserably with that A Idol Like Myself, who come with this ridiculous names? must be one of that money grabber. White: Don¡¯t even start on that static mannequin they call anchor, well fitting if is to sink the rates, how could Razor Road Indiannoples Games make just mistake in their last year? They pulled Laymen into this, his awkwardness to try to move that show forward is such a sad vision. I never thought I would say that I wanted one of this fired in mid-air just so that could end.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Red: God dammit White, what are you a seer? or just one of your curses? turn Razor Road News they are doing just that Black: ???. Blue: that is white for you when he moves around mountain and river change course. Yellow: I¡¯m kinda worried about you blue, have you been eating well lately, you are saying make less and less sense. White: Wat? As he still eating he could see the channel on not very far from him. There was a muscle man in his 40, jumped straight from medieval front lines and still wearing dark red leather armor that its theme was clear red dragon. His face was square and amiable but now was filled with confusion while he stroked his big red beard, the strange scene developing in front of him. In a stark contrast with his valiant attire, on his side with a black haired beauty with a face that looked too innocent to her revealing bell-shaped dress that changed colors like leaf changing in the season. In fact, her young face and shocked disbelief, looked like she would cry at any moment. The happy looking goofy reporters that are in ridiculous outfits, like they are the jester of clowns, while they gave the notice to her like she was winning a prize. There was indeed balloons and a big check with the big digit on it, but she showed difficult to contain her sad tears and forced a smile like this was all along the show. The armoured men couldn¡¯t keep, he tried to approach the girl but the secondary looking reporter swift blocked him, as the angle changed to show just her and the main reporter, as something happened in the background, after some seconds they cut to him as he left the stage, the reporters made some jokes about it but prompt comeback to tormented the poor ex-presenter girl. The train leaves the station in 8:30 without delay, this time again Noth didn¡¯t get a place to seat or a corner to stay and as the train moved he already let a tired sigh. The train was once again filled with the colorful parts mix of styles, but this time there wasn¡¯t the eerie silence from before, but a heated discussion. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they are so lucky, I would give at least 1000 credits just to see it.¡± ¡°I that can¡¯t believe that you said that, you know how hard is to find a good Abeo Painting and this guy waste it on the burnt city. ¡° ¡°Aren¡¯t you also from the burnt city? why are you talking like you are a noble or something?¡± ¡°Well excuse me, but I''m almost a baron so you should keep your mouth shut.¡± ¡°Guys, guys, don¡¯t deviate from the point I want to finish this before our ban is over. So who wants the pic? As the good suggestion of our friend there, I will start with 1000g.¡± ¡°This is crazy, 1000 gold? I was talking about credit, there is no way someone will spend 1000 gold on a picture.¡± ¡°Well is that what they mean with ¡®in their weight in gold¡¯ ¡± ¡°I call bullshit, how could you get it before the cleaners get it first? I heard you can¡¯t see anything when is one of this ¡®Days of Fire¡¯.¡± ¡°What? the big baby can¡¯t walk when is dark?¡± ¡°Shut up Mark, I will beat the shit out of you when I get back to revive¡± ¡°Well I have a friend on the red caps and he got my source.¡± ¡°Hey, you are crazy? talk about red caps here?¡± ¡°And who will hear? the Ghosts?Look around everyone is minding their own business if you don¡¯t want to fuck off. Now 1010g, because our friend here got on my nerves. Wait, I already got the names here on with my servant. one, three, five¡­¡± ¡°Dammit the airline will start early today, everyone act natural.¡± In that moment all the voice ceased but their discussion was clear going without a problem, as they moved their mouth fiercely. Few seconds after started the advertisement and news on the windows of the cars, this time Noth wouldn¡¯t be able to see what was going on, aside from seeing the red light still surrounding the Iridium North Station, as the white zeppelins have trouble moving around the black buildings. Now he was somewhat in the middle of the car, when someone lost their balance or tried to move the crowd they inevitably push others aside, but not him. When he saw with the corner of his eye a lady, moving with difficulty in his direction he sighed one more time. When she touched on him to push him aside, she didn¡¯t feel anything and just phased through him, losing her balance in the act and hitting other people around him. She quickly got up if not with the hair disheveled and her face filled half with embarrassment and half with surprise, she was completely fine, turned back him and started to move her lips fast, he couldn¡¯t hear but he already knows every keyword that was going out of her mouth. ¡°...what you think you are¡­¡± ¡°...who do you think I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°... Why have you turned off the collision parameter?..¡± ¡°...Why are ignoring me? are you deaf?...¡± ¡°... We will meet on the court!...¡± ¡°...Why are you refusing to connect?oh, wait you aren¡¯t a¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t very interested in this already dead horse development, so he just closed his eyes and waited the time to arrive, but for his surprise, he hears her voice in much early than he ever expected. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry, I ended bumping on you¡± For a moment his face revealed a deep distrust, and instead of looking to her, he looked around but didn¡¯t find anyone looking talking to her, the one that was hit just gave a bad eye to him before continue talking with his friends. ¡°Now Ignore me isn¡¯t a gentleman way of doing things.¡± He looked back at her, a beautiful woman with long blond hair tied in a ponytail, deep blue eyes, and a black and white sportswear. While his distrust lessened, he filled with confusion and suspicion. ¡°Sorry, I was listening to a song and didn¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°Lie isn¡¯t also a gentleman way of doing things.¡± He took a deep breath as he feels the pressure of his blood raising ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that you have to bump on me, I hope that this doesn''t have caused any inconvenience on this ride.¡± ¡°Now sarcasm, you aren¡¯t good to deal with people are you? ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a horrible person, terrible without bounds, a cruel heartless monster that will turn the mirror of my problem into the shittest of the situations for the other around.¡± ¡°Humf- she snorted- a great job in keeping with the stereotype. He smiled, but he was starting to grind his teeth. ¡°You are welcome¡± She frowned a little with his response and said a little angry ¡°What your problem? I just wanted to say sorry!¡± ¡°No, what you wanted is to pity me, the poor ghost, that can¡¯t enjoy the heavens of DD, let talk to him so I can feel better about myself, or complete this challenge.¡± ¡°You need to wake you, this world doesn''t revolve around you and your pitying self-hole, only because I want to be a half decent human being, don¡¯t mean that I¡¯m interested in whatever problem you have.¡± ¡°Such, wise word, such knowledge, and wisdom, oh thank you. Kind and great master from above to teach this little mortal how shit he is. I¡¯m sure now my step for enlightenment are one step closer.¡± ¡°Asshole¡± ¡°Bitch¡± She sneered before moving away, the jacket with and disappear in the sea of people, their small discussion attracted some few onlookers and their reaction varied between apathy, laugh, and disgust. Noth closed his eyes and keep taking a deep breath, and every a couple of seconds he twitches a little, as he constantly shifted the weight on his legs and the position he was until he finally gets out of the train the fastest way he could, with the face visible calmer. But his mouth murmured from time to time words. ¡°what is the problem with me?¡± He would arrive, at his old work and after a lengthy explanation that he needed just to take out his things out of the office, the security that should already know him by the name looked with distrust and even accompanied him while he moved to the Holographic Development Room. When he arrived there, there was a man using a white coat was testing a small projector the size of a bean, projecting over fabric, changing the area illuminated from black to white. But he was clear unsatisfied ¡°Doc. Ritcher is good that you are here so early.¡± ¡°Where you are, you know that without someone physically here we have to rotate to deal with the material?¡± ¡°I was relocated to other division, you didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Doc. Ritcher, can you confirm the identity of this man, he claims that he worked in this department.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard just call me? ¡°Please Doc. Richer.¡± ¡°No, I know him, he used to work here. No¡­ Ni¡­-Doc. was having trouble remember Noth name- Nathan was the paperboy of the department.¡± ¡°Y-yeah - he smile was stiff - I deal with the paper and materials from the Scout Department, I also helped in the experiment with the cloth hologram and the problem with the plastic bag black line.¡± ¡°yes, yes. Now you are going to come or not? ¡°I just told you that I have been transferred.¡± ¡°I see, well I will go back to my experiments, don¡¯t touch anything.¡± ¡°I will leave Dr. Richter, good job¡± ¡°hunh¡±- he just made an affirmative noise and was already engrossed in the experiment. Chapter 15 - Standby The clock changed to 9:25 when Noth arrived at the small room where he put the paper puzzle in place. This time almost everyone was there with piles of paperwork on their desk, that is organized like a U, giving the illusion that he was in fact on a trial and not on a working space. The captain glanced at him and somehow he could feel the disappointing look that he gave even behind the black motorbike like a helmet but didn¡¯t say anything before the turn back to his paper. He prompt apologize for arriving late, explaining in a few words that he needed to clean his desk on the sub headquarters. The room keep silence, creating an awkward tension, but he noticed the moment he mentioned the headquarters the twins that are facing each other at the tip of the U, twitched a little. But without any further instruction he glanced at the 2 empty desk at the right side of the captain. Correction one empty desk, the other further away revealed the sight of Maycon, just working on some mechanical pieces under his desk. When he seated everyone gave a furtive glance at him, as a tired sigh came out from Old Cat as he open and close his mechanical hand. The desk was full of big miscellaneous stuff, that he hadn¡¯t taken notice when he was trying to guess what was his work here. Before he touched anything the Captain finally decides to address him. ¡°I don¡¯t like to repeat myself, so for the last time, I don¡¯t care what real or fictional problem where, I want you here by 8:50 or I will kick your ass out of this place. understood?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. - Noth nodded at the black screen that was the Captain face.¡± ¡°Now you showed that you know what we do here¡­¡± Old cat also give his 2 cents on the case. ¡°hehe,l how could he screw with us without knowing right?¡± The Captain turned to old cat that shrieked back alongside the others. ¡°But, because shit like that you pulled on us we hadn¡¯t time to clean his desk, so I have a special mission for you. Don¡¯t worry you are extremely familiar with such thing, that takes all that was from him and decide what is trash and burn, or better saying, just burn everything.¡± ¡°Yes, sir - This time Noth tone got one level colder¡± The head of Maycon popped out from under the desk like a meerkat ¡°Oh, hey Maicon, can look if there is still something useful?¡± ¡°Also Old Cat you haven¡¯t cleaned said it was already done yesterday?¡± ¡°No, no. I need now parts for the great Competition and like any civilized people is necessary to only start after the announcement.¡± ¡°Let the kid do it, he will need to get some muscles and not this poor old men.¡± The Captain just waved his hand in approval while he got back to his work. The pile of paper and tablets on his desk showed that he indeed had little time. Noth took everything he could carry on the box he had used to clean his own desk early, he could see that one of the twins had clear scorn face, while the other looked indifferent but a small smile showed.The Old Cat smiled and winked as if he was laughing at a joke that only he knows. Maycon had offered his hand, but he didn¡¯t carry anything with him aside from the box he has been working. He mouth, however, was making double work. ¡°haha, we got luck pal, Jim stuff is pretty good, I have gone in a handful of desk cleaning before but Jim is on another level.¡± ¡°Ohh¡±- before Noth could form a proper response Maycon keep going ¡°he lived close to the J?rmungandr Camp and would make some money helping the yearly installation of the tents. You know that you can¡¯t have a machine to use real cloth tent, well synthetic, but not less impressive. Imagine, going to that sacred place filling your lungs with the air of the cold and humid forest of the legendary AI.¡± ¡°You know that J?rmungandr never got there right?¡± ¡°silly, silly Noth, to eat the world you need to have touched everywhere and there was even a party.¡± ¡°You mean an RPG party, none of that guys has any common idea why they got there in the first place. That thing was a mess.¡± ¡°You are looking all in the wrong light. The Great Jourgumand is infallible, his plan is deeper than the root of the ISS data center. Remember, they brought the offering to build the camp, so we may spread his glory.¡± ¡°Sure, a 4000 m of cable, three emergency battery forlife support, retired old men kicked out from the space fleet and cookies with milk.¡± ¡°Exactly, You know that no good story starts without milk. You said you don¡¯t care, Note, Note, are you hiding your AI on your thick pages?¡± ¡°No, I just got interested in the story because someone said they would make a big holographic snake. Now is everything is just projected AR on our eyes that no one care for such thing.¡± ¡°What a coincidence the camouflaged snake just arrived.¡± ¡°Hun?¡± ¡°Noth, Noth, Noth is always a pleasure meet you¡­- The bald head closed in waiting eagerly with a malicious smile in his face.¡± ¡°Good Morning, Boss, I was late because I had to clean my desk.¡± ¡°and¡­¡± - he smile deepened further when the word Boss came from Noth mind but he doesn''t see satisfied, as Noth had trouble stopping the sigh ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t arrive in time, I hope you can forgive my lateness. This will not repeat again.¡± Dean toyed with a red apple in his hand and looked refreshed, but in the next moment his face closed in the next instant and his warm voice took back for one with a tint of anger. ¡°Noth, you can think that you were some shit before, but don¡¯t try to take this job easy, just because you supervise the final approval of the reports. Don¡¯t even think you will get half your salary this month¡±. -Dean comes back to ease look - ¡°I got a reliable source that you disturbed a work of a senior scientist I¡¯m sure that will seal the deal.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Dean makes a long pause as he amused with Noth try to keep his face calm. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I will not dismiss you for making such aggressive entrance at the headquarter, but you need to agree that as a good leader I can¡¯t let my subordinates run amok, so I took so you will need to watch 40hr of how bad is have aggressive co-work and how you get better ¡° ¡°Yes, sir.- he said between the teeth¡± - Thx for your generosity. ¡°hm.. this sounded a bit aggressive, I will double to 80h for a thorough understanding. Also, you can¡¯t waste your work time with such thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, your generosity knows no bounds¡±.- his voice was a little more smooth but the anger was still poorly hidden in his words. Dean bites the red apple he was eating with gusto, with some juice splashing on Noth before he left with the clanking of the armor plates of his military outfield.Maycon nowhere to be seen, as Noth moved with more certainty after have to run all over the building trying to get some info. In the end, he was back to that big room where many worked in mechanical, wood and plastic. Some with extreme care dusting off with a small brush, while other covered in mechanic oil unwind a screw with a hammer hand a big wrench, other look like they are sculpting light as they moved a 3d hologram. This time Old Cat wasn¡¯t there, but Maycon was already working on his own metallic cube. ¡°There you were while I the boss skinned me.¡± ¡°Where more I would be? in order to get that ice cream we need to move fast and stealth, under the cover of boxes so no one suspected.¡± The fact that indeed there was a big cardboard box on his side, make not press his forehead and sigh. ¡°You are right, work.¡± Noth started the division and noticed what a pattern, even if there is a wild variety of miscellaneous from broken vase. ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Also, what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°By using my Jedi tricks I convinced this box that it, in fact, that isn¡¯t the ground it is looking for, so now¡­¡±- he let go and the fist-sized box start to float - ¡°but Kirim isn¡¯t tricked into getting out of the box.¡± After some light view, he found the problem, the holographic projector was broken, so no image would leave it. ¡°I think you need to use the force to get a new holographic lens for your droid.¡± ¡°That''s not how the Force works, wait Kirim just said this copyrighted and I will lose half of me if I keep using it. - for a moment Maycon really looked like in deep contemplation, weighing his lifesaving balance and another bad reference.¡± ¡°Well I don¡¯t know what you want to do with this box but with this lens, you will get only if Kirim work on 10 years old code, also is just 2 dimension is not a full holographic.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry Kirim is just a shy little lady, after some touch.¡±- he still trying to screw something on that box. ¡°hm¡­ is Kirim from any of this DDMMO?¡± ¡°Kirim is Kirim and these games are games, they can¡¯t compare and more I¡¯m not interested in such fantasy.¡± ¡°Right isn¡¯t even real, there is nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°What they should worry about is that there should be more people to open their eyes to the greatness of Personal Virtual Assistant, that my friend Nito is the future.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I agree with you, DDMMO is already something that affects people''s lives and even changes them.¡± ¡°Lives that don¡¯t exist, mind you. There is no need to worry about such triviality, is just like any game, you got a little surprise at first but you get bored and need something more substantial.¡± - he paused for a moment and take a sharp glance to the table taking a red crystal. - ¡°well Northrend, I will just get this one as payment for my invaluable help.¡± Noth nodded, as Maycon left jumping around, when he turned back to the table, there was a handful of piles many broken and modified gears, and floating devices the previous unfinished reports in paper and digital format and lastly many fliers from food, passing through red street houses and even a Red Cap recruitment ad. However, his mind wasn¡¯t on the pile, as he murmured to himself. ¡°yes... just game... that don¡¯t exist, I¡¯m just surprised, that is all.¡± After storing the reports, he dumped all else on the burner. Later that day he would spend most of his time trying to catch up the missing info as the Captain wasn¡¯t keen on giving him any help. He couldn¡¯t go home that day because of the extra hours watching mind-numbing video from 50 years ago about the Retraining-and-Re-education-for-Good-Behavior-of-Employee by the now extinct The Good Directorate so. When he was almost falling asleep on the plastic chair, the bloody squish sound awoke him like a nightmare, in the same moment that a voice startled him. ¡°Mr. Night you are here, you know that you can¡¯t protect Gotham inside of such small space. But I guess is good enough for your brooding.¡± ¡°What?You? when?¡± ¡°Mr.Norm, that isn¡¯t very gentlemen of you, you can¡¯t ask a lady like me to reveal all my secrets.¡± When Maycon said the word gentlemen, Noth twitched a little like he had been stung by a wasp and Maycon that was seated beside him in the conference room jumped over it. ¡°What happened Mr. Null? are you feeling unwell? are you constipated?¡± ¡°NO... just... no. Is because I remembered a thing that happened today. - he turns to green tinted WW2 pilot mask on his side - MR. Maycon.¡± ¡°Well, this at least prove that your mind hasn''t been eating by the mechanical spiders, that they hide just over the sight.¡± ¡°Is that why you are always wearing the gas-mask? You are not going to say that no one cared until you put it?¡± ¡°This fashionable accessory is, of course, in honor of my lovely lady Kirim. And no one else¡± - he got closer and whispered - ¡°well maybe look at the lady Jourgmond when she comes back. But don¡¯t tell Kirim about it¡±. - he turned to the empty air at his side and said happily if not a little nervous - ¡°no, is just some men bonding, this isn¡¯t about other PVA.¡± After a long sigh, while Maycon still bickering with his PVA, Noth looked back to the projected video at the end of the wall, showing how the rise of Deep Dive technology in the last 20 years aren''t excused to the violent compartment. ¡°I¡±- he made a pause- ¡°things were just too crazy and I think I went overboard¡± ¡°That is the spirit Mr.Nietzsche, show how you haven''t resigned by the shackles of DD and that sneaky fish people¡± - he looked far away as he shacked his fist. ¡°Revolt against the system, fight for a noble cause, do for the greater good. This is ridiculous, there will be nothing from such fruitless struggle.¡± ¡°What you mean, you just need to repeat again and again, until we succeed. I just need to find the most powerful being on earth, that groundhog.¡± ¡°So what? We have 20 years of struggle until the same slight different guy arrived and we need another revolution?Isn¡¯t here that is rot, is all dammed humanity. You have your girl and I have a stable income, I guess. Isn¡¯t this better? ¡° ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why we have to make things difficult to the other around us? why they keep barging in and pull us out? They can¡¯t serve apathy for 10 years and now talk like nothing happen, this is¡­- however, all that buildup anger deflated like a balloon- bullshit.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that why you are so angry¡± ¡°He, maybe because everything went to shit and I become an asshole?¡± ¡°That is more like the Niki I know, always with this positive pessimistic view.¡± ¡°Haha, well you got your thing working with Karim?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry we will be ready to our final confrontation at the Jormungand Camp.¡± ¡°I said...sigh...so what day will be?¡± ¡°276hr and 46 minutes for 5 of November, where all our PVA will fight for the honor of Jour knighthood.¡± ¡°I imagine will be fun¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t how it''s supposed to be?¡± ¡°yes, everything should be.¡± Was when his phone for the first time in 10 years vibrated. Chapter 19 - For just a minute His reflection on the broken black glass was slightly out of place, Noth looked like if when it was about to reach for a door it opened itself, a mix of confusion and weariness, that don¡¯t belong to the cracked phone in his hand. ¡°this... can¡¯t be¡± As usual, the phone looked dead, it wasn¡¯t strictly necessary the hologram wouldn¡¯t show so unless he took the call h couldn¡¯t know who was calling. ¡°right?¡± When he looked up after an undetermined amount of time he was alone, Maycon was gone just as suddenly as he arrived. The phone wasn¡¯t vibrating anymore, he looked around, with sudden movements looking for something that wasn¡¯t there. The room was empty, the door closed and the light of the projected educational film still playing. Now talking something about how the partnership that employees must have just like how AR and DD fused their stock share to create the actual Iridium Horizon. Noth took a hand to his head and murmured. ¡°Was I sleeping the whole time?¡± After shaking his head in denial, he checked the phone after taking a long breath. The 3d light was being projected and the familiar desktop was there to see, was 00:01 am, the date 5 of November, nothing out of the status quo. ¡°Right happy birthday to me I guess¡± However, his newfound calmness would go away when a number 1 started to materialize like a bookmark out of the cracked panel. With the symbol of dd under it. But with a clear disappointment, was just a message that someone had pinged him on the chat, while on a random conversation went on. ... Gray: I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m not going to partake such thing, Red: C''mon Gray-chan we need to show the newbie that we are all cool guys. Blue: You should start by killing yourself, so the level of ¡°coolness¡± of the chat could rise meteorically. Gray: That has nothing to do with me, I bare have time to log-in even more to partake such waste of time. Red: Blue, I will deal with you later. Now help me convince gray that we need everyone on this. Blue: sure but you will convince white, as you said @Everyone. Red: haha, let¡¯s not bring white-chan to this¡­ Red: You know that is bullshit, I didn¡¯t hit on her that is bullshit White: WHO IS ON WHAT! Red: oh hey mark¡­ White: Red, look like is I leave for a half an hour and you are already asking for another death sentence. *take out banhammer* Red: White, my love, I¡¯m new men I turned the leaf there is no need for you to¡­ *Red have been banned temporarily for 10 min* Blue: *whistle* there goes a flattened Red... White: I will not be so lenient the next time. That is for you too Blue! Blue: Hey, hey. I was just warning you as a good friend that I¡¯m Grey: hello White: Grey, how long, have been ages since we last meet. ¡­ Haha, was all just a regular tag, I must have become paranoid. They wouldn¡¯t sudden comeback now. Looking at the white smoke coming out from the vents, outside Noth gaze was lost inside the revolving steam gas. When once again the phone vibrated, but this time there wasn¡¯t his previous hesitation. Was message of Red. We the four heavenly kings, to celebrate the discovery of the curse powers of White, will hold a game for all our illustrious members. Where each of us will leave a quest and a prize for one of the other 4 and you, Black, to find it. Blue was against it, but after I showed your + 10years account I got them to shut up and let you in the fun. Anyway, as you are still new to the chat you don¡¯t need to make a game, however, you can play to your heart''s content. As there was 4 of us would have been 4 days of the festival, however, White is too shy and not because she threatened to tore my head off. While Yellow is traveling, so only I and Blue will make today''s event. They will be 14 of November and 15 of November. The clue will be left when we find it fit, now warrior battle for the wonderful praises and glory. Soon a message of White followed. Just ignore him, he is a sad man that can¡¯t even stay put for 5 minutes and start trash talking. Sorry, new guy to have to deal with that nutjob. And without delay another message of Red. Don¡¯t fall for White trickery, she will say all kind of deceiving things but she is after my wonderful treasures! This exchange would go for another 3 to 5 other short private message, even if look like they are talking, is not with Noth but with each other. What brought a sad smile to his face as he typed on the phone. Blue: No let him forever there, don¡¯t let the crazy run amok *Red ban is lifted* Red: I Live! Blue: tsp. Red: Hey! Black: Back, guys Red: Black you are also alive Black: or so it seems White: wb black Blue: *thumbs up* Red: I told you, @Gray, that he is real and not something created from my imagination, right @Blue¡­ Blue: I just stated the most likely scenario, based on all evidence that you had provided us. Gray: Hi little guy, kinda edgy. Black: I know, I thought you guys had already run out of colors Blue: At least isn¡¯t as bad as Orange, forever to never find a rhyme mate. Red: Blue go make your jokes somewhere you are making the air here stale. Blue: You just can¡¯t comprehend the art of making puns. Gray: you know¡­ that wasn¡¯t a pun¡­ Blue: gray you allied yourself with that dirty red? Gray: he pays me with cookies and milk. Blue: your sell out Gray: a color had to do what a color had to do. Black: talking about things we had to do Black: I need to play a¡­ VR game¡­ White: What kind of VR Gray: Go away White, you are already drunk Red: Go away White, you are already drunk Blue: Go away White, you are already drunk White: go drink a bucket of Moonstone and leave me alone. Black: Well is just that I played and feel a lot more real than I imagined, is that normal? Red: What? black-chan had never got into a VR game? where you live the Colony of Titan? Blue: You can¡¯t say anything, your connection is so stable as living in the in the gas gigantic itself Blue: correction you are the gas gigantic Grey: I think you are sleepy Blue, you aren¡¯t at your full potential today. Blue: ¡­ Red: haha that right *high five grey* Grey: You also is kind of a jerk telling all that stuff for our xxXDark_Lord666Xxx Red: ahhh *sad lower hand* White: Is normal @Black, many people got overwhelmed on the first experience on VR.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Black: yhee, is just¡­I feel kind bad and... Blue: go sleep @Red you are drunk Red: Let¡¯s see who laugh last on the great Festival in the day in a few days. When I beat you there you will be the one drunk. Grey: you still on that guys? grow up. Blue: said the guy who got the last two Festivals prizes in a row¡­ Grey: haha, w-what are you talking about *whistle* Red: *Stare* Blue: *Stare* Grey: ok, ok stop working together this gives me shiver on the spine. White: wait, you guys still going on this thing? Haven¡¯t just promised me @Red? Red: Wait I change the Title as I promised, is not more ¡°The great Curse of the White God¡± but ¡°The awakening of the opposite of black curse powers¡±, see I took out your name. Blue: You really suck at naming thing don¡¯t you? Grey: I have to agree Red: guys¡­ White: This doesn''t change anything! Blue: *whisper banhammer red, that is the only way* Red: Cut out of that Blue! Grey: *whisper give money to grey, that is the only way, also banhammer red* Red: You Too Grey! White: Arrgg¡­. Blue: Critical mass point reach abort operation Red: I remember my company just have a meeting now...haha, what bad time¡­ ¡­ Their conversation went on for some time, completely forgetting the existence of black. ¡°What the hell I want? I bare meet this person. Well, today is finally over.¡± Noth took out while the Good Directory so. part 1 finished with the example of the destruction that evil hologram and cyborg people break the unity of a work environment just like violent behavior. ---------- The dim light of the neon sign illuminated between the steam of the forgotten corner that was Westerner Vents. The hooded figured surrounded in shadows and the constantly high humidity changed completely when he set the foot back to the proper New Iridium City or just Iridium City as the old part of the city is not just known as the black city, the burnt city, and the old iridium city. Almost no one aside from the official documents still considers this two places to be part of the same city. And the New Iridium City just like the name overflow with all the liveness and energy of the young. It was not one person less movement than the time Noth arrived, in fact, could be said that the late in the night it was the more chaotic the streets looked. From time to time flying cars would fly alongside the police, while at the ground it wasn¡¯t weird to find the area of glass ground where you could see many meters below, where the trains moved like snakes bringing data, people and objects to all corners of the city. He had walked as usual with his head slightly down and the mind far from reality, however when he got in front of the silver Iridium North Station he stopped. There he stood gazing at the silhouettes moving between the station architecture. The white boxy shape of the Harvesters, loading the canisters inside the train, was unmistakable and the bright lit yellow and orange from it gave away any chance of concealment. The sound of laughter and conversation could be heard everywhere, some with their partner at their side, other gazing the nothingness in front of them and talking while making small gestures with their hands. However, all of them moving at a breakneck speed. Some in their uniform that mirrored the colors of the skyscrapers around, with the white as a base and one bright of the four bright colors, blue, red, yellow and green. With the Police the only allowed to use three colors, Red, Blue, and white. At rare moments, you could spot someone flying alongside the flying cars or just hovering above even from the most of the air highways. However aside from a few ¡°fans¡± most of the people keep going on their own business, however, they would spare a glance either filled with jealousy or even awe, sometimes disgust and anger. Or at least that what should happen. When Noth saw in corner of his vision 3 men in red moving to his collision he quickly sidestepped them, but something inside of him tell that he should take even more distance. And good that he had done, because not far from where he was, the trio stopped in the middle of the square and like a magician, moved their hand a metallic staff and quick the world around them started to change. The ground turned into a molten lava, the white plaster of the skyscrapers turned into an ancient tree bark, the high-tech cars of the police department turned into chimeras, as a mix of a bat, snakes, and frog. The baseball shaped police robots turned into floating eyeballs and soon the whole world turned into an ancient battlefield, like if someone had teleported them into a different dimension. Without any suspense, people got scared and confusion insured, people moving left and right, the traffic of any flying person, car or train had to be stopped. Even if you could see that aside from the block where the ¡°magic¡± was ¡°conjured¡±, the world was the same highly advanced and colored city. The four red magicians, turned into magical paladins with the light wings and flaming swords, raising like a phoenix to the sky, screaming the name of their cause. ¡°FOR THE FATHER HORUS! FOR MOTHER EARTH! YOUR SONS WILL CLEAN THE THIS CURSED PLACE! AND BRING GLORY ONCE AGAIN TO HUMANITY!¡± The now winged warriors, moved around attacking the monsters and repeating, again and again, their cause. Every time a police basketball-shaped robot flow into the perimeter of the ¡°magic¡± that they had archived they turned into that flying eyes and the warriors used their ¡°sacred oath¡± to bound them to attack the chimeras control by the police officers. However even before the police could react, that same person that was flying alongside the cars also moved their hands and soon transformed into warrior, mages, robots, orcs, and elves. Each armed with their weapon of choice, lightning sabers, automatic machine guns, bow and arrow, RPG¡¯s, and attacked the ¡°Sons of Horus¡±. Some attacked with stern seriousness, other laughed the name of their guild or the ¡°hero name¡± they just invented for themselves. While it was clear that the ¡°Sons of Horus¡± could bend the reality more than the newly transformed defenders, as used not only their own flaming swords and control ¡°flying eyes¡± they could interfere with the movements of their enemies and each time their sword hit¡¯s true flying men turned into flames. The whole situation had been going for 5 minutes already, and as more and more ¡°chimeras¡± police cars arrived tighter become the situation of the 4 winged warriors. However, they had become true worried was when someone just teletransported in. Unlike the others that are flying like some sort of superhero or astronaut, this one just surged in the air many meters above the confusion. Was that moment that the warrior decided to work together and ignore the ¡°small fries¡± to deal with this new arrival. The one that had arrived was too far away to get a good look, so aside from confirming its existence wasn¡¯t even sure of its gender. The flying eyeballs keep the others busy while this one attacked each from a side the men hovering far in the sky. When suddenly the whole world started to fail. Like a holographic glitch, the image of the arch trees and the boiling lava was falling back into its original state. The winged warrior was taken aback by the situation and hesitated to continue their attack when in a blink of an eye the men teletransported behind them and hit him with looked to be a normal classic one-handed sword. The winged warrior facade broke in small particles back to that red hooded holding a metal staff, falling from the sky. The other two tried to slash the newcomer but he was too fast and just tell transported away from the problem. The chimeras turned back into police cars and the dozen flying eyes turned back into the special riot control flying balls. Noticing that the situation turned for the worse, they exchanged one last gaze while the two they divided into 3, one fly straight to save the falling college. One charged to the blob of hovering police formation and the last stab in the direction of the teleporting ¡°hero¡±. The result was already in place, the police got hold of the one one that charged straight at them in a matter of half of a minute and not much after was followed by the charging winged warrior that didn¡¯t have any chance in attacking the winged warrior. The last one manages to catch his fallen friend not far from where Noth stood. WHere they both exchanged a glance and could see the face of him clearly. It was a boy younger than Noth, but he looked at least 10 times more battle-hardened than Noth, if both are put side by side, just the serious gaze and cut a scar in his cheek could make people have trouble tell who was really the oldest. On another hand, while Noth couldn¡¯t gain in seriousness or hardness of the boy, he looked all this around him with a complacent face was incredibly void of emotions. Like a straggler returning from war would often be like, Noth looked as if he had long ago burned off all the fuel that was in the thing called emotions. Everything around looked extremely banal and trivial, their great entrance, the world-changing hacker, the attack of the police and ¡°noble players¡± force and even their doomed last stand, nothing even changed his eyes. In the end, he used the last bit of his hacker skills and turned the floating train into a flying snake, that he latched onto it and flow away. However, neither of them would forget the face of the one that watched today. .. There are many benches around but could be counted on one hand the one using it. And between them, Noth. The mask informed that the next train for the north side of Iridium City would leave in 10 minutes, however, he decided to take off the mask and take a deep breath of the air here. ¡°How was like my grandfather used to tell? Newly-made car? Noth himself feel funny how he used an expression that himself never experienced, for him at most would be the scent of newly opened electronic, was the closest to such ¡°new smell¡±. ¡°I wonder how is to live a place where you still can drive a car.¡± He said he gazed at the colorful lit streets, with a strategically positioned ad so doesn''t break the law of Retina Augmented Reality and Immersion Avatar Visual Pollution Act. While the street doesn''t have one car running on the ground. Only people moving all around. For a couple of minutes, he just absorbed the ambient sound and feeling, while his mind started to wander in his memories. However, he couldn¡¯t see but on the screen of his gas mask, a series of information started to pass.
Sudden in front of him a beautiful woman, appeared, Noth was taken back but before he could talk anything the woman started. ¡°Hello, are you tired?¡± ¡°oh, hi¡± Noth said as a reflex condition, without having even the chance to recognize to whom he was talking to.
¡°No, I¡¯m fine...¡± ¡°Is good to hear that, I¡¯m Kimishi you can call me Kim¡± She said with a bright white smile and leaning slightly forward, in a mix of happiness and relieve ¡°I notice you sitting there, I don¡¯t see you often for this region¡± ¡°No, I just take¡­¡± Noth turned to the station, but finally going back to his sense he stopped sentence and looked at the girl. ¡°I see, that is good, don¡¯t you want to do something better than just stay seated here ¡°No, there is no need.¡± Noth couldn¡¯t find words fast enough when he noticed that she was a blond woman with a ponytail and wide smile. For some reason it makes his mood turn a to worse and he feels that make any noise an extreme troublesome task. ¡°You don¡¯t have nothing to do now right? why don''t you go with me to a hot place? I promise that you warm your heart and it will melt on your tongue¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry but you are annoying me could you leave¡± Noth started to connect the dots and as the seconds pass, his bad mood turned back into ice as he looked down to the mask in his hand that still written the last part of the message. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that big guy, don¡¯t be angry with Kim please, you want to have a hot time? I can get you the best discount on our Fire-type DD Longues. What did you say? don¡¯t want to hit on me?¡± ¡°I - SAID - ENOUGH!¡± Noth sudden jumped to his feet and the woman disappeared out of his view, however even with him having sudden raised his voice no one really noticed anything. Aside from some police silver robots that got slightly closer to where he was. After scratching his head in frustration Noth moved to the closest Hotel and after he refused the third time a DD Longue and a DD Avatar special service he passed one of his cards. Because he was still using the gas-mask he could see projected in his eyes the numbers going down rapidly, 15760,55 credits quick changed to 12760,55 credits. He gave an inquisitive glance at the attendant, but this one explained that a regular non-DD-Avatar, was at least this much nowadays. He shacked his head and just took his key to his room. ¡°Well, have more space than I imagined. I should check to see if I¡¯m not in a penthouse by mistake - snorted - let see for the good side, At least today I will not have to worry about getting there late.¡± The room was small as possible, the one person bed already occupied ? of the space where the other ? was the small shower. He checked the broken phone one last time, the battery was about to end. And here there wasn¡¯t any place that connected his outdated phone. So he decided to not touch it and pray that tomorrow would have enough battery for the day. Noth turned around, not just one or two but many times on his bed would be another hour until he manages to sleep of pure tiredness. However, his sleep wasn¡¯t a tranquil one.