COI C60
O2 is waiting for more than 20 minutes now, he starts to get worried for some reason. 20 minutes is equivalent to 8 hours inside there, with no setback of them getting tired yet. He is becoming a bit more impatient and wants to see the files from the computer, regarding about the details about the other landmark. A place called ‘Yjin Kalstan’ a place he read through the Circoston region or was called Coston before the Fall, a sand monument hidden beneath the desert to prevent the exposure of the Jigeram’s light. That part of the description made him curious to make another scouting probe, wondering what living creatures reside that hidden palace.
O2 learned enough but not enough for the computer to load the rest of the details. The update finally complete where the files show about the Fictitious Dreams, comparing along with the papers he read before. He starts to confirm something,
“That demon, they said, wanted them to discuss and the landmark is hidden away from any living wanting to go there”
It is the dream world for demons, and a never ending of demons sleep there as their prison according to the data. While the papers explained about of one single place to find it, as he scrolls down for more information.
He found it and explained one thing on his mind.
“It’s like a secret folder, it is impossible to find this landmark as I thought. Requiring a specific next stage to search it, this is what the papers explained about the procedures. I’m guessing we are a bit faster if they follow that demon’s invitation”
After reading through the data, there are few records of other users whose records they are in the sphere. Not by how good they passed through the protections, but how the AI had already decided even before or after getting the first or two landmarks.
Back inside in the sphere,
“We should use the notes”
“I agreed, I’m too impatient for this”
“For a dream, it is far too older than we have imagined in this place”
“It perfectly replicated back in our world, and that demon using an image of an actual person who once lived in this city before”
“Again, let’s use it. I don’t want to think something like this to an artificial world that I don’t try to learn the entire story”
Iggy don’t want to keep up the problem solving, the orb before them is the actual key. Alche already touched the orb with his elven blessings, but nothing happened. Flowing with elven magic from his hand, like it tries to fight off from something.
Quail and the others are waiting for him to react. Coral did it first and hear noises coming from it, haunting her memories, and Quail was put in the trance and met a recognizable demon. Leaving the rest believing to be entering the nightmare or something, even the elk spirit almost broke.
“Guys, are we have to explore in a dream in one place? I would love to find out, but I don’t want to hang out something this empty from someone else’s old memory lane”
Coral said to them in such a lonely manner, a city was lively and old fashioned. It wasn’t lively for them as they feel like only a projection of it.
Reya has to do it, so she pulled out First’s note
“Let’s hope Woni’es made the instruction simple”
“If you are reading this note, then it must mean you are already close to the landmark. I only assume that you guys don’t even need to fight. It’s kind of obvious from what you guys said . . .”
Reya uses her magic to read faster to skip those unnecessary dialogue, quickly through the note, she stops the last possible paragraph.
“. . . Then it must mean what most demon tricks have to do. Purposedly to the moment they trying to distract you, for your weakness to come to life . . .”
Alche breaks free as he feels the same reaction as Coral. He said to her with caution.
“The demons are here, and they are just standing behind the blank space”
“Eh what now? Alche, they are just spying at us behind the scenes as if they are waiting”
Iggy don’t get it what he said, as for Reya letting him to explain first, the others already read the note. So far, after searching the list of possibilities, this must be what Alche is referring to.
“This demon won’t let us hand over that orb that easily. It is waiting to either of us interact with it or they allowed it but let it protect itself”
“You mean, it didn’t actually leave us”
“An orb in a place like this is protected by demons, I don’t have to compare the obvious between Woni’es notes and facing what the orb will have to do to us”
“Then we have no choice but to fight them, right?”
All of them look at the orb where they are almost reaching to finish it. There is no way, after watching them having trouble to get the landmark. None of them are that close to show their dark sides of life, personally or reputable, then they turn to Iggy.
“What?”
They have a feeling, but it was far too obvious. Quail and Alche don’t get it why they are looking at Iggy of all people.
Andui thought about so,
“Sorry Iggy, we have reminded ourselves something back then”
“Wait a minute, are you guys looking at me because of that one thing?”
Coral couldn’t judge like this without saying a word, and for Reya had already think about without even realizing it.
“What are they on about, Alche?”
“I’m pretending not to know about it. They must have a plan”
Iggy felt a bit awkward and thought she could focus on the orb.
“Hey Reya, about the note?”
“Oh! my bad, there is still a way. We could try to use our mind to control it directly or . . .”
Iggy quickly takes her note and see what’s up, she read the note for a time that there are other options. Iggy searches for what they thought it would suspect her. She can’t find it
“I have enough of this”
“. . . Iggy! Wait!”
Iggy grabs the orb and the magic dwells on to her, the demonic presence coming through her thoughts. Seemingly the same effects that Coral heard, but something strange coming through her mind. A flash back on her memory where the time she did back home. Creeping to the past where she is painfully messing on her own head without a second thought. Iggy let’s go the orb
“This is not going to be this easy”
The demons hiding from reality’s sight, Acurse and demon lord are surprised from another one breaks off the nightmarish grip.
“None of them will risked their mind to open the landmark, they know they will leave the sphere if they exceed their limits”
“What’s the difference here? They are here for the controls of living things or what is called according to them. What makes them to be cautious about?”
Time is wasting and they are closing in their doubts. Their fears probably turned their heads around as if they don’t want to face it.
Alche is having mix thoughts of touching it again.
“Reya, the notes, what are the warnings did Woni’es said?”
Iggy had the notes and give it to Reya. By rereading the notes again, she skips some important details.
“It says the most effective way to face the nightmares are the elves or dwarves. No short-aged living race would be that enlightened to face such horrific experience than the elders who are already accepted their life at near ends”
“Then it has to be those old timers, I don’t think we could ask them for help. We have to settle this on our own”
“Damn it”
Their options dwindle like they are in this snowy dream, the sensation of nostalgia slowly diminished for how much they can’t feel it naturally. They still have two more days, and this moment in their life. It would be the time they have to, Andui steps first and said to them.
“There are no other options now, I think I would have those other days from Woni’es provided for us. So, May I take touch the orb”
They stood silent as they have no choice as well.
“Andui, please be careful”
Reya shows her concern to her where the other two cheers her.
“Don’t be gloomy Reya, just cheer and . . .”
“AAAH!”
An excited scream coming from the two to help her in the mood.
Alche and Quail accepted the idea
“Let’s try to use every possible way to take the orb”
“Using our heads, huh, we are spiritual, but we are not monks or priestess either. I hope this plan will work”
Andui thanked everyone with a smile and bow lightly in front of them, she turns and stare at the orb. To that moment, the way to control the landmark through the mind. Protected by the demonic dreams that will ruin their heads, but thanks to the sphere, they will escape from the nightmare. A little nervous while hearing the cheers from behind, Andui touches it. Glowing around her where her powers transmitted to her head, showing signs that nightmare already flourishing inside.
The glow changes colors, then she vanished. Everyone sees her disappeared, leaving Coral runs to the orb and touched it again. The noise returned to her head where she last off, slowly the words start to get clearer. Finally, she can understand it, then she disappeared. Iggy had enough of this bad luck and grabs the orb, she disappeared after.
“Those two, hastily going through that without realizing what happened”
“We are getting kicked out from the sphere, we could at least understand it when we left”
“Stop thinking like that you two, this place is getting a bit haunted now”
Reya looks around the snowy dream city, the images of people turned and look at them scarily. Quail isn’t afraid and expected how this nightmare meant to be.
“I’m guessing it’s that guy’s nightmare”
“Quite old school to see someone looking us like that. He must be some traditional man”
“If you guys want to talk like this, it’s my turn”
Reya don’t want to see this nightmare any longer, showing that she too had this nightmare. She grabs the orb, and the nightmare compels her, slow movement from her as she touched it. Moving her head up and starts to scream, her half scream left the sphere leaving one of them shock.
Alche just laughs out of the blue, while Quail follows up after her shock.
“That scream was cut like Aaa . . . dead*”
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Alche acting being terrified like raising his arms up and uses his magic to flashes down dead. He looks like as if he was lagging off the frames, while Quail continues to laugh how he looks ridiculous by the sudden scream cut. The people moved closer where they are, falling off the lively expression to their disappointed faces. Alche and Quail look at them like an actual horror scene.
“Looks like it still trying to protect the orb, but it is not as effected from the previous videos we saw”
Quail turns her gaze to the orb as Alche watches her touching it and he explained
“You better touch it or something scary will happened”
“Pfft, as if. But they look rather scary if you stare them that long”
The demon lord appeared before her once again. It said with an obvious fatherly tone
“Just leave, try again next time”
Quail don’t get it why she has this instead the nightmares her friends have. Without even looking at the demon lord, it is the one who help her. Using only by the skull of the goat, sharpening its tip of the front, and pierced through her eye socket. Quail feels the demonic magic cursing her mind, swift end, as she disappears.
Alche is the only one left, those people around them freely moves around him. Continuing the nightmares that the man once had, voices coming from the nightmarish people where Alche believed are the loved ones who are condemning him.
“PATHETIC” “COWARD” “YOU ABANDONED US”
“FAILURE” “WORTHLESS” “YOU SHOULD’VE DIED INSTEAD OF HER”
Alche listens the words of those people, from children to elderly voices, it is certain that this must be family shaming. He doesn’t affect him by the slightest of their word. The last one who will touch the orb, going through his nightmare. Facing his pain in a nightmarish way, he grabs the orb without the elven magic to protect him.
Seeking through his mind, challenging the nightmares he is going to face. Behold through his eyes that no nightmare of his own imagination could make, everything about himself already moved on. Yet this is his greatest weakness he once confronted, so young, so childish, but no choice when he was a child. Not only Alche he had to see it again, but the voice that haunts his trust. A woman calls out
“. . . Let’s go home, or you’ll won’t get your juice . . .”
He bravely listens that voice again, already lost trust on that same voice. That sweet voice turned abusive once that day happened, then he disappeared.
The demons are watching the last man left the sphere. Such unacceptable events to end like this, new scent of despair and any negative emotions revealed to them. Dare they say to be honest from this . . . supplements, both of them kept it silence, and agonizingly waited for their return. Disappointed that none of them have the sins they dare to thrive again, Acurse kept the host for so long because it satisfied its hunger, and now only source to kept it from existing. It doubted for the real demon itself could ever be revived of these new ones.
Quill appeared before them, both looking still as in stone, acting like statues because how those people trying to hold control of the landmark. It was their intention to give them the shortcuts, but in the end, they rather earned, or they were not really ready to face their nightmares yet.
“What good . . .”
They broke off the nightmares, cleaned and empty like before, both of them didn’t even move and they replied to her after that moment.
“They want to control it by their mind, freely. I know the original world will guide them like this”
“Don’t try to mock us, even you are surprised how this demon besides me appeared and remembered”
“There is no need for me to go back, they might choose the other option through violence. These people are young and willing to test their options, I don’t believe this people would choose the wisest one like the previous landmarks”
Quill agreed internally in her thoughts, the previous two attempts were trial within their capabilities then later taking the shorter routes. It is impossible in reality that they have to go through all that protected monuments where reinforcements will come at them after. Exception for the 2nd landmark was the spirits were enough, sometimes.
Alche was the last person back to the simulation room, everyone he sees are feeling miserable at the moment. O2 comes to him questioning him what happen
“Hey, you are not down. Ah forget it, what’s going on?”
Alche sees Reya taking care of them, wondering about her responds
“Reya doesn’t look occupied, why didn’t you ask her?”
“Well, she surprised me with her screaming then quickly comes to Andui. I’m no gentleman and I know not to get close to them without making it worse, you know”
For a time being, they finally collected themselves up, without knowing that Quail wasn’t part of their group huddle.
Quail is at the computer as she is searching through the computer about the demon she saw. Backing away from the computer, she heard someone is calling her.
“Hey! We need to talk”
Iggy brings her to their circle as Quail left some words to O2. She whispers to him about a demon she wants to find. Now all together as six people, they are trying to explain the situation and who are willing to speak about their nightmares. Only Quail, Reya, and Alche are the one who is willing to talk about it. Given an example of what that nightmare can do from the Fictitious Dream.
Reya had to say it first, gritting her teeth that she was screaming is her obvious reaction
“I got easily jump scared. Happy? As long as the required limits from the sphere, I’ll be easily left that place”
“What did it jump scare you?”
“A random voice booing at me next to my ear . . .”
Reya is a brave woman, telling them that can be the most embarrassing or humiliating moment she could ever say. Others were feeling awkward, but that’s an effort she could better experience than them.
Then it’s Quail’s turn,
“I return back to the trance, and the demon, not the one we met, attacked me without me even trying. I don’t know why but I left effectively”
Reya thinks differently, she interrupts her by lifting her finger up.
“I don’t know much about that, but I think something you have experienced with have connection with that specific demon, but it’s just my speculation”
It’s not believable for them to be that the reason. Quail didn’t move much during that trance, and nothing else she could react when talking to it.
Lastly Alche,
“Since none of you know my back story, let’s just say I live in a separated family with a verbal abusive parent”
He says it without a sheer moment of emotion come from his words, it wasn’t a normal nightmare coming from their own experience as adults. This man experienced it as a child. Looking at him and trying to express their sympathetic tone, Alche stops them
“It’s alright, I moved on. Don’t try act differently after I said it. We have now known how that nightmare can do to our heads”
Reya pulled out the note again for their options. For the rest of the days, tomorrow they would do differently.
After that meeting, they go on their separate ways. Quail goes back to O2, the search for that specific demon is being piled up inside the update. A wall of list of unidentifiable names and pictures alongside with it, he had trouble to find the goat head, but no term existed in demonic tongue.
“I have look over a hundred pictures. No goat head, I think the description didn’t match in their language”
“It’s fine, I’m just going to looking a bit. I can handle it from here”
“But I did find mine”
“Yours?”
O2 shows her the demon who once meeting with him back in the day where they are trying to use their magic.
“I warned you, don’t mention their names, ok?”
“Their names? All of them are in their language . . . What the?”
O2 shows the demon who was reaching him, torrent of winds and clouds, with only humanlike features on its face. A name appeared not on screen but in the air. O2 was bounded by it, and Quail couldn’t believe a man who don’t believed saying his real name was not that important. O2 explained briefly
“I am still not cursed, just don’t mention about it. That’s the only way it will not appear in front me”
“Why are you showing me this? O2”
Hated himself to hear that name, he answered
“It appeared after the first search, from the word goat skull. I’m not saying that you’ll be affected too, for you facing a demon worries me. Please don’t go any further than this, ok?”
Quail founds herself a person who is now influenced by the demon, Alche warns her before and now him. That damn secrets within the demons made her shiver a bit, but her own goal of founding out those old other worlders or Isekai like them. The demon controls a man that can be from their world.
On the next day, afternoon. They are ready to face the demon again, through the old fashion way, through violence. Seeing many of them not going to face their own demons yet, it is the other option they have to do. Going through to fight a demon, it will be difficult to face an undying demon that will return through generation and generation. Iggy pulled out her exorcism sets and added some features like a demon slayer. Coral can’t believe that she had to go through all that to make her look that she is one.
Everyone is suited up where only one who wear the same casual clothes is Alche. He looks at them as they are wearing their old adventurers’ gear, but O2 has none and improvised. A different kind of nerd for him to believe that this handle would be enough, and little bits and there of mastery by watching movies in his spare time. Alche added a few tricks on his sleeves that he is still new how to use his abilities. It wasn’t much for him to find a robe to be compelling. Talking to himself for the sole reason of his decision “Skills over power”
Reya returned back as a mage with added potions with her, Coral noticed the potion
“Is it from Haw?”
“I’m always keeping next to me just a sip of it, laugh*”
Coral wears her tank adventurer equipment, without carrying a shield where she excels in parry defense. Strong light armor and with her capable katana, it is strange feeling for her that she misses the murasame made for her before. Iggy comes to them wearing a hybrid now, including the exorcism equipment with her martial arts set. It is hard for them to see if she is a warrior monk or priestess.
Andui wore her priest uniform from the melody guild, it is an improvement. She borrowed Siren’s guild as they provide adding a little touch the resembles herself an adventurer back then. Now improved with an added headdress with an added abilities through her skill sets. Then lastly, Quail, for the first time she wore her summoning clothes. Holding much of the magic items for summoning her familiars, but some were expecting new
“You don’t have spirits, Quail”
“I don’t have time to train a spirit. The familiars I made are enough”
Everyone is ready, where no one is going to monitor them. Everyone has confident enough how safe it is, and yesterday O2 couldn’t do anything but watch over close to half an hour. Then it is clear for them they have to go inside without worries, once again, travelled through the safe location they once appeared. Tracking back to the closest location they once disappeared, the landmark didn’t move like the 2nd landmark. Only stay in one place where they quickly raised their defenses.
The two demons, remained in still ever since, had awaken from the presence of their return. The demon lord had never would hear from one of them as they follow the code of demonic trial. Hearing it once again, befits their ways of duel. Ignoring how many they are going to bring at them, these two sacred oaths of their pride rivalled their challenges. Nostalgia of its artificial reaction, they will play along even the exceptions extend a bit further than before.
“Demon! We are here to challenge you for the wish of your existence. Dared to face you and even satisfy your cravens of sins, for the rights to have the orb of dreams”
Iggy shouts at nothing where the demons lie and waits. Acurse and the demon lord have already concealed the existing demons who desired their presence. They know the data is corrupted and no demons will come, but there is an example where the demon lord prepares itself. The team waited for any response, while Reya already sensing their presence hidden within the dream. Warning them that there are two demons waiting, and the mean time the dream grew a bit hellish in their environment. The dream is formed, in a place they are inside of a volcano where lavas falling from above.
It looks like an oasis hidden under the caves, covering itself with caverns and waterfalls coming inside this place. Then reimagined it like it was lavas and much more hellish vegetations around them. Unknown plants pop up around them just to be part of the scenery, no magic coming from it and only leaves an illusion for them to see. The demons appeared before them, familiar faces yet again, but there is a new face that only they knew.
“I thought you’re going to use your mind to get the orb working. Laugh*, seems like you fear yourself more than us”
Its tone changes how it expects them to open the orb’s control, having so many advantages to those people. Feeling a bit generous enough won’t do to please their expectations, Reya and her friends respond to them
“We don’t need to open ourselves to a sphere”
“There is no need for that, we have options”
“Just for the records, we never fought a demon before. You could at least learn from it”
The demons turn their heads to look at each other, predictable of how their curiosity grew out of the proportions. They have no choice to continue their conversation a bit further.
The demon lord speaks
“Pleasantry, if you are willing to play along. Once we awaken the old selves of these beings, you will appreciate to survive including the people you have. Because were the hierarchs, we don’t exist at the moment of your world but we are truly were powerful as much as the heroes had come to end” Then Acurse said
“It will be inhumane, in your views, and for us to do this. I was enjoying how you will surpass the dreams of those lesser beings trying to pull on you. Yet, there will always be a choice. Let’s get on with it”
The team have properly settings up themselves to face the demons, while they are readying themselves.
“We are sorry we have chosen this option, but we like to figure it out how much important what Haw said to us from the other day”
“. . .”
The team heard what Haw said about the city guild’s sphere, a safe protocol to learn each of every moment of their experience. It has flaws when it comes to measurement of power, but it will get worse when getting used to. They have to be careful.
Acurse took the first step and moved aside from the fight, while the demon lord is releasing what inside of its body in a large margin. Showing its true form where the skull grown bigger and more corrupted where the mana burst open from its eye socket, the eye is formed, and its deceptive tone momentarily gone. Open its words once again that they never understand
“(Neutral Mana was called by them, truly owned by us, and nothing will ever let our source of power to be our enemies unless willed)”
While Acurse remained itself in a human form, turning the dead host back to the living where the team sensing its presence bigger than the demon lord’s large size. Co-existing under three forms, someone is reacting in a weird way. Acurse awakens who it was, a parasite corrupting undead host back to life. The 1st appearance man like demon, 2nd is the folk lore undead that can only describe a headless monster with tremendous demonic aura, and finally the soul who was taken by the demon. The soul speaks out to the living haunting their ears with his warning.
“You mustn’t die here, or your souls will haunt with this demon. Leave this world or suffer with us”
Turing to the 2nd form where the demon itself speaks,
“I apologized this soul acted like he knows you”
Slightly appearing to its face with a demonic smile where the jaw looks like it is smiling but it has no lips where it prepares to gnaw them. The team have seen enough and split themselves for any spaces they have to secure. Splitting in two; Coral, Andui, and Reya while the other are Alche, Iggy and Quail. Having no extra healer within their team, Acurse focuses on the lack of healer.
Demon lord quickly follows up to distract the back line, Reya pulls away with Andui while Coral directly assaults it. The demon easily cut off but slide through from her blade. Coral raises her magic to inflict any damage to it as the demon remained flowing through her blade like air. Acurse is attacking Iggy’s team. She quickly thrown it down to the ground, where the demon removed its limbs and quickly chased Quail. Her familiars appeared trying to block its way.
The demon didn’t hesitate to throw its body at them, as the ashes of its body covered her familiars. Quail felt the corruption from her familiars as they turned against her. Iggy and Alche helps her as they block the familiar’s attacks. The armored golem is now controlled by the demon, through its own abilities overflown to the golem. It bursts itself like a bomb, forcing the two back where they stand. Sliding away from the blast, Quail tries to use her magic to teleport away.
The demon’s limb appeared from the blast caught her by surprise. Its touch disrupts her spell and redirect for the rest of the demon body to go close to her. Appeared by the front as it is restoring its body, reconnecting its limbs where the demonic magic will flow through her soon. Quail struggles to break it and don’t have the strength as it leaches of her. Almost reconnecting, the demon took its first victim. Andui and Reya tries to save her, but the presence of the demon lord weakens their magic reach. Their mana was easily exposed by the rotten presence of mana decay.
Quail shows no strength to the demon, looking at it is restoring itself. Its headless 2nd form appeared before her, and it said in its human and demonic voice
“Be damned your soul!”
Its limbs reconnected and the demonic magic flowed to her. A big blast of wind appeared between the two. Too powerful to the point Quail fly off, landed where to the illusive environment as someone catches her. Quail is relief that he appeared.
“O2!”
Laughing loudly, the crazy man joined their group.
“I can convert their mana too!”
O2 sees everyone to see their back up already revealed, and he stares at the demon itself secretly whispering to himself
“Thank You”