The chapter's a bit short, but there's some real deal packed inside.

I had the rule of writing at least one chapter every week. However I'm dropping it with the reason being that I don't really have much time to write (weekends only... and lately it was as much as about 10 hours during the weekend. Not much, huh?).

Having said what I wanted, enjoy your read!  [th_096_K.gif]

________________________________________

Chapter 11: Clear sky

Neriehem was staring at the person standing atop of the hanging rubble, who seemed to paint the sight in his mind, his expression filled with something resembling accomplishment. Just as Neriehem moved forward, the man set his gaze on him. Next moment player heard words said by the man.

- So it's you, otherworlder – the words echoed. - I must say, tracking the progress of your research was amusing. Who would have thought that among your kind were capable individuals such as yourself. A shame, such a shame... - the bishop kept on talking, as he shook his head looking down.

- What do you mean? - shouted Neriehem.

- It's a shame I have to kill you. GET HIM!

In a fraction of second Neriehem was surrounded by dozens of various demons. However in response he only swung his sword in a circle lightly. His sword was glowing.

After that, he lowered his blade and went on forward, not caring about the enemies around him. He didn't stop even when he was in an arm's distance of the first demon from the pack surrounding him.

However not a single one of them as much as flinched.

While he was pressing forward, a few notices showed up, saying something along the lines of “Outstanding performance”, “Master level”, “Pinnacle” and other unnecessary. It was such an impossible feat, that if it was any other person, he/she would be jumping around crying tears of joy. However Neriehem only skimmed through the notices and continued onwards. He was focused on the mission.

And the consequences he would suffer if he failed it. That was the true reason he was so set on completing his task.

After he left the circle, he looked around the city. He noticed traces of fighting everywhere. Sometime his enchanted hearing could pick off shouts, orders, screams or dreadful roars. However he couldn't see anything.

Darkness covered the whole city, with a column of a dim, purple light shining over the rubble. However instead of hovering still in the air, they were moving around. However there was a set pattern in it, as well as they didn't leave the pillar of light.

Neriehem didn't waste a second, as he started running. To not waste anymore time, he activated his Crimson Blitz skill as he covered distance to the highest part of the creation in seconds. To onlookers it would seem that he disappeared.  However it was only considering onlookers being the city's newbies or low-leveled players. People in the middle would have a hard time following him, however high-leveled player wouldn't miss any of his movements. The reason for that was they had similar amount of stats to Neriehem, and they would mistake him as someone on similar level as them.

Of course, they gained an increase to stats from time-to-time, however so far nobody burdened oneself with more and more restraining equipment. Which in turn made the increase smaller and smaller, and in the end they would stop getting stats by simply training.

Neriehem finally reached the top and faced the bishop.

- Impressive, very impressive – bishop spoke. - The more I look at you, the more ashamed I am.

- You still didn't explain what do you mean by telling me you are ashamed – replied Neriehem.

- It's such a waste to kill talented individual you are. That's what I meant.

- You realize that my kind can resurrect in ten days, right? - asked Neriehem. - Even if you kill me right now, it won't change anything. Maybe beside the fact that there won't be beginners' city anymore.

- Ah, so that's how you call it... Really, this city is considered nothing but a trash. I will reap great pleasure from destroying it.

- I won't let you. - said Neriehem as he got into battle stance for the first time in a while. As he started to dash toward the bishop, suddenly a wall blocked his advance.

- My my, they really do not know of the proper etiquette, friend – a voice said.

- You're right. Do you mind spending a few moments more to teach him proper courtesy? - asked bishop, turning around to his right.

- Not at all – the voice said and suddenly darkness gathered, only to form an image of another old man. He, however, was bald, wore small glasses on his nose and was dressed in a black robe. - Do you intend to keep that unsightly color? It hurts my eyes.

- You're right, friend. It'll take a second... - said bishop and engulfed himself in a mass of darkness. When it dispersed, Neriehem saw that his robes from white turned to black, and gold darkened a bit.

- Much better. Now, where were we...? - said librarian while looking around. A moment later he noticed Neriehem – Ah, right! We were to give courtesy lesson to this fellow right here, weren't we? - he said in a venomous tone, tilting his head slightly.

- 'Those bastards... they're playing with me!' - thought Neriehem.

However he could do nothing but stare. Right now he was being pressed to the ground by the same power which stopped his advance earlier. With his whole body pressed flat to the ground he was on, he was powerless before two old men.

- Indeed. However, before we start our lesson, I'd love to explain him our reasoning.

- Why is that, friend? We don't need him – said librarian.

- It's not like he will run anywhere. Just look at him. Unable to move, like an infant. Don't worry, I won't take too long – finished bishop. No, former bishop by now.

- Do what you want, remember we have a city to destroy though – said librarian.

- Fine then, I shall begin my history course.

And so the story started.

It all begun with the goddess Lencraea. She was the sole god in the universe. However because of that, she was alone. So she created another god - our master Ganteyr. Together they existed together. During their time together Lencraea created our world, the sun, moon and stars.

However Ganteyr started to feel envious of her. He watched his lover create beautiful things. He saw her smile every time she succeeded creating something beautiful. So he tried to create something to impress her, and make her smile like that at him.

However every time he failed miserably. When he created beautiful mountain with a throne for her to sit on, the mountain turned to be a volcano, destroying everything around it. When he created a race of his own, the race turned out to destroy or consume everything they saw, leaving destruction behind. Ganteyr was going crazy, and tried creating more and more. However no matter what he made turned out to be evil.

Finally Lencraea noticed something was wrong with him. She tried to help, but he was stubborn. He wanted to create something to impress her. In the end he tried to inspect being she created. But no matter how many of them he inspected, they all were corrupted. He didn't realize that his touch distorted any being he as much as touched. Such was his nature.

At first he resisted it. However no matter how strong his willpower was, in the end he gave in. He decided that if he is unable to create anything, he shall destroy everything. That was when he was brutally banished by Lencraea. However him with being a god equal to her, she was unable to completely destroy him. However she made him almost powerless, at the cost of her own strength.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

That's where we come in. We are the worshipers of Gasteyr. He spoke to us in our dreams, tealling us the reason this world was created. At first we couldn't believe it. However, 20 years ago your kind showed up. Few years later we confirmed that it was the truth.

This world was created for you, dirty otherworlders.

* * *

After hearing the story Neriehem was calm. He knew that much from the research on the internet day before diving into the game, so the information didn't surprise him.

On the other hand bishop got angry. The otherworlder before him showed no reaction whatsoever. Of course he couldn't know about existence of a thing like internet. In the end he finished. - We hate your kind. Acting all high and mighty, as if you are some higher existence... And seeing us as something disposable! You all deserve to die! - he started to shout. - We have spent years inventing and perfecting the sure-way to kill your kind. We have made it only recently, however. You shall be the first to die.

- Feel our wrath! - both of them shouted as Neriehem felt even bigger pressure on him. Simultaneously he could feel some kind of chill running from the top of his head to the tips of his feet.

Notice:You have been cursed. This is an evil magic, which makes the user's mind and body fully transfer to the virtual world, effectively trapping him inside.

Right now the virtual world became your real world.

Pain threshold is removed. You feel it with 100% force.

Once you are killed here, you will not be able to respawn.

Notice:Your Soul Power resource has changed it's attributes.

It is directly linked with Willpower stat now.

Once you reach 0%, you enter “Soulless” state.

While in Soulless state, you gain experience five times slower. You also attract vile souls which will try to possess your body. When even one of them succeeds, you will die.

Soul Power regenerates with a ratio of 2% / day.

When Soulless, the time needed to recover your soul is: 1 month.

Neriehem stared at the notice boxes before him, as despair grabbed him and continued to tighten it's grasp. Right now he was doomed to spend the rest of his days inside the game. Not only that, if servers went down he might have died at any moment. Also considering his current situation, it was very unlikely that he will survive more then five minutes now. His eyes lost any light in them.

Then...

- Don't give up! - a female voice echoed inside his head. Neriehem recognized the goddess Lecraea.

- What can you know? Not that it matters... I will really die now.

- If such a curse has been casted on you, it means that it can be taken off from you! - the goddess said. - I know the way how to do it. However for that I need you alive! - she said.

Upon hearing the news, light returned to Neriehem's eyes. Also, in that very moment he remembered his childhood friend and protector's final words: “As long as he lives, the hero will find a way out from any dump he gets into, no matter how dire situation he gets into is. You are such a hero, Sebastian.”

- 'Who would have thought I will remember these things in such a moment' – thought Neriehem, smile forming on his lips.

Two Ganteyr's worshipers laughed as they saw despair displayed on their victim's face. They knew the curse worked. They looked at themselves with evil smiles.

However they missed light return to the eyes of the man who was being crushed into the ground. When smile formed on his lips, they merely thought that he went crazy.

That was not the case.

Neriehem gathered his strength. Little by little, he used up his Soul Force little by little. Even when he only used a very tiny fraction of it, he immediately felt relief from the pressure. When he used it again, he didn't feel it anymore.

However he decided to use more, as he wasn't sure of his opponents' power. In the end he used 20% of his total Soul Power. But he kept on lying down. He didn't want to let his Soul Power go to waste. He prepared Crimson Blitz skill and waited.

Finally two elders noticed something was wrong. They saw Neriehem's face no longer twisting in pain, even when they increased pressure put on him. They kept increasing it until they were drained. That was the moment Neriehem awaited.

Immediately he jumped from the ground, leaving so much as a crimson lines behind him. He beheaded librarian and pierced former bishop's heart with his blade. After that he heard a cracking noise.

Neriehem brought out the sword and looked at it – or it's remains. The blade was now half of it's original length, and what was left of it was covered in cracks. Neriehem could only sigh as he dug a small hole and put what was left inside.

- 'You have served me well, my friend' – he thought, as he covered it with ground. Then he sttod up and looked up, covering his eyes.

The darkness left the city, and it's place took the warm sun.

The sky was clear.

Neriehem took in the beautiful sight below him. He noticed NPCs and players alike, gathered together as they fought against monsters. He thought about them for a while, before he fixed his scarf.

The sky might have been bright, but Neriehem's future was completely clouded.

The end!Previous ChapterNext Chapter

_______________________________________________

Whew, finally Beginners' City Arc is coming to a end. Next chapter will be mostly summary-style.

Just in case you're wondering where I got an idea of night demons: There's the cycle written by Peter V. Brett called "Demon cycle". Right now there are 6 books with 7th coming out soon (I heard sometime around early 2015).

However I'm not going to focus on the action solely in the night. As you have read, right now Neriehem(Sebastian) is trapped in the VR by a curse. I'm going to make it kind-of like SAO's Aincrad Arc, only with more freedom. And our protagonist is the only person trapped inside (however that can change depending on how I feel with the idea of more VR prisoners. Lol).