The atmosphere inside the ziggurat was oppressive, the walls closing in as if the ancient stone was trying to push the intruders out. The air was thick with dust and the scent of decaying history, but the two hooded figures moved with purpose, their steps echoing through the dimly lit corridors.
"Damn it," he muttered, his voice low and sharp. "All that effort, all those parasites absorbed, and for what? The systems are useless in this cursed place."
The one who had spoken—a blue-skinned humanoid with long, pointed ears and eyes that gleamed like a cat's in the low light—pulled back his hood, revealing his features fully. His skin had an unnatural sheen, and his sharp, angular face was twisted in frustration.
Beside him stood another figure, a towering man with three eyes, listening in silence. The eye in the center of his forehead was particularly striking, a purple orb with intricate patterns swirling within it as if alive with its consciousness. Unlike his companion, he remained calm, his deep-set eyes betraying no emotion.
"The systems were always a gamble," the giant man rumbled, his voice deep and resonant, carrying a weight of experience. "You knew that when you agreed to the mission. The Federation doesn't care about the risks, only the results."
The blue-skinned figure sneered, but his expression showed a hint of resignation.
"Yeah, well, I thought we'd at least have some advantage. I didn't sign up for a suicide mission."
The giant man regarded his companion with a steady gaze.
"Our orders were clear. The Fountain of Youth is somewhere in this structure, and it's our job to find it, systems or no systems. Besides, we still have our strengths."
The blue-skinned figure sighed but nodded.
"I suppose you're right. My power isn't diminished; it's just different here. I'll manage."
He glanced around the corridor they had been walking down, taking in the ancient carvings that adorned the walls. Most were faded, worn down by time, but a few still held a faint glow, hinting at the power that once flowed through this place.
"The Federation's intel was spot on, though," he admitted grudgingly. "This ziggurat is the key to finding the Fountain. No wonder it's been so heavily guarded from the other worlds."
"Exploiting that rift to enter directly saved us weeks of searching," the giant man agreed. "But it also means others will be drawn here. We're not the only ones after the Fountain."
The blue-skinned figure's eyes narrowed.
"You think the Immortals sent someone? I heard they've been sniffing around this place for years."
"Undoubtedly," the giant man replied. "And others, too. This place has been the target of countless expeditions. Most never return."
A smirk tugged at the blue-skinned figure's lips. "Then we'd better make sure we're the ones who do."
They continued down the corridor, moving with a silent efficiency that spoke of years of experience. They had been through many battles and seen many worlds, but the Abyssal Arcane Realm was unlike anything they had encountered before. The air seemed to vibrate with an ancient power, and the walls seemed to watch them as if the ziggurat was alive.
Turning a corner, they stopped before a massive door, its surface covered in intricate glyphs and symbols that pulsed with a faint, eerie light. The door was old, impossibly so, yet it radiated a potent power, even after all these years.
"This must be it," the blue-skinned figure said, his voice tinged with anticipation. "The entrance to the inner sanctum. The Federation's intel didn't mention this, though."
The giant man stepped forward, his central eye glowing with a bright purple light as he scanned the door. "It's a seal," he said after a moment. "An ancient one, designed to keep out intruders. But it's weak, fading. We can break it."
The blue-skinned figure grinned, revealing sharp teeth.
"Good. I was starting to get bored."
He raised his hands, and a swirling mass of dark energy began to form between them, crackling with power. The giant man placed his hands on the door, his eyes glowing brighter as he channeled his energy into the seal.
The door resisted at first, the glyphs flaring brightly as they fought to maintain the barrier, but the combined power of the two intruders was too much. With a final, echoing crack, the seal shattered, and the door slowly began to open, revealing a dark, yawning void beyond.
"Let's go," the giant man said, his voice steady. "The Fountain of Youth is within our grasp."
The blue-skinned figure nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Finally."
However, as soon as the two entered the chamber, they found nothing but a bare and empty room, and where the Fountain was supposed to be, nothing but rubble.
The two intruders stared at the empty chamber in disbelief, the air thick with an oppressive silence that seemed to mock their expectations. The blue-skinned figure's excitement drained from his face, replaced by a look of sheer frustration.
"Rubble?" he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "After all that, we find a pile of rocks?"
The giant man remained composed, his three eyes scanning the room intensely. His central eye pulsed with energy as if trying to pierce through the layers of dust and time to uncover what had been hidden.
"There's more to this," he murmured, more to himself than to his companion. "The Fountain can't have simply... disappeared. This chamber was sealed for a reason."
The blue-skinned figure, still seething, kicked at a stone fragment, sending it skittering across the floor. "Maybe the Federation's intel was wrong after all. Maybe we've been chasing a ghost."
"Or maybe," the giant man countered, "someone got here before us."
The blue-skinned figure paused, his irritation momentarily replaced by curiosity. "You think the Immortals? Or one of the other factions?"
"It's possible," the giant man replied, his deep voice calm. "But whoever they were probably took the created water and fled. Scan the area and try to find them; they couldn't have gone far. The destruction seems to have been caused not too long ago."
The blue-skinned figure's eyes narrowed as he crouched down, placing a hand on the cold, dusty floor. A faint, glowing light emanated from his palm, spreading like a spider's web across the chamber. The threads of energy pulsed, tracing invisible lines that only he could see.
"They're not far," he confirmed, his voice low and sharp. "The energy residue is fresh—hours, maybe less. Whoever did this left in a hurry."
The giant man nodded, his three eyes still scanning the room as if looking for something that wasn't immediately visible.
"Then we still have a chance. They might have taken the created water, but they could carry more information—maps, notes, anything that could lead us to where the Fountain is now."
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The blue-skinned figure stood up, the glowing web fading as he did. His frustration had been replaced by a cold, focused determination.
"So we hunt them down, take what we need, and finish this mission."
"Exactly," the giant man agreed, his voice like a steady drumbeat. "But we'll have to be careful. They would not be amateurs if they bypassed the ziggurat's defenses. And we're in the Abyssal Arcane Realm—no telling what other dangers might be lurking."
The blue-skinned figure rolled his eyes, but there was a trace of acknowledgment in his expression.
"I know the drill. Let's just hope they're not too far ahead."
Without another word, the two figures moved back toward the entrance, their footsteps echoing through the empty chamber.
The oppressive atmosphere grew heavier as they retraced their steps, the ancient ziggurat closing around them like a living thing. The walls seemed to pulse with dark energy as if the structure knew their presence.
As they reached the corridor, the blue-skinned figure paused, glancing back at the chamber they had just left.
"This place feels... different now. Like it's watching us."
The giant man nodded, his expression unreadable.
"The ziggurat is ancient. It's likely been here for thousands of years, absorbing the power of the Abyssal Arcane Realm. It's more than just stone—it's alive, in a way. And it doesn't take kindly to intruders."
The blue-skinned figure shivered involuntarily, though he quickly masked it with a scowl.
"Great. Just what we needed—a haunted death trap."
"Focus," the giant man said, his voice firm but not unkind. We're close. If we can track down whoever took the created water, we'll be one step closer to completing our mission."
With renewed determination, they continued through the dimly lit corridors, the blue-skinned figure's senses heightened as he searched for any trace of their quarry. The air grew colder as they descended deeper into the ziggurat, the walls narrowing around them like the maw of some great beast.
After an eternity, they reached another set of massive doors, even more imposing than the first. The glyphs adorning them were more extensive and complex, glowing with a malevolent light that seemed to pulse in time with their heartbeats.
"This must be the way out," the blue-skinned figure muttered, eyeing the doors warily. "But if the others came through here, why is the seal still intact?"
"Good question," the giant man replied, his three eyes narrowing as he studied the glyphs. "It's possible they used a different exit, or maybe... they weren't the ones who sealed it. This place has many layers of defense, and some of them might activate on their own."
The blue-skinned figure frowned, considering this.
"So, what do we do? Break the seal like before?"
The giant man shook his head.
"No. This seal is different. It's not just designed to keep people out—it's also meant to keep something in."
A cold chill ran down the blue-skinned figure's spine, and he glanced back at how they had come.
"You think we're being followed?"
"It's possible," the giant man said, his voice grim. But if we're right, and someone took the created water, they might have triggered a defense mechanism—something that's now hunting us."
"Fantastic," the blue-skinned figure muttered. "So we're not just chasing someone—we're being hunted ourselves."
The giant man's central eye glowed brighter, illuminating the dark corridor.
"It's nothing we can't handle. But we'll need to be quick. If there's something else in this ziggurat, we don't want to be here when it finds us."
With a deep breath, the blue-skinned figure stepped forward, raising his hands to the door. The dark energy began to swirl around him again, crackling with power as he prepared to break the seal. The giant man stood beside him, his energy pulsing with the glyphs.
Together, they unleashed their power, and the seal resisted, flaring with a bright, angry light. But the combined strength of the two intruders was too much, and with a final shuddering crack, the seal shattered, and the doors slowly began to open.
Beyond them lay a dark and foreboding tunnel leading deeper into the ziggurat. The air was thick with the scent of decay and something else.
"Let's move," the giant man said, his voice steady. "Whatever's down there, we need to face it head-on. If we're going to find the Fountain of Youth, we can't let anything stop us."
The blue-skinned figure nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination.
"Agreed. No more setbacks. Let's finish this."
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"Did you have to destroy the Fountain? Do you even know how important that thing is?"
Ning Xiao screamed as the trio descended deeper into the catacombs underneath the ziggurat.
"You're blinded by greed. We already have enough fountain water, plus we can't let others take it with us, especially since I know the Federation will be after it. I can already tell you're not telling me the whole story behind this Fountain, Ning Xiao."
Rui replied calmly, his eyes containing a coldness that wasn't usually there.
Han Feng didn't comment and just ran, his expression serene as if he wasn't part of the group. He wasn't going to interfere in matters like this. His goal wasn't the Fountain anyway; he was here to explore and get stronger.
Meeting Rui and Ning Xiao was just a twist of luck. It brought him a great opportunity but also placed his life at stake.
Ning Xiao's frustration was palpable, her steps echoing loudly through the narrow tunnel as she followed Rui and Han Feng deeper into the catacombs.
Her breath came in short, angry bursts, her usually calm demeanor shattered by the destruction of the Fountain of Youth. She wasn't used to being outmaneuvered, and Rui's decision had caught her off guard.
"You don't understand, Rui…"
Ning Xiao hissed, her voice trembling with barely suppressed fury.
"That Fountain wasn't just a relic but a source of unimaginable power. We could have used it, harnessed it to do things you can't even comprehend."
Rui didn't stop or even look back as he responded, his voice as steady as ever.
"And what would you have done with it, Ning? Used it to further your agenda? You clearly need to learn more about the Federation. Destroying it was the only way to ensure it didn't fall into the wrong hands."
Ning Xiao clenched her fists, the words she wanted to say choking in her throat. She knew Rui was right, at least on some level. The Federation was a ruthless machine driven by its insatiable hunger for power.
If they had known about the Fountain, they would have sent legions to claim it, regardless of the cost. But Ning had reasons for wanting to keep the Fountain intact—reasons she wasn't ready to share with Rui or anyone else.
"I'm surprised you even knew about the Federation since you had yet to speak about it or the systems, but it seems they also invaded your world. Those two back there are system hosts, though they seem to work with the Federation like licensed bounty hunters.
Rui commented, the Ansuz rune on his forehead glowing slightly brighter than usual while his pure white pupils stared directly at Ning Xiao.
Ning Xiao slowed her pace slightly, her sharp ears picking up on Rui's subtle shift in tone.
"Everyone knows about the Federation," Ning Xiao said evenly, her voice barely above a whisper as they navigated the narrow passageway. "Their reach is vast, and their methods are brutal. I've seen firsthand what they do to worlds like ours, how they strip them of resources and leave nothing but ruin in their wake."
Rui nodded slightly, acknowledging Ning Xiao's words but not responding. He understood the dangers posed by the Federation, though his experience with them was limited. As a system host himself, Rui knew bits and pieces about their ruthless methods, but he hadn't witnessed the full extent of their devastation.
Ning Xiao's voice softened as she continued, the tension in her body slowly ebbing away.
"You may not have seen it yet, but the Federation doesn't just take resources—they take lives, too. Entire civilizations were erased because they stood in the way. That's why the Fountain was so important to me. It was more than just power—it was a way to fight back, to protect what's left of our world."
Rui finally glanced back at her, his expression unreadable.
"I know enough about the Federation to understand that they're relentless. But you're not telling me everything, Ning. What's your real connection to them?"
Ning Xiao hesitated, her eyes darting away momentarily before meeting his gaze. "It's... complicated," she admitted. "But I'm not their ally if you're worried about that. My connection to them is more about survival than loyalty. I've had to make hard choices to stay ahead of them."
Rui's white pupils glowed faintly, the Ansuz rune on his forehead pulsating in sync with his thoughts.
"We all have our reasons for doing what we do. But if we leave this alive, we must be on the same page. No more secrets."
Ning Xiao exhaled slowly, her shoulders relaxing a fraction. "Agreed," she said, her voice steadier now. "No more secrets."
The trio continued their descent into the catacombs, the oppressive atmosphere weighing them down like a heavy shroud. The deeper they went, the more the air thickened with an unsettling energy, as if the walls were alive and watching their every move.
Han Feng, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke up, his voice calm and measured.
"There's something ahead. I can feel it."
Rui and Ning Xiao tensed, their senses sharpening as they scanned the dark passageway. The faintest flicker of light danced at the edge of their vision, growing brighter with each step.
As they rounded a final corner, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber, the walls lined with ancient carvings that seemed to pulse with a faint, eerie glow. In the center of the room stood a tall, ornate pedestal, its surface covered in intricate symbols that shimmered with an otherworldly light.
But what drew their attention was the figure standing beside it—a lone figure cloaked in shadows, their features obscured by a dark hood. The air around them crackled with an intense energy, and as the trio approached, the figure slowly turned to face them.
Rui's eyes narrowed, his instincts screaming that this was no ordinary opponent. The figure's presence radiated power, a deep, malevolent force that sent a chill down his spine.
"Who are you?"
Rui demanded, his voice echoing through the chamber.
The figure remained silent for a moment, then slowly lowered its hood, revealing an unfamiliar and unsettling face. Their skin was a sickly shade of gray, their eyes glowing with a dull, crimson light.