CHAPTER 2 : Into the Void.

 “You are too slow human…”

I answered

“Well if you could look at my state right now” which by the way was not enviable “you would understand that walking with half healed bones and injuries might be the cause”

“Pathetic” said one of the black wolves. “Why should we even put up with this human…he is far too weak to be of help.”

“Quiet, our ancestors had promised that man and we shall oblige and respect their wishes.”

“What are you guys talking about?” I said.

The big wolf stopped and turned to face me saying

“You will know soon enough. Now hop in you are far too slow, reaching our destination with your speed will take us months.”

‘Hop in? As in, ride him? That could be…awesome! Yet destination? What is he talking about?’

Some of the wolves began to growl once I approached the big one, but with just one glace at his subordinates, they all lowered their heads.

This guy’s fur is magnificent…and so fluffy!!

Yet without a warning he began to run.

Not just run…the damn thing’s speed was astonishing. His subordinates were keeping up with him only they were not using their paws and legs to run.

Almost all of their body had turned to black smoke expect their head. And looking like comets they rushed through the forest. One of them was heading directly toward a tree but once he was in contact with it his body dissipated before contact and reconstructed itself after passing the tree.

There was nothing that could stop these guys as they got faster and faster. I only worried about one thing. If the one I am riding used the same trick I might find myself stuck to a tree trunk…

However my worries were for naught as he was dodging the trees intentionally. Meaning that he did consider my wellbeing.

“You guys are fast!” I said

The alpha responded

“We are shadow wolves we are much faster in areas with low light concentration. Clasp your hands tighter it’s going to get much faster now.”

I did as I was told and truly it got way faster.

We just left the forests’ domain and reached a mountainous area. There was a huge cave or tunnel that all the pack headed toward. Once they entered the tunnels I no longer felt the bumpiness of the alpha’s motion when he was running.

He transformed his body into a shape similar to his pack only with a physical back for me to remain seated on.

I felt like I was flying.

After exiting the cave area that only took less than few minutes. And with a speed like theirs that would have been a few days walk.

I saw a new scenery. It was a destroyed land that not a single tree or batch of grass was growing in it

Burnt lands with fuming hills and charred rocks. The wolves kept running through it until I saw the biggest mountain I had ever seen.

It was red and large. So big that its peek was piercing the cloudless sky and still was not visible.

“That is one hell of a mountain I said”

“That is the nesting place of the current ruler of this domain.”

“Ruler?”

“Yes. A primordial dragon. Older than time itself and wiser than any. However even with his immense strength…he is a prisoner like us.”

‘Dragon? Is he the same one that brought me here? But how can someone of that strength be imprisoned here?’

The wolf as if reading my mind said

“You will know all you need once we reach our destination”

It took a few hours yet the mountain was still in view. There was a small creek that had water in it. And feeling thirst I was about to ask for the wolf to stop to get a drink.

But then he said

“We are here.”

Then they stopped. It was a small waterfall probably where that creek came from.

The big wolf said

“There is a cave behind that waterfall. Get in and you will understand everything. Prey will be brought to you daily. And under no circumstances are you to get out of that cave without one my subordinates…the void is no place for someone like you right now.”

‘What is he talking about…the only dangerous looking this I encountered today was you?’

Anyway I stepped down from his very fluffy and comfortable back and walked to the cave. There was a passage at the side of the water curtain that I took and walked inside.

I felt the wolves disappear.

This entire world felt rather dim lit.

I tried to use a fire spell but to no apparent success. However after focusing my entire being and energy in one finger I managed to produce a candle like flame that barely lit the entrance of the cave.

I tore a piece of my cloth and used a stick that was hanged on the side of the cave. This instantly meant that there was former human presence in this cave… meaning that whoever those wolves were speaking about must have lived here.

Igniting the torch I proceeded forward hearing but the now muffled sound of the waterfall.

Carefully and filled with a strange sense of excitement I moved forward.

What I found was shocking.

I expected spider webs and dust to be filling a place like this but no.

It was a perfectly round room with shelves and books, yes books.

It was clean with wooden floor skillfully made and an interior design fit for a great scholar.

There was a bed on the side and a big chair next to a study desk.

The chair however had a corps of an apparently old man.

The old corps had its hand holding a faintly glowing silver sphere.

Carefully placing my hand on it, the sphere responded and rose up high.

Scanning the entire room with waves of magic it displayed a message.

“At last, you came.” A projected holograph of someone that looked similar to the old man.

“Well this item here is designed to relay a message once it comes in contact with a human. Once this message ends it will be destroyed. Dear discoverer…I cannot express my gratefulness over the fact that you have discovered this item. I will be sharing a secret that you will probably find very hard to believe but if you could please do anything about it…it will save our world a great deal of trouble. Are you willing to hear this old man a final wish?”

The message stopped probably waiting for my response.

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I said “yes”

Then the message continued

“Thank you for your patience. I was sent to this world by mistake. It was a stupid and faulty experiment to control the power of the void. Now knowing the truth behind this world I truly wish that I had never agreed to it. This world is ruled by a true dragon a primordial one at that. However he is not the only dragon here…another one that is probably of equal strength is still on the loose and is terrorizing every living creature here. Please do not leave this cave on daytime.”

“Daytime? So this is night? Wired” I said to no one in particular

“The primordial dragon once spoke to me and relied the thought behind this world and our world.

Our real world is but a prison. It was the blunder of our ancestors that caused us to be imprisoned here. Foolish and stupid they decided to challenge the Overseers of the true world and because of that they were condemned to eternal imprisonment in the Great Plains. The true world is much vaster than you could imagine. It contains many races of which are the dwarves, elves, draconic, beastkin and more. However we humans and demons were too arrogant, too confident in our own strength that we defied divinity and got crushed by them. The only way for one of our races to escape this prison is if one race totally eliminates the other. This might be very difficult to comprehend really I do know this it was the same for me at first…but it is the truth. The great dragon showed me images of a vaster world where he flew and soared high into the skies where he was revered as one of the strongest in the real world…he was imprisoned because he was flying over the great plains when the verdict was ruled. However due to his mighty strength he was forcefully locked up into the void unable to exit by his own strength. My only wish for you young man is to go and meet this being. However be very careful as reaching him might be very treacherous and I myself was unable to remain at his presence for more than few seconds.”

The message then stopped to speak one last time

“These are my researches and documents on this world take my ring it has a storing space in it and from there you could access this library from anywhere. I do not know whether you would honor my request however I would like you to know that once you are in the void it is almost impossible to leave it. The only one who might be of help is the dragon himself. He told me before he left that I was not strong enough to exit this place and once I find someone worthy. To send them to him. I do not know if you are the one he spoke about but please... if you are by any chance the one, please rally this message.”

The silver sphere emitted some sparks and fell to the ground with a dull thudding sound.

The only light was now coming from my torch. Looking up I saw a small yellow sphere on the ceiling that Shon for a moment reacting to the flame and lit the entire room.

Taking another look at the old corps I felt sorry for the man. He was wearing a black robe that looked very elegant and mystic not even his old and decayed corps managed to dirty it.

He must have spent god know how long in this place trying to leave without ever achieving his objective…will I suffer the same fate?

I relieved him out of his clothes and carried his decayed body outside. I began to dig a grave for the old man as this is the least one could do. Hours upon hours using but my injured hands and some stones I managed to make a barely proper grave. A quick prayer was spoken and looking up I noticed a change in the scenery.

The four moons had dissipated and the entire cosmos changed and warped around itself.

Like if the painter of that view decided to change the scenery.

A star. A dark and large star was now in the middle of the sky. It shun in an evil purple light that made the lands shudder from its intensity. Heat. The first time since I got here that I had felt heat. Then right after it I heard a wicked screeching sound that would have probably tore my eardrums if I had listened to it any longer. I placed my hands on my ears trying to suppress the sound to barley no effectiveness.

I hurriedly walked back into the cave waiting for the sound attack to end.

Its origin was undoubtedly a dragon. It must have been the one the old man spoke about in his message.

Amazingly once I was inside the cave the dragon sound was barely hearable. So I decided to remain inside.

I had to first do something I would have considered unethical and very immoral if I was in a different situation.

I dusted off the robe and the pants that the old man used to wear and placed it on me after removing my old rags.

It was quit baggy and not very comfortable and I immediately decided to take it off. But amazingly it tightened itself around myself and even reshaped itself into a much cooler design.

The robe now magically transformed into a vest of black and purple. The pants tightened themselves looking very stylish with a touch of the smoothest fabric.

Amazing objects…and much better than the rags I was wearing before.

I grabbed a book but instantly regretted it as pain surged through my hand.

I was forcing myself too much today that I forgot that my body is still battered.

Those bastards did a number on me and I will be sure to pay them back if I ever get out of here.

I then gently reopened the same book and began to read.

“GHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” screamed the boy that was on the screen and every time the man would break one of his fingers or his toes he would ask

“How do you activate the eye?”

Repeatedly time after time the boy would remain silent only responding to pain with his heart wrenching screams.

Poisoned, broken, burnt and even mutilated. The boy suffered hell throughout his ordeal.

The video only showed scenes where he suffered. The man would come and torture the boy for hours but the displayer would only show the result of each and every day of this continues inhuman act.

‘Day twenty two. Number 144 still refuses to speak. New methods have been used to no avail. Increasing the dose of the Vetra poison anymore will cause him to die.’ Said a commentator who was probably someone from the facility.

I was standing with the two masters inside the principal’s office.

Seeing the torture process that Asura was being put through made want to hurl too many times to count.

I was wrong.

He never turned…he somehow was and still remained a human…I caused him this…what is this sick and cruel joke. I did not even have the slightest hints of regret when they displayed the first day of his torture.

I taught that

‘He is a Devil…and no matter what he should not be pitied’

Until that man who was responsible over torturing Asura said the following words.

“No one is coming for you. No one will be looking for you. You are dead to them and even if thought otherwise you are thought to be a devil lord. However I can clearly see that you are still human and it is quite strange that you managed to suppress the possession…another thing I would need to know. So this time I will give you a taste of the upcoming events might you change your mind about remaining silent.”

I had my doubts…but after he took his eye…he only suffered, and not even once did he transform. Not even once did he exude that dark energy…how is this possible.

I turned my face away from the screen but the heart wrenshing screams would not stop.

however i felt great pain as i truly believed myself to be responsible for this.

I caused him this.

The boy groaned in pain and suffered throughout days and hours of torture.

Every time the commentator spoke only to rally the same thing without further update. Asura refused to speak no matter what kind or type of torture he was exposed to, he held his ground... For more than thirty days of captivity he still held on to the hope of being rescued…he fought against the odds. He fought here and fought back then…he was the only one fighting…why? Why did this have to end like this? Why?

Ainz Greetman spoke. Calmly in a manner that was unbeknownst to his nature.

“This is the last one…I have already seen all of them except this one…play it Osfor.”

Osfor sensei complied without uttering a word. Sadness and grief was apparent on his face while on Greetman it was the look of defeat.

“Day thirty one. The subject 144 had refused to speak or rally any information regarding the eye of the wise. Chief sector Mr. E, had managed to find a way around the lock that was not permitting anyone except the original owner to activate it. Subject 144 is no longer needed. Termination will be initiated today at 16 Pm.”

The same man entered the room. He spoke to Asura explaining how he was now useless to him. He even gave him the chance for a quick death if he said anything that would explain how he managed to fight back the corruption. Yet Asura still kept silent. Bruised battered and looking like a corps he still refused to break…

The video continued on showing Asura being ejected from his seat into a hole that opened underneath him.

Another monitor showed where he fell. It was a dark place full of sludge and rubbish.

Asura was nowhere to be seen but he was certainly there.

Then moments later a few dozen Mahojins shone around the entire dump.

Creating a searing inferno that ate away at everything within.

This was the end of a boy that did nothing wrong. And fought for people that he was not obliged to protect…a good man died because of me. The world had lost a soul that its only sin was trusting others…

“Osfor…lets go.” Said Greetman.

And then the screen turned off.

The two masters exuded an aura too terrifying for me to even try and resist.

“They shall pay dearly for this.” Said master Ousay.

“Indeed” replied Master Kansaki. Then he added “I will be heading to Quietus now. I need Gaz-sama back. We can use these footages as leverage to hasten his release. Ousay, come with me.”

Master Ousay only nodded

“You may go” said the principal.

Finding myself ignored and unable to formulate words I tried to say something, but was interrupted by the principal.

“I need to tell you something Yuna-san.” After she said those words, the two masters disappeared like if they were not even in the room.

“I need to tell you something. Something about Asura.”

I said with sobs mixed into my speech

“I don’t wish to know anymore…I get it…I am a horrible and despicable person…I get it…I caused hi-“

“NO!” she said. In a tone that woke me from my miserable stupor

“No one has the right to blame you for what you did. Not even Greetman, that day he was saddened by the sudden death of his disciple and was not thinking right. the loss of a close one is indeed heavy, and for Greetman, Asura was the closest thing to a family he ever had. so please dont blame yourself. The one who was intrusted to us to take care of...if there is someone to blame it should be us.... You had done what you thought to be right. And for that you are truly a remarkable person. Mistakes do happen and if you don’t forgive yourself you will never move forward.”

She sighed before she continued. Despite the apparent sadness she still tried to encourage me.

“I will tell you about Asura. He was found by Greetman when he was a child he happened to be an orphan that was forced to undergo illegal and inhuman experiments, he, and handful of other children at that. The Organization was the responsible over this, however, the day your parents passed away was the day Asura was freed from them. He, with the help of Greetman managed to initiate a contract with a devil that promised him life and release from a death curse that was casted on him in exchange for his body later on. This devil was responsible for the death of your parents. Not Asura. So if you want to hate someone hate the demonic existences that are threatening us.”

She took another breath and said.

“I understand that you wish to participate to the Crucible. Although you are a very talented kid, you need to know your limit. That place is not for the weak of minds and heart. If you truly wish to partake in it you need a good trainer. I will be yours. However, in exchange once you ‘DO’ get out you are to promise me that you will dedicate your life for others. And to fight for what is right and to fight against all demonic beings.”

Wiping away my tears I said

“I promise.”