Dante’s Perspective:
I see the humanoid creature wave. Next thing I know we’re standing in another room. What the hell was that thing? Elijah is still back there. Frick. He’ll be okay. As annoying as he is, his antics have grown on me. I get a notification.
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You have left the zone of the ability ‘FEAR AURA’.
You have gained control over your body.
All debuffs have been released.
Abilities can now be used.
Stats have gained their potency again.
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I can’t help sighing in relief as my strength flows back into me. I reach inside me and feel my mana core holding my essence once again. Gaining my strength, I look toward the beast running toward me and scan it using my second inspection ring.
[Summon - Soldier]
There’s no rank. As the summon comes closer, it lunges at me. I jump backward, dodging it and slashing it across its neck with my new three-tailed whip. I smile as the whip causes a hole to appear. It jumps back and gazes at me. It nods its head as if it figured something out and runs back in. No way this thing just nodded. I continue to fight it and gradually wear it down. I take a couple of scratches but ignore it.
As the fight goes on, I feel my strength waning, but notice that the summon also gets weaker. It doesn’t seem affected by my attacks. Oddly, it never overpowers me and always adjusts its force to match mine. If this goes on, I’ll be worn out. Hopefully, it’ll stop attacking when I do.
It stops moving suddenly. I stand there panting, shortsword in one hand and my whip in the other. It moves near the door of the room we’re in and crosses its paw, sitting down. I look into its bright purple eyes and don’t see any malice in its gaze.
I move to the other side of the room and sit, not lowering my guard. I open my backpack which ripped after the beast attacked me. I grab some food and lean against the wall eating and staring down the beast. Hold tight Elijah. I’m coming… Right after I somehow defeated this thing. I look to my side and see a mouse scurry through one of the holes. I manage to scan it before it leaves through the hole.
[Common Mouse - F Rank - Level 14]
A level 14 mouse. I look at the beast again and down at the hole as a plan formulates in my head. I’m coming Elijah. Please don’t die on me.
Elijah’s Perspective:
I wake up in a large throne room. Looking around, I notice the far edge of the room crowded with shadows. Ignoring it, I turn to look around to see if the Humanoid creature is still lurking here. Not noticing anything except metal statues and large amethyst stalagmites strone around the room. I walk around, taking in every detail. Not noticing anything off, I walk toward the entrance doors.
I wonder who were these doors made for. They’re huge. I push on it, seeing if I can leave, but don’t get any feedback. That would’ve been way too easy. I turn around and start to walk toward the shadowed section. I have a feeling that if I want to leave this place, it’ll be through that corner. The room gets darker with each step I take and my gaze becomes more and more focused on the throne that’s sitting on the raised platform. I feel a terrifying presence, but gulp and move on.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
I notice the chains first. Dark and pulsing, they coarse through the throne and over it, locking the human—No, the being that sits there. I see its violet glowing eyes reminiscent of the other creatures and instinctively know that I’m standing in front of their Master. It picks up its hand and I feel a terror run through me before disappearing.
“Come closer,” it whispers.
Gathering my courage, I walk closer to its throne. I stop right before it.
“Xylothar, bring him closer,” It says again. This time the humanoid creature walks down from the steps leading to the throne. I feel my legs grow weak as it comes near, but hold myself together. It picks me up and drops me right in front of the locked-up being. I fall onto my knees and we face each other eye to eye.
Being this close, I can’t help but notice how young and normal its face looks. If you ignore the eyes and sunken cheeks.
“You have no mana, Good. It’ll make the process easier,” I feel him touch my forehead and pain consumes me.
I feel a foreign substance run through my body. I feel it burn whatever it goes near. Suddenly the pain stops just as fast as it started and I come out of the trance I went to. I notice my throat is parched, my head dizzy and tears in my eyes. I drop to the floor and fall unconscious.
I wake up once more and the memories of what happened flash through my mind. I look at the throne in front of me and see the Being panting out of exertion. I crawl away, unable to stand but bump into something. He motions with his hand and I look up to see the humanoid creature again.
It picks me up and this time holds me as the being touches my abdomen. I don’t feel anything and sigh in relief.
Once the being is done with whatever he was doing to me, I notice that he looks worse than before to the point where he’s nearly unrecognizable.
I reel back as my head explodes with notifications and my eyes roll for the third time.
As I awake, I notice that I haven’t been dropped by the humanoid creature yet.
“So, Elijah Ashborne,” the being on the throne groans out before coughing and turns to the Humanoid Creature holding me, “There isn’t much time left. Let him stand on his own.”
It drops me before moving back to the floor below the raised platform. I stare at it for a moment before looking back at The Being. He points me to look back at the Humanoid Creature. Unable to resist, I follow what he says and look back.
Creatures similar to the humanoid one start appearing one by one in all forms. Wolfs, Bears, Ogres, Elves and countless others.
“I am The Voidlord, The Herald of Oblivion, The Bringer of Death, The Scion of Chaos and this is the elite of my army,” it says in a raspy, pointing down at the creatures below, “Each of them is as strong as an SSS Ranker.”
He starts to laugh maniacally and eventually ends up coughing. An SSS ranker. What happened to B rank being the max ever recorded? There’s too much I don’t know. Frick.
“I just wanted one last person to see them before they die with me,” It says, “Now, I know you have questions, so I’ll answer two of them. As long as it’s within my knowledge, I’ll give you an answer. In return, you have to do two small favours for me. How’s that sound?”
Like a crappy deal. I doubt he’ll let me refuse though. I nod my head reluctantly.
“So, your questions. What are they,” It says.
“What’d you do to me,” I blurt out.
“You’ll find that out once you look through your notification. Now what’s your second question,” It says with a chuckle.
“Wait, no, that isn’t fair,” I protest but stop once I see its raised eyebrow.
“It’s a good lesson. Never be too hasty to do an action you have time to do,”
Sighing, I think deeply about what to ask. Should I ask about my parents? No, I doubt he’ll know anything about them. What else. Maybe, where it comes from? That doesn’t help me. He’s locked up here. Meaning someone wanted him dead or gone. Whether it was the system or some other entity, someone wanted to hurt him or lock him.
“Is there anything that’ll threaten me because of my interaction with you?” I say after thinking hard and long about it.
“Yes, many people will. I’ve given you my legacy. You’re welcome by the way, but if anyone sees you using it. You’ll probably be hunted and die a gruesome death as they torture you to find out your secrets. You’ll have allies though and my legacy to help you immensely. So all won’t be bad,” The being says nonchalantly, “Anyway, my turn. My first request is for you to kill me.”