Hey guys here's part 2. It may feel incomplete without part 1 but it still has a lot of development added in for the characters.

Thanks for those of you who rated my fiction my story jumped up two more spots and is now ranked 46!

To boamorte10: You had the funniest rating this week and I just thought you should know it made me laugh and smile at your comments.

I seriously love getting to read long comments and stuff you all enjoy about this fiction. And for those of you who rated and commented thank you very, very much you're awesome! Some people on this website I've come to find will bash and trash a fiction in their reviews then in the last sentence say eh it was a good read though. But I'm thankful that the majority of my ratings are good so that must mean you all enjoy it which makes me feel very good. It's also what makes me write such long, long, chapters....

**** Also I know I've introduced a lot of let’s say 'loli' type characters and I promise not to make a habit of it this is simply the characters the mc are meeting first. I choose to think of it not as if just anyone was thrown into this world but how would a person like Vali act when coming to such a place. How would it affect him?

The pixies (who aren't all loli by the way...'some are let’s just say developed') just accepted the MC so quickly that they were one of the first races I wanted to speak about. And all what happened last chapter was supposed to lead into this. I'll get into all the other races soon and what makes them each special, and I promise to introduce some interesting new characters as well...Kyrah will be fun for the readers as well too.

I have one really cool idea for a race I haven't introduced yet but I'm excited because I have never heard of this particular demi-human race before in a light novel and thought it would be incredible to bring into the story later on. So just stay put and know the story will only keep growing and this is all just the beginning. Essentially this arc wasn't even going to happen originally simply because  I want to get to the good stuff that's coming but according to yall, most people like the pacing so that’s good....I also want villains who are strong enough to compete with Vali who the readers also love to hate and all the blood and carnage that follows...So just be ready for a long and enjoyable ride, I don't plan on peaking early or making Vali get wayyyyy too strong too fast.....Don't get me wrong he's OP as fuck and a cheat, but you haven't seen anything yet. This world is full of cheats and characters who too OP as well. The fight with Balor is going to be NOTHING like the fight with Malthiel and all I can say is be prepared because the fighting scenes I've already worked out will be epic!

So without further a due.....Enjoy!

And don't forget to leave a long comment!

Chapter 20: Tears of a Titan

Part 2

Vali's POV:

After everything calmed down, we’re all sitting on Cari’s bed and talking about the future plans in the dungeon. Cosmia said they were still formulating a plan of attack against Balor when he plans on appearing on floor 52 again.

Oddly enough none of the pixies were at all frightening of the realization of Balor's imminent attack. They all even wanted to join in the fight, including Daisy.

“Well, I want you guys to help, but I don’t want you jumping in and fighting like you all did last time. Two days isn’t enough for you to try and fight those things but I believe we can formulate a plan in time where everyone will need to help out in some way. “

“”Right!””

They all agreed with me in unison as they normally would with Cosmia.

“We can still formulate a plan against Balor. Like we did with Wyatt, with Kai’s plan of attack. Force him into a corner. Surround him and pierce him! With everyone's combined strengths, we can do it!”

“Right!”

As the pixies talked amongst themselves and chattered with Cari I too began to think of plans at taking down Balor. The pixies plan of attack against Wyatt was similar to how some military operations attack a target in my world. They surround the target and push them into a sort of kill box. Due to their wings they naturally have an advantage of attacking from multiple locations at the same time. They aren’t strong but they can grind something’s health down without the victim even being aware of what’s happening to them.

Now however they have a whole new assortment of attacks that have made them dangerous. I’m not sure if the pixies will be on the fighting end of this battle, but I know for sure they as well as all the other races will need to contribute and come together if we are going to succeed.

I then began casting some of my recovery magic on Cari as she sat in her chair. I figured while we talk I can do this to raise my mastery and possibly increase its effects. Double experience still has to count for something.

‘Balor...according to Hjokk you’re vulnerable now. If what I think she is saying was correct. Balor would essentially become something equivalent to a boss monster himself upon descending. He isn’t a divine anymore, so what does that mean? Well...What do I know about divines from Loki? They’re loud, sociopathic...completely devoid of human emotion. But they have power that is beyond imagining.  According to Balor and Loki however my potential is something to even be frightened of. Balor was talking about my absorption skill...But Hjokk said Loki thought Magic Manipulation had much more potential.’

It does let me have immediate cast times with magic but I believe it’s much more than that it has to be. Hjokk said I could bend any and all magic to my will and make it mine. If it was something even Loki was adamant about telling me it had to mean something. I use to think that meant I could just shoot off more powerful magic than the skill provided but it’s I'm slowly coming to find it's much more. According to Loki’s idea, it’s limitless. In terms of that what would that mean? I guess I could even meld my skills together like the pixies do, maybe even past that. I tried using my manipulation before on melding skills like the pixies had but it’s impossible for me right now. It’s just difficult. I tried to add Lightning Armor to my Dullahans but came up with no success. I thought if the pixies could meld their magics, why can’t I? Since the Dullahans aren’t a part of my own body it's just not possible to add lightning armor to them but I need to stop thinking this world has limits. Loki shattered that idea when he showed me just how powerful spatial magic is....'Hmm spatial magic...'

“Hmm..."

I then felt I was sitting on something and reached under me and pulled out and oddly hard and heavy object. ‘Oh...It’s one of those dawn bringer knives. I guess Cari had one of these too. I pulled it out and observed it and it really did resemble the stone in my mother’s necklace. It just produced a completely different light than the stone’s in my mother’s cross. If I had my necklace right now I’d compare the two but I’ll have to wait till my next meeting with that woman until I can do that. ‘I have been waiting for that next meeting of ours...’

These things are capable of cutting through Balor’s creations and even killing them. Something even Balor seemed surprised about. According to Malfius, this is just something else that they have discovered in this dungeon. It just looks like a smooth, polished diamond but this dagger even radiates bright light and heat when waved around. Its white light cascades out and makes a faint rainbow trail behind it.

Seriously what is this diamond made of, I wond...

WOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"WOH!"

'What the hell was that!'

A bright blinding white light blinded me the moment my hand touched the blade of the dagger. An explosion went off and it felt like an earthquake was happening. The power from the bright light was so strong it shot past me and broke out the windows of the cabin and shook the room entirely.  All I hear is a loud ringing noise in my ears as whatever happened felt like an explosion came off of the dagger the moment my fingers touched it.

Congratulations! Freya’s Soul Recovery has just advanced to Novice level 9!

‘What my healing ability rose...? By 2 levels?’

“Is everyone ok!?”

“Are we being attacked?”

“What was that?”

“Defensive positions! Check the exterior of the cabin monsters might have heard that, move!”

[Vali...What was that?]

Everyone began to clamor around until Kai walked up and directed orders. No one however could hear Kai other than me. Everyone kept rubbing their ears simply because the loud ringing wouldn’t stop. Whatever happened didn’t destroy this room or anything in it except the windows. It’s weird but it felt like a grenade had just gone off but there's no damage to anything. I then looked down at the dagger. Wait...Where’s the blade? It’s gone?’

‘I don’t know Hjokk. But whenever I touched the dagger made of the dawn bringer crystal it exploded in my hands. Why would it do that?’

“The illusions are down!”

“Set it back up hurry the monsters on this floor are very scary....”

All the pixies started flying and running around but sticking their hands up against the walls while pouring out their magic.

“Don’t worry Cari...We can take care of them now...”

“Really Vale?”

“Oh yah.....”

Tanin then clenched his fists together and a large fireball engulfed his arms. He’d resemble a character from a comic book if it weren’t for his wings. Cari then smiled and leaned back in her chair.

“Wait....! Cari!!! Your feet!”

“What...Did I lose a toe or something?”

“What? No...Look!”

Everyone looked down at Cari’s feet and saw her toes were moving. Wait...Her legs can move? I remember I was casting recovery when.....The dagger. It’s made out of..., ’A magic crystal.....? The dawn bringers are just magical crystals!’

Cari then began to move her feet around and everyone then noticed just how different the Cari who was in the chair looks. The white light that gushed out and blew out the windows was this one’s white aura growing in power. It’s covering this whole lake now if not the entire floor.

When she leaned over and saw her feet wriggling she couldn’t help but have tears brought to her eyes. She then began to try to stand up for the first time.

Kai then ran over and helped her stand up and surprisingly. She was standing on her own.

Congratulations! You have just earned a new title!

Creator of Miracles

You have performed a miracle and healed someone who was thought untreatable. You have produced a miracle and repaired something that simple magic cannot do alone. People will bow at the presence of those who are capable of performing miracles on those the world has given up on.  For your tremendous accomplishments and creating a miracle:

All stats rise by 5        Wisdom + 15         Intellect + 10        All Healing Magic receive a 10% buff      

'.....Wow.'

“Look...Look everyone! I’m…I’m walking.”

“Cari!!”

Everyone began to run and jump around Cari and embrace her warmly. It was just like when those on floor one were healed, everyone jumped in joy and danced around their sister they loved. Even if Hjokk said her type of pixie was always the leader I can understand why now. It’s not just how the pixies treat her, it’s how she treats them.

“Oh thank you everyone...Thank you Vali.”

She then walked up to me and wrapped her arms around me waste. Her leg the popped up and her light skinned small leg popped out behind her.

Everyone else came up and formed another group hug around us celebrating in their sister’s first steps.

"Teehehe....Valiiii, thank you so much!!!"

That dagger. The dawn bringer crystal...They’re magical crystals.  Not just that but they have to be of incredible power if it got this girl to walk. Something my healing ability and 2 crystals couldn’t even manage. The highest graded magic crystal is Black. The dawn bringer crystal is white. I’ve never heard of a white colored magical crystal. It’s not like these races would even know what the magical crystal was but their swords are just large chunks of magical crystals from a monster? They simple said it was from a large chunk that was two massive to excavate at all. The small amounts they have now are from pieces that broke off.

'If it really is a magical crystal then Cari would have absorbed all the magical power so her stats should be much different if it is. '

To learn if my theories were correct I asked Cari to pull open her stats.

“Hey Cari...Do you have any new skills or have your stats changed any at all.”

“Um, hmm...Oooooh. My wisdom went up by 6500 oh...and my health went up by 14,000!”

‘.....What?’

“That little dinky dagger did all that? It was even smaller than the average magical crystal and it gave you all that?”

Everyone then looked at the dagger hilt in my hands and widened their eyes.

“The…The dawn bringers! So...Those are magical crystals too then, right Vali?”

Everyone then started thinking of the possibilities whenever Cari made a blank face.

“What is it Cari?”

“I got a new skill...! Hm ‘Pro...me...the...an March’ look!”

‘What?!’

I then had her show me the skill she got. Whenever I got close to her she smiled brightly up at me. Her wings are now pointed up like Daisy’s and Cyanin’s. They’ve grown too. But her hair now looks to be naturally flowing even without a breeze in this room. Maybe she’s gained a tremendous amount of magical power. Even her eye color changed. Each of them match her hair, and I’ve never seen anything like it....

I then glanced at the skill she popped up in front of her.

Promethean March: Engulf the very ground you walk on with the ‘First Fire’. A flame that was stolen from the gods themselves and given to man long, long ago.

Hjokk too was initially shock at reading her skill. Prometheus was a Titan said to have stolen fire from Olympus and gave it to man. He however was caught by Zeus and punished to have a crow eat at his intestines for eternity. According to Cari, her light and fire resistance has also jumped up by 8%.

“So what do you think those dawn bringer crystals actually are? It’s obvious they’re similar to a magical crystal but they’re simply too big. All we know about them is they are similar to the stone in my mother’s necklace.”

[Hmm...According to Loki he believes he knew of the material that was used to make your mother’s necklace.  ]

“And what did he say he thought it was?”

[A Titan’s tear.]

“What, the cross?”

[No, the very crystal itself. He believes it was from the tears of a titan. They don’t cry a liquid but crystal.  They aren’t the same as crystals on a monster but they hold vast amounts of magical power that is equivalent to how vast the oceans of your world are. It’s possible this dawn bringer crystal is similar. This dungeon already has a large amount of Titan’s fangs buried here as well. This one must have been from Prometheus.]

According to Hjokk the histories aren’t as accurate in my world. According to her Prometheus wasn’t bringing the first fire to the world to help it but to destroy it. He wanted the mortals to destroy themselves with such a flame that could potentially harm the entire world. 'A skill from a titan? Are you kidding me?'

After I learned of this I told the pixies including Cari not to discuss this with anyone just yet nor to use that skill yet at all. She giggled and agreed. She seemed oddly close to me now that she gained the ability to walk. She even stands slightly taller than the other pixies now but it’s barely noticeable.

‘14,000 health with just a small dagger. The effects of a white crystal were staggering and according to Malfius they have much more but it’s simply too big to break off. That was one of the thing the pixies don’t have besides strength, high health. The highest health the pixies had was Vale with a pitiful 3600. They simply weren’t built with high vitality and stamina like the other races. If their health ever dropped they would just share their lives with the other...But this is more than what I could have ever hoped for. It even allowed a girl who had never walked before to take her first steps. This crystal even gave a skill from a titan, which has to be something good.’

‘........’

My mind continued to think of the possibilities. ‘A divine skill...I don’t even have something like that. It looks like it could be potentially pretty strong. Even if her level is 8 wouldn’t it be possible that this skill could still be very strong.

“....Everyone...I can…I can feel them. I can feel everyone! Uri, Jana...Even...Even Bifrost. I can feel them all! They're all alive! “

Cari then began to look out the window as if just feeling their presence for the first time. It must be from magical crystal, or titan’s tear as it’s called. According to her, each of her abilities have increased, meaning that she feels their links haves strengthened by quite a lot just now.

She then ran towards me and fell. Just as she was about to hit the ground however she tripped into me. When I caught her she was stunned for a moment and then smiled. Ari’s the same way so I’m used to it. Cari then looked up at me then everyone huddled around me and pleaded.

“Please…Vali help us save our family.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Floor 8...This is where Cari has lead us to.’

Oddly enough all of the pixies came along as well and they aren’t acting anything like they normally do. All of their faces are serious, each of them are wearing leather or Mithril armor on and holding spears. Four of them have adamantine spikes, 22 of them have Mithril armors, while 3 of them now have the Grootslang armor. Believe it or not Pek and the other Jiji he had working alongside him had already made a large number of shock armors for their races and the pixies. It’s weird but I think every member of these 2 small races might even get to where one of these armors eventually, not just because of the number of materials but they are the only races that seem to want to wear them. So for now we will give them armor first.  Only a third of that Grootslang was even usable, if I knew how valuable his body would have been for equipment I wouldn’t have ripped his body apart the way I did but no time to worry about that.

Along going down there we also received the 1 Hydra Armor Pek had showed me before. When I had asked to give it one of the pixies even though this is the only one right now oddly enough Pek didn’t argue about it at all and waved it was fine. I also found out Cari and Pek knew each other, he and the Jiji who knew her were shocked at not only seeing her alive, but to be walking. They didn't even realize it was her at first.

Eventually they all mumbled to each other and got back to work after some had come and greeted her. The Jiji are great workers, it’s not just that they’re good at it. I think they simply enjoy making things but right now being pushed for time they are working even more efficiently. We gave the Hydra Armor to Cari simply because her level was lowest. She however regardless couldn’t wear the shock armor simply because her strength wasn’t high enough. We also received 3 shock armors that were made small so we gave them to the pixie elite who didn’t have any Mithril armor and should a fight break out they would be the ones on the front. It was agreed it would be given to Kai, Vale, and a dark green pixie named Jade. Believe it or not these other 2 pixies were on floor 62 with us during the boss battle, the one who even devised such a plan was Kai.

According to Cosmia he’s something of their strategist. Considering the majority of their race is around the same level he must be doing pretty damn good. Their growth isn’t large since they always have to fight together but their unity in battle may even be better than the Annunakes’. Whenever one of the pixies learns a new strength or skill they implement it immediately into a new formation as per Kai’s orders.

The 3 elites then passed down their old leather armor to those who didn’t have any. This was simply for protection for everyone but I doubt we’ll need any of it to be honest. It’s not because all of the pixies have small barriers overlapped over the other...It’s not even because I’m overly confident in myself either...It’s because we have Hjokk.

She has thusly decided to get involved from here on out. It was odd when she had asked to help but I guess I wouldn’t blame her. These pixies are practically like the children of one of her sisters. It’s not a sense of pride she simply said since she is planning on fighting Balor there’s no need to hold back anymore. There would be no more reason to do so. Hjokk said she thought it over very carefully and has decided to join the fight. She however is remaining in her bird form but that hardly matters at all at this point. Every pixie is currently moving in unison under the protected barrier made from a Valkyrie of Asgard. She then flew over and sat on top of Cosmia’s shoulder in case should anything happen she could react quickly.

I however won’t let her fight in this battle either. If in the off chance she does something that causes her to descend before our inevitable battle with Balor would be a nightmare. So she is simply on the defensive for us all right now.

We don’t have the numbers right now to lose anyone. I agree that if this turns into anything I’ll step in, the pixies won’t be able allowed fight at all. Even if this is about them. It’s not that I don’t think they're strong enough it’s simply because of what I learned after coming to this floor.

The reason for that was simple....This floor, is the home to the Annunakes. I would have asked Adimar and Akino of this but no one was at the base besides several of the Jiji and some members of the Away team. According to Izzie Commander Locke went to speak to representatives of their race and communicate with the Arcahnee queen while Kyrah had just left to speak to the leaders of hers. Adimar and Akino were also not back at base so it’s just us right now. Sting also was missing oddly enough.

“The illusion has been set Vali.”

Cosmia who was walking next to me donned in leather armor and standing next to Cari. They were both holding hands and had roughly every pixie surrounding them, but you wouldn’t know it due to the illusion. All that could be seen right now was myself Cari and Cosmia with Hjokk on her shoulder. Cyanin stood at one side of me while Daisy stood at the other. Daisy wouldn’t let go of my sleeve the whole time we marched. I could tell everyone was nervous, but if it’s possible I will make sure all of their family is returned to them tonight. Cosmia and Cari have each lost a sister too it would seem, that might also be why they were always so close.

We then walked up to a large stone wall. It had a large yellow-like barrier that looks similar to the ones on floor 1.  Behind it stood a large mansion in the distance. It sat on top a large cliff a ways behind this gate and I could see it too had a large yellow barrier surrounding its entirety. I then told everyone to link arms and moved us closer to the mansion. When we appeared only a few meters away from the gated fence of the large building I noticed that there was no one around the exterior of the building. I’m told this is one of the only habitable floors in the whole dungeon, but it’s odd there aren’t more defenses.

I used my Eclipse View and could see dozens upon dozens of life forces inside. Cari then looked up at me and told me she can feel her family’s presence more than she ever has since they went missing. She’s sure...Inside this place is where their family is.

I’m told that Cosmia’s sister was kidnapped roughly 6 months ago while Bifrost, who is Cari’s sister, has been missing for over two years. ‘Is it possible they’ve been here this entire time? What are these Annunakes doing?’

I didn’t remember it at first but I should have noticed. The first words a pixie ever said to me....’No, you can’t take her’. I should have known, I’ve been told several times already that I kind of resembled a small Annunake. I should have put this all together sooner...The pixies said they were going to ask me to help search for them after I gained their trust. They just never imagined they would have been given the ability to locate everyone so quickly so they begged me to come along. According to them I guess we’re all family now so they wanted to stay together.’

It’s strange though. Why would they kidnap pixies? For what purpose? Well I plan on figuring that out right now.

Since no one was outside I used my spatial magic to move everyone inside the yellow barrier surrounding the mansion and the image of myself, Cosmia and Cari began to walk up to the mansion's front door.

They both looked up at me with eager eyes and then back at the large door. They looked nervous.

"Well...Let's go get your family back."

The doors were large and looked to be made of polished stone. Everything on the door is sculpted and has images of wolves and deer. The door itself was made of golden antlers. It was a finely made door.

BAAAAM!!!!!

BAAAAAAAMMMMMM!!!!!

BAAAAAAAMMMMM!!!!

I banged my fists against the stone door to the point that cracks began to appear. The entire mansion shook from the power of the shockwaves I produced with my fists. I may have activated Demonic Awakening just to make an entrance.

Cari looked towards my strength in surprise while Cosmia just continued staring forward awaiting to find their loved ones.

The door however couldn’t take it and eventually crumbled away and collapsed. Part of the ceiling of the entrance broke off as well but not enough to fall on any of us.

A thick cloud blew through the entrance and into the mansion from the fallen debris and I ushered everyone to follow behind me. With Eclipse View I can see in just this mansion there are roughly 80 people. I however can’t see any of the pixies distinct looking life-forces anywhere.

“We’re under attack!”

“Who would do such a thing?! Moonlight waahg....”

I began to hear everyone in the building clamor and assemble together, so I pulled out Abgrund and activated Dark Pressure as we walked into the mansion.

Congratulations! Dark Pressure has just advanced to its second tier!

Skill Cost Reduction: 30%

Give your enemies a taste of terror. Dark Pressure’s range and output will increase dramatically. Your pressure will now send terror directly to victim’s mind and paralyze them with fear.

I then walked completely through the crowd and saw roughly 50 Annunakes on their knees shaking looking towards me.

“Is...Is...Is it Ba...Balor....?”

“Wha…What’s happening to...us......”

Looking into the eyes of all those in here everything is staring at the three of us in pure terror. My level was much different the last time I fought this race as well as I didn’t really get the chance to show my skills fully then. Like the skill said, they’re looking at us as if we were the devil himself. Abgrund already triples the power of my dark related skills but this was more than I expected. Everyone in here seems to be rather high level too.

“Va...Vali...”

“Wha......What are you...do...doing?”

I then heard a familiar voice and turned my head towards the corner and there shaking alongside each other were Adimar, Akino and even Commander Locke. There around them were several other Annunakes but each couldn’t move a muscle against my will it would seem.

I deactivated Dark Pressure and walked over to them.

Cough...Cough...

“Vali...What is the meaning of this?”

Locke then exclaimed while holding his throat and looking up at me and the 2 pixies in front of us. Upon seeing Cari however his eyes widened. Akino and Adimar both stood up as well and shared the same reaction as Locke. I now notice even Sting is here standing near Akino.

“Hello Commander funny running into each of you here.”

Locke looked at me oddly as I glared back at him and observed all of the Annunake who are in this place. None of them have yet to approach me but I’m mindful of them considering I know they enjoy to surround their targets as well.

“Vali...Why have you come here and destroy....A white pixie? I thought they were all gone?”

“.....Cari?”

Akino then tried to talk to me until Adimar rudely cut of her off and walked out in front of everyone. There were dozens of Annunake now with weapons drawn in our direction and each of them looked at Cari with shocked eyes.

“Uncle Adi! It’s good to see you again...But I’ve been hearing such terrible things about the Annunakes lately.....What would Joslyn have thought if she saw you hurting someone who cooked for you and came to such a place for us all...”

“....You’re...you were alive?”

Adimar then walked over towards us and kneeled down in front of Cari. He lowered his head as if in shame.

“Yes...And you are right to think such things...Time has not been good to us all it seems....But I’m trying to change that. Hopefully bring back the Annunake’s lost self.”

“...Oh Adi...Well if that’s the case. Then you should come help us find our family. They are somewhere in here.”

“...What do you mean?”

Adimar looked perplexed at what she had said before a large number of Annunakes started assembling and walking towards us. I then noticed a much larger wolf man walking down the large staircase that leads up to the many floors of the mansion and down towards the floor below.

“What was that sound?! Who desecrated the sacred home of the divine wolves?!”

“...So Diaga, now you choose to show yourself.”

Akino then retorted in his direction and now no one was looking towards Cari or me anymore. They were looking at him. There stood a large wolf beast man who resembled Adimar only with a much more crooked snout. This was the same race leader I dropped from the ceiling during out 3 on 1 duel. There were some other wolf beast man in the room behind him and several Annunakes who looked similar to Akino in that they are more demi-human like.

“The puppet...! So you’ve come here to challenge the Annunakes once more! For what you’ve done here...I’m going to ghghghhghhhg...”

I activated death grip immediately on him to shut him up and hold his movements in place. I told him and everyone the reason why we were here which made them only widen their eyes more. That or the fact that I froze their leader with such little effort might have turned them off on attacking me initially.

“Now...Right now there are a number of pixies of this race who have gone missing over the years...We’ve tracked them to this location. Anyone mind explaining that to me. As you can see this situation is rather serious, so no games....”

I have no idea what it is they’re planning but just waking in and trying to start a fight wouldn’t be wise. After saying this I gaged the actions of everyone in the room. Oddly enough most of the Annunakes looked shocked. However one of which gave a particular look towards Cari I honestly could not ignore. He looked at her with anger, he wasn’t one of the beast man but simply a large Annunake demi-human. I activated death grip on him too freezing his movements. It doesn’t cost nearly as much MP without finishing the skill but holding them here like this can decrease my mana at a very quick pace. I’m not too worried at the moment because my mana pool is nothing like it was the last time I went toe to toe with an Annunake. When I’m awakened my mana even goes over 600,000. I have enough to get the information I want. I activated Eclipse view and my theory was correct. Out of all the Annunakes in here....This one’s an elf.

I started walking towards him. Just as I was about to activate Dark Pressure again and ask my questions 5 Annunakes leaped towards me from my left side. As the skill activated they slammed onto their knees and began to shake. I have no idea just how much of an upgrade I got from this skills, but the Annunakes are helpless against it. Maybe it’s just because I didn’t have Abgrund out the last time I used this on them. Regardless I won’t let any of them do as they please this time.

Everyone then shut up again and allowed me to question the Annunake in front of me.

“Hey elf...Where are the pixies you kidnapped?”

At my words everyone made odd looks towards me. The only ones who had a look of shock were Adimar, Akino and Locke.

‘Judging by everyone’s reactions they might not even be aware of anything going on here. Out of everyone here this one is an elf. It was stupid to think elves would only be in the forms of Nekos. I don’t know how these elves are doing it but they are someone making their forms look exactly like one of these races. Pixies, not even Hjokk can see through it. Only I can. The only reason for this is simply because it’s easy to distinguish their life-force from others. Their life-force simply look far too different from the rest of us.’

Adimar and Akino then walked over to the elf in front of us alongside Locke. Erwin then drew his sword and held it at his neck.

Diaga who I was still holding onto looked towards this whole situation oddly and gargled that it was impossible.

Adimar then assured everyone that elves were currently living in this dungeon unaware to the other races knowledge and to not question what I was saying.

The one I was gripping onto couldn’t stop shaking but he was now showing a look of hatred towards me. Even if he couldn’t move he started to grin and laugh towards me...It wasn’t much different than that other one.

Upon this everyone started looking towards the elf as his crazed laugh.

“You think...I’m an elf boy...He’s...A...puppet....kill...him..”

‘Hmm, so we’re going to play it that way huh.’

Boom!

I delivered a shot into his gut which split through the air to come into contact with him. I even activated Flicker and Demonic Awakening simply to give him a little taste of what’s to come.

GUahhhh

The look in his eyes told me he couldn’t handle it. He then shook and looked back up at me shaking. His health had just dropped by 8% with that and he has no way of moving.

“DIE PUPPET!!!”

Several Annunakes who were standing behind him leaped towards me. I guess Dark Pressure can’t hold them down forever...

‘Wind Claw’

I swung my arms towards the 4 Annunakes who came in and leaped towards me.

Seeeeerrrrrr!

Splat!

The 4 Annunakes who came towards me froze in place and seemingly looked at me with pure fear. Within a second their eyes looked lifeless and their bodies fell to the floor. As each of them fell over their bodies had then split apart in several places and became hunks of flesh. Their HP bars dropped to zero before the skill even finished. Within a moment each of their bodies broke apart and turned into bright glass and shattered. It looked quite similar to how the elves had died from earlier.

Several Annunakes then began to run towards me before seeing what I had done. At that moment I think is when everyone realized just what I had done. Four of theirs had dropped with a single move so they wouldn’t jump in recklessly anymore if at all. I had a feeling this skill would be effective but not to such an extent. The wind claw traveled a distance of five feet but the size of the attack was long from the arc of my swing. The air claw extended to the wall behind them and covered it in blood. As I looked towards everyone else it was apparent no one was going to attack anymore.

“If any of you interfere, I’ll kill you. Your race doesn’t get the luxury of allowing me to go easy on you. If you jump in...You’ll die. Simple as that.”

I warned them. They were originally surprised at my words but none dared move an inch after what I had just done. Apparently they won’t even listen to Adimar. I won’t allow this situation to end up like the last time. There are too many pixies around and honestly killing too many would be a problem too. We need them in this fight coming up. Like Loki said...Some of these races are more animalistic than human. So I’m going to make these wolves submit to me now.

I then asked Cari if she had anyway of locating her family, and she only looked up at me oddly. She gulped while looking at me and said she thinks that they were in the back of the building.

I then ushered for commander Locke and the other two to come with us. They would obviously need to see whatever we find as well. I roughly had enough to put Gleipnir on one or two more people and the one I chose was this elf. Now he can no longer attack anything. Sadly though I didn’t have enough to fit around Diaga as well.

We then started walking through the large mansion following behind Cari and Cosmia. They were still holding hands and I could tell they were restless to see their sisters again. Maybe that or they were frightened of my display earlier.

‘Sadly I don’t have the luxury to go easy on anyone anymore. I didn’t take it seriously last time and these wolves tore me apart. I’m not trying to come in here to kill everyone, we simply need to get to the bottom of this. I can’t let a fight break out here. ’

We walked up the stairs and took a right. This mansion was very large. There were so many rooms it was to the point I thought the whole race probably lived in here. But according to Akino the majority of their race lives on this floor but in a city. This mansion was once home to the Elkia and Alpha of their race...If that’s correct wouldn’t that make this Adimar’s old house?’

We walked through a long dark hallway. I activated Eclipse View and I still couldn’t see where they were either. There were still a large number of Annunakes downstairs. They were ordered to wait there while we investigate this. Some Annunakes came along with Diaga but I told them what would happen should they try anything. I think the effects of holding this scythe really help with my intimidation.

“Seriously you think such heinous acts by the Annunake? You take the side of this puppet Adimar...I have half a mind of taking away your title as an Annunake entirely.”

“Shut up Diaga...If what we find out to be true you will face dire consequences for desecrating our home.”

Akino then voiced her opinion while Adimar continued on through the hallway. He didn’t talk much since he spoke to Cari. I’m guessing they may have once been close, Joslyn? I wonder if that was his mate. Regardless right now he doesn’t seem to be thinking clearly. Walking through his old home thinking if something like this is possible must sicken him. He’s not like the other Annunake I’ve come to find.

He lived on floor one with many other Annunake who still followed him. They even were the main protectors of floor for all of those down there and protected all regardless of what race it was.

Cosmia and Cari walked up to a wall and it was a dead end. Cari bit her lip and started to look around oddly.  

“They’re so close...I can feel it?”

They then walked back and opened up a door. It was to a large bed room but no one was in it. We all walked into the large bedroom that had no one in it.

Cosmia began to talk to Cari but they simply said they don’t know...They couldn’t find them.

“...Now are we done yet? To even suspect such a thing! Besides...There’s no way that pixie is one of the rainbow ones. It has to be a puppet!”

The elf began to clamor and growl in anger. Diaga then too started to agree along with several of the Annunake. Locke began to look around the room and towards me. It’s not that he doesn’t believe me but this isn’t something that looks good. We come in here crashing the place down, kill several of them and attack their race leader. I was told they came here to discuss future plans of uniting together. They hadn’t gotten around to telling them about Balor simply because Diaga didn’t come downstairs until the building had partially gotten destroyed and then this whole mess got started.

“Why is it so impossible elf?”

“Grrr....I’m not an elf!! And there can only be one Bifrost pixie living at one time so she has to........”

‘....There it is. Stupid elf...’

The elf got flustered and said something he may have not meant to. Regardless of his reasons he comprehends that there is only 1 rainbow pixie for every generation. However he was probably unaware of there being three in one generation simply because pixies don’t share their culture with others so easily I’ve come to find. Even if they seem childish they’re actually quite crafty and intelligent. They're also very cautious on who they let know their race’s secrets.

“...Heh, that’s where you're wrong elf. This generation of pixie had a miracle happen in that more of those pixies existed at the same time. What I find interesting however is that you yourself said it was impossible for there to be more than one existing, when everyone from before was shocked to even see this one to be alive at all.....”

When I said this everyone then looked down at the Annunake as he glared daggers at the floor in front of him. 'Yah...He realized he fucked up.'

He started grinning his teeth and looking back up at me as if I couldn't prove anything.

“Listen...I don’t know what Jhenson here is talking about and he’s clearly flustered. I simply believe he meant that their last rainbow pixies were said to have died years ago.

Diaga began to speak up and look down at the Annunake kneeling on the ground. Everyone seemed perplexed but sure enough they are starting to playback his words in their heads. The elf began to argue there was nothing they were hiding when suddenly a voice appeared at the corner of the large room.

“Here...Here Vali! There’s an illusion here!”

Aurora then appeared into view and was pointing towards the wall. The looks on Diaga’s face froze at that very moment...’So, you’re in on this too then...’

I walked over to the wall and activated Eclipse View....’...Hmm I still don’t see any....wait.’

For a brief moment I saw small feint glows. It was almost to the point it wasn’t even there at all. And then I saw a bright light, it was no different that this small bound elf here. I was staring intently at the wall and decided there must be some secret door here. According to Akino this building has been here for centuries and the building simply ends at this wall. All that is behind it is outside.

Everyone began to look at me and watch what I was going to do next. I told everyone to back away and activated abysmal mist. It ate and blew through the wall in less than a few seconds. The wall withered away and behind it I saw a darkly lit room. It was narrow and there was even someone far off at the end of the room with a door open. It looks like an Annunake and he’s dragging something.

‘.........rattle.’

“Nn..no..please...not again..sob..ple..pleaseee... please don’t.”

“Get off Sona!...sto...stop it!.”

“Plea....ple..take...mee....le..go.”

The Annunake was dragging a small figure that had chains wrapped around its waste. It looked like a tiny human. I’d say it was a pixie but it didn’t have any wings. The small girl however was holding onto the chain trying to resist as much as possible but she was simply too small as she was slowly being drug away.

I was about to move towards them when I was frozen in place by what stood in front of me. I was staring at what was at the end of the room simply because of its activity. But chained to the walls are several small demi-humans. Their color was completely gone like the ones on floor one. They were dirty, bruised, beaten....Several of the ones in the corner even had the familiar rot on their bodies.

‘These are the pixies?’

Each of their heads then turned towards us as the dark cloud from my abyss faded away and showed the light from the room behind us. Each of them had chains around their wrists, ankles and waists. Some of them were lying on the ground and not even moving. As they looked towards me and squinted their eyes it looked like they had lost every bit of hope just then.  I walked further in and Cosmia and Cari sprinted out in front of me.

The Annunake who was in front of me didn’t hear us come in and continued to drag a small light blue pixie with ripped clothes behind him. The small girl who was shaking cried as she was being drug away as if she were going to be killed. ‘What is happening here....?’

I used my spatial magic and appeared just behind the Annunake, or it's better to calm him an elf in disguise. I grabbed the chain he was dragging connected to the small pixie and gripped it. As he noticed the force behind the struggle had increased dramatically he turned around to see my face. This was all the evidence I needed to see. 'These fucking elves are going to pay!'

I delivered a shot right to the Annunake’s bottom jaw. His wolf like head flung forward and he dropped to his knees. Before he could do anything else I gripped him by the neck and activated Abysmal Mist again. I held back as much as possible but since I was holding onto Abgrund it melted his body down to his shoulder within a second. I then let go as this appeared to have disabled him. He hit the ground and starting squirming in pain, he however couldn't make much of a sound after the damage I had done to his jaw and throat.  Everyone’s looks towards me were frozen.  The small pixies that were close to me in dirty and torn clothing didn't know what was happening. Akino and Adimar too had their mouths open but looked to have been staring at the horrific state of the pixies in front of them.

Some of them weren’t even chained to the wall and had been thrown into a corner left to die. Looking at them it looks as if some of these pixies have that same rot I saw on floor one. These pixies however were just nearly hanging on due to their family constantly sharing their lives with one another.

I turned around and looked towards the scene in front of me. The small light blue pixie who was sitting on the ground looked up at me and was still shaking in fear. Her face was dirty but that wasn't nearly all.  There to her left was a small girl with pink hair....She almost resembled that pixie Cosmia had pretended to be....‘Could this be Cosmia’s sister.’

The small pink pixie too did not have any wings on her back. Her right eye was red. Not that it was bruised it looked like her right eye's pupil was completely destroyed. She did however also look to have horrible bruises all over her body. The bruises that were most apparent were the ones around her neck. Just looking at the extent of her treatment caused me to choke up. It looked to the point she had been strangled severely. As someone who can’t stomach violence towards women very well this was very difficult for me.

‘What were they doing to them....?’

I started to breathe deeply and it almost felt like it was becoming harder to breathe...I looked at the small girl in front of me and she too had a dead eye look similar to everyone in here. Similar to....’My mom....’

‘Rattle.....rattle....Rattle!!!!’

[Feeeeeeeddddddd]

I slowly turned my head to the right towards the elf who looked like Adimar on the ground in front of me. I picked him up and noticed his health was only 10% away from death. I healed him just to the point that his health would stop decreasing.

“Just what have you been doing to them....? ANSWER ME!”

The Annunake however did not respond. He just looked back up at me with anger as he was still in intense agony.

“JANA!!!!.....”

Cosmia had ran up to where her sister was and the look of her sister in front of her stunned her. Jana’s lips were cracked her body was dangerously too skinny. She had cuts and bruises all over her to the point she hardly looked anything like the sister she once portrayed.

“....Jana....”

Cosmia then kneeled on the ground next to her sister and Cari then appeared beside her. All the pixies are now visible and beginning to try and break the chains that were binding their family. There must have been roughly 20 pixies in here. Not all of them are girls either it seems.

“Cosm...ia?...I knew....you’d come...”

The look on Cosmia’s face was that of someone who was heartbroken. Simply looking at the state of her older sister looked to have really scarred her. Cosmia then wrapped her arms around her weakened older sister and cried while embracing her. The small pink girl smiled and leaned her head back while putting her frail arm around Cosmia’s back. She could hardly move she was so weak.

Adimar, Akino and Locke were all frozen at what they were seeing. The sight in front of them wasn’t a pretty one. The smells coming from this room lets me know they have been chained in here for a long time. The fact that some of them have this rot while the others don't leads me to believe something seriously twisted has been happening here. Now that this room has been lit up. I see some of the pixies who are lying on the ground aren’t even moving. There are plates of crumbs and a small pile of excrement in the corner.

I reached for the pixie in front of me but...She was so frightened of me she fell down and backed away sobbing. She fell back into some of the other pixies who began to hold and hug her gingerly. When the small blue pixie realized all of her family was now around her you could see her look of disbelief.

"Eh...but...Everyone! Oh I've missed you all soooo much!!!!"

Shen then broke down on her knees and hugged each of them as they let her cry into her chest. Tanin who was holding the small broken down pixie looked up at me with intense rage. He too couldn't stomach these heinous acts to their beloved sisters and brothers.

“Vali...I don’t see Bifrost!”

Cari then walked up to me and looked around the small room. Everyone had been freed and were being carried on the backs of the other pixies. Akino and Adimar tried to help them take off some of the chains but the other pixies were simply too terrified the moment anyone else got close to them.

“She’s....in....back.....chamber.”

I then turned my head and there lying on the floor with several pixies was a small golden pixie. I say gold simply because his hair is gold. He looks nothing like the other pixies I've seen simply because he has dark skin.  I only knew he was a boy simply because he’s not wearing a shirt.

His state was almost as bad as that of everyone else in here. Probably worse simply because he couldn’t stand on his own. His jaw looked broken and he was missing several teeth. He had scratch marks all over him and you can tell the Annunake did a number on him.  He even has several gash marks going through his face ruining one of his eyes.

“Uri...Just...just what have they done to all of you?”

Cari then ran over to where he lied next to the pixies huddling next to him. It looked like all of this had scarred Cari most from all the other pixies. She had been sheltered for so long and now finally after reuniting with everyone...No one had prepared themselves for this.

“It's...the elves...they're...alive....created the disease....here...using..her. I am so...sorry....My queen....I could not protect the..m. I’m so...sorry Cari....Ple...ase..Forgive....m..e”

Cari sat on the ground next to worn down pixie who was crying upon seeing his queen for the first time in months. Cari with tears in her eyes stuck her hand to his cheek.  It was swollen and badly damaged. It looked like he had probably put up a fight and lost pretty badly. Some of the cuts all over his body made it look like he didn’t have long. It did look like he had some cloth of some kind wrapped all over parts of his body. Cari however didn’t say a word she simply had tears in her eyes upon seeing him and her families state.

Most of the pixies right now are in tears.

I started to fade in and out. It was getting hard to breath and my vision was beginning to become blurry. Why? The pixies never hurt anyone...Why is this world so broken? (Rattle) Diaga and the others haven’t said a word upon entering here. Their looks were that of horror not much different than Adimar’s.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

I then knocked out the elf claiming to be an Annunake on the floor and entered into the room he had just came from. There behind the door was yet another large bedroom not much different than the one before it. It however was about a 1/3rd its size.

'Hmm....this room looks weird. It has books and tables but it also looks to be like a hidden laboratory. There are vials with a dark black substance on a desk and even some books left open. I glanced towards it and skimmed over a couple pages.....'This is where they created that rot?'

“Awaawawa...”

I could hear something coming from this room. I walked a little further into it and activated presence sense. There in the corner of the room sat three dots. I walked closer and there sat a pink pixie and orange pixie as well as....a black one? I had never seen a black pixie before but her hair was solid black but short. They as well however didn’t have any wings just like the others. I'm assuming they took them away to stop them from escaping.

The small orange pixie had a small amount of blood coming out from the corner of her lip and bruises all over her arms. Her ragged and dirty clothes were ripped and it's obvious she has been abused. Upon seeing my face she huddled into the corner holding onto the pink and black pixies and shook with tears in her eyes.

“Please...please just leave. Don’t hurt her anymore...please..”

It was then I noticed the pink pixie who was speaking was actually a boy. You wouldn’t tell simply because most of the pixies have that ‘pixie cut’ hairstyle but this one’s voice was a dead giveaway.

“I’m not going to hurt either of....”

“Please no! Stay back...please...Frei…Freiki please....hold me...Not again, please not again, not again. Not again......Sob...sob please no sob...”

'.............'

The orange pixie’s tiny voice cried out hysterically as she held onto the black pixie shaking in fear. The black pixie who had some small wounds herself only began to hug and try to calm down the frightened girl in her arms. Their lights were nonexistent like the other pixies but they were exactly like all the others. They simply cherish their family more than anything else.... Judging by their appearance only the black one is the only one with signs of that odd rot creeping up her back and sides. I tried to walk towards them and speak to them but they were simply too terrified of me....They’ve each been abused to the extent of not fighting back at all but simply cowering in fear.

“It’s ok Bri. It’s gonna be ok...It’s all going to be ok...”

“You...always say that..sob....Bifrost...but I...hate it here....I hate it! I want to go home! I want to see our family again...sob”

The small orange pixie began to cry in the arms of the black one as she tried to console her and stop her from shaking. Their health bars were each in the yellow. The orange one was almost in the red. It looked like most of them hadn’t eaten in weeks.

The small pink pixie looked towards me with anger.

“You sick bastards! You Bastards! I swear I’ll kill you for hurting my family. I swear to that god wolf you serve... I will fucking make you all pay for hurting my family. For making me watch you! I'll make you all PAY!”

That statement had frozen me. These elves or Annunakes have been abusing and raping these pixies for months now as well as attempting to test out some strange disease they cooked up here? Judging by the extent of their reactions each of them are already broken. That’s why they kidnapped them...for this?

Rattle...Rattlle...rattle...rattle....rattle..

It was hard to look at them. I couldn’t even move from where I was while looking at the three frightened pixies. This small orange girl had bruises all over her frail legs and that large Annunake from before had hurt her severely while making this pink one watch. These...These bastards! I watched my family taken away from me and killed but if I had to sit and watch as my family were tormented like this I’d...rattle I’d......rattle!

[Feeeeeeeeeeed]

Snap!

My whole body felt like it was shaking with rage. I saw how much grief just looking at me had caused on my mother...These...These sick little dogs have gone too far.

I then turned around and dozens of pixies flew past me and towards the three on the ground. Upon this sight the pink and black pixies in front of me showed their looks of disbelief in what they had just seen. Every member of their family had emerged from behind me to take them away from this horrible nightmare once and for all.  It wasn’t a heartwarming scene simply because of the state of each of their siblings. Simply looking at their horrible wounds. Listening to their cries just by my presence. I can't even imagine their treatment.

“Bifrost?”

Cari then walked out from the rest of the pixies guarding her and walked slowly to the short black pixie in front of us. It was then I noticed they had each called this black one Bifrost. This girl with black hair and a bruised face was said to be the same pixie as Cari. She looks nothing like her.

‘I remember seeing that painting Cari showed me. Bifrost looked like Cari. What the hell did they do to them?’

“Ca...Cari?...Cari? I must have finally died and passed on. My sister is even walking...”

“No Bifrost....It’s...It’s your sister Cari...”

Tears poured down her face as she saw how hurt her older sister Bifrost had been. Cari didn't look like she could handle any of this at all in fact and seemed like she was going to break down right there....Seeing her dear sister whom she hadn't in so long, seeing the cruelties that had changed her appearance to such an extent....Truly broke her.

Pixies celebrate when their family is healed as if they were the ones who had gained the ability to walk. Watching them all right now it's as if they are all broken by what they're seeing... The site was enough to choke me up at the pixies tears for one another. Pixies treat family as everything. They’re no different from me in that regard. And those bastards have taken what’s theirs and tormented them. And for what?

I walked over to where they were. Upon seeing me get close to them the orange pixie as well as Bifrost and Freiki continued to shake violently.

“No..No Bifrost it’s ok. Freiki, Bri...calm down...He’s our family...You don’t have to be scared he’s here to help us take you from this horrible, horrible, place. Come on Bifrost...Let’s...sob....let’s all go home....”

“Ho...Home?...”

Cari nodded and hugged her older sister. Bifrost looked back towards her sister and as if finally realizing this all wasn’t a dream. She reached out her hands with a smile and hugged onto her little sister.

Jade had then walked up to me and I grabbed the magical crystals out of her hand and activated my soul recovery towards the pixies who were with Cari. Since they wouldn’t let me get near them I activated it on them as they were hugging one another. The light from the 4 crystals they handed me broke off and showered over the family of pixies as they each crowded around one another and held each other close after the long absence.  Looking down towards them all embracing each other so warmly in tears I realized just how alike I am with these pixies. Family is everything....

I then turned around and walked back towards the others. Upon walking back Diaga tried to voice something but I shut up him with Death’s Grip. I grabbed the elf and the injured Annunake from before drug them into the same room that we found all the pixies chained to the wall. As everyone gathered in here asking what I was going to do I simply stared at the two on the ground in front of me. The elf growled towards me and I raised my hand causing him to flinch. He remembers the strengths of my blows, but regardless you can’t prepare yourself for what comes next elf. I then snapped my fingers and warped everyone in this small chamber of hell.

Our vision changed and there we stood in a large living room area where the front door has been broken. There stood roughly several hundred Annunakes now who have gathered here. I’m assuming word got out that there was an attack and many had ran here.

“I said listen boy! I didn’t know anything about that place so...”

“Can it Diaga....That first room was your master suite was it not. You mean to tell me you had no idea THAT was just under your NOSE!”

Akino then growled towards Diaga. Adimar was still frozen by the things he had just seen. It was as if the graphic scenes he had just witnessed had shocked him down to his very core.

“That’s a lie! Diaga did this! He helped the elves tr-trap us...here... “

Freiki began to yell towards Diaga but then started to shake as he had looked towards him and sneered. It was obvious they had been involved in this. As all the pixies started getting rowdy and screaming towards the Annunakes I raised my hand in front of them and shook my head.

I didn’t say any words.

Freiki then looked up at me gnashed his teeth. When I looked towards him he quickly looked away as if seeing my sight had truly disgusted him. He must be thinking I’m going to let them get away with this....He’s mistaken.

BOOOM!!!

Suddenly the floor close to Diaga exploded with a large white figure appearing there suddenly. There standing shaking with his fists clenched with pure rage was Adimar.

“I don’t care if you all wish to hold onto your weapons or not...Regardless for what you have allowed to happen HERE...! For desecrating this sacred place. You dishonor the CODE! You dishonor our ancestors...You dishonor our fallen ELKIA!!!!.....So if you wish to fight back or not is your own damn choice....NOW GET IN LINE!!!!”

He then stuck his finger towards all the Annunakes who stood in attendance growling and baring his fangs at Diaga. The look in his eyes were that of someone who has lost all sanity and was ready to pay in blood.  As if telling them all to come in and fight him. They were the words of a once proud Alpha. Diaga even looked at this and smiled. I however ended this immediately, Adimar won’t be fighting them.

I don’t want to hear some excuse as to why this one was allowed to live...He doesn’t get that right anymore for what he’s done.

I then walked out in front of the center of the room and addressed everyone. I swung Abgrund and buried its base into the floor of the large mansion. The whole building shook as the weight shook the very foundation of this house.

“I challenge you to a duel Diaga....”

Everyone then became silent at my words. I warned Adimar not to get involved. When he had tried to argue back I activated Dark Pressure just to let him know how serious I was. The surrounding Annunakes began to clamor and laugh. I however didn’t respond to any of them. I simply stared back at him. It’s taking literally everything to hold myself back and not attack him this very second. I plan on making him beg for death in front of his entire race while I eat his heart in front of them.

‘(Rattle)....(rattle)....Ugh...that infernal (rattle) rattling (rattle)  is back...It’s so loud…rattle...I can’t even hear myself (rattle) think!’

It's getting hard to breathe and I can’t even think straight. All I can even see in this room right now is Diaga...It’s as if I’ve truly become numb with rage. Holding onto Abgrund is only making it worse. It's fueling a fire and I don't know if I can control it....It’s taking all of me not to go over there and rip his throat out....with my teeth.

‘Rattle...’

I stared at him with a serious face when several of them all began to laugh. Diaga along with several of the others who had just joined the party and were unaware of why we were here.

“You want to fight me? Over them? Over these weaklings? Who cares about them!  Yah so what so we took some pixies to relieve a little stress in this dungeon. WHO CARES! They’re worthless existences and can’t do anything here but take up space.”

To these words some of the Annunakes in attendance looked at one another with odd looks and back towards Diaga in disbelief.  I know the elves had been doing experiments with that disease, but this wolf just admitted to his crimes as if due to his strength it made it all justified. Such words only angered me more. I could hardly hold back.

“...Is the big bad wolf scared of fighting a little lower leveled human like me? You keep talking but all I see is you backing down from a challenge...How’s this, no weapons just you...and me.  ”

I grinned and looked up towards him. This isn’t a discussion. There’s only one way I can honestly think of that could get him out of this. If he had every Annunake rush me and run away he could probably have a chance.  However, if he accepts this fight, he's going to die a horrible death here.

All the Annunakes began to look towards Diaga upon my comment. I had just challenged him to a 1 on 1. Not every member of their race is probably aware of the last time me and this wolf met, and not all of them seem to take mine and Adimar's side on the matter either.

The pixies after hearing his words only stuck up their weapons and yelled back at him.

“Oh...Not going to use that cursed weapon are we? And here I thought you were too frightened to fight without jumping around from place to place....Fine...you wish to challenge a real warrior in a battle metal.  HOOOOhhhhhhhhh! I will show you what it truly means to fight an Annunake!”

Diaga trying to act proud in front of the other Annunakes who began to chant for him. Men and woman who weren’t aware of his actions did however understand the situation in front of them. I had challenged their Alpha of their race to a duel.

“Oh no I won’t be using Abgrund...He’s far too sharp for you...I’m not going to let you get away with what you've done with something so simple.....”

He then grinned his fangs towards me everyone around him began to cheer.

“ROOWWWW!!!!!!”

I then walked towards him as he howled and started to sprint towards me. He swung his massive claws right into my face. I activated Lightning Step, Lightning Armor, Thunder Jammer and Demonic Awakening all at the same time.

I brushed off his swing and then gripped tightly onto the wolf’s throat and clenched as hard as I could. He started to choke and then swing wildly towards me.

You have been struck by Moonlight Claw!

Mana has been reduced by 2%

Stamina has been reduced by 3%

You have received 3500 damage

You have been struck by Moonlight Claw!

Mana has been reduced by 4%

Stamina has been reduced by 3%

You have received 2450 damage

Critical Hit!

You have been struck by Moonlight Claw!

Mana has been reduced by 2%

Stamina has been reduced by 7%

You have received 11,000 damage

With every swing into me, he tore my stomach open ignoring my defense all together. I however continued gripping Diaga by the throat and hoisting him high over my head and applying as much strength as I could without breaking his neck. Blood began to erupt and fly out from my wounds as the wolf in front of me began to eviscerate me and rip through my organs. All the pixies gasped and motioned to step towards me but Hjokk had then held up her wings to stop them.   ‘He has been abusing these pixies for years and his answer....Unforgivable (rattle).’

After around 8 or 9 consecutive swings while holding onto Diaga he had lost all control of his body and dropped lifeless within my grip. The paralysis had finally taken affect. He managed to drop my health by only 8 or 9% but he took away around 14% of my mana before dropping his weight lifelessly in hand. I however did not decrease even a fraction of my strength on his throat. I wanted him to struggle, to feel the pain of what he had done. This wasn’t going to be a fight, it was simply going to be me killing this wolf in front of his followers.

Everyone’s eyes had then widened at my display. In less than a few seconds their leader was completely immobilized and unable to fight back without so much as me landing a single blow. My body was torn open from my chest down to my gut to the point that some of my organs had been ripped out and thrown onto the floor. But within an instant my body's skin had begun to grow back and cover up the large gashes to my flesh without any effort to myself whatsoever. The few surrounding Annunakes who were still cheering for their leader had finally shut up. After seeing my health jump back up to 100% was something none of them had expected.

"Legendary wolf huh....So....how's it feel to be weak? To be useless....? Waiting for your inevitable end that is slowly creeping up?"

Diaga who was still conscious began to growl towards me in rage. He had never been disrespected like this I’m sure.

“Wow...”

“.....”

Some of the pixies that had been watching my display could only stare in astonishment at how easily I was dealing with that monster who had tormented them for so long. ‘You have tortured, and defiled a race that have done nothing in this world but try to take care of their own...(rattle)I’m going to kill you like a dirty animal....’

You could tell it had become difficult for him to breathe as he continually fought for air in while being hoisted above me.

I then tossed him to the side as if losing interest from him as he lied there lifeless; everyone else had then became confused at what I was going to do next. I then walked over to where the elf and injured Annunake had been before. I threw them both next to the paralyzed Diaga and situated them both on their knees while I held onto the back of Diaga’s head again. I could continually hear him growling at me along with the surrounding Annunakes but no one dared interfere. They simply stared at me to see what I was going to do next.

“Your-your eyes, what...what are you?”

The elf who I had injured in that chamber began to shake upon him waking up. I kicked the bottom of his wolf like jaw that I had previously punched sending him flying backwards and landing on his back. I could feel the bones in the long wolf like snout crumble at the force of my kick causing him to cough up blood and slowly lose consciousness. It was already weakened slightly from earlier but now I'm certain I broke his jaw bone off entirely. It's to the point that part of his face is hanging off in an odd way. Each of them were all frozen in place and completely immobilized. I didn’t pay any attention to the words of everyone surrounding me. I could here constant yells and chatter but nothing came in.

As everyone’s paying attention to me, they saw me lean into the wolf-man’s ears I had just kicked and whispered into his ears.

“I’m those pixies family...”

I then turned around and walked away from the three in front of me.

“Ha!...You’re their family?! What does that even mean? So we’ll all get yelled out by the race leaders...So what? Who’s gonna care about a few worthless pixies?!”

The elf man bounded by Gleipnir began to yell back towards me as if he thought his actions wouldn't be punished nor would I do anything to him while he's bound.

“Hahaha! ...He can’t do anything to us and he knows it. He needs us Annunake to fight Balor mphph....”

The elf then began to laugh towards me. It was enough that it had caused me to twitch. I however continued to walk away. ‘Stupid elf...He shouldn’t even know of Balor’s attack yet but he keeps pretending to be an Annunake.’

Everyone then stared at me oddly as I bent over and picked up a medium sized weapon. It looked like a sword but it was much wider and almost looked like a club with slightly pointed ends.

I then walked over to where the three from earlier were when the same Annunake who I thought was unconscious had suddenly leaped away.

AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He reached for Abgrund and tried to pull it out from the floor, only to howl and scream in pain. The Annunake dropped to the ground next to Abgrund. His arms and hands looked to be melting away as a dark crimson and black veins slowly climb up his arm.  Everyone looking at this then looked towards me. I smirked and walked towards the other two.

“Hmph...I’m afraid Abgrund has but one wielder...Wouldn’t be smart to touch such a weapon.”

I then turned around back to the three in front of me. One was unconscious while the other two were still immobilized.  

‘I remember the agony of touching that weapon...If it weren’t for my mother’s cross...this would have been my fate.’

The Annunake continued to roll around on the floor in agony gripping his claws that had now appeared to have been melted off. The Annunake's health steadily dropped dramatically and I activated recovery magic to stop him from dying but not nearly enough to fix his wounds. It's as if Abgrund didn't want him to die either...

“Ghh...ghh...ple....please...please.....”

'This elf had the nerve to ask for mercy. How many times did they ask for mercy? How many times did they beg you! You’re the reason the pixies lost so many because of that disease aren't you!'

I delivered a kick to the other side of his nose and with that the elf in wolf’s clothing had finally lost consciousness. Practically his entire face is now broken but he for whatever reason hasn't died yet.

BOOM!

The bottom of his jaw had already been broken. Now the side of this large wolf’s skull had been crushed. It caused him to roll over but not die.  My brutality had even caused the pixies in attendance to stop clamoring. ‘Such a (rattle) high level you can clearly take a lot of abuse. (Rattle) In my world you’d already be gone. (Rattle)’

“Va...Vali?”

I ignored everyone and then walked to the two remaining wolves.

Diaga who was breathing hard and still paralyzed looked up at me and growled. The elf who was still kneeling and being bound began to smile and look up at me.

“Mmmhphphphph.....”

‘....(RATTLE).’

That laugh. It's as if that infernal laugh entered in through my ears and caused me to lose track of everything else. All I could hear were the laughs of Alysteir, of Wyatt, of this elf here....Of the demon who took my beloved siblings away.

“....Something funny?’

“Stop pretending...You can’t do anything to us. Who would take the side of a pixie over the divine wolves?! We fight on the front lines while those bugs just sit in the back and take up space... It’s funny really....You act like you’re top dog here but who would cho..aghhhh.....ahhhhh.... ghghghghghhhg wha..whaha...ghhSto...p!”

I then rammed my fingers into his throat and began to grip the sides of his mouth to shut him up. ‘He laughed...Just like that bitch...! Just like those demons....(rattle) You think this is funny! (Rattle) You think (rattle) my anguish my suffering is funny! (Rattle) After what you did to them, you (RATTLE!) have the nerve to laugh for what you DID! (RATTLE.................)’’

“You think that’s so funny, you laughed?......Good......I’ll make it so you smile for the rest of your life!”

“MMmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!” AGghghghghghg N...NO!....NNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!

I began to apply pressure to the top and bottom of the elves mouth while jamming my hands further down his throat. He put up a resistance and tried to fight me off but with the bindings surrounding him....He was helpless...‘Just like you made them (rattle) feel you coward! (Rattle)’

Horrible cries of pain shrieked through my ears and shook my very core as the skin around his mouth began to slowly thin and tear apart. I however paid it no mind.

Everything began to cloud and grow dark around me...All I could hear was this elf's struggling and screams getting drowned out by the constant sounds of chains. He had finally given me the look I was hoping for.

And from there....Everything just went black.

--------------------------------------------------------------

“MMMM!! Mmmmmm! Ghhhghg...St....p!!”

Snap!

”MMMMMMMMM!!!!! Mmm...No...NOO!!  Mmmm!!!!"

WHACK!

Various images began to flash through my head to the point I couldn't recognize it all. Sounds of cries, unmeasurable torment.... all echoed along the constant rattling chains that have plagued my nightmares for so long.

WHACK!

"..........."

“Sto...stop...Ughhhh...Gr...ughgh...."

Congratulations! You have just learned a new skill!

Sword Mastery: Beginner Level 1

WHACK!

WHACK!!!

“GGr...gg...rr.....ahgh..egh”

Whack!

"...........eh.nn"

Whack!

Whack!

“K...Kill...mmm..eh”

Whack!

Whack!

------------------------------------

Congratulations! You have just learned a new skill!

Moonlight Claw

A notification had blinked through the darkness and I feel as if I just started to breathe again. Was I unconscious?

‘What..? I gained a skill?’

I began to blink repeatedly as the skill did not make sense. ‘How did I gain a skill?’

I was breathing hard and my head was dizzy. I felt hot. I looked down and there I was holding something. It was a large red lump of bloody meat that has soaked my clothes and hands. I look down and I see the mutilated corpse of a large wolf man. The extent of his injuries are to the point where it is unrecognizable. Its health was around 4 percent% and then it began to shake.

Whoever this was could no longer form words as he coughed up blood onto the floor. Within an instant the body then disintegrated and shattered into the air.

‘Was that...Diaga? Wait...I lost control again...’

I looked up and saw the blanket of blood that covered the floor of this large mansion. Above it I see every Annunake and person in this place staring towards me in a daze. No one made a move to attack me. They looked terrified of me?

I looked around and not even the pixies approached me. As I turned my head around it was then I saw it...My appearance.

Out of a small mirror roughly 20 feet away and walked over to observe my appearance.

Blood was dripping off my white and dirty hair. My eyes were pitch black with tears streaming down my face. I had blood all over my mouth and in between my teeth as if I were some wild animal.

‘I looked like...A monster.’

I started to wipe the blood away but it only made the mess worse. It just...wouldn't come off.

I turned around and walked back to where I was. I could hear some of the Annunake and Commander Locke saying something to me but I just...Need to go.

I picked up Abgrund and put it away in my inventory and began to walk towards the entrance I had destroyed.

“Why...? You…You dishonored such a great...warrior. You...Why?”

One of the Annunakes who had watched whatever I had done looked at me in disbelief as he wondered why I would kill a race leader, especially if we were going to fight against Balor soon. I then turned and looked towards the crowd in front of me which caused them to clam up.

“....Because I said I would.”

I answered while looking back at them emotionlessly and started to walk away.

Akino then walked towards me and gave me a look of concern.

“But Vali.....wait-”

“But...Why?! You had to kill them? Surely with Balor coming we could have used him? Surely his crimes were...unspeakable but where was their trial? Why do such things in such a sacred place?”

Some of the Annunakes began to talk over and interrupt Akino. I could see concern in her eyes but I needed to address these so called legendary dogs before I leave.

I then stopped and turned my head toward her. ‘What those three had done is unforgivable (Rattle). Whatever I did... (Rattle) No...No they deserved every bit of it!’

I then faced her squarely and addressed the deathly quiet hall.

“....You call yourselves a ‘legendary’ race. With code...valor...? Why? All I see are a bunch of cowards. All of you, in your arrogance, allowed such atrocities and filth to occur in this so called 'sacred place'. Regardless if you were innocent or unaware, you would stand there and dare defend HIM!"

Towards my loud yell no one answered back nor defended the dead Annunake. I was breathing heavy and still felt so dizzy. But I continued screaming at all of them.

“You can't justify such crimes, else you are no better, else worse, than the traitors whose blood you’re standing on.......You don’t rape women....You don’t harm CHILDREN!....Those are the RULES!  ....Whatever world you’re from, those have ALWAYS BEEN THE RULES!!!!!!!! "

My loud roar echoed through mansion and forced everyone to freeze as if I had used Death grip on. I took a deep breath looked up towards the ceiling.

"....Now if you wish to escape this hell, this prison we have to unite together if we hope to ever leave this place. Leave this dungeon forever... We’re going to take on Balor...He will come to annihilate us all in just two days and this his goal is the world.... Are you all going to remain down here and clamoring about your once legendary pride... Or unite together to take down the monster who's trapped you all here for so long...! We’re going to need everyone if we have even a chance at victory. Every pixie, every Annunake....Everyone. But know this.... I don't fight with scum!”

I left them with a small speech and then headed towards the entrance.

I then left that disgusting floor and went to grab some air.

--------------------------------------------------------

‘...What’s happening to me? Could Balor have been right...? That wasn’t the first time I’ve lost control like that but somehow.... It felt like I wasn't myself at all. But judging by everyone’s reactions I didn’t give them the best example of being a leader. More of an executioner really...’

How...How am I...Even going to be able to face Kaylan whenever I find her? Even if I ever reunite with her again, I’ll never be able to reunite with my family...

‘As if something like me could ever get into heaven... after doing such things. I’ve even lost track of how many people I’ve killed since coming to this horrible place....What’s happened to me?’

I turned my head over and tears started to fall from out my eyes. I remember when I had once promised months ago I would never cry.... I guess I'm not really good at keeping my promise.

‘I’m sorry Kaylan!...I...came here to find you and...I’m afraid this place is beginning to change me. The things I’ve done...I just don’t think we’ll be able to be a happy family again.....And I’m sorry.’

I must have sat on this rock for a while now. I left floor 8 and went back to floor 52. I wanted to get away so I’m sitting on the large floating mass that floats over this floor. My feet dangling off I just...Needed to get away from it all for a while.

‘Something really is happening to me...I guess I can’t deny it anymore. I just wish I knew what I was. A hero....or a villain? An angel...? Or a demon...? And....sob.... why can’t I seem to tell the difference anymore...?’

“So this is where you went to?”

Hjokk then flew up beside me in her bird form and turned into a Valkyrie. She walked up behind me and then sat on my side. I wiped my tears and continued to look off towards the floor below.

I didn’t really say much. I’m not sure if I’m really up for talking right now. I always enjoy bickering with Hjokk but right now I just want some space.

“...Are you ok?”

“....I should be fine.”

“.....”

Hjokk continued to look off towards the floor below as if thinking of something to say. ‘She was always a little off with human emotion.’

“Listen Hjokk...thanks for coming here but I’d kinda like to just be alone for a little while if that’s alright.....”

“....”

She then looked forward and made a troubled expression. She then got up slowly and looked at me with sad eyes and started to walk away.

‘...I guess that was kind of rude. Oh well. I’m not really in the mood for speaking right now anyway-....huh’

Just then I felt a warmth on my back and two soft arms wrap me tightly.

“Hjokk...listen I.”

“No...You listen....We’re going to be fighting together from now on. It’s my job to protect you....I promise....I promise to get you out of here...I promise you’ll be able to reunite with your sister again...I’m with you”

It was those last words that got me. Hjokk who was never good at presenting human emotion very well was now embracing me to help me feel better. Her light purple hair blew past my shoulders and her pleasant scent had a nice calming effect on my already broken heart. It almost smelled like that bracelet the pixies had given me. The one that reminded me of what I was fighting for and what I needed to do in this world.

As that scent reminded me of the feelings I felt the first time it brought back a sense of purpose. My purpose.....to at least allow my sister that same opportunity. If it’s possible to reunite with the rest of my family then we’ll come to that bridge when we get there.

‘I guess that niche quote may have been more accurate than I first realized...It’s not so bad I guess...Becoming a monster.’

I continued to feel the warm embrace of Hjokk behind me as we sat there and looked off into floor below. I could feel her large soft chest press against my back and it was almost calming. Her hug had a nice way of bringing me back...

The smell from her hair continued to remind me of once good times. It really is a lovely scent.

Akino’s POV:

Slowly the skin on the outside of Jhenson’s mouth began to thin and tear apart. Blood shot out of his open wounds and flew into Vali’s face as it drained down the sides of his mouth. Large amounts of blood continued to rush into Jhenson’s mouth to the point the elf began to choke.

“Sto...Sto...”

“You dare ask me to stop! Come on...This is FUNNY!”

“MMMMmmmm!!!”

SNAP!

Vali’s arms had ripped Jhenson’s mouth open entirely, to where his skin tore all the way back until his cheek bones. Blood continued to gush out of his mouth as he no longer looked like an Annunake at all. I guess he never was an Annunake anyways. Jhenson was an elf and according to what we found, he and Diaga and this other Annunake. It is unforgivable the amount of shame they have brought onto the Annunake clan.

Jhenson then hit the ground convulsing as his entire body had gone into shock.  His mouth had torn open to the point he no longer even looked like demi-human but a monster.

Just before he disappeared into the air upon his death he tried mumbling for Vali to grant him mercy. He however couldn’t form sentences at this point and passed away slowly.

‘Just...What is he doing? Is...Is this still Vali..? That thing Balor said, could it be true?’

We know he killed Malthiel and absorbs abilities....Could it be possible absorbing such a tyrant could effect this man’s personality? I pray to Amarok that isn’t so. I know this man does not trust me, nor should he. But....He’s different. He’s kind. He isn’t like this... Even if he has forced Adi and me into wearing a collar, he isn’t evil.

Vali then had picked up the large blade and walked up to Diaga. We were all paralyzed by the violence Vali had shown on Jhenson just before he died. Diaga looked to appear to be able to slowly be regaining his mobility though. The lightning that shot out of his flesh wrapped around Adimar until the point where his fur had begun to smoke.

He then delivered a blow to Diaga’s left kneecap.

“ROAHHHHHH..! You..! Grrrrr EMmmmm! You Grrr rrrr!!!!”

Vali then walked up and kneeled beside him.

“...Me.”

Diaga then leaned forward and held onto his broken leg. He growled and looked up at Vali in rage. All the other Annunakes were looking at this site in horror as they considered to jump in and rescue the alpha from immense danger.

Ever since Vali appeared on this floor....He’s been different. I still remember the loud roars of him emerging through front entrance of my once childhood home. He walked in with Cosmia and a pixie I had long thought dead. From there everything just happened so fast.

“So...You’re going to kill me. The Alpha of the Annunakes! You think they would let you!!! And what happened to no weapons huh...As I thought this one doesn’t adhere to the code of hon...mmmm.ghghg.”

Diaga then started to freeze while Vali held his hand out towards him and held onto a sword with his other. It was the same magic he used on all of us just before losing conscious. Such powerful magic...How did we ever fight such a person?

“Yah I did say that...But the fight’s over now. Besides like I said...”

Whack

“Guahh..”

Whack!

Whack!

Whack!

“..................”

Whack!

Whack!!!

“Abgrund’s too sharp for you!!”

“St....st...nn...nnn.ehh..”

Everyone in the room then became silent as swing after swing Diaga began to be chopped apart. The pixies, the Annunakes, Commander Locke, even that odd green-haired human who constantly talks had no words for what we were all seeing.

Vali began swinging the large sword into Diaga as he tried to shield himself in his weakened state. He however could not move and continued to receive blow after blow from Vali. The depth of his swings forced the blade slowly into Diaga’s thick fur and tear away at him piece by piece.

He just....  continued to hack away at Diaga in front of him with such rage. Tears were even streaming down his face.  This isn't a duel......He’s not killing him. He’s...He’s executing him.

I agree...They should die for what they’ve done. For bringing such disgrace into this sacred home! But...but this?

His body had multiple wounds and gashes from being hacked at with the large blunt sword. Diaga’s health was currently at 19 % and could no longer form sentences. His appearance was no longer of the once proud alpha that he was before. Part of his ears, nose, face, shoulder and limbs had been destroyed to the point where death was inevitable. Diaga however I feel was asking Vali to end his life.

No one in the room had words for what they had just witnessed. He however looked to not even be aware of our presences anymore. He just swung his weapon like into Diaga until he was unrecognizable.

Vali then picked up the fallen Diaga and ripped out his heart. The look of life popped back into him as he could feel his life slowly fading away. Vali even appeared to try to heal him as he was slowly losing health.

Vali then dumped his lifeless body to the ground as if he thought of him as garbage and began to consume Diaga’s heart in front of everyone.

The Annunakes who were unaware of these three’s sins can only look towards this scene in horror. Even I am at a loss for words. I however have no reason to step in and stop this.

Diaga caused this. For whatever reason...Working with an elf? Tormenting those pixies. He is no Annunake, so he doesn’t deserve to have a warrior’s death...

Vali then began to look around as if being disoriented. His behaviors were weird as he walked around the deathly quiet front hall. He then walked and began to observe his reflection. Blood and meat from Diaga’s heart were smeared over his hands and face....He looks nothing like the day I first met him.

He was nothing like this until....

I feel as though this is somehow my fault. My ears then drooped to the sides as I noticed Vali was trying to leave.

“Wait...Vali...”

He then screamed towards me and everyone in the hall. ‘You don’t rape women. You don’t harm children? Those are the rules...Vali wouldn’t call pixies children. He seems to be aware even due to their behavior they aren’t children at all...He must be talking about that little Adler girl...

I remember now. He had went off mission to go out of his way and heal that small wounded Adler. I remember I even tried to hurry him along but he simply couldn’t let go of the small wounded Adler in his arms. If he hadn’t done that however he would have never gained Kyrah as his ally.

Vali is...Different than any male I’ve ever known.

I was so scared of him after seeing he had the god wolf as his very pet. He called him Fenrir but...He looked just like the god wolf from the pictures of old. The one who was to be my mate showed it to me when I was young...But, it’s honestly hard to trust anything that came out of his mouth. It’s what caused me to be so cautious of Vali when I first met him but...That’s just an excuse

Balor took the ability for me to ever trust again. For how long was Jorren a puppet I’ll never know. For how long was our time together a lie....?

I’ve had to think of that ever since he left us. Ever since he brought the Annunake to ruin. We aren’t the proud wolves we once were. Everything I ever knew ended only months ago but I feel so much has happened since then.

“Him! You want us to trust him! He just desecrated this sacred place...He just...”

“No Hobber! Diaga had desecrated this place...Long before Vali ever came this dungeon.....”

Adimar then walked up and looked at all the confused Annunake that were staring around.

“Adimar? You? This was once your home...How can you defend him after what he’s done here? With that same weapon! You wanted us to follow him!”

“Yes...Regardless if this place was once my home...Diaga followed the wills of an elf for whatever reason. Even if he didn't know of the elves plans, he still allowed such horrors to occur here. In the same hall we once shared with the Elkia themselves....Diaga and Jhenson did not deserve a warrior’s death. He did unspeakable things along with this one here. ”

Adimar then motioned towards the unconscious Annunake who we caught red handed in that....horrible torture chamber.

“But ...Can we really follow him?! That thing? To fight Balor he’s just...”

“What....broken?....Which one of us in this dungeon isn’t broken in some way....Diaga...for whatever reason was broken but he chose to go against the code we all share.. But not like Vali. I believe we can follow this human out of this dark place. To reclaim our once lost honor. And to leave this walls once and for all.”

Everyone began to clamor around towards Adimar’s words which only a few protested against. It was hard to argue against his words. Not only was the old Alpha gone and Adimar whose words use to be law around here, but after seeing Diaga’s and Jhenson’s behaviors was unforgivable...Like uncle said...We’re all broken in here, but it all depends on how you take it.

“But...”

“No...For too long the name Annunake and legendary have all been one in the same. I feel as though those words hold no longer hold any meaning. I feel as if they lost that meaning long ago. This human Vali....He is not the enemy of the Annunake. He has come to this awful place to save us all in fact....I’ve seen him lose it like that before too. I think it explains just what sort of person he is.”

Upon saying that everyone began to quiet down and listen to what Adimar's speech. Even the pixies who were crowded together in the corner walked up closer to hear what was being said about Vali.

“I was chained to him at the time...He had warped me and Akino out of the dungeon and showed us the world outside.  He didn't treat us as prisoners either, even after what we had done to him....But that very night there were intruders who attacked his home...His family. “

The pixies eyes then grew larger and looked towards one another listening in.

“It was then that one of those intruders tried to harm a small child in front of him....He lost it just like he did here....Like my brother in law use to say....’We all have our demons.’ We all have things we fight for too. But for Vali I think he just can’t handle abuse towards women and children....Which just means one thing....”

“.......”

Everyone then began to look at Adimar patiently until he finally revealed....

“He too has met with extreme loss. He’s no different from us in that aspect.....He...Is the new Alpha of the Annunakes....”

Upon saying that all the Annunake began to open their mouths wide in astonishment towards his words. Another species has never been the alpha of our race in the entire history of our species. We have always been the fateful guardians of the race we most loved, but now...We just like Vali have lost so much. I’m not sure what it is that Vali has lost, but I can only imagine.

The look in his eyes wasn’t that of someone who enjoyed killing. He wouldn’t have been crying if he did. Why? Why didn’t I see this before I had betrayed such a kind person....?

He simple wishes to protect those he holds dear. How is that any different than what we try to do? He seems to have grown quite close with these pixies in front of me as well. They looked around as if worried. Many of the weakened pixies in the middle are being surrounded by hundreds of small pixies with diamond shaped wings.

“We have to go find Vali!”

“Right!”

Everyone then looked down towards the pixies who all started to walk towards the entrance.

“Come on everyone let’s hurry...Vali needs us.”

“Cosmia?”

“Jana...He’s our family. He said it himself! He loves us, didn’t you see when he was crying. Just seeing the horrible things they did to us, to you brought him to tears.....We have to go find him. Family needs to be together.”

The pixies then began to clamor with one another and quickly flew off. I smiled thinking of the fact that the pixies had saw right through Vali’s tough image before any of us did.

It’s really no wonder he gets along so well with the pixies. He naturally has this innate protective nature about him towards children. Like a beast and its child it will only attack when something threatens the safety of those it cherishes most...And there...the race he has grown closest too and even in a way resemble children were being tormented right in front of him which caused him to become so enraged.  How can someone who protects children be bad....

’He can’t be.’

“I agree...Vali is our new alpha! We will follow him to new glory of the Annunake. To reawaken our past selves. Diaga had it wrong, we are not warriors who were born to fight...to kill....We were born to protect. And that part of our lives ended the day the Elkias left this world. But that does not mean we do not have purpose. Let us walk together on this path. Let us leave this place together with all of the other races united as one. If we join together, with Vali and everyone's power.....We will finally taste freedom!”

“HEOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!”

The Annunakes began to howl into the night. It was the first time we had our eyes truly opened in what has felt like decades. We were once the pride of this dungeon and the protectors of all. Not just the Elkia but everyone and now we have fallen to such a cruel state. No longer will we hide in the dark. No longer will we waste away in this prison.

Adimar then looked towards me and smiled. I then smiled back at him and ran off to go find Vali with the pixies.

For years I have just been sinking away in doubts. Doubts of fighting Balor, of leaving this place. For so long I have just lost track of what I was fighting for. Vali, isn’t a bad human. I’d say he’s not much different than an Annunake but I doubt he’d like that...

But from now on he will have the power of the once legendary Annunakes at his back.

----------------------------------------

I ran along and caught up with the pixies. They were oddly enough seconds away from warping off this floor entirely before I caught up with them. When I asked to come along not many of them seemed to be ok with it.

“No...You hurt Vali!”

“That’s right! He needs to be with his family right now!”

I thought right then they would leave me there but oddly enough Cosmia quieted everyone down and said it would be ok. We warped to floor 52 and everyone pointed up.

“He’s up there…”

“Well then let’s hurry!”

‘Wait...don’t just fly....away.’

The pixies left me....

My ears twitched getting annoyed until I remembered I have a warp key to the top floating chasm in my inventory. It was a simple quest to find the warp key on this floor and was not difficult to find. However after the prison was moved up there many of them were taken away. I luckily still have mine.

I activated the warp key and appeared on top of the floating chasm. I could smell Vali in the distance and ran towards him. As I got closer however it looked like he was fighting someone.

As I quickened my pace I saw there was a third person standing there watching.  When I ran up beside the female figure I turned to see who it was when my tail immediately stood on end.

‘EH...It's the bird!’

The beautiful woman then turned to the right and saw me. She had some type of crown or armor on her head that came out of her hair and looked like feathers from an Adler. She however was more beautiful than other women I’ve seen...

“...Mut.”

ZZAAPPP!!!

‘Ieeeeeeee!!!! Ugh....I forgot the bird doesn’t like me.’

I then hunched on the ground and held onto my tail before looking back up at her. She looked forward as if uninterested and there I saw Vali...He was fighting Malfius?

“Damn.......! You’re really strong old man.”

“Haha! Have to be around my age....Now...See if you can learn to counter this......”

Vali looked to be completely out of air. It looked like he had been hit several times by Malfius while his opponent didn't look out of breath at all. I too had seen Malfius fight. In terms of fighting in hand to hand combat...there are no challengers to his mastery.

“Shit...You make it to where magic is impossible with every hit....How are you doing that? Is that a skill?”

“Mphmp child...This is simply a very old fighting art passed down from our ancestors. It was a technique that was created to fight against those who used magic.  Now come.....ughh...”

“Valiiiii!!!!!”

A small light blue color floated past and collided into Vali. Malfius who looked most surprised stop his lesson and watched as Vali got surrounded and swarmed by hundreds of pixies.

Cyanin had wrapped her arms around his neck while many of the others flew up beside him and wrapped their arms around him as well. It got to the point where you couldn't see Vali at all anymore.  Many of them were still in tears while some were smiling at finally being reunited together again.

“Cyanin? Guys? What is it?”

“Why did you leave..?”

“Huh?”

“Yah! Family stays together...Don't leave like that again we were all worried!”

“Family?...”

“Yah!...We’re family remember!”

“........”

Upon hearing those few words Vali quieted down and received the warmth and tears from those he had all rescued...

End of Chapter

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