Chương 47: Endless Domain
It was finally dawn when the first sunlight reached the forest floor albeit barely. Quite a distance away from the ruins of City of Trickery, inside a forest near the portal gate, a group of people were observing the perimeter with a pained expression on their face. They were the spirits of Mays and Ria, currently guarding the entrance of a cave nearby. It had been more than four hours since the attack of Shalala obliterated the city and everything within it.
"Huh… Where am I? Why do I feel so comfortable?"
Ria who was finally awake muttered something while still being half asleep. She tried to organize her thought for a bit before she finally shouted all of a sudden.
"THE ENEMY! MAYS!"
"Stop that. Don't shout when you're this close to me."
"EEEEEHH??"
Ria was startled when she realized that she was right beside Mays. In fact, she had been hugging Mays's arm while sleeping beside him. She was currently on a makeshift bed made by beast fur sheets while Mays was sitting beside her.
Mays was awake all these time, deep in his own thought before Ria's sudden shout brought him back to reality.
"Ssssorry."
"Nah it's okay, I don't really mind."
Toward the apologizing Ria, Mays smiled as he stroke her head gently. There were clear trace of uneasiness on his face yet he still forced himself to smile. Ria noticed that right away though.
"What happened after that attack? Where are those bosses? How are we still alive?"
Looking at Ria's face full of anticipation and worries, Mays sighed before he explained.
"Shalala's used its signature skill and we all took a direct hit. You passed out right away due to the excruciating pain but the spirits and I hold on till the very end. Those bosses never look back as they move toward a flying fortress nearby."
Unlike the game, players directly felt pain when they took damage in this world. This world was real after all. Even though one could withstood attack as long as they had high HP in HeavensTale but in this world they would faint once they took an attack exceeding their limits.
Whenever their will couldn't keep up with the pain coming from the damage taken, most players would faint on the spot. That applied to most player with several exception like Mays who trained his body and determination past human limits.
Spirits on the other hand were not affected though. Maybe because they had no will of their own or maybe because they were originally an existence within the game, they were not showing any signs of being affected by the extreme pain.
"Spirits! What about the spirits? They all survived that attack too?"
"Nope. More than half of them perished. It was instant kill for the weaker one. Only elite spirits survive."
Only nine out of twenty three spirits survived the attack. Mays's five strongest spirits which were Syaitona, Mira, Aloha, Damia and Silvia together with Ria's four general. Even when the others were perfectly geared with legendary ranked weapon, they still couldn't escape death.
From his tone, Ria knew that Mays was not affected by the death of those spirits. Even Ria herself was not that concerned about those spirits. She barely conversed with them these five years. Only those four general of hers held some value in her eyes.
In case of Mays, since all five elite spirits of his were alive, the other three wouldn't really matter to him. He only summoned those three one days ago after all. They didn't even familiarize themselves with each other yet. If by chance the one dying was one of the five he already spent months with together, he might be affected by it.
"Mays."
"Yea?"
"Can we win?"
"…"
Silence. Mays couldn't answer.
"Will we die?"
"…"
Mays was speechless yet again. He didn't want to lie hence he kept his silence.
"..."
"Sorry. This is all my fault. I dragged you into this."
Mays could only sigh and apologized for this. He couldn't do anything else even if he wanted to. He already checked the portal gate previously and it was still blocked. They couldn't escape the dungeon instance as long as Kokakola remained alive.
Once again Mays lost himself in his own thought. Even at this crucial moment, the only things he was concerned about was Ria's safety. It was not that he didn't value himself greatly but he treasured Ria more than his own life. As long as Ria could survive, he didn't mind sacrificing himself. As he stared at Ria's face who was already way too close with his face, he smiled.
Surprisingly, Ria was not showing any depressed expression anymore. Mays couldn't help but asked when he saw Ria fidgeting in front of him instead.
"What is it?"
"I… I…"
"Yea?"
"I want you…"
There were traces of bashfulness in her tone but she gathered all her courage to blurt it out. As she ended her statement, she felt a little weird. She always ask for it back then but most of them were just her teasing Mays.
She felt hotter as Mays stared at her without blinking. Mays was not dense so he knew what she meant. This was not like before, this time she was seriously asking for it. There was also that promise from back then which he had not fulfill yet.
"You sure? Even in this situation?"
"Yeah! We are going to die here anyways. Why bother thinking about anything else?"
"You won't regret this?"
"Urm!"
Ria nodded with determination.
Rather than looking for a way out of this, Ria already made up her mind. She was never the type to use her head. If even Mays couldn't think of anything, then she was sure that she couldn't either.
"Hahaha really? Guess it's my luck to have a girl like you. The best girl for someone like me hahhaha."
"…"
Mays laughed heartily at Ria's reply. Ria shyly smiled without saying anything else. Mays continued to stare at her with eyes that concealed a burning passion. His face seemed to be inching closer to hers. He had been holding back for quite long after all.
Slowly, Ria felt her entire body being pulled into his embrace. Her heart almost leapt out of her chest as her lips were firmly pressed against his. Only after several breaths of time did their lips part. Once again, Mays stared at Ria's face passionately. From that moment on, he knew that Ria would forever be in his heart.
The inside of the cave suddenly changed into a world separated from the outside world, or at least that was what the two of them thought. The sounds of a man and a woman joining together were exceptionally clear, striking against their souls. At the moment, nobody would bother with them, as they drifted deeper into their own world.
None of the spirits outside interrupted them as they were told beforehand not to enter the cave until the both of them came out. Just like that, time passed by as the two of them enjoyed their last moments together in an unknown place in an unknown world unknown to everyone.
----------------------------------------------
"So Mays, what should we do now?"
Ria asked cheerfully with her face brimmed with smile. She looks extremely refreshed. This really was not an expression those close to their death should have. She was just too happy at the moment that she didn't even think about what was coming next. Not too far from her was Mays, geared up from head to toe. He had a determined look on his face.
"Heh, rest assured. I got a plan."
"WHOAAA!! FOR REAL?"
Obviously Ria couldn't held her excitement upon hearing Mays's reply.
"Of course. I can't let my girl die in this place can I?"
"Hehehe. You are the best, Mays."
Happily hugging Mays from behind, Ria replied to Mays. If Mays said so then it was so. But unbeknown to Ria, there were trace of reluctant in Mays word. He tried his best to hide it hence Ria who was extremely happy at the moment didn't notice that.
"But I'm not that sure yet. Do you perhaps have experience orb with you at the moment?"
Mays suddenly asked for something from Ria. He asked as if he didn't know about it when in fact he already knew Ria had lots of them in her space belt.
"Of course I have them. I capped my level years ago hehe. What use are they right now?"
"I just want to test something. Take out two, one for each of us."
"Ah okay. Here you go."
Not even five second and Ria handed one of the orb to Mays while she herself held the other one. She had no idea what Mays planned to do with these orb. Even back in HeavensTale, this orb's only purpose was to give EXP to players by simply AFK'ing. Two hours of doing nothing and the character gained experience just by being alive in the orb. There was no hidden use for this item.
"So, how to activate this thing? It looks like a normal crystal ball."
"Uh I never use it before either. But I heard from Jace that you need to… Ahh… Here it is… Look for a small circle and press it with your finger."
Syiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!
A spherical barrier spread out from the orb as it immediately covered Ria's whole body after she pressed the small circle. This spherical barrier with one meter radius was not that big but it was big enough for someone small like Ria. She could move within the barrier but the barrier wall itself was unmovable. It was also indestructible from the inside.
"So Mays what do this… thing… Mays?"
"Sorry Ria, this is the best plan I can think of."
"Mays? I don't get it. Why are you apologizing?"
"Sorry."
With a sad smile on his face, Mays apologized as he walked away from the spherical barrier, from Ria. Ria understood everything that very moment. In fact, the very moment she saw Mays's sad face, she already knew something was amiss. All of this was just an act. Mays never wanted the experience orb. Mays also just pretended not to know how to activate it. It was all part of his plan to make Ria trapped inside it.
"MAYS DON'T DO THIS! I'LL NEVER APPROVE THIS! IF… IF YOU DARE GO ALONE, I'LL HATE YOU ALL MY LIFE!!"
Ria was screaming her heart out. There were traces of sobbing in between but she was dead serious. Even now, she tried attacking the barrier using her sword but it was proven useless. The crystal barrier was indeed indestructible as written in its description.
"Sorry but I've made up my mind. I don't mind being hated as long as you survive."
The very same sad smile was still on his face as Mays walked away from the crystal barrier. Ria was already sobbing hardly as she smacked the barrier using her big shield nonstop.
"Hu… hu… How could you do this to me… there is no way for me to hate you… hu…"
Ria muttered when Mays was no longer in her sight. She just couldn't stop crying whenever she realized that Mays's might never return this time.
Drawing in a deep breath, Mays walked away without turning back. He walked and walked as the obsession in his heart grew stronger and stronger. The tears that streaked down Ria's face were because of his uselessness and weakness. It was a terrible feeling indeed.
He wanted to stay and comfort her but the current him had no rights to do so. He already made up his mind. If he survived this hell, he would never drag her into something this dangerous anymore. Love was something strange and fascinating indeed. Mays never thought someone like him would care so much about someone else until he experience the moment himself.
Outside the cave were the spirits, vigilantly guarding the area. Most of them were restless. Syaitona was the first to greet Mays when she saw Mays walked out from the cave. The others followed soon after, including all Ria's spirits.
"Master!"
Syaitona and the rest kneeled right away. Ria's spirits stood beside them without saying anything.
"Everyone."
Mays paused as he looked over the spirits surrounding him.
"I'm sorry I dragged you guys into this. I don't have a way out of this problem either. Even now, the only plan I can think of can't ensure your survival."
This time, he only looked at his spirits one by one. Starting from Syaitona, followed by Mira, Aloha, Damia and lastly Silvia.
"Sorry that I'm not the best master there is."
Mays was about to lowered his head when Syaitona who stood nearby stopped him from doing so. They never saw their master bowed to others before this and they never wanted to see it either.
"Stop that master. We follow you by our own free will."
With her right hand on her chest, Syaitona confidently said that with a bright smile on her face.
"Following master is and always will be Mira's greatest joy."
"Urm… Aloha love master."
Both Mira and Aloha also voiced out their opinion. Mira was not as cheerful as always but she tried her best to be so.
"There was no one better than master."
As if they already arranged it beforehand, Silvia who was always silent also tag along. She shyly stared at Mays as she said that.
"I serve master and master alone."
Damia was the last one. She said so while stabbing her lance into the ground in an imposing manner. All five of them were staring at Mays with a big smile on their face.
"Sir Mays, we… we… what should we do?"
Minerva who stood nearby suddenly asked Mays something out of nowhere. They were all confused since nobody told them to do anything. Their master was not coming out from the cave either.
"Ehm, ehm."
Mays pretended to cough twice to gather all the attention on him before he started talking again. He was looking at Minerva, Alicia, Aqua and Misa, clearly intending on ordering them.
"Ria won't be coming out anytime soon. Your job remains the same which is to guard this place from enemies. By the time Ria come out, just listen to whatever she asked for."
"As for you guys…"
This time, his gaze landed on Syaitona and the rest.
"As your master I forbid any of you to follow me. Stay here with them and wait for Ria. That's all."
"But…"
"No buts!"
His order was absolute. It never mattered how unwilling those spirits were, once the order was given, they had no choice other than to obey.
Mays knew that it was certain death if the spirits followed him. He was going to face those bosses with his life at stake. If and only if by chance he managed to scrape by alive, these spirits of his would also stayed alive. His life was connected to all his spirits after all.
----------------------------------------
Flying Fortress Volcanon.
Shalala's moving fortress. She often use this fortress when she ventured out from her territory. Obviously its presence here meant that Shalala was still here. The same goes for Drasca who tagged along with her.
With [Air Step], Mays walked toward the fortress with unfaltering determination. The only way for the dungeon instance's barrier to collapse was to kill Kokakola. As long as that boss remained alive, Ria wouldn't be able to leave.
"Heh, it's do or die. Most likely I'll die though."
Mays chuckled as he set foot on the flying fortress. In front of him right now were two fully armored male birdman, guarding the fortress gate.
"Flaming Slash!"
The two gate guards were instantly killed by Mays when he attacked them. They were just normal gold ranked monster. Killing those guards was just a prelude, his way of telling those bosses inside the fortress about his arrival.
As he stepped inside, he started killing indiscriminately. In front of the fortress gate was a large plaza where a few birdman's merchant set up their stall at. Every time he saw something moving, he attacked right away.
If only Ria was here with him right now, she would question Mays's action. These birdman were not demonic races after all. There was no need to wipe them out. But the current Mays was short of time and this was the best course of action he could think up in order to smoke out those bosses as fast as possible.
He knew that both Drasca and Shalala wouldn't care about him but Kokakola was different. If not because of the interference from Shalala previously, Kokakola would already be dead by now.
Kokakola's pride wouldn't let that go. Even at the moment, he might be thinking of some way to redeem himself.
"My, my. It's rare for a rat to sneak into my fortress."
"Oh, he was determined."
"Despicable human! You come back for death?"
It didn't even took one minute for the three of them to appear before Mays. Apparently their little meeting was already over hence they could appear right away after Mays caused a ruckus. They all had different reaction toward Mays who came into the fortress alone without fear.
One by one, the three of them landed in front of Mays in their human form. Shalala was a beautiful red haired woman wearing a fiery dress befitting her real form as a Phoenix. She was the aggressive and prideful type. Drasca's human form was also a beautiful woman with a silver pony tail styled hair. She looks calm and refined, totally the opposite of Shalala.
Apparently this world was a haven for beautiful women. Both Shalala and Drasca were way over the top in term of beauty. The reason might be related to their age since they had spent centuries here in this world. Female players who came here mostly turned into beauties after five years what's more could be said for these two who bathed in this world's essence more than anyone else.
"Yo vampire lord. Dare to continue our previous fight?"
The first thing Mays did was to provoke Kokakola the moment he saw him. His goal was killing Kokakola alone. He didn't care if the other two decided to kill him afterward.
"Coming here by yourself is the same as cutting your own neck."
Kokakola replied calmly as he walked toward Mays. Killing intent which emanated from him was no joke either. He was really happy that his prey came and offered himself to him.
"Let's get started then. Endless Domain!"
Mays smirked as he casted his domain. Even back in HeavensTale, he hardly ever used his domain. Today, he once again used his domain, all for the sole reason of defeating Kokakola.
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