The world around me slowly began to crumble, the ground shaking violently, the flames dimming. Everything was slowly being consumed by a pure-black void of nothingness
I was still in a state of shock at the fact that number five willingly destroyed the Abyssal Heart. But at the sensation of the ground quakes becoming even more violent, I snapped out of it.
"Morgan! What happend?!"
I heard Isabella yell from the side, Zeke was right beside her.
"The Abyssal Heart is destroyed! No time to explain! Where is Nico?!"
Isabella was stunned at my words, but quickly recovered. Her eyes darting around, searching for Nico. Zeke, as well, has lost his usual humor and was purely concentrated and searching for Nico in the debri, before the world around us collapsed.
The Dreadful Tunnels mission was over. But that didn't mean everything was over yet. Not until Nico was still alive. Keeping someone that dangerous around for longer was like asking to be stabbed in the back, like we had been. Even if his plan of absorbing whatever corrupted essence was inside the Abyssal Heart had failed, he won't give up that easy.
The tremors grew more and more violent. It was starting to become annoying, as I couldn't even properly stand on my own two feet without falling over. It was like the entire Realm the mission was happening inside was slowly collapsing, as the mission was over. As we succeeded in completing it.
I had de-activated [Probability Pryer] to save innate spirit. It was a dangerous moving, as I was pretty much vulnerable to surprise attacks without it, but I had no choice. My body was heavily exhausted after everything I had experienced, this was much, much more worse than what I have been through fighting Dorian.
Or atleast, psychologically it felt that way.
Still unable to find any signs of Nico anywhere, my heart started hammering in my chest, afraid of where he could of run off to and what he could be planning, now that he has failed. I didn't wish to think of the possibilities.
As I stood up and tried carefully walking on my two legs without falling over, I saw some debri being lifted. Then, from underneath it, a familier head popped out.
Nico.
We both locked eyes for a moment.
Before I pounced without any hesitation, summoning [Fool's Rapier] and jumping towards him, while yelling at the top of my lungs.
"I found him!!"
Zeke's and Isabella's heads snapped towards where I shouted. Without me even having to elaborate, without even hesitating once, they were rushing towards me, with their own weapons and equipment out. Isabella seemed t have received an interesting sword— A Tachi, it looked like. But I had no time to admire it, as Nico had already turned tail and run off.
What was left of the navy-blue spire was pitiful. The once majestic spire was reduced to nothing more than debri and ruin, as the darkness was slowly engulfing it from behind us. Nico, for some reason, seems to be trying hard to run away from it.
"Come back here, you asshole!"
I yelled in an attempt at provoking him. But he didn't even look back, only continued running towards, the only singlur building that was left of the spire, a desperate look in his eyes. Each step he was making seemed more clumsy than the last, it seemed all the explosions has really exhausted his own innate spirit quite heavily.
Yet, despite it all, he had never stopped running as fast he could towards the remaining building. What could be waiting for Nico in there? What was he planning do? Suddenly, I was very apprehensive. Maybe I was giving Nico too much credit, but it felt unlike him to do anything without meaning. After everything he has planned, could he have really not planned a back-up?
Zeke and Isabella wasn't that far behind. They were trying their hardest to catch up to me, but they seem more spent than I was. Which wasn't a surprise, especially Zeke, who had been pushing himself alot during the brief fight against Nico. Isabella, meanwhile, found it difficult to run with the ground still violently shaking beneath us.
I couldn't blame her, it was difficult for me, even with my newly strengthened Agility in my physical attributes. Yet, I was still able to keep up with Nico. Just barely.
I was so close.
Following Nico step-by-step, chasing him jumping from Debri to Debri, we finally managed to reach the building together.
Nico entered first. He, at first, looked back at me. Then, after realizing the gap between us, he quickly tried unlocking the door. But it was futile. So, he resorted to place a palm at the door handle, then exploding the entire door itself, creating an opening where he could enter.
By the time he finished, I was very nearby.
"Hmph!"
I tried slicing at him using [Fool's Rapier] but he didn't dodge. Instead, he wisely alot the Rapier to brush against the palm of his hand. Without hesitation, I dismissed [Fool's Rapier] back into the system, immediately realizing that he could explode it whenever he wanted.
Using the momentary panic I went through, Nico entered the building. I grumbled in frustration, then followed along, still chasing him.
The building's interior was like a light-house, with cobblestone walls in a spherical shape, ascending upwards. Attached to the walls was a small staircase, extending upwards in the similar spherical manner. The building was narrow, making it difficult to fight in. Which was advantageous for Nico, who could explode any of the stairs or walls whenever he wanted.
Yet, despite this, I didn't stop giving chase. I continued after him, as he began ascending the stairs, with me not so far behind.
Isabella and Zeke entered just a few seconds later, but by then, they couldn't do much about the chase. It was between me and Nico, even as they offered support, it would really all depend on me being able to capture him, to stop him from whatever he was about to do inside this building.
As I continued chasing him, he would occasionally blow up the walls to spit smoke in my face, or just deliberately throw down stone, to catch me off-guard. But I wasn't taking any chances— I had [Probability Pryer] the very last bits of my innate spirit easily started dwindling at the reckless use, but it helped me significantly during this chase.
With me just meters behind, Nico continued ascending the stairs, while doing everything he could to stall, stop or even kill me. But it was fruitless in the end, as my foresight was just too much for him to handle. Nothing could take me by surprise with [Probability Pryer] active.
Eventually, Nico reached the very top of the building— or Lighthouse. It seemed like one. Blowing up the door to the very top of the floor Lighthouse, it revealed a small interior. With an obsidian rode in the center, floating right above the tip of the rode, was a crimson orb.
"Found it…."
Nico grinned. As he rushed towards the orb. By the time I arrived, I saw that he had already taken it in his palm. Floating right above it.
Glancing at me with a serious look that wasn't fitting of the young face, he said.
"I choose you as my rival for the Key Rush."
I blinked.
"What?"
Just as Nico said that, he crushed the orb underneath his fingers. When he did, I felt a burning sensation in my chest, as I mark slowly began forming in my bare-chest, with my tunic on, I couldn't quite see it clearly, but I could see the outer layers of the tattoo extending out like roots over my forearm, stopping right at my palm, as if merging with my skin.
"Morgan?"
"What's going on?"
"Nico!"
I heard Zeke's voice behind me. I turned towards him and Isabella, then without saying anything else, all three of us lunged towards Nico. But just as we did, the top layer of the Lighthouse slowly broke away, making all four of us fall together to the ground, back down to the floating island.
"Ahhh!"
As we fell along with the Lighthouse to the ground, the darkness slowly started creeping us towards us. The world began crumbling at an even faster rate, the floating island shaking.
Then, we began falling.
No, it wasn't us that was falling.
The floating island gave away. It began slowly falling from where it was suspended in the sky, at an absurd speed, the wind rushing past me, making my flesh clap comically. Everything around me began a blur and then….
Bang!!
Thr island hit the ground with a powerful Shockwave, causing the tunnel mazes below it to be completely obliterated upon impact. The floating— used to be floating—island had a crack running down from the middle, as it was being consumed by the darkness, now more than half way there.
When I looked back, I saw that Isabella and Zeke had disappered, already returned back to where they were before starting Dreadful Tunnels. However, I and Nico still remained, even as the darkness swallowed us whole.
I saw him smile at me.
Then, the darkness receded. It receded before it could touch us. Everything around us suddenly changing and forming it something new.
The destroyed tunnels was being replaced, the massive floating island we were on is, as well, being reformed. As I stood there, in wonder, panic and shock, i saw trees starting to sprout from the ground, the sky going from grey to a pure azure, the floating island, all the debri and destruction vanishing without a trace, replaced by a beautiful jungle, full of trees and grassy plains.
I was now standing since the floating island vanished, facing Nico who was a good distance away from me.
"What did you—"
My words were cut off by the very familier voice sounding inside my head.
[Mission "Key Rush" accepted!]
[Preparing Mission….]
My eyes widened and before I knew, the trees parted like the red sea, revealing what to be a massive, lengthy river that seemed to stretch beyond the horizon. The river didn't have an azure colour, rather it was crimson, almost as dark as the colour of blood. It was eerie, terrifying and unnvering.
At the very end of the river was a giant tree. A tree to massive, it stretched beyond the clouds, several vines and roots hanging down from beneath the clouds, so massive that even from this distance, they made me feel small.
Mission in Progress: —
Mission Name: [Key Rush]
Misson Class: B-Class.
B-Class Tier: Low-Tier.
Mission Goal: Retrieve the Key of Ruin from the very top of The Weeping Blight.
Participates: [Player 40,345,678] [Player 789,776]
Rewards: [Key of Ruin]
Punishment: None.
I stared at the holographic game-like interface before me, in silence. Everything was beginning to click. Nico had given up on the Abyssal Heart and has forced me into this mission, the mission where I retrieve the Key of Ruin, the key meant to save the Skull of Ruin.
How does Nico know all this? It's almost unnerving how he seems to know everything about The Mulligan and it's missions. Still, there is not a chance I'm letting Nico get Mova.
My eyes darted towards where Nico was, but he was already gone. Searching for him, I realized that he was already rushing towards the giant tree, the river itself seemed shallow. He could run on it very easily.
Gritting my teeth in frustration, I picked up the pace as well, clenching my calves, I started chasing after me. I need to get to the top of the tree before he could! I can't let him have Movarathos! He is mine!
Determination and resolve filled my bones, as I gave chase, my thoughts fixed on being the winner….
_________________________________
(Isabella POV)
I slowly opended my eyes and took a deep breath, a sudden inhale of stale air entering my lungs, causing me to cough and stumble back lightly.
A strong hand reached out towards my shoulder and balanced me back to my feet. That's when I really started taking in my surroundings.
I was standing on top of a rocky surface, behind me, was a pool of water. Nothing but darkness as far as the eye could see. The 'door' where I had used to enter the Dreadful Tunnels was now gone, vanished without a trace.
"We are back."
I heard Zeke confirm. A grin spreading across my lips, as I looked around excitingly. Zeke was here. But….where was Morgan? And Nico wasn't here, either. Not like I wanted him to be here, though.
"Morgan?"
I called out, but no response came.
Zeke gave me a sympathic look.
"Maybe he got trappe—"
His words were cut off by a somewhat familier, thunderous voice echoing throughout the walls.
"Morgan is not dead, Fool's! He will survive the Key Rush and come back! That boy will never allow Nico to win over him!"
A bit startled, I spoke up.
"Who is it?"
But it was Zeke who answered.
"It's that talking skull."
Zeke sighed and shook his head.
"Why should we trust you, oh great Skull of Ruin? You almost got us killed."
Skull of Ruin was silent. Then, the same voice echoed, coming from now where. It was clear, even though the skull himself wasn't present.
"I'm fine with anyone but Nico becoming my master. Once he does, he will just absorb my spirit essence and kill me, to make himself stronger…."
I raised an eyebrow. What was with Nico absorbing all these essences to get stronger? Doesn't he realize how dangerous it is?
"And you want Morgan to be you're master?"
Skull of Ruin responded without any hesitation.
"Yes. It's a much better choice than Nico. Come, follow my voice….I'll lead you to where I'm being kept. That way, I can keep you updated on what's happening."
Zeke scoffed.
"That's not happening."
I nodded in agreement.
"Tell us exactly what's happening first, Skull of Ruin."
I heard the voice sigh, or atleast is sounded like one.
"At the moment, Morgan is chasing after Nico towards The Weeping Blight, where the key to my cage is being kept…."
The Skull of Ruin went on, giving us a run down of the situation.
"So, Morgan is in another mission…"
I murmured, worried about him. But I also had faith that he will be able to come back. When I looked up at Zeke, I saw the hesitation and impatience in his face. He must wish to go back to Cassie as soon as possible….
"You can go, Zeke. I'll wait here for Morgan."
Zeke seemed surprised and grateful.
"Are you sure?"
I smiled and gave a nod.
"Yeah, just make sure to come back for us once you reunite with Cassie."
Zeke nodded his head.
"I will."
Then, he turned and dived into the water. I wondered if he will even be able to find a way out of this place, but I didn't linger on it. Thus, I spoke, this time addressing Skull of Ruin.
"Take me to where you're being kept. I need to hear about everything's that's going on…"
Skull of Ruin seemed pleased.
"Very well! Follow my voice then, girl!"
And so, I followed the voice to where Movarathos was being kept.