Chapter 114: [Death!]
[{Death} has taken an Interest in you!]
That message was the last thing I saw on the system screen. It came rather too sudden as I just simply stood there, my body becoming numb and my mind unable to think of anything further.
Soon my eyes lost their vision as everything turned black for a moment. What's strange was that even though I couldn't see anything, I felt an impending danger around me. Even though I couldn't move a muscle, my body wanted to run as far as possible.
It was odd… because death was the last thing I should be afraid of. I always believed that I would welcome death with open arms, yet here we are… scared… lonely…
Am I really going to die?
"Aren't you a cutie?"
I heard a voice. Angelic? Maybe. There was something strange about that voice. It was too mesmerizing… yet I felt scared. It was too pure. Yet, I felt like it was the edge of a lonely cliff. If I try to understand it, I will lose my sanity.
There were only three words, but it was like a drug. Like an exquisite wine that one can get addicted to. Yet, I could tell it was poison. I will die if I lose control here.
I need to run away… but how… ?
"We need him in the end. It's impossible without him."
And then another voice came. This time from a boy that sounded barely 20. I think I have heard this voice from somewhere… My eidetic memory helped me recall as I recollected that this voice was of that 'shadow' guy whom I met in the forest before.
'What are they talking about?' I questioned as I slowly regained my vision. I was getting calmer… the previous effect was still lingering yet somehow I felt more control over my emotions… and my body.
"And? What does it have to do with me? Trust me, Noah. You and your little games with Adam, are nothing to do with me. You gotta be more convincing if you want to change my mind."
The voice resounded again. It was seductive in every way possible. Searching around for the source, my eyes slowly adjusted to the area around me, they rapidly looked around tracing everything that was present there.
I was standing in a white room that was about 10 meters wide and 10 meters tall, at its center was a woman in black, sitting on a white sofa. Beautiful… would be an understatement… she was bewitching…
I stood at one of the edges of the room, and between me and that woman was that shadow guy. Even though he seemed to be casually standing there, from his expression it was easy to tell that he was on a defensive stance.
"I… I wil-" and as Noah was about to speak, the woman continued,
"All right. Looking at you like this, makes me love you even more. My sweetheart… Though, your friend here is much more delicious than you can assume."
I knew she was talking about me. As she licked her lips a bit, while I just kept observing her. I gulped as I was rapidly searching for a way out. Even though my mind was a mess, I was trying my best to not lose my sanity here. Trying to ignore her, I focused on the boy, Noah, who was standing in between us.
Noah's energy was leaking out, as he seemed to be ready for a fight, but that woman ignored him as she spoke to me,
"Choosing both the powers of life and death will be heavy for you. Your special body won't be able to handle it alone… though given you have 'That' authority, I think you will be able to govern the two opposites if you play it right."
She then stood up as she kept walking towards me. Noah took out his weapon, but didn't dare to point at her.
-Gulp!
"Haha. You look cuter when you are so terrified. Don't worry, I promise I won't harm him. I am just a bit curious," she passed by Noah before reaching closer to me. Her eyes looked deep into my soul, before she reached closer to me. She then smiled as she kissed me on my forehead before speaking,
"Consider this a gift. This will protect you when 'he' will notice you. Since you are going to be taking part in the War of Fates in the future, you are going to need at least this much. Also… make it entertaining… Since your opponent will be 'that person', it will be fun. I wonder if that bitch will cry seeing his most beloved toy being broken…."
A strange smile was present on her face as I tried looking through the woman. Though my mind went numb every time I tried it.
"Who are you?" I asked in the end, giving up as I couldn't even begin to think whom I was facing here. I had an idea… I just didn't want to confirm it.
Still…
"I am death. I am… The Death," she answered with pride in her voice, before her smile turned mischievous as she spoke," let's leave the questions until we meet again."
I don't want to.
-Flash!
And then my eyes lost their vision again as everything around me turned black. Just like before, I was rendered unable to move a muscle. Everything around me was numb for a few seconds. Moments passed as the senses slowly returned, and I found myself back where I was standing. In an empty field right outside the city.
'It was real, wasn't it? Or could it be an illusion?' I questioned. Or to be precise, I wanted to deny the reality for some reason.
My eyes, which had regained their vision, slowly drifted towards the [System]. There was an additional statement there telling me that everything I just saw was the truth. It wasn't a dream or an illusion.
[Blessing: Mark of the Death
Grade: Primordial
Effect: You have been marked under the protection of Death! Any Primordial or equal being won't be able to touch you without her permission! Those who are aware of the existence of Death, will know that you are under her protection!]
And as I was still lost in my thoughts reading that blessing, I heard a voice coming from behind me.
"You know…" it was the same guy, Noah. I turned back immediately as I saw him speaking,"… you should…. Well… ahh… forget it. Just do whatever you like."
He then vanished from there as I was left confused even more. My eyes recalled everything that happened… and then somehow I recalled what the other 'Adrian' had spoken to me.
"I didn't want to look into it… but it seems I need to find out what is going on exactly," I spoke out loud as I recalled a single word that could probably take me towards the answers that I needed.
"Adam…. I believe it is the same Adam Wesker… I need to find more about him if I want to get my answers," I mumbled as now I must get the answers. Or I might end up getting wrapped in something without even knowing what is going on.
My eyes then looked at the people in the city preparing for the incoming war that was going to happen anytime soon. It was a part of the tutorial, so I need to make sure everything proceeds smoothly. Only when all the events of the [Hidden Quests] will be over, the next quest will start. And only after that, we will be able to move to the next Tutorial.
'Let's finish everything and ascend to the higher floors,' I firmed my decision even more.
And hence I moved towards the group, slowly observing everything from a distance, wondering what they were talking about.
…
[Location: The Two God's Place!]
"Seems like there is no other way than what Crowley told us," Balthazar, the Admin of the Tutorial, spoke as even after trying for two weeks nobody was able to find a solution to the situation they were having.
Except for what Crowley had suggested them, there was no chance of them reverting the situation they were in.
"I still don't like the way everything is going on but… well. At least we tried our best, didn't we?" The Goddess donned in darkness spoke out as she had her head down. She didn't even like her own words, and as she was trying to cheer others up, her own mood went down by a notch.
A streak of tears were barely contained within her eyes, as she observed the dulled faces of everyone present there.
There was Nora, Rosaliyah, the White God and the Admin. Since the tutorial was about to be in its most active state right now, they decided it would be better for them to not interfere with what goes on in the tutorial.
"Even though we are thinking that our interference would turn things chaotic within the tutorial… don't you guys think that it doesn't really matter since that guy is there?" Nora spoke as her eyes were fixed on a certain individual within the tutorial.
A guy who was roaming around the city, observing the players and the way everyone was preparing for the war to come. Despite him acting normal in front of everyone, all the people have seen what he was capable of. Especially in the last 10 days when he was actively hunting non stop without any break whatsoever.
"I guess so… well… it's already far from a normal tutorial," Balthazar, the admin, spoke while the others nodded.
Rosaliyah, who was particularly observing Adrian, had a constant smile on her face. It's as if she saw something in him that the others couldn't see. Something that was different from what she was looking at for the last few days.
…
The day passed rather silently as the murmurs started dying down. Despite fighting for their lives multiple times, most of the people here haven't fought in an actual war. Hence as the time for war approached closer, the anxiety began lingering in the air, getting denser by the hour.
The players were nervous, the NPCs prepared for the worst. Even those who were preparing for a drawn out battle, or people who had somewhat experienced this type of situation, didn't exactly feel good about the entire war thing.
But still… This was something that was going to happen anyway. And that's something everyone was already aware of. Hence… they all waited…they patiently waited for this war to start.
And finally by the end of the night when the morning sun appeared, a portal opened up above in the sky of the city, before flying ships and wyvern riding warriors began pouring off the portals.
The war… had finally begun.