Latale: A Memory's Venture
Chapter 13: An Oddly Cursed Island
Hi! Done with the new chapter.
I can't fully describe Captain Bong, so this is him: latale/Monsters_Level_120_-_129
Bong A - Fat Bong
Bong B - Slim Bong
Bong C - Bone-thin Bong
Sorry for the bother.
Enjoy! Read and Review will be appreciated..
"Corelle, why the hell do you want us to sleep at the sea side, the tides will get bigger." Raavi shouted
"I wanted to share some view with you guys."
Kyiin's POV
"What?!" I shouted at them.
They look oddly at me.
"Calm down Mr. Amnesiac" Corelle said knocking on my head twice before drying us up with her manipulative water abilities.
I look back to where we use to make camp, it was again fixed, but I remember we packed that up. This has gotta do something with Cruz, that white light, might be a reset? But why can I remember what happened then? Fixated on trying to resolve this dilemma, I pressed my temples with my Gloves on.
Luli grabbed my arm and lowered it. "What's wrong?" She asked with still ever so comforting tone.
"Nothing, just bothered with what just happened." I say nonchalantly.
"Me too. I can't believe I just knew what it felt to be in the mouth of a beast." Luli shivered.
"Wait, you remember?" I stared at her, her ocean deep eyes fixated on mine.
"I wish I didn't." She replied. "But we fixed out tent when we left to go to the Phantom Ship, then how come-" I tried to say but she instantly replied.
'I don't know, I'm just going to understand 'it' happened, but I won't even try to comprehend it. I think it's much better that way." She answered plainly, her eyes looked beneath as waves wash our feet.
"Yeah, I guess so." It wasn't even worth an argument, there are thing I cannot comprehend, especially when Sophia is involved. So as Luli said, merely giving up in looking for a possible explanation seems the only resolution good enough and won't make you insane.
"HEY!" Corelle shouted at us from our elevated camp site.
"ARE YOU JUST GOING TO STAND THERE ALL NIGHT?!" She shouted her words echo through the darkness. I just looked and started walking along with Luli.
Again, it was night, I face the side of the tent, trying to fall asleep, and I'm sure I'll be going to the 'Island Beneath' as usual. I closed my eyes my I felt the movement of falling down to slumber. And for that night, I didn't go to the graveyard. I was only in a sweet, dreamless, peaceful slumber.
I again woke up earlier than the rest, if I try to go down the beach, Corelle will find me and drag me to the bottom of the ocean to find an underwater cave, nearly killing me in the process.
I decided to just sit beside the beach.
"You're up early." Corelle says from behind.
"If I try to hunt food for us, you'll say I'm greedy for appreciations."
"What?" she replied.
"Aren't the seekers representatives for Iris' sins so she can be pure?" I asked her.
Corelle laughed. "You sure did some research."
"And that necklace of yours is where you truly reside."
"Nice. Got into thinking much, Kyiin?" Corelle laughs. It's weird she doesn't really say my name, the name Luli made for me, but it's kinda weird hearing it, especially from Corelle.
"Oh yeah, Sophia gave us a present." I say happily and gave the vial to her.
"That sounds ominous." She responded and took the vial to examine it.
"The Azure Chasm lies within the Heart of the place where the first sinner was eternally punished".
"What a lousy riddle." Corelle remarked.
"You figured it out?" I asked.
"Raavi and Luli should also know too." She remarked and fetched Raavi and Luli.
Great I'm always the dumb one, Sophia is right, I am dumb.
I waited for a few minutes before Luli showed up by the beach, a very chaotic noise can be heard from the tent. Corelle must be on rage again.
The noise died down and Corelle and Raavi emerged from the tent, Corelle looks irritated and Raavi has a grin that implies he has done something wrong.
Luli looked calm, like the first time we met; I missed that actually. After being claimed as the Black Immortal she always looked bothered and afraid. And now to see her better, it makes me happy for her.
On those thoughts I didn't realize I am just staring at her for more than I should. She looked at me and gave a cute questioning expression; I averted my eyes from her. And I can feel a blush coming up.
"Anything wrong?" She asked me.
"Nothing." I quickly replied and looked down to cover my red face from her.
"How about you? Still remember that eaten feeling?" I asked
"Oh, I hate you! I just forgot that! And now I can feel it all over again." She turned backwards and gave a disgusted shiver again.
It worked!
"Okay people, we have our next destination" Corelle says. Basically Corelle is the leader of our party, she has a passion to order people around.
Well, Corelle told me she was the representative of Pride, so it matches her perfectly, She says the sin takes over the seeker at their moment of weakness, but Corelle already seems to succumb to Pride, or maybe that's how she really is.
"Sophia gave us a lousy riddle about the Azure Chasm's location. Apparently it's in the First Sinner's cursed land."
"First Sinner? You mean Kyiin?" Raavi asked. Wait, What?
"No. Think of History, not the mess we're in." she replies
"First Sinner. Captain Bong?" Luli answered.
"Exactly. You make a very good historian Luli." Corelle applauds at Luli.
"Well I worked as a volunteer in the Belos Library sanction, so I manage to read a lot of books there." Luli explained.
"Capt…Bong… Who… The…Hell…Is…He?" I questioned.
"Let's give a brief history to our latest seeker shall we?" Corelle sat down the beach and tap the sand twice.
We all sat down as she commanded. Then I looked at Corelle who was supposed to tell us that history.
"What? Don't look at me, I'm not the historian." She remarked, we shifted our eyes at Luli. She was surprised giving us weird looks, but she sighed drew a circle in the sand.
"You owe the Black Immortal for this, Fifth Seeker." Luli says acting like 'the' Black immortal. But then she laughed and continued her drawing in the sand.
"Imagine this is world." She says pointing at the circle which has by 2 horizontal lines that divide it into 3 parts.
"The middle is Jienda, The top is where the Gods reside, which was known as the Empryean, but it isn't there now. The bottom is what we call an empty space; supposedly it was a theoretical area but because we knew the 'Graveyard' exists there, we'll call it Sophia's domain." She says as she writes down. 'Empryean' on the top portion, 'Jienda' in the middle and 'Sophia's' in the bottom.
"Even before Iris' journey the Gods gave guidance to the people, providing them life, and mana. Everyone lived in peace and prosperity. But as usual that kind of living didn't last long. Humanity became greedy for more blessings; they started to abuse the use of mana, which was supposed to be used to protect nature. They began using mana to overthrow each other and assuming power. And with that a war began. The war lasted for years destroying the civilization and the land; this was known as the Chaotic Age of the Gods."
"When the war was settled, the humans begged for the Gods to help rebuild what they had destroyed. But the Gods didn't, they took their 'blessings' and the mana with them. Thinking that if mana didn't exist there is will be no chaos in the land."
"…But we have mana right now?" I questioned.
"Shh!" Corelle hissed.
"Indeed mana became non-existent, the use of magic became limited to the amount of energy a person has. There are special people that can still perform magic, what started at 6 elements became four, and from an array of skills and magic, they became 4 as well. The four elements, Fire, Water, Wind and Earth can be learned using acquiring a special device to convert energy into mana."
"What's the difference, of mana and energy back then?" I asked Luli.
"Energy is the ability to do work, Mana is the amount of magical power that courses through the body, both can be replenished with rest, but Energy comes with a very low amount and easily depletes, while mana gathers rather quickly and doesn't run out immediately."
"So when we convert Energy to Mana, there will only be a few things we can try, because Energy depletes fast." I concluded.
"Back to the story." Corelle commanded.
"Right. Humans wanted Mana back. Back then there was a civilization that grew more than Elias, it was called the Bong Territory." Luli says
"Huh? I thought it was Bong Land." Raavi argues. "Practically the same right?" Corelle gave him a reprimanding look.
"Anyways, The King of Bong Territory was in fact Captain Bong. He wanted Mana to return to their land, mainly because Captain Bong was hosting a tournament of battling with the use of Mana, and without Mana the tournament cannot take place. He knew if he just prayed, The Gods wouldn't answer. Atlantis, who was still in the surface at that time, thrived in modern technology, Captain Bong retrieved equipment there to go to Empryean, and that's the origin of the time and space warp capsules. He then ventured to the Empryean as Punishment for Trespassing they turned the Bong Territory in a cursed place where the humans became food, and other hideous creatures."
"Wait, what?" I asked surprised of the punishment.
"Capt Bong already showed signs of the seven sins that tainted humanity, the Gods punished him according to his sins. They split his soul to three. A normal one that represents Pride, Envy and Wrath, A fat one, known as Fat Bong, represents Gluttony, Sloth and Lust, and the very skinny one representing Greed." Raavi continues.
"Other than that, Bong's Territory plunged into a curse; they divided it into three accursed places, The Capt. Bong's Land is where he held his people that enjoyed his prideful mana wasting games, became objects of entertainment, Cards, Dice, Miniature Swords and the like. The Cookie Garden, where the Gods turned the humans into sweets, and lastly Capt Bong's castle, where Capt. Bong is imprisoned for eternity." Luli finishes.
"So we are going to Capt. Bong's Land?" I asked.
"Yup." Corelle replied.
"That place is too strong even for us, you know that Corelle." Raavi says.
"I know, I know, so we dash in, dash out." Corelle says.
"The Azure Chasm is a large Blue whirlpool in the basement of Capt Bong's castle; we can get the nostrum without needing to face Capt Bong." Luli added.
"Why do we need the nostrum for anyways?" I asked them
"Enchanting the Durendal with right properties to open a portal to the abyss above." Corelle says.
"Oh I almost forgot."
"If the magic that can be used is only four, they how come Corelle uses more than that?"
"It's called Energy conservation." Corelle explained
"Lie." Raavi argued with her. Corelle shot him an annoyed look.
"Corelle can use mana because she has access with the Mana reservoir of the Gods."
"And who do you think gave her that access? Sophia." Raavi continued.
"Moron." Corelle says to him.
"But why?"
"Because Corelle is one of the seekers. And the only Elemental Master in the seekers. She needs mana to fight." Raavi answered.
"Sophia controls everything, if everything goes wrong and out of hand, it would Sophia's fault. And she doesn't like being blamed."
"Even still, after the resurrection of the Asura King and the birth of the Agasura King, Sophia rebelled against Empryean.
"The Asura King?" I asked again.
"No time, we talk on the way. Let's go." Corelle commanded and we stood up packing up our belongings. We returned to Elfa, and placed our belongings there. As we exited the Bank Raavi enter the sewage entrance of Elfa. Corelle followed him.
We enter a very disgusting, stinky, and dirty sewage of Elfa. "Why here of all places?" Luli asked as she covers her nose to try and stop the odour from overpowering our sense of smell.
"This is the way to Captain Bong's Land." Raavi says
"You have gotta be kidding me." I say in disbelief that we have to travel here just to get there.
Raavi took out his Death MG key and tossed it in the air, black smoke emerged and reformed his Death MG. he then started its engine. "Climb, we won't last in the smell here." Raavis says as he hoists Luli up to the Cockpit of the Death MG. I climbed next and Corelle just sat on the shoulders of the MG.
The Meister Raavi then press some buttons and the Death MG moved forward to the next area even without Raavi's control.
"So what did ask last?" Raavis says
"The Asura King."
"It's like a Golem with shorts." Corelle says.
"It a hideous creature that was created in order to separate the Gods in the Empryean, you see the Gods needed to be perfect. So all their imperfection was accumulated and came into being the Asura King." Raavi explains.
"The Warrior Goddess fought against it and destroyed it. But as soon as she destroyed it, she became tainted with the Asura King's power."
"The Warrior Goddess broke away from the Empryean, taking a piece of land with her."
"Wait is that land the Scourge Citadel?" Luli asked.
"Yes it is."
"The Warrior Goddess brought chaos in the land of Jienda. The Chaos refueled Asura King's lost energy and revived it. The Empryean used all of its power to reseal it inside an Airship. But at the cost of the Empryean being lost in the time and space void." Raavi finishes.
"Wait, what happened to the Warrior Goddess?" I asked yet again. *sigh*
"Who cares? You can still see her right?" Corelle shouts.
"The Warrior Goddess with its piece of Empryean put chaos in the entire Jienda, mainly Elias, Elias became trapped within a dome of Darkness forbidding anyone or anything to come in or come out. Blocking trade for a period of 7 years. That piece of floating land mass is known as the Scourge Citadel. The Warrior Goddess, who resided within it, is known by the people, the Princess of Skulls."
"Too much history for a day, don't you think?" Corelle says as the Death MG finally reaches the exit of the Dark Sewage Tunnel.
"We talk too much irrelevant stuff, but we never talked about Iris. We are after all, Iris' seekers." Corelle adds.
"Iris is just a piece of this whole story. And besides we can't spoil them right?" Raavi grins.
*sigh*
We arrived at a very weird place, it has checkered floors of black and white tiles, thousands of cannons, catapults scattered across the area around. Luli said that the people here are transformed into entertainment and gambling stuff. And she was right, Card people started charging us.
The Death MG was fast, uncatchable by the monsters. There was already a horde of enemies chasing us down by the team we reach the exit of the Cirque.
"Hailstone." Luli muttered, a seal appeared behind us and ice spikes rain down on the horde. Most of them got pierced but apparently the purpose was only to block the horde. Since the Ice Shards pierce the ground, it made some sort of barrier.
"I can't believe you still use that, you're the Black Immortal for everything's sake!"`Corelle shouted at Luli knocking on her head twice.
"But I can only move objects from afar. I can't do anything else yet!" Luli cried
"Oh, Please save me the bother of that excuse." Corelle say, "I already mastered the four elements the first four spells, the fifth tier spells, and made excellent recovery of lost ancient magic." Corelle shifts her position to face the horde behind the Death MG.
"Like this." Corelle lifts her arm, a bluish white glow started emanating from it. And suddenly a burst of bluish ray burst out, the impact moved her backwards a little bit. The horde that was following us froze completely.
"Wow! I've never seen Ancient Water Magic before!" Luli exclaimed.
"It's called Frozen Assay." I recovered that when I fought with Phy. Who happens to know Ancient Magic as well."
"How do you recover Ancient Magic?" I inquired.
Corelle turned towards me. "Well it starts with trying to create magic of your own. Failing at it, then you slim it down, bit by bit, then you gain lost magic, either that or you read the ancient scrolls. Ancient Magic is powerful, it uses little mana and burst powerful energy."
"So no one else can perform Ancient Magic now that Mana doesn't exist."
"Well anyone who can perform Ancient Magic must have access with the Mana reservoir of the Gods." Corelle says nonchalantly.
"That's why the Wizards came into a dying breed. There are more Warriors that actually use energy instead of mana." Luli says.
"Sophia gave all the seekers access to the Mana Reservoir, just before she rebelled against Empryean."
"Why would Sophia rebel against the Gods, not like she can't win but…" I paused for a second, but when I try to continue…
"I guess she wanted to hog the entire Empryean to herself. The Gods simply couldn't let her, and took her as a threat. She must've have made things worse after then." Corelle says.
"Guys, Welcome to Cookie Garden, the place where you'll get hungry." Raavi shouts.
We all look at the place before us. Mountains made by ice creams, Hot fudge drips down from it. Cookies, waffles, chocolates, vanilla. Anything sweet in lying on the ground like it's thrown away.
We see walking Popsicle sticks. That is very weird.
"I don't really like this place." Corelle says.
"Wow! CHOCOLATE!" Luli exclaims as she tries to climb down the Death MG. Corelle drags her back in.
"Don't eat anything, you'll turn to food monsters."
So this is the curse of the Gluttony committed by Captain Bong huh? Is it really a curse or just a plain gift not worth given? But for any kid this place is paradise. But as for me, I don't really like sweets they hurt my teeth.
"Which reminds me.." I ask Corelle
Corelle looks at me confused.
"Do you know which sins represent Symphony and Malice?"
"Symphony is Envy. Malice is Gluttony." Corelle says bored out.
The Death MG continues to pass the monsters like they weren't there.
We reach a clearing where there were no monsters. Raavi pulled over and climbed down the Death MG, we followed.
"Sorry, I need to refuel; this'll only take a minute." He rubs the back of his head.
"Corelle wandered around the clearing. "Odd, there are no agasura monsters."
"Must've been a safe zone." Luli says. "Impossible, the Agasuras would find this place and make home here." Corelle answers disagreeing
"unless…" Corelle mutters before turning around and shouts. "Ice Fear!" Stacks of Ice appeared. A single lane of ice that looks like fangs fill the clearing. In a single direction.
"An upgraded Ice Fear? I can only use 3 stacks on both directions." Luli says disappointed.
"Lost Magic" Corelle says.
"That isn't funny, why am taken as a threat by everybody?" An eerie female voice said.
"Sophia?" I asked.
"Bingo." Sophia appeared in front of us again.
She stabbed her staff to the soft ground and runes began to take form.
Corelle rushed towards her. And perform a roundhouse spin. Sophia blocked it with her staff. Corelle twisted her body to face her and a rune forms from her back. Red and Yellow balls of light move away from the rune. Corelle then backflip away from Sophia. "Ten Flames" The balls of light explode.
"How boring is that? You know better than to use any other magic from the fifth tier against me right? Because I made them."
A giant rune appeared overhead and it's spewing Blue orbs of light. Hundreds, Probably thousands. Spew out from the rune.
"Punishment of the Icicle, Frozen Flames." Sophia uttered as the blue orbs explode. The orbs fell hot and cold at the same time, Dozens of icicle collide with my skin, as the burning sensation fills me. The smoked cleared. Corelle is already lying on the ground, the icicle covered by skin slowly as if trying to freeze me solid. It turns my movement slow. Until I cannot move anymore. "Why..Are…you…doing.." I tried to say, but I can no longer move or speak.
Luli's POV
"Incantation of the Dark, Heed my calling." I don't know what I'm doing, there was something talking inside me, there is someone else within me. It's controlling me. Dark Orbs began to form beside me.
"This is where you shall Perish."
"The Dimension shall collapse upon the person who I identify as an enemy!"
Sophia pointed her staff towards me, she shook it and then let it struck the ground, and with that the orbs were gone. Including all my energy to fight.
Sophia struck her staff towards the ground again. Afterwards, nothing.
Raavi's POV.
Another time stop. She froze my three comrades.
"Why?"
"I wanted to talk to you." Sophia says looking rather angry than quizzical.
"Let them go, and I'll do as you say." I begged.
"Who says I'm gonna kill them, Corelle can't be killed, you know that, Luli is the Black IMMORTAL. And the dumb, hmmm..Perhaps I might have gone too far for that kid." Sophia says rather nonchalantly shrugging off the idea.
"What do you want, you sent us here to find the Nostrum of Azure Chasm and Malice's shard, but now you are the one stopping us. What is the deal with you?!" I shouted angrily at her.
"Calm down." Sophia raises her staff towards me.
"You're gonna answer my questions nothing else." I took a step back, and sighed. There is nothing I could do about it. She wants some answers and I'll be happy to oblige. But why do all her entrances have to be so chaotic?
"First Question. Are you hungry?" Sophia asks me such a weird question.
"I am."
"Second Question. Has Choen Palm finished him?"
"She did."
"Third Question. Does Kyiin know who the Origin of Chaos is?"
"Nope."
"Fourth Question. Do they know WHO you are?"
"No and never will."
"Fifth Question. Chon Palm needs you for what exactly?"
"Surveillance."
"Ah, a traitor." She says insultingly. "I'm not a traitor." I say darkly to her.
"Then what are you then? A deceiver? It's the same right?" She laughs
I glare at her with intent.
She laughs, "I understand your situation."
"Sixth Question. Do you know where the Seventh is?"
"Yes."
"Would lead Sixth and Fifth to it?"
"I can't."
"I understand. Don't worry, just keep up the act and soon it will come to be."
"Last Question. How are you and Corelle?"
"…" I can't answer that, not at all cost.
"It's fine, don't answer that, I'll leave you contemplating on that. Besides you two have more time to waste than you think you have." Sophia says and reaches for her pocket. She pulls out a small glowing white shard.
"The Shard of Gluttony." I say to her as she shows the glowing item from her hand.
"Since you have been very cooperative. Here." She tosses the shard at me.
"Keep it away from the seekers for a while. It's not worth viewing, and besides Malice will kill you if you do." Sophia says and a rune appears on her feet, the wind gust in a circular manner.
"I'd like to see her try."
Sophia laughs again. "Do like the new one better?"
"You bastard…"
With that Sophia was gone, time has resumed and my comrades stare at space, trying to absorb what happened.
I hurried towards Kyiin, who still can't speak but can now move. He has some deep wounds but nothing serious and can't be treated.
"You'll be fine, Icicle Punishment Spells disables the voice of the person. It'll eventually come back." I reassured him, he gave a contented gesture of a sigh. "I'll let you pick up Luli and let her heal you." I say as I rushed beside Corelle checking on her wounds; it's not that serious she just passed out. Like she always does. Geez, this girl gets into a lot of trouble than she's worth. I can't even trust her to stray for even a second without getting into a fight.
I carried Corelle towards my MG, since Corelle needs a place to lie down; we try to conserve as much space to fit all of us within it. What a problem maker.
I lay Corelle near the control panel and made her curdle into a ball to conserve space. I mean, c'mon the cockpit for the MG is fitted for one, and yet we're trying to fit four. We're geniuses
Luli started playing a soothing melody; I believe that's a healing song. Bards are from Wizards after all, reliant on Mana, but now they use Energy rather than Mana, they cure using their energy to replenish others, they tend to grow tired after healing a large number of people, even if Luli is the Black Immortal, she is still bound within the energy laws of this world, and because she isn't human, she can't have access to the Mana Reservoir.
Luli finishes the music, she then pants heavily, Kyiin tries to let her sit, only to find space won't allow it.
"Sorry." Luli mumbles as she tries to regain her energy. Kyiin mumbles something at her, though he still can't talk anyway.
"Hey, don't use up all your energy, If we run out of energy, we can't run away from the agasuras within the castle. They're quite a horde y'know "
"Ha! I know." I shifted commands from the panels. Turning the arms of my MG to enclose together.
"Kyiin, you need to climb down there, my MG will carry you. So that Luli can sit and take a rest, you can rest there too."
Kyiin nods, and he slowly climbs down. By the time we exited Cookie Garden, Luli has fallen asleep, Kyiin has fallen asleep and Corelle had woken up. Fancy that.
"What happened?" Corelle shakes her head trying to gain proper vision
"Sophia's punishment of the Icicle."
"Pfth… She could've done better." Corelle says insultingly.
"You could have done better than to use Ten Flames against her." I say, just to lessen her arrogance a bit.
"Shut up."
"We're almost in Captain Bong's Castle, any instructions?"
"I already told you, dash in dash out." She says dismissively
"Well I'm sorry but this thing can't dash in dash out because it's already carrying more weight than it should."
"Well then, why don't we dash in and dash out by foot." Corelle says nonchalantly
"It'll be a good exercise for you." She pats my head. "Shut up." I say removing her hand, she just laughs.
We reached the gate of the Captain Bong's Castle, Luli already awoke but she's still wozzy, and Kyiin is up and running about.
I removed my key from the Death MG, and hung it in my neck; I carry a small briefcase, which contains thousands of weapons. I just love being an engineer.
"Raavi, you take the nostrum, all of us can't get near the Azure Chasm, only you can." Corelle says with a serious tone.
"And why is that?"
"We're forbidden." She says sort of depressed.
Corelle's POV
Raavi is the only one not special in the group; the seekers cannot go near the azure chasm, because they get visions of the previous seeker, altering their focus. Luli can't go because the existence of the Azure Chasm is out of bounds within the time and space continuum, thus Luli can't 'see' the Azure Chasm.
"Fine by me."
Sometimes I wonder, how Raavi stand such madness around him, I known him since childhood and he is exactly the same as he is now. But… he's always been vague to me.
Vague, the perfect term to describe him. Even still he's still that boy I found by the beach.
We reached the entrance of the gate to Captain Bong's Castle, It's a just a huge double doors, not scary, not special, very boring
We made our way in, empty. No monsters. Usually a horde gathers at the entrance, making entering and escaping hard for adventurers, a lot of them died by the looks of the ground all stained in black, dried up blood, a few bones lying on the floor and an array of weapons scattered on the floor.
"Sophia must've wiped out all the enemies."
"I thought she wanted entertainment?" Kyiin asked baffled.
"It doesn't matter, we don't need to give her what she wants, we need to get the nostrum as soon as possible and get out of here."
The Azure Chasm is beneath the castle, we made our way down quickly but quietly. Luli can't tap space because magic is nullified within the castle. When the Null tribe cleansed it away from magic, as ordered from the Gods, this place became avoided by all wizards, only warriors and those who use non-magical weapons get here. It means I'm also useless here.
But the null did not reach within the instance dungeon of Capt. Bong. It means when we get there, I can use magic again, not like we'll enter in, we can't handle Capt. Bong; our party is too weak to.
We reached the area where the entrance to Capt. Bong's instance dungeon is. What we saw flummoxed us. There was suddenly paranoia.
The gate to the instance dungeon, it's broken.
I looked at them, I guess they already knew what that means, I horizontally placed my finger in front of my lips gesturing a 'keep quiet'.
With the instance dungeon entrance broken, Capt. Bong roams this place, no wonder the monsters had been cleared, if we get spotted we need to run away from him. He's too strong, plus Luli and I don't have magic, Kyiin can't perform powerful attacks because his gloves won't amplify it due to the restriction, and Raavi can't summon his Death MG because it needs magic to run. Damn.
We silently made our way down, and finally found the lowest part of the castle. It looks just like the rest a blue whirlpool in the very bottom. I pointed at it, they all look and gestured a nod. Luli seems to try hard to search for it but fail.
"Where is it?" She asked in a very low tone.
"You can't see it." I whispered to her.
"Why?"
I can't tell her now, it'll break the silence, we're trying to have a very low profile within the castle.
I just emphasized my words using lip syncing, and a bit of gestures. 'I'll tell you outside.' I lip synced and pointed my thumb at the back gesturing outside.
Luli nodded.
We looked down, I gave Raavi the vial, and he nodded and walked towards to the ledge. Scouring the area where to climb down and return up. I reached for his shoulders. He looked at me confused.
He was about to climb down when Luli leaped and dragged him back up.
Luli pointed down. There was something walking near the chasm. A bone-thin, dark, topless man with a very large sword, which he is dragging, walks back and forth near the chasm.
Capt. Bong. This is bad, if Raavi descended alone, he has to run away from Capt. Bong by himself, all of us going down will only attract attention, so it was our last shot. If he fails, Raavi dies. If we get caught all together, we all die.
Raavi gave a thumbs-up and continued to descend down. We all look down anxiously, We we're all scared I can faintly hear mine and their hearts pounding against the tiled pavement in Captain Bong's basement. As we look at Raavi slowly descend to the Chasm.
Capt Bong was still looking in the other direction, Raavi only needs to scoop up whatever is within it, and return here, so we can slowly get out of this place.
Raavi made it towards the Chasm, opened the vial and scooped whatever is within it, and hurriedly closed the vial and crept to the ledges again, trying to climb back up. I gave a reassured sigh, knowing he was going to be alright.
Yet something was odd. Aren't there 3 Bongs?
From above the Fat Bong jumped down towards us and destroyed the ledge we were standing upon.
We all fall from the ledge, I spread my wings and tried to fly and catch my two party members from falling to their imminent death.
I have only time to catch them and spread my wings, before we met the floor surface.
Raavi's POV
Damn, we're caught, the bone-thin Captain Bong, which is the strongest, had caught the sight of me. The bone-thin Captain Bong which people call Capt. Bong C is already after me with its very slow pace, it's like being chased by a very very slow zombie, but one hit and I'm dead, and worse, the Castle is huge, and it has portals accessible by Capt. Bong.
With me its target, it wouldn't care about Corelle and the others, If Capt. Bong C is after me, they are out of great danger. Only Capt Bong C pack a deathblow, the Fat Bong, Captain Bong A, is just hard to kill but otherwise not a threat. While Captain Bong B, the normal one, is just fast, but doesn't have aim and strength.
Worrying about myself more than my comrades I just ran out of the nearest exit I can find, I don't really know where I'm going but I need to run fast. I ran towards a double door, exiting the basement.
A huge hallway with checkered tiles and pillars stretch upward to the darkness above, a glowing blue aura in between one of them, I guess that was my way out.
Wrong. A Sword swung downwards right in front of me, almost cutting me in half. I stumbled backwards, a portal! I quickly stood up and ran the other way, I head back to the basement room,. This time I scoured the ledges and I made a path upwards and tried to climb my way up. I can hear the screeching of the sword of Captain Bong C echoing from the hallway. I'm already scared, this is bullshit, Since when did a entrance gate break open? I mean, who wouldn't be scared if a maniac was after you with a very large sword that when swung will kill you now matter where you are hit and no matter how shallow or deep it is.
Damn.
Kyiin's POV
We crashed to the ground. That Fat guy just jumped from above and destroyed the entire ledge. Corelle tried to catch us but we reached the floor first before she can't even try to fly.
Luli and I are lucky, we landed on Corelle's wings, the impact was less but Corelle landed on her right shoulder; and by the looks of it, it might be broken.
Raavi caught the attention of the bone-thin Captain Bong.
We got The Fat Bong here, Fat Bong looked ridiculous he wears a purple pants, a blue outstretch polo which was too stretch and shows parts of his skin, and was too short to even cover his overly large tummy and belly button. He carries quite a heavy sword and easily swings it to and fro, and supports it in his shoulders as he ran after us. Captain Bong has brown hair in all three forms. Small eyes and a mouth which resembles a teddy bear, white portion were puffed out a black nose in the middle and a inverted 'm' shaped mouth. The Fat Bong was still dizzy from the concussion it had received. I used that advantage and pull Luli and carefully lifted Corelle as we make a run towards the exit.
"I don't have broken legs, set me down and I'll run by myself!" Corelle shouted at me.
"Wow, you're saying that at a time like this." I say and set her down gently, apparently she has a broken left leg. She collapsed as I set her down.
"Shit!" She cursed; I lift her back up in my shoulders. "Up you go, no complains this time k?"
She snorted.
We continue to run across halls and corridors of the castle, we didn't know the way out. From behind we can hear the sounds of Fat Bong's heavy footsteps. With paranoia set in, we panicked and just ran wherever we go, Corelle doesn't complain where we go. I guess she doesn't know too.
Then we reach a huge hallway, we don't really care where we go as long as it is far from those maniacs.
"Those who trespass shall be cut to pieces!" A tiny little boy's voice broke out, a swing of a sword followed; we dodged it, our new opponent a slimmer Captain Bong. This time, the polo fits him perfectly, he has the same sword design but it seems to be lighter and sharper.
The slimmer Bong charged at us at an alarming speed. We dodge all of his attacks. At his repetitive blows, I managed to catch his sword with my large gloves, With a twist his hand came off the blade and I threw it back at him, which he dodged and then ran away to retrieve his sword.
"No time, Luli, take Corelle and go, I and Raavi will meet you outside." I say as I lower Corelle to the ground supported by Luli's shoulders.
"But-"
"Not now, GO!" I shouted at her and ran to the direction where the slimmer Bong went.
I ran straight forward not minding my surroundings, just ran as fast as I can, I saw Bong had just retrieved his sword, and saw me, He ran after me, That's good for Luli and Corelle, and Bad for me.
Run!
Raavi's POV
Damn, I can't shake Bong C from my tail; even though he's slow he keeps appearing near me and a few occasions tries to cut me, the portals I can see them but whenever I try to approach one, Bong C shows up I can't use the portals.
I ran towards a hallway that shows other hallways, parallel to the hallway I'm running at, I see Corelle and Luli, Corelle seems to be limping, Luli supports her.
"Luli!" I shouted at them.
"Raavi!" they shouted back.
"Who's after you?" I asked them
"Fat Bong." Luli answered. "Kyiin led away the slim Bong away from us to chase him."
"I'll meet you guys at the entrance. Bong C is after me." I say making a sprint forward, and gave them a salute, but I didn't notice a portal up ahead. Bong C showed up in front of me and I bumped on him.
"Raavi!" Corelle shouted as she tries to raise her right arm for a spell maybe.
Bong C raises his sword. Opportunity Strikes! I quickly got up and dashed towards him, tackling him down and making a run for it, Bong C didn't recover fast and I was able to escape him again.
I reach a door to some sort of winding staircase and quickly made my way up. A portal is up ahead, but the staircase splits into two, and I took the path where the portal isn't there. Bong C appeared in the portal as I was far away from the portal, He kept on chasing me.
I reach the top of the staircase. Do you know I just hate the stairs? A large hallway again, at the end there is a sharp turn to the left. An odd sign near the sharp turn says 'Exit hallway'. I ran faster, and took the sharp left turn, and then I bumped into someone. Captain Bong C again?
I looked straight a boy shakes his head as the impact really shook us both. "Kyiin!"
He looked at me a bit relieved. "You're going the wrong way!" I shouted at him, and stood up offering a hand to lift him up.
"The slim Bong is that way, he's chasing me." He said as he stood up and dust his shirt off before we start running again.
"Don't worry I have a briefcase."
The Slim Bong, Captain Bong B, appeared in front of us. As I said he is not a threat, I sprinted faster and clenched my briefcase tight. At the perfect time Bong B lunged at us. I swung my briefcase and hit him in the face hard. He was knocked out on the floor, and we kept running.
"The exit is this way." I say as I peer through the end and saw the big double door we came in; I catch a glimpse of Hope.
That is until I see a portal nearby.
Luli's POV
We slowly made our way near the exit which we came in, we found it locked.
"It's locked!" I shouted
"Go to the top, I can slowly descend us down." Corelle hoarsely says.
"But you're injured!"
"Shut up and do it!" Her voice echoed through the floor.
And I resumed walking towards the top of the castle; we manage to reach the very top, about several hundred meters high from base ground.
"Wait here." I say as I lower Corelle near the veranda.
"Where are you going?" She asks hoarsely "I'm fetching Raavi and Kyiin, going through the double doors is futile."
"Wait, no, don't leave me here, you BITCH!" She shouts.
"Damn you Luli! If my left leg weren't broken I'd throw you from this porch right now!" She shouts insulting and threatening things, but I know Corelle just wanted to make us all safe under her watch, if we all die, she'd be defenseless by herself there. The Bongs won't reach her, but she'd eventually die.
Things got so complicated and out of hand. And to think I can just tap space and get us all out of here, If I only remember how to initiate my space control voluntarily. I'm being useless at the most useful thing I can do. I hate it!
I made my way down, and say that the Fat Bong really had followed us wherever we went, Even if we left him behind and was impossible to catch up and know our direction, how can he just know where we are.
Fat Bong looks at me with his blank pure black eyes, His face really is like a teddy bear just as books stated. He readies his sword. I ready myself for a battle, slinging my Guitar over my shoulders and giving Bong an intimidating look.
"RAAAHHHH!" Bong charged at me. He swung his sword, slowly and smashed the ground; the tiles broke to pieces, as I dodge his attack. He's slow but strong.
Bards are known to be healers, But they have offensive guitar skills as well.
"First Song." I raised my finger to show 'one'
"Song of the Ancient Punishment!, Evil Sound!" I screamed as I strum my guitar to a sort of rock melody that conjures up black pulsing orbs that produce white sharp lines through the air, it pierces Fat Bong and he groans in pain.
"GRAAAHHH!" Fat Bong Charges again.
"Second Song" I raised two fingers.
"Song of the Ancient Sacrifice! Devil's Dot!" I yelled, as I play fast classic song, that created small red orbs beside me, these orbs began to grow bigger and bigger as the tune plays, it charges a bit and an electric current transfers from one orb to another. The Orbs then charged at Fat Bong as he tries to charge a me again, The Orbs knock him back down, and continue to hit him. The Force made Fat Bong shriek again.
"URRAAAHHHH!" Fat Bong charged again. I dodge his attack and smashed my guitar in the back of his head.
"Inhumane Diagnosis. Exchange of Life, Fortissimo!" I yelled again as I strum my guitar once. Black orbs form within the area surrounding me, the orbs are the one producing my music this time. I strum my guitar once again. Glowing Green Note charts started to float around the area and envelope Fat Bong and me.
"Forbidden Music." I said as the note chats connect to one another. A single strand was formed and pierced Fat Bong and me.
I started to play Fortissimo, accompanied by the black orbs the produce the music and spew out black notes that float in midair. The notes fill the note chart the pierced Bong and me.
"I Luli the Bard, the Black Immortal shall take your life!" I shouted as the black notes fill the note chart, The melody ends, the notes have completed to fill the note chart, and a green gush of light burst towards me. It feels rejuvenating. The other note charts started to disperse and the light that envelope the area had gone. The Place was back to normal, Fat Bong lying on the ground. Dead?
I stepped closer. Yes he's dead.
I sighed.
Raavi's POV
The Portal nearby, Bong C will use it.
"Kyiin dodge!" I say as I duck. A heavy sword heaved to cut us both. Kyiin jumped from it and we dodge Bong C's attack.
"Tackle the gate!" I yelled at him, he nodded. We sprint at full speed towards the double door, and tried to open it. But we failed we crashed on it shoulder first and got knocked down by the impact. Kyiin hurriedly stood up and tried to push the door open.
"It's locked!" He shouted.
"Damn." I can hear Bong's C's sword graze the tile as he drags it along.
We face our back we faced Captain Bong C.
The Bone-thin Captain Bong, he was punished because of his greediness and made him thin forever to resemble how he will never be satisfied.
"Kyiin I'll distract him, go and find a way out."
"But-"
"No buts, you're more important than me. I have to say Adios, my friend for a very short time."
"Stop that nonsense!" Kyiin shouted. "I will keep this party safe, no matter what!"
"You can't do that Kyiin. In order to accomplish a goal, you have to make sacrifices and face its consequences. If you really want to find Iris, find her by all means and never let a single thing get you distracted. "
Kyiin looked down. He was about to cry. "Don't worry, I'll see you at the graveyard okay?" I reassured him and smiled
"Now go."
He ran to the stairs nearby.
"I'm your opponent Captain Bong!" I yelled at the bone-thin captain.
"Dark Moon's Engineer." The Captain said with its horrid dark, voice. "Or should I say Chon Palm's pet?"
"Or better yet…" The captain continued.
"Stop right there."I said as I took out a couple of screws from the briefcase. Lightning Screws.
I threw them in the air and it landed on the ground creating a pulse-field electric current, Captain Bong C was hit, with like 3 or 5 screw currents but he showed no pain, neither resistance.
This is bad. If I can't get anything to kill him, I'd have to run away somehow, but where? I'll only tire myself and then he'd kill me. It's futile.
This pondering had made me go out of focus with Bong and now he is only a few feet away from me, he swung his sword and I barely dodge it, cutting a few strands of my blue hair. I stumbled backwards. I reached for my briefcase and took out a large hammer. I smashed his feet but he showed no pain from it at all.
"What the?" Bong cut my hammer in half and sliced away my briefcase leaving me weaponless. I'm done for. At first I thought I could defeat Bong, but now I realized this place was sealed with Kyiin's kind, I can't do anything. I'm good as dead. I had a good run, but I have a lot of regrets, one in particular. One I cannot say now. Bong raised his sword to signal the final blow. Ha. After this I'll turn back, I don't want to, I wanted to stay like this. But..But.. I have to say I'm not afraid of dying, but I'm afraid of being that…. I guess it's the same thing. But… I feel like I would miss out a lot of stuff from now on.
Goodbye. I cleared my mind and closed my eyes, prepared? Maybe not.
"The Hell with Iris." A boy with brown hair appeared beside Bong and punched him, Captain Bong staggered away and Kyiin lifted me and dragged towards the staircase.
"So what if I found Iris, then what? If reaching the goal means deserting everything behind for the sake of your own satisfaction. That would be just selfishness, and meanness." He shouts at me.
"Even if I'm Greed, I won't succumb enough to forsake all those who made me go all this way, even if they don't know me at all to begin with. You guys trusted me, even if we just met. I can't let that trust down." He says silent tears fall from his eyes.
"You owe me, for making me cry." He said as he drags me up the staircase.
I smile. "You're such a softie." I laughed and ran with him.
Up ahead a portal.
Corelle's POV
Luli you bitch, how dare you leave me, I can't stand idle by while all of you guys try to win or die.
I crawl stretching my left arm and my right leg to move forward. Each movement pain strikes my right shoulder and my left knee.
"Stupid Body!" I yelled.
"I hate you!"
I crawl further until I reach the staircase; I practically try to roll myself down each step.
I see Luli a hurrying just a few flights of stairs away. I continue to roll myself down the staircase until I see make an abrupt halt in her descent.
She collapsed on her knees, shaking, I just had enough time to further roll myself down and see the commotion.
The bone-thin Captain Bong, just appeared in a portal in the staircase, His sword, pierced against Kyiin's abdomen.
Then a small clock rune appeared on the floor beneath.
Afterwards, Nothing.
Raavi's POV
Time Stopped again,
All I saw was that portal, I didn't warn Kyiin, Captain Bong Sword appeared first and Kyiin sorta charged right through it. Right now time stopped with him still pierced to the sword.
I couldn't do anything.
"I never thought this would end this way, interesting but, a bit anticlimactic" Sophia says.
Ah, I get it now, The Instance Dungeon entrance didn't broke, it was broken, by Sophia, she wiped out the monsters because she knew we'd get a handful of trouble from Bong himself. She thought we would escape, but getting Kyiin stabbed was not in her plans. Typical. Now she gets the blame.
"I wonder how I should blame you for all of this." I say to her. She looks at me with intent.
"What?" I chuckle.
"I can't turn back time in this place." Luli's younger brother Cruz said from behind.
"It's sealed with Null magic, nothing can distort null magic." I say to her.
"Well then I guess you better look at his pockets." Sophia says as she points to Kyiin's side pockets.
There was something shining from it. I reached it, Malice's Chalice.
I quickly scoured my pockets to look for the Shard of Gluttony; once I found it I dropped it inside the Chalice. Red smoke burst from it, slowly accumulating to the air until it enveloped the entire area.
*Cough* *cough* I pan away the red smoke with my hand and it began to disperse away.
Malice stood there with her red Victorian gown and her ram horn veil.
"Aren't you amused enough?" I say to Sophia, she laughs and slowly removes Kyiin from the impalement, blood quickly gush down from his wound.
"Would you like to eat?" Sophia asks me pointing at the bone-thin Capt. Bong
"I'm that hungry anymore."
"Why? Because your friend died?"
I glare at her.
She laughs. "Well he is in fact dead, that kind of wound won't let anyone survive, but…"
"Poor boy." Malice says as she stroke Kyiin's brown hair slowly.
"We'll be taking him. We'll return him when he's fine." Sophia says coldly..
"Just go on with the incantations and we'll return him eventually." Malice says as she carries Kyiin towards Sophia's portal. Kyiin gush blood all over Malice's gown, but she doesn't seem to mind, the color is the same anyway.
"Why summon her?" I ask seriously. "Why not? You think people here can cure him better? When my little White Immortal removes the halt of time, he'll be immediately dead." Sophia laughs.
"What should I say to them?"
"Truth or Lie, it's up to you. You're battered and bruised, use that advantage." Sophia says and heads for the portal along with the White Immortal.
Time has resumed and Captain Bong is gone. I guess the dungeon had a reset.
Luli mumbles and collapses. Corelle rolls down the staircase and reach her.
"Raavi what happened?" Corelle asks.
"Sophia took Kyiin…" I say
Corelle can't believe my words "and you let her?!" She shouted at me.
I pointed at my face which has cuts and bruises.
"Point taken."
"What will happen now?" Luli mumbles a bit crazy.
"We continue enchanting the Durendal, we have the Nostrum of Azure Chasm, all we need is the Spell of Incantation from Pandora, and the blood of the Ocean King!"
"And you are willing to continue?" Corelle says as she tries to rub Luli's shoulders comforting her.
"Yes, for Kyiin, we'll get him back from Sophia." I say courageously.
"But… Kyiin's… dead…" Luli mumbles.
"No, he isn't Sophia altered his physique before she took him." I lied
"So he's okay then?"
"Yup!" I lied and smiled.
"But first…" I approached Corelle and sat her up to the stairs. I lifted her right arm, she groaned in pain, the fracture was more severe than I thought, even if I returned it back, it'll get swollen.
"Bite" I say leaning my arm to her. She looked at me reluctantly by bit my arm softly.
"Sorry." I quickly thrust my other arm and repositioned her right arm back. She groaned in pain, and bit my arm harder.
I then position my arm underneath her legs and try to reposition it as well.
"We did this before right?"
"Shut up." I feel warm wet tears drip on my arm. I quickly thrust my arms again upward to reposition her left leg to where it was supposed to be. She bit the same spot harder. I'm guessing it's either bleeding or has really deep marks.
"You could've have bit another portion!" I shouted at her.
"Shut up" She says more tears fell down. "It'll get inflamed soon." I say to her, she just nodded and stand up trying put as little pressure possible on her left leg.
I need to get a medicine of some sort for inflammation, I can only think of one reliable person to ask. The First Seeker, Symphony Alastair, but Kyiin has her pitcher. I don't know where he keeps it.
"Let's get out of here."
They nodded. Luli seems to be down and worried.
I raised her chin up and gave her a thumbs-up. She smiled. "Everything will be okay right?" she says
"Right." I agree
"Dead on." Corelle says and we head out the door.
An eerie female voice broke out our worrying silence. "You seek to face me? I wonder how much time you will take to get here." it said
"Please hurry" the same female voice said in a begging tone
"I'm bored" it said.
End of Chapter!
Hope you guys liked it!
Sorry for late update.
had problems describing Bong's Land, I really hate the place, it seems too childish...
I had problems remembering their respective Eye Color.. T_T
The Corrupted Items, differ from the Iris Shards, when combined can summon the seeker who died within the item.
Kudos to those who guessed why Raavi is always hungry. remember Malice is Gluttony, and Raavi is not a seeker.
More stuff like Princess of Skulls and the Scourge Citadel, (Spellborn reference), She's not a new character, more things about that history soon.
Mana did not exist any further after the war, thus making humans create an alternative.
Null Magic as the word implies, nullifies and forbids, the people who can perform Null was wiped out long time ago, more history soon, Null tribe history has a relation to Kyiin.
Sophia's rebellion against the Empryean led to the desperation of some Gods to alternative power, because Sophia was given the most power, after all she is the sorceress of existence, and a high responsibility.
The seeker's stories shall be revealed soon. XD, Corelle's obsession for revenge, and her background with Raavi soon too.
Next Chapter: The Champion of Elias