V-4_C-15

  I woke up the next day... somehow, I had to because of the meeting, I have a lot to say and a lot to ask.

  As I stood off my bed I glanced at my glove and whispered-

  "Avatha... is there a way to not be affected by the moon eclips??"

  A whisper replied to me with a timid tone-

  "That's just impossible...

  From what I've heard even the three lords fear the moon eclipse, while others... think that the three lords made the moon eclipse.

  Either way you can't deal with it"

  I thought for a few seconds then I smiled, with that I walked out of my room.

  I really have no idea about anything really, it feels like I'm a shattered machine that was somehow put back together and somewhat still functional, my death is near that I am somehow sure of... funnily enough I've died before, so would I survive my next death? Or will I be too broken to be put back together?

  As I walked through the dim corridors I can see better, somehow the moss radiates more light at day time.

  While walking I could see multiple people come and go, kids teenagers adults and olds but... I've never seen infants! Probably because they stay in their houses... probably.

  Nearing the main corridor that which connects the colony grand gate to the end of the upper level, suddenly there was loud sounds of fear and hurried steps, many were crowding the grand gate for some reason.

  Taken aback by the surprising scene I calmly walked between the disturbed crowd until I reached the point where I can see the cause for the mayhem.

  There laying side by side on the ground, about four injured soldiers were being taking care of in there laying space, for a good reason they didn't lift them towards the infirmary.

  One of them was missing a leg completely only a third of the femur bone was still protruding from the torn flesh, blood made a horrible painting on the floor sending a message that the man has no hope of survival.

  The second soldiers did not have any missing limps but was in a worst situation, he had many chunks of flesh torn off of his body and no blood was coming out, that one is dead already, probably due to blood loss.

  The third seemed fine from upward but was missing the back of his torso, whatever did this bit him while he was running away, maybe targeting his wings.

  The forth one was alive and even awake but too tired to move, out of them all this one might be carrying the worst scars... the ones that can never heal.

  Many come and go, running from side to side trying their best to at least save another one.

  Sweat was falling on the wounds of the injured but the nurses did not care, they just had no way to stop the sweat and they are just too busy.

  I can see many horrified faces surrounded the terrible scene, the only face that showed no emotions was probably mine.

  With a sigh I turned around and walked out of the crowded circle, and as I did I noticed something weird and eerie.

  A kid was staring directly at me with an unmoving expression, his eyes seemed lifeless and even unblinking.

  I could see something weird surging through his veins, something dark and unhuman.

  Suddenly another person walked out of the crowded circle, a dark grimace tugging on his face, Vedd wasn't surprised nor horrified but he was obvious saddened by the scene.

  It was easy to realize that Vedd has seen a lot, not just because of his battered armor but because of his lack of reaction to anything that happens, he had never shown any reaction until now and this grimace was the most expressive I've ever seen him.

  After a few seconds he looked at me and said with a stern voice-

  "Change in plans, get ready... I'll explain the mission details on our way to the Nest of locust instead.

  I'll bring what we need as well as two more soldiers with us. Understood?"

  There was so much I needed to consider first before going into a mission like this, I knew the target of the mission already, that we will burn a Locust's Nest.

  But there was the most important detail I need to ask, so I took only one second then I replied to him-

  "... What about the Moon Eclips??

  If we manage to kill a lot of locusts... well, we will have to deal with an aftermath."

  He looked at me, lingered for a second and then he replied evenly-

  "Do you know what are the creatures of the disaster class?

  Well, it's our categorization, so I'll explain it simply.

  There are beasts which a normal elve can deal with, monster class which only soldiers can deal with and finally disaster class, which no one is allowed to get near them... like the locust hive.

  There are only three disaster class entities and... none of them have souls."

  He thought for a few moments then suddenly corrected himself-

  "Saying that they don't have souls is probably wrong, but in short we never faced the moon eclipse for killing them. That one is a fact."

  That... That was fascinating! A creature that doesn't haunt is unheard of, well for me at least, even a rabbit wanted to take revenge on me, so something like that definitely made me lost in thought.

  But I don't think I have the time to think about that I have a mission to complete, hopefully...

  Well... no matter how I spin it, it was a deadly mission but I'll put some trust on them elves.

  Forgetting that they kidnapped me and put me in prison, I just went with Vedd.

  After about a few minutes he already instructed some of the soldiers with immediate preparation because of the sudden change of plans, eventually the soldiers were going left and right to prepare for the mission, then Vedd requested the presence of two specific soldiers.

  After some time two armored men were walking towards us, one seemed normal and even energies, the second one on the other hand seemed tired and worry.

  After they stood in front of us I recognized one of them...!

  Vedd looked at the tired soldier then said-

  "Delve! I know you had a night shift, but can't you hold yourself?"

  _________

  V-4_C-16

  Yesterday I didn't exactly get a good look at his face, but that tired elf is definitely the one who inspected the library, at night.

  The one with him, the energetic one I did not know, but I've been around a little and so I do think he is another in-colony guard.

  Vedd looked at me and said, his tone even-

  "Those are Delve and Voll, those two are the best guards here... don't mind their childish personalities"

  Voll immediately responded with fake annoyance-

  "Hey! Only Delve is childish... he wanted to throw his damn shift on my broken back for a slithering fish!"

  'Well... that's hella childish, I mean for the both of them.'

  Delve looked at his friend with actual irritation and said with a tired but stinging tone-

  "Look who's talking!! The guy who refused because of some ghost stories...

  Because of your ugly ass, now I have to go on near-death mission half asleep... and an empty stomach worst of both!"

  Vedd ignored their antics and spoke to me-

  "Look... the mission isn't complicated, still it is dangerous.

  That's why we are here, to keep you safe...

  We will travel towards the nearest nest"

  He grimaced.

  - "And you will have to travel the last one hundred meters... set fire near the nest, and immediately run away.

  We'll do everything we can to keep you safe until the mission is complete.

  Is that clear?"

  I thought for a second, well nothing seemed impossible about it but still, it was definitely not safe to get too close to the nest...

  - "How will I start the fire?"

  - "Explosives..."

  Vedd thought for a second then completed his sentence-

  "That would help you fly back before the start of the fire"

  That might be good... right? As long as the explosives aren't too good, in which case I'll die.

  .

  .

  .

  After that we continued to prepare for the attack, me on the other hand did nothing but wait.

  As Vedd... "General:... Vedd? I'm not sure. Vedd kept going from one room to another and very quickly pushing everyone to complete the preparations hurriedly, and they were actually going pretty fast.

  As I stood in the corridor I looked up, there the moss was as bright as usual... but after looking closely, eventually I could see dark veins run through the roof hidden behind the bright moss.

  Suddenly Vedd spoke out loud to me-

  "Let's go, we prepared everything... we'll explain the mechanism of the bombs later."

  I looked at him and simply nodded, there were not much to say.

  The four of us, me Vedd Delve and Voll, we were walking towards the grand gate with steady footing.

  As we got close to the small crowd of scared people, I unconsciously looked around especially at a specific spot, but I didn't see that kid there...

  -"Sir! I want to go with you"

  Someone spoke to Vedd, I looked back at the front where a pale man was talking to Ved with fire burning in his eyes... no, that's hatred.

  Vedd responded-

  "You just came back from a terrible tragedy! And you didn't rest enough yet. More over, we don't need a fifth person."

  The man didn't even blink, he moved forward with a challenging proximity, then he said-

  "I want to see them suffer"

  Vedd thought for a long while and then finally replied, his tone seemed lighter-

  "Are you going mad, Vore?

  ... Fine, you can go, but stop acting so deranged."

  That's a weird conversation...

  I looked at Vore who was way better now after resting, among the injured ones that came back he was almost unscathed.

  He was already wearing armor, probably to hide the little injuries that he had to hopefully better convince Vedd, but Vedd knew all too well.

  After that we walked out of the grand gate towards the open, the trench was filled with fog today.

  At the edge of the platform we lined up, Vedd Voll and Delve all have baggage strapped to them in different ways not to obstruct the air wings, and not to disturb the center of gravity.

  One by one the all flew up easily and smoothly, the pale man Vore struggled for a second but then started ascending.

  I took a very deep breath and then I exhaled through the metal roots of the wings, then an almost invisible pair of thin wings appeared.

  I took a second to prepare and then I jumped up, it took me five seconds to stabilize myself and start ascending.

  Up at the top of the trench they all were hovering, waiting for the bomb bearer to follow, I wanted to frown but I actually was a little interested in this suicide mission, maybe because I can't feel fear?

  As we flew over the forest I was always behind, I struggled to stay stable especially through fast winds, I struggled to make smooth turns as well.

  Eventually I started to see it.

  The Nest, it was a massive structure that reached to the sky and it was circular so perfectly almost like a human structure.

  It was green blending with the forest, but even from this far it's so massive that it can not be a camouflage.

  It's probably built from wood.

  As we got closer the true weight of the enormous nest finally started to show, the structure almost obstructed half of the world... at least in the eyes of someone looking at it from this distance.

  We were still about a kilometer away, but the structure is at least five kilometers high.

  From this distance, I could see swarms of locust coming and going, they looked more like smoke.

  And with my special eyes I could see something terrible, inside the structure is a small but terribly bright light, which means that there is a huge or a strong creature inside...

  .

  .

  .

  We eventually landed on top of a high hill which oversee the forest, as we settled each and every one of us started cracking our backs, especially the ones that carried baggage.

  After some stretching, Vedd looked at me and said-

  "Bomb lessons..."

  _________

  V-4_C-17

  Everyone seemed tense with an underlying fear, Delve was especially scared not letting the Nest out of his sight, while Vore was staring at the Nest with a different feeling burning in his heart.

  After Vedd explained the mechanism of the bombs he then handed me four of them, the plan is to get close start the bombs then run away... hopefully fast enough.

  - "What is that?" I asked pointing at what seemed like a small long mortar, Vedd simply replied- "You'll see... this is our thing."

  After strapping the bombs to my belt, I then walked to the edge and then I took a deep breath, a second later two thin sharp and almost invisible wings spread to my sides.

  I jumped and within two seconds I was already flying through the sky.

  The air pressed against my body like a current of water, but despite that my speed only accelerated, as I look forward I could see the giant Nest that almost resembled a world wall.

  This gigantic structure was simply breathtaking, by just looking at it the air stops going to my lungs, and I can hear my heartbeats in my ears.

  Slowly but surely I was getting closer and closer to the Nest, eventually I could see a land devoid of trees, there are smaller plants though.

  Those plants are important to burn down the massive wooden structure, which is most likely made of wood.

  Until now no locust ever noticed my presence or they simply ignored it, the thought of making enemy of such a creature is simply terrifying.

  After what felt like hours of flying through the air, I finally slowed down and landed, I wasn't particularly close but I was close enough to start an arson.

  I took off the bombs and stationed them in distance from each other, that distance was mere meters, then I lit up their long fuse-thread and then I immediately jumped up and flew away as fast as I could.

  This time it took me less than a second to start flying right, and within seconds I was accelerating exponentially, well... it seemed that way to me.

  And then a thunderous explosion rang through the skies, but since this was mostly fire-packed explosion there were no shockwave.

  The fire already reached the Nest within one second, and in that second the locust understood what happened.

  Unfortunately for locusts they don't have a way to stop parsons, their best and only way of stopping the burning fire is by making a barrier or cutting the burning section from the rest of the Nest.

  Which they probably are doing right now, and the other thing they'll do is to kill me.

  As I flew through the air suddenly something flew past me, the locust flew so fast it crashed against a tree and immediately turned into ragged meat.

  I understand as long as I flew above the forest they can easily target me, slowly I flew lower and lower and now flying between the trees.

  I glanced back and OH GOD! A massive swarm of darkness was following me, the locusts didn't even care about crashing into trees.

  I still can't feel fear, but I feel extremely anxious at the moment, slowly but surely they'll eventually eat me.

  Suddenly I changed my way of flying, I flew directly towards a tree and landing on my feat, I then immediately jumped off of it and all that without slowing down.

  And towards another tree, I landed prepared then immediately jumped off, from one tree to another, my line of movement probably filled with extremely sharp turns.

  But...

  The swarms of locusts kept going with unbelievable speed, the sound of breaking wood speeds through the skies, the swarms are trying to even cover the forest from above it as well, the sky slowly turned darker and darker.

  "Avatha!"

  I now hold a black rifle glowing from the inside, as I flew I reloaded it by just pulling the side-feeding mechanism, then I aimlessly shot somewhere as I glanced back.

  It did kill one but that's nothing, the swarms kept going faster and faster, now I'm sure they are eating the trees that are in their way.

  Before I knew it, I lost footing on one of the trees and found myself falling down, my heart almost stopped... was that fear!?

  Before I reached the ground I tried to slow down, but the fall still hurt unbelievably, I rolled a while before I could stand up.

  I immediately grabbed my rifle and took aim, the lower parts of the forest near the ground have no locust going through them but only for now.

  I remembered my belt, moved it a little and turned invisible, that might help a little.

  The swarms covered the sky already and the world turned black and gray then it turned to almost black.

  Slowly one by one, tens of locust are now moving down, I didn't want them to find me so I didn't stay in place, with my long legs I ran forward towards Vedd and the rest.

  They might be elves but the locust have a more important target at the moment, so they did not fear being a little exposed.

  More and more are now dwelling the ground in search for me, the light might be obstructed but my eyes can see through it naturally although not exactly the same.

  I was running as fast as I could reaching almost the speed of a car, I was barely able to dodge trees in my way, but slowly I could see the light from a far.

  At the same time I could see the ground almost completely covered with locust, the sound of my footsteps covered with the deafening sound of thousands of wings, my smell disappearing in the thousands of different scents, my presence covered with darkness and the eye-pearl of invisibility, I was sure they will never find me...

  But, a locust suddenly was directed flying towards me...

  _________

  V-4_C-18

  The beast flew past me missing me by a small distance, I obviously dodged it but it wasn't exactly needed.

  The creature barely managed to slow down before crashing into a tree, the abomination was clearly disoriented, standing on its long locust limbs.

  It looks as disturbing and massive, but I couldn't feel fear and I was already accustomed to their repulsive look.

  Suddenly a very disturbing sound of moving flesh reverberated loudly, the locust's head detached from its body and hovered higher reaching the branches, it was connected to the body with just a long tube.

  The body of the locust started to produce light and illuminating the surrounding area, some specific spots were as bright as a flashlights.

  The creature looked around hurriedly try to find any traces of me.

  At that moment I had a choice, either kill this bastard or run away, both choices had their problems, either use the ghost rifle which will only attract the close locusts, but because of the loud noise of thousands of locusts only close ones will notice.

  Or to run and hope... which is what I did.

  I turned away from the vile monster and I ran towards the elves, the world was still drowning in darkness and the deafening noise that vibrated through the forest was as loud.

  The trees seemed especially interested...

  Despite my ability to see, darkness is still darkness, and the many locusts that flew very close to me, one by one they seemed to notice me but can't actually find me.

  Tens of locusts landing in front of me but I kept running.

  I felt like I was almost drowning in the ocean of locusts, the blanket of monsters slowly falling down onto the earth.

  Then a locust suddenly appeared in front of me, attracted by the sound of my footsteps and the fact that it was right in front of me, it immediately started to change its form.

  The locust's limbs grew longer, its body was separated into three sections, it's head deformed to become something with just two jaws.

  My heart skipped a beat, was that fear?

  In the next moment there is a rifle in my hand with a bright glow from within it's dark metal, I reloaded it with non–existing bullets then Fired!

  The body of the creature immediately lost a chunk of it, blood spilled all over the place and a lot was flowing down from the body of the creature.

  This action might not alarm the entire horde of locusts because of the cacophony of noises, but close ones noticed, and so I immediately started running for my life.

  The close locust are already flying in my direction but not quite, they struggled to pin–point my position which gave me a wide opening to keep running.

  More and more are raining down and slowly turning the forest to an ocean of locusts, which means that I'll have less room to go through.

  And in that moment a locust crashed into the ground and shattered, blood covered my body. But it also turned invisible with me.

  I ran over the mangled body and was faced by three light–emitting locusts, their long narrow necks reached high, and the heads noticed the sound of my footsteps.

  I raised my rifle and instantly destroyed one of the heads, the other two noticed the source of the bang sound and immediately jumped towards it.

  I dodged them by hiding behind a tree and then I jumped up over a branch, and jumped then landed a little far ahead, but it was close enough for them to hear the sound of my landing.

  The two flew in my direction but unfortunately the rifle takes some time to recreate another explosive ghostly–bullet, I looked back to see the two deformed light- locusts flying towards me at full speed.

  The moment my rifle was bright again I looked back and made another shot to the body of another locust.

  But at that second I realized that more of them are following me now, their grotesque deformed bodies moved like flying cars, or missiles.

  And if that wasn't enough, as I looked back to my way forward, I realized that it was swarmed by hundreds of locusts!

  - 'Wow... I can't feel f?ar... but damn!

  They really took it to heart...'

  .

  .

  .

  Fire! ... Fire! ... Fire!

  I was almost completely surrounded by them to the point that I now only kill the ones in front of me, while I keep running forward.

  More and more are flying everywhere with chaos, some smash against the ground, some turn to weirder deformed creatures, and some somehow are flying directly towards me.

  About a few meters above me is a roof of thousands of locusts, one that is slowly falling down to cover the earth...

  Then I heard a very loud explosion, in the next second light fell on my face, I looked up and saw a wide gap in the roof of monsters!!

  Then another explosion, then another and another!

  .

  .

  .

  ***

  Vore moved the mortar very intricately then he lit the flint, after a silent explosion happened inside the long chamber of the mortar, far away in the swarms of monsters a loud bang rang through the sky.

  A smile was tugging on Vore's face, his eyes widened, open to see the carnage happening to the swarms.

  Vedd spoke-

  "A little lower... you are hitting the right targets."

  Vore didn't respond, after Delve loaded the mortar with what seems like a small metal ball, Vore lit a new flint.

  Delve was preparing smaller explosives and small balls of a kind of fabric, those are the smoke bombs.

  Vedd was watching through a small telescope, the man wasn't sure where Odd, the human weirdo was but by the odd behavior of the locusts in a specific spot, he was somewhat sure that Odd was there.

  Delve loaded the mortar and looked at the mountain of flying monsters, the swarm almost reached ten times the height of the tallest trees.

  As it flew in their direction slowly, it looked like a moving mountain or a tsunami.

  Delve spoke with a timid tone-

  "Would Odd really survive that?"

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Vedd suddenly lowered his telescope then he spoke with a hesitance-

  "... I lost his mark, I don't know where Odd is now"

  Vore ignored their conversation and just lit another flint.

  _________

  V-4_C-19

  Gazing at the towering mass of giant locusts with dark expressions... except for Vore who was smiling.

  Without a noise, another explosive cannon ball streaked through the air and then exploded in the mass of monsters.

  Red glow was piercing through the mass signaling that the Nest was burning further, most of them started to smile but not Vedd, he probably was still thinking about what he said to Velverd...

  The massive tides of monsters were truly terrifying and if the monsters wanted to they could devour the entire forest, if we ignore Ciphr's existence that is.

  The mass covered half of the world from view making everyone here shiver by just thinking about it.

  They were terrified but they wanted to wait a little bit, Vedd looked at his men then he spoke-

  "Shoot your last one, then prepare to leave...

  Vore, stop grinning like that, it's annoying."

  His tone was calm.

  Vore looked at him for a second but then returned his concentration on the swarms, then he lit another flint and sent another bomb.

  The rest already prepared for the run and while they did a very peculiar sound reached their ears, it was the sound of stone friction with something else!

  Vedd took a few steps and then he glanced over the edge, his expression changed a little and a figure rose from behind the edge, he stood in front of them and then he smiled.

  ***

  I didn't manage to get out and reach them easily just because of a small breach, but I managed to do what I could.

  After seeing the opening in the mass of locusts which was slowly covering the world, I immediately used the wings and flew in no time.

  Being invisible meant that they could not see me and even though they produce some noise, the amount of clashing noises especially that of the flapping wings and crashing trees, those made it impossible to hear me fly.

  But I still wasn't safe yet, from time to time I had to deal with one or two, I managed to stay silent by utilizing the bird spirit to slash them with claws.

  And then after what felt like many hours I finally saw the edge in the distance, it was small and almost hidden among the trees.

  I flew downward, landed on the stone edge and then I turned the belt, and now I'm visible.

  After climbing up I saw their faces, none of them looked happy instead they just looked surprised.

  - "Someone said that it'll be relatively safe and I hav? a lot to say to him"

  I glanced at Vedd who smiled slightly, and then spoke-

  "We actually thought you died."

  My expression turned a little serious as I spoke-

  "Either way, no more missions with you, bastards."

  Delve chuckled and then turned serious, he glanced in the direction of the Nest for a few seconds then simply walked in the other direction.

  I looked at the burning Nest a massive veil of swarms prevented us from seeing just how much it was burned.

  After that we flew back to the trench, we faced a few lost locusts in the way but it wasn't hard to deal with them.

  As we descended towards the colony I looked beyond the ground, to see the same radiant glow that looked like a star.

  'What a weird sight? What exists there?'

  Those thoughts were interrupted when I landed, the elves came out to congratulate the brave soldiers but my attention was elsewhere.

  As they crowded around us, between them, I could see a young girl with fish-like eyes staring right at me with a very disturbing smile, she was holding her mother's hand.

  This time, I averted my gaze and simply went to my room, I wanted to rest because I have plans for tonight and I also intend to leave the colony too.

  As I walked through the corridors the elves seemed to recognize me faster, and they even spared me many smiles.

  Under the dim light of the moss their smiles look almost rigid and drawn.

  Before I went to rest in bed there was something else I intended to do, and so I went to the stairs, and I slowly descended the old stairs.

  Reaching the bottom, behind me a red glow, in front of me is a long corridor and the blacksmith at the very end, and I could already hear the sound of his hammer.

  As I walked through the corridor I couldn't but glance at the scribbles on the walls.

  Some of them are a child's scribble of a lake, another is of many crowded squares that almost look like a village, both are almost completely faded...

  How old does a scribble have to be to fade? How old are those scribbles??

  There were a lot of scribbles on the walls, mostly in the lower part of the wall close to the ground.

  One weird scribble depicting a long neck with a hairless human face at the end, with no eyes...

  I opened the door and walked in, looking at the busy man, I just walked closer without talking.

  Velverd looked busy as usual, then suddenly Rava walked in from the backroom with a piece of yellow-ish metal.

  Velverd simply threw it into the furnace and continued hammering against the grand anvil, his sweat was almost raining.

  The weird thing I noticed was that Velverd and Rava nearly never talk to each other, but I don't really know them that much anyway.

  Rava noticed my presence and raised an eyebrow, a second later when she saw that I had nothing to say, she simply returned her attention towards Velverd's work.

  The two continued working for about an hour or so, Velverd noticed me too but also ignored me when he saw that I had no interest in interrupting him.

  After many minutes, their work was done.

  Velverd glanced at me and asked-

  "Odd! odd...?"

  I glared at him for a second before I replied-

  "That's definitely int?ntional."

  Rava chuckled, while I thought for a few seconds then I continued-

  "I just wanted a nice multi-use knife."

  _________

  V-4_C-20

  While I was watching Velverd hammering a metal bar against the grand anvil, a cold feeling rose up my heart and then suddenly disappeared without a trace.

  However the light suddenly dimmed all around the blacksmith's chamber, but surprisingly the two elves paid it no attention as if nothing happened.

  Suddenly Velverd turned his head to face me slowly, his expression still and hollow, a very doll-like smile on his face, his eyes didn't blink and then he spoke -

  "You. Are. Very. Fearless!"

  His tone was deep and forced, he continued with a more animated tone -

  "Aren't you afraid? Coming back here..."

  I blinked and suddenly, everything was back to normal, Velverd was concentrating on the small bar of glowing-red metal.

  I sighed, then I spoke -

  "Did... did the light dim down at all?"

  Velverd didn't stop his swing, he spoke after the metal clap -

  "What are you talking about?"

  He thought for a few seconds then he continued -

  "Did you notice something?"

  He was surprisingly interested, probably for a good reason.

  After a few seconds I spoke -

  "I saw the light dim down consid?rably... I might just be seeing things."

  The blacksmith turned back to his work and replied with -

  "I have seen wrong things before.

  It has to do with these caves, and you'll see more stranger things."

  So he didn't see what I saw, but he believes me...

  - "I see...

  Have you ever seen a figure wearing black?"

  Velverd suddenly stopped mid-sway and then replied evenly -

  "... No."

  Yeah I believe you, definitely...

  As I stared at the metal clashing with metal, suddenly Rava walked in holding a wooden handle that was already made long ago.

  She put it down on a table then she faced me, without saying anything for a few seconds but then she spoke -

  "... What do you plan to use that knife for?"

  Shadows fell on her eyes as she tilted her head down, making her expression vague and grim.

  - "I... I'll use it to survive."

  She then turned her head back to Velverd, and simply said -

  "I see..."

  The room grew darker but this time for a different reason.

  I do not exactly know what their past is and I have many questions, but at the moment I couldn't ask but one question -

  "Are you his daughter?"

  - "Yes."

  - "You look alike."

  - "... Naturally."

  Damn... she is just like him but without humor, Velverd at least can make a joke once a week, probably.

  Well, at least the room is less dim now and I can take a breath without feeling an invisible weight on my back.

  After a while I spoke -

  "What was it like before coming to th? colony?"

  Rava replied without looking at me -

  "It wasn't much different... well, except for flying, since we couldn't fly back then."

  She looked at me and then continued -

  "I don't remember a lot, but our village was big, with many homes and houses.

  We were somehow safe, we didn't face any real dangers, until..."

  She lowered her gaze to the ground, and then she continued -

  "Let's just say that we were living near the nest of a slumbering leviathan... but eventually, the creature woke up and ate us."

  'Is that a synopsis?...'

  - "Do you know what is that leviathan?"

  - "Yes... the third disaster, known as the hydra, the false life."

  'False what?!'

  - "Did you say False life??"

  She was a little confused, she looked at me with a raised eyebrow but eventually she spoke -

  "It's not actually a living thing... well, we don't really know."

  ... 'damn'

  I thought for a few seconds then I spoke-

  "I know one of the disasters which is the locust's, and now I know the second, so what is the third?"

  Velverd suddenly stopped and looked at me, he eventually spoke -

  "The trees, the forest is the first disaster level threat."

  'That... that makes sense but also very terrifying, to know that those trees are actually alive.

  I suspected something similar, but that's terribly surprising.'

  - "I see."

  .

  .

  .

  Eventually the knife was done, I took it from Velverd eagerly with a wide smile.

  The knife really looked perfect from all angles, it was similar to a military knife in design, because of their usefulness in different situations.

  I gripped the knife tightly in my hand and I immediately felt relief, and as I looked at my reflection in the lustrous metal i suddenly saw a black silhouette in the metal.

  I felt my heart beat accelerating, the silhouette smiled widely and then simply disappeared.

  Velverd spoke -

  "What's wrong?"

  As he noticed my tension.

  I replied after a moment -

  "Nothing."

  I smiled and I stood up, then I spoke -

  "The knife is impeccable, I'll make sure not to break it too soon"

  Velverd frowned without an answer at first but then he said -

  "Good."

  Rava on the other hand smiled, she spoke -

  "You can always ask us for a fix, or to make another one."

  I smiled in return, and nodded, but suddenly her smile reached from ear to ear almost tearing through her flesh.

  The smile was unnatural, and as I thought she spoke -

  "Don't ask too many questions... I don't like to break my dolls."

  My blood froze and sweat covered my face, I couldn't feel fear but I could feel it in my bones.

  I shivered and as I flinched, her face was back to normal as if nothing happened.

  They almost noticed my weird expression but they didn't even ask...

  After that I sheathed the knife back, and strapped it to my belt, then I walked out.

  The corridor seemed more dark this time and more narrow, and I couldn't but be paranoid and turning my head left and right...

  Eventually, I reached the stairs, and now I'll go in.

  _________

  V-4_C-21

  To Avatha Odd was a weirdo, yes she is a guardian ghost of a divine artifact, but there were many things wrong with the friend she calls Ode...

  She calls him Ode for more reasons than one but that's not important at the moment.

  As her friend Ode was walking through the cave, suddenly he flinched and stopped as if he saw something in front of him, then without saying anything Ode resumed his walk.

  In reality she didn't see anything, which meant one of two things, either the other Ghost of these caves has managed to get into his head or... Ode is seeing things... crazy in a more blunt wording.

  She had done many crazy things of her own and she can recognize a mad man, but to her even Ode is too weird and un-understandable.

  She had chosen to give him the precious artifact she had been protecting for centuries so easily.

  She had befriended him and she even helped Ode and protected him, for more reasons than one.

  It all boils down to the simple fact that she grew bored of her duty, so she just took the opportunity.

  But there is the thing... Avatha was supposed to be the test for whoever wanted to claim the devine eyes and Ode weirdly passed.

  Which means that she is actually free to leave their contract, which was meant to protect her from the lord of the underworld.

  So... she could just go anywhere freely, but she didn't.

  For more reasons than one.

  There is an old prophecy known only to the dwellers of the underworld, and it made the name "Odd" a bad omen and so nobody in the underworld says "Odd".

  But she chose to name him "Ode" which was for a good reason, an ode is known in the underworld as an event that's paranormal enough to be turned into a poem... or an Ode.

  That's some things she thinks about.

  Her attention was now taken to something else, as Odd moved past the stairs and into the other cave, she noticed a faint red glow from one of the sides of the wall.

  As they walked closer, Avatha realized that the glow came from torches connected to the left wall... wait what?! Torches??

  She had never seen torches in the cave colony, so why are there torches here?

  Ode has the same question it seems, he stopped to examine the torches before he looked between the two torches.

  Avatha was still in the form of a glove but she could see and hear, and so she could see what's between the two torches.

  A wide and deep carvings into the stone wall representing a language, but she didn't even want to read it because she immediately understood just how dangerous those words are.

  But it was too late, Odd's eyes were already on the stone wall and before she could stop him, he suddenly fell back to the ground his head jammed against the stone wall.

  Blood stained the wall with a wide ugly mark of blood, which slowly slid down to mark the floor.

  Ode ignored the injury and instead all he did was digging on his face with his nails to the point of digging blood.

  He made quiet noises and wails, as he moved his legs erratically as if trying to get away from the carvings.

  His legs slammed and pushed against the stone floor, his movements chaotic but also resembled that of a swimmer.

  His breathing was cracking and shivering as if unable to draw in a full breath, and instead drawing in many hectic hysterical breaths.

  Odd gritted his teeth, blood drops fell down his cheeks from the torn skin of his face underneath his nails.

  His body was restlessly convulsing in an intangible agony.

  He muttered like a lunatic - "Haa- ugh- chaos prevailed- ugh haa... uh- fell the first-ugh~ lord"

  Looking at him he looked almost like a terrified prey or someone with a mental illness, but how could someone who doesn't feel fear act like that?

  Avatha manifested in front of him in her true monstrous form, she was almost invisible with a faint ghostly glow.

  She had to choose one of a few choices from what she could do to help the sorry state of her companion...

  In the end she extended her ugly hand, her ghost fingers went straight to his brain, she did something then she disappeared again back to the glove.

  Suddenly Odd stopped shaking and then looked around with a blank expression, eventually he stood up then muttered - "Thank you Avatha."

  His tone was emotionless and quiet.

  Avatha knew why he survived reading a cursed knowledge and it's simply because of his devine eyes, but his brain wasn't as strong.

  While the curse was almost completely filtered by the eyes of truth, but the minute and insignificant small remains of the curse were enough to almost drive him mad.

  But she didn't forget the words that she caught him mutter - 'Chaos? First lord?'

  Those were unknown to her but she did hear legends of the past in the underworld, the underworld was always like a timeless place.

  Odd already cleaned his wounds with a detached expression, and his wounds already healed because of the gem in his chest.

  'What a weird sight he was... Ode.'

  After that Odd walked deeper into the cave making Avatha uncomfortable, his steps were both confident and unsteady.

  Eventually he reached a staircase downwards, and the stairs seemed to go a little too deep...

  _________

  V-4_C-22

  I saw down in front of me a long stretch of stairs soaked in darkness, looking almost like a well.

  I took a deep breath as I prepared myself for what's to come, slowly I walked down the stairs and as I did I could feel eyes all around the edge, watching from the corners.

  Despite the darkness I could see a star down there, there is definitely something there but my only guess is that it's another ghost... a strong one.

  As I walked down I could feel the world turn cold, and then a hand brushed against my cheek just to disappear immediately afterwards, as I flinched.

  Then a whisper that seemed pathetic in comparison with Ciphr's whisper, she spoke -

  "I almost believe that you'll not come. Do you know how bored I'm?"

  The whisper disappeared, but ignored it completely.

  As I walked deeper the stairs seemed to disappear, reappear and then flicker, change direction or even change shape completely.

  From an elegant staircase to a dirty soil road, then a hole in the ground that looks like an abyss, but they all were illusions that I could see through.

  Finally after many steps I reached a huge granite door, eight chains ran horizontally as if desperately trying to keep the door closed.

  Avatha seemed rather taciturn in her glove form, but now she is eerily silent despite the situation.

  The chains suddenly split with a loud sound, then the door slowly opened as it carved against the floor.

  Nothing prepared me for what I saw... except for Ciphr maybe and the eerie world of limbo.

  A wide hall soaked in darkness, its walls stained as if they bled, the floor covered with a chaotic net of long narrow black wires.

  Carcasses of monsters littered near the walls, pushed there intentionally to keep space in the middle.

  And in the middle?!

  Around thirty humanoid spirits were tied up in black wires, their heads veiled by a black piece of cloth covering only their heads.

  The spirits had a faint light glow which was stark against the hall.

  And in the very center of the hall standing calmly, a very tall figure completely veiled in black pieces of cloths covering its entirety.

  The figure raised its hand uncovering its face, to reveal a faceless head with long narrow ears and a wide mouth with long sharp fangs but no teeth.

  The figure suddenly stepped aside revealing a short pillar that supports nothing but a small thing wrapped in black cloth.

  The tall entity spoke -

  "I've waited for you, you know?"

  But I ignored her as I stared at the humanoid trapped souls with sweat slowly rolling down my face.

  What were these souls doing here??

  And... why some of them look like the souls of children?

  The number of souls was also oddly specific, it's almost exactly the same number as that of... !

  Oh... so that how it is, those are the souls of the elves but... that means !!

  I turned to the tall ghost who already took a few steps forward, then I spoke -

  "Whose souls are these??"

  The tall ghost did not answer, she looked around despite having no eyes, then she spoke -

  "Their souls of course.

  Those... you know? Those human usurpers."

  Then... how are they walking? How are they speaking? Or thinking...

  If they have no souls then... is she the one to control them?

  I spoke with a deep strained tone -

  "Why?"

  She responded evenly, her smile morphed to a devious one -

  "Because they are dead.

  They have been dead for centuries now.

  They came to my cave, and I took their souls, and turned them to puppets.

  They bent under the torture in mere seconds, even their best ones fell for my promise of salvation."

  The room seemed smaller now and darker, the blood stains on the wall seemed almost like real living blood.

  The carcasses seemed to breathe bleed and shiver.

  The souls seemed more horrific than before.

  There was one more question he had but before he could ask, she spoke -

  "I was going to give you the divine artifact since, you know? You passed my test, but... I'll give you one more obstacle to face."

  She walked closer then she asked -

  "What's in those usurpers's bodies? Is it them, or is it me?"

  I glanced around at the trapped souls of the elves and then back at her...

  It was a hard question, but I gave out my guess -

  "You." It sounded sharp and hateful.

  She tilted her head but then she spoke -

  "Do you think their souls aren't connected to their bodies?"

  My eyes widened but before I could retort, she spoke -

  "Come here; I'll give you the Devine artifact."

  I clenched my gloved fist and then I reluctantly walked closer to her, eventually I stood in front of the tall ghost.

  She extended a hand to grab the wrapped piece, then her other hand swiftly moved... cutting my ears in a blink.

  I gripped at my ears as the pain burnt my nerves, sweating more and more, I flashed her an irritated expression.

  She unwrapped the piece revealing two ears with sharp long tips.

  I reluctantly pulled down my own bloodied hands, she then swiftly attached the elf-like ears to my head.

  Suddenly the world grew silent, no noise could reach me, it felt unnatural for the world to be this... empty.

  But then I heard the first voices... I flinched and shivered -

  (- The fractures are grow?ng...

  - ?nd?

  - What do you mean, and?

  Don't you have a plan to stop... that th?ng? Are you go?ng to stay ?dle?

  ... You and your damn prophec?es.

  - I presume you h?ve ?...

  ... someone is listening.

  - Oh, I know. I can see h?m.

  - So you still h?–) then a few more voices flooded my ears then a lot more, then an unbearable amount of different voices... then it felt like I could hear the world whole.

  I could even hear what I shouldn't, I could hear unthinkable words and sounds, I could hear the sound of the world itself functioning.

  But then it grew still and silent again, slowly but surely I started to hear what in the dim dark ugly hall.

  She spoke -

  "Did you hear them?... the lords I mean."

  _________

  V-4_C-23

  I hate her I loathe her, ever since I was tortured inside the dream I've despised her, she dared try to push me to submit to her!

  Ever since I woke up and until now I've wanted to do something, to at least hurt her, I even stopped caring about my safety.

  Usually I would've never walked into danger with my own two feet, but now is different because I don't mind dying today, just to give her some pain.

  Under the dim light of the deep hidden chamber I stood disoriented by the voices I heard, I heard more than I could comprehend.

  It was all like chaos, but the type of chaos that I know has meaning.

  I looked up at the tall ghost, she was grinning from ear to ear, she was waiting for my answer she wanted to hear what I heard.

  I spoke "The fractur?s are growing..."

  And as I spoke, my hand fell down from my ears slowly.

  She was a little startled with what she heard, and as my hand fell halfway pointing at her, a rifle appeared out of nowhere and immediately fired.

  The legs of the corpse fell to the ground and the body turned to ash, the edges were smoking, and Avatha spoke -

  "She is not dead. Just because you killed the ghost's avatar doesn't mean anything, she just lost a vessel.

  And this one... she got a lot of vessels."

  I looked around at the spirits who were still bound by the black wires, and as I stared around I heard footsteps!!

  I looked back around at the door but... there was no one there?

  But I could hear footsteps clear and close.

  Turning around, I walked towards the open gate with worry and anticipation, my hand held the rifle tightly as I reloaded it with ethereal bullets.

  My other hand resting on the new knife just in case.

  I have another weapon which is the spirit of that grotesque bird, who seemed to be still there but somehow in the gem that was embedded in my chest.

  But using the bird's power to make taloons in my fingertips somehow deactivate the gem, which means no healing.

  Even with all these powers I'm sure I'm easy to kill... not that easy though.

  If I could feel fear I would've been terrified, but all I could feel was every feeling that was close enough to be almost 'fear', like anxiety...

  As I walked out of the stone gate I looked up, but all I saw was the faint light of the top of the stairs far away.

  Then suddenly, I heard footsteps close and clear, and that's when I realized that my new ears are making them 'close and clear' they are far... then the light dimmed more, the sound of footsteps turned to the sound of someone going down the stairs, each step growing louder...

  A few seconds later Voll's face was clear, I saw his face from the start but now he was close enough to make out his expression.

  He looked at me from a far up the stairs and spoke -

  "Odd? What are you doing here all alone?"

  He smiled as he continued -

  "You know it's dangerous to go this way, don't you know" His smile grew from ear to ear like a horrifying mannequin - "... you don't seem surprised! That's something...

  So, what will you do? Kill him? Or run away?"

  'So that's how it is... it all goes back to her question.

  Do I think that those are still them... alive somehow som?where?

  Or do I think that they're dead puppets...'

  The right answer is that they are alive, I immediately shot Voll in the head and ran up the stairs with the speed of a pike.

  Here the answer doesn't matter because I was cornered, not doing it is suicide.

  As I ran past what remained of his corpse I could feel my heart clench and ache.

  But I just reloaded the rifle with no bullets and kept running up the stairs.

  I shot the ghost not Voll but who ultimately died is him... he can no longer go back to his body, but maybe his soul will get to rest... probably not the underworld doesn't seem so welcoming.

  As I ran over the stairs and through the corridors I forced myself not to look at the carvings on the wall, I don't want to even think about it.

  I reached the circular stairs and there !! Standing with a wide mocking grin and a massive sword, Velverd ran towards me like a lunatic.

  'Can I jump ov?r him?'

  But before I could do he was already too close, and so... I just fired !

  What remained of his legs fell on different sides and his blood tainted the corridor.

  I stopped for a few seconds staring at the blood painting... I could feel my heart freezing with guilt... and burning with anger.

  I forced myself to run up the stairs, and the second I set foot on the first floor I got ambushed from behind.

  I used the knife to cut what was behind me, my knife sank deep in the soldier's chest.

  I immediately jumped away from him, I knew he was there because I had already heard his presence.

  As I looked closer I recognized his face, 'Delve!' Whose name was weird had a friendly personality... seeing blood paint his armored clothes with red death was a revolting and a disturbing scene.

  I couldn't even keep my eyes on his dead body.

  Then I heard something truly terrifying, many footsteps were rushing towards me with madness !!

  'Can she control mor? than one at a time?!'

  _________

  V-4_C-24

  There I am standing in front of the corpse of Delve... it felt like a moment ago he was alive and chatting with the others, not just him but even Velverd.

  I felt heavy and the worse is coming, the loud noise of many footsteps drew closer their noise drowning the halls.

  I don't feel fear but I feel dread, I can't deal with many at once, the rifle takes time to recharge and my big knife is not as helpful since I'm not good with weapons...

  After taking a breath I took a step out of the staircase room and into the main corridor, I reloaded the rifle and aimed.

  Twenty humanoid figures were running too perfectly to be seen as zombies or monsters, despite that their faces held only a terrifying smile from ear to ear.

  They ran with purpose and will straight towards me, their eyes held no human within their depths.

  With a heavy heart I shot, several jolted and fell, but none seem to die, their blood splashing everywhere.

  Despite the massive debilitating wounds, the few that got shot regained some of their speed.

  The darkness added an undeniable darkness in the cold corridor, they ran with the will of a defiled beast and the brain of a human.

  After the first shot I was already on my feet running away deeper into the colony, with my speed I was already far away from them, but the corridor only got darker and darker.

  I reloaded the rifle without a bullet then I shot, a few fell and got stomped on only to regain their footing a second later.

  Now many of them bore revolting wounds and running despite the blood covering their bodies.

  'I can't leave without killing them all?! For F-'

  Another shot, one of the deranged runners fell dead the others simply ran over the bloody carcass.

  They looked more and more deranged by the second, the blood covered many of these runners, and what's terrifying is that their eyes held an intelligent conscious will for something so deranged and monstrous.

  The way they run so perfectly... it's unnerving.

  Another shot, a couple died but most are still alive.

  And I was slowly getting closer to the end of the main corridor, and the place was getting more dark.

  I could hear whispers but I can't make what it is and I don't want to, but the whispers grew numerous and loud.

  I hoped that I could kill them all before I reach the library but that hope is crushed as I saw its open door, and I killed only six.

  'Shit!'

  The good thing is that I'm faster than them and the other good thing is that there is another staircase there, the bad thing is that I'll probably have to kill more before I get to leave this damned colony.

  Another shot, this time they avoided my shot beforehand "Fuck?!!" I cussed loudly.

  They memorized my timing! Those damn bastards! Now I can't just shoot the second I get to reload, more than that that ghost also realized what I'm thinking about right now...

  As I jumped down the second staircase into the lower floor it was dark very dark, I could only see the outline of the edges because of my eyes yet it was too dark to be normal darkness.

  Shooting the first comers to immediate death, only two, I continued to run back towards the first staircase that I ascended before.

  As I continue to run the whispers grew more numerous and more clear, but I forced myself not to listen not to hear, that's the good thing about the divine ears that I can ignore what I don't want to hear.

  The runners followed with purpose and vile will, they were silent, since the start they were silent but now their silence is more... dark.

  Another shot, but this time I didn't shoot immediately, instead I stopped so they got closer then shot.

  That way even if the ones at the front dodge it, the ones at the back get extreme damage anyway.

  Then I jumped forward, two more died.

  As I continue I saw the glowing red carvings on the wall, I ignored them by force and continued forward.

  Then another shot one died and many injured.

  Despite their bloodied bodies those terrifying bastards continued to run forward like having half of your torso torn off is nothing...

  Some were running with limbs limply hanging on bloodied threads of flesh.

  Then I saw the fallen body of Velverd in the middle of a red flower of blood.

  And the stairs... suddenly ten, or twelve figures climbed down the circular staircase, some even jumping down menacingly.

  'Fricking traps now!! God!'

  I had to choose, in this darkness, either I do everything I can to go through those in front of me or go through the bloodied mess behind me...

  I don't want to choose that but... it's the better choice with how messed up they are.

  I spun backwards and ran towards the grotesque abominable elven humans and when I got close enough I immediately reloaded the rifle hurriedly then I shot! This close, half of the thirteen immediately fell on the ground.

  I jumped and then flew forward, there was one in front of me but I just used my knife to cut what I could reach, and fell forward.

  It was dumb to fly in a narrow corridor with my lack of experience, and the corridor was unbelievably dark even for me.

  Jumping to my feet I continued to run forward... and I accidentally got a glimpse of the carvings on the wall... just one word 'four'.

  _________

  V-4_C-25

  'Four'? What would it be a part of? Unfortunately my memories of the cursed knowledge were wiped out, which meant that I couldn't understand what 'four' was referring to.

  Without a pause I continued to run forward, and then I was shocked ! Half of the bodies that were dead on the floor disappeared?!

  And as I ran closer that's when I heard something crawling on the moss sealing !!!

  Three adult elves fell from above, right towards me

  .

  .

  .

  A few hours later.

  ***

  Walking slowly towards the light coming from the grand gate, Odd wasn't in a good shape at all.

  His trousers are now almost fully ripped off making them barely reach his knees.

  The rifle held in his right hand was smoking nonstop, even though it was a special weapon made by the Limbo shroud it was still not that powerful, with how many ghost bullets fired from it Odd lost count.

  Some cracks were webbing the glowing metal.

  The gem on his chest was dim and almost lifeless with how many wounds it healed, even though it was powered by the bird ghost it still wasn't strong enough.

  With his shirt off the blood covering his body seemed to be his blood but in reality half of it is not.

  Odd had a resigned expression and almost broken, the only reason he managed is because he only knew those people for a short while.

  But being alone in this world had made his heart was longing for humans and desiring company, that's why he connected to them so quickly.

  In his left hand a long military-like knife with a severed head pierced by the knife.

  A second later the head slid off and fell to the ground and it caved in, and splashed blood onto the floor, the knife seemed to be completely un-dulled.

  As his black rabbit feet moved forward it seemed as if they had been running for days nonstop, slowly dragged across the ground forward.

  He attached the knife back to the belt he made the same one with the pearl of invisibility, this pearl has been useless for so long and it've only been used against the millions of locusts.

  As he dragged himself forward with his mouth agape and his eyes dull, it was obvious that having no ability to feel fear wasn't helpful at all.

  And that's not to mention that his ability to feel fear is slowly reforming, from nothing no less.

  The fight with the human-elves or whatever, was unbelievably tiring and long.

  They learned his movements and made a strategy to corner him as well, there was simply no hope to leave the colony without killing them all.

  Not to mention that his best weapon was slowly becoming useless with the long reloading and them adapting to it.

  The situation got more and more like a horror movie... one that mostly uses gore and blood everywhere.

  But in the end Odd killed them all and now he was walking out alive.

  ***

  'I'm tired... so tir?d! Why? Just why am I here? Why do I have to kill all th?se... humans?!

  I should try to leave this world, I should find a way.

  The longer I stay here the more I'll have to witness and live through, I'll see worse probably.

  ... I feel so tired.'

  I continued to drag myself forward slow and painful, that's what I feel in my lung, cold and lacerating.

  My heart rate was slowing down and my vision was slowly going dim and blurred.

  If not for those borrowed legs there would've been no hope to survive any of this.

  As I walked forward I saw something standing in front of the light shining from the grand gate... walking slowly towards me.

  I instinctively pointed the rifle at the figure and my hand clenched, I stared at the figure then the figure stopped.

  I hesitated this figure is behaving different than they do, I couldn't imagine any of them surviving what I did.

  "Who are you?"

  I tried to concentrate on the figure and I slowly started to see it in details.

  A woman with...? Familiar clothes, not that I remember to whose.

  Her mouth had a soft smile and the rest of her head was covered by something dark and flowing.

  Suddenly she spoke-

  "Who else? I'm your nightmare, I'm Everly, also known as Verld'rav."

  I flinched but then I composed myself 'how the hell did she even manage to pronounce that ?!!'

  She continued- "I'm surprised; you managed to kill them all. I did everything I could to stack everything against you... now I'll be forced to fight you myself, ugh~ how annoying."

  Shaking her head she started to walk forward, the veil on her eyes receded and uncovering her face.

  Then it was veiled back again.

  'It's... Rava?!! Did I not kill her?'

  My grip tightened.

  She spoke - "Oh my! You should point that at me; you might kill her."

  - "You are the on? controlling her body."

  She smirked - "Mmm~ but her soul is in her body. I simply force her body to move how I wish, but her soul is here, and she'll feel everything." She grinned.

  For a long time I didn't move nor say a thing, lingering and contemplating what to do...

  Rava wasn't someone I was close to but still... it's still hurting to see her suffer.

  The only redeeming aspect of killing the elves is that none of them will feel it... now I'll have to make her suffer.

  Not just that... 'I kinda liked Rava! God, why... just why?'

  I sighed, 'I'll just have to end her with one shot' I took a deep breath and then I jumped forward as fast as I could...

  _________

  V-4_C-26

  Under the ground in a trench, on its wall is a platform that the elves used to fly from, in front of it on the trench's stone wall is a grand gate.

  Behind the gate is a big hall and after the hall is a corridor, dim and lifeless, and in it is a woman and a man.

  The woman wore something dark and flowing, her eyes were covered and before the man was even close to her she moved like wind, disappeared from his sight as she appeared behind him.

  ***

  Startled, I had to jump away from her in that one second 'did this bitch merge with Rava?! The hell.'

  Not having any other choice, I didn't waste time and immediately pointed the rifle at her simultaneously pulling the trigger...

  She dodged like a gust of wind, she probably realized what I intended to do from her knowledge.

  'Shit... now I have to wait for another shot!'

  I might've also heard a cracking sound but the explosive sound of the rifle.

  The nice new ears helped me hear it but that's not enough to realize what it was.

  She stopped behind me again, a few meters away then she extended her hand, by the time I moved my knife she already jumped towards me in a blink.

  I held the knife tightly in front of myself but... her hand collided with the knife, the knife went through her hand like nothing, her hand however... didn't even get cut.

  After going through the knife, her hand scraped against my chest, at the same time I was already jumping away, my chest bled but the wound wasn't deep.

  Without wasting time, she lunged again towards me and in that instant, I shot her with the rifle.

  Yes I faked the actual cool-down time of the rifle as well as making it seem as if the more I use it the longer the cool-down period becomes.

  I wouldn't have survived the swarms of giant locusts if the cool-down was really this long.

  'Thank God! She is dumb enough.'

  Her head and the upper part of her torso and half of each shoulder are now gone, blood poured down, but obviously she doesn't seem dead yet.

  Empowered by seemingly nothing her body rebuilt itself, not from flesh but with black flowing things...

  At that moment I attacked with knife, which slid through her without a trail except for a wound on the fleshy part, which simply got covered by the flowing darkness.

  I jumped away and I sheathed my knife at the same time, since it was useless right now.

  That doesn't mean that my left hand can't attack, I still have the bird ghost that I could use.

  In just a few moments she already restored herself, before she attacked, she spoke-

  "This is getting annoying... trying to kill a ghost? Really?!"

  I sighed and replied-

  "Hah! Look at you acting tou-" she he jumped towards me with her elongated arm!

  'This bitch!!'

  I managed to deflect it this time with the rifle, it's a good thing that I didn't lose concentration.

  As she came from another attack I attacked with my own hand, with the bird spirit my hand deformed and has claws now, as well as many disturbing things.

  Her body was clawed at, she halted and stopped, it seems she couldn't heal it not immediately at least.

  She faced me with her covered eyes, muttering- "Freak!"

  I replied, taunting her-

  "So mature, big girl! I bet you're ten times my age."

  Gritting her teeth, she replied-

  "I'll flay you alive, you bas-"

  BANG

  "God! That was a loud one!"

  Her legs were completely obliterated and turned to ash, and as she fell to the ground she was already trying to restore herself.

  I looked at my rifle, with a smirk I sent the bird spirit to occupy the rifle as well.

  I didn't have the time to ask Avatha if this could work but I think it'll work.

  As I did, the rifle grew hotter and the light from within its depths turned red, the cracks on its surface slowly disappeared.

  Avatha didn't say anything which was a good sign.

  I could feel the rifle become heavier, even the smoke coming out of its sides changed to a deep purple color and the smoke flew out of the rifle at a higher speed.

  Without pondering, I aimed at the reforming dark abomination and without wasting time I shot!

  BANG

  My eyes widened as I heard the ear-shattering explosion that I can only compare with bomb.

  No rifle or gun could make such a loud sound I don't even a tank could make it.

  'Good thing those ears didn't expod?.'

  Truly those ears are special!

  The monster was no more with only smoke left behind, the ground underneath her shattered upturned and smeared with soot.

  The soot panted most of the ground as well as the walls all smeared with soot.

  With no left overs Everly seemed actually dead...!

  I looked around slowly taking a breath, I won't allow myself to relax yet.

  I looked at my rifle and then I spoke-

  "Do you think she's dead?"

  The reply took a few seconds, Avatha spoke-

  "Definitely not... ghosts never die, at least not in the over world. She probably got smacked down to limbo or maybe even the underworld."

  That's good...

  I flinched, then asked-

  "What about the spirits of the elves?"

  She thought for a few seconds then she said something that I didn't know how to feel about-

  "They probably went to the underworld. Without an obstacle, Limbo will escort their souls to the underworld."

  She thought for a few more seconds before adding-

  "Don't worry about them; souls become stronger after going the underworld.

  That's why Everly is strong anyways."

  With a sigh of relief I went to check on the mark left on the ground which was surprising big.

  There really was no leftovers...

  A second later, Avatha spoke with a guilty tone-

  "Ehem... sorry about burning your bird by the way... I really had to do it to save you"

  Eh?!

  - "No refunds"

  _________

  V-4_C-27

  I took a deep breath.

  Turning around I had one of two choices, either leave now or... do something before leaving.

  I could explore the place more, bury the dead and maybe find some better tools, but... should I?

  This place is dark and creepy and Everly might come back, that would be hard to deal with.

  In the end I did choose to bury the bodies, going back and searching for a shovel, when I found one I realized that I can't dig in the caves of the colony.

  With no other choice I was forced to bring them one by one to the overworld, there I can easily bury them.

  Which at first seemed to be going at a fast pace, but when I was almost done half a day vanished as if it was nothing.

  As I wandered through the cavern I found answers to some of my questions, for example the plates that make the wing roots actually...

  They grow on trees... kinda.

  Metal and other materials seem to grow on weird small plants that grow on the walls.

  Whether this is connected to Everly or something discovered or made by the elves themselves is still a mystery.

  I found my way to the library as well as other rooms with books... but they all were meaningless.

  After burying every one of them it was already evening, so I went to do the last important thing which is to check on their souls.

  Everly is gone but what about the souls of the elves? Avatha said that they are gone too, yet I want to check myself.

  Slowly I descended the straight stairs in an especially dark cave, the stone gate is far down with its chains reaching to the ground.

  As I went lower the dark staircase felt less alive, as if nothing is watching from the dark corners.

  'Feels so much better!'

  Slowly but surely I reached the wide stone chamber, and walked inside.

  '... Nothing?! Really??'

  There was nothing inside this time, no trapped souls and no monster corpses, completely empty.

  It was a weird scene to see the wide stone chamber dark, empty... and lifeless, completely cold and gray.

  I felt a little relieved though, for more than one reason.

  With that out of the way I went back up the stairs with light steps, a smile found its way to my face.

  From a dim corridor to a dim corridor I found myself back onto the platform that oversees the unfathomable trench from within.

  After a deep breath two translucent wings made of air spread, I then ascended to the overworld.

  Now that I looked around I noticed just how long the trench is, it looked like a cut in the world itself, even the mountain far away seems to bear a slit.

  The other end of the trench is less pronounced but the end that extends towards the mountain is very long.

  I took a deep breath silently marveling at the massive trench.

  After a second or so I started to move, even though I didn't know where exactly to go.

  "Avatha." I said evenly.

  A voice came from nowhere specific - "yes?"

  "I... might not find a way out of this world any time soon and maybe never, but I still want to survive so I want you to tell me everything you know about this world.

  Especially things that can h?lp me survive." I said with a heavy will.

  She lingered for longer than I expected, then she said -

  "I don't mind... but there is actually a possibility to do so, to leave this world."

  I almost stumbled, regaining my composure I said- "what??"

  "It's just a possibility. Even the lords can't leave this world, and they can't help you... except for Hakk, lord of the underworld.

  He is also very good at making portals, and he even managed to make another world within this world." Her tone was neutral as she spoke.

  I stared at my gloved hand and eventually sighed as I said- "but?"

  She continued -

  "But... you'll have to go to the underworld, then you'll have to find him, then you'll have to convince him."

  'I just have to go to the realm of the dead, move through it until I find him, then I have to find a way to convince the eccentric lord... God, give me patience!!'

  "In any case, is there an easy way to the underworld." I asked.

  She lingered for many seconds, then she said with no humor-

  "Death. It's a choice though."

  'This ghost is going to give me an aneurysm. I swear to God!'

  "Another way?" She said -

  "maybe getting swallowed by the hydra..."

  She thought for a second before continuing - "there are some gates, but hard to find."

  "Is th?re a way to find one?" I said.

  Her voice turned slightly darker -

  "There are a few... closed to the center."

  "The center?"

  She replied - "The center is a very crowded spot, with many big... colossal things revolving around it.

  The underworld gates are one of the things that encircles the center for a reason."

  I sighed as I tried to digest what she said, eventually I said - "what's th? shortest route to the center?"

  "Well, the trench is a good landmark, land mark, just go towards the mountains, and after the mountains, it should be a short trip towards the center."

  .

  .

  .

  "Alright, and can you tell me about ghosts more?" I said.

  I was already on my way towards the mountains, moving with unhurried steps.

  Walking back among the trees brought back the eerie feeling of being watched.

  Should I talk to Cighr again? Maybe I'll ask him a few questions later.

  There are still no animals around, barely any ants and worms, nothing else.

  The silence was broken with my voice-

  "Do you know what's limbo's ambiance? I've lost my human legs in one of those.

  Time seems irrelevant in a place like that, and I still don't understand why."