They dried their clothes under the rays of an unknown light that burned brighter than any sun they had ever known. The air shimmered with heat, but it wasn't oppressive—it felt alive, humming softly against their skin like a melody only the earth could sing.
"Where are we...?" Eli questioned, her voice low and cautious. She stood wrapped in nothing but a small skirt, bandages barely containing her voluptuous curves, threatening to slip free at any moment. Her thick thighs glistened faintly from the lingering moisture of their earlier dive into the pond.
Atlas glanced at her occasionally, his gaze flickering between her exposed figure and the dense jungle ahead. He forced himself to focus—to remember why he was here. Survival. Escape. The palace awaited him back home, and he dreaded what chaos might have erupted in his absence. That woman—'the bitch queen'—was unpredictable, destructive. Would she undo everything he had painstakingly built?
"...That above, shining like the suns—is the fruit of the Yggdrasil tree," Atlas said finally, breaking the silence. "The Tree of Life."
Eli's eyes widened, disbelief warring with awe on her face. "...That shit really exists?"
Atlas nodded, tilting his head upward as if to confirm his own words. The canopy above them glittered with golden lights, the fruit pulsating faintly like miniature sun trapped within translucent shells. "If we'd moved along the first realm, we would've seen its branches piercing through the fog. In the third realm, its steam clouds entire landscapes. But now, we're at the corner of the fifth realm—the safest place to encounter its fruits."
His tone shifted, growing darker, heavier. "From what I know, the light these fruits emit is dangerous for creatures around here. Don't ask me why; even I don't fully understand. But there are still predators lurking here—creatures far more monstrous than anything you can imagine."
He paused, turning to meet her gaze directly, his voice sharp enough to cut steel. "So be warned: don't step into the shadows of the jungle. Never. Ever....."
Eli rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Okay, okay, I get it. You know it all, genius." A smirk tugged at her lips, though her tone betrayed a hint of mockery. "I've already read the book. I remember the contents."
Atlas snorted, smirking despite himself. He turned toward the forest where the light spilled generously onto the ground, activating his 'Truth Eyes' once more. And he was right.
The shadows—even the smallest ones—were stained bloody red, while areas bathed in light glowed vibrantly green, almost unnaturally so.
'The game made this spot for dialogue exchanges between characters,' he thought bitterly, scanning the scene before him. 'A resting point to advance the story. But in reality, what can a horny teenager and a MILF really talk about? If this were some smut storyline, this setup would be perfect for a steamy scene...'
Hahahahaha...
He chuckled internally, shaking his head as he stole another glance at Eli's form from afar. Her delicate yet curvaceous body teased his teenage hormones relentlessly. Voluptuous only in the right places, with her thick thighs and the skirt, oh god almighty himself was testing him today, as she was already driving him insane.
'Why is she wearing such a short skirt?' he groaned inwardly, biting down hard on his finger. 'Calm down, Calm down Horny boy. I need to focus, we need food. Otherwise, we'll starve here.'
With renewed determination, he pushed aside his thoughts and began searching the perimeter for sustenance.
Meanwhile, Eli watched him from behind, acutely aware of his stolen glances. She smiled knowingly, feeling the weight of his gaze even from a distance. His restraint amused her—he was trying so hard to act mature, responsible. Yet she could sense the tension simmering beneath his composed exterior.
"Haaaaa, boys," she murmured under her breath, shaking her head fondly. "Can't even take hints. Well, he's much more mature for his age—I'll give him that..."
Her hand drifted downward instinctively, brushing against her inner thigh. Something warm and slick slid along her skin, leaving no doubt about its origin as It wasn't the remains of water, but something else entirely.
"...I also need to calm down," she whispered to herself, rubbing absently at the droplet until it vanished. "My fertility phase is showing up..."
She sighed, moving toward the pile of dry wood they'd gathered earlier. While Atlas hunted, she decided to make herself useful by preparing a fire to boil water. It was routine now—a division of labor born out of necessity. She wanted to hunt too, to contribute equally, but the gap in strength and knowledge between them was vast. For now, she accepted her role, focusing instead on mastering the book he'd given her. Over and over again, she pored through its pages, committing every detail to memory.
As Eli gathered broken wood and dried leaves, her thoughts churned like storm clouds. Every step they took, every reckless leap into danger, was always at the edge—hovering precariously between life and death. Her heart had hardened over time, forged in the fires of constant peril until it became steel. But something about Atlas unnerved her.
He wasn't reckless bravery personified. No, that kind of courage belonged to fools who charged blindly into chaos without thought or consequence. Atlas wasn't one of those men. Yet there he stood, taking each step with calculated madness, as if he knew exactly how close to the precipice they were—and didn't care.
'Had he truly tasted death before? Faced its cold embrace and lived to tell the tale?' she wondered. The absence of dread on his face was unsettling, yet beneath it simmered a fear so primal, so raw, that it felt like an inescapable trauma clinging to him even now. She'd seen kings, warriors, rulers—all manner of powerful men—but none carried themselves quite like this.
"My gut says it's a recipe for making a man stubbornly dangerous," she murmured aloud, sparking flints from snapping her fingers. A flicker of flame danced across her palm, igniting the dry leaves. Iron Skin activated within her hands, glowing faintly as she fed energy into the fire. Gazing down at the ring adorning her finger—the royal insignia of his family—her cheeks flushed slightly.
"A dangerous man," she smirked, leaning back against the sand. "But you'll be 'my' dangerous man, Atlas."
For the first time in what felt like ages, she allowed herself a moment of peace. Twenty-four hours of vigilance had worn her thin, but here, under the golden light filtering through the canopy above, she finally relaxed. Closing her eyes, she let the warmth seep into her skin, banishing the chill of uncertainty for just a little while longer.
'Maybe I should take my chances today,' she thought idly. 'I'm older. I should make the first move…'
Her gaze drifted upward, drawn inexplicably to the light. It shimmered brighter than before, growing larger by the second. Confusion rippled through her mind as realization dawned too late.
"What the fuck? Is that normal?" she muttered, squinting against the blinding glow.
"ELI!" Atlas's voice tore through the air, panic lacing every syllable. He sprinted toward her, boots crunching against the earth. "DODGE! IT'S FALLING!"
Eli's head snapped back, her eyes widening as comprehension struck. The light wasn't expanding—it was descending. Fast. With a curse tearing past her lips, she leapt sideways just as the massive fruit slammed into the ground where she'd been resting moments earlier.
BOOM!
Sand erupted in all directions, scattering their makeshift camp into oblivion. Dust choked the air, mingling with the acrid scent of scorched earth. For several heartbeats, silence reigned—a deafening void punctuated only by the sound of their ragged breathing.
"..."
"ELI!" Atlas shouted again, dropping to his knees beside her. His arms wrapped tightly around her trembling form, pulling her close. "You good?"
"Yeah…" she rasped, coughing as dust settled around them. "What the fuck happened? I thought this was supposed to be a safe zone!"
Atlas nodded grimly, his gaze fixed on the fallen fruit. Its radiant glow dimmed slowly, receding like a tide retreating from shore. "Yeah," he admitted, his voice heavy with resignation. "It seems I was wrong."
"So we're fucked… again," Eli said flatly, clutching him tighter. There was no humor in her tone, only weary acceptance.
"Yeah," Atlas echoed softly, his eyes scanning the horizon. Darkness crept inward, swallowing the light bit by bit. His Truth Eyes revealed the truth: red stains spreading like spilled blood across the landscape. Death itself seemed to breathe upon them, cold and inevitable.
"....maybe not just fucked," he added bitterly. "Royally fucked."
Before either could speak further, a hoarse whisper sliced through the air, deafening in its intensity:
{...Finally...}
{...ItS TiME...}
The voice reverberated through the realm, shaking bones and shattering nerves. Whatever awaited them next would not be kind.
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Monster's Guide
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Chapter 13: The Voidveil: A Monster of Living Darkness
Description: The Voidveil is a Limitless mass of sentient darkness, a shifting abyss that devours light and sound. Its surface crawls with infinite glowing eyes and sprouting mouths filled with jagged teeth, ready to consume anything—flesh, steel, or hope. Slipping through shadows, it hunts in silence, growing stronger at night and leaving only dread behind.
Strengths:
Infinite Eyes: Countless glowing orbs track every movement, seeing through walls and lies alike. Infinite Mouths: Ever-shifting maws bite through anything, swallowing prey into an icy void. Light and Sound Devourer: Absorbs illumination and noise, paralyzing foes with silent terror. Shadow Spawn: Post-feast, it releases shadow wisps that grow into new Voidveils elsewhere.
Weakness:
Bright Light: Torches or sunlight shrink it, dimming its eyes and weakening its form.
Survival Tip: Face the Voidveil with a blazing light and a rousing tune. Sing loud, shine bright, and you'll send this living night scrambling, leaving you to strut away from its hungry depths!
Page 86
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