Arriving at the destination where the red mark blinked, he stood high on a raised platform overlooking the playground before him. He could not help but stare at the large number of cats that still came out to follow him. Many cats were so extraordinary that he wondered where they all came from.
The final stage of the quest has begun. You have come into a complete circle. Your tracks shall be the line that connects all points towards one another. Please read these words out loud, and the quest shall be complete.
First, visualize yourself being protected by a white light that covers your body like a thick bubble. Then, breathe deeply, and imagine your negative energy leaving when exhaling out.
From the four corners of the earth,
I call upon the winds of the North.
Its calming breeze. Please lend me your guidance and wrap your calming presence like the water cleansing the ground around me.
I call upon the winds of the East.
Its fiery breath burns away all impure energies that mean me harm.
I call upon the winds of the South.
Its stable foundation of peace keeps me safe like mother earth.
Finally, I call upon the winds of the West.
The blessing of the winds brings all the winds together to turn into one.
Let the door from the living and the dead finally be purified from the power of the words. Let there be once more peace on this land.
Thank you, wind from the West.
Thank you, wind from the South.
Thank you, wind from the East.
Thank you, wind from the North.
Let the harmony of the world finally come back to its rightful place.
"Are you serious? I'm supposed to say this?" said Kiyro. He felt uncomfortable saying this weird chant.
"We don't have time," Sylph said hurriedly as he fluttered around Kiyro's head. "The number of cats is increasing as you loiter around."
Kiyro looked up and noticed the number of cats increased, making him more uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and straightened his back. He envisioned the cleansing white bubble-like energy around him and breathed out, imagining exhaling the dark emotions and energy back out into the world.
"From the four corners of the earth, I call upon the winds of the North. Its calming breeze, please lend me your guidance and wrap your calming presence like the water cleansing the ground around me."
The wind around him increased its speed, bringing a colder breeze. He shivered from the cold and could feel goosebumps rising from his skin. It was still a summer night. He was surprised that a cold breeze would come during July.
"I call upon the winds of the East. Its fiery breath burns away all impure energies that mean me harm."
The cat meowing grew louder and louder as he continued his chant. Winds kicked up dust and blew around him, making concentrating slightly difficult.
"I call upon the winds of the South. Its stable foundation of peace keeps me safe like mother earth."
Kiyro felt oppressive energy that he had not felt in a long time. If he could give it a name, it was anger, agitation, and the will to destroy. He knew where it was coming from: it was from the dark shadows that stalked around him in a circle. They were not too close to him, nor were they too far. A couple tried to encroach upon him but were stopped short by the cats chasing after them. From black to white, many multi-colored cats surrounded him on all sides.
The cats hissed and spat, and many ran after the shadow people screaming and throwing a fit, stopping the shadow people from encroaching any closer.
"You're almost there!" yelled Sylph.
"Finally, I call upon the winds of the West." Kiyro's voice grew louder and louder.
The shadow people grew bolder, taking the risk to jump in towards him. Even though Kiyro could not hear the scream of the shadow people, he could already feel their frustration towards him. They wanted him to stop. He felt the overwhelming oppressive energy that felt like it could swallow his soul and destroy him in one crushing blow.
Kiyro did not understand why these shadows were so adamant about stopping him. Each time they got closer, they became more solid in form, and different body shapes could be seen. Finally, with cold sweat, he hurried forward with his last few sentences.
"The blessing of the winds brings all the winds together to turn into one."
The howling wind intensified, almost sounding like the screeching yells of the dying. A loud rustling of footsteps appeared on the ground, running towards him at full speed. From top to bottom, the ghastly forms slowly become solid. Kiyro could already see the bottom half become solid as the shadow person came closer and closer. Claw-like hands appeared before him, reaching toward him with the intent to kill.
Kiyro was about to step back, but instead, he braced forward. Waiting to move out at the right moment. He knew he could not stay still; his mind was racing with different thoughts.
"Let the door from the living and the dead finally be purified from the power of the words."
In a giant leap, one of the shadow people that was fully solid rushed towards him with hands outstretched. It swiped its claws, reaching for Kiyro's throat, ready to tear it apart. Kiyro raised his hands up to block the blow and his eyes closed. His feet instinctively moved out to the side.
"Let there be once more peace on this land," said Kiyro hurriedly.
The wind around him abruptly stopped, and even the howling of the cats was no more. Then, slowly opening his eyes in-between his fingers, he saw that there were no more cats nor the dark shadows. Instead, he was alone once again with Sylph.
"They're gone?" said Sylph, appalled at what had happened throughout the ordeal. "I can't believe they just left. I don't know what they were doing, but you should've seen the cats. They're all crazy. I say."
Kiyro was about to ask Sylph, and he remembered his last lines. He put his hand to his side.
"Thank you, wind from the West. Thank you, wind from the South. Thank you, wind from the East. Thank you, wind from the North. Let the world's harmony finally return to its rightful place." Kiyro bowed respectfully in each direction and clasped his hands in prayer. With one final breath, he gave a large sigh of relief. He finally felt truly at peace. No more were there any shadow people walking at the edge of his visions. No more were there any cats surrounding him, making him feel really uncomfortable. The strange occurrence that had happened today has finally stopped, and everything returned to normal.
Words could not describe what he went through today. It was too surreal and supernatural that it made him feel like he was dreaming. But this was not the case. He felt a sharp pain on the side of his cheek. He reached up and lightly brushed his hands against his face. Hot sticky blood covered his fingers, making him realize that everything that happened before him was real.
When did he get hurt? He did not remember nor realize how he had gotten it. All the adrenaline pumping through his body finally settled down, making him feel tired all at once. His muscles felt overused, and in pain, his legs and feet pounded from all the running, and sleepiness started to take over.
Real World Hidden Quest: Alpha Divisions' individual quest has been completed. The Real World Hidden Quest: Alpha Divisions is still not completed.
Total Individual quest that needs to be completed 3333 worldwide. 1120/3333 completed at this time.
The curse is still in effect in the world of Noriene, but the effect has lessened to the point where it does not bother people's everyday lives. The completion of the quest has been added to the rest of the quests. There are more quests out there in the world. Help out the other players to complete their quests. There is a week left till the quest is completed.
Your reward has been sent. A total of $150 were directly deposited into your bank account. All experience points have been sent to your character in Growth. You have leveled up by two levels. Thank you for your help.
A map of the nearest Real World Hidden Quest: Alpha Divisions are shown on your map. You can call out Alpha Division to see the nearest available quest. Please remember some of the quests may have already been taken or have not started.
Kiyro felt too sluggish to care about the other quests and turned around slowly towards his home. He felt completely drained, tired, and sluggish.
"Are you alright?" Sylph asked; he curiously peered towards him, wondering what Kiyro would do next.
"I'm tired." Kiyro bluntly replied. His feet felt like lead, making it difficult to move forward. He had about a fifteen-minute walk back home, and each step was heavier than the next. "You got a promise to keep."
"About that…" Sylph scooted away from him. "I lied."
"You serious!" Kiyro was fully awake in that instant. His anger flared, ready to throttle Sylph by the throat. In the beginning, he should've known better than to be fooled by Sylph's words.
"Look. I had a mission to complete, and I needed you to finish yours. I did my job. So I'll be going now." Sylph flew off his shoulder and disappeared into the night.
"Come back here, you fake bird! If I get my hands on you, I'll destroy you!" Kiyro cussed and stormed.
"That lying bird. I should've never told him I wanted to see my brother. The next time I see him, I'm plucking out every feather off his back." Kiyro silently cursed in his head.
"Does he think this is some kind of joke? Playing me as some kind of fool." He stopped and sighed. He was an idiot to fall for such a simple trick. He was a fool to believe such an easy lie, and he was easily played to complete the quest.
"On the bright side, I have finished the quest and got something out of it. They really paid for the quest. Here I thought I would get more game money than real money."
Kiyro was a little relieved. If there were simpler quests without cats and shadow people, he decided he could do a couple more to gain more money. Then, yawning, sleep washed over him. He looked onwards and sighed. It would be a long walk, especially when he was tired.
Kiyro sluggishly continued towards his apartment, ready to collapse when he arrived home.