NATHAN
I led us into a labyrinth. Even though the mountain range is something I should be used to, I still lead us down a path I wasn't familiar with. I could feel her irritation building up though she was quiet. We hadn't left the mountain range in ages and time was running out. Our options were also limited. However, she chose to keep the book she found.
"You know, I think we've gone in circles long enough. If we're lost, can't you just break us out again? Going in circles is incredibly frustrating."
"Right. I'm sorry, my lady."
Breaking out of an illusion requires a little effort and technique. One has to find the gaps in the technique and begin dismantling them. But Succubus makes amazing illusions that are quite hard to break out of. Legends say she seduced a hundred thousand men with her illusions and collected their magic to ascend. Her ability is simply ridiculous.
However, things that are overly perfect usually have a simple flaw.
"My lady, hand me that book please."
"Are you going to destroy it?"
"No. I'm not able to read it or destroy it. What I'm able to do is use it as a key."
I was able to carve a doorway and use the book as the key to getting out. The book slid through the invisible doorway, so I knew I had succeeded. I knew she would be skeptical about going out first so I simply did what I thought was right and pushed her out.
"NATHAN!" I heard her yell when I was out the other side. We were out of the mountain range and in the middle of a strange forest. I assumed we were at the bottom of the mountain range because I could still see its snowy peak.
"You're safe and so is the book. it's not too good to nag too much, my lady."
"I will wring your neck, you bastard!"
"What kind words. I am fine too, thank you for asking."
"I didn't ask. Get us out of this dimension, not just that stupid illusion. I did not come here to get embroiled in your drama, Nathan."
She's right. I brought her here and made her participate in this contest when she didn't have to. She didn't deserve to suffer through all this. I was slacking, failing to find my body in the first place.
"I'm sorry, my lady. It seems I've forgotten who I am. Please, close your eyes."
"You'd better not hurt me."
"I wouldn't dare."
It's always so cute when she's obedient. The way she closed her eyes too was cute. If I had a daughter, perhaps, she would be as cute as she was.
"Hmm, let's see now. What spell would be perfect for this? Ah! I know!"
There was one spell in my repertoire that I had for situations like these. I was once caught up in Succubus's barriers in the past and almost couldn't break out by myself. It was the whole reason I had this spell.
It started with drawing a small magic circle into the ground. With a little blood, it'll continue to widen and make little dents into the illusion until it shatters and we can leave.
"Is it done yet?"
"No, my lady. You can't open your eyes just yet. But I'll be holding you now. We might have to levitate for a while. Is that okay?"
"As long as we're out of here."
I had absolute faith in my ability to shatter the dimension. What began to scare me as the fracture appeared on the formerly perfect ground, was the fact that I wouldn't be able to protect Winifred. Her words might be more prickly than a cactus but she had faith in me. Undeniable faith. So, I wrapped my arms around her body, ready to risk it all to protect her.
Risking my life to protect such a mysterious and intriguing human. It was such an irony, really.
The crack continued to grow as we observed from above. From her constant fidgeting, I could tell she was impatient but she really couldn't handle the view of the world shattering, even if it was a fake world. Her consciousness was not yet developed to handle such a burden.
"Nathan?"
"Yes, my lady?"
"Is it just me or does it feel overwhelmingly warm?"
Ah. Sh*t!
"What if I told you the world was on fire? Is that a good joke?"
"Don't ever tell a joke again, Nathan."
"Your ability to break a man is impeccably cruel, my lady. But that shall not stop me."
"Of course not. You're the king of shamelessness."
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FERDINARD
I thought I was making good progress. So far, I crossed all hurdles despite the back-breaking challenges and was ready to make it to the next stage. As I wondered just how much of my soul and lifespan I had possibly chipped away by making it to this stage, everything began to crumble. This was not how I imagined this round going.
I heard it before I saw it; Trees, lakes, and sky fracturing like they were pieces of a brittle stone, carrying the harsh symphony of destruction. It moved steadily like a force of nature, eradicating every sign of life in its wake. Even though it was just a dimension, it really felt like the world was coming to an end. I could not stop it or run from it. I didn't know how to escape from a dimension. It felt like I had reached the end.
As I faced imminent death, a few faces came to mind. There was the fierce and strict Cierce. She always remembered to keep me in line and has remained loyal to me despite the many challenges she went through with me as a female knight. Then my beloved daughter, Winifred. Cierce had a large ego but Winifred's dwarfed hers by far. Confidence wasn't the right word for what ailed her. She would no doubt have a hard life with me gone. And...
"Hmm? A stray prince. Shall I pick you up, dear prince?"
The voice that disrupted my final thoughts was so strange yet so familiar. It carried a similar lackadaisical attitude that one of my aides had. The voice echoed in my head from no direction and before I could find who was speaking to me, the destruction swept by me.
My eyes shut by reflex as I wondered what happened to souls that are destroyed. If the body dies, the soul leaves but if the soul dies, what remains of the person it bore? Perhaps only eternal disintegration remains.
"No, princeling. You're not dead."
It was the same voice again, compelling me to open my eyes. I did and found that I was descending onto the colosseum, the last of the dimension vanishing into nothingness. What awaited me below was a myriad of horrified expressions from gods and champions alike.
I wasn't the only one descending. The man that dared to challenge the gods and the woman that accompanied him were also there, slowly descending with me. There was no one else. I could only assume they saved me. But why?
"NATHAN! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
The colosseum shook with her voice rich with rage. Even though her shout shook the heavens, it didn't bother our descent. We finally touched the colosseum and the trembling abruptly stopped.
"Could you not yell, Oriel? You're giving me a headache," he replied, without even looking at the goddess. She trembled on her throne.
"HOW DARE YOU?!"
"You were going to kill them anyway. You can't fault me for doing it earlier. Now, if you disturb my lady again, I'll have to send you to meet them."