Aponshe and I wandered the Dark Temple and noticed lamp posts lighting up with purple flames as we walked by them. We noticed a large door in front of us and stopped. The Shadowmare and Skullberus Cards appeared in front of us then flew over to the door. The door shined and slowly opened. A small purple orb of energy floated toward us and floated around me.
"The Seed of Shadows...or also known as the Seed of Darkness and the Essence of Corruption shall guide you through this Temple. I am...The Lord of Darkness, Kuragari...The Ancient Monster that swallows Light...Reach the end of my Dark Temple and you will be faced with a final test.." The voice said to us.
"Kuragari...The Ancient Monster that swallows Light. I never thought...we would be able to meet such an entity. Seems like the only monster we have to work with is the Seed of Shadows. Its stats are horrendous as well.." Aponshe said.
[Scanning...]
{Name: Seed of Shadows}
Strength: F {10}
Defense: F {10}
Magic: F {10}
"It is just an essence. It appears we need it for some kind of puzzle. Let's continue forward and see what we can use this little one for." I said.
Aponshe and I walked through the door and entered the true Dark Temple. The doors closed behind us and we pushed forward. The Seed of Shadows followed us and floated off quickly to show a stone tablet on the ground. Aponshe walked toward it and crouched down then picked it up.
"Looks like some type of key." Aponshe said and stood up then looked at me. "We should find the door this goes to."
I nodded and watched Aponshe hurry forward. I followed her and looked around more. We traversed around and encountered our first puzzle. The puzzle involved flipping five switches in the right order. A faint memory appeared in my head and I grunted softly, holding my head.
'What the hell was that..? It was like I saw the answer...' I thought to myself.
I walked toward the switches and flipped the third one first then the second. Afterwards I flipped the fourth switch, the first switch, and finally the fifth switch. I heard rumbling and the sliding doors opened slowly.
"Wow...first try.." Aponshe said as she was impressed.
"I had a faint memory...it was like I've done this puzzle before...or like I've been through this Temple in the past." I said.
Aponshe smiled at me and walked forward. "Maybe you have~ Who knows..~"
I watched her and noticed the Seed of Shadows follow her. I followed behind and let out a soft chuckle. "Who knows.."
We began to wander around the Temple once again and followed the Seed of Shadows then noticed Spirits forming in front of us. The Seed of Shadows quickly hid behind me and I looked back at it.
"Finally...some action!" Aponshe said and summoned her staff.
I summoned my sword and summoned my Ent Girl. "I agree...I've been itching for more souls."
Aponshe licked her lips then dashed forward. She struck one of the Spirits with her staff and knocked them away. She twirled her staff and spun around then swung get staff, firing a beam from the tip of her staff and killing a few Spirits. She noticed one Spirit sneak behind her, but smirked when she noticed I had kicked them away.
I ran forward and killed a few Spirits that were after me. My Ent Girl used roots to strike down multiple Spirits then raised her arms and thorns shot up from the ground and struck multiple Spirits. I formed blades of darkness behind me and fired them at the Spirits and struck them down.
"Seems like you learned a new technique and got yourself new Monsters!~" Aponshe said and hurled her orb at a Spirit's face and blew their head off.
"While you were still asleep, I went on a bit of an Expedition with Dahlia, Hikomi, and Guinevere. That's how I got my new Monsters and learned this technique." I said and launched an orb of dark energy at another spirit and struck them down.
Aponshe giggled and twirled her staff then tapped the bottom of her staff on the ground. "I still have to thank you for such a wonderful night..~"
"Thank me later." I said and twirled my sword around then it disappeared.
We defeated the remaining Spirits in our path then a treasure chest formed in the middle of the room, letting us know we cleared the room. I walked toward the chest and kicked it open then an item floated upwards.
[Acquired a Small Key.]
I grabbed the small key and looked back then noticed a door that was chained. "Looks like I found what this is for."
We walked toward the chained door and I used the key to unlock the next room. We walked through the door and inside was an altar. The Seed of Shadows rushed toward the altar and activated it. The altar shined brightly then my Shadowmare and Skullberus were summoned and appeared in front of us.
The three monsters turned into energy particles then a magic circle formed on the ground. The three entered the magic circle then powerful dark aura surged from the magic circle. Aponshe watched in awe and excitement. A small purple and black humanoid creature emerged from the magic circle and let out a powerful cry.
[Fusion Complete.]
[Acquired Kuragari: 10%]
[Scanning...]
{Name: Kuragari (10%)}
Strength: D {90}
Defense: D {75}
Magic: D {80}
"Impressive...You have acquired 10% of my full power. Your task is yet to be completed. The next step...would be to acquire a Legendary Monster that can only be acquired through Fusion named Viropheir, The Dragon of Shadows...To acquire her you need three monsters, A Draco Girl, A Reaper, and a Lich Girl. There is a Shadow Merchant in the Temple where you can acquire all three. Find them...and seek out further instructions.." Kuragari said.
Kuragari floated toward us and stuck close to us. It didn't seem like the same Kuragari that spoke to us, but a mere fraction of his original form. A form we still needed to acquire.
"I guess it's back to wandering around aimlessly." I said.
"Yep...but at least we got somewhere~ Most don't even make it to this point!" Aponshe said and smiled at me.
"I suppose so.." I said and looked at Kuragari.
We pushed forward and began to wander around the Temple once more. We noticed the Temple growing darker and darker as we went deeper into the Temple. Aponshe stuck close to me so we wouldn't get separated.
"It's growing too dark...I can barely see anything!" Aponshe said and her voice echoed.
I looked around and bumped into a wall. I placed my hand on the invisible wall and grunted. I looked around then noticed Aponshe was missing. "Aponshe? Kuragari?"
My voice only echoed with the silence. I wandered around and tried to find my way through the maze. All I had with me was my Ent Girl.
[Event: Nightmare]
Aponshe looked around for me and held Kuragari in her arms. "Master...where did you go..?"
Aponshe noticed a large shadowy beast appear before her and she stopped in her tracks. Kuragari and Aponshe looked at the beast and couldn't move. The beast's presence alone had petrified them.
[Choose your Fate...]
{Find a way back to Aponshe and Kuragari...}
{Find a way out of the maze.}
I decided to try and find Aponshe and Kuragari. As I wandered around the maze, trying to find Aponshe and Kuragari, I noticed a dark blue mist forming around the area. My movements as well as my Ent Girl's movements became more sluggish. We began to grow sleepy until we collapsed and entered a deep slumber.
An hour passed and I felt like my head was laid against a pillow. I was released from my slumber and opened my eyes to be met with the sight of beautiful breasts. I sat up and held my head then noticed I was still in the dungeon.
"What the..." I said and looked at the woman who supposedly nursed me.
She was an elven woman of indescribable beauty...She had very clean skin, long golden hair, beautiful blue eyes, and beautiful body with moderately sized breasts. She wore a flower crown made from roses on her head, a green bra that seemed to be made from leaves, a long green skirt with thigh splits on both sides that was also made from leaves, and vines around her legs. She also wore green heels to match her outfit. She had a wooden staff at her side that had a Devil Shard within it.
"Ahh you have finally awakened~" The woman said with a smile.
"Who...are you?" I asked as I looked at the woman.
"My name is Meliae. I am an Overlord like you are." Meliae answered.
"You saved me..? Are we out of the maze?" I asked.
"We are. It seems like you've run into a beast known as Nightmare. That beasts alters your sense of direction and even causes you to get lost in its domain, the Shadow Maze. The only way out of here is by defeating that beast." Meliae answered and stood up.
I stood up as well and looked at my Ent Girl who was resting peacefully against a bush Meliae sprouted using her magic. "So you're an Overlord right? You don't seem to have any...evil aura within you."
"Well...I was born within the ranks of the Heavenly Order. My mother is the Earth Goddess, Gaia. I was casted aside because I had the ability to summon Nature Monsters and I was closely associated with Phusis, Lord of Nature...who is an Ancient Monster who once destroyed civilization with the other eight Ancient Monsters." Meliae explained.
"Lord of Nature...Another Contract Monster and you're associated to him? You have your own domain don't you?" I asked.
"I do, but I recently stumbled upon Astarfall when I learned of the Dark Temple's reappearance...and your connection to Kuragari one of the most powerful Ancient Monsters to exist." Meliae said.
'Hmm...my connection to Kuragari. I didn't even realize I was connected to him. That only means he sees me as worthy to use his power..' I thought to myself.
"I see...have you seen my Dark Servant and Kuragari when you found me?" I asked.
"No, I only spotted you and your Ent Girl. It sounds like they are also victims to Nightmare. Nightmare can only be defeated by a Shrine Maiden unfortunately. Only a Shrine Maiden can get through their effects, but Shrine Maidens are heroes so it's impossible to defeat Nightmare without any form of Light Elemental abilities." Meliae said.
"I have a Shrine Maiden, but she's in the city defending it from the Heroes that are invading...however I can change my Element at will thanks to my System." I said.
"Ahh I forgot you're the only Overlord with a system. If this is the case, we can take on Nightmare!" Meliae said with confidence.
"Show me the way, we are taking this beast down." I said.
"Right!" Meliae said.
[Meliae has become an ally.]
.....
Aponshe dodged the dark beam Nightmare fired at her and slid backwards. She grunted as she noticed Spirits forming around her and Kuragari. "What the hell is going on?! Master, where are you?!"
The Spirits rushed toward Aponshe and she noticed them disappear one by one. Kuragari seemed surprised and stopped firing dark energy blasts then noticed a sword land in front of them. They looked up and noticed me descending to the ground in my Awakened Form.
Nightmare looked at me and roared. I grabbed my sword and dashed toward him then slid under his legs then slashed in a circle, dealing super effective damage to him. Nightmare roared in pain then let out an enraged roar and began to emit dark blue mist around the battlefield, but Meliae made the mist disappear using her Ace A+ Rank Monster, Terradrake.
"Master and...a Dark Queen?!" Aponshe asked in shock.
"Aponshe! Let's take down Nightmare!" I called out and changed her element to the Light Element.
Aponshe looked at me then smiled and nodded. "Alright!"
Nightmare roared and began thrashing about, but we dodged his attacks. I flew toward him and generated blades of light and used a burst of speed to strike him from all directions, using my blades of light to also strike him. Nightmare groaned in pain then Meliae rode on the back of her Earth Dragon and she fired orbs of earth magic at Nightmare.
Aponshe launched multiple orbs of light at Nightmare and struck him then grabbed her orb and charged up a powerful beam of light. She fired the beam at him and struck him in his weak spot.
Nightmare fell onto one knee and entered a recovery state. I generated light particles in the air and the particles of light formed into blades and I sent them crashing into Nightmare. The blades of light struck Nightmare and multiple explosions happened. A bright light shined and a massive explosion occured.
[Notice: Nightmare has been defeated.]
The smoke cleared and a second treasure chest formed. I reverted back to my normal form and landed on the ground. Meliae landed beside me on her Terradrake.
Aponshe hurried toward me and held my arm then smiled happily. "Master!~ Oh I've missed you so much..!~"
"I wasn't even gone for that long...I don't think I was." I said.
"You've been missing for an HOUR! That's a pretty long time!" Aponshe said and looked at Meliae. "Also who's she?"
"My name is Meliae, Ruler of the Florentius Domain and Overlord of Nature. I saved your Master from the Sloth Spell that Nightmare set up." Meliae said and smiled.
"I give you my many thanks, Mistress Meliae~" Aponshe said and smiled.
"Let's take a little rest...We need some time to regroup before we continue any further." I said.
"I agree." Aponshe said and nodded.
"Alright, I can get behind that." Meliae said.
{To Be Continued}