The new goddess floated in the air, taking in her surroundings with an innocence that belied the incident she had just been a part of. Her eyes, wide and shimmering like twin golden orbs, glimmered with curiosity as she observed the desolate salt lands stretching out beneath her, their surface cracked and barren under the relentless sun.
Far below, the remnants of Mitia's children scurried aimlessly, their queen's guiding presence no longer leading them. The young goddess watched them with a sense of kinship. Her gaze softened as she felt a connection to these creatures, an echo of the goddess whose essence had given her life.
With a gentle wave of her slender hand, she reached out to the termites, her golden eyes glowing with a soft, otherworldly light. The surviving creatures halted their frantic movements, their confusion replaced by a calm acceptance. They gathered beneath her, forming a protective circle as if recognizing her as their new leader, their antennae twitching.
The goddess descended gracefully, her feet barely brushing the ground as she landed among them. She crouched down, her dark dress billowing around her like a cloud, and placed her hand on the cracked earth, feeling the residual warmth of Mitia's dungeon. A flood of Aether and mana washed over her, her body absorbing it with ease, the energy swirling around her like a gentle breeze.
As she absorbed these energies, the dungeon collapsed, fading out of existence as the energy required to sustain it was drained away. The surviving creatures suddenly underwent a drastic change, their forms expanding and reshaping before her eyes.
They grew much larger and more imposing than their predecessors, standing at an impressive height of seven meters with a length of twenty meters. Their exoskeletons shimmered with a dark iridescence, hues of purple and black swirling across their surfaces like storm clouds in perpetual motion. Their bodies were sleek and segmented, adorned with intricate patterns that pulsed with an electric glow, reminiscent of lightning dancing across a stormy sky.
Their glistening brown scales gave way to a layer of crystalline armor that glistened like black glass, catching the light with every movement. Their powerful mandibles, now two meters long, were sharp and serrated, capable of slicing through the toughest of materials with ease.
From their backs emerged six translucent wings that crackled with energy, each beat of their wings creating small ripples of static in the air. Long, sensitive antennae extended from their heads, crackling with static electricity, attuned to the world around them.
Each termite now emitted a stormy aura that shrouded them in a veil of swirling winds and crackling lightning, the air around them alive with energy. The young goddess smiled, a gentle expression of pride and affection, and the three hundred and fifty newly evolved monsters of mass destruction dispersed into mist, fusing with the cloudy end of her dress, becoming a part of her.
As if on cue, the sky itself suddenly split apart. A bright golden light burst from within the tear, casting radiant beams across the desolate landscape. Three figures descended, their forms silhouetted against the brilliance, each one emitting a divine radiance that set the air aglow.
The young goddess tilted her head innocently as she stared at the figures before her, her expression curious yet unafraid. Each of them emitted a divine radiance, their white wings glowing like rainbows, shimmering in the light.
The one in the middle stepped forward, her feminine voice flowing with the wind, carrying a melody of authority and warmth. "Greetings, Awakened One," she intoned, her gaze meeting the young goddess's with a mixture of respect and curiosity.
////
"How long is this going to go on for?" Chrome raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at a prone Sally, who had locked Maple into a hug for over twenty minutes while still on the ground. Sally was still clinging to Maple, her heart filled with relief and joy, her face buried in Maple's shoulder. The rest of the group looked on with a mixture of amusement and curiosity, some of them exchanging knowing glances.
Jurai had a knowing smirk on her face, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I knew it," she said, her tone teasing as she nudged Dagi with her elbow.
After a moment, Sally released Maple, stepping back with a sheepish grin, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry, I got a little carried away," she admitted, brushing her hair back from her face with a nervous chuckle. Ignoring the cooing wolf kin, she added, "I just felt like if I let you go, you'd just go do something unbelievable again."
Maple laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I missed you too, Sally. I was starting to get really worried, and what do you mean I'll do something unbelievable? I didn't do this," she said, gesturing around with a bemused expression.
Sally went ahead and introduced Dagi, Jurai, and the others to Maple, who greeted them with her usual friendliness, her demeanor warm and welcoming. The atmosphere was light, filled with the excitement of reunion, laughter and chatter filling the air.
Mai and Yui wasted no time in enveloping Sally in a bone-breaking hug, their arms squeezing her tightly as they laughed. Sally let out a surprised yelp before joining in their laughter, her heart light with joy.
Sally and Maple and the rest of Maple Tree then excused themselves as they went into one of the empty rooms, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway.
"Okay, Sally, you can let go now," Chrome said as he found a seat along with the twins, but Maple could not, as Sally had latched herself to her, not letting go.
"I don't want to," Sally pouted, clinging to Maple as if she might disappear at any moment. Maple placed her hand on her hair, gently smoothing it down. "There, there," she murmured, her voice soothing.
"I'm not a kid," Sally's cheeks grew hot, a red tint showing as she blushed. Her smile faded, and her face gained a sorrowful look, her eyes clouded with memories. "It's been months. I... I thought I'd never see you guys again. When you all went missing, my life went dark, like there was no color in the world," she confessed, her voice trembling with emotion.
Chrome gritted his teeth, a heavy feeling settling in his stomach. "And Iz?" he asked, his voice rough with worry. She was the longest friend he had in the game, his best friend. They'd even met IRL once.
Sally looked down, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. "She was... In some ways better off than me. She never stopped looking for you guys. She even had this crazy idea that you were all trapped in the game and she was going to find you. I guess it was her way of coping with the loss," she said, her voice a mixture of admiration and sadness.
Tears streamed down the twins' eyes as they cried, their sobs mingling with Sally's quiet words. "That's so sad~" Mai sobbed, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "Our friends~" Yui cried loudly, her voice echoing in the room. Chrome couldn't hold back the tears, and he sobbed, placing his hand over his face, his shoulders shaking with emotion.
Maple found herself feeling not as sad as she wanted to. It was a rather weird feeling, as if a part of her had already accepted the situation. "What about the others?" she asked, her voice gentle yet probing.
Sally gained some color in her face, and she gave a slight smile, a flicker of hope lighting her eyes. "Kasumi kept playing the game with Iz. She told me she would be taking care of Iz as she regained herself. Yeah, I forgot to mention we all met IRL after the incident. Everyone was there—Payne, Mii, Velvet, even Lily. They made things a little better, I guess, with their support." Maple smiled at this, thinking of her self-proclaimed rivals, her heart warming at the thought of their friendship.
"But," Sally quivered, her hands trembling slightly, and the mood of the room seemed to sink further. "After the meeting IRL, I lost contact with Kanade. The first month he barely spoke to us, then he sent fewer messages until he completely stopped. I figured he needed some time alone, so I didn't push for contact." Sally took a deep breath, her voice steadying. Maple hugged her best friend, her embrace offering comfort and reassurance. "It's probably nothing. Kanade is one of the smartest people I know. He's fine."
Sally chuckled, her laughter a little shaky. "You're different from the Maple I remember. More composed... I think. I'm the one breaking down," she said, her voice lightening with humor.
Maple answered almost immediately as she held Sally in her embrace, her voice firm and resolute. "I hate this world." Sally's eyes widened at that, a small smirk forming on her face as she met Maple's gaze. "Makes sense. I'm not exactly fond of it either."
She finally separated from Maple, her movements slow and deliberate, as she looked at the rest of her guild mates, her expression determined. "I'm guessing there's no way back."
Chrome rubbed his tears off his face before taking a deep breath, his chest rising and falling with the motion. "None that we know of," he said, his voice heavy with resignation. Maple finally took a seat, her posture relaxed but her eyes serious. "I hate this world, but we're stuck here. And there are some nice people," she added, her voice softening.
Chrome clapped his hands together, the sharp sound cutting through the room's heavy atmosphere. "But with our favorite strategist finally here, I have a feeling things are going to get a lot more interesting," he declared, his tone lightening as he tried to inject some optimism into the conversation.
Maple chuckled, the sound bright and infectious. "You say that like it's a good thing," she said, a teasing lilt to her voice as she shot Chrome a playful glance. Sally raised an eyebrow at this, curiosity piqued. "That bad?" she asked, her voice a mix of intrigue and amusement.
Maple drilled her gaze into Chrome, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Kuromu died," she accused, her tone mock-serious.
Chrome laughed nervously, shaking his hands in front of him as if to ward off the accusation. "I came back immediately after," he insisted, his expression earnest.
Sally jumped at that, her body tensing with surprise. "What? Are you okay, Chrome?" she asked, worry knitting her brow as she leaned forward, her eyes scanning him for any signs of injury.
Chrome rubbed his hands over his head sheepishly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "It's all cool. My skill saved me," he reassured, trying to dispel the concern with a grin.
Maple had a thoughtful look on her face as she asked, "Oh yeah? I forgot to ask, how did you do that?" Her curiosity was genuine, her interest piqued by Chrome's mysterious ability.
Chrome smiled, his expression one of pride and excitement. "Well, my skill Soul Syphon has evolved to become something crazy, like Maple crazy. Each soul I Syphon through the skill becomes an extra life for me. Pretty neat, huh?" he explained, his voice filled with enthusiasm.
Silence reigned in the room as even the twins paused their sobbing, their attention riveted by Chrome's revelation.
"That's.... Awesome!" Maple's eyes twinkled with excitement as she cheered, clapping her hands together. Sally shook with awe, her expression one of disbelief. "That's insane," she breathed. The twins joined Maple in her cheer, with Mai nodding sagely. "Chrome's unkillable now," she said, her voice filled with a mix of wonder and delight.
"Not entirely... But close," Chrome warned, raising a hand in caution. Even with the new function of his skill, he knew he could still be defeated by people with high destructive abilities, as they could eat through his lives quickly.
They kept on talking for a few more minutes, the conversation lively and animated as they caught up on old times and shared stories of their adventures.
Then Sally brought up an issue that had been weighing on her mind. "About the women I brought with me," she began, her voice hesitant but determined. "What are we going to do? I don't want to just leave them on their own. They don't have anywhere to go, and they're pregnant too," she explained, her voice filled with concern.
Maple smiled, her expression warm and reassuring. "They're your friends, right?" she asked, her voice gentle.
Sally turned to her, nodding. "Yeah, they've been taking care of me. I would probably have gotten lost without them," she admitted, her voice tinged with gratitude.
Maple stood, her hands on her hips and her posture confident. "Then they'll join the guild," she declared, her voice firm and decisive, as if the matter was already settled.
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The silence had returned.