Ethan opened his eyes, but Zelda kept her eyes closed. Everyone's faces were streaked with tears. Everyone was still alive. He turned around, looking up. The cube was floating above the mountain and started to spin slowly. The lava had stopped flowing and seemed to cool down and harden.
"Alas, Sophia, what do you think that is."
A metallic voice spoke.
"Click, I am the inter-realm system called MDK,"
Mei commented as she looked up at the cube.
"Alas, sounds harmless. There is nothing to fear then."
Ethan did not share the same sentiment.
"Alas, what is your purpose here? What does MDK mean?"
"Click, the conditions have been triggered. Nexus Weaver of the Enchanted Isles, you have gone on a journey. I am the addon to your system when away from home: MURDER, DEATH, KILL."
Ethan did not know what to say. As he looked at Sophia, she shrugged.
"Alas, I do not know what he is talking about."
"Click. The war and defensive systems are now active, Ethan. You are level one on my system and level three on the main system. I calculate the need based on the actions taken during the last twenty-four hours. The system will attempt to lift the cultivation seal. Random generator activated."
There was a sound like rock-on-rock grinding slowly and then speeding up. As the sound increased, the lava started to flow again.
Suddenly, the sound stopped, the glow of the lava fading as it hardened to rock. There was a sound like a gong being hit.
"Click, random choice successful. Randomly chosen item bestowed on subjugator Ethan of the Nexus Weavers of the enchanted Isles."
The grinding sound started up again, then stopped.
"Click, sealed cultivation base attempting lifting seal on ascension."
There was that grinding sound again, and the lava started flowing.
"Click; Seal lifting failed, trying again."
This message repeatedly played as Ethan wondered what seals this system tried to lift. It involved cultivation, and Ethan did not understand.
"Click, stopping the process too many failures."
Ethan could not understand why he called him a subjugator. That sounded terrible. His gaze roamed over the women, looking for any sign of deceit. Could he be the villain in this world? Ting-Ting held her hands up in surrender.
"Alas, we do not know what he speaks of, and we are as clueless as you are."
"Alas, how will I access this new item cube in the sky."
"Click. Sophia and I, MDK, will teleport the item to you."
Sophia inhaled sharply.
"Alas, teleporting is from our original world. To our understanding, the technology was lost forever."
"Click. The children in the village were led to believe this, protecting them from our enemy. All the technology still exists; Ethan will have full access in time as he grows stronger."
Ethan scratched his beard. He wanted to know something, and it nagged at him in the back of his mind.
"Alas, MDK, did the Nexus Weavers build you and this teleporting technology."
"Click, no, it was gifted for easing the subjugation of the realms."
Ethan's heart rate increased as sweat formed on his skin. Who knew I was the villain, he thought.
Sophia stepped forward.
"Alas, who gifted this technology."
"Click, you do not have clearance to know, nor does Ethan. This mountain and the village below are not inside Ethan but a realm to which he is linked. Girls, you were never downloaded into Ethan but ported to this place as his helpers. You need food from the village and have your cores inside you."
Ethan felt his legs give way as he fell to the floor.
"Alas, my mind is in another realm and not inside my mind."
"Click, you are as real as the mountain you sit on and the girls around you. This is a projection of yourself to this realm. If they did not have cores, you would have impregnated all of them."
Ethan's mind could not handle the information. He was here and in the other realm with Wendy and Lucy. Slowly, the cube started to shrink. It took a while, but then it stopped as it reached the size of a hundred-storey building. A dark red screen with blue symbols appeared before Ethan.
"Alas, Sophia, what does it say."
Sophia cautiously approached the big screen that had appeared in front of Ethan. Four images were on the screen, each with a heading and dimensions next to it. He stood behind Sophia, embracing her and interlocking his fingers on her stomach. He could see four pillar-type things on the screen. The tips bent like a half hook and looked like something from out of this realm. He had seen many realms before and many technological things. This he had never seen before. It felt alien yet familiar. Sophia placed her hands over Ethan's.
"Alas, it is a perimeter shielding field. It blocks anything from entering even air. It filters the air inside it. Exceptional feature magic resistance and nuclear event proof. I do not know what a nuclear event is, but magic resistance is something that you could use."
Ethan turned Sophia around, kissed her, and then took the others and kissed them. Sophia's clothes started to come off.
Suddenly, Sophia stopped halfway as she lifted her dress over her head.
"Alas, something is wrong in the camp. Wendy and Lucy need you."
Ethan opened his eyes. Wendy and Lucy were fast asleep, as were the other women. Terry shook his foot, holding his finger to his lips. He got up slowly. It was dark, and he could hear something behind him. Terry pointed to the fence, drawing his sword slowly so as not to make noise. Ethan strained his eyes in the darkness. Wendy would be a great help, he thought.
"Alas, Lilly, scan the area to see what is happening and be careful."
Ethan took the ball from his robe. It stayed dark, the purple lines pulsing faintly.
"Alas, three Magus are trying to cut the fence with a tool to no avail."
"Alas, Lilly, give us light."
Lilly flew up a few feet, and then her purple lines flared brightly. Terry screamed like a girl. Everyone awakened in confusion from the scream. Terry's team were up and ready for battle, taking their weapons and rushing the fence.
Three men covered their eyes from the sudden light. One took his wand, and a stream of fire flowed towards the fence. The fence did not glow or change at all. The man cursed loudly.
"Shit magic cancelling metal. RUN."
Ethan turned to his team, and naked women wiped their eyes, still half asleep. The woman rummaged through the blankets for their underwear and clothes. He used his seven-step martial technique. He appears between the women in the blink of an eye. He uses his acupressure technique on the women. In seconds, they lay on the blankets, paralysed. He took the blankets covering them.
"Alas, sleep. I have things in hand."
The women did not put up a fight or complain. Ethan looked down at himself. He was still fully clothed. He placed Lilly back in his robe. How could this be possible? Terry patted his back.
"What is wrong, Ethan? Those guys have fled."
"Alas, nothing, Terry. We should get back to sleep. We need to change our campsite tomorrow."
"I agree with you. Those Magus are after the women."
Ethan sighed with relief. The men were too preoccupied with the Magus to notice the five naked women. He understood that a tent was essential for them. He realised that he would have to wake the women early before the men woke or have them dress under the blankets.
When did they shed their clothes?
Ethan slid under the covers. Warmth enveloped him, and soft bodies shuffled closer to him, their naked heat radiating away the chill.