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Chapter 41 - 41: Trust and Fire
Dwelling in the darkness, Atlas carried Eli on his back as Veil led them forward. The shadows twisted and writhed around them like living things, devouring everything that dared approach. Monsters fell by the dozens without even a sound—Veil's strikes were swift, precise, and merciless.
In this domain, there was no contest. No creature possessed the audacity to challenge Veil, born from the immense shadow of Jörmungandr itself. For centuries untold, it had known only victory—or so it claimed—until recently. Now, its power served another purpose: protecting Atlas and Eli as they ventured deeper into the abyss.
Slash!
Pierce!
Atlas watched through his upgraded 'Truth Eyes,' their clarity sharper than ever before. Colors flared vividly in his vision—shades of crimson marking threats, green tracing Veil's movements. Each slash cleaved through enemies with surgical precision, leaving behind mangled corpses that dissolved into nothingness almost instantly.
"....how the fuck did you win against Veil?" Eli asked from behind him, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade.
Atlas hesitated. He wanted to ask the same question himself. Technically, he hadn't won. Not really. He'd been killed—completely obliterated—and yet here he stood, alive because Veil still existed. His existence tethered theirs together, keeping death at bay for now.
'...and because he was alive, Eli and I are alive too,' Atlas thought bitterly.
"...I didn't say thank you to you, Veil," Atlas muttered aloud, breaking the quiet between them.
One of Veil's countless eyes blinked open beneath him, glowing faintly in acknowledgment. "Thank you? No, it was all my mother's doing. I merely requested."
Atlas sighed, frustration simmering under his skin. "...yes, Veil. I'm saying thanks regardless, because you convinced your mother to revive us in the first place."
"Huh...so am I forgiven? Is repentance finished?"
Atlas smiled wryly. "Well, technically, you were the one who killed us first. So forgiveness is still pending."
Confusion rippled across Veil's form, its comprehension hindered by its current size. It struggled to grasp the nuances of human morality while stretched thin over such vast territory.
"Veil, all I'm saying is—you're doing fine. You're doing good. Have patience. In time, you'll understand," Atlas reassured gently.
"Yeah...okay. That's why I'm sticking with you—to understand." Veil paused, its tone laced with self-deprecating humor.
"Damn, I want to be small again and stay within your shadow. Just think and comprehend. I'm slowly realizing how dumb I was, thinking being big and strong was better."
Eli smirked, sliding her uninjured hand down Atlas's chest until she reached the unmistakable bulge straining against his trousers.
"Well, being big is sometimes better," she purred, her devilish gaze locking onto his.
"...Eli..." Atlas growled, feeling her hardened nipples press against his back. She nipped playfully at his neck, eliciting a sharp intake of breath.
"Are you sure you're truly in your teens, Atlas? Your words and speech don't match your age. It's like you're beyond even mine." Her lips brushed teasingly against his ear as she spoke, each word dripping with insinuation.
"Oouuu!!!" Atlas shuddered involuntarily, torn between annoyance and arousal.
"Oh yeah, I meant to ask something," Eli continued casually, as if oblivious to the effect she was having on him.
"What is it?" Atlas managed to choke out, his voice strained.
"Ummm...did you really...umm...do you really have 'relations' with your own sister?"
Atlas froze mid-step, his mind reeling. What the actual fuck? He had just arrived in this body, in this world. There were whispers about him and Lara? How?
"...No!" he snapped, incredulous. "Where did you hear that?"
He searched his memories desperately but found nothing in the game's storyline to suggest such rumors existed. What the hell had happened during his childhood phase with Lara?
Eli smiled softly, her grip tightening possessively on him. "I see. Okay. That's good. But if I ever catch you with another woman, I will kill her first, then kill you next, and finally kill myself. Don't you forget that..." she whispered, her threat delivered with an eerie calmness that made it feel more like absolution than malice.
Atlas swallowed hard, acutely aware of her proximity, her warmth radiating through him like wildfire. Finally, his Truth Eyes revealed what they had upgraded into—the woman clinging to him shone intensely pink, her aura blazing brighter than anything he'd seen before. And when she issued her soft ultimatum, the color shifted to a deep, ominous shade of dark pink.
'Great... Sansa's gonna be happy about this,' he thought dryly, shaking his head.
"Atlas," Veil called softly, its voice a whisper that slithered through the shadows like smoke. "Is what you're searching for—a temple thing—a destroyed tomb-like building?"
"Uh huh." Atlas nodded absently, his mind racing ahead to the treasures waiting inside.
"With many other tattered buildings surrounding it?"
"Yup."
"Some good equipment lying here and there, with piles of gold?"
"Yeah yeah... lots of them."
"Also, a Giant among predator species, sleeping its head off on the temple entrance?"
"Yeah ye—'what?' A giant?! A predator 'giant' at that?" Atlas's voice cracked in disbelief, his composure shattering like glass under pressure. His golden eyes darted toward Eli, whose piercing glare could have melted steel. She had trusted him when he said this would be a safe venture—an easy grab-and-go mission. But now, betrayal simmered in her gaze as she processed the new information.
Before he could react, Eli lunged forward, teeth bared. Her bite sank into his neck with savage aggression, venting her frustration and fear all at once.
Ooouuuuu!!!!
Atlas winced but didn't pull away. He deserved every ounce of pain she inflicted. Instead, he clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay calm despite the storm brewing within him.
"Veil..." he growled lowly, addressing the shadowy entity still coiled around him. "What kind of 'Titan' are we talking about here?"
"It looks like it's a rare breed—one of those ancient Titans long thought extinct," Veil replied casually, its tone devoid of sympathy or urgency.
Eli finally released his neck, leaving behind a mark that burned both physically and emotionally. Her hands trembled slightly as she stepped back, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "You told me this was supposed to be safe,'" she spat, venom dripping from each word. "That we'd only need to grab something small and leave. Not fight some colossal monster Again!"
.
.
.
Dark Continent, Third Realm – Near the Castle Gates
"Princess Lara! We should return back, immediately!" Gon roared, his bloodied body trembling with exhaustion. Berserker mode amplified his strength tenfold, but even he couldn't keep up this pace forever. Gargoyles swarmed around them like locusts, their grotesque forms clawing at the air as they descended upon the group.
Gon caught two mid-air, shredding them apart with brute force. His massive hands crushed their stone-like bodies effortlessly, but more kept coming. The sheer number overwhelmed him, threatening to break through his defenses.
Blue Flash!
Denish swung his glowing sword in wide arcs, slicing through the horde with precision born of desperation. Each strike illuminated the battlefield briefly, revealing glimpses of chaos—monsters closing in, allies struggling to hold ground, and Ale lying unconscious, her lifeblood pooling beneath her.
"It's not your decision to make!" Denish shouted at Gon, parrying another attack with practiced ease. Sweat dripped down his brow, mixing with streaks of dirt and blood. Despite his bravado, fatigue weighed heavily on him too.
"But she's bleeding!" Gon roared back, smashing anything that dared approach Ale. His protective instincts kicked into overdrive, fueled by guilt and rage. They shouldn't have come here—not yet. Not unprepared.
Fireballs began to rain down from above, lighting up the area in an eerie yellow glow. The flames scorched the gargoyles, buying the team precious seconds to regroup.
"Keep it fucking together until Princess is done casting!" one of the mages bellowed, hurling another volley of fireballs into the fray. His mana reserves dwindled dangerously low, but he refused to falter. "Your Highness, I hope you're ready. I'm all out after this."
Hell Fire!
The inferno engulfed the battlefield, turning the castle grounds into a blazing hellscape. Monstrous shrieks filled the air as the gargoyles burned, only to regenerate moments later. Their resilience tested everyone's resolve, pushing them closer to their limits.
Lara stood motionless amidst the chaos, her blue hair shimmering faintly in the flickering light. Her eyes remained closed as she focused intently, drawing power from deep within herself. Around her, time seemed to slow, distorting reality itself.
[AOE Skill 'Lightning Rain' Activated]
When she opened her eyes, lightning surged forth, illuminating her pupils with electric intensity. Everything around her slowed except her movements, which became fluid and unstoppable. With her sword in hand, she blurred across the battlefield, leaving trails of lightning in her wake.
Lightning Rain!
In one swift motion, she swung her blade sideways, unleashing a torrent of electricity that spread like wildfire. The energy arced between monsters, chaining them together before reducing them to ash. In mere seconds, the battlefield transformed from chaos to silence.
"It's done," Lara panted, her breathing erratic but victorious.
Denish smiled triumphantly, glancing at Gon. "Told you she could handle it."
Gon ignored the taunt, rushing to Ale's side instead. Kneeling beside her, he gently tilted her head upward and poured a healing potion into her mouth given by Lara herself. The liquid revived her slowly, color returning to her pale cheeks.
Denish's smirk faded slightly as he watched Gon tend to Ale, though he quickly masked it with a respectful bow to Lara. "As expected of our princess."
Lara nodded curtly, her attention shifting to the castle gates looming ahead. She could feel it, something terrifying, something Dangerous radiating from within, promising horrors beyond imagination. She clutched the book tightly—the same book written by her brother, warning her of every trap and trial awaiting her. Yet, with the System guiding her, she felt confident enough to face whatever lay inside.
'Wait for me, Brother,' she thought resolutely, stepping forward with unwavering determination. 'I will save you.'
Behind her, her team followed silently, united by trust and purpose. Together, they marched toward destiny, towards Lara, following her wide back.
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