Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

Chapter 696 Voice

Ice seared the players' bones as they made their way along a snow-white road, where the silence of Mibothen's long winter stretched like an icy veil over the landscape. The wind howled with incomparable fury between the bare branches of the trees, shaking off snowflakes that clung to their cloaks.

Their footsteps on the fluffy snow echoed through the sharp air, creating a solemn symphony that seemed to reverberate across the frozen expanse.

However, even under the tyranny of the merciless cold, Bloody Lily, Eraskan, Jayaa and Kaizen continued their journey, their firm expressions reflecting a flame of courage that burned brightly in their hearts.

Blood Lily, in her flowing blood-red cloak, led the group with a grace that bordered on ferocity. Her eyes, as sharp as the blade of her sword, scanned the desolate landscape, on the lookout for any suspicious shadow moving among the ice-covered trunks. She had seen with her own eyes what had happened to Mibothen on its way to the Eldoria Mountains, and if that region near the border was so destroyed and dangerous, the closer it got to the Capital, the worse it would surely look.

Blood Lily's skillful hands rested on her bow, her nimble fingers ready to act at the slightest sign of danger, and her piercing gaze seemed to pierce winter itself.

Next to her, Eraskan walked serenely, his owl companion, Lilith, also seemed attentive to her surroundings, as if she could sense everything. Eraskan not only understood the language of his animals, but also shared a deep bond with the creatures of the forest. His blue eyes shone with maturity, and his avatar resembled the body of a teenager.

Just behind, Jayaa radiated warmth even in the most frigid conditions. His lute, an extension of his soul, was firmly strapped to his back, but his musical spirit hung in the air like an aurora borealis in the middle of a dark night. He sang original melodies, letting his soft voice flow with the cutting wind. His songs didn't seem to be just songs; they were incantations that lifted the spirits and created a barrier of hope around the group, which kept the players from getting bored.

Kaizen marched alongside them, his expression serious and focused. His dark, midnight eyes constantly scanned the surroundings, calculating risks and assessing possible threats. He was the backbone of the group, his tactical knowledge and leadership keeping them all together, even when the cold seemed to want to shatter them into pieces of ice.

As they walked, they also talked sometimes, but it wasn't deeply necessary. There was no need for words at every moment; the simple warmth of each other's presence was enough to chase away the winter chill and create a strength that no ice could break. They trusted each other with their lives, each recognizing the unique skills that the other brought to the group, an invisible link that bound them together like a chain forged in the challenges overcome together.

The sun was beginning to set on the distant horizon, and it was possible to tell because the gray sky was getting darker and darker.

At the top of a small hill, the group stopped for a moment to observe the spectacle of nature around them and, for a moment, the cold seemed to recede, replaced by the warmth of finally seeing the Royal Capital of Mibothen in the distance.

Under the gloomy twilight, the Royal Capital of Mibothen loomed like a spectre of its former glory. A once proud and majestic city, it was now filled with shadows and ruins. The towers that once touched the skies were now mostly broken, their tops shattered like the curved fingers of a petrified giant. The walls that were supposed to protect its inhabitants were covered in dark, strange, twisted vines seeping through the bricks, a clear sign of Corruption.

The group standing on the hill watched the city with fixed expressions of surprise. Bloody Lily's eyes were filled with regret at seeing the place she had once seen so peaceful.

Eraskan also looked sadly at the city, his eyes meeting those of Lilith, the owl, as if they shared a silent lament for the land. They remembered the first time they had traveled to Mibothen, to get some items and trade with a local guild.

Jayaa sighed, speechless and without a song in mind to describe what she was feeling.

Finally, Kaizen had his eyebrows furrowed in a clear expression of annoyance. He could see the marks of corruption everywhere in the region ahead, black spots that spread through trees, houses, crops and writhed like poisoned snakes.

"If the Mana Crystal was there in the Eldoria Mountains and was the great cause of all this, why does everything here seem even worse than it was there?" whispered Jayaa, her voice laden with emotion.

Bloody Lily looked at Kaizen, then at Jayaa and replied:

"There's no way of knowing yet... Linus refused to give information even when I asked him directly about it when I saw him. However, rather than a circular explosion, with propagation like a sound wave, this explosion of strange and paranormal energy may have been directed at one region."

"Whatever the cause, we need to move on. Staying here won't get us anywhere. We can't change what happened, but we can shape what happens next." Kaizen said.

With a nod, the group continued their journey down the hill. Dusk was giving way to night, and darkness enveloped the corrupted land. The dirt road was treacherous under their feet, with tree roots and loose stones. The smell of corruption hung in the air, a putrid smell that penetrated to the bone.

"What could have caused such extensive corruption? We're approaching the Capital, but this seems far beyond anything we've seen before." Jayaa asked.

Eraskan scratched his head as he pondered Jayaa's words. "As far as I know, Corruption is something common in Muspelheim, like a miasma, a disease that spreads through the land and consumes it."

Kaizen frowned. "However, Corruption is believed to be directly linked to Demons and Chaos. Do you mean that Muspelheim could be like Hell in the mythology of this game instead of Niflheim?"

"It could be a possibility. I've never been to either place, and I don't even know if there should be such a thing as a 'Hell' where souls go. There just has to be a place that demons see from, and if they're in Mibothen and the Corruption too, the most logical assumption is that they've somehow interconnected Muspelheim or the energy there with our world, Midgard."

"Connecting two worlds? How is that possible?" Bloody Lily asked. "I thought only Evolved could travel, but interconnect?"

"If the Mana Crystal in the Eldoria Mountains is as powerful as Kaizen and Alina claim, it's possible that it has fueled this corruption, extending its capabilities far beyond what we can imagine." Eraskan replied.

Lilith, the wise owl, hooted softly, as if she agreed with Eraskan's analysis.

Jayaa, normally the most animated of the group, spoke in a voice laden with sadness: "Whatever the cause, we need to find a solution. Not just for us, but for all those who may still be alive in Mibothen and those who have disappeared."

After a few minutes of walking, they came across an even more disturbing landscape: a once lush oak forest, now completely taken over by corruption. Twisted, blackened trees stood like spectres, their leaves replaced by a purple lichen that glowed faintly in the darkness. The air was impregnated with the stench of decay.

Kaizen raised his hand to indicate that they stop. "That volume of corruption is dangerous. We need to be careful." He said and, with a snap of his fingers, a ball of fire appeared over the palm of his right hand.

Bloody Lily and Eraskan were briefly surprised, but compared to everything they had seen Kaizen do in the past, it was nothing. So they advanced cautiously, each step echoing through the silent forest. Lilith the owl's eyes glowed in the darkness, watching intently for any movement. Bloody Lily wielded her red sword, ready for any threat.

When they were completely surrounded by the darkness of the forest, suddenly a putrid whisper snaked through the air.

"You shouldn't be here..." The voice was like the wind rustling through dead leaves, and it sounded tired.

Kaizen remained quiet, but Bloody Lily was not his type.

"Who are you?" she asked, looking around.

A hooded figure emerged from the shadows of one of the trees, her eyes glowing with a white light, and traces of Corruption ran through her hair. She was like the creature Kaizen and the others had encountered near the border, she was somehow linked to the Corruption, but this one didn't seem so monstrous. In fact, she was very different, because she was consciously speaking.

"I'll say it again: you shouldn't be here... You should all be dead and if you don't leave soon, you'll be next."