Chapter 166 The Second Stage
(Long chapter, basically 2-in-1 compared to normal works. Reminder that SS cost is automatic, not picked by me, and based on 200 word count intervals)
"Groan…"
As the cool, peaceful Aura that Dorian spread swept over the downed Shade Martial Artist, the Shade shifted, moaning. The Aura seemed to focus on this Shade, infusing within his body.
Normally, an Aura like this could be seen as an attack if it tried to manipulate anything other than Dorian's appearance. The attack would be subtle enough that most wouldn't notice it and would only passively resist it. If their soul was weaker than Dorian's, they would fall victim to the effects of the Ability.
However, sufficiently strong souls could still resist parts of the effects, weakening it greatly. All of the Lord Class Mystic Martial Artists here had powerful wills and strong souls. Dorian's Calm Aura would normally have only a slight effect on them.
But because the unconscious Shade was trapped in a dream world, his defenses were completely down. This was one of the chief dangers of the dangerous Dream Zones here. They could render an opponent unable to resist, leaving them open to a surprise attack.
The four seconds that Dorian took to recover could easily prove fatal.
What surprised Dorian the most, however, was that there was no other attack.
'I guess it really was just a random Dream Zone. We got unlucky. Probably my fault.' He thought, shrugging.
WHOOSH
The energy from Dorian's Calm Aura finished suffusing the downed Shade, and just moments later, the Shade shifted in his rest. A moment after that, the Shade's eyes flung open as it escaped the Dream Zone, looking around in confusion.
"Mama?!"
Dorian ignored the confused babbling of the Shade as the Mystic Martial Artist tried to get his bearing, recovering from whatever dream he had been in.
'The Aura works! Alright, quick! I need to help Helena, and everyone else on the ship!' His eyes flashed as he looked around, noticing something.
The ship was simply too big and there were too many people for him to use his Aura in its current state to heal everyone. By the time he finished on the upper deck, it was more than possible that those down below, including Helena, could be fatally injured or dead. He couldn't afford to spend that much time.
'But if I don't, dozens will die because of me…' He thought, blinking slowly.
'Calm Aura! Activate to the maximum! Pour energy into it!' Dorian began to focus on the Calm Aura Ability, putting as much energy as possible into it.
Normally, the bubble of Aura would span about 5 meters in a perfect sphere.
However, as Dorian poured in energy from his Soul Spell Matrix, the Aura began to stretch, its limit expanding.
WHOOSH
The Aura spread to be roughly 8-9 meters in length. Its soothing effects spread to a couple of the other Mystic Martial Artists, affecting them in their dream state. Gradually, they started to awaken, roused from the trap.
'It's not enough.' Dorian thought, starting to worry.
'Ah, the Law of Greed affects the soul. Maybe it can help with an Ability that is linked to the soul like this?' Without questioning further, Dorian drew upon the Law of Greed, infusing its energy in the Calm Aura Ability.
Immediately, the Aura grew in strength, maintaining its same smooth, relaxing sensation. The cool, supporting energy of the Law of Greed enhanced his soul, allowing him to extend the Ability's effect.
The Aura also took on a slightly harsher edge, stimulating the greed of anyone within it. In this case, for the Mystic Martial Artists and others under the effect of this Aura, it had a minor, but beneficial, effect of stoking their desire to live. Everyone here wanted to survive, and that base greed to live was a powerful tool that couldn't be ignored.
In just a few seconds, this Aura spread throughout the entire ship. As it spread, however, the toll it forced upon Dorian's soul grew exponentially.
Dorian immediately sat down cross-legged, in a meditative pose, as he focused on maintaining the Aura. He could feel the soothing power envelop everyone on the ship, calming them down and affecting their mental state.
"Huh!" Dorian exhaled sharply as he held his pose, his eyes calm. He drew fully on the Law of Greed, relying upon it to make this possible.
Fabian, meanwhile, turned and stared at Dorian in surprise before nodding, as if this all made perfect senses. The faith the aged Martial Artist put in 'Lord Inigo' seemed to be enough that he took Dorian's odd appearance for granted, accepting it without questioning.
WHOOSH
Several seconds went by.
Gradually, the various Mystic Martial Artists and Wizards on or below deck recovered, becoming fully aware. Some of them awoke while yelling, others amid violent twitches, while others were silent, coming awake with tears streaming down their face.
One and all, however, awoke without issue, rousing from their dream state. Dorian's desperate efforts had just barely managed to save everyone, avoiding any fatal injuries or deaths.
"Wha-what?!"
"Are we under attack?!"
"Ready up! We're in a Dream Zone!"
Confused shouts echoed across the deck as the various fighters on top came aware.
Dorian found that, as long as he maintained this expanded Aura, he could also sense the presence of everyone on ship. It seemed to be a type of convenient, if energy expensive, side effect.
"Hup!" He exhaled a second time as he released the Aura, making his body shift back to his Shade form as he felt everyone in the ship that was affected come awake. Immediately, without hesitating, he rushed over to the open door of the deck, running down below.
He weaved between a few passages, dodging past several confused Mystic Martial Artists or crew members until he found his cabin. Without hesitation, he burst in, slamming the door shut behind him in a smooth twirl.
"Helena! Are you alright!" He urgently spoke as he rushed to the bed where she was resting, concern bleeding into his tone. His eyes darted to see her figure, laying still underneath the covers.
"I'm fine, you lunkhead. This type of trap can't affect my soul, even if it's withered. It can only work on those who haven't mastered a Law." Helena's face was pale but collected as she made eye contact with Dorian, waving at him.
"Oh, right, right. I just learned that, actually." Dorian sat down on the bed, his heart pounding as he almost collapsed with relief. Helena saw the worry and care he had for her, her eyes flashing with emotion.
"Why is that, anyway?" He asked, taking several deep breaths. The effort required to spread his Calm Aura, in addition to the panic and worry he felt about Helena, had taken a toll on him.
"Achieving the King Class means you have reached the culmination of understanding in a Law. This advances your Soul Spell Matrix to the King Class level, which makes your soul much more resistant to outside influence. It's just how it works." Helena responded. As she finished speaking, she reached out with a trembling hand and laid it on Dorian's back, rubbing it comfortingly.
"Got it. I'm just glad you're okay." Dorian shrugged and smiled as he felt her trying to comfort him. If anything, he should be the one comforting her.
"You aren't at the King Class… you must've been taken into whatever trap it had laid. What happened?" Helena questioned, her voice full of concern.
The smile slowly fell from Dorian's face.
"I saw my family." He responded, his voice quiet.
"You did..?" Helena said, her voice catching slightly.
"Yes. I told you how I have no family in this world, right? Well, I saw my family from my previous world. My mother, my father." Dorian's voice was calm as he spoke, the broiling emotion within still echoing in his heart. He may have let go of his past, but he couldn't just declare himself emotionless.
"I saw them, and I turned around and left them, without even speaking to them." He closed his eyes, taking a slow, ragged breath.
"That must've been hard." After a moment, Helena responded, her voice quiet as well.
"It was."
"It was very hard."
"It was the hardest thing I've done in my life." Dorian responded, his fists clenched. There was nothing more that he wanted to do than to hug his mother, to grab hold of his father, to tell them all about his crazy adventures, to let them know he was okay, to tell them how much he missed them.
Dorian blinked, his memories disrupted as he felt a petite female form wrap around him, hugging onto him.
"I'm so sorry, Dorian." Helena whispered as she hugged him, grabbing hold of his chest.
"I wish I could've been there to help you." Her voice was strong and caring, full of warmth.
"Hey, hey, it's okay Smalls. I'm okay now." Dorian stopped clenching his fists and put on a smile, hugging her back. As he felt her warmth, he felt his heart seem to glow, the sadness and pain washing away.
'That's right. I'm not just doing this for me. I'm doing this for you, too, Helena.' He thought as he turned around and hugged her, looking down at her tired form.
'And once I get you healed and can get us away from here…' He nodded with determination,
'I am going to ask you on a date.' He made a mental commitment, though one that felt rather silly in their current situation.
'Wait, do people still ask people on dates in the 30,000 Worlds? Do Vampires even date? Oh geez.' His thoughts were thrown into disarray.
BOOM
An explosion shook the air, causing the Flying Ship to tremble. Dorian clutched on to the bed to hold him and Helena steady as their cabin crashed back and forth. Everything was nailed down in the Flying Ship, thankfully, foresight from previous travels kicking in.
"What the?!" Dorian sputtered, his eyes widening. A powerful Aura burst around him as he heard shouts from above.
"Attack!"
"Enemy attack!"
His eyes narrowed as he stood up, energy running powerfully through his veins. Helena let go of him, her eyes filled with worry.
"Be safe, Dorian! Come back in one piece!" Helena's voice echoed out from behind. She laid back down on the bed, exhaustion setting in.
Dorian turned around and smiled calmly, his demeanor calm and assured.
"Don't worry, I got this. You just get some rest, Smalls. I'll come back down in just a minute."
'Damn it! We were having a moment! I was hugging her! Whoever is attacking, you better be ready for a beating!' His internal thoughts were full of anger and rage.
Dorian jogged from the cabin, leaving Helena to rest as he rushed above deck.
"Be careful, Dorian…" Helena muttered, her eyes misting.
"I don't want to lose you…"
"I haven't even gotten the chance to ask you on a date yet…" Her voice was a faint whisper as she fully laid down, closing her eyes as unconsciousness swept over her once more, her body reverting to its healing state, her faith in Dorian absolute.
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
"The Great Hero has arrived!"
"Holy Highlord Inigo!"
"Master Inigo!"
A deluge of voices called out Dorian's praises as he appeared on deck, his face a mask of anger.
Fabian smiled and clenched his fists as he looked at Lord Inigo. The Shade's face was a mask of righteous fury and indignation. Fabian could practically feel the anger the Shade had for their attacker, his heart warming as he saw this. Lord Inigo was truly a Shade that cared for his brothers.
"Holy Highlord! The attacker is there!" Fabian's body was covered in a rippling Aura of Might as he maintained his Law of Might to enhance his physical strength. He was currently standing at the forefront of the ship, deflecting black bolts of energy.
Next to him were two other elderly figures. The King Class Mystic Martial Artists Ayra and Horbold, the powerful warriors that had joined Dorian's army, both at the Early King Class.
All three of them practiced the Law of Might, a common Law for physical Martial Artists to use.
BOOM
BOOM
BOOM
Three more explosions rang out as bolts of black energy slammed towards the ship and were deflected, unable to damage the Flying Artifact due to the powerful Shades defending.
About a hundred meters away, a vague shadow could be seen, floating in the air and lobbing these attacks. The few Wizards in Dorian's army were currently lobbing Spells at it, most of them fire or earth based. A few of the more long distance warriors shot bolts of energy via arrows or threw javelins, trying to take the shadow out, all to no avail.
The shadowy figure seemed to dodge everything thrown its way.
'Ausra, can you identify it?' Dorian queried, his mind racing.
'No.' Ausra responded, her reply short and succinct.
"Everyone has awoken, including the crewmembers! Get this ship turned on and fly us out of here!" Dorian's voice shook the air with authority as he gave his orders.
"Yes sir!"
"Immediately!"
Several of the Martial Artists on deck rushed below or towards crew members, trying to help and urge them forward. Meanwhile, the Dream Guide Walter rushed up to Dorian, his appearance disordered.
"Holy Highlord!" The man sputtered, catching his breath as he pointed at the vague shadow.
"We must leave immediately! That shadow is part of a legend I am aware of that stalks Ballians, a legend said to be a remnant of the mighty Dream Mentor's army itself! I have never seen the shadow personally, but have heard tales of it from unlucky others." Walter explained quickly, his voice a rush.
"If we can get through the portal of the World Bridge, it will be impossible for the shadow to follow or harm us! We just need to move over there!" Walter pointed upwards, to where the World Bridge connected into Chaotic Space.
Dorian's eyes flashed as he heard and saw this,
"Hurry it up, make haste!"
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Kvoth, the Third Disciple of the Dream Mentor, frowned as he looked at the struggling ship. Slowly, ever so slowly, the Flying Artifact was starting to move, following the World Bridge to escape.
"Damn it! I've only managed to take control of 40% of this Life Years Dream Zone! How in the world did they manage to escape the Life Dream?!" He sputtered, his rage and irritation at an all-time high.
He had never encountered an experience quite this annoying. It was ridiculous the luck these damned Shades had.
"I won't be able to take them all, not if it's like this…" He muttered, looking up at his targets. He spawned in a few more Black Bolts from the Dream Miasma, lobbing them at the ship as he dodged a few attacks that were thrown his way.
He didn't have anything truly powerful he could attack with, not that could get past those three King Class experts defending. They obviously couldn't hurt him either, but that didn't help him much.
He shrugged, letting his anger go as he focused on his greater goal.
Accomplishing his dream of resurrection.
"I'll just take a couple of you instead." He thought, his eyes narrowing on the King Class defenders.
"I should be just able to handle two of you." He clasped his hands together, the Dream Miasma in the air twisting and shivered as he commanded it to follow his will.
"Life Years Dream Zone, activate fully! Living Years Prison, go!"
WHOOSH
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
"What is he doing?" Dorian muttered as he saw the Dream Miasma in the background twist and turn, shuddering and shaking.
The Dream Guide by his side abruptly shook as well, his eyes widening in horror as an epiphany came upon him.
"Holy Highlord! I recognize where we are and what is attacking us! It is a Dream Zone I've heard of before, the Life Years Dream Zone! That is why we were trapped in our memories, everything makes sense!" Walter quickly explained, his vast knowledge of the Exotic World of Ballians coming in handy.
"A ship previously managed to escape this Dream Zone after losing more than 9/10ths its crew and passengers, many years ago. However, they described this particular Dream Zone as having one other stage, one that caused those that manage to survive the first stage despair. One that the living members only escaped through sheer luck as their ship moved on its own, pulling them out of it!" Walter's voice was full of panic.
WHOOSH
The twisting Dream Miasma abruptly froze.
"No!"
"What?!"
In that moment, as it froze, two of the King Class Martial Artists that were helping Fabian protect the ship abruptly rose into the air. The movement was so jarringly quick that no one had a chance to grab hold of them or save them as they were flung upward.
A millisecond later, a huge ball of spinning fog and light appeared, sucking in both warriors. This ball of light gleamed and glittered, wailing echoes sliding off it in a cacophony of horror much like that of the Dream Miasma.
"…And the second, and final, stage, Holy Highlord, is that…" Walter pointed upward, his arms shaking.
"A huge trap made of Miasma and light, where one will be stuck for all eternity unless they escape. A trap where you cannot use energy or Magic, where Laws are useless and you have nothing but your soul." Walter finished, his voice small.
"Dream Guide! How can we help them?!" Fabian's voice was frantic as he rushed over, stopping his defense now that the shadowy figure had stopped attacking. Several of the other Mystic Martial Artists rushed forward as well, their bodies throbbing with energy.
"We can't just leave them here!"
"We are so close!"
"No Shade left behind!"
A deluge of powerful voices throbbed in the air as the other Shades agreed, staring up at the spinning ball in horror and fear.
Walter seemed temporarily overwhelmed by the powerful Auras that were present, raw energy glittering in the air, before he managed to control himself. He shook his head,
"There is no saving them. This trap grows stronger and harder to escape the longer you have lived in the 30,000 Worlds, its mystical power is one that has killed King Class Martial Artists before. Even trying to help them would be suicide." Walter explained, shaking his head sadly.
All the warriors let out groans or mutters of despair, sadness swarming over them.
Slowly, the Flying Ship began to kick into gear, starting to escape.
As all the other fighters became despondent, however, one Shade was staring up at the ball of light and fog with interest.
"Walter, you said the trap grows stronger the older you are?" Dorian's voice cut through the veil of sadness that had taken the deck like a knife through butter, calm and collected.
The Dream Guide bowed as he turned, nodding his head,
"Yes, Holy Highlord. This trap is one that builds off the time you have lived in the 30,000 Worlds, one that entices and can ensnare even King Class figures. The longer your soul has lived in the 30,000 Worlds, the stronger the trap will become, using the Laws of the Universe to grow far stronger than it would normally be able to, to obscene levels."
Dorian nodded solemnly as he heard this, his eyes flashing with unknown thoughts.
Abruptly, without warning, a mighty Aura burst from Dorian as he redoubled his focus on the Law of Valor. He twisted Fate further as he looked up at the orb, powerful might pulsing around his body.
He even tapped into the Touching Light Ability, causing a literal glow of light to appear around him.
"Holy Highlord?"
"Great Lord?"
The Shades all turned towards their commander, staring at him questioningly.
Dorian began to walk forward, to the edge of the ship. He then stepped up on the edge, looking towards the giant sphere of fog and light.
"No! Holy Highlord Inigo you mustn't! The trap will rip you apart! We cannot afford to lose you!" Fabian gasped, his eyes widening in horror as he realized what Dorian was about to do.
"It's true!"
"Great Lord, we cannot let you throw your life away!"
"It is suicide!"
"We want to save them too, but we can't risk you as well!"
"They are lost, Great Hero! We all knew the risks when we signed up! They are as good as dead!" The Shades on deck all spoke up, their yells full of passion as they stared at Dorian's holy figure.
Dorian looked at all of them, the Valorous Aura that surrounded him as strong as ever. He shifted slightly on the ledge, almost as if he was about to jump down.
"I'm here on a mission. To vanquish the Demons and to save my wife." Dorian nodded as he spoke, as if it all made sense.
Relief filled the eyes of the onlooking Wizards and Mystical Martial Artists as they saw and heard this.
"But…" Dorian closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them,
"How could I look my wife in the eyes and say to her I let these good Shades waste their lives before we even arrived on Moria?" A sad smile appeared on his face.
"No!"
"Great Hero!"
"Undying Master!"
"Lord Inigo!"
A deluge of hoarse yells greeted Dorian as he turned his back to the ship and prepared to jump, his shoulders hunched as if he was carrying a great burden.
Before he leapt forward, however, he turned his head around.
"My name is Inigo Montoya."
His words shook the air, full of powerful, rippling authority. Every single one came out like thunder, full of strength and assuredness.
"Wait for me, for I shall return."
He jumped.
"Nooooooo!!"
"We are not worthy!!"
"Great Hero!!"
.