"Ah, good, you're here! We were just about to leave without you, Inheritor." Mira gave Dorian a cool smile and a nod.
They were currently standing on the eastern wall of Tomo City. The rumbling sound had fallen to a much quieter echo, one that seemed to shake the ground itself, ever so faintly.
'How big is this turtle…' Dorian thought, astonished by the reaction the creature's simple movements caused.
Around them, tens of thousands of figures could be seen, either rushing over the wall or through the gates, heading towards the source of the noise. Wizards, mercenaries, warriors, blacksmiths, chefs, hunters, a plethora of occupations, with equally diverse races. Humans, Aethmen, strange part-lizard humanoids, the Pyrite Rockmen, even a few Shades and Vampires.
While only a very small number of them would be able to actually make it inside the Ruins, tens of thousands of people came to Magmor simply to see the appearance of the Flame Empyrean Turtle. Not only for its awe-inspiring size and might, but also because the Laws of the Universe gathered strangely around the beast.
According to the information Dorian had gleaned, it was possible to gain a sensation for any of the Laws of the Universe simply by witnessing the giant beast. For those at the Grandmaster Class, this could be the difference between becoming a true Lord Class expert or staying trapped at the Grandmaster level. For those at lower classes, this was an excellent opportunity to gain a better understanding of whatever Mystic Martial Art or type of Magic they practiced.
"Yes, Leader found you two." Dorian greeted Mira, giving her a nod. Leader stood behind him, wearing a relaxed set of dark grey and red clothes, designed to blend in to the world around him.
Dorian had no idea how Leader had managed to spot the duo casually waiting on the wall, not in the midst of hundreds and thousands of others running towards the edge of the plateau. The talented archer had seen them, somehow.
'We really should have coordinated this better.' Dorian thought, mentally shrugging. These great figures seemed to take so much for granted.
"Let's go!" Aiden's gruff voice sounded off as he turned from the wall and immediately leapt forward, jumping dozens of meters high into the sky. Mira turned and followed quickly after him, the calm air around her giving her a graceful demeanor.
The wall was undamaged by the impact, absorbing it the same as it absorbed the impacts of the thousands of others rushing towards the scene.
'I wonder if they build walls specifically knowing people are going to jump off them like this here? I mean, architects still have to plan for these things, right?' Dorian shook the thoughts from his mind as he jumped in the air, his handsome Wrath Vampire form smoothly sailing forward.
thud
thud
thud
THUD
THUD
THUD
Dorian's own footsteps were muted when he compared them to the sounds of the crowd of Wizards and fighters running forward. A virtual wave of people could be seen, dashing across the plateau in a grand rush.
'Wow. This is quite a sight.' He mentally exclaimed as he moved forward, going all out just so he could keep up with Leader and the two dragons in their Humanoid Forms. He felt excitement stir in his heart, as if he was part of something momentous.
Worry filled him as well, however.
'Helena? What are you doing here! This is dangerous! Where are you?!' He wouldn't be here in such a rush at all if it wasn't for the fact that he needed to come here.
Reaching these Ruins was the culmination of his journey in the 30,000 Worlds, all to bring back a friend that died to save him.
"Quickly! The turtle is rising!"
"This is a chance you can't miss, Master Dwan! This might be the break you need to reach Master Class!"
"Out of my way, out of my way!"
A deluge of eager voices and yells rocked the air as everyone moved forward.
Dorian and his group were some of the fastest present. Aiden led the group, giving off a foreboding air that made others willingly give way. Like that, they rapidly moved towards the front of the crowd.
Soon, they reached the edge of the plateau. Several large, hundreds of meters wide stone paths led down from the high-set plateau, towards the Magma Sea. Dorian could already make out dozens and dozens of figures moving down it.
"It will surface in mere minutes. It should arrive right there." Mira spoke out loud, pointing to a spot a few miles distant.
The location was deep in the Magma Sea, distant from any of the stone paths. Thankfully, there were thousands of large, stone boulders that jutted out of the Magma Sea, of various sizes. Some were as small as half a meter wide and long, while others were a good two dozen large.
They would be able to navigate by jumping off them. Each rock usually had another near it, within a few meters.
As Dorian and the others ran down the path, the crowd began to break off.
The weaker members stayed on the stone path, ready to observe the Flame Empyrean Turtle from afar. The stronger members would go as close as possible, leaving the path to traverse the jutting, floating boulders.
WHOOSH
The stone paths to Tomo City were a bit too high to reach Sea level so close to the city proper, so most of the crowd had scaled down the sides of the paths, towards the Sea.
Aiden and Mira jumped directly from the stone path, at a height of roughly 80 meters or so above Sea level, to a pair of boulders floating above the magma. As they jumped, two powerful, Kingly Aura's released around them, allowing them to easily move through the hot air.
Leader brought out the flying Magic Artifact he owned and jumped as well, using it to help guide his fall. Flight on Magmor, whether with Artifacts or through natural powers like a dragon's wings, was near impossible due to the mysterious Laws of the Universe that dictated how the Exotic World functioned, as well as the smothering heat that constantly rose from the Magma Sea.
That didn't mean gliding, or using a flying Artifact to control a fall, was impossible, however. Leader made use of that to soar down onto a boulder of his own.
'Wow. They're all so nonchalant.' Dorian's eyes wavered slightly. Did they not realize they were jumping over a sea of literal boiling magma?
He flicked his wrist. Immediately, the Cloud-In-A-Bottle Artifact he'd gained on Taprisha appeared. He activated it instantly and then leapt up into the air, a giant jump of his own.
His body grew lighter, allowing his jump to gain great height. At the same time, Dorian felt a feeling of pushback, as the Artifact interacted with the energy of the world around him. Gradually, he felt it seem to weaken, dragging him down.
He nodded. It was just like he expected.
Tap Tap
He landed down lightly, his feet tapping as he skidded onto a large, several meters wide boulder.
The heat from the Magma Sea was overpowering. At the same time, however, the energy in his Soul Spell Matrix counteracted it. Just like how he could block out the cold on Blizzaria, he could block out the latent heat here on Magmor as well.
–
Dorian – Soul Status
Soul Stage: Lord Class (Middle)
Health: Perfect
Energy: 57,320/57,542 (Draining 1 point per 4 seconds)
–
'It's draining a point of energy every 4 seconds… nothing too expensive, but not something I should just ignore. It must drain at a faster rate for weaker forms or beings.' Staying this low to the Magma Sea was untenable in the long term, regardless.
"This way!" Aiden's voice echoed lightly as he began to leap forward, jumping from boulder to boulder. Gouts of steam and spurts of lava occasionally sputtered upward, the turgid Magma Sea broiling and frothing at a snail's pace.
There were already several figures ahead of them, jumping from boulder to boulder, closer to the area the Turtle was set to surface at. Many of them moved agilely and with great skill, as if this routine was something they practiced often.
'Alright, Dorian, you can do this.' Dorian took a deep breath as he mentally cheered himself on. The heat rising off the Magma Sea distorted the air slightly, but his Demonic Eyes passive Ability allowed him to see through it.
"Hup!" Dorian ran to the side of his boulder and leapt forward, his eyes zeroing in on a large rock about 30 meters to his left.
'Cloud-In-A-Bottle! Go!' He kept his Artifact activated, using it to help guide him down exactly where he wanted to land.
thud
He landed softly, his movements precise and sure. The rock he'd landed on was roughly 4 meters wide. It didn't even shift upon receiving his weight, the dark grey stone moving ever so slightly to the south.
"Alright." He muttered and then looked up. He took a few steps forward and jumped again.
Soon, Dorian had moved more than 1000 meters away from the stone paths following an ever-widening trail of boulders and rocks. He quashed the nervousness he felt in his heart at the dangers he was facing.
"Here!" Mira's voice cut into Dorian's concentration, drawing his attention as he gauged the distance from one boulder to another. He looked up, seeing her and Aiden standing on a particularly large rock, one that was at least a dozen meters wide.
"Hup!" Dorian made a great, jumping leap, soaring through the sky to land down on the larger rock, near one of its sides. He landed softly, having started to get the hang of the jumping movement. He wiped a sheen of sweat off his forehead as he checked his footing, stepping away from the edge.
Not a moment later, Leader's drab form appeared, landing down lightly on the large rock.
Around them, dozens of figures could be seen, spreading out to hundreds of different rocks. Several of the Wizards and warriors moved in groups, while still others moved on their own. He didn't see Helena, or anyone he knew.
Dorian nodded at Leader who nodded back. He then walked up to Mira and Aiden, asking,
"Alright. Where exactly is it appearing at?" He gestured with his hand at the Magma Sea around them.
The entire Sea was vibrating. The low, rumbling noise was still ongoing in the background, and Dorian could make out faint waves in the lava, building and bubbling upward.
Mira gave Dorian an odd look.
"It's appearing here. That's why we're here." She responded.
Dorian squinted.
"No, I get that. But where? What direction?" He waved his hands.
Mira looked at him and then pointed down.
"Right here."
Dorian's eyes widened.
"Here?" He pointed and looked down at the ground and then looked back up at her.
"Here." Mira nodded.
At that exact moment, a loud roar burst into the air. The low, background rumbling noise vanished as the world around Dorian seemed to shudder.
Gravity itself seemed to fluctuate as the world around him distorted for a brief instant. He felt his knees shake as he forced himself to maintain his balance.
WHOOSH
Abruptly, Dorian was flung upward.
As was the rock he was standing on.
As was the lava and magma boiling about around him.
Pillars of magma and rock shot into the air, blasting high in the sky as an enormous being emerged from the Magma Sea.
A creature that stood hundreds of meters tall, thousands of meters wide and long, a gargantuan beast that was so incredibly large it defied reason. A creature that was closer in size to a mountain than to any being of flesh and blood.
A creature that the Great Hero Yukeli had defeated in battle using his bare hands, and set within it a mysterious set of Ruins that, if legends were to be believed, held not only a great store of treasures, but the secret to achieving Ascension.
A Flame Empyrean Turtle.
–
Species: Flame Empyrean Turtle
Class – King Class (Pseudo-Angelic)
Maximum Energy Level: 21,226,200
–
Dorian didn't manage to get a good look at the creature at first, not as he was thrown into the air. He only barely managed to keep his balance, going on full lockdown mode as he just tried to survive.
From his Spatial Ring, Dorian withdrew a basic metal sword he'd purchased, one that was magically enhanced for durability. As the impact of the Flame Empyrean Turtle's surfacing flung everyone that was on top of it into the air, he threw the blade downward, slamming it into the boulder he'd been standing on.
'Basic Magnetic Manipulation! Pull!' Dorian pulled himself tightly to the rock, securing himself as he soared through the air, rising with the giant beast.
Around him, the various Wizards and warriors that were spread out atop the beast did similar things, staying secure. Everyone here seemed to have come with some level of preparation. At least, more than their group.
BOOM
WHOOSH
The world around Dorian shook once more as the massive creature seemed to calm down. Gravity returned to normal, the huge gouts of lava and magma settled back down to normal, the boulders that had risen with the beast landing down on its back.
As the lava and magma that the giant beast had displaced began to slide off its back, it revealed a solid, stone-like black surface. The shell of the enormous turtle.
Contrary to Dorian's expectations, the back of the huge turtle was covered in rough rocks and stones, some jutting up high into the air. It was almost like a large stone island, complete with a lake full of lava resting at the center of it. He couldn't see the face, or even legs or arms of the creature, only its sizable back.
(Image – Regular (Non-Flame) Empyrean Turtle) – https://images4.alphacoders.com/150/150268.jpg ) (Doesn't Open in App)
As Dorian looked around at the new environment, in awe at the sheer size and scale of the beast, and its raw power, Leader's voice called out, interrupting his thoughts.
"Great Lord! We have landed near one of the entrances!"
Dorian turned around, staring.
Leader was standing with his bow out on top of one of the jutting black rocks that were present around them. On top of this rock, however, was a large, glowing yellow circle.
One of the 10 magic entrances one needed to take to enter the Ascension Ruins.
BOOM
Before Dorian could react, however, a loud boom shook the air.
Off to Dorian's right, about a hundred meters away, a small plume of smoke rose into the sky as a fireball faded away. The sounds of combat rang out, screams and yells of both anger and pain echoing.
The Ascension Ruins appeared on a semi-regular basis, but the largest number of people that could explore them at any one time was 60, due to the limited number of entrances, and the limited number of people that could enter each one.
Tens of thousands of Wizards and warriors all wanted a piece of the Ruins and the treasures and knowledge they held.
A very limited supply, but a very great demand, meant only one thing in the 30,000 Worlds.
A massive battle royale broke out.
Dorian clenched his fist as he ran forward towards Leader, his heart determined.
He would secure this entrance or die trying.
.
