Chapter 10: Realms

Rael sat with his back against the rough stone and went over everything he knew about the realms one more time, checking each fact against the theory forming in his head.

(Author Note: Info Dump)

First Realm — Elysian Wilds.

People called it the tutorial stage. Every newly awakened person was sent here a month after the ceremony. There were no cities, no safe zones, no reliable roads. The place was nothing but wilderness, monsters, and dangerous ground. The only way out was a Realm Gate hidden somewhere in the wild. Until an awakener found that gate, there was no return to Titan. The gate’s location changed for every group, forcing them to explore and survive.

Second Realm — Aetherion.

This was where most awakeners spent their lives. Unlike the first realm it had human cities, kingdoms, guilds, markets, academies and dungeons. Cities connected through Safe Portals and Realm Gates, so people could travel between major settlements without crossing open wilderness. Outside the walls, though, the monsters were still strong.

Third Realm — Eternal Abyss.

The place beyond ordinary reach. Only the strongest ever entered. Legendary monsters, forbidden treasures, extinct civilizations, powers that should no longer exist. No ordinary cities. No safe transport. The few who returned spoke of things that sounded impossible. Most people believed the Eternal Abyss was the highest realm of the Dream Realm. That was only what humanity believed.

Rael finished the silent recitation and looked across the narrow cave at Lila.

"I think I have an idea why this is happening," he said. "Why monsters like Dire Wolf and Orcs are in the first realm at all."

She waited.

"There’s a summoner here. Someone with a high-rank class—A or S, maybe—who summoned all these creatures in. It’s the only way so many of them could appear at once."

He waited till look at Lira’s reaction and said "If we kill the summoner, the summons might disappear with him."

Lila was quiet for a moment, then nodded slowly. "That... actually makes sense."

"We can’t touch him the way we are now," Rael continued. "We’re too weak. We have to get stronger first, and fast."

"We have to make our move before these monsters find us."

"Then how about we leave the cave tomorrow morning," she said. "Start with low-level monsters. Build from there."

"No I think we should move at night. If a human is controlling them they have to sleep at night. It will be the best time to move we can rest at day and move at night."

She leaned her head back against the wall. "Yeah. Let’s do that."

She shifted and sat beside him, close enough that their shoulders almost touched. For a while neither spoke. Then she said, voice low, "You know I didn’t trust you at first. When you said you forgot the ring... I didn’t believe that story."

Rael gave a short, tired breath that was almost a laugh. "I wouldn’t have believed me either if I were you."

A small smile touched her mouth. "So what really happened? Why did you not brought any equipment?"

"I failed the awakening. I didn’t know I was going to awaken," he said. "The stone told me I was classless. Turns out I wasn’t. After coming here I got to know I do have a class."

She studied his face in the dim light. "Then you must be glad. Having a class. Being here."

He nodded once. He said "I have never been this happy before."

Lila looked down at her hands. "I never wanted to awaken. I wanted a normal life."

"Why? Isn’t every kids dream is to become a hero."

She was silent long enough that he thought she might not answer. When she did, the words came slowly.

"My parents died in a gate outbreak. Left me, my sister, and my older brother. We were not much older when our parents died My brother took care of us. He later awakened with an A-rank class. He was the pride of our university. Big guilds came after him, but his dream was to build his own in his own city. He joined a party from a famous guild to raise money for it. He never came back. They said he died in the dungeon."

A tear slid down her cheek. She did not wipe it away.

"I see my sister cry every night when she thinks she’s alone. Our family was never the same after that. And the thought of me dying here too... I keep thinking what that would do to her. Once I escape the first realm I’m never coming back here."

She reached up, unclasped the thin star shaped necklace from around her neck, and held it out to him.

"If anything happens to me and you get out, give this to my sister. Tell her to keep living even when it’s tough. Even when it looks like there is nothing to live for any longer."

Rael did not take it at once. "You’ll give it to her yourself. Nothing’s going to happen to you while I’m here."

Rael felt weird saying that he knew how weak he was right now. How can he protect her when he can’t even guarantee his own safety.

She pressed the necklace into his palm anyway and closed his fingers over it. "Even then. I want you to have it."

He looked at the small chain resting against his skin, then at her face, still wet with the single tear. He closed his hand gently around the necklace.

"All right," he said. "But you’re still giving it to her yourself."

They sat in the quiet that followed. Outside the blocked entrance the mountain wind moved through the trees, carrying no sound of the creatures below.

"Let’s rest," Rael said at last. "We’ll move at night. When the summoner’s asleep his control should loosen. That might be our best chance."

Lila nodded. She did not take her hand away from his for a long time. Rael looked at his status screen.

STATUS

Name: Rael

Race: Human

Class: Copy (F-Rank)

Copied Class: Flamecaller(D-Rank), Archer (B-Rank)

Level: 3 -> 4

Souls: 20 -> 40

Bloodline: Abyssal Sovereign (+100% Multiplier)

Strength: 26

Agility: 26

Mana: 26

Vitality: 26

Additional Stats: 6

Skills: Fireball (Apprentice), Ignite (Expert), Eagel Eyes (Expert), Piercing Arrow (Expert)

He thought he has to grow stronger, much stronger if he can have confidence when he tell someone that he will protect them.

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