The Cursed Paradise (Edentia Online)

Chapter 21

△6 Novadia 1656

[Morning] time phase.

We parted from the [Isla Deinti] at dawn, just to make a silent escape. The dark skies with start spread began to fade, a morning star risen.

We reached there at sunrise, the winter season came, fractals snowfall flew from the sky, it's getting colder when stepped into the [Gladiolus] arena. Jotan wear his black fur coat, I wear my red cloak, the weather was cold. Jotan waved a gesture, the dome closed, blocking the cold air from outside. The thin ice over the firm stone floor cracked as we step it. I stab my sword to the floor, took a deep breath.

"Heating Aura" A fragment of fire formed at the tip of the sword, slowly thawed the thin ice over it. The aura molded with the air, give a warm feel inside the dome. Jotan took off his coat, and threw it over.

He drew his swords, "Shall we start ?" he said.

"Yeah, introduction first isn't it ?" I bowed at him. He bowed too then crossed his sword.

"Ladies first.." he stepped back.

The [Health point] above us changed into blue in color, a number showed in seconds counting down from 10, when it reached zero. We're transferred into opposite spots. I on the right side, while Jotan on the left.

I extract the sword from the ground, ran toward Jotan. "Frozen flame !" I swinged my sword to the side as a blue arch energy flashed to him. He jumped, averted the attack. The blue arch energy collide with the wall, leaving a burnt mark to it.

"Not bad, but check this out.." he suddenly glowed in white aura, chanting some words. The white aura surge the swords. "Sword dance !" he spinning around, like a swirling wind with a slash of sword.

I deflected his attack, clashing sound of sword collided. Several fire fragment, fle off the sky like fireflies. The white energy weaken along with Jotan's movement slower than before. While he still panting, he tried to stab me, I blocked it, but the tip of his sword almost cut my right ear in half. A slight of pain stung my ear, a crimson red fluid sliding down through the silverish metal.

"Great one.." I murmured. Pushed Jotan to the side. "Let me try it," I swinged my sword to him. He deflect it with ease. I and Jotan do some random movement, like slicing and dodging each other attack.

"Don't underestimate me..I'm a motion tester." he said. He crossed his sword, my neck was between his sword. "I got you !" he moved his sword like a cutting scissors.

I tilted my head up, bend my body backward, let it fall with the gravity, but it leaved a single cut on my neck. I kicked hard at Jotan's chest armour, with a fiery power. A flame sphere kicked out Jotan. He fliched to the wall, colliding hard. His body imprinted in the wall. As he released from the wall, he fell down

"Nice try Iza.." he get up, wiped off his face. "Get ready for this one.." he rushed to me. Slight of silver aura bathed Jotan with a gleaming light. His hand covered in white light. "Slicing style ! Beaming sword !" at a flashing speed he dashed to me.

"Flame swing!" I swinged my sword. A circle made of fire, spinned like a spin toy.

A dashing Jotan didn't realize what coming over him, he just keep running toward me. When it almost reached him, he slightly ducked down. Still dashed to me, I swinged the sword upside down, making a horizontal arch. He skidded to the right. I crossed my arms and blocked his attack, but it penetrate my metal armlet, dripping blood fell down to the floor. My hands that covered in metal gloves, extract his sword. My [Health point] bar cut down in quarter. A message popped.

◎Round One Finished.

"Ready for round 2 ?" Jotan asked.

"Yeah, let's do it !" I answered.

Jotan scrolled the PVP menu screen, touched the [Round 2] button. A message popped on the dome structure.

◎Damage dealt will be cut in half.

"What ? that's a way harder." I groaned.

"That's the rule Liz." Jotan said. He prepared his weapons once more. "Come on !" he dashed to me, like his stamina were replenished quickly.

I panting heavily, collected some energy that left from me, a slight of fireball created with my hand. I aimed it at him, he jumped at each fireball.

After several relentlessly attack, I stabbed on Jotan's belly, simply blood crippled to the floor. One thing that surprised me, the blue health bar that indicated the health, has vanished slowly and changed into red color. It happen again since Grimm's death.

He moaned in pain, "Liz, you're doing great. congratulations" he put a thumb up to me.

"Don't joking ! didn't you see something happen ?" I pointed above his head.

"Eh ? that blue bar above our head gone ? This is crazy. Health Rehearsal !" he held his hand touching his belly, he let out a faint light. "What ? even I can't heal myself." he cringed, "Iza give me your [Health potion] quick !" he fell down the ground, and laid motionless there.

I opened the vial's cork, abruptly Jotan grabbed it, emptying the [Health potion] fluid in a gulp. I slowly pulled my sword from his belly, a metallic sword has painted crimson red. The red mark on his still didn't recover, he started to shivering. I use his black fur coat as his blanket, also transfer some heating energy

"You don't know what danger could overcome you. You didn't noticed I made a caution since Octodia 1656 right ?" A mysterious sound out from nowhere. Along with the shifting dome opened, the coldness of snow roamed us.

"Who are you ? show yourself. I know that you're responsible for this." I put up my cloak.

"I don't think so." A man with black robe and a hoodie, it was Adam also known as Zagato. "We meet again Jonathan, Eliza. Legends of Edentia, I should show my respect for you both" he bowed. "Did you it just a world of fake paradise, then why are take this role seriously ? Well I'm not going to mention that virtual family you've been build." he put his palm on his face.

"I ask you back, why the hell you won't let us out this game ?" Jotan who still winched in pain asked.

"Don't blame me. This is a role part of Infinity Zeros." he defended himself. "One day, I'll explain you why.." he reached something from his pocket a black ball, it was his secret weapon to transfer him in a puff of clouds. "But don't worry Eliza, he's not going to dead instead of.." he dropped the ball, as swirling pitch black fog bathed him around.

"What !? tell me !" too late..Adam's gone.

Jotan froze in his stance, his body started to roamed in frost crystal, the past comes back to life. His lips parted widely, a little faint white orb with silver glow flew off from it, as he let out his last breath.

"Jotan no ! not now ! please don't leave me !" I screamed at his pale and weak body, as my watery eyes started to fell down as tears, a drop of it splashed the little orb. It flew to the empty [Healing potion] vial. I realized what Adam's said, abruptly I put the cork back to the vial's top. "How this thing work ?" I observed at the flying orb, it was quite active and likes to move around the vial. A notification message popped, it was a video news, gladly the flatform was allowed to show the video. A picture of a girl with white bob cutted hair, and gleaming blue eyes like the vast sky showed on the top of the screen.

"Attention to all player, a major update has finished. Due to the death that occur on the game affect the real life's death, a new system has launched to minimalize the number of death." the voice of robotic female said. She showed a glowing blue crystal with a diamond shape. "Introducing, the [Life Crystal] that could revive someone from death.." she said, she moved her hand toward me, her hand penetrate the holographic screen with ease, put the crystal to my hand. "The effect only lasts for 3 days in Edentia's time passage, so be quick ! reach the [Tower Tombstone] the only place to revive things." she said, then showed a picture of a black tower made from stone, formed a cone shape that reached the peak of sky. After that the video has buffering screen, then vanished.

Jotan's body didn't break into pixels, instead perished into dusts swirling around, formed a box then the box transferred into another place. I sat there, still looking at the [Life Crystal] on my right hand, the Jotan's soul on the left. I tilted my head to sky, as shifting stone floor ascending.

I should be quick ! then I moved my numb feet, forced it's muscles to ran.