《Post-Living》Chapter 3: The City of Krux! (re)
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A week has passed since we left our town.
Vor and I were still travelling to... I actually have no idea where we're going. But if I know anything about other worlds from games, is that we have to find a city, then things will go in order. *Sigh*
What's worse is that I have to take care of this sibling of mine, which, when I think about it, he's also a reason why I wanted to leave. Now, I thought getting reincarnated into another world will lessen my suffering for a bit, but, damn, I was wrong. Really wrong.
The week that I lived through in this world is much, MUCH longer than a whole century in my old one. Maybe because I never had any fun yet. Except, maybe when I fought those bandits.. wait, did they die? If they did, then, I guess they're my first kill here in this world. And my first kill in any worlds that I've lived in. Good for them though, they're already resting. I kinda envy them... Actually, I do envy them. Immortality's a pain.
Well, anyway, the past week is boring.. as hell. I'm always bored anyway, but there were a few exceptions. One time, Vor and I got lost while following the map. Then, we stumbled into a big, somewhat bottomless pit. According to the sign, of course. The sign said that the pit was the largest pit in the entire world, and that they claimed that no one has ever reached the bottom. Someone came out of the pit, and approached us.
???: Hey, you two! Are you here to explore the pit as well?
Vor: Uhhh, is there anything worth exploring in there?
"Hell yeah! There's a lot of artifacts and ores down here! And the deeper you go, the more the riches you'll earn!"
"Then why do you look.. emptyhanded?"
"Ah, well, you see, the pit has all these curses or something surrounding it, and according to a map, the pit has a bottom! But it's like, 20 000 meters deep! And every 5000 meters, the pit has this places which we call levels, also, a weird sickness starts to infect you and kill you! That's why no one has ever reached the bottom yet. And the locals here say that there were people who did "reached" the bottom, but they never came back alive. That's why the locals here named it, "The Abyss™!"
"Well, I guess we'll be going now, we have nothing to do here since Nyx here have to follow his "destiny" (hahahaha) or some shit, right, Nyx? Nyx..? WAIT, NYX, NO-"
I jumped down the pit. Fuck, I'm taking all my chances.
"Wow..", I muttered as I continue falling while watching the somewhat scenery.. inside a pit. I was falling for about an hour. And creatures, really big creatures ate me, then I just come out, unscathed. Then again, I just jump down until I reached the bottom. Took about an hour and a not-so-good landing, because I needed to slide upwards.. from being impaled by a really, really large spike.
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Damn, I actually thought that would kill me.
"Well, now that I'm here might as well look.. at the bottom..?"
The only thing I saw was a letter that says:
If you're reading this then you've reached the bottom of the pit. Now, you must follow everything I tell you, or you will never see the secret that the Abyss™ is hiding! I have never seen it, but I found its location. Here, I'll tell you:
..........
There, go, the sickness is.. the sickness is spreading.. it's going to kill...me...
Oh yeah, I forgot about that sickness thing. Ok, now I'll go see this secret for myself!
....
I followed the directions written on the letter, and what I've seen is.. incredibly disappointing.
There was a rock, now, not an ore, nor a valuable material, but.. just a pebble. A fucking pebble. Now, I might not have went through the levels individually, but I'm pretty fucking sure that the one I fell from has rocks. *sigh* Everyday, I just kept getting more and more disappointed about this world.
I took the rock anyway, it must have been valuable enough for the people that fucking put it on an altar, and, mind you, the altar was perfectly built below a lava pit being contained by a substance probably strong enough to hold lava, and be transparent as well. Then, on the altar, I took the stone.
Vor: "NYX! HEY! NYYYY~X!"
Nyx: What? Why am I here? A minute ago, I was in the bottom of the pit..
"No, man, we've been standing here, talking to the scavenger guy. Then, uhh, I dragged you close to the pit to take a peek, then you kinda just stared. I..Is, IS THAT THE Ss-sickness he was talking about?!?"
"God, no, I swear, I was just there a minute ago. Look, the bottom contai-.., you know what, nevermind. I figured it out."
Turns out the stone was a time reversing, teleporting pebble. So they do have a reason to put it on an altar.., why the hell did they never use it though? I still have it though, but it doesn't work anymore so I'll just put it on my pocket. Anyway, now that I've fully wasted my (Actually never existed if you think about it) time, I'm just going to hurry the hell up and go to that city.
"Vor, let's go, this place is a waste of time."
"Really? But you were just staring at it a minut-"
"LETS. GO. VOR."
"Ok, jeez, no need to get violent."
And with that, a week has passed and we've reached it. The first city I have set foot on, the City of Krux.
"This city is huu~ge", Vor said, as he was excitedly running and looking from stall to stall. Although, one sword caught my attention, not because I have some "hidden skill" on knowing the stats of this sword, but because it looks cool. Seriously, it really does. It would be cool to slash monsters with it (not that I have seen one, yet.)
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Good thing those bandits have money. I wonder what's their currency here..?
"Hey, uhmm, how much is that sword?"
???: "A thousand Chri!"
"Chri? Is this Chri?"
???: "Dude, are you trying to be funny here? Those are copper. Copper coins. Chri is basically equivalent to Gold, then you're giving me copper? Get the hell out of my face."
Rude. How can I know that? We didn't need money on our town, we just exchanged stuff for goods. Bartering. Well, I have another method that always works on my last world..
"Uhmm, sorry, could you give me.. a discount? *Smiles*"
"oh shit ok. damn. you could've done that earlier. Just, just give me all your copper."
"Thanks, here-"
???: "HYEEEEEEEELLLPPPPPP! THAT, THAT MAN STOLE MY CHRI!"
And the opportunity to use this sword arises. See, I told you, it would all work out. Then, maybe the king here would recognize my bravery and grant me the honorary title of a hero.
I chased down that guy with this badass sword that I bought. Then, I caught him in an alley.
"Hey, you! There's nowhere to go! Face my wrath!.. is that how they say it in games?"
"NO!", said the thief, while pulling out his dagger. Then I charged with my sword..
"YAAAAH!"
The thief vanished, and all I slashed was the wall. The wall was heavily damaged. Then, I turned back to see the thief charging in ahead, so I blocked with my sword.
"WHAT THE FUCK!" I said, while the thief laughing. When I tried to block, the sword shattered because of the force that it endured while hitting the wall. This feeling of frustration and this feeling of being fucked over... I felt it. There's a first time for everything, I guess. Now, the thief charged at me again, and slashed my face with his dagger.
"I guess he should've known who he's dealing with."
"Actually, I haven't asked that yet, who're you?"
He was dumbfounded, then without hesitation, I pulled out that rock I got from the pit, and smashed it in his face.
???: Oh good, you, you've defeated him! Actually, this was just a test conducted by the king! He wanted to see who still has a "heroic sense", he said."
"What, but that guy stabbed* me."
"Ah, yeah, to make it more realistic, the king ordered him to kill anyone who comes after him. Also, to avoid deaths, he announced it weeks ago. It was a really stupid plan, I tell you. And the king had the strongest assassin in the kingdom to play as the thief! Quite.. retarded, if you must. Anyway, wake him up, and the king wants to have a talk with you. Go to the castle at 6, later."
Then the girl left, in a royal chariot. She was definitely royalty. She's elegant and, of course, her clothes stand out way too much. Her eyes and her hair is black, and she wears glasses. Like, almost everyone here doesn't have that except people who look rich. I haven't seen anyone with glasses in this world, until now so maybe it's exclusive for the rich..?
Well, time to go.. wait, crap I forgot.
"Hey, wake up."
.....
Shit, he's dead. Well anyway, time to go to Vor and tell him this.
_____________
Vor believed everything I said, and he.. prepared or something? He brought a bow and a knife, while I came emptyhanded (with the exception of my holy rock). We checked in an inn using that Chri I got from... forgetting to give it back to that girl..
Vor: Ok, so what's the plan?
Nyx: Plan, no, we don't need a plan. We just come in and do whatever the hell they tell us to.
Vor: Ok, then I'll handle the plan. Be right back.
Hmm, what plan? I guess he'll probably do something stupid again. That would be entertaining, making the king lash out at Vor for doing something stupid. I guess I'll just let him, I'm gonna take a nap.
Waking up, I realized it's already 6, so I just ran to the castle. I met Vor, below a bridge creating a.. hole? How weird is this day going to be? I called him out, and we went to the castle.
Vor: Hey, Nyx, be ready.
Nyx: Yeah, I know.
Then the castle gates opened up, and we were greeted by knights standing on the side, while the king sits in the middle.
King: So you're the one who defeated my best assassin! See, I told you guys someone strong would eventually pop up!
"Oh there were definitely strong ones, that assassin just killed all of 'em." ,The knights whispered.
King: Ook, so I guess I'm going to grant you the privilege of being the hero of our city. C'mere..
Vor and I walked to the King's throne. I kneeled down, then Vor followed. The King then pulled out his sword to honor us both.
"I hereby declare you, the kn-"
Vor... quickly charged in the king's direction. A knife pierced through the king's chest. Then..
"I DID IT, NYX! THE OTHER VILLAGES CAN NOW LIVE IN PEACE! I'M A HERO!"
"Vor... what the fuck... did you do...."
"YOU TOLD ME THE KING'S ARMY WAS THE ONE DESTROYING THE VILLAGES! SO I THOUGHT THE KING CAPTURED YOU AND LURED YOU INTO A TRAP, SO I SET UP A PLAN TO KILL THE KING!"
"I DIDN'T SAY IT WAS THIS KING! VOR, YOU STUPID FUCK! THEY'RE NOT THE ONES WHO WERE PILLAGING THE VILLAGES!"
Just as when I thought that this day could get any worse, he did it in the worst way possible. *sigh*
The knights were all standing in shock, and they clenched and pulled out their swords and charged at us. God damn it, Vor.
"He... HE KILLED THE KING! GET THEIR HEADS!"
Aw, shit.
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