"Chronos! Have you picked up a quest?"
"Yep! We have to go pick up herbs."
"Sounds like a pain...let's go to the forest. There's a bunch of plants and wildlife."
"Ok!" Chronos was ecstatic at the thought of him completing his very first quest. Chronos climbed on Arthur's back.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
"I can't be bothered to walk. Carry me!"
"Do I look like a horse to you?!"
"Yes." Chronos responded without hesitation.
"You're really one annoying brat!" Arthur still complied to Chronos's command.
Arthur was then struck with a brilliant and mischievous idea! He enchanted his feet with wind, running quickly.
"AHHHHHHHH! Slow down!" Chronos was clutched onto Arthur's back for dear life!
"Nope."
Shortly after they reached the forest.
Arthur showed Chronos the type of flowers and herbs to pick. They started picking up the herbs that were requested in the E-class quest.
"This is boring..." Chronos thought adventuring would be more fun.
"Well, of course it is, you're only an E-rank after all. Why did you even pick up an E-class quest? You do know that you can pick up a D-class quest as well, right?"
"Ah! I can do that?!"
"Yeah...maybe I should've told you. You're allowed to pick up quests that are only the same as your rank or one above." Arthur felt a sudden pressure in the air. "Chronos! Quickly, behind me!" Arthur's never felt such a sinister aura before. Not even from Sedah himself. "Do you feel that to Chronos?"
Chronos couldn't speak. His eyes were full of fear. He clutched tightly onto Arthur's clothes. Arthur clutched onto his sword, quivering in fear?
"My hands...are shaking? Why the hell am I scared?! This doesn't feel natural. Somethings off...shit! What am I doing?! I have to protect Chronos!" Arthur thought to himself.
The sky turned from day to night, without any stars to brighten up the world. Everything became covered in darkness.
A pale-white woman descended from the sky, with her arms stretched out. Her hair was messy, long and black, covering her eyes. Her neck was slightly long and thin. Arthur pointed his sword towards her. "Who the hell are you?!" Arthur could feel malice exuding from her.
"𝑀𝑒...𝑤𝘩𝑜 𝑎𝑚 𝐼? 𝑀𝑒? 𝑀𝑒? 𝑀𝑒?" Her neck tilted. Then tilted more. More and more. Until it looked broken. She then took both of her hands and forcefully adjusted her neck back in place.
Arthur looked back at Chronos, "Who is that woman? Do you know her?"
Chronos struggled to get his words out, "I-I think I-It's a-another g-god...probably." Arthur could feel Chronos shivering.
"Explain who you are before I cut you in half!" Arthur was on edge.
She landed gently on the floor. The woman pointed her finger at Chronos. Laughing to herself, while showing a sadistic smile.
Chronos's eyes started to bleed out a black liquid. His mouth started to pour out blood. His neck started to collapse. His skin started to turn white, and then he kept repeating, "Arthur, please help me. Arthur, please help." Chronos's fingers started clawing away at Arthur's legs.
Arthur felt chills, "Chronos! This can't be real!" Arthur dashed towards the woman, slicing her in half. Her body dispersed into black spores.
≡
Real world?
The sky became clear once again. Chronos saw Arthur's agitated expression.
"Arthur, are you ok?"
"Chronos!" He placed both his hands on Chronos's shoulder, relieved that he was ok.
"Why do you look so worried?"
"Huh. What do you mean? Didn't you see that woman?" Arthur was sweating, his breathing was heavy.
"What woman?" Chronos was confused and worried. From his perspective, he saw Arthur dash and slice at nothing. "Arthur, are you ok?"
"Shit! I must be hallucinating..." He clutched his hair, gritting his teeth. Deep down he knew something was wrong.
They both returned to the guild.
"The war between Vastos and Coldera is over!"
All the adventurers raised their mugs, cheering at this newfound victory!
"Vastos has won! Haha!"
Arthur was in shock, returning to the guild. "That can't be right, the wars already over?! How did we win? It doesn't make any sense..."
One of the barbarians looked at Arthur. "Sedah wiped out the whole army! Haha! He returned!"
"Huh, what the hell are you talking about?!" Arthur grabbed the barbarian by the shoulder shaking him in complete disbelief.
Arthur then ran outside the adventurer's guild as he heard screaming. The sky turned red. It became hard to breathe. The town started to be set ablaze! People started running and screaming. Everything was on fire. He saw people melt as they reached their hands towards him.
"Chronos!" Arthur yelled out."Where the hell-"
Arthur looked ahead of him. There he saw Sedah holding Chronos up with a sword that was stabbed through his chest. Sedah then swung his sword and Chronos's body started rolling in a pool of blood. Sedah started walking towards Arthur.
Arthur's legs gave out. No...his legs were cut off! A lake of blood started forming underneath him and the sky began to blacken. Sedah slowly started to walk towards him. Every step he took made a squelching sound of blood. His steps reached closer to Arthur and he was helpless. Arthur picked up his sword that was near his side. At that moment, his hands were severed, and blood streamed from his arms.
"GAHHH! SHIT! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"
Sedah's face, up until this moment, had been emotionless. However, as Arthur screamed, Sedah started smiling. He then pointed his blade at Arthur's neck.
In Arthur's vision, Sedah had turned upside down. Arthur's gaze then started rolling, locking onto Sedah's feet, unable to look up. Arthur's head was cut off from the rest of his body. Sedah, with his foot, began crushing Arthur's skull! Arthur was in agonising pain until everything became dark.
≡
Unknown
"Hey, Arthur! Are you ok?" Chronos looked up at Arthur.
Arthur frantically looked around, "Huh, this is the forest..?!" He profusely began sweating. He turned his back on Chronos, breathing heavier with each step he took. He then dropped to his knees, vomiting violently on the ground.