Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

Chapter 750 Surtr

The aura of the Cloak of Twilight enveloped Blood Lily like a welcoming shadow, allowing her to survive the merciless heat that permeated Muspelheim. The cloak had been woven from ancient elven magic, and she had found it by chance in a chest at the bottom of an elven dungeon.

So he proceeded towards the iron gate of the gigantic castle before her. The ground beneath his feet, hidden under a thin layer of volcanic ash, whispered under the weight of his cautious steps. Not only was it enough to give away her presence, but if she dared to run, it would certainly be too dangerous to slip. 

Nevertheless, she made her way cautiously to the iron door, which was not only massive and ajar, but also emanated a strange sensation, giving Bloody Lily a bad feeling. It was as if the very mana of the place was enough to give her the creeps. The gargoyles adorning the entrances to the castle didn't help her courage, with their stone eyes fixed on the intruder.

She took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment on her shoulders. Her senses were heightened, every fiber of her being alert to the dangers that could await beyond the entrance. She raised her hand, ready to push the door, and tapped. Then Bloody Lily slowly pushed the iron door, and the metallic creak seemed to echo for several meters.

The entrance revealed a dark corridor, lit only by a faint luminescence coming from magic torches along the walls. 

The shadows of these torches danced on the walls, like spectres eager to have a new visitor.

When Bloody Lily took the first step inside, the atmosphere became denser. Once again, the mana seemed to whisper, enveloping Bloody Lily in a chilling embrace. 

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His first footsteps echoed louder than usual in the silent corridor, creating a melancholy resonance that reverberated like a lament.

The torches, although emitting a dim light, did not completely illuminate the path ahead. 

Shadows moved at the edges of the player's vision, and Bloody Lily felt invisible eyes watching her. She didn't know exactly where she was, but it certainly wasn't a place other players visited often, or she would have heard about it. 

At least the magical cloak continued to protect her from the burning heat, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something hidden was watching her movements.

As she advanced down the main corridor of the castle, Bloody Lily realized that the silence was not empty, but full of inarticulate murmurs. Echoes of ancient words and languages, whispers of entities beyond mortal understanding. Each step was a deeper incursion into the castle, where secrets intertwined with darkness.

Finally, she reached a large chamber at the heart of the castle. A majestic room, where black pillars stood in the gloom. In the center, a gloomy throne awaited, and on it rested a figure wrapped in dark robes. At first, everything was too dark, but when her right foot touched the first brick in the chamber, the figure on the throne literally lit up and its long cloak of fire illuminated the entire room.

When she raised her eyes and saw this figure, with a helmet, armor and a cloak of fire that stretched like a carpet across much of the room, Bloody Lily had no doubt, the figure in front of her was Surtr. 

"You are brave to enter my domain, human woman." Belial said, his voice echoing through the chamber like a sinister whisper.

Blood Lily felt the tension in the air, and the heat pulsed around her, almost bringing her to her knees again, even though she thought she was protected by the Cloak of Twilight. 

[Attention! You are in the presence of an anthological god!]

Surtr's eyes burned like hot coals, and a serious expression marked his face. He was like nothing Bloody Lily had ever seen before.

[You have suffered the effect of Intimidation.]

[Duration: for as long as you are in the presence of a god].

Left with no choice, Bloody Lily lowered her head, avoiding looking at Surtr directly.

"I already know what you came here for. You want to free the other humans we took as payment for the contract, don't you?"

She felt like an ant in front of a titan, a small creature confronted by divine majesty. The aura of intense heat emanating from the god created an almost unbearable pressure, and the Intimidation effect made her feel like she was on the edge of the abyss. Upon hearing Surtr's words, the player shyly looked up, her expression hidden under her red hair. The burning embers in the god's eyes seemed to penetrate her soul, while his deep, imposing voice still echoed in the majestic chamber.

"Yes, it's true. I have come to free those who have been captured, to break the contract that imprisons them." replied Bloody Lily, keeping her voice steady despite the internal tremor caused by the divine presence.

Surtr watched her for a moment, as if reading beyond the words and seeing the deepest desires of her soul. He was tall, like a giant in fact. The fire on his cloak danced like living flames, illuminating the room in a way that made it seem more like a furnace than a real chamber.

"I have always believed that humans are fragile and ephemeral creatures. That's why I accepted the duty of punishing so many here. I feel no compassion for you. Despite this, I admire how you always seek to challenge the bonds that imprison you, only you don't understand the intricacies of divine agreements." said Surtr, his voice resonating with a mixture of compassion and divine indifference. "It was Fryft who told you how to get here, wasn't it? That little bitch..."

Surtr had a whiff of sulfur and that smell was intense and agonizing for Bloody Lily, even though she was several meters away from him.

"However, Fryft may be a fool, but she's not an idiot. If she has betrayed me, something has changed..." Then Surtr lifted his chin and looked at the Bloody Lily again. "Human, tell me, what could have changed?"