Chapter 37: I’m Going to Save Everyone

Lady Merewyn traced an array of glowing runes, her hands weaving symbols of power. The air grew heavy as she began the incantation,

"Lux Aeterna… Vocare Heroes… Transcendere inter mundos… Arise, Champions of other World!"

I don’t know what she said, but it sounded awesome.

The chamber rumbled. A massive green-and-gold circle flared to life beneath us. Then, like a thunderstrike crashing from the heavens, a pillar of light shot down, swallowing the circle whole.

Silhouettes appeared inside the light. Figures took form, more than I expected.

Merewyn’s voice echoed in my mind, “This summoning magic is special. Once their mission is done, they’ll return to their world. And if death nears them here, the spell will pull them back instantly.”

For the first time, I allowed myself to breathe. That means… it’s safe for them to fight with me.

The light dimmed. I saw them—Terrence, his gang, the Joyce siblings… and—

"Judeth?!"

My heart froze. She stood there, very real, very out of place.

"Let’s get digging, you sons of—" Terrence’s profanity was cut off as Judeth shoved him and Barnaby aside. She stormed straight toward me.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I should be asking you! Why are you here—and how did you even get caught up in this?"

Her glare didn’t soften. "I was at our apartment. I thought you were in your room, but you weren’t. Camille and I searched the city until I saw you—breaking Takayuki out. I followed you, and then…" she gestured around us. "…I got dragged into this mess."

Behind her, Terrence and the others snickered, half-teasing, half-apologizing for not stopping her.

I faced Judeth again, my voice firm. "Listen. I came here to stop Niobeorth once and for all. People from our world are still trapped here, and Ashalondaria is still under his control. This isn’t just about me."

Her fist slammed into my stomach, knocking the breath out of me. "So you just wanted to play hero? Risk your life again? After I finally got you back?"

I coughed, forcing myself to meet her eyes. "Judy, Niobeorth isn’t done. He’s after Omnikuro too. If we don’t stop him here, what happened to this world will happen to ours. More lives will be lost. That’s why I came back."

She stood there, fists trembling, her anger sharp enough to cut steel.

"I don’t care if you hate me for it," I said, my voice breaking. "But I’m not letting Niobeorth get away after everything—defiling Adrian’s body, controlling Ysanthe, killing Jarrod. Someone has to end this."

Judeth raised her hand again, ready to strike. Aster’s voice cut in. "Wait—don’t."

But the punch never came.

Instead, Judeth dropped to her knees, wrapping her arms around me. Her head pressed into my shoulder, her warmth sinking into me.

I froze. Then slowly, I felt the weight of her trembling against me.
"We lost Jarrod because of this stupid game. And now you expect me to accept that you came back to the same place where he died?"

Judeth’s voice cracked. "Every night I couldn’t sleep. Camille had to stay with me, comforting me, telling me everything would be alright… that you two would come back. But I feared the worst. And one of those fears already came true. Do you think I could bear to lose another one of my family because of your stupid decision?"

I hugged her back, my voice low. "Judeth… I’m sorry. I never meant to make you feel this way. But you need to understand—" I drew in a shaky breath. "I’m not going back until Niobeorth is stopped."

She didn’t answer at first. When she finally lifted her head, her expression had changed. "Then in that case," she muttered, "I’ll join your stupid cause."

Aster muttered, "Well, that was a quick way to convince someone."

"No. I forbid you," I snapped.

Judeth arched a brow. "Forbid me? Where’d you learn that word? Because I reject your forbid. If you’re going to do this stupid [BEEP], then I’m helping."

"Like hell I’ll let you—"

Durgan stepped forward. "Why don’t you let her? Lady Merewyn summoned her, which means she’s meant to join our cause."

"She was brought here by accident," I shot back. "That means she was forced to come here!"

"Even so," Durgan replied, calm as ever, "the spell will send her back the moment she’s about to die. She won’t be in grave danger."

Judeth folded her arms. "You heard the gnome. I’m staying."

I sighed. "…Alright. Fine.”I turned towards everybody, “Alright, Is everyone here ready?"
The group nodded.

Lady Merewyn, however, was trembling, leaning heavily on her staff. Serana rushed to steady her. "Maybe you should stay behind. You’d only put yourself in danger if you came with us."

The others murmured in agreement. Merewyn gave a tired smile. "Then I will aid you from a distance." She whispered a protection spell, weaving light around us. "Please… be careful, dear heroes."

Benson raised a hand. "Alright, but… how exactly are we getting to Mondunion?"
Serana said, “Especially because Lady Merewyn is too weak to send us to Mondunion,”

Takayuki’s voice crackled through the comms. "I can handle that. Remember, Onlife is still connected to Ashalondaria like it’s a game. After you killed Talas, it gave me partial access to the world. I can teleport you safely—but not directly where the monsters are. The only safe spot near Mondunion is…" He hesitated. "…the dungeon beneath the castle."

"That doesn’t sound too bad, right?" Thor said.

Durgan grimaced. "It’s bad. Compare it to Khaterinth Mountain—only filled with booby traps, it was used to contain dangerous criminals. But don’t worry, I know the way out."

"Perfect. Alright, Takayuki," I said. "Do your thing."

Light swallowed us whole, and in an instant we were transported.

When I opened my eyes, I was underground again. The dungeon stretched like an ancient city, walls cracked but lined with glowing runes. The air was heavy, the silence almost suffocating. It reminded me of the first time I came to this world, back in the Dungeon of Bones.

Durgan began explaining as we walked. "This was once an underground city, long before Mondunion rose above it. It couldn’t be repaired, but it holds history—prophecies, even. The runes scattered here speak of an oracle who foresaw a future where worlds would collide—"

"Alright, professor," Barnaby cut in. "No time for bloody history class. A make-believe wizard’s about to conquer the world, remember?"

Durgan blinked, then coughed. "Right. My apologies." He quickly pointed the way forward.

As we walked, we passed rows of empty cells. Durgan frowned. "These once held countless criminals. Then, one night, they all vanished. Even the king and queen never learned why."

I muttered under my breath, "Did they kill them and dump the bodies…?"

Durgan responded. “I know them pretty well, I doubt they could ever do such an act.”

Aster frowned. "Isn’t it odd?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Niobeorth has conquered Mondunion," she said. "If the people were still here, wouldn’t they all be locked up as hostages?"

Her words chilled me.

"You don’t think…" I swallowed. "…Niobeorth already executed everyone in Mondunion?"

No one answered.

"I hope that’s not the case," I whispered.

While running, Durgan stopped us short. Ahead was a wide chamber, crawling with monsters.

"This is not good," he muttered. "There’s far too many."

I clenched my jaw. "Even if we fight them, one shout and we’ll be swarmed. Is there another way?"

Durgan shook his head. "That’s the only path."

I thought about luring them out, but there was no way to do it without risking the others.

Before I could act, a figure appeared, it was Ysanthe. She carried a staff crowned with a turquoise cube, raising it toward us. We froze. Her eyes burned with intent.
“Ysanthe? What are yo—.” 
She pressed a finger to her lips. Telling me to stay silent.
She walked past us and into the monster-filled room. Her voice rang sharp and commanding, "Leave. All of you."

A hulking Minotaur stepped forward, axe gripped tight, red eyes glowing. His breath steamed. "Or what?"

Ysanthe leveled her staff at him. Thin turquoise cracks spread across his body. The Minotaur roared in agony before bursting into nothingness.

The other monsters didn’t resist. Without hesitation, they turned and marched away, brushing past our hiding spot.

When the room cleared, Ysanthe stood alone. "Go," she said flatly, not meeting our eyes.

The others hurried through. I lingered, calling after her. "Ysanthe! Where are you going?" I caught her arm. She yanked free.

"You shouldn’t have come back," she said coldly.

"I came to save you—and everyone else in this kingdom."

Her expression twisted. "Save me? It was my fault this kingdom fell. My fault that your best friend died."

I lowered my gaze. "I know that I lost a friend. But I can’t lose another."

She hesitated, then scoffed softly. "We’ve only known each other a month, and you call me a friend? You’re weird sometimes." Finally she looked at me, eyes tired. "Please, just… go."

Before I could answer, she slipped into the shadows of the dungeon.

"Jack!" the others called. I whispered, stay safe, Ysanthe, then followed the group.

Durgan led us to the exit, a hidden gate opening into the castle’s armory. The place was a mess, weapons and armor scattered across the stone floor.

Through the window, I saw only darkness. We readied ourselves for ambush. I gripped my Dangatana and pushed open the door…

But outside, there was no danger. No monsters. Just sunlight.

I blinked, confused. Looking back at the armory’s window, there too, sunlight streamed in.

Aster frowned. "Wasn’t it dark just a second ago?"

Serana nodded grimly. "Another one’s of Niobeorth’s trickery."

We all agreed. Refusing to be fooled, we pressed on. Takayuki’s voice guided us, Niobeorth is in the Grand Hall.

On guard, we advanced through the halls. Staging on guard and ready to attack.
Suddenly, two maids appeared carrying baskets. We raised our weapons instantly.

"Those two beautiful women could be monsters in disguise," Benson warned.
“Exactly let’s not get distracted, although you have to look after Dennis, [BEEP] and [BEEP] makes his head go haywire, even just thinking he goes nuts. I will go nuts but only after I see them, not Dennis, he is straight up psycho,” Terrence also warned.

“Hey that’s not true?” Dennis responded.
But my vision, bound to the HUD, told me otherwise. Above their heads, I saw a brainwashed icon. "Wait!" I called, lowering my blade. "They’re real. Just… controlled."

The maids passed by, they looked at us, they giggled, oblivious to what is happening right now.

One by one, more people appeared, hostages, every single person from the kingdom and the land, all moving and smiling like NPCs in a game, forced into false lives.

And then—

"Good day to you, Sir Gygaverne?"

I froze. Standing before me was Katarina, wearing an orange princess gown. Her radiant smile cut through the air like a blade.
“Ka-Katarina?