Chapter 50: Inside The Royal Secret Realm?
Chapter 50: Inside The Royal Secret Realm?
Thud.
The heavy soles of my combat boots hit solid stone, the jarring vibration shooting up my legs and shaking the last remnants of spatial disorientation from my mind.
Just like an Escape Talisman, the Royal Secret Realm randomly scattered newcomers across its independent world. It was a chaotic lottery, but both methods shared one vital, life-saving mechanism: they always deposited travelers in an open, relatively safe zone far from other living beings.
"Fuck. Safe is a relative term, isn't it?" I muttered, glancing around.
I was standing on a wide stone outcropping, clinging to the sheer face of a massive cliff about fifty feet above the ground. The mountain face rose roughly two hundred feet from base to peak, placing me exactly a quarter of the way up. As a superhuman, I could leap down from this height without breaking anything, but it certainly wasn't going to feel great on my feet.
"Eh. At least the starting view is good," I grunted, looking for small victories.
The sky above was a vibrant, impossible blue, streaked with swirling pastel clouds of pale pink, azure, and stark white. It looked less like nature and more like an unfinished oil painting. The sun hung small and brilliant in the atmosphere, casting a bright light but radiating very little heat, as if it were burning millions of miles further away from this pocket dimension than it did on Myst.
Below me, the horizon stretched out into a vast, untamed wilderness. A lush sea of greens, deep reds, and earthy browns rolled over a landscape punctuated by sparse, jagged mountain ranges. It was a scene of absolute, breathtaking tranquility—right up until the distant, echoing roars of apex predators and the violent crashes of territorial beasts shattered the silence.
Unlike the human-dominated lands of Myst, the prominent humanoids populating this Secret Realm were green-skins: Circle 1 Goblins, Circle 2 Orcs, and Circle 3 Ogres. Those rankings only represented the baseline average; abnormal variants and powerful tribal leaders frequently emerged. Still, that was the established hierarchy.
Goblins were the cannon fodder of the Life-element species. They served as the expendable grunts of their tribes, defying standard fantasy tropes. Like their larger cousins, Goblins possessed bright green blood, incredible resilience, and a human-like reproductive rate regardless of their internal Circle level. Even a base Goblin was a supernatural creature, standing twice as strong as an average human from Earth. They averaged three to four feet in height, with light green skin, needle-sharp teeth, oversized heads, yellow eyes, and elongated, pointed noses and ears. And no, they didn't capture and breed with beautiful human or elven maidens. They just slaughtered them, ate them, and went back to mating within their own species.
Orcs, on the other hand, were a different breed of brute. Standing nearly seven feet tall, they possessed massive, heavily muscled bodies layered with thick fat. Their ears and noses aligned more naturally with a humanoid facial structure, though their noses were distinctly flattened, giving them a porcine appearance. They shared the same green skin and yellow eyes as the Goblins, reproducing at a standard human birth rate.
Then there were the Ogres. Much larger, vastly dumber, and possessing more human-like features, they looked like a grotesque hybrid of a human and a Hill Giant. They also looked like they had never encountered a bath in their entire, wretched lives. Because of their immense innate strength, their birth rates were significantly lower than the other green-skins, keeping their numbers naturally balanced in the food chain. But unlike the solitary Ogre I had assisted in committing suicide back in my homeland, the Secret Realm was home to dozens of them at a time, moving and fighting in coordinated tribes.
These monsters were the pure embodiment of what humanoids attuned to the Life element could be. Despite their primitive, savage natures, they were phenomenally resilient, capable of regenerating from severe injuries in the blink of an eye. Like the Hulk from old Marvel comics, these green-skins were hardwired for survival of the fittest.
Of course, they weren't the only dangers. The realm was crawling with Life-type Demonic Beasts—including my absolute favorite, giant fucking snakes.
Sigh.
To make matters worse, one could also encounter 4th Circle variants that had been artificially suppressed down to the 3rd Circle, such as Griffons, Wyverns, Hydras, and Manticores. And then there were the Life Elementals. Every elemental plane had them. A Life Elemental was essentially a sentient mass of single-celled animal-and-plant life, a living manifestation of pure vitality that could shift its form to mimic almost any creature.
But it wasn't all horrors and poison ivy. The realm also boasted beautiful flora and alluring denizens: intoxicating Nymphs, elegant Dryads, and Centaurs—the female-only, horse-bodied Lamias. This, of course, was the real reason certain knights insisted on entering the Secret Realm entirely solo. They wanted to "mate" with the exotic wildlife far from the judging eyes of society. Cough.
Back to cliffhanger me.
By all accounts, this ledge was actually a fantastic spot to camp and rest. It was completely protected from ground assaults, vulnerable only to flying monsters. But I had only just arrived. I didn't come here to sleep.
"Geronimo!"
I lunged off the stone outcropping. Thud. I landed squarely on a thick, soft patch of tall grass. To my immense relief, there weren't any jagged rocks hidden beneath the greenery to shatter my ankles.
"Shehuang dear, come out and help your husband," I called, channeling my mana. "Call Summons!"
A vibrant green magic circle manifested on the grass, glowing softly. From the emerald light stepped a half-naked Eastern woman clad in a skimpy, form-fitting black dress. The moment her feet touched the ground, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around me affectionately with a dopey, infatuated smile.
"Ah! I'm so happy you called for your wife!" Shehuang beamed, squeezing me tightly. "Master, let's make love right here and now! We can have all the wild animals watch us and cheer us on!"
Flick.
I gently tapped her forehead with my finger, a wry smile playing on my lips. "Time and place, dear. Now call the others. We've officially arrived."
Despite her playful acting, I could see the sharp, predatory focus in her eyes. Her senses were already on maximum alert, scanning the tree line.
Shehuang playfully stuck her tongue out, stepping back to execute the command. "Yin Meng, Taki Tsuki, come forth for your husband... Call Summons!"
Two copper-colored magic circles flared to life, depositing my remaining two lovers.
Yin Meng emerged in pristine white cultivator robes. She held her sheathed Jian sword with practiced ease, immediately adopting the posture of a vigilant sentinel ready to defend her lord. Beside her, Taki Tsuki, my lovely, closed-eyed Dark Elf waterfall goddess, quietly surveyed the surrounding wilderness for immediate threats before seamlessly sliding behind me to anchor my blind spot. Cute.
Shehuang clasped her hands behind her back, leaning forward just enough to offer a generous view of her cleavage. "Master husband, where to?"
I pulled out Yggi’s Heartbow, my eyes tracking the single, enchanted leaf resting at its crest. It leaned distinctly to the left—what I calculated to be north, based on the moss clinging to the nearby trees.
In this realm, the exit portal was visible only to the specific group that had entered through it. To my eyes, it would manifest as a towering pillar of brilliant green light, perfectly matching the hue of the portal back on Myst. However, if travelers entered through the Elven or Eastern Cultivator portals, they would see entirely different exit lights in the sky—lights that were completely invisible to me.
Unless, of course, you had Taki Tsuki. With her True Sight, she could locate their portals effortlessly. In theory, we could actually hijack their exits, stepping through to land directly in the Heart of the Elf Kingdom or on the far side of the Inner Sea where the Cultivators gathered. But doing so meant fighting our way through whatever military forces they had waiting on the other side. Not smart.
Granted, it would make finding my "fox-wife" a hell of a lot easier, but I wasn't suicidal. On the flip side, utilizing other factions' portals was the fastest method of fast travel across Myst, capable of saving us weeks of tedious airship travel.
"We're heading north, ladies," I announced, adjusting my grip on the bow. "Let's take our time. There's no rush."
A gentle tug on my sleeve drew my attention. Yin Meng looked up at me, her expression soft but dead serious. "Master, please do not forget that you must advance to the 4th Circle Vanguard as soon as possible. Find a safe location, and we will protect you during the breakthrough."
Mwah. I leaned down and kissed her forehead, touched by her constant concern. Because it was just the four of us, we had been conversing in Eastern Common this entire time. "Got it. We'll find a cave, or just have Shehuang hollow one out using her magic. Let's move."
Shehuang giggled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Husband Loki, you might want to close your eyes. I'm calling Mamba out to play. Call Summons!"
Buzz.
A massive, fifty-foot-wide magic circle erupted from Shehuang's position. Out of the blinding light materialized a colossal, coiled python covered in midnight-black scales, its piercing gold eyes locking onto the environment.
I was too stupidly curious to look away. The moment my eyes registered the scale of the creature, my body locked up, completely paralyzed by primeval instinct.
The fifty-foot-long demonic beast evaluated the group before its gaze settled on me. It slithered forward with terrifying fluid grace, looping its massive body entirely around me without making physical contact.
Hiss.
The snake’s long, forked tongue flicked standard air patterns, almost as if it were trying to communicate. My breathing completely stopped. My brain was screaming that any sudden movement would trigger a lethal strike. If my mind had been rational, I would have remembered that Shehuang’s summons were physically incapable of harming me, and that the giant reptile was literally just trying to say hello.
Closing my eyes, I began mentally praying to whatever deity was listening.
"Mamba, it's not your fault," Shehuang’s soothing voice echoed nearby. "I scared Master half to death in the past, so he's terrified of all snakes. It's nothing personal against you. Go follow behind our group. Kill any Eastern Cultivators who try to track us, and slaughter any Elves who try to hunt you down. Go play, my pet."
Hiss. Swoosh.
With a low, almost apologetic hiss, the massive python uncoiled and vanished into the dense undergrowth of the forest, moving with impossible silence for its size.
Yin Meng immediately stepped in, wrapping her arms around me in a comforting embrace. "It is alright, Master. He has gone to play. Mamba is very gentle, he is just sorry that he frightens you."
My racing heart finally began to slow. I felt a sudden surge of self-loathing for letting fear paralyze me like that—especially considering the snake that had caused my phobia in the first place was currently my reincarnated wife, whom I loved dearly.
"Sorry, I just..."
Not even a minute after Mamba departed, a small green viper slithered into view, descending from a nearby tree branch. My eyes dilated instantly, my mind violently cursing my abysmal luck.
Utilizing the flawless reflexes of her —a martial art she had drilled into all of us—Shehuang snatched the viper out of the air by its neck. She hissed softly at the reptile, pointing it toward the deeper woods. The viper scrambled away, vanishing into the brush faster than it had appeared.
I swallowed hard, fully realizing just how ridiculously volatile and dangerous this Secret Realm actually was.
Taki Tsuki pulled her lower-face scarf up slightly, hiding a small, amused smile at how "cute" I looked when I was terrified. "Master, Lord... I shall scout ahead from the shadows."
Puff.
With a soft exhalation of mana, she dissolved entirely into a fine, watery mist and drifted away.
Hum.
A soft magical resonance rippled through the air as Shehuang's lower half shifted, lengthening and fusing into a massive, shimmering naga tail.
"Master..." she purred, her tongue clicking softly against her teeth. "I will remain in thisss lamia form. That way, I can ssscare away all the other sssnakes for you."
Yin Meng smiled warmly, shifting closer to grip her sword. With the others handling the perimeter, she finally had the privilege of staying right by my side as our journey north began.
Deep within the shifting, unpredictable boundaries of the Secret Realm, the air hung heavy with the crushing humidity of primeval jungle and the eternal roar of rushing water. This was a vertical world of jagged rocky cliffs, slick stone ledges, and countless cascading waterfalls. Past the countless minor streams spilling down from the towering eastern peak, the torrents converged, plunging violently into a dark canyon abyss to the west. It was a terrifying fissure so deep and choked with shadow that even superhuman sight could not pierce its bottomless floor.
Yet, to an ambitious cultivator, it looked like a fortress.
Thorin stood at the lip of a high stone shelf, his eyes scanning the face of the mountain. Dozens of natural caves pitted the rock, offering dry shelter and perfect seclusion for breakthroughs. With the absolute barrier of the abyss guarding their western flank, the steep mountain wall locking down the east, and a labyrinth of waterfalls carving up the approaches, the position was remarkably defensible.
Turning toward the three women traveling in their party, Thorin pointed toward a cluster of elevated, bone-dry caverns.
"We will take a full day’s head start here to break through to the 4th Circle," Thorin announced, his voice booming confidently over the ambient thunder of the falls. "Princess Lana can use the time to finish memorizing her new spells, since she only recently consolidated her reach into the 3rd Circle. Blitz will keep guard. No monster in this realm would dare show its face with a 6th Circle Storm Giant watching over us."
A few paces behind him, Lana barely acknowledged his words. Her gaze wandered toward the misty jungle canopy stretching out beyond the canyon, her mind entirely consumed by worry for someone else—a shameless, infuriatingly handsome fool who had flatly rejected her invitation to join their group.
Lana had desperately wanted this expedition to be the catalyst to mend the bitter rift she had caused between the two brothers. But after Loki had coldly turned down her offer, she finally realized the exhausting truth of why he was actively avoiding her. The persistent, overbearing Thorin was trying entirely too damn hard, and Loki simply refused to be part of the collateral damage.
"Scour this cave of dust and filth, <Minor Electricity Utility>!" Lana commanded, her voice cutting through her own melancholy.
Zzz—Crackle!
Sparks of bright, crackling lightning danced from her fingertips, snapping across the interior of the ten-by-ten-foot cave she had claimed as her temporary dwelling. The layers of ancient dust and grime instantly magnetized to the current, burning into fine ash and sweeping out of the entrance in a localized static burst.
Just as Lana finished unrolling her travel bedding onto the clean stone floor, the distinct rhythm of footsteps echoed over the white noise of the waterfall outside.
Step. Step.
The heavy, metallic thud of combat boots vibrated through the natural stone. Thorin framed himself in the cave entrance, a bright, easy smile plastered across his face as he looked in at her.
"Lana, are you all set up and comfortable in here?" he asked warmly. "Is there anything at all I can do for you? I could whip up a meal if you're hungry."
Lana stared at him, recognizing the natural kindness in his eyes. He was trying so hard to win her over. In the past, before everything fell apart, she would have been absolutely thrilled by this attention. But now? It only felt like a suffocating weight.
"Sir Thorin, please call me Princess," she said, letting out a soft, tired sigh. "I am perfectly fine, thank you. Mary will cook for all of us later. Right now, I am just going to lie down and take a nap. The journey has made me incredibly tired."
Thorin merely nodded, completely unfazed by the royal correction. It had become the predictable choreography of their daily interactions. Besides, Lana’s father, the King, hadn't explicitly told him to stop using her given name when he asked for permission to court her. As for cooking, Thorin secretly relieved himself of the burden anyway; his own culinary skills were just as abysmal as his brother Loki's. He would have just ordered Mary, their stunningly beautiful Healer, to handle the fire regardless.
If Lana wanted a nap, it suited his plans just fine. It gave him the perfect excuse to go stretch his legs and flirt with Mary and Jane, their resident Mage.
"Sure thing, Lana," Thorin said, leaning slightly against the stone archway. "By the way... did you happen to think over what we talked about earlier?"
Lana’s stomach dropped. She knew this man would bring it up again. But before she could even formulate a tactful, diplomatic rejection to ward him off, he crossed the threshold.
Thud!
Thorin dropped heavily onto one knee, slamming his right hand over his heart in a dramatic, textbook knightly proposal.
"Lana, I can feel it deep within my very soul," he declared, his voice thick with unshakeable conviction. "I truly do love you, and I want nothing more than to become your husband. Your father didn't say 'no' when I asked for your hand in marriage... so please, just say yes?"
Lana kept her back turned to him, her eyes closing in sheer exasperation as she stared blankly at the dark cave wall. Her chest tightened. Reaching a hand up, she pressed it against her shirt, feeling the hard, protective contours of the magical talismans tucked securely inside her bodice. The subtle warmth of the arrays, meticulously crafted by the one she actually longed for, brought a sudden wave of calm over her frayed nerves.
She turned her head just enough to look down at the kneeling warrior.
"Sir Thorin, I have told you repeatedly that I am not ready for marriage," Lana said, her voice dropping into a cold, measured finality. "And if you dare ask me again, I will ensure that my answer becomes a permanent 'no.' Now, please, leave me to rest. And call me Princess."
Rather than being discouraged, Thorin felt a surge of triumph as he stood up and brushed the dust from his knee. He smiled to himself. A true royal princess required a slow, steady simmer to melt her defenses. The fact that she hadn't given him a definitive, outright rejection meant she didn't hate him.
With Loki completely out of the picture, Thorin was entirely certain of his victory. Proximity, after all, was the greatest catalyst for love and marriage.
He was here; his brother was not.
"Lana, don't worry, I understand your heart better than anyone," Thorin said smoothly, bowing his head like a perfect gentleman. "Sleep well, Lana."
He turned and strode confidently out into the mountain air, eager to find Mary and Jane. Inside the quiet cave, Lana kept her fingers pressed against the hidden talismans, her eyes fixed on the empty entrance where Thorin had just departed, her heart aching for a completely different brother.
Lana, however, was not the only one tracking Thorin’s movements as he stepped back out onto the sunlit ledges.
From the dark, churning foam beneath the massive waterfall, a pair of slitted, reptilian eyes blinked.
A scaly humanoid fighter, his patterned skin perfectly mimicking the wet, moss-covered stone, shifted his weight silently beneath the heavy torrent. He had been conducting a routine sweep of his tribe's ancestral waterfall caves when he stumbled upon the intrusion.
Humans. They were exactly like the ones described in the ancient tribal records—the pale, arrogant extraterrestrials who forced their way into the Secret Realm exactly once every fifty years.
The Lizardman slowly submerged beneath the surface, a cruel, cold-blooded hunger rippling through his veins.
The "Hunt" had officially begun.
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