Adventure World Online (AWO)

Behind a thick hedge near the royal storehouse, Chang Long and Siegfried were devising a plan to sneak in and steal liquor for Elder Gareb in exchange for the secret to lifting the curse from the Beast Wall. They observed the guards diligently patrolling the entrance. Although the security seemed strict, the number of guards was not overwhelming. Acting casually, the two approached and struck up a conversation with the guards, who were friendly enough due to their familiarity with the pair.

They asked about security details, such as the patrol schedules and who was authorized to enter the storehouse. Meanwhile, the ghosts scouted ahead to locate where the liquor was stored. Once satisfied that the guards would not divulge any more useful information, Chang Long and Siegfried retreated to the safety of the hedge.

"So, only those with relevant duties or a permit from the royal head chef can enter the storehouse... What do we do now?"

Chang Long asked, feeling the weight of the challenge. It was unlikely the head chef would authorize them to enter for the purpose of stealing liquor. Asking for a bottle might not even count, given the quest clearly specified stealing, not requesting.

"We should look for another way in. There's no chance we can get in through the main entrance,"

Siegfried suggested. The two decided to scout around for an alternative route to the storehouse without being seen.

"Look, there's a vent up there on the roof."

Chang Long exclaimed excitedly, pointing. Siegfried looked at her in astonishment. Despite the pitch-dark night, she had spotted the vent with ease. He was genuinely curious about how she could see it.

"How can you see that, Chang Long?"

Siegfried asked, squinting into the darkness to where she had pointed.

"Oh, right! It's because of that skill. Hold on a second."

Chang Long remembered her Vampire's Eyes skill, which enhanced her night vision. She quickly formed a party and invited Siegfried, enabling him to share the skill's effects.

Siegfried accepted the invite with mild confusion. However, as soon as the skill activated, he understood how Chang Long had spotted the vent. The skill illuminated their surroundings, making it appear as though a bright full moon was casting its glow, albeit in a monochrome hue, not the yellowish tone of the moonlight.

"Come on, let's figure out how to climb up there,"

Chang Long urged, leading the way to the spot directly below the vent.

"There's no way to climb up. We'll have to find another way."

Siegfried commented, seeing that the wall was completely smooth—no edges or seams to grip onto.

"Then don't climb."

Chang Long replied and summoned her wings. A pair of large gray-black wings unfurled from her back with a dramatic whoosh, momentarily startling Siegfried. He smiled and stepped closer to her as she grinned back at him with playful confidence.

"Classic Chang Long,"

Siegfried complimented, his tone warm and admiring. Chang Long's cheeks flushed slightly at the praise.

"You should consider getting a pair of wings too. They're really convenient, you know?"

Chang Long replied while pretending to look elsewhere, finding it hard to make eye contact with Siegfried.

"Infused wings like yours are rare items, you know. They're nearly impossible to find,"

Siegfried said, his tone carrying a subtle note of pleading.

"In that case, I'll lend you mine for today. Consider it a special occasion,"

Chang Long quipped before abruptly grabbing him and soaring into the night sky. As they ascended, Siegfried nearly let out a startled shout but managed to stifle it. His face, however, betrayed his shock. Glancing at Chang Long, who had pulled him aloft without warning, he saw her smiling faintly, clearly enjoying his reaction. Despite himself, Siegfried found her amusement contagious and smiled back.

Chang Long gently set Siegfried down on the roof. After landing herself, she retracted her wings and watched as he began working to pry open the air vent. It did not take long for him to loosen the cover. Together, they climbed down in the dark. They refrained from lighting any kind of torch or creating light, fearing it might alert the guards outside and jeopardize their stealing quest.

"Devi-chan,"

Chang Long whispered, calling for the ghostly former pirate king amidst the dark royal storehouse.

"Over here, missy," Devi-chan gestured, his semi-transparent form appearing and beckoning them. Chang Long checked her wristwatch. Over an hour had passed since they began infiltrating the royal storehouse. The two quickened their pace, eager to secure the liquor and deliver it to Elder Gareb before the three-hour limit expired.

"Master."

Hisa-chan suddenly popped into view as Chang Long and Siegfried rounded a corner.

"Hisa-chan, where's the liquor?" Chang Long asked urgently.

"Right there, but there are so many."

Hisa-chan replied, pointing toward the liquor storage room. It was filled with an overwhelming variety of barrels and intricately cut glass bottles.

Both Chang Long and Siegfried were stunned. Selecting a top-tier liquor from the sheer abundance was no easy task, especially since Chang Long knew nothing about alcohol. Her anxiety grew, but Siegfried stepped forward with a confident air. He examined the glass bottles one by one, eventually selecting two he deemed the best. Holding one bottle up, he handed it to Chang Long.

"How do you know these are the best ones?"

she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"By observing their color. These bottles don't have labels, and if we open them to taste, Elder Gareb might use it as an excuse to fail us. Trust me, we don't have time to question this any further."

When Siegfried noticed Chang Long about to ask another question, he pointed to the timer ticking down on her watch. Reluctantly, she nodded and took the bottle, leading the way back to their entry point.

"Hey."

A sudden noise startled Chang Long, making her almost drop the liquor bottle in her hand. Both she and Siegfried strained their ears to pinpoint the source of the sound, soon realizing that in the adjacent corridor, two maidservants were selecting ingredients for their cooking.

"I don't know what's gotten into that old man. Suddenly, he's craving all sorts of things. And His Majesty was kind enough to order us to prepare them,"

grumbled one maid, carrying a basket of ingredients, clearly displeased.

"Seriously, this late at night, and he's asking for so much food. How's he even going to finish it all by himself?"

The other maid yawned, her demeanor was as though she had just been dragged out of bed.

"Never mind, it's the King's order anyway. Let's just get this over with quickly and go back to sleep."

While the two maids were grumbling, Chang Long and Siegfried hurriedly pressed themselves into the shadows, their movements cramped and uncomfortable to avoid knocking over anything nearby. Both were growing increasingly tense, their limbs starting to cramp from holding their positions.

"I can't take this anymore. Do something, Devi-chan. Hisa-chan. If we stay like this, we'll either run out of time or drop these bottles and shatter them,"

Chang Long whispered desperately to her two ghostly companions. Devi-chan nodded solemnly and floated toward the two maids while still invisible.

"Good evening, ladies. You seem a little irritated tonight."

Then, without warning, he manifested before them with a greeting. The two maids froze in shock as Devi-chan appeared out of thin air. Their mouths hung open with terror, before one dropped her basket to the ground with a loud thud. Moments later, both screamed at the top of their lungs, the sound echoing through the royal storehouse.

Devi-chan rolled his eyes in exasperation, as well as Chang Long. Hisa-chan gave a nervous twitch of a smile, sharing Siegfried's stunned expression. Even Heaven, who had just arrived after keeping an eye on the guards, looked as though he had been spooked himself.

"Great. Just great. The guards at the front are still chatting away, but they'll definitely hear this racket." Heaven muttered under his breath. The two maids, screaming in fright, bolted past Heaven's ghostly form.

"What? That's bad. We've got to get out of here!" Chang Long exclaimed, panicking. She grabbed Siegfried's arm and took off running, the sound of clattering footsteps and guards' shouts echoing behind them. After running for a while, Chang Long slowed down and came to a stop, realizing that Siegfried had not resisted her pull. She turned to face him, an apologetic look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

Siegfried asked, his cheerful expression seemingly forgotten about their quest. For a moment, it felt as though he had forgotten about the ticking clock and the guards hot on their trail.

"Sorry, but I think we're lost…"

Siegfried's eyes widened at her admission, he had only forgotten the quest for only just a few minutes that all complications piled in. After a moment of stunned silence, he chuckled softly, though there was little humor in it. Taking her hand, he took the lead and started retracing their steps back to where they had snuck in.

"Half an hour left,"

Chang Long muttered, checking her wristwatch as they began climbing back up to the roof.

"Stop checking the time and focus. We need to hurry,"

Siegfried warned. Chang Long nodded and quickened her pace as best as she could. Below, the guards were methodically searching the storehouse, their torchlights sweeping through the aisles as they looked for intruders based on the maids' panicked descriptions. Fortunately, none of them thought to glance upward, where the shadowy figures of Chang Long and Siegfried were climbing toward the air vent they had used to enter.

"Ah!"

Clanggg

Chang Long's foot slipped, dislodging a loose metal beam that clattered loudly onto the floor below. In the silence of the royal storehouse, the sound echoed startlingly loud. Both she and Siegfried turned pale, horrified that such a mistake had occurred this late in the mission. They froze in place, hoping to avoid drawing attention. Unfortunately, one of the guards had sharp eyes and immediately spotted them. The guard bellowed, his voice ringing out, alerting everyone in the vicinity.

"There they are!"

.....

Out at sea, Sea Breeze sat up, looking noticeably better, though his expression remained resigned as he glanced around. Captain Columbus had already contacted his friends in the Maritime Association, but it would take time for the nearest association ship to arrive. Meanwhile, they remained stranded aboard the Bloodied Angel, a ship that had seen better days and now looked like little more than a battered wreck after their most recent mission. Captain Columbus busied himself patching up the vessel as best he could, with the ghostly presence of Ackeran hovering nearby. The spectral mage incessantly peppered him with questions about the whereabouts of the Lord of Spirits. At first, Columbus had been shell-shocked by Ackeran's sudden appearances, but over time, he had begun to accept the ghostly magician's presence with a weary kind of tolerance.

"I've told you how many times now? I don't know. I don't know anything about this Lord of Spirits of yours?"

Columbus grumbled as he bent down to pick up fragments of wood scattered across the ship's deck.

"Are you certain, sailor? She's the one you ferried to the Abyssal Sea,"

Ackeran pressed, his persistence unwavering.

"I can't contact her. You saw me just now—I'm busy. Besides, you're a ghost. Go look for her yourself. You don't need a ship, and it's not like it'll cost you anything."

Captain Columbus replied in exasperation,

"Look, if she summons me or any other spirit, I might be able to find her. But if she stays still, keeping to herself and not revealing her presence, how on earth can I locate her? My one chance at resurrection depends on her, and I need to find her before any other spirit does."

Ackeran's tone was somber as he explained. This piqued Captain Columbus's curiosity.

"One chance at resurrection? Finding her before other spirits? What exactly do you mean by that?"

"The reason she ventured into the Abyssal Sea was to locate the gateway to the Land of the Dead—and that's where she went. But what's baffling is that the gate vanished right before my eyes. It won't be long before news of the Reaper King's rebirth spreads like wildfire. Spirits long awaiting reincarnation will flock to her, and when that happens, my chances will diminish even further,"

Ackeran elaborated, his voice heavy with urgency.

"The Reaper King… Don't tell me, Chang Long is the Reaper King!"

Captain Columbus exclaimed loudly, his voice carrying enough to catch Sea Breeze's attention from the bow of the ship.

"It's her, without a doubt. You must help me, sailor, or else I'll…"

Ackeran's words trailed off as his spectral form began to flicker and fade into the night sea. Captain Columbus watched intently, trying to figure out what was happening to the ghostly mage. But when Ackeran reappeared moments later, his appearance had drastically changed, eliciting a scream from the young man.

"Uaaaaaggghhh!"

Captain Columbus screamed at the top of his lungs, horrified beyond belief, before fainting on the spot. Ackeran had returned in the gruesome visage of a decayed corpse. Smirking in satisfaction, the spectral mage observed the unconscious captain. The frightful sight had been a deliberate move, a twisted incentive to ensure that someone who was extremely terrified of ghost like Columbus would comply with his request without further protest.

Although Ackeran's actions seemed harsh, his desperation for resurrection outweighed all else. More than ever, he longed for a second chance at life. What intrigued him further was that the Reaper King, Chang Long, carried with her a world of mysteries: mythical beasts as companions, legendary spirits in her entourage. Ackeran felt that following her would lead him to witness countless fascinating events, making existence less mundane.

Deep within his soul, the spectral mage harbored a faint hope that Chang Long might somehow restore the purity and innocence of his childhood spirit. But whether or not that hope would be fulfilled, one thing was certain—he needed to find her before the four Reaper Guardians intervened, stepping in to select the spirits awaiting resurrection under her rule.

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