Adventure World Online (AWO)

The large door that Chang Long had long wondered about—what exactly was inside—was unlocked using an ancient key made from a material resembling black crystal. When the door creaked open, torches burst into flame on their own, revealing a square-shaped hall, decorated with stone pillars shaped like human figures coiled around the columns, raising both hands as if to bear the weight of the ceiling. All of them looked so lifelike that Chang Long could not help but be amazed.

Just ahead, not far from where she stood, were two elaborately carved wooden thrones. A man and a woman sat upon them, each on their own throne, dressed in luxurious garments and jewelry, their posture as though in slumber. Even while asleep on their thrones, their seated forms still radiated dignity and authority. Chang Long turned to the two royal guards who had followed her in. They nodded to her, so she prepared to use the Resurrecting Thunderbolt skill again.

Electric current surged through the bodies of the Emperor and the Empress. Their bodies began to twitch faintly, and without any prior signal, the two opened their eyes—as if nothing had happened. Their response was completely different from the two royal guards that Chang Long had revived earlier using the same skill.

"Who used Resurrecting Thunderbolt on me?"

The voice of the Empress asked. Her half-closed eyes searched for the one who had awakened her from slumber—and then her gaze met Chang Long, who still stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

"Was it you? The savior of our tribe?"

She asked.

"Savior? What does that mean? Why are you calling me savior?"

Chang Long asked back in confusion.

"You possess a precious artifact of our tribe, do you not? That artifact contains powerful magic, the advanced sorcery of our tribe, crafted before we entered the age of decline."

The Emperor now spoke, showing considerable interest in Chang Long.

"You mean the Advanced Eye of Darkness, right?"

Chang Long asked, raising the Sovereign Sword, which had three Advanced Eyes of Darkness embedded in it.

"Ah, yes, that's right. But I'm not surprised you came to possess it. Your nobility radiates so clearly."

The Emperor spoke as if he could see through and grasp all of Chang Long's past and purpose.

"By arriving here, you have already proven yourself. Now, extend both your hands, Savior." The Empress smiled at Chang Long and asked her to reach toward them. Both she and the Emperor pulled something from their robes and handed it to her.

"Player Chang Long has received two Eyes of Darkness."

Chang Long gaped at the items in her hands. She could hardly believe she had just received two more eyes so easily—without any trial at all. The tribal leaders looked at her astonished expression with amusement, before the Empress spoke again.

"Go ahead and take them. They're most worthy of you. And this..."

The Empress pulled out a fabric pouch filled with something and handed it to Chang Long, her eyes filled with hope.

"What is this?"

Chang Long asked with a mix of curiosity and caution. The Emperor, clearly charmed by her, let out an uncontrollable laugh before speaking cheerfully.

"Seed of Darkness. Have you never heard of the legend of our tribe? We dwell in the Dark Forest—a place filled with black trees. On your way here, you must have seen them."

Chang Long nodded as she recalled the trees lining the path before reaching the chamber of the Emperor and Empress. Every tree was predominantly black—including even the flowers.

"To restore our tribe, you must first create the Dark Forest. Once the Dark Forest is born, our tribe will thrive once again."

"Player Chang Long has received 100,000 Seeds of Darkness."

"I actually already have a place in mind where I want to build my own city. If I plant the Dark Forest there too, would that be a problem?"

Chang Long asked, while putting the Eyes of Darkness and the Seeds of Darkness into her bag.

"As long as the area is vast enough to grow the forest, O Savior, you yourself are already considered part of the Tribe of Darkness. Would you like to know more about our tribe?"

The Empress asked.

"You all really resemble the elves a lot."

Chang Long said. Though it was not exactly a question, the two leaders seemed pleased with the savior's keen powers of observation.

"We are closely related to the elves. Once, we were even the same race. But we leaned toward dark magic. Though not evil per se, we were outcasts—exiled from among them. We built our own settlement and tribe. Over time, evolution made us increasingly different. Though certain features, like our pointed ears, haven't changed with time."

The Emperor explained.

"Even though the bond hasn't completely broken, we must admit—we and the elves have had very little contact. Especially after the Dark Forest was destroyed, and the rumor spread that we became a lost tribe, there's been no contact ever since."

Chang Long looked rather excited to hear this. Though they differed in things like hair color and eyes dark as night, and their pale skin from dwelling in darkness, their figures, grace, ears, and proud bearing were not so different at all. Their personalities also seemed far better than what Chang Long had previously imagined. She had once thought that the Tribe of Darkness must be savage, obsessed with slaughter, and bloodthirsty—but instead, they appeared to be civilized, noble people.

"Go now. Hurry and complete the planting of the Dark Forest. When the time comes, the two of us shall come to find you."

The Empress said gently with a smile.

"I want to go, but I have no idea how to get out of here."

Chang Long answered truthfully. The Heavenly Avian Temple was like a labyrinth, where no one could predict where the path might lead.

"Look for the symbol on the floor. A green magic circle will lead you to the exit."

Chang Long nodded and walked away. Many mysteries surrounding her since she started playing the game were slowly unraveling, gradually becoming clearer. Once she found the exit from the Heavenly Avian Temple, Chang Long would claim a special territory for herself. She had already chosen the location. And when her duties were complete, she hoped she would have time left to refine her skills—before the day of the competition for the title of Supreme King among the seven heirs of the Pirate Kings. At least Thankhun was no longer one of the heirs, so before the vacant seat was filled again, there might still be some time left. Chang Long bid farewell to the two tribal leaders and departed, with the two royal guards escorting her to the door.

"Stop sniffling already. You think I meant for it to turn out like this?"

.....

Aswa growled while walking along a long stone corridor that sloped down several dozen meters outside the temple, accompanied by the soft sobbing of the old bird perched on his shoulder.

"I told you not to do it, but you did it anyway. You heartless brute. You inhumane fiend!"

The Bird Sage let out a muffled string of curses at Aswa after being forcibly bound by a blood pact without consent, ending up as the pet of his foil with no way of ever being free again.

"Wow, you're really laying into me. Even if it wasn't intentional, I take responsibility for my actions. I'm not someone who shirks responsibility and leaves people behind. But if you keep yelling at me like this, I'm not so sure anymore."

Aswa replied irritably.

"Hmph! Of course. I'm old, fat, and good for nothing. Everything I do is wrong in your eyes."

The Bird Sage raised his voice so loudly that his listener gaped in shock. What kind of domestic squabble was this? He and the Bird Sage had merely, accidentally, become master and pet—so why did he have to be subjected to this passive-aggressive drama? Aswa looked like he was about to argue back when Lycanth cut in.

"Enough already, you two. You bicker like an old married couple. I'm sick of it!"

Both the old bird and the confused young man clammed up instantly. Lycanth had not just spoken—the menace in his voice and expression was palpable. Aswa, completely outmatched by someone with such a fierce face, did not dare speak back, even though he knew the guy was technically just Siegfried's pet. He cast a warning glance at the Bird Sage, then turned to look at Siegfried, who seemed to be receiving a phone call just then.

"Yes, Chang Long."

Siegfried answered. Aswa's ears perked up at the mention of the woman he loved, and he quickly sidled up close to listen in.

"Sieg, where are you now? I've already gotten out of the Heavenly Avian Temple. I'm feeding chickens at the moment."

Chang Long said.

"Huh… feeding chickens, you say?"

The young man echoed, clearly stunned.

"Just something to kill time while I wait for you guys. Oh, and the exit is a green magic circle on the floor, by the way."

Chang Long added, explaining how to leave the Heavenly Avian Temple.

"Oh, we probably won't need to use the warp, actually. We found an exterior path leading down from the temple, and we're walking down now. It might take a while—it's really high."

Siegfried replied.

"Speak for yourself. Just watch—before Chang Long even has time to miss me, I'll be right there in front of her."

Aswa interjected cheerfully, earning glares of annoyance from the other three. But it seemed nothing was in his view now but the image of Chang Long's radiant smile. He picked up speed, hurrying to reach her at the base of the temple. Using his profession-specific skill, Qinggong skill, Aswa dashed as if flying, heart brimming with joy at the thought of seeing the girl he loved. He paid no mind to the Bird Sage, who was clinging tightly to his shoulder with clawed feet, body flailing backward while screaming in panic at the thought of falling off.

"Is that guy right in the head, master?"

Lycanth turned and asked Siegfried, watching Aswa sprint off in a blur.

"Probably not."

Siegfried replied with exasperation.

"What about you? Aren't you going to hurry down and show me your face?"

Chang Long's question made the young man freeze, eyes widening as if he had just remembered something vital. What had he done? How could he let Aswa race ahead to see Chang Long first?

"I swear—Chang Long will see me before that him!"

Siegfried declared firmly, then hung up the call. Even though he did not have the Qinggong skill, his swift movement skills were quite decent.

The young man sprinted forward with a heart full of determination. The fact that Chang Long had asked about him earlier gave him the motivation to push himself harder—enough to finally overtake Aswa. The latter, too busy grinning like a fool, had grown overconfident, thinking no one could match his speed. But when he saw Siegfried run past him, Aswa increased his pace and caught up. The two glanced at each other and immediately began radiating deadly auras. Even the Bird Sage's feathers stood on end. In this race, the speedy Aswa would likely have won easily—if not for one unpredictable variable: Lycanth.

Wham!

Thud!

"Ow!"

Right now, the little armored bantam chickens were gleefully pecking at the seeds Chang Long had conjured from the Horn of Abundance, which she had scattered onto the clouds. Not only them—turkeys and ostriches were also happily digging around for seeds alongside them. The young woman released her pets once again, letting them play and run freely while she waited for Siegfried and Aswa.

Chang Long lay spread out on the soft cloud floor, eyes gazing dreamily at the stars in the sky, as if savoring one of the rare peaceful moments in her life—especially for someone like her, who always seemed to be caught up in one thing or another. But Chang Long never let that stop her from enjoying herself. Having something to do all the time, setting new goals, encountering new mysteries—these things gave her purpose in the game, sparking curiosity and fun. Sometimes, she would even make time to completely relax, to let everything go, so she could regain motivation and inspiration—making her gaming experience all the more enjoyable.

The sound of a commotion made Chang Long turn her head. Behind the temple appeared two young men, sprinting side by side at incredible speed. One of them looked exhausted, while the other—carrying a chubby bird on his shoulder—had a messed-up face. The two were so serious that it surprised Chang Long. Close behind them ran a middle-aged man whom Chang Long did not recognize. His expression showed that he found the young men's antics quite amusing.

Chang Long sat up, watching the race between the two young men with interest. It looked like there had been some mild cheating going on—attempting to trip each other, flailing their arms to knock the other off balance. In the end, they stopped racing and began to wrestle on the cloud floor. But since they noticed Chang Long watching, neither dared go too far beyond harmless scuffling.

Lycanth looked at the two young men, now reduced to squabbling like kids fighting over candy, with utter exasperation. He stepped in and grabbed them by the collars—faces equally battered—pulling them apart. Both of them glared daggers at each other before turning away in a huff.

"What were you guys doing, suddenly fighting like…"

Chang Long walked over to the two men, her amused expression making them both flush with embarrassment. Their faces turned red all the way to their ears as they wriggled out of Lycanth's grasp.

"We were just testing our skills a little, that's all."

Siegfried replied while avoiding Chang Long's gaze. The young woman cast a sideways look at Aswa, silently asking for his explanation. The young man jumped, startled, and quickly stammered out a nervous answer.

"Y... yeah, just like he said. And it's obvious who came out on top."

Aswa replied, taking the opportunity to jab at Siegfried as well.

"True. But who's this uncle here? He handled you two like it was nothing."

Chang Long agreed, noting that the middle-aged man standing behind the pair had to be some kind true master that neither of the boys could beat. Aswa followed her gaze and just then noticed the Bird Sage's claw still latched tightly onto his shoulder, unconscious, drawing blood—hurting more than the bruises from wrestling with Siegfried on the cloud floor.

"Oh, that's Lycanth. He drank angel blood, so he got his human form back."

Siegfried introduced Lycanth in his human form to Chang Long. The young woman smiled, looking at Lycanth with awe—never imagining that a werewolf could regain his human form by drinking an angel's blood.