Adventure World Online (AWO)

Killer chuckled to himself at the clumsy movements of the creatures. And when he saw them lift their massive weapons with both arms trembling violently from the effort, he nearly burst out laughing without a care in the world. But then—those very weapons came crashing down with ease.

"Whoa! Okay, these things are stronger than they look."

Killer barely dodged in time and glanced back at where the weapon had struck. A deep gash had been carved into the damp ground—almost half a meter deep. Yet even then, he struggled not to laugh again when he saw the creature trying to pull its sword back out in the most ridiculous, awkward way—like someone utterly out of energy.

"Hahaha. Let's just get out of here before I laugh myself into exhaustion."

He called out to the two others, who had already rushed far ahead.

"Huh?"

Murder glanced back, thinking he heard his brother's voice echoing faintly.

"Hey, wait up, you two. You really just left me behind like that,"

Killer shouted in protest, then broke into a sprint to catch up to Siegfried and Murder.

Getting lost.

That was something none of the three had ever thought would happen to them. Yet now, they felt like they were going in circles, unable to find a path forward. They had to battle terrifying and grotesque beasts, endure unending darkness with no sun, no moon—nothing but silence and gloom. The atmosphere was so oppressive, so despairing. Even their mental states began to erode under the weight of it all.

"This place is just too damn creepy. I feel like I could go insane at any moment,"

Killer said, slumping to the floor, his face filled with unease, as if paranoia had already taken root in his mind.

"Yeah. With beasts like that and a place like this, anyone without a strong mind would've snapped already,"

Siegfried agreed. They all felt that they had been trapped in here for too long. They wanted out. Desperately. But no matter how they searched, there was no way out from the maze. And that made finding the item needed to break Chang Long's curse felt utterly impossible too.

"We need to do something. Even with strong wills, if we stay here any longer, we're all going to crack. In all my years of gaming—no, in my entire life—I've never been in a place this terrifying."

Murder said somberly. Everyone nodded in agreement. At first, they had kept their cool. But as time wore on, their mental fortitude was beginning to erode—bit by bit.

"How long have we even been here now...?"

Siegfried raised his wristwatch and tapped to check the time remaining on the quest, anxiety gripping his chest. The moment he saw the countdown—his face went pale.

"What's wrong, Mr. Siegfried?"

Killer asked, noticing the shift in his expression.

"We only have twelve hours left..."

The elf said slowly, as though the words were difficult to believe. They knew they had been stuck here a while but never imagined that an entire month had already passed. What had he been doing all this time? Chang Long's life was hanging by a thread, and only he could save her. But why had he not found anything—not a way forward, not a clue.

'Let your feelings guide you. The stronger your thoughts for the one who began the quest, the easier it will be to find the way.'

The voice of the quest-giver echoed through Siegfried's mind. His eyes sharpened with sudden clarity, piercing through the endless, suffocating darkness that surrounded them. Yes—that was what he needed to do, think of her. The woman he held dearest. His gaze swept through the black void, and in his heart, an image of Chang Long surfaced—her gentle smile directed at him as she softly called his name.

"Siegfried…"

The elf sprang to his feet. He was sure he had just heard her voice. It was not his imagination—it was her. Soft, sorrowful, and real. The twins, seeing Siegfried's sudden movement, grew alert, thinking an enemy might be closing in. But Siegfried stood still, listening with all his focus. He had to concentrate—he needed to pour his entire soul into helping her, or there would be no way to complete the quest in time.

"Call out to me again. Please, guide me."

He whispered to himself, closing his eyes and standing still, waiting—hoping.

"Siegfried. This way. Follow me."

This time, it was not just a voice. He felt something—a breeze, soft and gentle, brushing across his face. His eyes snapped open. Before him stood a translucent, faintly glowing blue figure—Chang Long—dressed in a simple white cotton nightgown that reached her ankles. She smiled at him softly.

Their eyes met. Then she turned and began walking away. With each step she took, glowing blue footprints appeared on the ground—clear enough for even Killer and Murder to see.While they were still stunned by what they were witnessing, Chang Long just walked farther and farther away—her footprints starting to fade. The three of them quickly followed.

"Mr. Siegfried, that was,"

Killer asked, bewildered. The elf gave him a firm nod in response. The twins broke into wide grins—for the first time, there was real hope in this quest.

The three men hurried after her footprints. Even though beasts still blocked their path, the hope that had returned to their hearts gave them strength. They did not falter, nor feel the despair that had gripped them before. The twins, now clearly fired up, took the lead in slaying the beasts to buy more time—because the longer they stayed, the faster the in-game time seemed to slip away.

Chang Long's faint glowing figure led them back to the hall with the giant clock, up a narrow wooden staircase along the wall, and into a cramped passage where they could not even turn around. At the other end was a suspended bridge made of wood and rope—so old it looked like it would collapse under their weight at any moment. Below it was absolute darkness.Only a faint, flickering light glowed from torches on either side of the bridge. Still, Chang Long's footprints continued forward across it, leaving them no choice but to follow—hearts pounding in their chests.

Crrruuuunnnnch!!

The ground rumbled violently. The entire area trembled. The three men, already halfway across the bridge, clung tightly to the ropes to avoid being thrown off into the black abyss below. Step by step, they moved forward carefully—but too slowly. Chang Long's glowing footprints were beginning to fade with every step she took. She was not waiting.

"Damn! She's getting farther ahead,"

Siegfried muttered in frustration. He had finally found a way to help her—and now he was going to lose it again.

"Mr. Siegfried. Her footprints… they're fading with each step!"

Killer shouted, panic rising. They were moving too slowly—too cautiously—worried about falling.

"At this rate, we won't make it in time to save Master Chang Long!"

Murder growled through gritted teeth. Their effort was about to go down in flames.

"Chang Long!"

Siegfried called out to her vanishing figure—the one only he could see. She paused, turned back, and waved him on.

"Hurry. Come quickly, Siegfried."

Her voice echoed faintly—then she turned forward again and kept walking.She did not stop. Because there was no time left to wait.

The young man glanced down at the time remaining on his wristwatch. They had spent four hours just getting to the suspension bridge. His energy, his stamina—nearly depleted, with fatigue levels dangerously high. His eyes locked onto the fading silhouette of Chang Long as she continued to drift farther away, and a deep frustration twisted in his chest. So, this was the end. So, this was all he was capable of. Would he just going to give up and die with her—helpless and in pain? Could he really go to stand by and watch her suffer like this!

Where was that love he had spoken of? That vow to protect her? That promise to stand by her side, to be her safe haven? Had he not sworn to do everything in his power to keep her smiling? And yet—where was the strength—the strength to make those words come true, to make those promises something but pretty lies, soft dreams spun from empty lips?

"No. I won't let it end like this! No matter what I have to face—no matter how hard it gets—I will save her."

Siegfried gathered every last shred of strength he had left. He focused on the far side of the bridge, which was now just barely out of reach. Then, without hesitation, he took off running, stunning the twin brothers behind him.

"Mr. Siegfried!!"

…..

"Damn it. It's the final day—what the hell is taking him so long!!"

Luther's voice thundered through the tomb, his frustration boiling over. The helplessness of waiting was unbearable—suffocating. Why did he have to wait like this—and watch Chang Long's demise? They had just reunited, but he was about to lose his beloved brother Azrael, again. He could not take it. He refused to accept the loss a second time.

"Calm down, Luther. There's still time. We haven't lost hope yet,"

Kitsune said gently, trying to soothe the little demon—even though deep down, he was not entirely confident himself.

"Calm down? Look at her. Look at brother's condition—she hasn't eaten or drunk anything in forever. And that guy—wasn't he supposed to be some kind of hero? Then why hasn't he saved her yet!"

Luther snapped at Kitsune, who paled at the outburst.

"Uh… Mr. Siegfried is strong. And I know—without a doubt—that he loves and worries for Master Chang Long just as much as we do. I truly believe he'll do whatever it takes to save her. No matter the cost."

Kitsune replied firmly. He had not misjudged Siegfried. Not once. He had felt the sincerity in the young man's heart—the unwavering feelings he held for Chang Long. And he believed Siegfried would see this through to the very end.

"Strong? More like weak. If he were really strong like you say, brother would have awakened from the curse by now. But look, time's slipping away and nothing's changed. Look at her, still lying there—she hasn't even twitched!"

"Please, Luther, we have to hold on. If we still have time, then we still have hope. I believe she will wake up."

Anya stepped in and wrapped the furious demon in a calming embrace, trying to ease his shaking shoulders. Brownie looked on, his expression burning with restrained frustration, but he said nothing. Picking a fight with Luther now would not help anyone.

"You expect me to stay calm, when she's about to die right in front of us, huh."

Luther whispered, tears pooling in his eyes—drawing irritation from Brownie and Lamia alike.

But with Anya's gentle support, Luther began to settle. Even so, he made a quiet vow to that, if Siegfried failed to save Chang Long, he would drag that man straight to the depth of hell himself—and make sure it was a torment beyond imagination. Kitsune remained rooted at her side, staring at Chang Long's face without blinking. Just like Luther, he could not bear the thought of watching her die like this. Even imagining it made his heart feel like it was being crushed in a vice.

"Brother, it's alright. Ignore that brat's mouth. That man will surely save master!"

Flatear gently patted Kitsune's shoulder, offering him what little comfort he could. Though his words and expression were full of faith in Siegfried, deep inside, the kirin's heart was trembling. The thought of losing Chang Long—his master, who was more than a mother to him—was too much to bear.

"Thank you, Flatear."

Kitsune managed a smile before turning back once more to look at Chang Long's face.

"Lord Siegfried, please, I beg you—save her. Bring her back safely. There's nothing in this world more important to me than master. Nothing, truly nothing…"

The young fox spirit closed his eyes in prayer, his heart reaching out to the man who loved his master with all sincerity. If someone like Siegfried—whose heart was so steadfast toward Chang Long—could not complete this quest, then Kitsune could not imagine anyone else who could. If the quest had allowed pets to accept it, he would not have hesitated—not for a moment. Even if it cost him his life, he would have saved her without regret. All he could do now was hope—hope that Siegfried shared the same resolve. Hope that he loved Chang Long enough to sacrifice his own life for her. Was that asking too much?

…..

Was it love—or something deeper—that fueled the man's body, even as his strength failed him? Siegfried surged forward without fear, chasing after the fading image of the woman he loved. He tried to reach for her, desperate not to lose her again. But the distance between them felt impossibly vast. Could he really make his exhausted legs carry him that far? Just a little more. Just a stretch of his hand…

Grab!!

His hand caught hold of her. Chang Long turned to him, smiling gently, before vanishing like mist, leaving only empty space before him.

"Wh...at…!"

The elf breathed, stunned. Had he failed the quest?

RUMBLEEE

The ground continued to shake violently—but that was not all. A deafening clash followed, and then—a massive wooden mace lined with jagged spikes came crashing down toward Siegfried's weakened form.

"Mr. Siegfried!"

The twins cried out over the top of their lungs in alarm. But Siegfried—fueled by a fire born of frustration and heartbreak—dodged the strike and landed atop the very weapon that had aimed to crush him defiantly.

The wielder of the mace was a skeletal corpse—like the one that had given them the quest. Its groans were a chorus of rage and pain, so loud they made the ears ring. It violently swung its mace, trying to throw Siegfried off. But the elf did the opposite.

As the beast hurled its weapon, Siegfried leapt into the air, raised his sword high, and brought it down with all his strength—slashing the creature across its body. However, the cut only left a long diagonal cut.

ROAAAAARRRR!!

The giant let out a roar and swiped at Siegfried with its free hand, like trying to squash a bothersome fly.

Shunk!

Siegfried struck back. His blade drove straight through its palm—all the way in. Thick, black blood oozed from the wound, dripping from the wound It slammed its hand down with another roar, trying to crush him to the ground—completely ignoring its own injury. Gritting his teeth, Siegfried held his ground, resisting the crushing force. Just then, a foul-smelling, sticky liquid dripped onto him.

"Blood?"

A quick glance confirmed it. He smiled gladly. It seemed his enemy was not just a dried-out corpse as he initially thought. That meant it could still be beaten without a prolonged fight.There was still hope.

"Blood Blaze Down."

The skill ignited every drop of blood in the creature's body, boiling it from the inside out. It weakened the enemy. Foul-smelling vapor hissed from the wound, while the giant howled and thrashed, consumed by the torment