Encounters in the Darkness

"Why were you able to defeat the Fuzz? It's actually a funny question," Hilda's voice resonated softly in the dark corridor as they climbed a spiral staircase towards the upper part of the palace.

"The answer is simple: the Fuzz are not strong. Well, compared to an average human, they might be, but a two-star threat can be defeated by a Realmwalker who knows how to use Astraforge."

Aria walked behind the towering woman, listening attentively to her words in an effort to better understand their circumstances.

"So, does Astraforge make you that strong?" Aria asked curiously.

"Well, it greatly depends on your synchronization. A synchronization of just 1% would barely be enough against those creatures. Synchronization determines the amount of Astraforge your body can use and absorb, so by absorbing that energy, you become somewhat like a superhuman."

As they conversed, they now found themselves on the second floor of the grand structure, though solitude and antiquity pervaded wherever they went.

"The initial percentage varies from person to person, but it's usually between 3% and 6%, or so I've been told." Hilda's voice sounded somewhat uncertain as she spoke, causing a hint of doubt to arise in Aria. "There are several ways to improve this percentage, but keep in mind that as long as you have 5%, only a three-star creature could give you trouble... If they exceed that level of threat, it's best to escape."

***

That conversation had lingered in Aria's mind as she observed the creature in front of her. Its size was that of the Fuzz before they transformed—small and adorable, with a gleaming white fur that easily charmed anyone's attention. "Divine Fuzz"? Four stars? It all seemed like a terrible joke to Aria, who now realized that the towering redhead was no longer by her side.

Her body instinctively froze, cold sweat running down her forehead.

"Damn it... looks like I lost Hilda in these corridors."

Could anyone blame her? This place seemed more like an enigma than an actual royal palace. She took a step back, contemplating her options, though the answer was quite obvious: escape and find Hilda.

"Kyuuun."

That small, high-pitched voice caused a slight blush to appear on Aria's face, immobilizing her with the overwhelming cuteness she felt. Why were they so adorable in this form? But she couldn't let her guard down; she knew what they were truly like and how dangerous they could be.

Or so she thought, but to her surprise, the creature did nothing more than stare at her for a few seconds without making any movements or sounds. She remained tense and nervous, unsure of what might happen next.

"What are you?" she murmured to herself, but a new message appeared in front of her.

[Not enough information about this creature.]

What was that? Did it respond to the words that came from her lips? The information was somewhat useful, although not the specifics provided in the message. How would she defeat this creature all by herself? Although it didn't attack, she couldn't rely solely on its cute appearance, fluffy fur, sparkling eyes, and tiny paws...

"C-concentrate, Aria..."

However, against all odds and taking Aria completely by surprise, the white Fuzz started hopping and vanished into the corridors. Just like that? Was it all just a figment of her imagination? No, she knew what she had seen.

Aria let out a sigh, incredulous of everything that had happened thus far. But she had noticed something about that creature—its fur was well-groomed and shiny, despite being in dusty ruins, and it didn't evoke the sense of danger that the other Fuzz did.

"I wish I could hug one," she thought to herself, as she made her way down the corridor from which it had come.

***

There was no trace of Hilda, it seemed like she had lost her completely. Aria already had a hard enough time being in a dangerous dimension full of monsters, but now she had lost her only source of information. Wasn't that just great?

Aria blamed herself for that mistake. She had become separated from Hilda due to carelessness, and now she regretted not being more cautious. She forgot that she wasn't there for a leisurely stroll and that one wrong step could end her life.

"There's no use blaming myself. I have to keep moving forward."

She tried to stay calm and focus on the path ahead. With some luck, she would come across something that would lead her to Hilda. Some kind of trail or perhaps her footprints, considering her size.

She decided to pause for a moment and observe her surroundings. The corridors seemed endless, filled with debris and threatening shadows. The feeling of loneliness and despair grew more intense with each passing moment.

As Aria continued to advance through the dark corridors, her gaze sharpened, and her concentration intensified. She tried to find any sign, a trail to follow, but amidst the darkness, something caught her attention. A faint and gentle glow seeped through the shadows, almost imperceptible.

"What could that be?"

Curious, Aria wondered as she moved closer towards the source of that radiance. With each step, the glow became more apparent. They seemed like particles of light floating and dancing in the air. They were small luminous sparks, like tiny stars moving without a fixed direction, floating and leaving a fleeting trail in the darkness.

"It's so familiar."

She said, extending her hand towards one of the particles, feeling the energy enter her body and a familiar sensation washing over her.

"Hilda?" she thought, although she didn't know how she had come to that conclusion merely by touching those small luminescent spheres. As she analyzed them, she theorized that they were remnants of Hilda's Astraforge—the energy she emitted during her training and battles. Those golden particles were always present when she demonstrated her Astraforge.

It was surprising. She didn't think Astraforge had uses like this. Perhaps Hilda had done it intentionally so she wouldn't get lost? A smile appeared on her face. Now with a path to follow, Aria hurried to reunite with that mysterious woman.

***

As she cautiously advanced through the labyrinthine corridors, the cobwebs multiplied, enveloping every corner and obstructing her path. The prevailing darkness in those dark passageways was interrupted only by the faint rays of light that seeped through the cracks and the remnants of Hilda's Astraforge, creating a mysterious and gloomy atmosphere.

"I don't like this place at all..." Aria murmured to herself as she rubbed her arms. She had never been good with scary things—horror movies had always been her greatest weakness, along with the supposed monster that lived in her closet. The desolate environment only put her in a constant state of alertness.

Was Emily feeling the same way? To think she was out there alone, unable to do anything to help her...

"No... Emily is stronger than me. She's probably fine."

She tried to stay positive. If she let her pessimistic thoughts blend with the atmosphere, she would become overwhelmed and lose her way. One thing at a time, that had always been what her father told her.

Then, amidst the shadows and the dim lighting, Aria spotted a familiar figure. By sharpening her senses, she could make out that unruly red hair.

"Hilda!"

Aria sprinted towards her, realizing that she was engaged in a confrontation with a Fuzz. The creature moved with agility and ferocity, attempting to attack Hilda with all its might. But then she witnessed a powerful blow to its chest, causing it to emit a loud cry of pain as it was violently launched through the palace wall and plummeted into the abyss.

Despite the wound on her left arm, Hilda was capable of facing these creatures without any trouble, something that greatly surprised Aria but also brought her relief to see that she was alright.

Hilda's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Aria join her so quickly. The redhead gave her a faint smile as she caught her breath after the battle.

"Good, I see you managed to catch up," Hilda said as Aria approached her. "If you follow those stairs, you'll reach the third floor of the palace, where the artifact should be. Once you've taken it, Nexus will consider the mission completed for all of you, and you can return to our dimension."

"But what about you? What do you plan to do?"

Aria couldn't help but wonder about Hilda's intentions. She could sense that their goals didn't align. Curiosity got the better of her, and she finally asked Hilda what she planned to do.

Hilda paused for a few seconds, contemplating how to respond.

"I intend to continue exploring this floor. I want to find something I've been searching for."

Aria could tell that she wasn't being too specific again, perhaps not wanting to reveal her true objectives. What was she looking for? It remained a total mystery.

Feeling a combination of concern and curiosity, Aria let it go since it wasn't her concern.

"I understand," Aria calmly replied. "On my way here, I encountered a 4-star creature called 'Divine Fuzz' or something like that, so you should be careful."

She couldn't ignore her encounter with the "Divine Fuzz," and although she wasn't injured, she couldn't let her guard down considering the nature of those creatures.

"Hahaha!" Hilda would burst into laughter, surprising Aria. "I've never seen a creature like that, but a 4-star threat is a monster that could be considered the boss of this dungeon. But it would be strange if that happened, considering there was already a 4-star monster lurking in the palace."

Monsters were territorial, especially those considered "bosses" that nested in specific locations.

But just as their conversation reached its peak, a piercing and unsettling screech echoed in the air. Hilda immediately went on alert, and a golden glow surrounded her. Suddenly, the ceiling above Hilda shattered, revealing a monstrous creature with a bestial face resembling that of a monkey and a spider-like body. It lunged at Hilda with one of its long legs, intending to finish her off.

Hilda swiftly evaded the creature's attack, moving backward as she watched the powerful strike cause the ground to tremble around her, creating a hole in the floor.

"Why the hell is that thing on the third floor?"

However, a mischievous smile crossed her face.

"Well, it doesn't matter. It saves me the trouble of looking for you. I promise you'll pay for this wound, you insect!"

She vociferated with fury and energy, displaying a maniacal smile as the golden glow surrounding her intensified. It seemed to be growing, creating an overwhelming sensation for Aria, as if the gravity near her had suddenly increased.

[Araespecter]

[Darkness Boss]

[Threat Level: 4 stars]

[The Araespecter is a monstrous creature with a menacing appearance. It has the body of a gigantic spider with multiple sharp and hairy legs, and a torso resembling that of a wild beast. Its head resembles that of a monkey, but it is covered in exoskeleton and features sharp fangs and bright crimson eyes.]

[Abilities: Poison immunity, venomous webs, offspring]

All this information appeared before Aria as she saw the creature. It was useful to know all this, but... that monster made her whole body tremble just by looking at it. Did they really have to face that thing?

"This is... insane..."

Aria watched as Hilda fearlessly confronted the creature in front of her, rushing towards it through the hole she had created earlier. As Hilda's luminous figure disappeared, the creature let out a loud roar, signaling to the young silver haired girl that the battle had begun.

"I can't just stay here... I have to help her."

She thought, but her legs trembled greatly. The feeling that creature had provoked in her was as unpleasant as it was abominable. Its disdain seeped into her bones, and its penetrating gaze seemed to see into the depths of her soul, causing a psychological shock in Aria.

"I hate spiders..." she muttered softly, lowering her head.

Should she go up or stay? If she wanted to escape from there, she had to take the artifact, but the danger that awaited her upstairs paralyzed her.

She tried to relax, taking slow, deep breaths. If she didn't continue, she would never see her sister again. If she didn't continue, she would be trapped in that dimension forever. She clenched her teeth tightly, feeling foolish for risking her life in this way but making the decision to climb the stairs.

She knew she was heading towards her doom, and as the battle raged on the third floor, causing everything around her to tremble, she tried to find the mental strength to face that threat.

Upon reaching the third floor, Aria found herself immersed in a landscape completely different from the previous floors. The narrow, labyrinthine corridors gave way to a vast open space, where the walls seemed to have faded away, revealing a chamber of impressive proportions. There was no trace of the intricate pillars that adorned the lower levels; instead, they lay scattered on the ground like statues toppled by the relentless passage of time.

The air was heavy and filled with a sepulchral silence, only interrupted by the distant echoes of the battle. As she cautiously advanced among the ruins, her eyes instinctively turned towards the back of the immense hall, where a giant throne stood majestically, now in ruins and covered in dust.

However, in the midst of that vast, ruined space, Aria's eyes were drawn to a golden gleam that caught her attention. By focusing her gaze, she could make out the figure of Hilda on the ground, seemingly defenseless. The scene became clearer with each passing moment: resting on Hilda's abdomen was the elongated, pointed leg of the Araespecter.

"Oh no..." she whispered under her breath as a shiver ran down her spine. Fear once again took hold of her.

She knew she had to act quickly if she wanted to help her companion, but doubt and insecurity seemed to paralyze her.

The scene before her was as despairing as it was frightening. Would she be able to rise to the challenge?