CHAPTER 134: A SHOCKING DISCOVERY

"This brat is a runaway of our family. We have been searching for him for a while now and we would appreciate it if you could hand him to us. We will also compensate you appropriately." The only girl among the three spoke to Arianne with a flattering smile.

Arianne looked at the fallen Joe before shifting her eyes towards her seniors who had moved a bit away. She could read the meaning of their actions and that unnerved her a great deal.

Ella remained silently at her side and decided to watch how the situation unfolded.

Arianne shifted her eyes to the three teens before her who despite being over 5 years older than her, were at the same height as her and were looking at Joe with a smug smile.

"Scram!"

The smile on the faces of the youths were slowly wiped off, as they looked at Arianne with widened eyes. They all feared Arianne's status but they never expected her to treat them in such a manner, especially for a waste like their cousin.

The girl who spoke narrowed her eyes and was about to erupt in anger when her brother raised his hand to motion to her to stop.

Her cousin, Rook who was acting as the leader of their group looked at the vampires who had distanced themselves and didn't doubt for a second that if they dared to act against their princess or disrespect her in any manner, they would surely move against them. He didn't know why they wished for them to take Joe away, but he didn't have any intention of stirring a hornet's nest.

Rook thought deeply about it and finally opened his mouth to talk only for him to close it in the next instant.

Arlo walked past them and held the trembling Joe to his feet. Under the attentive eyes of all those present, Arlo spoke words that left them confused.

"It is time!"

None of those present understood his words and it wasn't until their eyes fell on the medallion in his hand that realization dawned on them.

They quickly took out their medallions and saw them blinking constantly with a multicolored light.

Suddenly, the crack above them widened as if it was pulled apart by two huge hands before a large gate slowly appeared. The gate seemed to be made of chaotic space, and if it weren't for the symbol of the western dragon on it, they would have thought the crack simply widened.

When they saw the dragon similar to those on the medallions flash in a multicolored light, the eyes of the great majority of them widened in horror.

They all had the impression that they might wait for a long time for the secret realm to open but who would have thought that the secret realm would react just after a few minutes after the vampires arrived?

The three youth beasts confronting Arlo's group glared at Joe briefly before quickly returning to their group. They joined the others in locking hands before finally sighing in relief.

The humans were already close to each other, so they were able to come in contact without any effort and time wasted.

However, the vampires were different. Landon instructed the group to hold hands, and it wasn't until after they did that he turned toward Arianne, "Quickly, princess. We need to hold hands!"

All he received in response was a cold glare.

At the same time, the werewolves who were shouting at Ella to return opened their eyes in horror, when their medallions suddenly released a burst of light that enveloped them before their group disappeared.

The humans, werewolves, vampires, and magical beasts simultaneously disappeared from the desolate plains.

A few breaths later, the last group consisting of Arlo, Arianne, Joe, and Ella was also teleported.

.....

A few minutes earlier.

In Arlo's home world.

"Didn't I tell you two to remain together?" Steven's handsome face was twisted into a frown. Even at such a time when he felt frustrated, he didn't forget to smooth his silky auburn hair.

"I didn't know when he left," Tina replied curtly as she felt displeased about being blamed for something she had no control over.

Looking at the flashing medallion in his hand, Steven thought for a moment before he spoke:

"Let's separate and search for him. Remember not to leave the first zone if you don't find him in time."

Tina nodded before the duo separated.

A few minutes passed in the search.

As Tina walked across the streets, she constantly looked at the medallion in her hand, and judging from the increased frequency at which the medallion shone, she could tell she didn't have much time.

"Hey, it is my turn to play."

She came to a sudden stop as she heard a familiar voice. A second after her brain registered the voice, she gritted her teeth and entered the alley at her side only to see the boy she had been searching for jump in joy after winning against a group of little kids in a bead game.

Tina didn't hesitate to release her domain, and immediately later, she increased the gravity on Miller causing him to fall flat to the ground.

She walked closer and grabbed him carelessly by the hair, as she released her anger on him.

Well, she tried to.

At that moment, the medallion in her hand and the one in Miller's pocket released a bright light, before the duo disappeared.

At the same time, several geniuses from great powers across the universe disappeared simultaneously.

After sixteen good years, another momentous event that would rock the whole universe was about to occur in the secret realm.

.....

Every decade, the secret realm would open. At that time, those with a dragon medallion would be teleported randomly into the secret realm. However, they all would be teleported to the first zone. Those who wish to be together, need to be in direct contact with each other before they are teleported.

At the first zone of the secret realm.

Several figures appeared in different places. The human group fortunately appeared at the ridge of a mountain, so they were able to have a better view of the secret realm.

"Whoa!" Rose's mouth widened as she looked up in wonder. There was no sun, no moon, and no star. Instead, the entire sky was an aurora that lit the world in different colors. It was the first time she had seen such a beautiful sight.

Even the cold and indifferent Kai beside her had a change in his expression while the older teens marveled at the mountain up in the sky.

Soon after, Rose and Kai followed their line of sight and immediately became stunned.

Very deep into the secret realm was a mountain floating high up in the sight. The surprising thing was that the mountain had the shape of an egg.

"How is this possible?" Theodore couldn't help but blurt out. The magical realm before them should be realistically impossible yet it was being captured by their eyes.

'I don't know how deep that floating mountain is.' Theodore thought after collecting himself, as he narrowed his eyes on the floating mountain.

He wondered what zone the floating mountain was located in, but if he should take a guess, he thought it would be in the fourth zone, which was the treasure zone, or the last zone, which was an uncharted area since the secret realm appeared.

Only necessary information was given to them, and as no one could fly above a certain height above the ground, no one had ever reached the mountain.

Shaking his head, Theodore threw the miscellaneous thoughts away, before he looked around him.

Looking far into the distance, he saw a huge lake, but beyond the lake was a region of mist.

"That should be the second zone. It should open after a few days, so for now we have no choice but to remain in the first zone." Theodore spoke to the group as he continued, "Why don't we help the princess and Kai hunt beasts?"

The other teens nodded readily. Since they couldn't enter the second zone yet, and as the beasts in the first zone were too weak for them, they didn't mind assisting their juniors.

"Humph, I don't need your help." Rose directly refused.

"Now, now..." Theodore tried to persuade her only for his eyes to widen. The mountain beneath them shook greatly and so was the entire first zone.

Theodore's group stumbled from the abrupt movement and only a few could remain on both feet.

As the ground continued to shake, the mist covering the second zone started receding causing the eyes of not only Theodore's group but all those currently present in the secret realm to widen.

"What is going on?"

"Why is the second zone already opening?"

A commotion rang out among the humans. Immediately after entering the secret realm, the information they collected started failing them, sending some of them into a panic.

"Humph, I didn't know my seniors were cowards." Rose's words diffused the commotion, as the faces of the human teens became red from embarrassment.

Theodore didn't seem to care, "There is a change of plans. The princess and Kai will remain in the first zone, and the others will move to the second zone as soon as possible. I don't know what is going on, but this has become a race against time. I do not need to remind you that those who arrive first at the fourth zone will have a great advantage, do I?"

The others nodded and didn't hesitate to execute their plan.

In another area.

The vampires and werewolves who had been teleported near each other seized the fights that were ongoing among themselves.

After entering the secret realm and being close to the vampires, the werewolves erupted in anger because their princess wasn't with them and they blamed it all on Arianne who was a vampire. So they didn't hesitate to attack the vampires, causing a great battle to erupt, and the surrounding beasts to run away in fear.

But after the fight was momentarily stopped by the trembling ground, the leader of the werewolves hesitated.

After a careful thought, he spoke: "The second zone has opened. We need to move fast."

"But what about the princess?"

"Don't worry, the princess should be safe in the first realm."

With that, all the werewolves transformed before they left in packs.

"Are we just going to let them go after attacking us?"

"Humph," Landon glared in the direction the werewolves left before he spoke, "We are in a race against time. Let us go!"

Unlike the werewolves, the vampires weren't that worried for Arianne. Of course, the main reason for this was because they believed nothing could hurt her in the first zone. After all, they all saw her transformation at the awakening ritual.

Similar situations were occurring throughout the first zone as several presences rushed toward the lake separating the first and second zones.

Unlike the others, Arlo's group didn't see a beautiful sky after being teleported into the secret realm. Instead, what appeared above them were minerals of different colors lighting up the cave they were in.

At the same time, Arlo's eyes widened as he heard the sweet voice of a woman:

"Help me...please..."

He looked at the others beside him and could tell from their reactions that they didn't hear the voice. What surprised him further more was how the cave shook greatly scaring them for a moment. And this happened immediately after he heard that soft and beautiful voice. But soon after, his eyes fell on the saber marks on the back of his hands that were flickering with a golden light.

'Old bro?'

Arlo could feel Old bro's tumultuous emotions which was something he had never experienced before.

What Arlo didn't know was that as the greatest treasure of the realm of the gods, Old Bro was able to instantly figure out the intricacies of the secret realm.

And it was this discovery that shocked him to the core.

>> She is alive...<<

>>...Since all these years. <<

>> Now I see why Arlo couldn't connect with his laws... <<