Unfortunate Death returned with a Good Will

After Claire gives her farewell to the merchant Joseph, she continues to embark her journey to the depths of the trials of Pandora. There were two pathways that she hasn't been there before, left and right pathways. She decides to pick the left pathway, going further and further to the deep darkness, it seems that she feels something was off.

The presence of the darkness is like calling her from afar, she hears a faint screams and screeches of a monster perhaps. As soon as she got nearer to the source of the sound, she sees many dead bodies of unknown night creatures that bathed in the eternal darkness, one of Cthylla's pets.

At the center of that large room with other seven pathways available. It seems like countless monsters appeared to get to the victims, two familiar humans that got lost in the Abyss. They look battered and tired based on the situation itself. As soon as Claire was noticed by the two humans, they immediately raised their guards and for some reason tensed from their reflex and instincts of detecting any entities. As appearing to glow into a yellow light, they notice their long time friend, as also Claire notices one of the two humans.

"Felia?" Claire says on impulse.

"Claire..." Felia replies to Claire, as suddenly an unfamiliar girl jumps off out of nowhere and hugs Claire so tight with tears in her eyes.

"I'm glad you're alive! I was so lonesome! I didn't know going to the abyss would actually meeting you."

"Who are you again?" Claire raises her suspicion to the unfamiliar girl. But she vaguely knows Felia.

"Olivia, I think she is not the Claire we know. She might be from another multiverse."

"How come you say so?"

"Well, Claire is long dead." As soon as Claire hears that news, maybe her insights are certainly true.

"So... What you are saying is that you two from another world where Claire, another me, died at your world?" Claire tried to sum all the information in order to understand the situation.

"Yes, it's a long story but someone called us while the portal to the abyss opened."

"Maybe this is what Cthylla meant by needing allies." Claire talks to herself while finally understanding the current situation.

"Who's Cthylla?"

"The queen of the abyss."

"Wait don't joke around. You met the queen of the abyss? I've only read it on textbooks, the queen of the abyss, Cthylla, I don't even want to mention her name since it brings bad luck and curse. She is responsible for causing holes and dark portals to feed and sustain herself from life itself of every worlds." Felia explains as Claire is about to share her side of the story.

"She helped me guide through the trials of Pandora."

"So you mean this place is a trial?"

"Yes. Cthylla told me that passing the trial means achieving a new route."

"New route?" Felia and Olivia says in a unison.

"The goddess route."

"So you are a goddess? Why am I not surprised?"

"A potential goddess, I suppose."

"I see. So Olivia, what's our next move? We met another Claire." Olivia ponders deeply as to prepare a new resolve on a new journey they will undergo. It's either going back to their world without Claire or be with the Claire and leave their own world for good.

"I made my decision, we will help you Claire finish the trial. We want to go with you and keep you safe from now on." Olivia leaves her statement as Claire and Felia agrees.

"Nice knowing you, Olivia." Claire gives her hand to Olivia as to firmly shake hands and start over.

"Same to you Claire." They both shook their hands as suddenly, she held Claire's arm to snuggle at her.

"You're really are clingy, Olivia."

"No! When I am not so close or nearby, you ended up caught in danger. That's my mistake, my sin of letting you go."

"I know but we don't need to be this closer."

"Guys since we are here, we should figure out where to find a safe zone. There are eight pathways, this might be hard to track the correct pathway." Felia seriously thought to explain to Olivia and Claire.

"True, we might get lost."

"Well, I actually found the safe zone." Claire says to Felia.

"Eh? Where?"

"At the 3rd pathway, where I went before."

"Then let's go." As they went to the 3rd pathway, they marched for at least 10 minutes before arriving at their next destination, to the safe zone. While walking, Claire asks about their earlier situation.

"So, you managed to kill most monsters in the abyss. You two must be skilled. Could you tell me your side of the story?"

---

*Felia and Olivia's POV*

In our world, the sudden battle between Claire and the notorious group known as the domination squad had finally begun. Alas, it resulted into a satisfying end. Betrayal after another, this might change the course of Claire's ending, shortening it might seem plausible since her only choice was to flee from the city, out of the SK Foundation's reach. Connecting with ties such as her allies known as Felia Millers, Olivia Fear, and Frank Hellbert, the battle went smoothly as overpowering the Domination Squad, all that is left is to prepare and gather in order to finally escape from the shackles of death. Yet, the real war starts.

Upon entering the SK Foundation, an ai known as Farren greeted us with information. As the four of us stands at the reception area, we plan to gather rations from the storage room and data such as landscapes of the city, world map, geological structures that manifested nearby dark portals and lastly how SK Foundation connected around the world in the office of the founder. The AI unexpectedly gives us the location of all of them, it might be a trap or the truth but either way we needed to move soon or else the dominators might get in the way.

"Traitors, be prepared for the punishment." Farren says his last words to the four of us as we went on our last mission, escaping City Alamus.

After for 30 minutes, Frank and Felia stole some of the rations while Claire and Olivia went to the founder's office. Surprisingly, the founder himself was there.

"You!" Olivia immediately struck back with her submachine gun.

"Well well. You don't need to be so wary of me." Suddenly, Professor Cthulhu used his tentacles to toss the weapons but Claire used her ability colorful humanity to counterattack.

"Stop with your tricks, I know the secret of your race, Professor Cthulhu. You're just like Mr. Shady, mixed in your blood is the same as SK Virus but for some reason my powers work against yours."

"Amazing. You found out. Your very existence is the cure of the SK Virus. I know because I experienced it first hand before."

"What do you mean?"

"There's no need for explanation. You need something from me right?"

"The data consisting all of information needed to escape." Professor Cthulhu showed a USB consisting all the data we need in order to escape.

"Well, you are already too late. For now this will be our farewell." Professor Cthulhu lastly said.

As we all gathered into one group at a certain floor, he showed up. One of the frightening dominators yet.

"Are you the traitors?" All of us were wary of such a dominator. "My name is Gorr and you all surrender to me or face me as your new challenge."

"Guys, this guy is a real trouble. We won't be able to match him. So I'll distract him while you three escape." All of us agreed as fleeing the scene. Both Frank and Gorr fought to the death afterwards, blood and brawl. A fight between talent and might.

"This might be a one-sided battle but I'll give them enough time to escape. Good luck everyone." Though, it only took 2 minutes before we ran.

As we three ran as fast as we could, outside the SK Foundation, there was one dominator waiting for us as expected. Instantly, we all were mind controlled by him.

"My name is Mr. Shady. I am here to stop you all from escaping."

All of us were stuck and manipulated by him, knowing Claire, she used her ability colorful humanity to nullify the effects.

"Oh? You nullified my mind control. Let's see if you try to stop this." Olivia was forced to use her ability arms dealer to turn into a gun and shot at Felia in order to divert Claire's attention.

Unexpectedly, Claire blocked the attack with her body as hers was full of holes from the gunshot and fell to the ground with her lifeless eyes, overflowing with blood.

---

"We failed to protect our Claire. Now we paid the price that is her life." Felia sadly agonizes by the turn of events.

"I wanted to apologize and repent my sins as much as I want for the eternity. But since you are here, this might be my opportunity to pay back my mistakes and help you." Olivia grieves as she tries to return the favour by helping Claire from another world.

"I see. But Claire did save you two, that's what it counts. In fact, there may be a reason why you and Felia are here in the first place. So better return the favour." Despite Felia and Olivia's grief and lament, Claire tried to give the light they need in order to give meaning to their lives and Claire's death.

And with that they arrive at the safe zone where Merchant Joseph is at presence to aid the travellers from their battered state and trade.