Infinity in the Void – Freedom in the Abyss

It was nothing short of a bloodbath, even if there was no blood. In this glowing City of Gold, her black light stands out even under the night sky. The Silver Princess dances and sings under the moonlight without a care.

Huascarn looks on with awe, hearing her song for the nameless warriors. As a warrior himself, he fell on one knee and put his hand to his chest. Watching Charlotte's requiem for the departed inspired him, so he too offered his prayers for those warriors.

Mitsuki just stood there with her eyes closed, she too was influenced by the Princess. She silently offers her prayers to those warriors.

Each monster being burned by the black flame is a toast to the wielder of a weapon. This was her offer to the countless fighters who perished for the future - that their might can open a pathway to the future once again.

And the future Charlotte wants right now, even if she does not say it, is the freedom of El Dorado - to free her people from this Dungeon that brings them no end of harm.

She snapped her finger, and expanded her circle of black flame - revealing the countless shadow weapons— and she spun, the circle followed and the blades all lifted up on their own, seeking the closest target to them.

She let those blades decide for themselves, what and how they end her prey.

The Princess dances as the black flames crackle against her enemy...

Until nothing was left, only her flames lingered and swayed to the wind on the golden bricks of El Dorado. She turned around and performed a curtain call bow to the spectators.

Behind Mitsuki and Huascarn, the people of El Dorado watched from afar, witnessing the bloodless bloodbath of the Princess.

"Head to the castle, Mitsuki.", she commanded as the ring of black fire shrinks, "And you too, Huascarn."

"Okay!!", Mitsuki obliged.

"Of course, Your Highness...", he too follow her command.

They ran past Charlotte, while her smile extended toward the people of El Dorado.

"I ask you, people of this city.", she held her hand forward, "Choose your fate, you are about to be free from this cage. Will you want to stay reclusive or rejoin the world once more?"

"Your High Protector had decided that following me would be the best course of action, but what about you? Do you agree with his hasty decision?"

Her presence was overwhelming, even if her voice was soft like a whisper and hypnotic.

"I, Silver Princess of Humanity, can guarantee your safety if you decide to rejoin the outside world. I will also guarantee your safety even if you want to stay recluse here in this Dungeon until you are ready.", she snapped her finger, summon a cup of coffee, "So choose wisely."

She took a sip of what her adopted mother described as coffee-flavored syrup and patiently waited for their answer.

Then they roar.

"We want to escape!"

"Get us out of here!"

"These monsters are too much!!"

"Please protect us!!"

""Your Highness!!""

Charlotte has a certain charisma, her words move people. Because of her conviction, her confidence, and her willpower to back up her words. Even without Euphoria, she was born to be a leader.

Yet, she chose not to be one.

"Very well.", she finished her coffee and burned the cup with her flame, "I will finish things up."

To that, she summons Quirinus to her hand and walks toward the castle in the distance.

"While I walk, Utopia, how is the situation with the Mongolians?", she asked her Knight.

Utopia replied, "[The Dragon named Zhulong the Scorched Candle was awakened, it had nuked the frontline of the army as it could not break in near Karakorum. But the walking fortress was stronger and sealed the Dragon inside it. And Beijing will fall in roughly a month, Your Highness.]"

"The U.S. and the rest of the world?", she continues.

"[With your assistance, Your Highness, India's government has effectively collapsed so I predict that the takeover will happen in roughly two months. Central Asia is already working on defensive lines with their Gem Holders on standby. Russia is not doing well with Mongolian Undead presence in the Siberian Tundra. Korea released Dungeon monsters on a mass scale into the North to wreak havoc and create a buffer zone between them and the Undead army, with the Legion of Joowun stationed just behind them. As for Europe, German factories are working.]"

"So another Great War is on the horizon.", she showed a wicked grin. As her plans are working smoothly so she has nothing to worry about.

 

=0=0=

 

The black flame burns a hole through the wall right next to the open door and I walk in. Huh, this is truly a boss arena.

High ceiling and a relatively enclosed space, with Mitsuki who for whatever reason has a ghost made of frosty mist embracing her, and Huascarn who is triple his previous size.

And the thing they are facing is... I can't begin to describe it, it's... made out of shapes, triangles, rectangles, squares, and all that stuff. It constantly changes shape to dodge and counter the two.

"Welt Ealam, I know you can hear me. Give me that thing's status.", I commanded.

Then a blue screen appears before me... I don't like what's written here.

Yeah... this is going to be a problem and a half.

"Mitsuki, Huascarn, this thing is more dangerous than you realize.", my lance began to roar, "back off."

An Eldritch Being is different from an Eldritch God, they are not the manifestation of stars or any celestial body, but of the universe itself. They are not restricted by their light but they have to follow certain sets of rules.

The Tindalos govern the flow of time, so they cannot intervene unless time is violated.

But this thing here is a Replica, it obeys the settings of this Dungeon as the Boss...

"Utopia, what are the abilities that the Lord of Tindalos have?", I asked my Knight.

"[The Lord of Tindalos possesses the powers of all the Beasts of Tindalos, including but not limited to teleportation, portal creation, deletion claws, true precognition, and exclusive to them, invulnerable to anything less than a direct hit from a full-powered attack of an Eldritch God of Judgement. Considering this is a Replica, your Justice would suffice, Your Highness.]"

Those two backed off, and the Replica returned to the center in a dormant state.

"Charlotte... I thought I would shine here!!", Mitsuki whined and pouted.

"Sorry for that, my friend.", I smiled, patting her head, "This isn't something you can handle as you don't have the right tool."

I dispelled the black flame, and blue mist began to fill the place.

"I am the One who Judge, with Passion and Madness."

Weapons began to form from the mist, attaching to my back to form a pair of wings, and then they folded into me— solidifying into crystals.

"Embrace the Abyss, Dive into Infinity."

I stroke my hair back, turning it into a dark blue color.

"Let the Blade of Judgement Descend, in Madness and Hysteria."

The wings shattered and reformed on my body. Claws made of crystal formed, to protect my hands from being dirtied, a crystal mask bearing the Rose Compass formed on my face.

"For the Passion all Chase and Reject."

Then crystal chains wrap around my arms and chest, hanging and dragging on the ground as I walk forward.

"For this Grand Execution! To Punish Evil for all to Witness!!!"

And finally, my eyes turned silver.

"Because I am Justice!!"

Now I face against the Replica of an Eldritch Being. It pulses as its shapes scramble as if it is screaming at me.

"Symphony of Hysteria: Guillotine."

The Justice Mist solidified into a gallow stand trapping the Replica, and the Guillotine dropped—

And of course, it had no effect on a formeless being. It escaped easily and came at me. I can't really use Malice here in an enclosed space... so why not make it smaller?

I stood still, its void claws clashing against my Domination, crackling electricity as it desperately tried to reach me.

"Symphony of Hysteria: Trial Stand."

Pillars of crystal erupted from the ground, and the Lord of Tindalos pulsed as it tried to escape from the enclosure. But I had already filled in the cracks with my crystal to prevent its escape.

"Close.", I commanded, the pillars rushed in and confined us in a crystal dome.

Before it could open a portal, I stabbed it with my lance to disrupt its focus. Then the storm burst inside the Lord of Tindalos, and shards of crystalized Justice stabbed and destroyed the shapes it is made out of.

From how it kept on bouncing around, it is hurt even if I can't see it being in pain. And the walls of this dorm burn it. But this is ultimately boring.

This is why I enjoy a hunt, because my prey bleeds. But for this? It doesn't bleed and that takes away a lot from a hunt.

"Let's get this over with.", I gripped my lance, pointing it toward the sky, "In the Name of Humanity."

A tornado formed and sucked the shapes into it.

"O' Ancient Souls of the Divinity, may you be Forgotten."

Electricity crackles and a layer of crystal forms around the Replica, encasing its shapes in a ball of dark blue crystal, glittering brilliantly as the thing inside pulses.

"O' Spirits of Nature, may you Return to Nothing."

Then I gripped the crystal ball with my right hand. The thing inside pulsed even more violently as it could feel what was happening - how my will and belief were crushing it.

"To you, Creature of the Void..."

I strengthen my grip once more, cracking the crystal ball.

"May your Existence be Denied."

BOOM!!!

"Phantasmal Denial..."

I threw away the dust that was in my hand, and I smiled. That was easy and posed no challenge to me.

Hehahahaha~ I have the counter to it after all, and it had only two percent of its actual power.

I waited for the victory message from Welt Ealam, but nothing came—

Oh?

The floor beneath me crumbled, I quickly shattered the crystals, only to see Mitsuki and Huascarn falling down with me.

Huh, there is water beneath this.

A crystal spike popped out of the wall for me to land on, and then I proceeded to make a spiral staircase with more spikes and walked down to the bottom.

"You two alright?", I asked.

"Y-Yeah...", Mitsuki rubbed her knee, which was bleeding.

"Yes, Your Highness... but...", he looks around to get a better sense of where we are.

We are in a labyrinth made of gold bricks with four ways to go.

"Utopia, can you exit?", I asked.

"[Yes, Your Highness.]", he replied.

So this is just a bonus stage, fine by me~

You two can use the staircase I created, I'll be exploring this place by myself.

"I... I can go!", Mitsuki shouts at me, despite her injury being pretty bad.

...

"Huascarn, take her to safety.", I commanded, "And don't let her go."

"Wa—hey!! Let go of me!!", she yelled at the Dragonborn.

"This is for your own good, my friend.", I glare at her, making her flinch, "I know what is best for you."

With a smile, I pat her head, "Be good now, and rest up."

She nodded with a frown, staying silent instead of replying to me. Then I turn to Huascarn.

"Be careful with her.", I ordered.

"Of course, Your Highness. You killed that damned god for my people—"

I place my finger on his scaley lips, "My people, you are all my subject."

He was taken aback but he nodded, "Yes..."

"You can go now.", I turned around and walked into one of the entrances.

What could be more relaxing than exploring a maze?