Chapter 1109 Farewell, Dorian

As the Path opened its gates, monsters and calamities spilled into the second floor. The disaster did not include only monsters, but natural disasters like lava, floods, plagues, thunderstorms, and sandstorms.

The path connected to the wilderness of every city, spewing some sort of trial upon its residents. As the armies stared at the scene with confusion, they got teleported back into their respective cities, appearing at the walls.

Dorian held the artifact, Separation Tear, while riding the wyvern together with Lian. Each lord was sent back toward his city to ensure they protect it, while Dorian had to a.s.sign new lords for the cities of Lonin, Starhaven, Velvetmoor, and Blood Keep.

"You don"t have to stay here anymore, Arthur," muttered Dorian as he turned toward him. "We can hold the monsters back and minimize the damages from the disasters. If you stay here for our sake, then we will just slow you down."

"At least for the first battle," said Arthur with a small frown. "I cannot abandon you like this after I gave you this responsibility."

"There will be no end to this battle for it to be a first," said Dorian with a shake of his head. "The tower will keep summoning monsters and disasters the more we fight them off. The only thing we can do is to ensure the survival of everyone we have."

"And can you do that?"

"Using these artifacts, it should be doable," said Dorian with a smile as he looked at the pile of artifacts beneath his feet. "I received a message earlier that I won this war and one of the rewards was the artifacts. Furthermore, I can exchange lordship points for their recharge."

"If that is the case, I want to give you one final gift," said Arthur with a grin as he took out his dagger. "I will clear the path I take toward the third floor from monsters. This way, one city can aid the rest in the meantime."

"You have my thanks," said Dorian with a smile as he stared at the rest. "I will make sure that everyone in the second floor will know your name."

"That is not the reason we wanted this outcome, young lord," said Jonathan as he was supported by Sarohan. "I wish I was there to witness your crowning."

"It was rather b.l.o.o.d.y," said Arthur with a smile. "I"m glad you are safe, Knight of Silver Rose. Even if you were injured during the final battle, you still had a bigger role than anyone else."

Jonathan seemed emotional as he closed his eyes and bit his lips. The screams of monsters once again reminded them that the second floor was no longer peaceful. Even the monsters within the floor began their rampage, seeking the cities and attacking them.

"This concludes our adventure in the second floor," said Arthur toward his friends. "We got separated and made new friends, but that does not change our goal in this tower. The next floors will be about fighting and endurance. How about we make a promise to the young lord?"

"I was thinking the same," said Ilia Perli with a smile. "We should rea.s.sure him."

"How about five days?" asked Sarohan while rubbing his chin. "These new powers that Sera gave me are unreal! I want to go all out with them!"

"The cities will be wiped out in five days," said Whisker while hiding his face. "What do you think, my king?" he asked Arthur.

"There is me, Whisker, Sarohan, Jonathan, Koby, Ilia, Lian, Ramiel and Seraphine," muttered Arthur with a grin. "Having these eight in my team seems like an overkill."

"Why am I the last one counted?" scowled Seraphine, who was leaning on the wyvern"s neck. The mount could not complain or even move because it could tell her powers. "I say three days are enough to conquer this tower!"

"Three days to conquer this tower?" muttered Dorian with disbelief because this group spoke about something that countless challengers failed to do like it was a picnic. However, he did not have any doubts. "I will be counting on you all!"

"Three days?!" shouted Sarohan with shock. "How can you promise something so impossible? Do you have no shame, little Sera?!"

"I will skin you alive, monkey," spat Seraphine while glaring at him, making the Waiga hide behind Dorian with a fearful expression. "If you don"t have confidence in our king, then beat it! A million waigas dream about standing in your shoes!"

The group laughed as Dorian stared at them with a rea.s.sured heart. Then, he turned toward their leader, who chuckled with a light-hearted expression. A question popped in his mind as he witnessed the change in his character.

"I have a question, Arthur," his words made the group quieten down, allowing him to continue. "My curse appeared because I witnessed the countless suffering the people had, and I feel like I never become happy as long as I hear the voices. My question is…"

"How am I able to laugh after hearing them?" said Arthur with a smile, completing his sentence. Dorian nodded, and the rest turned their attention toward Arthur. "I always looked away from the voices instead of facing them. Once I sat across each soul and conversed with it, I realized the reason behind their wrath."

"Can I know why?" asked Dorian with expectations.

"People turn wrathful once their happiness is robbed," said Arthur as he looked at the sky, which had a painted red tree. "As I took a step back and understood their reasons, I no longer felt the madness that drives their wrath. I felt the urge to free them from this wrath. That should not prevent me from seeking happiness."

"I understand," said Dorian with a nod, as he mulled over the subject. "This is not the last time we meet, so I will learn more from you in the future. Until then… take care."

As he said the parting words, Dorian offered a handshake. Arthur stared at his hand and then at the rest of their group, who all grinned. Sarohan was sniffing behind Dorian, barely holding himself back.

"Take care as well, Dorian," said Arthur as he shook his hand. Sarohan bounced on the young lord, hugging him tightly from behind. He began wailing as if Dorian was his close kin, not a friend he fought alongside a few times.

The group laughed at them before the wyverns reached the gate, which had monsters spewing from it. These monsters were all high-cla.s.s ogres carrying weapons and riding giant mounts. This was not a simple monster horde, but an invasion.

"This is our stop," said Lian as he turned toward Dorian. "You should teleport before we enter the third floor, because I will unsummon this wyvern. This is the Blood Gem," he said while offering a red gemstone.

"You have grown a lot, selfish brat," said Seraphine with a smirk. "I thought you would keep holding to it forever. How come you are giving it away?"

"I don"t rob another man"s fortune, as it brings bad luck," said Lian with an honorable face as he handed the gemstone to Dorian. "Especially not robbing it from a man who can control karma. That is suicide."

"You are just afraid of him!" shouted Sarohan as his sobs turned to laughter. "Little Lian is scawed! Oh no!"

"You want me to tame you, d.a.m.n monkey?" asked Lian with a growl, making Seraphine hide behind Dorian once again. As the group laughed, Dorian smiled and handed the gemstone back to Lian.

"If not for your tamed beasts, we would have died a long time ago," said Dorian with a smile. "You earned this, friend. I hope you use this to help Arthur and the rest."

"Are you sure about giving out something this valuable to this thug?" asked Whisker with concern, making Lian glare at him with hatred. "He tried to rob a town before, you know?"

"And I was an arrogant brat," said Dorian with a shake of his head. "I know someone forced by circ.u.mstances when I see one. Arthur knows it too, right? This is why he has Lian as a part of his team."

"Thank you, Dorian," said Lian as he received the gemstone with a smile. "You can count on me when times get tough. I will show up again and use this gemstone to repay this debt."

"I will count on that," said Dorian with a grin as he turned toward the rest. "Farewell, everyone. Please be safe on your travels, and don"t overdo it."

"Become a fine lord, Dorian," said Ilia Perli.

"Farewell, Dorian," said Arthur as he turned toward the monsters on the ground. "May we meet again under better circ.u.mstances. In three days!"

"In three days!" the rest echoed as Arthur jumped, and they followed. Dorian watched them descend toward the hordes of monsters, turning into meteors with different colors. However, the most prominent one was the man with golden mana and carrying his black dagger. Dorian knew that his life changed forever because of this man, and so would the rest of the universe.