Outworld: Awakening

'Leave right now? Has he gone insane?' X stared blankly at Adam, unable to comprehend his drastic change in demeanor.

A split second later, she felt a chilling, but all too familiar sensation. Instructively, she shifted her gaze away from the crushed beetle. Locking gazes with Adam.

At that same moment, however, a chill went down her spine. Adam's eyes had already turned black.

\"W-What are you t-trying...\" as X's words trailed off, she felt an overwhelming sensation course through her body. Sending her to her knees.

'What's this bastard doing to—huh?' Mid-thought, X's vision turned blurry, albeit lasting only a second.

\"What's this? What are you doing to me?!\" X screamed.

Unlike before, she could see the crimson mist coating her body, and it frightened her. Like her impaired vision, it only lasted a second.

Adam, on the other hand, ignored her words. Silently devouring the mist.

'I have to get away from this bastard. This time—'

\"You better stay still if you want to live. I will not repeat myself.\"

X's eyes quivered as she heard Adam's words. Fear she had never felt gripped her heart. Her trembling lips parted, but she couldn't muster the courage to speak. In front of those eyes, she felt like a lamb staring at starving lion. Only death was certain.

'Was he an ȧssassin sent by those bastards? Is this where I will meet my end? Ash, I'm sorry. It looks like—huh?'

Suddenly, Adam titled his head to the side. Staring at the vast skies. Although surprised, X didn't miss her chance to scurry away.

Meanwhile, Adam's brows creased with each passing second. With a frown distorting his features. From the moment he noticed the true nature of the golden stag beetle, he noticed his vision had heightened.

'Is that...?'

Following the trail of the crimson mist, and despite being hundreds of meter away, he could see the faint outline of another flying ship.

Just then, Adam's countenance change for a second time. This time, however, it was the epitome of dread.

[Establishing Connection to The Omen...]

[Connection Successfully Established.]

With Manipulator activated, Adam unleashed a frighting burst of speed. Heading towards X, who quietly sneaked away.

\"Wait! Please! I'll double whatever they paid you to—\" before X could finish her statement, Adam whisked her away in his arms..

\"Please! Don't kill me! I have—huh? That's the edge of the ship. Hey! That's the edge of the ship!\" X screamed, her arms flailing. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes upon noticing Adam's trajectory. Of the thousands of ways to die, she never expected Adam to send her plunging to her death.

'I have to fight! I have to fight!' Faced with death, X's survival instincts kicked in. She would rather fall in combat than watch herself being hurled over the edge.

At that same moment, however, Adam's speed tripled. With his grip tightening around her waist. A split second later, X found herself over the edge.

\"Aaaah!\"

Contrary to her expectations, however, Adam still held on to her waist.

'Is he planning to committing suicide? Why would—huh? Demons?' As different thoughts flashed through X's mind, two grotesque aberration appeared out of thin air.

***

A few seconds after Adam and X jumped, five figures landed on the deck.

\"Oyioooo... Oyioooo... Escaped. They killed Majkar and escape,\" Pavani said.

Wearing their odd masks, the group stared at the crushed golden stag beetle. With their gaze lingering on a near microscopic worm-like creature.

\"They jumped over the edge, Pavani. We must give chase, or else we will lose them,\" Lankesh said, his voice muffled by his tears.

\"Oyioooo... Oyioooo... Barhama, can you see them?\"

\"Yes. They're still falling. However, there is a male with the female.\"

\"Oyioooo... Oyioooo... it doesn't matter. They will die! Let's go.\"

At that same moment, however, three new individuals appeared in the same location.

\"Who the hell are you bastards?\" The conductor said. Korg the giant and Christopher flanked him on either side. The trio held glowing short swords.

They didn't bother to hide their hostility as they stared at the group from Mxyrath. As the guardians of the flying ark, they would do anything to protect their crew from pirates, thieves and any form of danger.

\"Oyioooo... Oyioooo... another conductor? Oyioooo... you seem stronger than the last one. Unfortunately, I can't play with you. We have to kill the scavs... Oyioooo.\"

With a gentle wave of his hand, Pavani and the group raced towards the edge. To the conductor's surprise, they jumped over the edge, plummeting towards the unforgiving earth below.

'What? Who the hell were those bastards?' The conductor thought as he walked towards the edge of the ship. Although only a few seconds had passed, he couldn't see the bodies of the free falling group.

\"Sir, I can't find the guests.\"

The conductor retracted his gaze upon hearing Korg's words.

\"Have you checked everywhere?\"

\"Yes, sir,\" Korg replied. \"Sir, there is no sign of a struggle either. I believe those people must have taken them, or they were a part of the group. If the later was the case, then we only aided their escape,\" Korg added.

'Damn it! I knew that bastard was suspicious... No. I won't let them get away. The demonkin among them will be useful to the temple.' The conductor thought.

\"Sir, are we giving chase?\" Christopher asked.

\"Definitely. Harald we handle matters in our absence. If everything goes according to plan, we will meet up at Wrathriver Necropolis in a week or two,\" the conductor said. \"Do you have your Hert rocks?\"

With a nod, Christopher and Korg removed a glistening purple crystal from their robes. Saying nothing further, the trio swallowed the crystal. A moment later, a purple glow enveloped their bodies.

\"Let's go. Remember, we only need the demonkin.\" The conductor said.

Just then, the conductor threw himself over the edge. With Christopher and Korg following.

***

Ten minutes after the conductor and his ȧssistants jumped, the air around a particular section of the deck distorted. A moment later, a familiar axe, Cataclysm, came into view.

Adam held its handles, clinging on for dear life. X, on the other hand, with her eyes closed, wrapped her arms around his body.

\"I'm going to climb up now. Hold on tight,\" Adam said.

X's grip tightened. For a moment, Adam found it hard to breathe. However, using all his strength, he hurled their bodies back to the deck of the ship.

With heaving ċhėsts, the duo lay on the floor. Sweat covered the entirety of Adam's robes with his breathing quick and shallow.

Earlier, he had noticed Pavani and the other Mxyrath heading towards the ship. With little time to plan, he decided to fake their jump. He used invisibility to hide their bodies while using illusion inducement along with his summoning to fool the approaching party they jumped over the edge.

Adam knew the only reason his makeshift plan worked was because he devoured the crimson mist on X's body and the group didn't have enough time to obsever the deck, partly due to the arrival of the conductor and his ȧssistants. However, it was still a huge gamble, and one that could have ended differently. X, on the other hand, lay motionless on the ground with tears streaking down her cheeks. Although she had faced death on several occasions throughout her life, she had never been placed in such a situation.

\"So... how... much... are... we... talking... about...? I'm…\" not… cheap… you… know…\"

X suddenly titled her head, meeting Adam's gaze. He wore a faint smile as he continued gasping.

\"You're an idiot...\" X muttered, trying to suppress her urge to laugh. Albeit failing miserably.

Under the radiance of the beautiful moon, the duo lay on the floor with their laughter reverberating. Only the duo could enjoy a twisted joke after escaping the cold jaws of death.