Dallion’s voice rose up, filling the air. The sensation of wonder and allure flowed in the words, blossoming within all that could hear. It wasn’t enough to change the attitude of the guardian—the dryad could resist without issue. However, they weren’t targeting him, but rather the ones he was protecting.

It started slowly, at first. A few dryads would peek from the temple doors, maybe go to the entrance to see what was happening inside. The moment they did that, they were already ensnared. Dallion's song described wonders and marvels in the world, tempting them to check it out. Even from this distance he could see the conflict brewing within them, like two large balls of color; caution urged them to remain where they were told it was safe, while curiosity pulled them out.

The guardian’s eyes narrowed. Dallion could see that he had figured out what was going on, however, wasn’t able to prevent it. Or, rather, he was facing a dilemma. Still too weak from his last attack, he couldn’t either wait until he was in a condition to fight again, and so risk the life of the dryads, or he could take his chances now while at a significant disadvantage. Neither of the options were good. Dallion was glad that he wasn’t the one who had to make a choice like that, at least not yet.

“Well played,” the guardian said. “Not elegant, but effective.”

Dallion didn’t stop singing, despite wanting to. He wanted to have a talk with the guardian, to tell him that if he were stronger, he wouldn’t have resorted to such means. That was the thing, though—only the strong had the luxury of imposing rules on themselves. Dallion had seen it while hunting, but there was only a single life involved. Here, he was playing with the lives of many others. It was no longer a battle, but an all-out war, only at a smaller scale.

Just surrender, Dallion thought, hoping that it would end at that. However, the determination glowing within the guardian had only kept on increasing until it filled the dryad’s entire body.

There was a brief moment of hesitation. A strand of indecision materialized. Moments later, though, it was gone once more.

The guardian charged forward, aiming to kill Dallion—the one who was threatening the last remaining inhabitants of a poisonous realm. There was every chance that the attack would leave him vulnerable to Euryale, but it didn’t seem it mattered at this point.

He’s fast, Dallion thought, moving his shield arm in front of his body. If the distance between the two was less, it would all be over by. Now, though, he had a chance.

He can still do a final attack, Nil raised his voice, alarmed by the development of things.

“He won’t,” Dallion whispered. “Reverse cocoon!” he ordered.

The armadil shield extended, but only this time the curve was in the opposite direction, extending around the spot at which the dryad was going to be. There was no telling whether the guardian saw the trap or didn’t. The end result was him ending up surrounded by a sphere of metal.

MAJOR WOUND

Your health has been reduced by 50%

Dallion felt as if his arm was being torn off his body. Even the shield hadn’t been able to negate the attack, leaving Dallion at barely five percent health. The good news was it had completely exhausted the guardian, rendering him powerless.

“Make an attack opening,” Dallion said, collapsing on the outer side of the metal sphere. Without Lux’s healing ability, he was finding it impossible to keep standing up.

Thankfully, Euryale was well aware of what had to be done. Catching up to the imprisoned guardian, she punched the air in front of her. Golden tendrils formed, thrusting forward through the opening that Vihrogon had created.

For a moment, all time stopped. Dallion felt the thud within the cocoon, but was uncertain whether anything had happened. Then it came: the red rectangle he had been hoping for.

TERMINAL STRIKE

Euryale’s damage is increased by 1000%

“Open up,” Dallion managed to say.

You’re in no state to be standing, Vihrogon said.

“Do it.”

Slowly, the metal sphere shrunk down to a half sphere, then to the shield’s original size. Dallion made an attempt to keep standing, but his legs gave up, causing him to start to fall. Before he hit the ground, though, Eury caught him.

“Always the dramatic one,” she whispered.

“I’ve earned it,” Dallion managed to say. No sooner had he done so than another rectangle appeared above him.

WORLD RULER

(+5 Body, +5 Mind, +5 Reaction, +5 Perception)

You have successfully improved the world of the AURA SWORD. Improving a realm comes with pain or glory. It all depends on you. How will you shape the world’s destiny?

“Are you seeing this?” Dallion asked, pointing up.

“I see everything,” the gorgon replied with a smile. “Didn’t think I’ll ever get a twenty point achievement again.”

Dallion was so dazzled that he didn’t even bother to ask the obvious question. Was this what being a domain owner felt like? Back when he had briefly become the owner of Nerosal, he had been taken aback by it all, but the feeling couldn’t hold a candle to what he was experiencing now.

“What do we do?” Dallion asked.

“You get to shape the world, of course,” a familiar voice said. The dryad guardian had appeared as well, at least to a degree. He was semi transparent, surrounded by green light, almost as if waiting to fully form. “You defeated me as a team, so you’re the new rulers of the item and the realm that it holds. Usually, it’s the one who struck the final blow that has to decide, but somehow I thought it would be better if both of you had a say. After all, you’re an empath.” He glanced at Dallion. “You fought dirty, but you’re still one.”

Dallion briefly looked away.

“That’s all?” Eury asked. “We have to decide what the realm becomes and it will?”

“Not that simple. You’re not nobles. You don’t get to control everything, but just to guide it. However, it’s within your power to do two things. For one, the moment you make your decision, you’ll be thrown out of the realm. That’s the one firm rule when it comes to prison items: they only keep those who are too weak to break out. As rulers, you’re able to come and go as you please.”

That sounded good. It was what they had set out to do, anyway. Of course, it would mean they’d face the mage. Their state wasn’t the best, not to mention that he had to have been pretty strong to defeat all other world guardians and force the last to submit to his will.

“What’s the second?” Dallion asked.

“You can put an end to the plague,” the guardian replied. “Not the plague in the real world, but the one here.”

On the surface it sounded useless, but Dallion fully understood what the dryad meant. With that one decision, the inhabitants of the world would get a chance to live. Maybe they would slowly repopulate the world to the point it was like before the curse was created. Of course, they would have to deal with rusk and cracklings, but they stood a better chance than all the other swords Dallion had been to.

“If there’s no plague here, others won’t be able to use the sword as a weapon,” Dallion said, glancing at Euryale.

The gorgon’s snakes stirred. Gently, she listed Dallion up, letting him stand on his own two feet.

“Can we bring the sea back?” she asked.

“You can. As long as it is similar to what exists, you can do anything you wish. The sword marshals made the realm according to their views of an ideal world. Now it’s your turn.”

It was a big decision. Not that it wasn’t obvious what needed to be done. It was the importance of it that held both back from saying the words. In truth, they didn’t even know whether they needed to say anything or just think about it.

“Do we have to do it right away?” Dallion asked. “I’d prefer we get a bit of healing before we go back to the real world.”

“I suspect. However, you can’t have anything you wish.”

“What happens to the realm after we leave?” the gorgon asked. “Will we remain its owners, or will you take over?”

“You’ll always be the owners until someone defeats the guardians again. You can leave me, or you can call back the other eight guardians. It’s all up to you.”

“I prefer that it’s just you,” Dallion felt the urge to say. “There aren’t enough dryads to need more. And there’s less chance of conflict this way.”

“Maintaining the realm will be more difficult, but you’re likely right. Is that your decision, then?” He looked at each of them in turn. “No plague, a sea, and me as guardian?”

There were dozens of more things that could be added. Just thinking about it, Dallion could add flutters of shardflies, water equines, or many of the creatures he had seen in sphere item realms, but nowhere else. There could even be a flock of firebirds, so that Lux would have others of his kind. However, that was too much. It was like going down a rabbit hole: unless one stopped at the entrance, there was always a step further to go.

“I helped too!” Dark grumbled, as he approached. His wing had fully healed already, although the dragon did look less energetic than usual. “Do I get a say?”

“No,” the guardian said flatly. “Dragons can’t rule this realm.”

“Why not?”

“Because it wasn’t made by you.”

“Well, I think—”

“We’ve decided.” Both Dallion and Eury said in near perfect unison, seeing the sparks fly between the young dragon and the semi-formed guardian. Apparently, dryads didn’t get along with dragons. Who would have guessed? “Do we have to say it out loud?”

The dryad shook his head. Despite that, Dallion did.

“I want the plague to be purged from this realm,” he said.

“And for the sea to return,” Euryale added.

“And for Prolet to be the realm’s only guardian.”

AURA SWORD level increased

The AURA SWORD has been improved to a mono-guardian realm.

Your SCHOLAR skills have increased to 31.

A green rectangle emerged.

Thirty-one? Dallion thought. After all that fighting, that probably was the only skill that hadn’t reached its cap. Not that he was complaining, but seeing its low number made the whole thing seem sort of cheap. At least I got an achievement out of it.

Getting a twenty-point achievement is quite significant, dear boy, Nil said. Not to mention it was a much-needed boost. Don’t forget you have another fight to go through.

Dallion wanted to say “how could I forget,” but that would have been a lie. In truth, he barely remembered the circumstances under which he and Eury had been cast into the realm of the aura sword.

From what he could piece together, the two of them had rushed the mage in an attempt to.. distract him so that March could deal with him? Dallion’s whole motivation was sort of blurry. Sadly, readjustment was going to be the least of his worries. Even with the trait boost, his health remained remarkably low. True, there was a difference between his health in a realm and in the real world, but the fatigue was the same. As he was now, a single hit could render him unconscious. It didn’t even have to be particularly strong.

Any advice anyone can give me? Dallion asked in the fleeting fragments of a second before the return to reality. Not that he thought it would be of much use.

Just one thing, dear boy. Nil was the one to voice an opinion, as expected. Don’t forget the dragon. Only two of you were banished into the realm, but three are coming out.