Chapter 165: Farewell, Eyamos

Chapter 165: Farewell, Eyamos

“Hey guys!” Astrid bounded over, excited at the arrival of her friends. She clasped her hands around Leena's own. “Look at the cool mask I got!”

As Astrid was talking, the grin followed her mouth. It was a sinister sight. One that caused Bellona’s face to screw up and almost take a step back.

“Yes, it’s cool.” Leena smiled in response.

“So that’s the exit then?” Brett held his ‘hands’ behind his head. It looked strange with one of them being as black as the night, but Astrid didn’t have the right to call something strange.

Brett wandered over to the statue of Avemoth and inspected it closer. Face-to-face with the once primal monster, Brett trailed his fingers along the surface of its body. “You really defeated it, huh?” He said with shock in his eyes.

“Well, I had to tactically retreat for the first time,” Astrid continued. “But, I managed to kill it the second time around.”

“You ran away.” Brett joked.

“Tactical retreat!” Astrid stomped on the ground.

“Sure, sure.” Brett stood up and wandered over to the portal.

What’s wrong with him? Astrid couldn’t help but wonder. Something felt off about the way he was acting. His previous laughing smile, and constant playing was gone. He felt a little–detached. Like his arm. Astrid shook her head.

It wasn’t only Brett. Leena was also taking cursory glances toward him every now and then. But it wasn’t her initial worry of attraction, but one of worry.

Maybe because she was a psychic, but Astrid could feel their emotions far clearer than ever before.

Bellona radiated confusion and curiosity.

Calum was secretly anxious, probably because he was in a zone that was way out of his level range so he was on edge. But there was a fire deep down within him. One that pushed him forward. He also kept on looking at Jonathan, maybe because he had risked his life for a new chance at strength. Was he envious? It was hard to tell.

They all walked toward the dungeon exit, but Astrid waited.

“What’s wrong?” Leena asked.

“I promised to take the psychos out of here.” Astrid’s mind twitched as she saw them approach. Her words were true, but she didn’t know if the dungeon exit would allow them to leave. She hoped so.

“You have defeated the great Avemoth!” The Great No-Eyed One clapped his hands in jubilation. The others followed in reverence as they screamed as loud as their lungs allowed without exploding.

The Great No-Eyed One gazed at the dungeon gateway in wonder. He approached it straight away and placed his hands on the blackened bricks. “So this is the portal to the Otherworlds?”

“Try and enter.” Astrid clenched her hands.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Nodding, he moved his hands from the alien bricks, to the pitch darkness of the portal. His hands seeped within. However, Astrid frowned as the darkness trembled. Like a wave, it surged from corner-to-corner of the gateway, then, the psycho leader’s body was repelled through the air. He didn’t make it very far as Astrid grabbed him with Psychokinesis.

Astrid stomped the ground in annoyance.

“So this world's inhabitants can’t use the exit door?” Brett said.

“It would make sense, but it’s extraordinary how the rules are so well put in place.” Leena continued. “It can tell who were the original people to come through, and who wasn’t.”

“Like it’s sentient,” Calum said with a grim expression.

“Do you think that dungeons can open in this world to ours?” Jonathan added.

“It’s a possibility,” Bellona said. “But that would mean we could be under threat by invaders. If a bunch of psychos enter the gateway, there’s no telling what they may do–or kill. No offence.” She glanced at the psychos that were mostly banging their skulls against the walls, or worshipping Astrid.

“Follow them?” Calum played with a piece of fallen glass at the window sill. “I mean, there’s not much left to do, is there? Especially if Daniel and the others were left to loot the place.”

“He’s right there you know,” Brett said, then a smile followed. A proper smile. “If there’s loot around here, the chances that Rachelle has sniffed it out already is high.”

Astrid scoffed. “More like definitely.”

“So what’s the plan then?” Bellona looked at Brett. He was the most seasoned adventurer here, and so it made sense for him to take the lead. He might not be the strongest with Astrid in the group, but his experience was something Astrid couldn’t compare to.

Nodding, he declared, “We’ll search the area for any signs of human life–and by that I mean try and find wherever Daniel and the others are. Then from there Daniel is in charge and our life has balance once more.”

“You’re a simpleton.” Bellona shook her head.

“Just the way I like it.” Brett joked, then he clapped his hands. “Alright, Astrid, you scour the large northern area, while we’ll search the smaller land to the south.”

“Question.” Astrid placed her hand into the air.

“What?”

“What way is north?” Astrid glanced over her shoulders, not sure where to go.

***

Astrid flew through the air at high speed. Although she no longer had the flight Skill from the Bird King’s eye, she was still flying faster than when she had it thanks to her Level ups.

Once again she had to go on her own. She knew it was because she was strong, and that Brett trusted in her strength. No. Astrid took a long and deep breath. She couldn’t allow the feeling of loneliness to spread.

Your loneliness has reached 80/100.

Dammit. Astrid spat. Although she had come to terms with her situation, and that she was most likely approaching the time when she had to travel on her own. Overload seemed to have different ideas.

The loneliness ate at her like a burrowing bug that refused to go away. Astrid sighed.

She continued flying for twenty minutes. There were a lot of monsters, but none that were even worth taking the time to kill.

It wasn’t long before she caught up with the others. Astrid watched as they looked over at her, but she simply shook her head. Approaching, she hovered in front of them.

“No luck then.” Brett said.

“Not even any loot?” Astrid asked while hanging upside down in midair.

“Not even a drink of liquor.”

“Is that all you think about?” Leena crossed her arms.

“Hey, there’s nothing better than a drink to loosen up the mind.” Brett mimicked drinking a pint.

Just as Leena and Brett were about to continue arguing, a huge explosion rocked the bubbled walls.

Using Psych Domain to its maximum, Astrid could barely make out an intense fight up on the surface of the ocean. Judging by the enormous mass of matter, whatever the people were fighting on the surface was a gigantic beast.

Without any other words, they all rushed to the walls. If Daniel and the others weren’t in the bubble, then they were up on the surface.

As they neared, Astrid’s expression grew grim.