「Level」 LV 75 (Low-Rank Apostle)
「Quest」 Eliminate Low-Rank Apostles and Low-Rank Invaders in the Kingdom of Midland (27/?)
Nidhogg understood that according to the prefix and specific phrasing of the quest—that is, "within the Kingdom of Midland"—he could complete this quest now.
Clop, clop, clop—
Nidhogg rode his spirit steed Torrent, and the skeleton knight rode his dark horse. They slowly departed from the shimmering barrier and enchantments of the Spirit Tree Pavilion, heading into the darkness deep within the forest.
Flora, Schierke, and Ivalera watched from a distance but did not follow.
Until the backs of the two men and their horses disappeared.
Flora and her apprentice naturally lacked the means to follow them into the depths of the astral world for adventure. One life was at its end; the other was just beginning. Neither was suitable for such recklessness.
Ivalera, a creature of the astral world, also had no desire to accompany them.
If they were only going to the Narrow Valley on the first level of the astral world, it might be manageable. But the path led to the depths of the astral world—the second level. That was too dangerous.
The crack between the real world and the astral world—that is, the place in between, the "Narrow"—Nidhogg also knew a little about it.
Broadly speaking, the goblin's giant tree in Mist Valley, the goblin mine, the witch's spirit tree pavilion, as well as the island of fairies and the fairyland he had yet to set foot in—all were such "Narrows."
Though he knew of them, he still couldn't unravel their mysteries. So Nidhogg was still quite interested in this matter.
Unexpectedly, upon arriving at the Spirit Tree Pavilion in this Narrow Land, he had gained an additional harvest and could follow the skeleton knight into the astral world. This excited him even more.
The skeleton knight opened the path ahead and asked Nidhogg to follow closely. Even though this was only the Narrow Valley on the surface of the astral world, it was enough to make many lose their way.
Soon, before their eyes appeared a massive, decaying giant tree. All its branches and leaves had withered and died. The exposed trunk was like a skeleton stripped of flesh and organs.
"This is the true form of the Spirit Tree Pavilion," the skeleton knight explained. "This tree rotted and withered two hundred years ago. But its presence in this world during its life was so strong that its form in the Narrow grew ever more lush."
"Thus, the spectral body of the Spirit Tree Pavilion became Flora's dwelling. Its essence became a catalyst and a door connecting us to the real world and the astral world, separating the boundary between them—much like a key..."
The skeleton knight raised the longsword in his hand. The tip of the sword touched the dead tree's trunk. With a light twist, countless rays of light burst forth, wrapping around and absorbing them.
"Don't resist. Listen to my voice. Just move forward."
The skeleton knight's voice came from far and near, like an echo in a valley.
Nidhogg squeezed his horse's flanks and moved forward.
Instantly, the white light receded, and they emerged into the Narrow Valley on the surface of the astral world, simultaneously witnessing a magnificent sight!
There was no sun here, yet it was as bright as day. Not a blinding light, but a soft glow. There were endless meadows, surrounded by forests of lush branches and flowers.
A rushing stream easily tumbled down a hillside, like white fabric and satin sliding downward.
Nidhogg could even feel warmth, a gentle breeze. These sensations were no different from the real world.
Of course, few virgin lands like this—untouched by war and still preserving such natural topography—existed.
What truly distinguished the Narrow Valley from the modern world were its inhabitants.
Elves, unicorns, goblins, fairies, dwarves, giants... Most of the magical creatures that could only be seen in countless fantasy stories could be found here. It was simply a fantasy paradise.
The skeleton knight, accustomed to everything here, calmly rode past.
In contrast, these fantastical creatures, upon seeing the skeleton knight and Nidhogg, couldn't help but be surprised and retreat.
"For most of the dead, the first stop on the path to the underworld is here."
"But among them, many dead who do not realize they are dead, or who have left unforgettable memories in this world, often get lost here and cannot step into the underworld."
"They will either awaken and move on, or die in complete hesitation."
When Nidhogg heard this, he suddenly remembered the story of "Peg the Red-Eyed," told by the bard in Mist Valley. He couldn't help but speculate.
Since the goblin's giant tree in Mist Valley was a Narrow, when Peg tried to leave, had he gotten lost on the surface of the astral world? Had he lost his way here, and even lost his consciousness, memory, and sense of time, one by one?
After that, perhaps it was the goblins of Mist Valley who guided Peg to leave the surface and Narrow of the astral world and return to the real world. But Peg had lost that memory, which was why he didn't remember being on the surface of the astral world for a hundred years?
Too bad the truth of that was known only to the goblins and Peg himself.
Looking around, having satisfied his curiosity, Nidhogg turned his head and asked his guide, "Listening to your conversation with Lady Flora, it seems you've been here more than once or twice?"
The skeleton knight didn't answer immediately this time. He was silent for a while. After crossing a slope, he pointed ahead.
Nidhogg looked in the direction of the sword's tip. He saw an area beneath the slope, completely different from the atmosphere he had seen before.
Wandering ghosts, floating nightmares, burrowing wraiths, furry eight-eyed spiders, shambling starving werewolves... The scene of their activities resembled a hundred specters walking at night.
"This is the intersection between the surface of the astral world—the Narrow Valley—and the deep realm of the astral world." After the skeleton knight let Nidhogg see this reality, he said, "From here, one step into there is the depths of the underworld."
"I have been here more than once or twice. I was filled with grievance and rage, willing to pay any price. I sought revenge on the divine—the demon that destroyed everything."
"However, except for a few temporal points like the moment of the Eclipse, the God Hand, residing in the deepest part of the astral world, does not appear in this world. My flames of revenge had nowhere to vent. I couldn't even begin."
"For this reason, despite Flora's opposition, I donned the cursed Berserker Armor, penetrated the underworld, tamed this dark horse, and fought bloody battles in the depths of the nether realm day and night."
"Unconsciously, I lost several colors in my eyes, taste, voice, warmth. The Berserker Armor drove me to ceaselessly cut and immerse myself here."
"I became like those ghosts and vengeful spirits—lost in the depths of the astral world. I don't know how much time passed. Besides my original goal of revenge, I had only instinct left. Finally, even that instinct and that consciousness were lost."
"After my consciousness vanished, I sank into a certain illusion, as if I had dreamed a long dream. I don't remember the details of the dream at all. I only know that when I woke, I had returned to the surface of the astral world with this dark horse."
"At the same time, I had become what I am now—a skeleton of bones, like the armor I wore when I was sovereign, seeing everything in the world with ghostly fire and telling everything in the world with the voice of the dead."
"But I gained even more power. So I do not regret this sentence."
"Returning to the Spirit Tree Pavilion, Flora seemed changed. I realized a long time had passed. She almost thought she would never see me again, yet she was still there, waiting with a sliver of hope."
"After that, I took off the Berserker Armor. That did not mean I gave up revenge and struggle. On the contrary, it was simply because I no longer needed to use it for revenge and battle. Soon after, I stepped onto this battlefield again."
"Nidhogg, you asked me, 'It seems you've been here more than once or twice?'"
"Yes. For thousands of years, except for killing the Apostle minions of the God Hand in this world and intervening at the moment of the Eclipse, my battlefield has been here every night. This is my 'Demon Path of Hell'!"