I struggled to resist, but the pull was too strong. "Oh, come on!" I yelled as I was sucked into the vortex after her.
The field fell in silence after Nebula and I vanished into the vortex. Knights scrambled to make sense of the situation, their reinforcements arriving too late. Students whispered among themselves, peeking nervously from the college windows.
"Where did they go?" one knight muttered, gripping his sword tightly.
"Zero… and that witch. What was that light?" another asked, his voice tinged with fear.
The murmurs and confusion continued as the winds settled, the battlefield eerily quiet.
A sudden jolt snapped me back into awareness. I was falling, spiraling down a hole surrounded by endless whiteness. "What the hell is this?!" I yelled, my voice echoing around me.
The air whipped past me as I plummeted, my Shadow Mystic attire vanishing. In its place, my casual clothes appeared—a black shirt over a white T-shirt, black jeans, and white sneakers.
I landed face-first on a solid, glowing surface. Groaning, I rolled onto my back. "Ouch…" I muttered, wincing as I rubbed my side.
Before I could recover, a shadow loomed over me. I looked up just in time to see Nebula falling from above.
She landed directly on my back, sitting there casually as if she were on a park bench.
"Oh god...Ahh- " I expressed in pain and suffocation.
"Ohh my...Zero, you okay?" She said.
"Oii, get up! You're heavy!" I grumbled, trying to push myself up.
Nebula sighed dramatically. "You don't say that to a woman, Zero. It's rude."
"Are you even a woman?" I shot back, glaring at her over my shoulder. "You're a witch who was just trying to kill me!"
Nebula smirked, leaning down until her face was inches from mine. "Oh my, oh my. Are you hurt by that? I was just expressing my love for you, you know." Her voice dripped with mock innocence as she planted a kiss on my cheek, holding my neck firmly.
"Yeah, sure," I said, pushing her off and straightening my clothes. "Now get up."
Nebula finally stood, brushing herself off. She looked around, her expression uncharacteristically calm. The tension between us had faded, neither of us eager to continue the fight.
I took a deep breath, scanning the strange surroundings. The ground beneath us glowed faintly, and the air felt thick with energy. Above us, an infinite expanse of white stretched endlessly.
"What is this place?" I asked, breaking the silence. "Where are we?"
"This," Nebula said, spreading her arms theatrically, "is the Infinity Realm."
I frowned. "Infinity Realm? How did we get here? Why are we here? And more importantly, how do we get out?"
She tilted her head, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "It's my father's realm. He must've summoned us here. We can't leave unless he decides to let us go."
"How cute," I muttered sarcastically, rubbing my temples.
Nebula chuckled. "Relax, my love. Escaping is simple. We just need to sense the flow of the aura in this realm. It will guide us to where we need to go."
"How convenient," I said, rolling my eyes. "Fine. Let's get this over with."
We walked in silence for a while, the faint hum of the realm's energy our only guide to her Father. Nebula seemed unbothered, her steps light and graceful. I, on the other hand, couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking straight into trouble.
As we walked, Nebula glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. "You know, you're even more handsome now."
I blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… thanks, I guess?"
"What's your name now?" she asked, her tone unusually curious.
"Austin," I said simply.
She smiled softly, as if testing the name on her tongue. "Austin… it suits you. But I think I'll still call you Zero. It's more… you."
"Whatever you find convenient," I replied, trying to ignore the slight warmth in my cheeks.
"Ok then can I call you —My Husband?" She said, teasing.
"Calm your horses I am just a college student at present." I replied, casually looking straight.
We walked, the energy of the realm pulsing faintly beneath our feet. Nebula seemed unbothered, humming and singing softly as if we were a couple walking in garden.
After what felt like hours—or maybe minutes, time didn't seem to exist here—a large, ornate door appeared before us. Its surface was covered in intricate carvings, glowing faintly with the same energy that filled the realm.
Nebula pushed it open with grace, and we stepped inside.
The room was dimly lit, the air thick with an earthy scent. Shadows flickered across the walls as ten goblins emerged from the darkness. Their grotesque forms groaned and sneered, their eyes locked onto us.
"Great. Just great," I muttered, trying to summoning my sword instinctively. My aura flared for a brief moment before buzzing out.
Nebula tapped my shoulder, a grin on her face. "Oh, I forgot to tell you… you can't summon your aura here."
"Huh?!" I turned to her, my voice rising in frustration.
She nodded solemnly, patting my back as if to comfort me. "The Infinity Realm suppresses external energy. You'll have to rely on more… traditional methods."
"You could've mentioned that earlier!" I snapped. Fresh chapters posted on Nove1Fire.net
She shrugged, an amused glint in her eye. "You'll manage, my love. I have faith in you."
The goblins advanced, their growls growing louder. I scanned the room, my eyes landing on an old, rusted sword lying on the ground.
"Well, this is just perfect," I muttered, picking up the weapon. I gave it a quick swing, testing its weight. It wasn't so good, but it can just do the job.
"Alright, let's do this," I said, stepping forward with determination.
Nebula giggled, sliding behind me and wrapping her arms around my waist. Her chest pressed on my back which I could feel vivid.
"Ohho… my love will protect me," she said teasingly, resting her chin on my shoulder.
I sighed. "Try not to get in my way."
The goblins charged, and I tightened my grip on the sword. Whatever the Infinity Realm had in store for us, I wasn't about to back down.