Temporal Pearls

"Life here is all about Mental Power and Willpower!" Seth added casually while also a pale energy exploded from his body and drowned Dave and him into a perfect sphere.

"Ahhhh!"

A terrifying scream from Dave was heard and a flash of red lightning rumbled inside the sphere but none of his friends moved forward because their body was still shaken by that pressure.

It felt like it was from a dragon but at the same time it was not. Not only that, there was a sound coming from the red balloon which trapped the beast, it made their body shake. At that moment, few people can have coherent thoughts in those eerie confusing situations.

A streak of red lightning burst out of the pale sphere into the sky, changing the colour of the sky to crimson and it cackled with thunder.

"You shall rest in peace now!" Seth's tired voice said. As he came out of the smoke.

"It's true, you are a murderer!?" Juma, Rena, Zero and Fist shrieked. They had held onto hope that all these confusing things happening were not as they were assumed. But it was true, Seth just killed Dave before their eyes.

They failed to ask whether he had the way to truly kill a player.

"So, what's wrong with that in this chaotic place? Survival of fittest and smartest. Can't you understand that simple logic!"

"You will die!" Four players from the other group growled but their two Temporal warriors hindered them. "We can take him down, he is weakened" one of them shouted which gave the rest hope but then something burst into Seth and he came back to pristine condition. And that made them gloomy.

"You spent 7 days in Dark Void and you're already acting like that man!" Ash growled with annoyance, "damn it stop acting like a villain."

There was silence!

"Haha, did I make a good villain," Seth asked, impressed by himself as he looked at eyes looking at him with fear and uncertainty.

"Yes, to those who can't see through you, to me, you are just imitating him!" Ash asserted.

"Hmm. That man is scary but bovines are scarier." Seth said.

"I totally agree. Those bastards knew how to hold a grudge." Ash quickly concur

"True…"

"What the fuck are you guys talking about?" Rena shouted in confusion.

Seth ignored her and took the Drumming Scale from the balloon, which also stopped the sound that made them uneasy. The beast broke away and dashed to Dave, the wind he carried blew away the smoke.

Dave's clothes were burnt and cackled with electricity and his body was leaner but he was breathing. He was facing the sky, his burnt face had recovered a lot, and even his empty eyes lid was there. He seemed to have healed better.

That was when the players sighed in relief and also began to wonder what was happening. This was all confusing.

"What exactly is going on?" Juma asked, "things he said and your fights. Will you clarify please?"

"No!" Seth blurted out, he liked the situation. He appeared enigmatic, and powerful but also seemed and acted trustworthy but also vague with uncertainties. People will think twice about crossing him.

'I have become cold,' Seth thought, 'was it the Stone Will evolution effect or was it what happened to me with the moon?'

The group stayed away from each other but Seth's group looked at him strangely. He seemed fine as he sat on a stone playing with a red stick. The only person close to him was Ash. The Dark Void player was impressed by Seth's ruthless manipulation of the situation.

There was no 'listen to me,' or 'Let me explain what happened. I'm innocent, they lie about me, I didn't do that!'

He took it at face value, calmly, acted like a villain but also healed the attacker which complicated the situation by appearing as a good person.

By nightfall, Dave regains his consciousness, his body regains its weight and he also seemed have gained a left eye. He sat with a frown before he stood and glared at Seth. But he got no response as Seth was just busy poking the firewood with a red stick.

Dave calmed down and he talked with their group for some time. The end result was they shall talk about what brought them here in the first place. Forgetting the misunderstanding.

"My name is Audrey and I met someone called Barbados during one of my dream voyages. He said that he was trapped in a place that existed between the Real Game world and this Continent. I wasn't able to understand him much but I know through my powers, he wasn't lying!"

A tall woman explained she has long coal covering her and a veil on her face. her hand in white gloves rested motionless on her thigh.

"That is your clue?" Zambia asked not to be convinced, "the knowledge of deceit dragons has opened too many possibilities of treacherous ways of the dragons and even other races!" He added.

"Ahem. I know her in the real world. And before I met you she was the guide who helped many of us to survive the few weeks on this continent. She discerns the effect of different death. True Death, Injury Death, Confusion Death and Normal game death!" Allen voices his mind.

"Oh, she is the Dream Fortune!" Rena asked in realization as she looked at the woman in a new light.

Seth was not aware because he was low-class and did not have access to a high-class chat forum. The woman has been actively telling various information that was otherwise unknown at the beginning of the game.

She also made a lot of predictions and assumptions about the game to the point others assumed she was an official from the game until some of her predictions were proven wrong but those that were right aided many players to survive.

"I didn't see you at the moon crater, despite you being the one who sent a warning that the moon is abnormal," Juma said.

"I was… there but it's complicated!" Dream Fortune, Audrey, said.

No one pressed about what she said but Zambia and Fist pressed whether they could trust her and whether she was not being controlled or being enticed to lure them into their death.

Seth was silent as he observed the 9 people. Dave has recovered well but he seemed to be in thoughts unaware of his surroundings as the debate heated off he said.

"Every step is filled with danger. It's just whether one was willing to tread it or not. Dream Furniture has never tricked anyone before. The knowledge she gave out is confirmed, she always said it with certainty and none of them ever failed and for the unconfirmed ones, she also indicated that. She trusted this man Barbados as such I trust her.

You are wasting time here with meaningless arguments on something we will never convince you of. Make a choice here and cut the damn crap!"

There was a moment of silence before Zambia said, "It is just fear and that keeps us alive. What do you think?" He asked his group, "Allen, I know you are on board already, what about the rest of you!"

"Is he one of you? Last I heard there are twelve of you. Samsi and Blessing were reported to have departed from you!" The broad shoulder asked as he pointed at Seth.

'That will seal their intention on me!' Seth thought fast.

"Yes. He is one of us." Zambia asserted. The group of nine whispered among themselves before they said, "you will keep him at bay!"

That made Seth laugh but didn't say a thing. Strangely, Zambia and the rest also laughed, especially Ash, who can see Seth's facade.

"Yeah. I'm responsible for my group." Zambia assured.

"Good. We all got things to finish for that reason time was set. It wasn't by a whim but the only way to reach the place is at a specific time. So, one of the players we already met sacrificed his powers to create a summoning ring. Those that tacitly agree will be summoned no matter where they are in this land. But one can also refuse the summon but there is also a way to go manually.

When the time comes there will be aligned stars in the sky, follow them and find the place. It will be dangerous though!" The man explained.

"We didn't catch your name?" Zambia asked.

"I go by Gunpowder. The leader of this group and also her bodyguard!" He said and pointed to Dream Fortune.

There were some small talks afterwards but then everyone stood to leave when Dream Fortune said.

"Good deeds should be reciprocated… be careful with them and have no more or any at all?"

Seth skipped a beat and activated his Aura Sight to see her but he found that his eyes were being turned apart, he then poured aura into them and also held in his mind on his Pure White Stone Will as an anchor.