MMORPG : Ancient WORLD

"Dammit, dammit, dammit," Alex muttered under his breath, his voice a frantic mantra as he looked at Zahra.

She was reduced to nothing but skin and bones, her condition so dire that a mummified corpse would appear healthy by comparison.

In the small cave, lit only by a dimly glowing magic lamp, Alex knelt on the floor, a panicked look etched on his face as he was emptying vial after vial of recovery potion onto Zahra's frail form.

Her thin, dried-up skin absorbed the potions hungrily, yet her body refused to show any signs of improvement.

"If even Seventh Rank potions have no effect on her, will an Eighth Rank spell do anything?" Alex wondered, the desperation clear in his thoughts.

'Dammit, I don't even know if her condition is recoverable, but not doing everything to save her would make me regret it later,' Alex thought as potential choices ran through his mind.

Zahra was barely clinging to life as, with the passing moment, her condition was deteriorating, as her skin was being torn open in multiple places, as dislocated bones protruded from her body.

Yet, no blood stained her robes, as if it had all been burned away to fuel her vengeance.

'I am going to be pissed if this doesn't work, but it's much better than not trying,' Alex thought, quickly taking out a milky white crystalline box.

Unlike other scrolls made of paper or animal skin, this one was a crystal container with a plain milky marble-like core floating inside, its entirety already covered in dimly pulsing runes.

This was a peak Ninth Rank scroll, the best the world had to offer in expendable resources.

Something of this quality was stored in the treasuries of great empires, classified as forbidden, never to be used even if their own king was on the brink of death because a king could be replaced, but not something of such grand quality and rarity.

Alex placed the crystal box on Zahra's abdomen before releasing a mana pulse into it to activate it, then took a step back.

The runes on the box began to shift, shrinking in size to give way to the new ones that appeared. Thousands of runes materialized outward like a projection, releasing a blinding light, and no more than a second later, a cocoon of light enveloped Zahra.

The cocoon of runes lasted for close to thirty seconds, each passing moment seemingly stretched out for Alex as he waited with bated breath, hoping it would be enough to save her.

The cocoon of runes dissipated into small motes of light, gradually fading and returning the cave to its dim illumination.

Zahra was back to normal, her pale skin restored to its pristine, healthy condition, and her physique returned to normal, or more accurately, looked even better than before.

'Did she enter a state of coma?' Alex wondered, noting her tightly closed eyes and complete lack of response.

'Now that she is safe, should I leave?' Alex pondered, unsure of his next steps.

------------

"Fifteen Hours Later"

Alex decided to stay for at least one day before leaving because if he left, he would need to ensure this place remained hidden.

Since he had no clue when Zahra would wake up, he would need to buy a magic array that could stay active for months from the Ruler's shop, which would cost him a hefty sum.

On top of that, he would need a concealment array because spells stored on scrolls did not have long-term effects.

If Alex left without doing all that and Zahra was found in her sleep by a beast and got killed, his entire efforts would have been for nothing.

Alex was seated in a meditative position when he sensed movement and saw Zahra waking from her slumber. As she sat upright, she began to examine her surroundings with a calm and cold expression.

"How did you save me?" Zahra asked in her cold and emotionless tone after moments of silence that she spent examining her body.

"I used a peak Ninth Rank scroll with a healing spell," Alex replied, telling the truth while being a bit surprised at how she showed little to no emotions.

Alex considered that Zahra was cold and distant because she had lost her father and was on a revenge mission, but it seemed like she was always this emotionless or became one after losing her father.

"I do not have any means to thank you for what you have done for me, but you have my eternal gratitude and allegiance," Zahra uttered after a few seconds of silence.

"I don't need your servitude. Just take this ring and lead me to the ancestral Realm portal, and then we will be even," Alex uttered as he took the ring she had given him and threw it back at her.

She was so stunned by his response that she didn't even catch the ring and kept looking at him before finally speaking her mind.

"You did not save me because of my magic?" Zahra questioned, her voice tinged with uncertainty as if she couldn't fathom any other reason for his actions.

'Maybe it was because of sympathy, or maybe because it was her talent, or perhaps because I did not have any other choice, at least not until I saw her use that strange magic,' Alex thought, taking a second to think why he saved her and in the end, he felt it was a result of a mix of his emotions and circumstances.

"I know you are special, especially after seeing your recent skill that killed two Elemental Rulers, but that aside, I saved you because I felt that it would be a waste of your talent if you died,"

"Now, if you are feeling well, I would like to go to the ancestral realm because I am already a few days behind," Alex uttered as he stood up, making his point clear that she just needed to take him to the portal, and then she could do whatever she wanted.

"Thank you for everything. Hopefully, we will meet again, and I'll have the chance to repay your kindness," Zahra said, rising to her feet before making her way toward the exit.

They left the cave and began making their way toward the raging storm, and once they reached the outer area, Zahra stood closer to Alex and used the skill of the ring, creating a wind bubble around them.

At first, the wind barrier was as weak as a peak Sixth Rank barrier, but as they traversed through the storm, the barrier grew stronger and stronger by feeding on the rich law of wind in the surroundings.

Alex's heart pounded in his chest with agitation and excitement as he stood before the giant dark crack in the fabric of reality, like an ominous rift between the two giant peaks that stood firm with barely any damage dealt to them.

"I wish you luck on your journey," Zahra said, a small smile stretched across her face, her eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and happiness.

After giving her a smile, Alex stepped into the dark portal, leaving the ancient world and entering the enigmatic ancestral realm.

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