Chapter 134: Guided by Butterflies
Lyris’s POV:
After climbing the long, winding staircase that pierced through the clouds, the thick mist covered the sky, and cool moisture could be felt settling on her skin. Lyris finally reached the very top.
What existed waiting for her was still something she couldn’t quite understand.
A small, floating island was situated at the end of the staircase. On the very top of the island, a grassy hill could be seen. Through it, a river of water started to flow, splashing down over large stones that seemed on the verge of breaking but still remained solid. Around the giant rocks, a small, crystal-clear pond could be seen as the flowing water from the rocks ultimately gathered there.
Beautiful, vibrant flowers were situated all around the peaceful place. A dense green canopy could be seen covering the area, forming a natural leafy roof over the small landmass.
Lyris felt an inexplicable, soothing sense of peace wash over her tired body.
[Ding! You have entered Floor 2!]
Lyris looked at the scenery, feeling a genuine sense of awe at the beautiful location.
She took a step forward and walked toward the edge of the pond.
As she drew near, she could see her own reflection through the smooth stones and pebbles contained in the water. The water was so pure that she couldn’t spot any kind of impurities or pollutants floating in it.
She leaned forward and scooped up a small amount of water in both of her hands. The liquid was transparent and cool. She brought her lips nearer and drank it.
"Mmm... The water is very sweet. It tastes just like the sugarcane juice..."
She stood back up after drinking a sufficient amount of water, making sure not to feel dehydrated as she continued her trial.
She looked around the quiet island. There was no sign of any monsters existing on this floor. As she searched the area, she could see delicate butterflies flying around behind the green canopies, chasing each other playfully in the gentle breeze.
As if they noticed her presence, they were driven by her pure aura. The small creatures were attracted toward her.
Lyris raised her slender finger. A pink butterfly landed on it to rest itself. A blue butterfly also started to fly around her before fluttering down and landing softly on her shoulder.
"Hmph... Little guys, do you happen to know where I will find the staircase reaching to the next floor?..."
She asked the question casually as she looked around, searching the dense flora for any place where she might find the next set of ladders.
As if understanding her spoken words, the butterflies flapped their small wings. They started to fly around in circles right in front of her face, as if eager to attract her attention, and then started to fly toward a particular direction through the trees.
Lyris looked at the flying butterflies with slight confusion, unsure if she should blindly follow them or not. But as they continued to fly around in front of her, trying their best to guide her, she reluctantly decided to follow their path.
As she passed through the brush, she could see more diverse wildlife around the area. She walked down a small pathway surrounded by the natural canopies, leading to somewhere she didn’t quite know.
’This place gives me the exact same vibe as the garden in Ava’s mansion. Sigh... I miss her. Is she doing okay staying there all alone? She had already been through so much, getting stuck in the ’Ascension Realm’ for centuries by herself, and now she is living alone again with no familiars around. I regret not staying with her longer....’
’But no, it is also important for me to attempt this trial. I need to become a ’Walker’ and walk down my own path... I can’t stay weak forever. I have to become so strong that no one can ever take my freedom away from me...’
After walking for quite a distance, a dense, thick canopy appeared in front of her. The butterflies started to fly over there, as if trying to draw her attention to a very particular clearing.
She looked curiously as she walked, passing through the dense leaves to look at the space in front.
What lay there was an unexpected figure. A person wearing a white robe sat on her knees as she prayed. Before her stood a Goddess altar, depicting a divine figure holding what looked like a violin.
Lyris stepped forward and looked at the girl. She remained cautious, placing her hand right where her hidden dagger lay secured under her dress.
"Hey. Who are you?"
The praying girl suddenly flinched. She backed away, stumbling backward in sheer fear.
"No—no, please don’t eat me! I am human! I am just praying, please don’t..."
Her eyes moistened in terror. She closed her eyes tight, fearing something horrible might happen as she clutched her own body protectively.
Lyris looked at the frightened girl in front of her. She sighed and continued speaking with a much softer, gentler tone.
"Hey, it is okay. I am not here to hurt you. You can relax..."
The girl opened her shaky eyes and looked at the beautiful, raven-haired girl standing in front of her. Her white hood dropped back. What was revealed was a young girl with bright orange hair and matching orange eyes. She looked at Lyris, her figure shaking as she fidgeted with her white cloak nervously.
"Are you really not going to hurt me?..."
Lyris nodded and stepped forward to offer a hand, but she stopped as the orange-haired girl flinched again and stepped back in fear.
"Are you okay? Who are you? You don’t look too good. Did something happen to you?..."
The girl nodded. She continued fidgeting with her cloth nervously as she spoke softly, her voice shaking.
"I am Elyon. After entering into the trial, I lost my original teammates. So now I am all alone, and I haven’t seen anyone else up to now. When you suddenly appeared, it scared me. I am sorry..."
Lyris nodded understandingly as she stepped forward again.
"It is okay. I am not going to hurt you. I am also in the exact same situation. I attempted the trial but wasn’t able to find anyone either. I was also shocked to see you here... But I guess dimensional separations can happen... Are you feeling okay now? Do you feel uncomfortable because of me? Should I leave you alone?..."
"No—no! Don’t leave me alone! I didn’t want to stay here by myself. Please, take me with you..."
Elyon ran forward, forgetting her previous nervousness. She grabbed Lyris’s hand and held it with all her strength, not wanting the stronger girl to abandon her in the Spire.
Lyris sighed internally, thinking about the pros and cons of tagging this timid girl along with her. But ultimately, she reluctantly agreed to Elyon’s constant insistence.
"Okay, okay. You can come with me, but can you please let me go now? My hands are hurting..."
Elyon was startled by the comment. She backed away, pulling her hands back as her face turned bright red. She felt terribly embarrassed about holding Lyris’s hand so unexpectedly.
"Ah—yes... Sorry. Thanks for taking me along! It will be fun! Hehe... Let’s travel together!"
She switched her personality as she turned from a shy girl to an excited person.
Lyris nodded. She shook her head internally, unable to comprehend the sudden mood swings of the shy girl.
"Hmph... Do you happen to know where the staircase is located?... Or do we need to search the island to find it?..."
"Oh... yes, yes. There is no need to find it; I already know where the staircase is! I just stayed here to pray for the success of my upcoming trial. Let’s go, it is just near this place."
Lyris nodded in relief.
’Thanks to the gods, at least I don’t have to worry about finding the exit staircase in this massive place...’
Elyon led Lyris continuously down a path located directly behind the goddess statue, taking her to where the staircase existed.
Elyon suddenly glanced back at her while walking and asked a question with a highly curious expression.
"Oh, I forgot to ask! What is your name?"
"Umm... well... You can call me Lyr..."
"Lyr, that is a very nice name! I will also call you Lyr from now on then! Hehe... Let’s hurry up, Lyr..."
Lyris followed the over-excited girl down the path.
’Sigh... I still have to hide my true identity here. Even though we are inside an isolated trial, I cannot risk people knowing my real name and guessing my background... It is best not to tell them the truth...’
’Hmm... I also shouldn’t have told Ravena my real identity back then... But... sigh... She felt so incredibly cute and innocent in her toddler form. I couldn’t help but spill the whole truth to her...’
’Ahem! No, but I should remain cautious here as well. I don’t even know who this Elyon girl really is. I cannot trust her immediately. I can’t trust people blindly, or I might get betrayed...’
As both of them finally reached their destination, a grand crystal staircase lay there, extending far upward into the sky. A short distance away, a pure white door existed suspended in thin air.
"Here we are. We finally reached it. Shall we go now?..."
Lyris nodded.
Both of them started to climb the crystal staircase which would lead them to the third floor, neither of them knowing what new surprises they might see next. But whatever they might be going to face.
It will be completely unpredictable and unknown, only the ’Ascension realm’ is the one who will be going to decide both of their journey.