Dimm moved between the rustling leaves of the short forest trees in the middle, accompanied by Minxx and Khobba. He learned from Minxx that these short trees only became short, as a permanent enchantment was laid on them to prevent the entrance of beasts.
Not necessarily to prevent the total intrusion of beasts, but to make it easier to sight any threat of its kind.
That is before the trouble by the Ogres started.
Dimm only shrugged when he was told of these short trees. It was as if the Gabty Forest trees were arranged in ascending order, starting from the entrance.
And their movement? They were heading south. The elfin guard who had rushed into the hall had informed Minxx that the Ogres threatened her while she went to harvest fruit from their South farm. Located by following the southern direction of Gabty Forest.
The thought of uniting with these Ogres flashed into his mind, as that was also what the system had asked him to do. But one part of him strongly disagreed too. Still...
He needed to distract his thoughts. So, he turned to Minxx and reminded her about Korr'Tai. "What about the Fall of Korr'Tai?"
Minxx's expression changed. Her voice turned mournful as she began to speak. "About Korr'Tai, he was the god who tried to stop it all."
"By all, you mean the evil practices?" Dimm asked, proving he was attentive.
"Yes," Minxx replied. "But you will have to know about the gods of the Ellipse first. Even if it's in a nutshell."
Dimm nodded his head interestingly. Things were beginning to make more sense to him now.
"Go on with the pacing you did like," Dimm confirmed her to carry on and she did.
"I promised I would tell you," Minxx began, her voice low, almost mournful. "About the god who tried to stop it all."
"First and foremost, you will have to get related to who the gods of this game really are.
"Initially, history records had it that this game, Ellipse, was governed by six gods, of which their names were Korr'Tai, Elios, Vorex, Ithrial, Kaleith, and Nyxara."
"Elios? Is a god of this game?" Dimm asked, shocked.
"Yes," Khobba replied beside him. "I have a certain book about the gods and their functions."
Minxx, however, picked on immediately, preventing Khobba from making more speech. To her, the narration was meant to be made by her, and not Khobba.
"Hmm...hmm. So—" Minxx called back Dimm's attention.
"For you to understand things going on in the game, you will have to know the functions which these gods perform. In the meantime, I will have to skip Korr'Tai, and tell about the rest," Minxx stated.
"Go on."
"The first god you will wish to know about is Elios, the god of Fate. He was the god in charge of selecting new players, and introducing new players as well. And it's his duty to update the players with the ongoings in this game."
"For example, the notifications that had appeared in the sky, while we were deep into the forest, were all fabricated by Elios according to what went on in the game."
"The second god is Vorex, known as the Lord of Trials."
"If I guessed right, he is responsible for designing trials for this game?" Dimm put in, hoping he did guess right.
"Yes. That's simple to guess anyway. Vorex designs the cruelest missions that are followed in this world," Minxx said and turned to Khobba. "Mind you, you haven't even started attending to missions of this game. You—"
"And what about Dimm?" Khobba asked.
"I'm currently on my first mission," Dimm replied quickly. "You know, as a Chosen one, I kind of got a different system from others."
"Then, should we part ways from here?" Khobba asked.
"Nah. You're my pair, remember. After meeting the Ogres, we will complete all our missions together," Dimm said.
"Okay, okay. Back to where we stopped," Minxx called back attention to what their initial course discussion.
"One fact to note about Vorex is that he dislikes anything known as Cheating in this game, with immense passion."
"Oh-kay."
"Good. Even though you will be a great defaulter," Minxx said and giggled. "Next on the line is Ithrial, popularly known as the Collector. He was never thought to be serious with his dealings, even though he is a cruel one."
"His purpose is to drive make suggestions for different trial designs Vorex was going to use, most times for experimentation. And whenever Vorex goes with his demand, he supplies himself with entertainment of how cruel they can be."
"Most players don't come out alive from any trial designed from the god's suggestion. Hence, his watchword 'Catch them young'."
"Then, there was Kaleith, the Betrayer. Even though the gods don't appear naturally as you mission hunt, this god can make use of even your fellow players to get you. Sometimes, friendly beasts."
"His sole purpose is to aid any player who crosses its part, in any form he appears. But then, this aiding will cost the aidee a very disadvantageous price— death. He often assists with the kind of help that will term the Player effortless, which is very much against the rules."
"Why am I seeing this pairing concept as the doing of Kaleith?" Dimm asked immediately and glanced at Khobba. "I'm beginning to have my suspicions."
In his mind, Khobba hadn't really arrived as someone who was meant to be a Survivor. Judging from the way she performed against the elf cultivators, she already had strength in her. And her features? She was not the girl he used to know.
Well, he will put them off now. And if his suspicions were right, he would make use of them.
"And the last on the list, is Nyxara, the goddess of death," Minxx's voice cut through his thought.
"She alone commands the protocol that eliminates, then erases players who go against the game rules. Reports will be made by her fellow gods, while the permission will be granted from her."
"Hmm. Interesting. This system of a thing just lured me to dig up my own grave. That's good," Dimm commented, scratching his head.
"That's not true. You are an exception to direct impact from these gods. They can only be able to have anything to do with you if you are caught," Minxx explained. "Now, I will have to tell you about Korr'Tai."