CHAPTER 20

A monster smaller than the others appeared after the light wall disappeared. It was more sophisticated and calm. It has two swords in its hands and its appearance was mixed between a human and a monster. Suddenly two shadows move towards the monsters. Ashley saw that one was Joel and the other had a black cape that covered his face. But she was sure that he was the person that Older Ashley said because Older Ashley's emotions can't calm after Ashley looked at him.

The monster moved his eyes to Ashley and Alan. Suddenly Alan held Ashley by an arm and started to run in the other direction. Ashley was astonished for a while but then asked.

—Alan! What…? —Ashley can't finish because Alan interrupted her with a nervous voice.

—That...monster is the final boss….— Ashley opened her eyes with surprise at his words. If it is true that monster is the monster of level 100 who it is assumed that should be waiting at the end of the game.

Ashley didn't even know what to say. This situation couldn't be worse. Ashley bit her lips and looked at the monster, Joel and the other man with resentment. Leila, Dustin and Bennet were guiding the other players to go out of the forest. But she knows that now they can't escape. Ashley closes her eyes and takes out her arm from Alan's grip. Alan stopped and looked at Ashley with surprise.

—You know that we can't go...—Alan clenched his fists and didn't say anything.

Ashley sighed and said —I will take care of the monsters in the forest… you are in charge of the high level monster until I finish here. Joel and the other man don't participate in the battle for now so we have time — After Ashley said that she used magic to say something in Alan's mind. After that Alan opened his mouth but he couldn't formulate one word.

Ashley didn't wait for his answer, turned around and started with the spell.

—Take care of yourself...— Alan whispered before running towards the other players.

Ashley activates an attraction spell for the monsters. They left the other players and followed the strange energy. Alan tells Leila, Dustin and Bennet the plan and starts to attack. The monster has a barrier that repulses all the attacks and it didn't show signals to break soon.

—Claudere Flagare!! — A magic circle illuminates the sky. Dustin has seen this before but he couldn't avoid being a little surprised.

This time Ashley has more magic power than before so the high level magic has less consequences. Ashley was a little dizzy and stayed a moment quiet seeing the battle. The barrier just trembled but it didn't break even after those attacks. Ashley sighed and used fly magic. Alan saw Ashley move to them and gave the order to use their best attacks. Different kinds of magic and warrior's techniques crash against the barrier.

Ashley supported the attacks with her best fire magic —Ars Bellum! —After all these attacks, the barrier started to fracture and finally it broke.

Ashley takes her sword and flies towards the monster. The monsters moved to the players and with one movement of its sword half of the players were thrown away. Ashley and the other players were scared but they clench their teeths and continue fighting. Ashley and Older Ashley know that they can't win. So Older Ashley has an idea. This monster was unlocked forcibly by Joel and Drake that is the reason why they can try to seal it again.

It could be dangerous and Older Ashley would have to disclose herself in front of her enemy. But there is no other option. So Ashley was creating a magic circle while she was fighting. Her eyes changed in red color sometimes. Joel continued seeing the battle with an indifferent face but his fists were clenched. Ashley and the others are much stronger than he imagined. He didn't even try to compare with them. He gave Drake a look out of the corner of his eye and sighed with relief. As he was here, Joel would be fine.

Drake under the cape smiled with snub. That woman really believed that he didn't notice her trick. But he wants to wait and see what she is able to do. Even with the support of the other soul. At that moment Ashley finished her spell and ordered everyone in their minds to go back.

—Stempel! —The monster started to fight with force when he felt something trying to contain him. Joel and even Drake were surprised by Ashley magic. The barrier was surprisingly powerful. Drake didn't want to wait more, so he threw a furtive attack to Ashley. Joel followed him and attacked too. Alan and Leila confronted them but Alan couldn't support one attack before he is expelled by Drake power.

—Alan! —Ashley coughed a puff of blood and screamed. Older Ashley reprimanded her saying.

'Calm down! He is still alive, we can't distract now, okay?' Ashley breathed nervously but she nodded. Drake, Bennet and some of the strongest players attacked Drake but they had the same treatment that Alan. The other players saw that and shivered with fear incapable of attack.

Drake moved to Ashley's back, made a stake and stab Ashley. Alan who had just woken up saw this and his heart shivered. He wants to run towards her but Drake makes him stay on the ground. Ashley clenched her teeths and tried to dodge the stake. Drake didn't want to kill her now either so the stake was driven in her shoulder. Ashley could finish the spell but it was weaker because of her injury and some monsters could release her previous spell and started to attack the players.

Ashley looked at the man in front of her and felt a chill in her back. She can't avoid smiling when she thinks about Older Ashley's plan. She probably will die today. She has to overcome the limits of this world. If she can't do that, everyone will die. Older Ashley knows that the man of the cape doesn't want to kill Ashley soon. It is the reason why Ashley must fight until she is almost dead because it was the only way Older Ashley could escape from him in the past and overcome the limit of her world. This time they need that but not to escape. Ashley wants to expel that man of this world and hurt him if it is possible because she knows that she can't win. Of course she didn't tell anyone this.

Ashley threw some attacks to Drake with that thought in her mind. Alan tries to support her but he couldn't even touch Drake's clothes. He bit her lips with resentment. Ashley already had told him about this powerful man but he didn't expect that the difference was so vast. In fact Ashley didn't hurt him either. But Drake wanted to play with her. Ashley attacked with her best sword's skill but Drake only made a movement with his stake and Ashley's sword broke. Ashley stayed stunned until she felt something stabbed her stomach.

—What a bore...— Drake murmuring — In the end you are the same…— Drake takes out his stake in Ashley's body and kicks her to the ground. Alan stands his injured body and runs to catch her body.

—Ash...— Alan hugged her with strength. Ashley looked at his trembling and worried black eyes and smiled reassuring him.

"What else do I have to do to overcome my limits?" Ashley asked in her mind.

'I don't know...' Ashley's magic was almost used up, her sword was broken and she was stabbed two times. That stake was special so the injuries couldn't be cured with magic. She was really dying.

Ashley looks at Drake that started a spell, the ground started to tremble, the thunder and lightning were activated because of his power. The monsters are screaming with fear. The sky turned dark. It seemed that this world had become hell. Ashley saw this in Older Ashley's memories. She made an effort to stand up with Alan's help and she can feel a terrifying aura surrounding Drake.

At that moment Joel started to laugh and look at Ashley with arrogance —You have lost! Hahaha! I'm the best now! —Joel felt that the power in his body had improved and kicked Leila far.

Ashley saw the pale face of Leila and the other players. They had never felt this kind of power and only can't wait for death. They really felt that man was capable of killing all of them. Ashley looked at Alan's eyes and saw the same feeling of the other people. She didn't want to see the people that she loved in this way .

"Older Ashley, really we can't do anything?" Older Ashley only sighed with resignation.

Joel started to attack the other people, Ashley knit her brows with anger and shouted —Wait! —Joel looked at her mockingly.

—What do you want? You can't stop me. Now I'm the most powerful man in this world. You and your friends are going to become ashes. Hahaha! If you had stayed by my side you would be that way —Joel seemed to have thought something disagreeable and screamed with anger —But you looked down on me!! Why did you do this? If I was the rescue of this world! I lost my humanity but I became a superior existence! I am not of this world! I'm someone that was capable of reincarnating! I'm a god! You were afraid to change and now you are going to die! HAHAHA! —Joel laughed at a crazy man.

When Ashley heard that he was not of this world she was surprised. In fact he is right. His existence influenced this world in a bad way but he was influential and she was really afraid to change because she didn't want to die and left Alan and her friends. But she didn't want them to die either.

Ashley took Alan's hand and said —Alan, I told you once that I was grateful with you because you created this world — Alan looked at her with surprise because of her sudden words —In fact I had promised that I would protect you, my friends and this world but I was afraid, I didn't want to left you —Ashley hugged him and murmuring.

—But I want to save you. That is the reason why I have to go. Thank you for all, I love you Alan —Alan felt something wrong in her words and wanted to grip her but Ashley moved quickly to Joel and put her hand on his head saying.

—Show me the world outside of this —A blinding light shone in the middle of the dark.