Marco Verse 9.50 - The City of Light (The Fall of Eleanor Pt.2)

The warm, golden rays of a new day filtered through the windows and gently caressed his body. Marco stirred from his slumber, his hazy view gradually coming into focus as he found himself lying on a plush bed adorned with pristine white quilts and soft pillows. A set of elegant satin drapes had been pulled aside to reveal a tall window, through which the morning sunlight streamed into the spacious side room. Marco tried to piece together the events of last night, but his memories were foggy. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so peacefully. It was almost as if all of his worries and fears had disappeared overnight, leaving him with a sense of peace and tranquility. But amidst this calmness, there was an underlying feeling that something was missing.

Suddenly, flashes of reptilian wings and a surge of coldness ran through his heart. He jolted out of bed and winced in pain as he landed on his bare feet, realizing he was completely naked except for the heavy bandages wrapped around his torso. "What happened here?" he grimaced, confusion and fear creeping up on him.

As he heard faint sounds coming from outside, Marco felt an inexplicable urge to go out and explore. He stumbled towards the tall windows and pushed them open before climbing out onto a stoned balcony surrounded by a small black gate. As he peered over the edge, his jaw dropped at the sight before him.

Spread out before him was a vast and elegant city made up of rows upon rows of pale stone homes with reddish-brown tiled roofs. Some were short and quaint while others towered like great fortresses. The streets below were bustling with people going about their daily lives, their laughter and cheer reaching all the way up to where Marco stood. But despite the seemingly idyllic scene, a deep fear gnawed at his heart.

**** for answers, Marco called out for his Guardians, but to his dismay, there was no response – something that had never happened since he met Belle. Panic began to bloom within him as he realized that he couldn't even summon his Holy Gear. Determined to figure out what was going on, Marco didn't care about his state of undress and climbed over the gate before sprinting towards the source of a strong surge of Qi in the distance.

He arrived at the foot of a towering building with white walls and blue-tiled roofs, adorned with a matching blue door. Without hesitation, he burst through the entrance and into a grand stone cathedral. His eyes were drawn to a large glass mosaic above the altar depicting a white dragon, filling him with an overwhelming mix of emotions – familiarity and foreboding.

"Finally awake...you're a heavy sleeper, my friend." A voice broke through Marco's reverie and snapped him back to reality. Seated below the mosaic was a figure that sent a wave of memories flooding through Marco's mind.

The young man flashed a charming smile, his striking snow-white hair and glowing carmine eyes lighting up his face. "Good morning, Marco," he greeted.

Marco's breath came out in a steady stream as he focused his Qi, channeling it fiercely throughout his body. His eyes scanned the room and quickly landed on a glimmering golden candlestand. In one fluid motion, he sliced through it with his arm and then expertly caught the falling sharp end. With lightning-quick reflexes, he condensed pure Qi into the broken object, causing electric currents to crackle and sharpen the metal even more. He hurled the infused candlestick at the seated youth with hawk-like precision.

But just before it could strike its target, the boy effortlessly swayed to the side, avoiding it without breaking a sweat. Marco landed gracefully on his feet and charged forward like a raging bull once again. However, he suddenly felt a chilling pulse emanating from a strange purple creature standing to the side. The creature had two arms folded across its chest, but what caught Marco's attention was the golden staff adorned with a half-moon sickle on top. Immediately, Marco knew what had happened and came to a halt just a foot away from the nonchalantly seated youth.

The boy let out a deep yawn as Marco's muscles tensed, trying to break through an invisible barrier holding him in place. "Hey, we already tried that, don't you remember?" The boy taunted with a devious smile.

"What the hell did you do? Where are my guardians? My gear and...and..." Marco sputtered angrily.

"The sexy elf with huge breasts?" The boy chuckled. "Don't worry, everything you're concerned about is perfectly fine. But what you should be asking me is where we are, how you got here, and what I have planned for us."

Marco's narrowed eyes betrayed his confusion and frustration at this turn of events. He couldn't remember anything before their battle began. And seeing these two figures completely unscathed only fueled his anger. It could only mean one thing...

"I know what you're thinking, but don't blame yourself. Ghraul is a formidable opponent, with the blood of my people running through his veins and the anatomy of a Master Ranked beast," the boy explained. "I might even struggle in my normal form against him. But let's not dwell on that. Take a seat, Marco. You understand the situation you're in, right? So why not hear my proposal? And I'll tell you what, if it doesn't interest you, I'll let you and your sexy elf companion leave without any questions." His devious smile widened as he made his offer.

Marco's brows furrowed even deeper, his frustration and anger boiling over with each passing moment. As a skilled Golden Ranked knight, he couldn't believe that he was reduced to such a state by this unknown youth. With the strange purple creature by his side, Marco felt a sense of dread wash over him as he realized just how dire his situation was.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Marco resigned himself to the current predicament. He needed to find Lady Eleanor and figure out what was going on. Slowly, he lowered himself onto the ground in a lotus position, resting his chin on his fist as he studied the youth before him. The youth seemed pleased by Marco's display of obedience, a glint of jubilation in his eyes.

"Now then, your guardians," the youth spoke, gesturing towards the golden staff that sent chills down Marco's spine every time he looked at it. "Don't worry too much, you see that thing over there? It took me quite some time and even drained a bit of my life ****," he chuckled, motioning to his pale hair. "But I've managed to draw 70% of its innate power out. They call it the Dreamweaver and until recently it fought against me at every turn, still bound to its master."

The name struck a chord with Marco, finally making sense of the strange occurrences they had encountered on their journey. The almost zombie-like state of the highborn Elves they had met and the town they had passed through now all fell into place.

"The Dreamweaver...so it was the cause of those strange events...and those Elves..." Marco trailed off, his mind reeling with newfound understanding.

"Yes, you see Holy Gears are not your ordinary weapons," the youth continued, a hint of fascination in his voice whilst he explained. "There seems to be a soul, lingering deep within their core. It is said that this was the ultimate weapon used by the Lucien Kingdom and their allies during the last great war. And I, have only just begun to understand its true power. Imagine what the Queen can do when she summons all of them at once. Ha! no wonder the pitiful Demon King never saw it coming"

Marco listened intently, his face remaining stoic while his mind raced with questions and suspicions.

'He must be a spy,' he thought, 'studying the Holy Gears and their secrets, only someone sent from a neighboring kingdom would have intrigue in that stuff.' The youth's last words echoed in his mind as Marco wondered what would happen once he melded with his own Holy Gear's inner soul.

Marco's mind raced as he tried to conceal his inner thoughts. Memories of the ethereal figure that had appeared during his ascension to Golden Rank flooded his mind. The guardian trapped inside the Golden temple lingered in his thoughts, causing him to shudder at the mere possibility of losing that power. Finally, he found the courage to ask the first question that came to mind.

"What have you done with my guardians and my gear?"

The mysterious youth chuckled, a glimmer of amusement in his carmine eyes as he turned to gaze expressionlessly at the Golden staff once more.

"Oh, don't worry about those things. You see, I've made an intriguing discovery about Holy Gears. Two opposing Gears will bring calamity, but the youngest Gear will always bow its helm to the eldest." He paused, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "And my guess is...Dreamweaver is perhaps the eldest among the Holy Gear. Ah, but that probably means nothing to you. All you need to understand is that your Gear and your three Guardians are currently in a state of slumber. Mind you, I was **** to almost kill you because of the trouble your third Guardian gave me hahaha! But I'm a man who enjoys a good bargain, and thankfully it saw things my way and agreed to bend the knee...for now."

As Marco absorbed this new information, two things became clear to him. First, he realized that the supreme being he had made a pact with inside the golden temple was not present. 'So even the Dreamweaver can't match that being's hidden power,' he thought with relief. 'At least I still have a few cards up my sleeve that he doesn't know about.'

Secondly, he came face-to-face with the harrowing truth that this Holy Gear had granted him the ability to delve deep into his consciousness and interact with his Spirit Guardians. But then, a new question arose.

"Wait...you knew my name? And Lady Eleanor as well...have you been watching us?"

The youth's gaze flashed with surprise before his expression twisted into a chilling smile.

"Oh yes, I have known about you for quite some time, Marco. The Golden Ranked Knight from the Azure Feather Sect." He paused, his voice dripping with arrogance.

"I was undecided on whether or not to include you in my plans. You see, I have big plans - not just for you and me, but for all the Elves hahaha. You'll see...you'll see it soon." He waved his hand dismissively, eager to move on from the topic. "But enough of this boring chatter. I am a fair man, Marco, and I wouldn't dare involve anyone in my grand schemes without their full consent. So let's make a deal, shall we? You and I."

Each time the youth spoke Marco's name, a twitch would emanate from his brow. But despite the dangerous aura that surrounded the stranger, there was also an alluring intrigue within Marco's heart. As he stood at the crossroads of a war he had no desire to be a part of, fighting for either the Queen of Lucien or his usurper Chief Razziel and his father who blindly followed, a third option presented itself in front of him in perfect timing. It seemed only fair that he should hear what this mysterious figure had to offer.

"Go on... I will decide once I hear your side of the bargain," Marco finally spoke, his voice tinged with skepticism.

"Perfect!" exclaimed the youth, clapping his hands together eagerly. "I simply require one thing from you. Spend a single day within my new city. If, by the end of the day, you wish to leave, I won't stop you. And as a gesture of goodwill, your guardians and Holy Gear will be returned to you once you cross the threshold of my powers. Believe it or not Dreamweaver's ability has a set radius. I gave away half of my power to hold this city in place"

The youth paused for dramatic effect before continuing with a wicked grin. "Oh, and another gift for you – the Dreamweaver's strongest ability: 'Dreamscape Ravine.'

This magic has the power to alter the emotions and memories of those trapped within it. The small village you passed through? All their worries sealed away. And do you remember those snobby royal Elves in the forest? Their deepest desires and fears were taken from them. But now, this lovely city that I just so happened to stumble upon will be consumed by an eternal dream – except for us, of course." He let out a chilling laugh before adding, "And Ghraul doesn't count since he's not exactly... alive."

Marco could barely process what he was hearing. The thought of mind control crossed his mind, but even he couldn't have imagined something like this.

"While you try to wrap your head around that, why don't you go back to where you came from?" the youth said casually, "After all, you'll catch a cold walking around with your...thing swinging about. And I'm sure someone with your acquired taste might find some fun in a city like mine."

He gave Marco a wink, but instead of calming his heart, it only increased his unease.

With a distant glare, Marco could only gaze at the youth with blazing carmine eyes. There was too much mystery surrounding him, and for a moment, Marco considered fleeing. But then the image of a certain Elven beauty appeared in his mind, causing him to exhale a defeated breath.

"Tell me, just who are you?"

The boy burst into hearty laughter, attempting to cover his small mouth as he regained his composure.

"That's the spirit, Marco," he chuckled. "As for my enemies, they know me as Wizard V. But since we're friends now, you can call me...Voxul Gaarahiel El Stringer or simply Vox for short."

****

True to Vox's words, Marco found himself aimlessly wandering through the bustling streets of the city. Despite being completely naked and exposed – his flaccid cock on full display – no one batted an eye in his direction. He remembered waking up in the towering building and couldn't help but marvel at its size compared to the smaller homes surrounding it. With a graceful leap, he vaulted onto the balcony before landing delicately on the firm flooring. His sharp senses alerted him to someone's presence inside.

Marco's heart raced with desperation as he burst into the room. His eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight before him: a voluptuous, olive-skinned beauty clad only in lingerie, her sensual curves on full display. Marco was momentarily stunned, unable to believe how incredibly sexy she looked right now.

Eleanor seemed to realize his presence only after a few moments, and Marco felt his chest pounding as she turned to face him, her gaze filled with lecherous desire. He was about to turn away and apologize for intruding, when she suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace. Two soft mounds of flesh pressed against his naked body, causing an immediate reaction from his aroused member.

Panicked, Marco tried to create some distance between them. But Eleanor silenced him with a slender finger placed softly against his lips. Her eyes sparkled with a strange longing as she gazed at him in a way no one ever had before.

"Az, fufufu. I've been waiting all day for you to wake up...my love. And why are you acting so shy? Don't tell me you don't enjoy seeing me in these clothes," she said coyly.

Marco blinked in disbelief, frozen in place as Eleanor grabbed his hand and placed it firmly against her breast. Intensely aware of the weight and softness of her flesh beneath his touch, he instinctively squeezed it, sinking his fingers into the warm mound.

Eleanor moaned in delight, but Marco's mind was spinning. He managed to break free from the lustful trance and firmly pulled himself away from her grasp. With a serious glare, he bit down on his lip as he locked eyes with Eleanor. For the first time in quite a long time, Marco weighed on whether to delve deeply into his lust or do something almost unthinkable.

"L-lady Eleanor...there is something you need to know about this place..." he began, struggling to compose himself despite the overwhelming temptation surrounding him.

Eleanor's arousal levels = ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️= Absolute submission