Chapter 61
Written by Bayzo Albion
I flicked the camera back on in my interface, my gaze tightening as the second twin leaned in, drawing the last traces of my life essence from the exhausted girl.
"Not for nothing do they say lust can bend your desires in ways you never imagined," my doppelganger chuckled, materializing from the swirling haze of my thoughts like smoke from a dying fire. His voice echoed in my mind, a mocking whisper that stirred something uncomfortable deep in my chest.
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," I shot back, wincing despite myself. A sharp pang twisted inside me, unbidden and unwelcome, like an old wound reopening.
"Oh, come on—you've forgotten how our cravings drove us mad?" His tone turned silky, laced with the ghosts of memories I'd rather bury. "How we'd scour the darkest corners of the net, chasing thrills in the most twisted, depraved corners? Videos that blurred lines, fantasies that pushed boundaries until we didn't recognize ourselves anymore."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I replied curtly, my gaze fixed on the feed.
"You can't fool yourself," he murmured, his words hanging heavy in the silence, piercing like a needle.
"In this paradise, my mind is shielded from those tormenting echoes," I muttered, almost defensively, drawing in a deeper breath than necessary, the air cool and sterile against my heated skin. "It wraps those shameful fragments of my past in layers of forgetfulness, keeping them from haunting my dreams. Here, I can find oblivion. But it's not erased—it's just dormant. My brain mercifully spares me the constant reminders, letting me breathe without the shadow of regret."
"Maybe here you can forget," he countered coolly, his voice a mirror of mine but edged with bitterness, like a scar that throbs anew. "But I haven't. I carry it all."
I shifted my focus to the screen. Behind the haze of the interface, something was unfolding that shouldn't have been happening—something twisted, intimate, and strangely mesmerizing. And as I watched that forbidden motion pulse in the dim glow, a quiet, unsettling truth crept in: I wasn't just observing.
Something inside me was changing.
"Then forget it," I said softly, but with an edge of command, as if ordering my own fractured self. "Why drag it around like chains?"
He laughed without sound, a silent ripple that sent a chill crawling up my spine, settling cold in my gut.
Just then, the other twin slipped into the room. She must have finished her own illicit feast and "teleported" back in a hurry, as if afraid I'd think less of her for lingering. Her presence broke the tension like a sudden breeze, but her flushed cheeks and averted eyes told their own story.
"You're right on time," I said with a lazy half-smile, locking eyes with her. The words came out smoother than I felt, masking the lingering storm inside. "So, did you get your fill of my life force?"
"Um..." She fidgeted, her gaze dropping to the floor like a caught schoolgirl, her cheeks blooming with a faint blush that only made her more alluring in her vulnerability.
"Forget it," I waved it off casually. "Hunger pushes us to do strange things. I'm not judging you. If anything... it was intriguing to watch."
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible, laced with genuine remorse that tugged at something protective in me.
"It's fine," I stepped closer, leaning in until I could feel the warmth of her breath mingling with mine, her scent—a mix of sweat and something floral—enveloping me. "This stays between us. I promise."
In that instant, a spark jumped between us, electric and undeniable. Her shoulders trembled ever so slightly, and she bit her lower lip, a gesture that betrayed far more desire than her words ever could. The air hummed with unspoken possibilities, thick enough to touch.
I pulled back and turned to both twins, watching as they straightened in near-perfect sync, like living mirrors reflecting each other's grace. Their eyes held a shared gleam, a mix of duty and something far more primal.
"I want to explore the lower levels," I announced. "You'll join me. I need guides... and maybe some company to make the journey more interesting."
"Of course!" they chimed in unison, their voices bright and eager, but their gazes burned with anticipation, promising depths beyond mere exploration.
They moved closer, their movements fluid and synchronized, like dancers in a ritual. Bare knees peeked from beneath their provocative battle armor—outfits that teased more than they protected, hugging curves in ways that ignited the imagination. I let my eyes linger on their forms, already sensing that this descent would be about more than just surveying floors. It would plunge us into the heart of temptation, and I had no intention of holding back.
I followed behind, savoring the sway of their hips, each step a rhythmic invitation that stoked a growing hunger within me. The air carried the sweet, fruity scent of their shampoo, trailing like an invisible lure from mischievous sprites. Their hair fluttered gently, exposing the elegant lines of their necks and backs, while the armor gleamed in the sunlight, leaving tantalizing expanses of skin exposed—deliberate, no doubt, designed to captivate.
I didn't need protection from monsters down here; these two guardians were my shield against boredom and isolation, identical yet intriguingly distinct in their subtle differences—one bolder, the other more coy.
Inside the palace, our pace was leisurely, almost languid, as if we were savoring the intimacy of the moment. Time stretched like molasses, the cool halls echoing our footsteps softly. But as we stepped out into the sun-drenched streets, our strides quickened, the three of us falling into a silent rhythm that felt like a dance without music. Their bodies led the way, my eyes trailed hungrily, and an invisible thread of expectation tightened between us.
The underground entrance wasn't far—just a couple of blocks away. But the distance didn't matter; what did was that this subterranean realm was purportedly "clean"—free of lurking beasts or malevolent spirits. A rare sanctuary in this unpredictable world, ripe for discovery... or indulgence.
Along the way, I started noticing details I'd overlooked before. Mirrors lined both sides of the road—hundreds of them, arranged with precise geometry. They captured the sun's rays and funneled them through focusing lenses, directing beams of concentrated light downward into the depths below.
"The System told me this world can be illogical... unless I shape it myself," I murmured, tracing the intricate web of reflections with my eyes. The setup was ingenious, a blend of magic and mechanics that bent reality to practical ends.
"The world is a reflection of you... Damn, that sounded profound," I thought to myself, a smirk tugging at my lips despite the weight of it all.
We paused at the central square, where a broad underground passage yawned before us, framed by smooth stone masonry. Rails ran along the walls, and cable-drawn carts glided silently along them—some laden with crates of vibrant vegetables, others heaving sacks of grain, and one even hauling cages filled with restless animals, their snorts and rustles filling the air with life.
I grinned and turned to the chattier twin. "Mind if I ask something? Fair warning—it might sound dumb."
"Oh, I love dumb questions," she laughed, her chest rising and falling in a way that drew my eye to the sheer fabric of her breastplate. It was distracting, pulling my thoughts in directions far from innocent. "Fire away."
"Are we really in a village? Or is this more like a small but booming city?"
"It's a village," she replied, twirling a strand of hair with a playful squint that made her eyes sparkle. "The difference is just size. We're just... disproportionately clever for our scale."
"Thanks," I nodded. "At least you took my stupidity seriously."
We descended a spiraling staircase, each step echoing through the stone like a heartbeat in the earth. Five minutes felt like an eternity as the coil wound deeper, the air growing damper, infused with the earthy scent of moss and rust.
At last, we emerged onto the first underground level. What unfolded before me was breathtaking—a thriving farm hidden beneath the surface, lush and warm, teeming with vitality that defied the darkness.
Pastures stretched out where cows and sheep grazed lazily, rabbits hopped about, and chickens strutted with purpose. Deer wandered gracefully among them, while horses stood tall and proud. Even a pair of peacocks paraded, their iridescent tails fanning out in a dazzling display, feathers shimmering as they caught glints from embedded crystals in the walls.
In clear enclosures, exotic creatures scurried—hybrids that looked like raccoon-cat crosses, perhaps the whims of eccentric mages. Their eyes glowed faintly in the low light, long tails coiling like serpents, adding an otherworldly charm to the scene.
Deeper in, an underground pond rippled, its surface alive with swarms of insects bred deliberately, like everything here. Some beetles were fist-sized, their shells emitting a soft green luminescence, turning them into living lanterns that pierced the gloom.
"Not bad at all," I drawled, nodding slowly as I took it in. The air hummed with the low buzz of life, a symphony of moos, clucks, and splashes. "All this splendor...