Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

When the Bloody Lily had made her decision, Maelstrom looked into her eyes and seeing how determined she looked, he nodded.

With a snap of his fingers, the demon steward led him and the player back into the Surtr Throne Room, right in front of the Fire God, who was resting on his flaming throne. He was resting his face in one clenched hand and looking at Bloody Lily with his flaming eyes.

The light of the dancing flames around the god highlighted his colossal figure and imposing aura. 

Maelstrom stood next to the player, only his countenance looked completely different from before. He always looked calm, but there was a touch of superiority in his gaze, unlike now, as his head was tilted firmly downwards.

"You have returned, Bloody Lily, and it seems you have made an intriguing decision..." Surtr's deep voice echoed through the room like the crackling of a fire. Her eyes scanned the player, looking for signs of weakness or doubt. However, Bloody Lily remained unshaken.

"Yes, Lord Surtr, I've made up my mind." Blood Lily spoke confidently, maintaining a firm stance in front of the fire god.

Surtr rose from his throne of flames, his imposing figure seeming to stretch as far as the flaming ceiling of the room. "Maelstrom informs me that you have chosen the souls of Mibothen over the treasures offered. A bold and, I must say, surprising choice."

The player nodded, not wavering in her decision. "The power of the Ring of Redemption may be extraordinary, but my morality is non-negotiable."

An intrigued smile played on Surtr's lips. "You possess remarkable courage, Bloody Lily. Many would have succumbed to the temptation of power, but you chose the more challenging path. I like that."

Bloody Lily remained silent, watching Surtr cautiously as the god approached. Everything was shaking. 

Maelstrom took a few steps back, retreating, while Bloody Lily was undecided about what to do.

Surtr reached out for the Ring of Redemption, which was in Maelstrom's palm, and it was drawn into Surtr's right hand. "So, to honor your decision, keep this. Your act of resistance deserves recognition."

Just like that, the ring left Surtr's hand and floated over to the player. Blood Lily took the ring and raised her head to look at the god. The player was confused and couldn't help but wonder about the reason for all this.

"Why?"

"You have overcome all the challenges presented to you, Bloody Lily. You've exceeded my expectations and I don't want to be recognized as a petty god, so as a reward, I'm going to grant you this gift."

Maelstrom stepped forward, his red eyes revealing a depth of knowledge. "The Ring of Redemption is a special artifact, forged in the furnaces of Muspelheim. It has the power to amplify the abilities of the wearer, increasing one attribute exponentially at a time."

Surtr smiled, a flame dancing in his eyes. "You, Bloody Lily, have earned my respect. However, I will give you a warning. Please never return here, neither you nor any of those you value, because after today, we will no longer make contracts, agreements or partnerships with humans. I can feel the times changing, I must prepare for the great war, restore our forces, create new demons and anyone who wants to interfere with our preparation will be severely punished."

"That means I will return as a messenger to Midgard."

"Not only to Midgard, but also to all the other kingdoms." Maelstrom said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You managed to defeat nine of my most powerful demons, some who would be true generals in Ragnarok. So I won't be the only one who starts to be wary of you, the other gods will also act, observe and test you."

"Other gods?" Bloody Lily let out a breath of air through her nose, almost laughing. "You don't mean to tell me that there is, I don't know, a whole pantheon of gods, do you?"

Surtr frowned. "You're a surprisingly skeptical warrior for someone who is literally standing before one of the greatest gods in existence. Of course there are other gods, but the ones you should pay special attention to are definitely the Aesir. They are shrewd, dangerous and strangely cautious. They will certainly be the first to check our strength in Midgard."

Bloody Lily raised her eyebrows, still a little surprised, but although the whole mythology thing seemed a bit crazy, especially as Rise Online was a more down-to-earth game, it was something she couldn't doubt. 

"Other gods, huh?" she murmured, a wry smile dancing on her lips. "Well, I'm looking forward to meeting them, then."

Surtr laughed, a deep chuckle that echoed in the vast celestial hall. 

"You'll be an interesting piece in this game, Bloody Lily," said Maelstrom. "And now, as promised, it's time for you to return to Midgard."

Before she could articulate one last question, which would be about the souls she had come for, a portal of golden light materialized before her. The intense glow dazzled her eyes for a brief moment, but when the blinding light dissipated, she heard Surtr's voice.

"Don't worry, we've taken care of everyone." He pointed in the direction of the circular portal. "Now, I believe they're already awaiting your arrival in Midgard."

She smiled and started walking towards the portal, and when she finally stepped through it, her eyes widened as she beheld a completely different sight from the one she had before she went to Muspelheim.

Throughout the vast wasteland of Mibothen, especially in the crater that had opened up with the fall of the capitol, there were hundreds of thousands of players and NPCs, of various races and classes. The ground shook beneath her feet due to the intensity of the collective demonstration. The air pulsed with an energy that transcended any of her expectations, as if the very essence of the entire RO community was stirring in recognition of Blood Lily's presence.

"That's..." she began, but the words escaped her mouth as the players began to cheer her on. 

"Bloody Lily! Blood Lily! Blood Lily!"