Trapped In Elysium: A Virtual Reality Nightmare-Chapter 113: Quest Update

The centaur, its hollow eyes glowing with hate, locked onto Liam.

It let out a hideous, rattling screech that made the hairs on everyone’s neck stand on end — and then it charged.

Dust and broken stones flew up under its pounding hooves as it barreled toward Liam with terrifying speed.

Liam’s stance shifted subtly, his hand brushing the hilt of his sword, but just before the creature could reach him, Sera, who had been edging along the side of the group, cried out — she hadn’t even been fighting, just trying to stay out of the way — but the centaur’s long, bony tail whipped out and struck her across the chest like a club.

Sera flew backward with a scream, slamming against the ruins of a broken pillar. She crumpled to the ground, coughing and dazed.

"Sera!" Gorr shouted, rushing toward her — but there was no time to check on her.

The centaur wasn’t done.

Its tail lashed again, this time catching Borik across the ribs and sending him tumbling sideways, his axe skittering out of reach.

Sophia tried to duck, but she wasn’t quick enough — the tail grazed her shoulder, spinning her to the ground with a sharp grunt of pain.

Von took a heavy hit to the side of his head, staggering backward with a snarl, shaking it off furiously.

Jason, seeing an opening, fired a bolt from his staff — it struck the centaur square in the arm, forcing it to stumble a half-step. Seizing the moment, Jason hurled his crossbow over his shoulder, drew a short knife from his belt, and with a desperate yell, plunged it into the centaur’s wrist.

The mummified flesh split and cracked, the rusty sword falling from the creature’s deadened grip with a heavy clang against the stones.

The centaur roared in fury, rearing back — and that was when Marcus, fueled by rage and raw instinct, charged in.

With a mighty cry, he swung his axe two-handed and buried the heavy blade deep into the centaur’s shoulder. It sank into the rotten muscle with a sickening crunch.

The centaur screeched in agony, rearing up so violently that stones rattled from the crumbling buildings nearby.

But Marcus’s axe was stuck.

He cursed under his breath, tugging hard — but before he could free it, the centaur’s bony hand shot out and clamped around Marcus’s neck.

It lifted him off the ground like a rag doll.

Marcus kicked and struggled, red-faced and gasping for air, but his strength was nothing compared to the monster’s crushing grip.

"Marcus!!" Sophia shouted, scrambling up from the ground.

The group surged forward — but Liam was faster.

With a shout that shook the broken city, he unsheathed his sword in a flash of silver and lunged.

In one clean, brutal motion, he slashed.

Both of the centaur’s arms were severed at the elbow.

Marcus dropped to the ground, choking and coughing violently — but even as he landed, the two dismembered hands still clamped around his throat, tightening, refusing to let go even in death.

"What the hell!" Marcus choked, clawing at the hands.

The centaur, now staggering and shrieking with pain, flailed wildly.

Sophia acted quickly. She pulled an arrow from her quiver, nocked it fast, and loosed it — the arrow whistled through the air and drove deep into one of the centaur’s glowing eyes.

It reared back with another guttural screech, stumbling blindly.

Eleanor sprinted forward, low and fast. She slid across the stone floor on her knees, her daggers flashing as she cut through two of the centaur’s legs at the joints. The old, withered limbs gave way, and the creature crashed down heavily onto its chest, struggling to lift itself.

And then Liam came.

Without hesitation, he sprinted across the crumbling courtyard, raising his sword high above his head.

With a roar, he brought the blade down with all the strength in his body.

The sword cut clean through the centaur’s thick neck in a spray of blackened blood and rotted sinew.

The head thudded to the ground and rolled — still screeching in a nightmarish sound that echoed off the ruined palace walls.

Von, face grim and covered in dust, stomped forward.

With a growl, he lifted his massive foot and smashed the centaur’s head into pulp, silencing it at last.

The courtyard fell into a heavy, exhausted silence.

Marcus, finally free from the death-grip of the severed hands, tore them off his neck and hurled them aside.

He staggered to his feet, rubbing his bruised throat, his face flushed with anger and relief.

"Stupid, ugly piece of shit," Marcus coughed hoarsely, spitting on the centaur’s remains. "Almost killed me...and didn’t even have the decency to die properly."

The others gathered slowly, some limping, some bloody, everyone breathing hard.

The centaur’s broken body lay at their feet .

And inside the palace...they knew worse things were waiting.

Liam turned, breathing heavily, scanning the group with sharp eyes. His sword hung loosely at his side, blackened by the centaur’s rotten blood.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked, voice steady but edged with concern.

Jason was the first to answer, wiping a smear of blood from his forehead with the back of his hand. His tunic was torn and his arm was bleeding, but he still managed a grin.

"We took quite some hit," Jason said, shifting his weight and grimacing slightly. "But it’s not enough to stop us."

The others slowly nodded in agreement. Marcus was still rubbing his neck, muttering curses under his breath. Sera, supported by Gorr, winced but waved Liam off when he looked her way. Sophia was tightening the strap of her bow across her shoulder, the determined fire back in her eyes. Even Borik, though limping slightly, gave a gruff nod.

Then, as the group began to gather themselves, a soft ding rang out in their heads.

The system’s cold, detached voice echoed silently within each of them:

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

Quest Update: Centaur Killed. You may now enter the Palace.

Reward: +2 Points to All Attributes.

For a moment, nobody spoke. The message settled over them like a breath of fresh air after a long choke of fear.

Jason let out a low whistle. "Well," he said, flexing his wounded arm and smirking slightly. "At least we got something out of it."

Ahead, the palace loomed — broken, ancient, yet still holding a grim sort of majesty.

Liam tightened his grip on his sword and looked at the heavy doors that now awaited them.

_____________

[STATS UPDATE]

LIAM:

Strength: [20/100]

Agility: [21/100] 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Endurance: [19/100]

Intelligence: [21/100]

Dexterity: [19/100]

Charisma: [22/100]

Luck: [12/100]

SOPHIA:

Strength: [4/100]

Agility: [8/100]

Endurance: [5/100]

Dexterity: [9/100]

Intelligence: [7/100]

Archery Proficiency: [11/100]

Skills:

Venomous Quiver - Potency: [6/10]

ELEANOR:

Strength: [5/100]

Agility: [9/100]

Endurance: [7/100]

Dexterity: [8/100]

Intelligence: [7/100]

Dagger Proficiency: [ 10/100]

MARCUS:

Strength: [8/100]

Agility: [8/100]

Endurance: [7/100]

Dexterity: [8/100]

Intelligence: [6/100]

Luck: [2/100]

JASON:

Strength: [6/100]

Agility: [7/100]

Endurance: [6/100]

Intelligence: [10/100]

Dexterity: [7/100]

Charisma: [8/100]

Luck: [5/100]