[SIDE STORY]

[Ragnar, Sumeri, Nikolai]

Cthulhu was an incomprehensible extra-terrestrial entity that slumbers. It's existence beyond mortal understanding.

Hidden within the profound darkness of the ocean's abyss, this Great Old One bides its time patiently.

Within the submerged city of R'lyeh, Cthulhu envisions a future where it rises, heralding destruction upon the mortal realm.

Though its forms were myriad, when manifesting in the physical world, Cthulhu exhibits certain distinct traits.

This cosmic being rules over an alien race hailing from distant stars, their sole purpose being the subjugation of worlds in the name of their malevolent master.

Cthulhu's mind remained an enigma, ancient and inscrutable, driven solely by an innate purpose awaiting cosmic alignment.

Its actions lacked the realm of human emotions, devoid of love, hatred, or any sentiment comprehensible to lesser beings.

At most, they resembled the instincts of a conqueror, asserting a natural right to rule. Yet, the truth was far more intricate and enigmatic.

According to legends predating humanoid existence, a race descended from the stars. Cthulhu, their wise herald, surveyed the land and deemed it ripe for conquest.

Cthulhu commanded the seas to subdue the molten surface, shaping towering structures from the stones and proclaiming itself sovereign of all.

For many years, Cthulhu ruled from the dread city of R'lyeh. But when the stars shifted, all was undone. Betrayed by waters and earth, R'lyeh sank into the boiling seas.

Before the catastrophe, Cthulhu and its people condemned themselves to a deathlike slumber. In this state, the denizens of R'lyeh were preserved until the stars' next alignment.

When the celestial patterns changed once more, Cthulhu would rise, punishing the treacherous world and basking in glory alongside its followers once more.

Ragnar, Sumeri, and Nikolai finally found themselves within the cult's lair, surrounded by players and NPCs alike, all striving to prevent the resurrection of the Great Old One.

Rather than battling the cult, Ragnar, Sumeri, and Nikolai found themselves defending them, anticipating the completion of Cthulhu's emissaries' ritual.

Their goal was to open the portal to the Great Old One's lair.

Overcoming the cult was already a daunting challenge, but defending them against hordes of players and NPCs that wanted them gone proved to be ten times harder.

Under the sprawling, ancient canopy of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, Ragnar, Sumeri, and Nikolai stood shoulder to shoulder together with Cthulhu's followers who were busy with the rituals.

The massive tree, with its gnarled branches and leaves, served as their sanctuary. Its ethereal aura enveloped them, offering protection against the onslaught outside.

Around them, chaos reigned. Players and NPCs clashed with some cultists and Ragnar's group to disrupt the cult's ritual.

Yet, as long as Yggdrasil stood tall, the cultists' and World Conqueror's HP regenerated continuously, their energies focused entirely on completing the forbidden rite.

"Hold your ground until the portal opens!" Sumeri's voice cut through the chaos, a rallying cry amidst the whirlwind of battle.

"Holding on? Easier said than done. We're surrounded on all sides," Nikolai lamented. He knew without the protection of the tree, they would have been overwhelmed long ago.

"Who thought the three of us would be enough for a mission like this?" Ragnar grumbled under his breath, his frustration evident in the depth of his frown.

When Ren had briefed them on the mission, it had sounded straightforward and easy, but now, faced with this overwhelming onslaught, the reality was far more daunting.

Barely managing to hold their ground, they owed their survival to the World Tree and the cultists fighting alongside them.

"We don't need to defeat them all. Just ensure they don't breach the heart of the ritual," Sumeri asserted.

Ragnar cleaved through the air with his giant axe, dealing damage and knockbacks against players who tried to get inside.

Beside him, Sumeri's staff crackled with magical energy, casting spells that sent opponents flying, while Nikolai's claws moved like shadows, striking swiftly and unseen.

The battle was fierce, but it was the NPCs that posed the greatest threat. Crafted by the game's creators, these computer-controlled foes fought like a boss. What's worse, they were unkillable!

Their attacks were synchronized, a relentless barrage that tested the trio's defenses to the limit.

Amidst the clash of steel, magic, and shadowy strikes, Yggdrasil stood resilient. Its roots dug deep into the earth, anchoring it against the storm. The tree pulsed with a mystical energy, its leaves shimmering like emerald stars.

"The tree won't hold much longer," Nikolai warned his voice tight with urgency. "How many did Ren provide us with?"

"This is the final one," Sumeri replied, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as exhaustion set in. "The remaining was when we confront Cthulhu itself."

Ragnar muttered discontentedly under his breath. "Ren should have given us more of this for a mission of this magnitude."

"It's a miracle he could craft something like this at all," Sumeri countered, defending Ren. "Let's concentrate on defending and used what items we have left."

"Just throw everything you have," Ragnar commanded. "And if the situation demands it, don't hold back from using another seed."

"But . . ." Sumeri hesitated, unsure if this plan was wise. Ren had specifically instructed them to save two seeds for Cthulhu.

"These items are useless if we're dead," Ragnar argued firmly.

Ragnar surveyed the battlefield. He shouted commands, guiding his companions on what to do.

Sumeri's incantations resonated through the air, creating protective wards that deflected incoming blows.

Nikolai danced his movements a deadly ballet of evasion and counterattack.

The group fought on with everything they had combined with all the items in their inventory. But the players weren't about to give up.

As the battle raged on, the players outside the protective aura of Yggdrasil struggled. Their attacks were thwarted, their spells nullified by the tree's ancient magic.

But the NPCs pressed on, their movements unrelenting.

The clash of steel and the thunder of magic echoed through the air, creating a cacophony of battle. Amidst it all, the trio stood firm, defending the cultists under the World Tree's protective embrace.

Time seemed to stretch, and the players were growling in frustration at Ragnar and the others.

"We're both players here! What are you doing siding with the cultist?! Are you mad?"