Moisture dripped from the ancient cave, splashing into small pools by my feet.
I walked further inside the cave while Nella followed behind with an arrow nudged on her bow.
"Are you sure you can fight with that weapon?" I asked, glancing back to catch a glimpse of her reaction.
Oddly enough, she didn't show any surprise, as I had expected from her.
"I am as good with a bow as I am with a sword," she boasted, chin held high in pride.
I nodded gently, believing her words.
She had been talented with multiple weapons from a young age, so I wasn't really opposed to the idea of her being good with a bow.
"Hmm?"
I looked down, feeling sothing blocking my path, and lowered the torch.
A desiccated corpse lay at my feet, its jaw twisted in agony, the purple skin dried up and hardened like an old raisin.
I stepped around the corpse, my fingers wrapped around the hilt of my katana.
"How old is this place?" Nella grumbled, following behind , eyes forward.
"Old enough," I replied, walking along the narrow path.
From what I had seen earlier, this place was just a normal island with people before it was invaded by the Draths from sowhere.
I don't know how, but they had subdued this place without letting humans fight back.
"Hey." Nella whispered softly, "...Do you think they could be here?"
"...Who?" I asked, confused, gazing back at her.
"You know, those rumored humanoid beings...that like to eat humans," she replied, a disturbed look crossing her features.
"No, there are none alive on this continent," I mumbled, shaking my head. "They can't be here, and even if they were, the academy definitely had already eradicated them."
"You talk like they're still out there," she mumbled, her brown eyes staring at my back.
I refrained from replying to her comnt—I don't like to think about it.
Without warning, the tunnel opened up, as if the walls had simply fallen away, leaving us in total darkness, save for the minimal light cast from the torch, the oppressive shadows hungrily swallowing the fire.
Instead of looking forward, I shone the torch above us.
And I didn't like what I found.
From the shadows, they ca.
Walking on all fours, their elongated hands made their bodies arch up.
Slowly, they turned toward us, their bodies aligning, petal-like mouths closing together.
"You ready?" I asked while making a purple mark on the torch.
Losing my grip, the torch hovered mid-air before encircling , like planets do with the sun.
"Stop asking stupid questions," she grumbled softly, strengthening her grip.
I shrugged, turning back and touching her waist, making a purple marking while doing the sa with my katana.
She squird in surprise, but before she could yell at , the Drath moved.
The Drath howled, opening its mouth wide toward us.
Without warning, they rushed all at once.
Nella was the first to attack, coating her arrow with mana before letting it fly.
It whistled through the air before lodging deep in the head of the first Drath.
Grabbing my katana like a spear, I twisted my hips, throwing it forward at the nearest Drath.
It screeched, making it stumble forward.
The rest, five or so Drath, were now upon us.
Two of them leaped at , high in the air.
Cladding my hand with mana, I reached forward, my hand wrapping around the creature's throat.
While I called back my katana with the other hand.
It looked confused, with a petrified, squashed face and a huge mouth.
Its wide mouth snapped crazily just inches from my face as its jagged claws dug into my arms in a desperate effort to pull itself closer.
Without thinking, I crushed its throat, killing it instantly.
SWISH!!
My katana returned to my hand, now covered with blood and brain matter.
I gazed at the other Drath—head exploded, lying dead on the ground.
Turning around, I noticed Nella was already taking care of the rest of the Drath.
Tucking the arrow back in her bow, she looked at , "Let's go."
She walked beside as I started to move again.
"What's with this place?" I grumbled, looking down at the uneven ground, stalagmites jutting out like knives.
"What about it?" she asked, looking back at .
I parted my lips, pointing at her legs, but my words imdiately halted.
She was practically walking on those knives without any problem—an invisible layer protecting her.
I grunted. "Show off."
She shrugged, a haughty smile on her face.
"At least try to keep up with your disguise," I replied, wiping the smile from her face.
"I don't know what you are talking about," she grumbled softly, making chuckle.
Moving toward the wall, I touched its soft yet wet slab while taking a deep breath.
"Andarnaur's 3rd ring," I whispered softly, a slight pain engulfing my palm.
Removing my hand, I looked at the wall, engraved with a sun glowing brightly before returning to normal.
Turning around, I moved to the other side of the wall, touching it and repeating the sa process.
But this ti, a moon was engraved on the wall instead of a sun.
"What is that?" I looked to my side; Nella stood there squinting her eyes at the marking.
"My ability," I replied softly while turning around.
"What does it do?" she asked, curious.
"Why should I tell you?" I asked back, looking at her face.
She pouted, poking my shoulder, "Why are you keeping it to yourself?"
"Stop acting cute; it's giving the creeps," I cringed and swatted her hand away.
She glared at , totally ignoring my comnt.
A wind rushed past , giving a chilling sensation.
"Hey, Nella," I said seriously while she halted her poking, "get ready."
She quickly took her bow out while I gripped tightly onto my katana.
Low, rhythmic hamring echoed, making it feel like an earthquake.
And...
The next instant, hundreds of Drath were closing in toward us like hungry beasts.
...
...
...
Christina gazed up.
Her eyes squinting at the hovering dark, ominous clouds filling the sky.
Droplets of rain splashed against the barrier protecting the building.
A thoughtful look crossed her face as her back rested against the wall.
"What are you doing?" She turned back, hearing a familiar voice.
"Avril." Christina mumbled with a light smile as she ca close, sitting on the stairs beside her.
"Sothing going on in your mind?" she asked, interlocking her hands.
"Nothing much," Christina replied, "I'm just thinking about how things will be when I move away from Az."
"Hmm? What do you an?" she asked, confused.
"You know, for my further studies, I need to live in Akasha," she replied, and Avril nodded her head.
"You sure about that?" she asked, doubtful.
"Well, I can't say I will learn things here the way I want to," she replied, chuckling, "and not like I care about what others think."
"Still, it will be hard," Avril mumbled, looking down at her hands. "It's not a good place to live."
"Still—."
"Don't worry." She waved her hand dismissively, "...I have friends like you and, not to ntion, Oliver's mother and aunt Yennefer as well...they will take care of ."
"Christina—."
"Let it be," Christina grumbled. "Did you do what I asked for?"
Avril's expression crumbled, her purple eyes staring at her, "...You were serious?"
"I was," she replied, blinking. "...Wait, you didn't do that?"
"...No," Avril replied, averting her gaze. "...It's hard to be with him...he always tries to run away from ."
"Tch, what type of sister are you?" Christina replied sarcastically.
"What type of fiancée are you?" Avril rebuked, glaring at her. "...Who even asks her own fiancé's clothes from his sister?"
"Used clothes," Christina corrected with a straight face.
Avril groaned, rubbing her temples in frustration, "...I don't want to hear that."
Christina's lips parted, but before she could reply, soone walked inside the barrier.
They both stood up, looking at the invader.
"Professor Lauryn?" Christina mumbled, looking at her confusingly as she walked toward them. "What happened to you?"
Lauryn looked at them with bloodshot eyes, her entire body soaked with rain, hair sticking to her face.
"Professor?" Avril mumbled, looking at her concerned.
Without saying anything, Lauryn walked inside.
They, still confused, followed her where Daphne and Jullian were already present.
They turned to look at her, confusion filling their minds.
"Lauryn?" Daphne mumbled, taking out a towel and walking toward her.
"It's an ergency," Lauryn finally said, her voice cold. "...Soone has invaded the island."
They grew even more confused by her absurd words.
Jullian walked toward the cara, checking every one of them to look for anything odd.
But...
He didn't find anything suspicious.
"Where are they?" he asked, turning to look at her in confusion.
Lauryn, ignoring his words, looked at Daphne.
Without explaining anything, she walked toward her.
Her lips parted, "We need to call Lady Esray."
User Comments
0 comments from readers