KAFLE had been listening in silence to the conversation among the three. He’d take advantage of the chance that they were here at Rigin Port.“May I suggest that we go to Amaris Island? That way, we’ll be closer to Hanum as we travel by sea,” Kafle said as he stood up. He had been thinking about this while they were still crossing the Gherja Mountains.The three looked at him with their questioning faces. They must be flustered since he asked it all of a sudden.“Will you risk it, Kafle? You and Izora are traveling alone to Amaris unguarded?" Damien expressed a little disapproval.Kafle nodded his head. “I’ve weighed the situations and ended up with this decision. There are a lot of factors to consider.” He paused for a moment, then he added, “I don’t mean to be rude, but what if you guys were stuck in the time loop in the Litus Forest? My daughter’s future will be bleak. I don’t want her to spend eternity in that dreadful place.”“Point taken. Elves live for thousands of years. Izora
WHEN the seven corpses in the sea resurfaced, Birsha, the guild master of the Black Destroyers was fuming in anger. He was at the Rigin Port searching as soon as his men did not return.“I knew this would happen.” Birsha hardly gripped the hilt of his sword as he checked if the culprit was still around.The sun was already up and there were fishermen around and some bystanders gossiping about the corpses found in the port. It was the first time for them to witness members of the Black Destroyers got murdered. As they were the strongest guild in Fernwick Province.“I can't believe we lost seven men in one night. They are the best in the field at that.” Birsha’s chest moved up and down. “Was I wrong to get the commission? We were told the targets were mere travelers. I should've double-checked.”Meanwhile, his other companion remained quiet as if contemplating how to calm his master whose hands still trembled in rage. He was Zimus, the guild’s second-in-command.The guild master breathe
“ETHROS, your stamina training will start now,” Damien said as he drew his long sword from its hilt. It was tied at the bottom of his rucksack bag.All of them wore a dark-hooded cloak carrying a full load since they had planned this expedition for fifteen days at most. If they failed to obtain the Orb of Oblivion, they'd return to Ankhe and formulate a new plan.“How can I do that?” Jie’s forehead crumpled. He was walking behind Damien, as everyone trekked using a torch light. “I want to be strong. I’m tired of passing out every time I use magic.”“For now, don't use magic unless it is needed. I'll use my sword to preserve my mana. Anything can happen; be ready.”“Understood.”Liv prepared her crossbow as she guided everyone. “Sheagan used to be lively twenty years ago. But when Taftani started dumping his failed experiments into the cape, it became uninhabitable for humans.”“What kinds of experiments?” Jie asked while still alert, anticipating if the beasts in hiding would attack t
JIE’S heartbeat became rapid as the flow of the acid river suddenly became turbulent. He started to concentrate, but he could not focus because he imagined himself falling into the purple water. “Hey, are you sure I’m safe? The acid level is rising!” he shouted. The three seemed to purposely ignore him as they enjoyed roasting meat on the fire. A protective invisible shield was put in for additional safety. “Are you saying something, Ethros? If I were you, I’d stay quiet. You’ll attract the night creatures here.” Damien gave him a furtive glance. Jie exhaled sharply to calm his nerves. Surely, they weren’t bullying him to make fun of him. He should believe that Damien was doing this for his own good. He’d show them he was up for the challenge. He sat still, breathing in and out. As he slowly closed his eyes, Jie tried his best not to get distracted. You need to stabilize your mana if you want to rescue Nyssa, he kept on reminding himself. As he finally reached tranquility in hi
JIE sat back on the stone amidst the acid river to rest. Constantly battling the Night Flutters made it difficult for him to regain his breath.“Is it safe for me to go there, right now? Can I rest?” Jie polled his companions.At that, Damien rose to his feet. “If you dare to cross the river on your way here, I guess you could rest.”Jie pursed his lips then he complained. “Oh, God! Damien, you are sick! You are trying to kill me, aren’t you? Weren’t those bats enough? I’m exhausted. My body needs a break.”“Aren’t you on a break now? Continue your meditation. You see? You didn’t faint this time after using a huge amount of mana.”Despite his extreme exhaustion, Jie was taken aback by the situation. Unlike before, he didn't feel lightheaded.“Your body is gradually adapting. Regardless, unless you cross the acid river going here, we’ll not leave.” Damien sat back.Liv seemed uncomfortable walking back and forth. “Captain, we have not discussed this delay. The Black Destroyers will cat
CRISTON breathed out in disbelief, watching Liv’s back. “Look at her, breaking the rule she just made.”“Strela!” Liv kept calling as if she were hypnotized.“Jesus Christ! Liv, don’t wander off!” Jie was horrified when Liv suddenly disappeared as the voices around them grew louder. He ran after her, but to his surprise, the wall behind him suddenly moved, blocking his way back to the group.Jie stepped on a brittle skeleton that made a crack. The lights emitting from the runes on the wall were enough for him to see his extensive enclosure full of human skulls!“Goodness gracious! That startled me,” Jie mumbled.In the other part of the passage, Damien called. “Where the hell did you go?”There was no response. Aside from the harrowing sound of screaming, the iron wall had no gap from top to bottom. Damien silently cursed, as he could not find traces of Ethros and Liv.“I’ll look for Liv, Captain,” Criston suggested.“Let’s split, I’ll find Ethros.” Damien strengthened his grip on his
THE hissing sound echoed in Jie’s ears. He remembered the ordeal of fighting the Serpentis with Liv; there were just too many as they got closer to the exit. The warm sunlight outside could be seen, and Jie knew they could make it out alive even if it took them the whole day to figure the passage out. Serpentis was a snake-like monster of varying sizes. Its onyx-colored scales were made of spikes, and it had small wings but was not capable of flying, yet it helped boost its speed. “This is... your fault!” Jie’s voice stuttered. He could see the dark figure staring at him. He knew that creature had something to do with his magic. When he failed to summon his weapon to change, the Serpentis bit him, almost causing him to lose his right leg. “Ethros! Ethros! Hold on!” Liv’s panicking voice resonated in his ears. Jie tried to reach out to the dark figure, but it was silent. He realized that his companions could not see the creature. “Who… are you? A wraith?” he asked again. But i
A COZY breeze circulated the time-loop barrier. Unbeknownst to the outsiders, the forest inside had its own ecosystem that had thrived for two thousand years. “Is this heaven?” Jie muttered under his breath as he opened his eyes to the unfamiliar surroundings. He was leaning against the trunk of a large tree with purple leaves. The warm sunlight touched his face mixed with the cold mist. Did I die? He asked himself because he remembered being poisoned by the Serpentis near the labyrinth’s exit. He instantly gasped at the sight of a little girl's face staring down at him. She wore a light gray robe, carrying a brown satchel. “You’re awake!” the child exclaimed with a smile. “Who are you?” He sprang up. The searing pain in his right leg made him wince. He then assumed he was still alive. But why did it seem he was in paradise? “It’s been quite some time since I laid eyes on a human!” She pinched his cheek. “A real flesh indeed!” Giggles escaped the child's lips. She seemed delighte