The Final Ashfield

Chapter 3: The Codex[Part 2]

VMMM….VMMM….VMMM

A pulse echoed through the waterfall’s inner cave. 

Jacender's body was laid out on the floor; his head bleeding profusely. 

VMMM….VMMM!!!!

It echoed again.

Jace’s eyes opened slowly.

“A..lex…i…mus…”

“I’ve…gotta…g-get up…Kheah!!” he groaned, lifting up his head.

He looked down at the rest of his body.

“D-Damn…isn’t this the worst…luck…” His head throbbed. 

In his midsection a long sharp rock stuck out.

If he moved, he would bleed out and die.

“Th-there’s gotta be…something…anything…” he started to look around. His senses were becoming duller. 

VRMMM….VRMMM!!!!!!!

“What…is that…sound…?”

It’s not around me, and the vibrations aren't coming from the below… he concluded.

So…it must be coming….FROM ABOVE!! 

He jerked his head up and he finally saw it.

Floating no more than 2-3 inches above his head. Jace didn’t know what it was. For in that moment all that crossed his mind was instinct.

What looked like a book evoked strong memories within his blood that he had no recollection of.

He stretched out his hand and grabbed it.

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“Well! Ain’t this my lucky day?! 3 brats all the way out here in the boonies, without an expert to protect them!! One of them even seems to have healing powers!! She must be the only one of you all to have opened her Sanctum! Impossible–NO! WONDERFUL!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!” The man rocked his head back and howled with laughter. 

He was skinny and had on a ripped green cloak and his hair was messily slicked back. 

It was purple with blue streaks.

His pants were dark green, ripped and stripped with red.

The scabbard on his waist held a large dagger. 

 On his cloak’s chest area was a symbol. 

A ram with 2 crossing axes.

“Not only that…but they’ve also led me to a place filled with ridiculous Reiki!!! I mean– this place must be a dream come true!!! Maybe god is rewarding me for being such a great person?!? HMMMM?! Whattya think, kid?!” his crooked smile stretched to both ears, revealing rotten teeth and cracked lips. 

"Oi oi oi oi!!! And what exactly do you mean by you're lucky day'? Eh, Hatagi?! It was my illusion magic that got them out here!" the other man argued. 

He was fatter, wearing the same outfit, but he was neater. It seemed…newer. 

"Huuuuuuhhhh???!" Hatagi turned to look at him. 

"What the hell are ya whining about Dopi? I agreed to let you come with me, didn't I?! Be grateful you fat bastard! Look at her! Her arm is bleeding. She obviously tried to resist!!" He insulted him. 

Dopi, the fat one, seemed to flinch at the remark. 

"D-Don't talk to me like that! My uncle will-"

Hatagi narrowed his eyes.

Dopi flinched again.

"Besides!! It ain't like your illusions are amazing or anything. You're only on the 2nd level of Sanctum power. You ain't shit!!" He added. 

"You left evidence!! Look at her! Her arm's bleeding like hell! She obviously tried to resist it! Meaning your skills are shit, too!!!" He added.

Hatagi seemed like – no he was, an arrogant person. He himself was just on the 3rd level of  his Sanctum chamber. He wasn't all that compared to the uppers, but he enjoyed bullying the weak. It made him feel important. And with what he just scored, he felt like the man. The boss just might give him an upgrade in the guild rankings. 

Dopi's face got red. 

"But–"

"–Now hold the kid…we don't want the boss and the uppers coming here and taking the loot for themselves." He pointed at Anna. 

"Besides. The other one is probably already dead in that waterfall over there. Che! Whatever. We can try haggling the price for his body with the church later!" he said, licking his lips as he removed his dagger from its sheath.

"She, however, will fetch a pretty penny. Shame really, hehe. A talent like that… opening a Sanctum chamber even though she ain't even 11." He inched closer to her, brandishing the knife menacingly.

His eyes narrowed and his smile became more sinister.

Aleximus gasped, mustering up the strength to move his body and leapt towards Hatagi in an attempt to block him. 

“Y-you…stay away from my sister!!!!” he yelled weakly. 

Hatagi was shocked. He didn't expect Aleximus to be able to move. 

It was that small moment of disbelief that distracted him from an overhead explosion. One he might have otherwise been able to dodge. 

BOOM!!!

The waterfall behind the men exploded. 

A wave crashed on top of Dopi, who instinctively threw Anna away from him in an effort to raise his arms and block the wave. 

Some of it hit Hatagi's cloak and it started to melt. The water was like acid.

"TSK!!" 

He acted swiftly and threw it off.

Hatagi's arm was already affected though and was in immense pain from the water. 

It had almost burned completely through in an instant, but thanks to his quick action it was intact enough to be healed later.

Dopi, however, was doomed. His body melted, amounting to a no more than sloppy goo. 

Skin separated from his bones, his organs were emptied out on the floor, he couldn't even be distinguished anymore. All his blood was evaporating at a rapid pace. 

"...!! What…is this…?!?!" Hatagi shook, trembling in fright. 

SWOOM!! SWISSSSHHH!!!

Almost as if the water had a life of its own, the waterfall opened, creating a hole large enough for Jacender's body to float out of.

"What the–!!!" Aleximus shivered. 

Floating with him was the book. Jacender now emitted a pulse similar to it when it had been in the waterfall.

Droplets of water rained down.

"Mpmh!!" Aleximus exclaimed as a droplet of water fell on him. He held up his arm and braced for the pain. But none came.  

It doesn’t hurt…? He winced, surprised. 

Wait…ANNA!! He suddenly remembered.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" he screamed for her

"KOFF! KOFF!!" 

"ANNA!!" He gave a sigh of relief, seeing her. 

Aleximus turned back around towards the waterfall. 

The statue's fireball disappeared and all the water was gone.

Squinting at Jace, Aleximus noticed that his hair changed from black to white. 

What is that…?! He thought, after seeing a closed floating book at Jace’s side. 

The steam from the evaporated water started to clear up. 

“C-Crap!!” Aleximus ran forward reaching out for Anna. 

He remembered Hatagi was still there and wanted to get his sister to safety before Hatagi could notice.

CRACK

Aleximus suddenly stopped,  and nearly fell over…

“E..Eh–” Was all he could muster as he peered down at his arm…

“A- AAHHHH!!” He screamed out violently in pain as he saw his arm completely bent backwards.

He was about to fall to the ground… but then Hatagi grabbed him by his now broken arm and held him up. As well as covering his mouth.

“Quiet. And look up there. That right there… is an object of legend, and I’ve got to have it…”

That… Codex.”

<Chapter 3: The Codex part 2> FIN