The sound of the spear tearing through the air was like a thunderclap striking a steel plate, echoing across the entire area—nothing else could be heard in that split second. The sound of the rope slowly fraying, strand by strand, rang in my ears. In that moment, the world seemed to slow down, and so did I.
Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light lunged toward the spear, instantly knocking it off course. I turned to look... it was John's shot. A close call. I let out a heavy sigh of relief. The rope was half-shredded, but it should still be strong enough to hold the weight. The real problem, however, was how on earth I was going to get across...
I looked down at the monsters slowly clawing their way up the wall, their roars of hunger echoing as the stone structure cracked under their weight. I glanced back at the rope; no one was left on it now. All my friends had safely reached the kingdom's wall.
I turned my gaze toward the palace. It was shrouded in a deathly silence—it seemed the Prásino Fídi had already seized it. My body was exhausted, beyond exhausted... I didn't even have the strength left to climb. That's what I thought, but then, a survival plan flashed through my mind.
I looked back into the school grounds; no monsters had broken in yet. I rushed into the dormitory without a second thought, grabbed the floor tile I had used to cover the entrance earlier, opened the door, and stepped inside. I locked the door behind me to ensure nothing could follow. Slowly, I made my way down the stairs and opened the door to the basement. Everything was pitch black. My eyelids began to heavy, closing slowly as I drifted away.
Outside, the cacophony of monsters echoed through every corner of the kingdom. The screams of the dying, the rhythmic drip of blood hitting the pavement, and the sickening crunch of bone being pulverized by monstrous teeth filled the air. The very walls of the city were slowly crumbling under the onslaught. Yet, atop the ramparts, a group of students stood huddled, their voices hushed in desperate consultation.
"How are we supposed to get out of this giant red dome?"
"I don't know... maybe try to poke a hole in it?"
"Or use explosives?"
"Quiet down, students," the Headmaster's voice cut through the panic.
He stepped toward the shimmering boundary of the field, placing a steady hand against its surface. "Now, one of you... use your mana to draw a circle with a ten-meter radius. Quickly."
A student followed his instructions immediately. The Headmaster then drew his staff—it was only eleven inches long, unlike the meter-long staves typically carried by mages. With precision, he began to trace intricate symbols within the mana circle. Moments later, the boundary wall began to fracture, splintering until a ten-meter-wide hole appeared.
However, the wall was still too high for the students to jump. They had to sever the rope that had served as their bridge, using magic to cut it loose. They believed it didn't matter anymore; everyone who had survived was already across. They lowered the rope down the outer side of the wall and began their descent, one by one, finally reaching safety.
I let out a massive sigh of relief. Alice suddenly ran toward me, throwing her arms around me as she sobbed.
"We made it, John... we survived!"
"Yeah," I replied softly.
I looked at Alice. Her face was a mask of grief, yet there was a flicker of joy hidden beneath the tears. Suddenly realizing what she had done, she quickly pulled away, her face turning a deep crimson before she hurried off to join the other students.
But despite our escape, a crushing weight remained in my chest. Phukan. He hadn't made it across. He's gone... isn't he?
I opened my eyes and looked around. Where was I? The world around me wasn't Athelia anymore—it was an endless, stretching void of pure white. Suddenly, a beautiful woman appeared before me. She was tall, with green skin and pointed ears. Her eyes were a warm, incomparable yellow...
Wait, why did I feel this way? I wasn't usually the type to feel such things. The beautiful woman then spoke:
"Hello. It seems you still have some of my blood left in you. I believe it's time I took it back."
Even though her words were cruel, her voice was warm and serene. Suddenly... I opened my eyes for real this time. Was that a dream? I looked at my hand and immediately punched the floor.
"Ouch!"
Okay, I was definitely awake. That hurt like hell. I slowly stood up and looked around the room. Wait... where did these tree roots come from? They weren't here before. A sudden thought struck me, and I checked the clock. I let out a sigh of relief—it had only been ten minutes.
But then, a realization hit me. Why were there sounds of monsters inside the school? Ten minutes wouldn't be enough time for them to break through the walls. Unless... it wasn't just ten minutes. It was one day and ten minutes.
I snatched up my bow. Wait... why do I feel so much weaker? The Blood of the Nature Goddess must have worn off.
I cautiously opened the door and shut it behind me. I climbed the stairs, step by step. Damn it! Why does this feel like a horror game? I steeled myself and pushed the door open. The dormitory hadn't collapsed yet, but it wouldn't be long. The monsters outside turned toward me—they must have heard me.
I bolted upstairs as guttural roars followed close behind. I couldn't even take on one of them one-on-one, and now there were dozens. I ran for my life. Reaching the rooftop, I slammed the door shut to buy myself a few seconds. Damn it... only a second!? I chose to manifest an ice chain between the dorm wall and a nearby rooftop. I scrambled across and immediately unlinked the other side. I couldn't afford to waste mana. I grabbed the chain, hooked it onto a lamp post, and swung it at a monster on the dorm's ceiling that was about to pounce.
I sprinted across the rooftops. Damn it all! I spotted the hole that had been opened in the boundary wall. I headed straight for it, but then... my foot slipped. I fell toward the ground below...
Fortunately, there were no monsters where I landed, but they were already closing in. I bolted, running for my life. My focus was too shattered to weave complex spells, but I could still manage basic ice arrows. I spun around and fired at a Spine Bear; it crashed down, and though it didn't die, its massive bulk created a perfect roadblock for the monsters behind it.
The wall was right there... so close. But a terrifying thought crossed my mind: What if they climb the wall after me? No, it's too high. I shouldn't worry about that now. The monsters were gaining on me.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, another Spine Bear charged from my left. The impact was like being hit by a freight train, launching me hundreds of meters through the air. I looked down at my leg. Damn it! Broken again. I saw a Giant Mantis—what was its name again? Stop! Why am I thinking about monster names at a time like this!? It lunged, its razor-sharp scythe aiming straight for my chest and—
The limb disintegrated.
The red boundary began to dissolve, revealing a sky bluer and more vibrant than I had ever seen. Every single monster vanished into ash. So, they were constructs of the boundary after all. I let out a massive, shaky sigh. That felt a bit too much like "Plot Armor" saved me there...
Well, at least only one leg is broken this time. I manifested an ice harpoon and used it as a climbing tool to scale the wall. When I reached the top, I collapsed, gasping for air. I scanned the horizon, but I couldn't see a single soul. Suddenly, the sharp whistle of a blade cutting the air rang right next to my ear, followed by a woman's voice.
"What are you doing here?"
"I... I was trying to get out of here," I stammered. I didn't even dare to turn around. When did she get here? I didn't sense a thing.
Gathering my courage, I turned to see the black-haired woman I had met at the Mávros Drákos office back in the kingdom. Well, not that there's much left of that kingdom now. Without a word, she suddenly hoisted me onto her shoulder and leapt off the wall. She began to run at an incredible speed.
"Put me down!" I yelled.
"You have a broken leg. Shut up and stop complaining."
She carried me for about six hours. I was starving. Finally, she set me down on the ground. I looked up, and my breath caught in my throat. Before me stood a colossal black castle, far larger than the palace of Athellery. Its walls were adorned with intricate dragon carvings, and the spires must have reached at least 500 meters into the sky. Who on earth built this place?
"Go in yourself, then. Since you complained so much about being carried."
I froze as she casually walked into the fortress. Is she serious? How am I supposed to get in there like this? Sighing, I manifested a pair of ice crutches and began my slow, painful trek into the heart of the black castle.