CHAPTER 55 — The one who is left behind
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
A sliver-haired boy was slamming his bare fist against a stone slab.
THUD!
Again
THUD!!
THUD!!
And again
THUDD!!
And again.
THUDD!!!
Each impact echoed through the roof of the cave where the boys were standing.
"Don't... Worry."
Thud!
"Seris."
His knuckles had long since spilit open and turned red with his blood.
Blood dripped down his hand
Red stains covered the surface of the stone where he kept punching.
Thud! Thud!
"Denin."
But Denin didn't stop.
"HOLD. ON."
The slab was now marked red with the imprint of his bloodied knuckles.
"Denin."
"We..."
"Huff... "
"We are almost."
"DENIN!"
His breathing had become ragged.
His shoulders trembled with exhaustion.
Yet he kept hitting the stone as though sheer determination could break it apart.
Denin suddenly stood up his bloodied hands took out his wand from his waist.
Dark mana immediately began swirling around its tip.
His eyes were red.
Not from crying.
From fury.
"Seris..."
His voice came out as a whisper.
"...We are almost."
"Hey! Denin."
A hand reached out and grabbed his wrist.
"What are you doing?"
Denin furiously looked at Junim who stood beside grabbing his wrist.
"Don't let your emotions overwhelm you." Junim answered.
"My emotions? DO you think I'm getting emotional Seris is—"
"Calm down. Denin" A heavy voice called him.
Denin turned his head.
"Even you Nitin. How can you expect me to calm down in this situation, Seris is —"
"Right now." Nitin cut him off abruptly. "The mission is our priority.,"
Denin froze at those words.
"We have to leave rune island immediately." Nitin continued.
"Leave?" Denin let out his answer with a heavy breath. "You want us to leave our friend alone."
Denin retorted back furiously.
"Seris is struck among those bastards we have to—"
"We have to leave Denin." Nitin said calmly.
Denin was breathing heavily his head Boling with anger at his other friend's words.
"Our mission was to retrieve the Aether rune and we have retrieved it."
Nitin looked at the stone slab that was now bloodied with Denin's fist.
"Even if we go there, we won't win nor would we be able to save Seris."
Nitin walked towards Denin.
"You saw how many Aetherion students are there."
A berife pause followed.
"And if this many students are there.."
His eyes lowered.
"...then I'm sure their instructors would be nearby too."
Nitin was now face to face with Denin, looking directly into his eyes.
"If we go there, not only all of us will die but we will also lost the Aether rune and then.",
His gaze shifted toward the satchel containing the rune.
"...The mage Council will become aware of it's Existence."
Denin clenched his fist, his nails digging his palm to the point of drawing blood he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood too.
Nitin put his hand on Denin's shoulder.
"I know how you feel Denin."
Nitin's voice was calm but there were subltle cracks in his voice.
"Seris is.... Our friend too."
Nitin's voice cracked on the last part.
Denin's fists are shaking his eyes are glassy with the tear he wants to shade but can't let out. His mouth closed tightly to hold the sobs he wants to let out.
Suddenly a hand reached out to his wrist stopping the way his fists were shaking.
Denin lifted his head and saw Junim his eyes were subltly shading tears like the droplets of water.
"Let's go Denin." Junim said his voice almost like a sob.
Nitin looked at both of them with Crossed arms his fingers tighten under his sleeve. His eyes narrowed with the weight of something unknown.
"Right now." He said his voice calm despite his inner turmoil.
"The only thing that we can do is hope...
He lifted his head and looked up at the bright blue sky.
It was clear, way too clear for the day. Looking at that clear sky Nitin wished.
Wished that their hope could be as clear and that sky too.
"That somehow Seris come back Alive."
---
Gulp.
Seris swallow hard as he saw the students of Grand Aetherion on the entrance.
Seris eyes wonder across the cave.
There was no escape now.
No way out.
All gates are closed.
And the only thing that he can do now is fight and hope to somehow make it out alive.
His gaze briefly drifted toward the sealed ceiling.
Toward the direction where his friends had escaped.
'My friends...'
A small smile appeared on his face.
'I hope by now they have already left.'
Seris close his eyes briefly before letting out a heavy exhale.
Then he opened them again.
The fear was still there.
But it had settled.
There was no point panicking now.
If there was no escape—
Then he would fight.
"Migl."
A small dark-orange flame spirit appeared beside him.
"Rokch."
A massive rhino-shaped spirit with a stone-gray body materialized on his left.
"Sani."
A navy-blue tigress emerged on his right.
Migl-the dark orangish spirit rotate and drew circles on air infront of him before standing at Seris shoulder.
Rokch lowered his horn.
Sani bared her fangs.
For a brief moment, Seris felt a little less alone.
His lips curved up slightly.
"Atleast you guys are still here."
The spirits growled softly in response.
Across the cave—
Ashwin's eyebrows twitched.
His silver-gray eyes narrowed.
Through Aether Sight, he could clearly see the three spirits surrounding Seris.
"Everyone."
His voice echoed through the cave.
"Activate Aether sight."
At his command the students from the sanctum factions immediately obeyed
but the ones who weren't from sanctum looked at little bit confused some students stared at him in confusion so some were taken aback by the abrupt command but eventuall after seeing Ashwin's serious expression, they activated it as well.
They all actived Aether sight.
Blue rings formed around dozens of eyes.
A collective murmur spread through the cave.
"Are they spirits?"
"I had only heard about them."
"Wow..."
"Never thought i would get to see one this early."
While the students were muttering among themselves, Seris raised his wand.
The dark mana spiraled around the tip of his wand.
The temperature seemed to drop.
The shadows deepened.
The dark mana spread across the floor like ink.
The scattered monster remains throughout the cave began moving.
Bones rattled.
Skulls rolled.
Broken ribs dragged themselves across the ground.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
The skeletal remains twisted together.
Attached together.
Reassembled themselves.
Soon dozens of dead monsters stood once again.
An army of skeletal beasts surrounded Seris like loyal soldiers.
But it wasn't over.
Dark-purple mana oozed from the bones.
Rotting flesh began growing over the skeletons.
Muscles.
Tendons.
Skin.
Within seconds, the cave became filled with grotesque undead creatures.
Empty eye sockets glowed with unnatural light.
Necromancy level 3.
Necro Chimera.
The students collectively stiffened.
Some instinctively took a step backward.
Others tightened their grip on their staffs.
Ashwin's expression though, remained calm.
Ashwin looking at the Zombie like monsters quickly commanded the students.
"Everyone.",
His voice cut through the tension.
"Layer 3 formation."
Some students who were not from sanctums raised their wands and staffs but quickly got confused.
"Layer what?"
The students from Sanctums though, reacted immediately.
They moved without hesitation.
The first line stepped forward.
The second line positioned themselves behind them.
The third line spread out in the rear.
The formation quickly took shape.
The front line consisted primarily of wand users specialized in close and mid-range combat.
The second line was composed of staff users capable of larger-scale spellcasting.
The third line served as support, reinforcement, and rear defense.
Attack.
Defense.
Support.
All three functions operated simultaneously.
The non-sanctum students stared blankly.
"What are we supposed to do?"
"Just follow the formation!" someone shouted.
The undead army began moving.
One step.
Then another.
Then dozens.
The entire horde charged forward.
The cave floor trembled beneath their advance.
Ashwin slowly raised his wand.
His silver-gray eyes locked onto Seris.
"Everyone."
Wind and thunder began gathering around him.
"On your positions."
The students tightened their grips.
The undead roared.
The distance between both sides rapidly closed.
And the battle was about to begin.
---
CHAPTER ENDS