Panting, we stop at a few feet from the border of Aovialutre's barrier. The soft rippling of the barrier was already within sight atop the thinning patterns of trees. There's a sort of relief at seeing such a sight, but then again, it feels as if everything has been too easy?
I laugh a bit to myself. Let's not jinx ourselves. Though, although I think that, I can't shake off the feeling of being preyed upon.
"Why are you panting?" Krael smirks at me, intent on teasing Obrecht and I.
"…" Are you that bored, Krael? Since you can't win against Obrecht, you target me instead?
Obrecht had still been carrying me on his back all the rest of the way, as Krael had Vera on his. It's the fastest and most convenient method of transportation we have at the moment. He knows very well that I was using my power to camouflage us, even as we speak, but…
I don't even blink as I continue staring at the path we had just gone through.
"…" Why does he have to make it sound so obscene? Me? Panting on Obrecht's back as he carries me?
I ignore the lewd teasing. Obrecht doesn't though, as he throws a stink eye at Krael.
"Let's go", I urge them.
"Are we going to sneak in", Obrecht asks, back to being serious again.
I would really like to just get in and out without being noticed at all, but if there is no other choice then we'd—
My thoughts pause as I get an ominous premonition all of a sudden.
Gritting my teeth, I turn and unleash a condensed crescent shaped shadow at my companions. Upon such hasty maneuvers, I used up much more of my energy reserve than I intended to. I gasp, as I see three people fly towards Aovialutre's barrier with surprised expressions. I feel considerably relieved at the sight of surprise etched on their faces rather than pain.
There wasn't any time to explain—I jump upwards to a high branch, and then launching myself diagonally away, the soil under our feet long swallowed by the sharp teeth of the giant centipede. Its body was way larger than the previous centipedes we had been fighting before, with its antennae longer and looking much more menacing than the others. Almost like—
Ah, a female? No, but why was there only one left? A queen? It doesn't make sense for a female to have a higher fighting capability than the males, because its body should be solely for the reproduction, but maybe, was it perhaps a warrior type? Then, the first wave was simply the scavenger type?
A timely screech originates from the creature as it realizes that we have escaped its sudden attack from the ground.
This isn't the time for pondering the secrets of the insect world!
I sweat a little, and turn my sight to where Obrecht and Krael.
Something's wrong, why aren't they getting in?
Krael tries to push the barrier with a hand, with Vera held up by the other, but he isn't able to get inside or push through. Obrecht keeps patting the barrier as if trying to find a way in or a weep place that we both know might not exits. He suddenly turns to the create but his eyes land on mine. It was just a split second but it was enough time feel a tremor in my heart.
Screech—!
My heart sinks as I see the lone centipede notice the area where my companions stood. I jump towards it immediately. Just before it attacks, I pull a shadow to tie up its mouth as I ride on its back, diverting its attack upwards and it hits the barrier, making it ripple hard but no damage came to be to the barrier.
Wildly, the centipede tries to shake my control off, but I hold on tight, piercing a large shadow pike on its body. It writhes and squirms more wildly, successfully throwing me off upwards. I am tossed away hard, my back hitting the barrier, as I fall downwards with my head facing down. I brace myself with my arms protecting my head, immediately making a cushion of soft air to ease my fall out of instinct.
"What the", a distant voice trails off, followed by other bewildered ones, loud thumping footsteps and the sound of metal weapons being assembled and distributed from afar.
"Over there!"
"Children?! What are children doing outside the barrier?! Hurry up, get them out of there!"
"W—What is that thing?"
The racket attracts more and more teams of guards over, and all are overwhelmed at the sight of the giant centipede that had us trapped between it and the barrier.
"This is bad, they won't be able to get in unless—"
Their loud voices boom, and I hear a multitude of footsteps that echo in the ground as they rush to us, but though they may be fast enough—the distance is simply too far.
The lone centipede, perhaps the only survivor of my massacre at the field of flowers. If so, then it must have a lot of anger and hatred for what I did to its comrades.
Running and using my power the whole day was taxing, even now, I'm running on dregs yet again. Vaguely, as I press my aching body on the barrier, I had noted in my mind to build up my mental and physical stamina to the best of my abilities. I see Obrecht running to my direction in the peripheral of my vision, his face looking just as scary as it did during that time at the treehouse.
In that millisecond as well, when the centipede swung the other end of its body to slash at us, I make a buffer of shadows and condense air, but it didn't last long until it broke. But that buffered time was enough for me to use the remainder of my energy and power to push Obrecht, Krael, and Vera closest to the direction of the guards while I acted at decoy.
Dust rises at the impact of my shadow and centipede's body.
When it finally settles, I cough a bit. I pause at the sight of a slowly emerging antennae from the puffs of floating dirt. A purple dripping liquid trickles down its mouth and unto the ground, just in the middle of my two feet.
Without an resilient for the toxicity, its saliva corrodes the once-fertile soil.
In a panic, I grab the hilt of my daggers—
That's right. I forgot. The back of my hands slump at my thighs, as I stare at my upturned empty palms. I lost the daggers Halvalt lent me. No shadow, no weapon, no strength—how do I fight?
Braced yet again with an overwhelming helplessness and dread, I remain immobile.
The urge to sarcastically laugh at myself bubbles out of my throat as I stare at the wide mouth of the huge insect in front of me speedily approaching.
Ah… I haven't escaped that dungeon yet. I'm still helpless. I can't even save myself…
I turn my head right when my eye catches a fast-moving person running towards me from inside the barrier. A hand pops out, and then an arm, and all of a sudden, as if in slow motion, as the person dives to the ground, he tackles me and I am pulled inside the barrier with his arms encircled around my waist. He pulls me inside our semi-transparent blue protection, just before the creature hits the ground completely.
A large hand holds my head and back tighter in an attempt to minimize the damage, as we hit the ground, rolling over multiple times.
My heart never stopped pounding at abruptly being tackled like that—or perhaps because I was yet again dancing at death's doorstep.
"You idiot!"
I startle as the person hugging me, slowly detaches himself from me; his arms propped up beside my head as angrily stares down at me.
"In a battle, do you know who's the first person who losses", he furiously shouts. "The first people to lose aren't those that are truly helpless or untalented, it's those who have given up on trying!"
He grabs my collar. I instinctively use my arm to push him away, almost elbowing is neck in order to gain some distance, but it doesn't stop Raguk.
"Why—Why?! Why did I have to lose to someone like you who easily gives up on trying?!" He throws me back down to the ground. "Was it fun playing hero? You think dying like that looks cool?" He snorts. While kneeling, he coldly says to me, "To be defeated in the rankings by someone who easily surrenders—I refuse to acknowledge it. I will never acknowledge it."
An older man approaches us, worriedly, he calls out, "Raguk."
"Brother", Raguk greets without looking at him, whilst standing up.
I lay there immobile, the tips of my extremities feeling colder than when it did in front of the centipede.
"Let's go. We need to report this immediately to Apa Ruzha and the Batrani", Raguk says as he throws me once last glance before he walks away. His brother dawdles, looking at Raguk's back and then at me.
I place my arm over the mask, feeling the weight mostly on my forehead and eyes.
"Go with Raguk, I'll take care of him."
"But…"
"We won't run. We also need to discuss something with the Batrani", Obrecht insists with a matter-of-fact tone.
Finally, Raguk's brother nods, and runs after his own brother.
A moment of silence fleets by. I hear the soft clicking of his knuckle bones as he clenches his fists so hard. He does not say anything; he does not sit down. I don't even feel his eyes looking at me, but I am afraid of looking at him. All I want to see is pure black canvass in my vision. I don't want to know what expression he's making. I'm afraid to know.
He must have heard what Raguk said. I bet he noticed it too.
Just for a second there, I hesitated to fight back.
"Let's get your wounds treated", he breaks of the silence first.
"…"
He walks nearer when I don't answer. I push myself upwards into a sitting position, but not fast enough as Obrecht picks me up in a princess hold carry.
"…I can walk."
I pinch a finger hard when he doesn't answer, my hands nearly trembling if not for my suppression. This was the most uncomfortable silence we have ever shared.
The guards were kind enough to provide a few healing potions and creams for our wounds. I tip the vial over mouth, the cool tasteless liquid sliding down my throat. It doesn't take long until I feel the bruise on my back and the pain on my ribs ease enough for me to take deeper breaths.
Leaving most of the trust-worthy guards on the border, only a handful come along with Obrecht, and I to escort us back.
The unconscious Vera was placed earlier on an stretcher made of wood and a thick cloth. Krael didn't want to separate from her, so the guards reluctantly allowed him to follow them to see one of the best healers in Lumea.
"That barrier", Obrecht suddenly asks the older guard. "How come when we tried to enter, we couldn't."
"Ah, you know of the Blade Association, right?"
Obrecht nods.
Blade Association?
"Most of the guards here accepted are part of the Blade Association. We form teams of our own, like mine here. We accept the guard duty every now and then. It's not to protect those beasts from coming in, we have Aovialutre's barrier for that."
"Then, what are you guarding?"
"Small novice hunters like you", the older guard smirks at Obrecht. "The Blade Association set up boundaries starting from the city center up to the barrier. The stronger you are, the farther and bigger the area you can hunt in. Only the top ten rankers or those of the same caliber as Kali can freely enter and exit the barrier. I have to say, you young ones are lucky enough to have survived outside. The barrier works in a way that unless you receive an 'invitation' from someone inside it, you can't enter."
"An invitation? Like an offer? A direct physical offer and not verbal right?"
"You got it, kid. You sure are smart." He chuckles at Obrecht. "Not many are aware of it, but unless you get a physical invitation from inside, you're stuck outside. And it doesn't help that the beasts have cleverly learned to stay at the border, preying at the young ones that foolishly sneak out." He clicks his tongue.
"…" Foolish young ones… I get it, please don't rub more salt on our wounds.
"I think it's time we head back as well", says the older guard that which I remember to be the leader of this group.
I swallow the groan that threatened to come out as I wobble on two feet. Before I could take another step, Obrecht wordless picks me up yet again. I open my mouth to object, but he doesn't even give me a glance. I press my lips together and look down on my hands, pinching my fingers awkwardly.
Evening had already arrived when we arrived at the familiar small mound of a hill that housed the entrance to the labyrinth. Our footsteps echo as we go down the steps.
Not another Lumean is to be found along the way.
That's right. The annual tournament has a day left before it finishes.
Somehow, knowing that a lot of people are cheering happily and spending their time together in festivities, while I'm here frightened of so many things... It's makes me slightly envious of them. Just a bit. But I know that these are the consequences of my actions.