The balls of my feet impacted into the ground a shock rolling up my calves and tingling my ankles as i squatted there lips pressed into a thin line. My mind poked at me, a random instinct to roll forward next time.
I rose after a few moments spent making sure nothing was broken in my leg . I looked around the dark grounds of the moat before I continued walking forward. Dark as it was I found myself adept at seeing in the dark.
At this point I'm just gonna ignore whatever strange word appears in my head.
The grounds covered by several spikes, most wooden and most metallic. There were various broken ones lying around and even the metallic ones with rust were seen lying here and there.
Ignoring the various metallic traps that adorned the floor at different areas i trudged my way to the other side of the moat.
Here i stared up at the long wall of earth and iron that i somehow knew had various traps to end me.
I only began climbing after two shakes of my head, deciding on just braving it. Whatever happened before was sure to have activated most if not all the traps. I should be safe, atleast danger probability was lesser. My mind and body was tingling at this point,eager to get to the ruin so i had to make my move.
And so my climb began. Feathers still by my side for some reason flew around my head as I ascended.
Not remembering anything from before my out of zone moment I wasn't sure if I had ever done something like climbing. But the expert and fluid motions of my climb inclined me to the possibility of that fact
Halfway up the moat wall a click sounded prompting my body in a reflex to jerk away. My hands and feet slipping off as I tossed myself to the left. . I barely caught another spot of depression on the wall fast enough to halt my fall.
A thick pike the width of a full grown man's arm and the length of a human body shot out a hole in the wall. It drilled through the empty air and then plummeted to the ground.
-Skill Learned -
Dodge - Lv 0 - 0/50 exp (Locked)
- For every attack seen or detected, probability of evading or avoiding increased by 2%.
Cost - Sta - 5.
I managed to grasp unto the wall by slamming out a hold for myself with my fingers. I hung there exhaling and inhaling for a moment before continuing Feather's cawing and flapping about.
A few moments ahead another click came. Like before i threw myself though less faster than the prior time. My hand stretched out ready to break out a hold for myself when I noted the trap.
It was a wheel of conjoined sharp blades and pikes. Rotating in an anti-clockwise angle yet also sliding in a horizontal pattern from my left to the right.
My eyes widened in alarm. Once I landed the wheel would still shred through me. I could either give up the hold or get minced. I didn't even realize as everything slowed down . My eyes scanning the wall at a surreal speed while looking for a way out even as I still soared. I found a solution just as I neared. A spike rusted and dirty stuck out of a half closed hole in the wall. A failed shot or blocked one.
Whichever it was it didn't matter. My state ended as I slammed into the wall. turning myself uncomfortably so my left hand slammed out a hold instead of my right . My movement didn't halt or pause as I pushed myself away from the hold and to the pike.
If it was loose then I was seeing myself plummeting to the ground. Hopefully i could take the injuries.
Fortunately it wasn't, my hands tightened around the shaft and my initial momentum aiding to swing me up and atop the pike.
My feet landed gracefully and silently like those pointy eared folk. I froze. Pointy eared folk? .
Shaking my head at the thought I looked down as the droning whirl of the wheel shot pass.
I didn't waste time atop the pike. Who knew how long it had been here or if it was rusted and my weight would be the last push it needed to snap.
Taking a step on the wall, I exerted myself making a hard leap and leaving the pike creaking beneath.
My body shot up before smashing in a fluster of limbs onto a higher section of the moat. I dis manage to make a quick hold while latching onto a depression in the wall.
There little left of a climb to make. So shot ahead , hands making grips as i pulled myself up. Feet using the previous hold to support my weight and help in the pull. Finally I got to the very edge.
Raised my right hand up and grabbed the very most edge only for a sharp pain to pierce my palm. I yelled , more from surprise than pain quickly retrieving my palm and grabbing it with my left one to check on my new injury.
Then I fell.
I learnt three things at least. Concentration was important, panic wasn't and I could survive a high fall. Also that Feather's seemed to be enjoying the little show I was displaying.
The bottom of the moat was very dark at this point. Even the sky was darker now. Night had come. I looked up the wall of the moat with an aggrieved eye.
My first enemy. This goddamned moat wall. Glaring it at for a while i pondered a bit before wondering if i could simply jump over it.
Two tries later i realized my strength stst wasn't enough to cover the moats depth.
'How deep was it really?'. I pondered for just a moment before climbing again.
By the time I got to the spot where I fell from the first time it was already pitch black. I hesitated for a moment before repeating the same thing.
This time i clearly heard the snap and then felt the slice of something cold in my palm. Once again in reflex i tugged at my arm effectively rescuing it from the clutches of the trap. Yet my left palm jerked attempting to follow.
Not bothering on stopping myself i used my right still bleeding to slam onto the edge and pull myself over.
Landing on the top. Yet the next click from below had me alarmed as something shifted down from the weight of my body. Feathers who at this point had perched ahead turned to give me his signature blank look head cocked to the side.
Everything seemed to slow down once again , a second time of this event was enough to hint me into what was going on. My eyes went down noting suddenly that the environment was getting increasingly brighter. And hot.
My body moved instantly diving forward and landing while performing a roll . My wing bones creaked from the quick pressure on them but beyond that there was nothing. The slow feeling shut off abruptly just as a roar of flames shot out of a grating in the ground and formed a wall of fire four meters thick.
Even from the distance i made from it I coul still feel its heat. Whatever kind of fire this was , it wasn't to be messed with.
Sighing with relief at finally getting past the moat I turned to face the next obstacle.
The black stone of the once formidable but still oppressive castle wall loomed over me.