"Huh..."
Renzy frowned but moved towards the aura extremely cautiously when-
"Stop!"
The one to shout was Nier who frowned. In the direction they were moving, Nier suddenly sensed an aura but it wasn't Len's. It was someone who more... malicious. Although he could sense auras, Nier normally wouldn't have the ability to distinguish them since he couldn't sense aura actively and thus wasn't familiar with the aura of his allies. Normally. Len had however poured his mana on Nier allowing the boy to determine his aura.
"What happened" Renzy asked with seriousness.
"I feel someone dangerous...not Len"
Renzy immediately stopped and frowned.
'I still sense Len there...but, it could be fake? To fool the senses...an illusion based technique. The illusion sorcerer didn't think that Nier could sense mana and so never wasted his mana on fooling his, Hmm...Heh. Len, he probably 'foresaw' something like this. It seems that voices could be faked as as well...but then why isn't the sorcerer doing it more often? Because he can't? A condition?'
WOOSH-
a thick vine suddenly entered Renzy's vision in the front as he condensed his mana when-
"Behind!"
He immediately rotated on Nier's shout and slashed.
*Khach
The vine he had seen before passed through him and faded, the same happened for the one Nier saw. Instead a third vine came from their right and pierced Renzy's hand which protected his head.
Renzy immediately ripped the vine to shreds and focused on his main hand. There was now a hole in its centre and blood was leaking profusely, not only that- there was poison.
He had been afraid that Nier would be harmed which caused him to lose focus momentarily.
The technique that could fool the senses was turning out to be dangerous now.
But Renzy wasn't afraid. The obvious way to neutralize the "House of Madness" would be to break through the barrier but Renzy realised that finding them with his senses in chaos probably wouldn't work. Had he been alone, he would have just used his technique or even concept to simply shred the barrier in pieces but it wasn't possible with other people around.
Good thing was that Kyber had left a mark on him. Len should be following them...But.
What about the Spear holder and the vine controller? What were they doing?
*Woosh
_________
"Tch"
In front of Len stood the white robed masked man spinning his spear.
A few minutes ago...
I can sense him there.
Kyber pointed to his left with a grin and Len nodded. He moved forward.
"Stop!"
Len however continued his walk and even sped up a little.
Kyber frowned and pinched Len but he showed no response.
Suddenly Len stopped and asked.
"Are you sure that we are moving in the correct direction?"
"NO! We have to move there not forward! Why aren't you listening?"
"I don't think forward is the way"
"EXACTLY What I am saying!"
"My mana is warning me"
"Wait...What are you hearing?"
"What do you mean why are you not hearing? Len asked irritated....
Kyber suddenly went into thought but Len suddenly began to move....
"Stop!"
*Tup
Kyber suddenly felt a little pain on his forehead as he realised that Len had flicked him. They had been standing in one place for while but Kyber felt and saw Len move
"This illusion... It's so maddening" Kyber growled in anger but quickly went into thought.
"Hey Len! why don't you use the case to destroy the barrier and find the sorcerer?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You might not know but Renzy left you with a just in case artifact, can you repeat that?
"Huh...What are you saying...Spearman left me a just in case spell?"
"Hmm...Len, I don't think you are hearing what I am saying. I think you are hearing what the illusion sorcerer wants you to hear. All previous talk was just probing. I've been extra long because I don't think he can initiate sound illusions but probably only change what is said and I don't think he can do it for a lot of words. I pinched you but you didn't feel anything so he can probably effect all senses and I've been pointing to my left for some time but you see something else, I've pointing towards my stronger hand side but you continue to move. So we should try talking in longer sentences"
"Why have you stopped talking"?
"!!"
'My voice didn't reach him? So the sorcerer can either change a limited amount of words or outright stop sound from traveling...rather than giving Len the illusion of silence, the dome is probably actually stopping sound from my mouth... giving me the illusion that I'm talking?"
Its probably the fact that I'm much weaker which is why the barrier master is able to effect my words much more easily but there must be a reason he didn't just outright stop me saying anything.
Maybe it's because he has to use more mana and that by putting an illusion on me, he also has to also effect Len to stop him from noticing anything wrong with me. His mana must be burning up.
"Alri-" Just as Kyber opened his mouth, he saw Len take a step back right as suddenly Kyber's vision changed and he realised that in the place Len stood was a small crater formed by a spear standing straight without anyone to hold it.
Len looked at his surroundings, shrugged off and calmly passed by the crater reaching Kyber. Leaving the spear completely untouched.
"You...How can you?" A voice rang as the mist shifted revealing the white robed sorcerer from before. The sorcerer asked while looking down as he emitted an ominous aura.
Kyber realised that he had been reaching for the spear when Len flicked him on the forehead waking him from his daze.
"That spear...it pulls attracts others...do not touch it. It won't end well."
"HOW CAN YOU REJECT HER!" The sorcerer wailed in madness as he dashed forward grabbing the spear in the centre of the crater and smashed it's head down like a hammer.
To Kyber's surprise, Len ignored the descending attack and instead condensed a glowing white knife with his mana. It took an instant right as Len slashed to his own left blocking an invisible attack
Kyber realised that the downwards strike had been an illusion and that the enemy had come from his right. Kyber looked up at Len's face and saw only calmness.
"Hmmm....
• The Agent of Fate
- Mission ~ Separate the enemy's right hand.
…. interesting"
_________________
Meanwhile...
"I have come to negotiate with you"
Nier and Renzy found themselves face to face with a black haired woman who wore a green frilly skirt with a black top. The woman had tilited brown eyes which seemed sweet but ferocious as well. Strangely enough, the mist around them had suddenly vanished giving a clear view of the surroundings.
"Hmm...could you, elaborate?"
Renzy asked scratching his ears.
"Well, to put it simply. I'll get you out of this barrier"
"Heh...I can see that you have somehow removed the surrounding mist.."
Renzy had realised that the mist was the cause of all illusions and had tried using his wind to 'wash' it away but it wasn't possible.
"The reason for that is inside this pouch..." The woman pointed towards the belt on her waist. She opened the pouch and pulled out a statue of a chained figure.
"This is an artifact that can negate abilities. I do not know where it comes from."
"!!" Renzy immediately frowned hearing her explanation. An artifact that can negate someone's ability. Renzy thought of something but kept complete calm-
"I see" Renzy said showing no emotions
"It has the downside of negating it's holder's ability"
"What stops me from cleaving you in half" Renzy asked with a smile.
"The poison in your body isn't going to leave by itself- She replied with a grin
"I know people who can make it" Renley said unfazed
"But are those people right here, right now?
"Yeah they are." Renley replied as if he was looking at a stupid child.
"What? And I am the paragon" She clearly did not believe him
"The black haired boy, you idiot. Just because he is a kid, you thought he had nothing helpful to do?"
The lady frowned immediately but calmed down and began to think rationally.
"I will break this artifact before you reach me and then you'll have no way of leaving this place, before you run out of time."
"You are mistaken to believe that I lack patience."
"I having been keeping an eye on your group for a while and you are clearly in a hurry to reach somewhere."
"..." Renzy did not reply immediately.
"So?"
"What do you want thorn girl?" the masked man asked
"I want your help to get out. Well, I am not exactly keen on attacking children. My source didn't exactly inform me of the target's detailes other than white hair and silver eyes. Oh, and the strength of his protectors, and even that was a lie. Not only that. If I simply left the barrier, I am bound to be ambushed by the barrier master for the artifact in my hand. Had I not come to you, what would have happened is that I would negate the barrier master's ability and you guys get out, knock me down in a hurry and leave so I thought I should just talk it out in advance. The point is, I made a wrong decision and now all I want is to get away from it."
"You have been keeping an eye on us and also want to avoid targeting kids. You had plenty of time to reconsider and leave but you chose to attack us anyway.
"...I had no choice. Have you felt that presence? The one following you? He ordered me attack no matter what happens. I cannot disobey for now because he has injected a poison in me, I kept attacking with minimum force to put up a show...I am not sure but you guys can probably fight the guy and even win.
'Len mentioned that he felt a malicious presence, could she be referring to him?'
Renzy looked at Nier in thought and made a decision.
"Well, getting out of here quickly isn't a bad option"
___________
*Clang
*Skirch
The thin armor gloves in Len's left hand deflected the spear that came down and Len immediately kicked forward with his right leg. The spearman however backed off before he could hit but Len closed in immediately and punched at the man's head. The spear man ducked while rotating his body and spun the spear which were in his hands behind the back to attack Len. But Len twisted his body and avoided the spinning spear using the momentum of his twist to kick with right hand. The spearman who was crouched couldn't avoid the low kick hitting his head as he stumbled back grabbing his nose.
"I'll Kill You!"
The spear shone with a light as the beastly attacker thrust the glowing stick.
Too slow
Len who had already gotten behind the 'spearman' kicked the man in his head causing the guy to roll on the ground like a ragdoll.
Following that up, Len moved quickly and jumped to perform a drop kick and landed right on the rolling sorcerer's stomach driving the man into the ground as little web like cracks appeared on the ground beneath.
It felt as though Len was teleporting with the way he moved to Kyber who thought that the spearman would be knocked by now but something crazy happened.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
The spearman with an enraged expression looked as though he wouldn't stop.