Chereads / The Systems Challenge / Chapter 156 - Long Shadows

Chapter 156 - Long Shadows

Elin couldn't understand what it was that Jonas had against Kim. It wasn't like he was out and out looking ways to eliminate Kim, but it felt like he wasn't interested in helping her out when she clearly needed it. However, she couldn't see as well as Jonas could I the dark as Jona, which means that that she was reliant on his sight. At least until they got back somewhere that had some light that she could see with. Which was last inside the manor. Though, she couldn't help but wonder if they'd be going back in, which meant that she had a chance to get some light for herself.

"You feeling okay, Elin?" Elmo asked.

Elin sighed. Why was everyone so bothered by her for getting just a little upset? she couldn't help but wonder as they walked towards the manor.

"I'm okay," Elin answered, hoping Elmo wouldn't press the issue. More because she didn't care to deal with any looks or speculations about what she was feeling when she knew that she was fine, than to just try and push Elmo away.

"Okay, I was just worried that you might have still been tired even after having your stamina restored," Elmo replied.

Elin glanced at the shadow that she knew was Elmo, not sure how to react to that statement. Her stamina should say how tired she was, shouldn't it? If her stamina was restored, then she shouldn't be tired.

"You know, I should probably take a swig of that potion as well," Jonas remarked. "You still have it Elin?"

"Huh? I last gave it to Elmo," she answered.

"I thought I gave it back," Elmo said.

"I certainly don't have it," Elin merely replied.

Elin could hear Elmo rummaging around in his robes, clearly checking to see if he had it. Elin suddenly wondered if they should offer it to Kim when they reached her. She'd been fighting at the main entrance to the manor for a while and now she was possibly facing doppelgangers. Even though they didn't say that's what she was facing, Elin was confident that was what was happening.

If she could restore her stamina, then she probably would be able to at least have a better chance against them. Though, the only problem that Elin could think of at the moment was where the other two doppelgangers were. She had a suspicion that the other two were heading around to the other side of Kim, so she would be sandwiched between the two pairs, which really would put Kim in a tight spot.

"Found it," Elmo said, handing it to Jonas.

Elin heard Jonas take a drink. Then the next thing she knew Jonas had taken her hand before placing the bottle in it. Then as soon as she was holding the bottle securely, Jonas immediately released her hand.

"We're almost there," Jonas said as a cloud moved over the moon, blocking the light.

Elin felt a moment of panic as she couldn't even make out her hand in front of her face. She suddenly feared that the two doppelgangers they didn't even suspect the location of would suddenly attack. Even though she knew Jonas would still see around them, she couldn't stop the fear as it started taking her over.

"Calm down, Elin," Jonas said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I won't let you get lost."

Elin shook her head vigorously, unable to get her voice to work. She wasn't sure she could trust her voice either if she could get it to work anyway at that moment. It was good to be reminded that Jonas could still see around them, but it only helped calm her down a little. The knowledge of what the doppelgangers could do was still sharp in her mind.

"Should I use my magic to create a light for us?" Elmo asked.

"Save your magic," Jonas replied. "We might need it more than we realize."

When they arrived at the manor, by the open window a few minutes later, Jonas helped Elin up first, not that it was much of a climb. When she was in the manor, she felt a little better, but not from feeling safe. Just that it felt more familiar to her than the open area outside.

When Elmo climbed through the window, Elin sensed it more than heard it. It was more like she could feel his presence than see or hear him. Though, as Jonas climbed through the window, the cloud that had hidden the moon, moved past it, allowing the light from the moon to shine again.

Elin let out a breath of relief as she was able to just make out the shapes of Jonas and Elmo again. It wasn't much but it somehow gave her comfort in a way she couldn't say how. Just that being able to make that much out made her feel calmer.

"Where's Kim from here?" Elin whispered, not wanting to alert any hidden doppelgangers to their presence if she could help it.

Jonas didn't reply right away. Not that she expected him to. She was willing to wait for him to listen for any sounds Kim might be making. She wasn't worried that he wouldn't be able to locate her. It would just take a little time.

However, her hopes were dashed the moment Jonas spoke after that. "I… really can't tell. Maybe a spell or something was used, because all I hear is silence,' Jonas merely said, not sounding as surprised as Elin felt he should be about the matter. She was alarmed at the revelation. Had Kim been defeated without them having been able to help in any way?

"Don't worry," Elmo said gently. "I'm sure that it just means Kim hasn't started fighting yet."

"How do you know?" Elin whispered.

"Because the fight she had with the other doppelganger took a lot longer than its been since we found out about the doppelgangers," Elmo answered. "Even if she'd been fighting them from the moment that the others were leaving out the window, she'd still be in battle right now. So, I'm sure that they haven't started fighitng yet."

Elin nodded, hoping Elmo was right.

"Well, regardless, we need to figure out where to go from here," Jonas merely said.

"Hey, what's this?" Elin asked, as she noticed a familiar looking shadow near the window that reflected some of the moonlight in the way only metal can.

"What'd you find?" Elmo asked.

"I think it's a lamp!" Elin cried softly, elated that they'd be able to have a light source now. At least if they went through areas that didn't have lighting, not that she hadn't seen anywhere like that, aside from rooms like this.

"Why would they leave that here?" Elmo asked. "Wouldn't they have taken it with them so they'd have light to see by?"

"It may have given them light, but it would also have acted as a beacon to anyone who didn't want them to escape," Jonas remarked. "Think about it. No matter how much light it would give, it would be more visible from a distance than it would allow them to see with."

"I still would have taken it," Elin muttered, feeling more annoyed with Jonas at that moment.

"Uh, guys?" Elmo said softly, sounding a little alarmed.

"What?" Elin asked.

"What're those shadows?" Elmo asked, looking towards the doorway of the room.

Elin looked herself and felt her heart leap up into her throat. There were two tall, long shadows that could be seen through the doorway. Elin suspected the hadn't seen anyone in the room, as they weren't moving into the room, but she felt her heart start to beat faster as she worried that those might be the other two doppelgangers.

Elin glanced at Jonas, but she couldn't tell anything about him since he was just a shadow to her. Jonas was quiet and didn't seem to be willing to move. Elin didn't like how that looked and feared he knew something they didn't and that wasn't anything good. She couldn't say that it made her feel any better than she had been so far since this whole attack had started.

Then the shadows moved passed the doorway and Elin felt like she could breathe again. Despite the fear she felt and trepidation at her chances of fighting one of the doppelgangers, she started forcing herself to take one step after another towards the doorway. If they hadn't started attacking Kim yet, then that might mean they were just looking to surround her first.

If that was the case, then Elin was determined to at least draw the attention of one of them. She didn't expect that she'd have very good chances of surviving a fight with a doppelganger, but she was determined to do something to help Kim, even if she didn't see her, or know where she was, at that moment.

When she reached the hallway, she could still see the shadows, though one was turning down another hallway at that moment, leaving one in plain view. Elin felt like her chance at drawing the attention from either of those doppelgangers was dwindling fast. Even though it was probably a mistake and she could very well regret doing this, she steeled her will and called out as loudly as she could, forcing her fear aside for the moment, "Sacred Shot!"

The magical energy flowed through the air quickly, where it struck he other shadow as it started to turn down the other hallway as well. As the energy made contact, Elin felt a sudden stab of fear that her spell wouldn't even be noticed by the creature. If that happened, she wasn't sure what else she could do about it.

However, the moment after that dispelled that fear. As the energy struck the shadow, it staggered, its head turning around so fast Elin couldn't help but hope that it would just fall off. It certainly would save her and her new friends a lot of trouble.

Yet, as the shadow noticed Elin, it started moving towards her. Elin opened her mouth to cast her spell again, when the shadow started to shift. Elin felt a momentary sense of confusion as she tried to figure out what was going on.

The shadow looked like it was melting into something. Elin couldn't help but feel grateful for the darkness for keeping her from being able to see the change. Even though she'd seen the doppelganger change into Kim that other time, this time it felt different somehow. She couldn't say how, just that it was.

The shadow seemed to solidify a moment after it started to 'melt' and in its place Elin was a copy of what she herself looked like. She was confident that this was her battle. One that she had to deal with so she could keep it from trapping Kim.

Related Books

Popular novel hashtag