Lily was baffled as soon as she woke up. The scenery was unfamiliar. It was completely dark as though her eyes were closed. But she was relieved when she heard Ray and Matt.
They approached her. She had a lot of questions to ask, but then she saw Matt's wounded leg.
"Guys, what happened?! You are injured!"
"Ha...long story. First let's find somewhere safe. Be alert, we get attacked if we move."
"Ok."
They slowly walked trying to find any place with more shelter making it easier to defend. They rested from time to time to avoid getting attacked.
But Matt's limping was getting worse. He winced at each step.
"Halt. I, see something like an opening in the wall. We may get attacked."
Ray's eyes glowed as looked intently. They readied their weapons and approached the opening in the wall. As they entered, they felt lighter and more relaxed.
Glow in Ray's eyes dimmed. He turned towards Lily and Matt
"This looks like a small room. The fog's not here I can see everything clearly now."
"Huh? But why would there be such a place?''
"I don't know, but let's rest here for now. As far as I can see it's safe."
Matt and Lily slowly sat down, their back against the wall.
"You guys rest here. I will go find the others."
"Shouldn't you also rest. You're pushing yourself too much."
Matt was worried about Ray. From the start Ray had not gotten a proper rest.
"Don't worry I will be fine."
***
After leaving Matt and Lily, I ventured back trying to find the rest. But I also had the same question as Lily, a safe haven in the middle of nowhere was very suspicious. But currently we have no choice but to trust it and rest there.
As I walked, I felt a familiar presence. It was those shadowy figures. But I had gotten quite used to them always attacking from the back.
I swiftly dodged and thrust my blade. This time for sure, the creature was killed. I sheathed by sword and continued the search.
I was attacked again and again. I t had been more than 40 minutes since I started my search, but then I saw them. Two figures walking.
I approached them cautiously. But I felt the monsters' presence. I unsheathed my blade slashed in the direction of the killing intent. My sword sliced something.
Sii-ik!!
The two figures were alarmed by the sound. Now I was sure that they were Kyle and Tidlen.
"Guys, don't attack. It's me Ray"
Now we had been walking for some time when we felt the monsters' presence again.
"These are the monster's I warned you about, be ready. They mostly attack from the back."
I assumed that as always, we would be attacked from the back. But this time we were attacked not only from the back, but also the front.
I blocked the attack from the back, Tidlen shot mana bullets, kyle was fighting against the front.
We managed to quickly deal with them as they were weak.
"Huu… weren't they supposed to only attack from the back?"
Tidlen' s question wasn't wrong.
"Yes. But they have learned and improved. These creatures are intelligent enough change their tactics. Come on, lets move quickly. Now we don't know what to expect."
I tried my best to remember my path from that room. We kept walking for some time and surprisingly this time we were not attacked.
We finally reached that opening in the wall.
"Matt, Lily it's Ray. Don't attack"
I announced my presence and slowly walked inside. But no sooner had I stepped in, I was attacked by Lily.
It wasn't strong after all she was only using an arrow as a knife. I instantly grabbed the arrow and pushed her back.
"Why are you attacking me, Lily?!"
I spoke seriously. I saw that she was bruised all over.
"Thank God…It's the real you this time. I …am …very sorry"
Lily was out of air. I didn't answer. I looked at Matt, he was resting in a corner, he looked better.
"Guys, come in."
Kyle and Tidlen felt better as soon as they came through opening.
"What is this place? I feel relaxed just by entering." Kyle was the first to ask.
I had noticed that she had not spoken much along the way. After all she had just become an S-rank, but before her body had the time to adjust, we were in that fog that suppressed mana. She must have been very uncomfortable.
"We don't know, but its safe here. The fog is also absent, that's why we feel better inside."
As soon as he heard me, Tidlen tried to use fire magic.
It worked. A small flame appeared in the middle of his hand. Everyone was delighted. They could see now.
"Everyone, please give me your empty bottles."
Tidlen filled the bottles with water magic. He looked very much better as he was able to properly help now.
"Let's first rest everyone. We shall take turns keeping watch"
Kyle was back to being the leader and everyone was glad.
Matt volunteered to be the first to keep watch as he had been resting all this time.
"Lily, what did you mean then? When you said that it was the 'real' me 'this time'?"
"Ah…yes. We heard your voice before you had come. It was the monsters. They attacked us, but couldn't come inside. That's why I mistook you for the monsters. I apologize."
"What!!"
Tidlen was understandably astonished.
"Its fine, nothing happened to me."
Everyone was in deep thought.
"Let's rest first. We are in no condition to think rationally at this point."
Kyle was right.
'First Anudrix' s message, then this fog, now creatures capable of intelligence. If I am correct, I think we are in that lab.'