A few minutes later, still inside the dark sewer system.
"Huff.. huff..."
Feres was starting to suffocate, his breath were heavy and his walking speed had became more slower than everyone else, but its not just him, Eldi, Marc, and Anton are also suffering from exhaustion, its just that they have more stamina than Feres, but that doesn't make them any different, their breathing were also heavy and Eldi even have to lean his hand onto the wall so that he wont fall down.
"Huff.. Anyone reached their limit?" Said Eldi as he turned towards his back.
"I- i can still move.. Huff.. huff."
"D- don't worry.. Im used to this, this is just usual training for me.."
Everyone gave the same answer, but it was obvious that they were lying, that's when Feres spoke up to them.
"I- i think its not a bad idea to rest for a bit.."
"Feres.. we need to get out of here as fast as possible and report this, our opponent is a mage, a strong one at that, we're not gonna be able to beat him— Not in this state." Said Eldi.
"I know.. Huff.. but at this rate one of you are going to fall unconscious.."
"...."
Eldi goes quiet for a few seconds and then decided that he'd rather keep his comrade concious instead of carrying someone to the exit, it would be an extra work to carry one of them, considering that they're a grown adult and heavy.
"3 minutes.." He said.
"Alright."
The four of them immediately sat down and gathers their stamina back as fast as possible, there is no time to waste.
'Usually im able to run for 10 minutes straight, but right now i couldn't even make it to 5 minutes mark– Is it because of the adrenaline and intense thought of dying that made me more exhausted?' Eldi thought.
'Im not sure but i'll have to survive no matter what..'
***
"We're continuing, stand up.."
"A- alright."
3 minutes passed and the four of them continued their way to the exit, in just 3 minute, they've recovered almost 30% of their stamina, and it would probably be enough to get them out of here.
However, just after they continued the walk, something made Eldi and his squad stop on their track.
"Shh..."
Eldi signaled everyone to not move.
Thump..
Thump...
Its a sound of a footstep, and it was coming from behind them.
"!!!"
Eldi and everyone else instantly turned back and held their spears as tight as possible, they go into a combat position and gets ready for any oncoming attack.
'Captain?.. No..'
Because of the darkness in the sewer, Eldi couldn't see the humanoid figure infront of him, the figure seems to blend in with the surrounding, the only thing that he can tell is the vague outline that the figure has, its shaped like the figure is wearing a hooded robe.
"Careful everyone, That is not our captain." Eldi whispered.
The footstep stopped, and the figure stood not far away from them.
Then, another gurgling sound of water was heard, it came straight from the figure, soon after, four magic circle appeared near the figure, and it emits blue light bright enough to uncover their appearance, it was an adult man, approximately in his 30's with a bit of facial hair, he was undoubtedly a mage, after the magic circle appeared, water bullets starts to shoot out towards Eldi's squad.
< WATER BULLET >
"DODGE!!" Eldi screamed.
Tiny water bullets were launched, they were incredibly fast that Eldi and his comrade almost have no time to react, they dodged a few that came first, but they were not gonna wait for a second wave, as soon as the figure stopped conjuring the water bullets, they all used that tight opportunity to strike back and ran towards the hooded man.
"NOW! CHARGE!!" Eldi said, commanding everyone
"HIYAAGGHHHH!!!"
"ATTACK!"
"ROGER!"
The four of them ran, their spears pointing towards the mage, ready to stab him and perhaps cut its body in half if the figure were to dodge.
As they ran, the hooded mage didn't wait any second before he started to cast another magic, magic circles appeared again and gurgling water sounds can be heard, this time its even louder and larger than before.
"HES GOING TO ATTACK! WATCH OUT!!"
< WATER THORN >
Large spike suddenly appeared from the ground, not just one, but multiple spikes that were made out of water began to protrude out of the solid ground and it is slowly coming over to Eldi's squad, theres no doubt that the water spike will come from where they're standing, or perhaps it will try to predict where they will move, but regardless, they need to keep dodging, Eldi and his comrade still maintained high spirit and kept charging, but with more caution this time.
STAB!
"ARRGHHH!!"
One of the water spike stabbed Marc's leg, it hits his knee and the result were far worse than anyone had anticipated, Marc's leg got cut off by the spike and he fell to the ground.
"MARC!!" Eldi screamed.
Seeing his close friend get injured like that angered Eldi to the point that he created a sword aura on his spear, a bright flame began to burn at the tip of Eldi's spear and it gave light to the surrounding.
< FIRE AURA >
< STRENGTH BOOST I >
"HAAAGHHHH!!!"
Eldi jumped and prepares for a fatal attack towards the mage, he thought that it would be over for the mage, but to his surprise the mage's face didn't change at all, he doesn't have any fear on his eyes, its more like he expected Eldi to attack him like this so that he can humiliate Eldi with his futile effort.
"What a fiery spirit, the kind you'd usually see when someone have a deep hatred and ready to use whatever they have to defeat their opponent." Said the mage.
"But."
Yet another magic circle appeared, but this time its below the mage's foot.
< DASH >
Eldi pushed his spear forward with great force, strong breeze punched the mage right at his face, he was about to be stabbed, and yet when Eldi had pushed his spear to its limit, the mage suddenly disappeared from the spear's trajectory, he then reappeared right beside Eldi.
"Sadly, you're too focused on killing me-"
SWING!
Another attack launched towards the mage, this time it came from Anton and Feres from behind, they simultaneously swung both of their spears to cut the mage's body in half, but yet again he manages to dodge it right before the attack hits him.
The mage appeared at the other side of Eldi again.
"Nice try" He said
After the mage reappeared, another water bullets was shot towards Anton and Feres, they both couldn't react in time as it was way closer than before and their attention were focused on Eldi.
SWOOONNGG!
SWOOOONNGG!!
Both of the water bullets went through their head and they soon fall to the ground motionless.
"URAAAGGHH!!"
SWOOSSHH!!
Eldi didn't have time to look after Feres and Anton, so he took one last effort and spins his spear from one side to another, the speed at which his spear rotates were incredibly fast, so much so that the grounds cracked from the sheer force Eldi put into this attack.
The burning spear quickly made its way to the mage's midriff and for once, this attack finally surprises him, the mage's eyes opened wide as he realized just how fast the attack are, he almost got hit.
Eldi thought he got the mage this time, because there is no way he would survive that attack, and yet as if his wish were denied by the gods, he saw the mage standing infront of him, again.
Although this time his side stomach can be seen bleeding, some part of his robe are also torn off because of Eldi's sword aura.
"Fuck.. I underestimate you, how are you only a mere town guard." Said the mage, not believing that Eldi is just a normal town guard when he was able to use sword aura.
"Stop talking and just die."
"Hmph, fine, lets end this– I don't have much time left anyway."
The mage starts to cast another spell, massive magic circle appeared ontop of his head and a ball of water appeared, slowly growing in size, at first it was the size of a soccer ball, and then it quickly changed to a giant ball, the top of it almost touches with the sewer ceiling.
"Shit.. What the fuck is he trying to do now.."
After that last attack, Eldi's sword aura disappeared and the surrounding became dark again, Eldi could feel a sudden exhaustion along with an excruciating pain from every part of his body, he spent way too much energy from using sword aura and now he can't even move his hands.