CHAPTER 61— Cave battle(1)
Rowan, Ritvik, and Sarina finally emerged from the small dungeon.
Fresh air brushed against Rowan's face.
He let out a long sigh.
His mind was still stuck inside the dungeon.
He sighs deeply as he thinks about what happened in the dungeon.
'Why were those four dark mages there?'
The image of the four dark mages he encountered in the dungeon surfaced in his mind again.
The silver-haired boy.
The ash-gray-haired one.
The blue-haired guy holding the map.
And the brown-haired student who had been arguing with the others.
'And they didn't even look like the dark mages described in books.'
Rowan frowned.
The books always described dark mages as dangerous fanatics. Power-hungry maniacs who performed forbidden rituals and committed unspeakable acts.
But the four he had met...
They had looked completely normal.
They bickered.
Complained.
And Argued over a map.
They looked no different from ordinary students.
'They looked... just like us.'
Rowan lowered his gaze as he continued walking.
A strange feeling settled inside his chest.
'Could they somehow know something about Bhaiya?'
He kept walking in a daze.
The newspaper article flashed through his mind again.
The article that had declared his brother a dark mage.
His grip unconsciously tightened around the pocket where the second mysterious rune rested.
Suddenly a memory surfaced in his mind. The memory when Miss Valeria was teaching them about spirits.
"In this world, not everything you hear—or even see—is the truth."
Rowan doesn't understand why he is remembering something like that at this moment but somehow now those words are unsettling him.
'Just what is going on...?'
Thud.
"Ouch."
Rowan suddenly walked straight into something.
Or rather—
Someone.
He rubbed his forehead.
"Hey, Ritvik—"
Rowan called him since he bumped into him but the words stopped midway.
Rowan blinked as he saw Ritvik wasn't moving.
Rowan turned to look at his face.
Ritvik was standing completely frozen his eyes were wide almost unnaturally wide.
"Huh? What happened?"
He then looked at Sarina who was standing beside ritvik looking at the same direction though her eyes were calmer then him they still carried an unnatural seriousness as both were looking at the same direction.
Rowan followed their gaze and soon the expression of his face changed too.
"What the?"
Far in the distance—
A massive pillar of dark-purple aura was rising into the sky.
The aura twisted like smoke from a volcanic eruption, spreading across the horizon in thick waves.
BOOOOM!!!
A deafening explosion echoed through Rune Island.
Moments later—
BOOOOM!!!
Another followed.
The ground beneath their feet trembled faintly.
From this distance, they could see flashes of light erupting around the source of the dark-purple aura.
Blue.
Silver.
Orange.
Purple.
Different colors collided repeatedly.
Every collision was followed by another explosion.
The very air seemed to tremble.
Rowan swallowed.
Something was happening over there.
Something big.
Something very, very wrong.
Ritvik adjusted his glasses with a trembling hand.
His voice came out unusually stiff.
"...That's dark mana."
Rowan's heart skipped a beat.
'Dark mana.'
The words alone were enough to make his stomach tighten.
Sarina narrowed her eyes.
"Not just dark mana."
Another explosion echoed in the distance.
BOOOOOM!!!
A blue flash shot upward before disappearing.
Sarina's expression grew more serious.
"There are students fighting there."
A brief silence followed.
The three of them stared at the distant battlefield.
None of them spoke.
The dark-purple aura continued to rise into the sky like a warning.
And for some reason—
Rowan felt a strange sense of unease growing inside his chest.
As if whatever was happening over there...
Was somehow connected to the things he had encountered inside the dungeon.
---
The trio ran through their way following the direction of the blasts and finally reached the place from where the explosions were coming.
BOOOOM!!
Another deafening blast echoed across the ground.
Rowan's eyes widened when he finally saw what's happening.
The scene before him looked like something straight out of a nightmare.
Dozens of grotesque creatures were rampaging across the battlefield.
Some looked like twisted woglins stitched together from different monsters.
Others possessed far too many limbs.
One creature had the body of a lizard, the head of a baor, and a row of jagged bones protruding from its spine.
Dark-purple mana seeped from their bodies like poisonous smoke.
Students were desperately fighting against them.
Explosions erupted everywhere.
The creatures charged.
The students retaliated.
The entire area had descended into chaos.
Rowan's face went pale looking at the creatures, his hands started trembling.
Those creatures...
Ghosts.
Evil spirits.
The kinds of things he had only ever heard about in bedtime stories.
The same terrifying creatures his mother used to mention whenever she wanted him to sleep early.
And now—
They were standing right in front of him.
Real, Alive... and Moving.
He swallowed hard looking at them. His legs were refusing to move as if they have frozen.
Ritvik walked but then he noticed Rowan isn't with them. He turned and saw him. Standing like a statue his hands and legs trembling.
"Rowan!"
"..."
"Rowan"
Ritvik called him but getting no response grabbed his shoulders and shook them violently.
"ROWAN!"
"Huh!"
Rowan snapped back to reality. He looked at ritvik infront of him, hands on his shoulder.
"What happened to you, your hands are trembling."
Ritvik asked His brows furrowed as he was looking at Rowan's hands.
Sarina followed them behind.
"What happened?"
"Huh?"
Rowan blinked.
Then looked at his own hands.
Only now did he realize how badly they were shaking.
"Why are you trembling?"
"What do you mean? Why?"
Rowan said pointing towards the creature the students are fighting.
"There are a lot of scary creatures there how am I not supposed to..."
"Sigh..."
Ritvik took a deep breath then Then looked directly into Rowan's eye.
"Hey listen."
His voice became unusually serious.
"There's no need to be scared of those things, Okay. Take a deep breath and then..."
Suddenly a messvie shadow fell over them. Rowan's expression turned blank.
"...?"
Ritvik raised an eyebrow at that.
Then slowly turned around.
Sarina did the same.
Behind them stood a Chimera.
The creature towered over them like a walking nightmare.
Its body resembled a monstrous ape, but its arms were far too long.
Jagged black bones protruded from its shoulders.
Its skin looked rotten and stitched together from different beasts.
One side of its face resembled a wolf.
The other resembled a reptile.
Dark-purple mana leaked from its mouth alongside thick strands of saliva.
Its yellow eyes stared at them with pure malice.
"Tch."
Ritvik clicked his tongue.
The Chimera slowly raised its gigantic claw.
Without hesitation—
Ritvik shoved Rowan away.
At the same moment, both he and Sarina jumped in opposite directions.
BOOOOM!!
The claw smashed into the ground where they had been standing moments earlier.
Dirt and stone exploded everywhere.
Fortunately—
They had dodged.
Rowan landed on the ground.
His face went blank.
A deep crater now occupied the spot where he had been standing.
Rowan was on the ground his face turned blank as he looked at the mark the Chimera's claws left on the ground.
The Chimera slowly turned its head.
And looked directly at him.
Rowan flinched.
His heart nearly stopped.
He quickly started dragging himself back both of his hands scarped against the ground. Moving his body steady in panick.
The creature opened its mouth.
Rows of jagged teeth became visible, thick saliva dripped from between them.
The Chimera raised its claw again.
Then lunged toward Rowan.
But—
THUK! THUD!
Several spells slammed into its face.
The Chimera was blasted sideways and crashed across the ground.
But then—
THUK!!
THUD!
Several spells slammed into its face.
The Chimera was blasted sideways and crashed across the ground.
Rowan immediately turned toward the source.
A smile appeared on his face.
Ritvik and Sarina.
The two of them stood with their weapons raised.
Ritvik quickly ran towards Rowan.
"...T-Thanks."
Rowan was about to say but Ritvik suddenly grabbed his shoulders tightly.
"What happened to you?"
"W-What?"
"Why are you acting like this?"
"Huh?" Rowan looked at him in confusion.
Ritvik frowned.
"Why are you like this. I told you there's no need to be afraid of those Chimeras."
"What do you mean, how can I not. They look—"
But before Rowan could complete his words Ritvik shook him.
"You have your own spells. Have you forgot?"
Rowan froze at those words.
"..."
"Just use those spells to defend yourself."
"But I—"
"No matter how scary they look they are just monster."
He was looking directly into Rowan's eyes.
"And you are stronger then them."
Rowan froze again.
Ritvik slowly released his shoulders.
He slowly released his grip on Rowan's shoulder.
Then pointed toward his waist
"Raise your wand— I mean Axe and fight."
Rowan looked down.
Rowan looked down the axe hanging from his waist entered his vision..
Even though Ritvik's eyes were hidden behind his glasses, Rowan still somehow understood the look he must be giving him.
KHAAAHHH!!
The sound of the Chimera was heard Rowan's eyes widened, everyone turned.
The Chimera they had attacked was slowly standing up again.
Sarina raised her wand the mana particals started gathering around it. But then—
Ritvik grabbed her wrist and stopped her. Sarina glanced at him and Ritvik returned the look.
He looked at the Chimera who was struggling but slowly standing up, then at Rowan.
"Rowan!" He called him.
"Get up and fight that Chimera."
Rowan flinched and stared at Ritvik.
"Get up, take your wand out and fight him Rowan."
He pointed towards the other students at a distance that were already fighting many Chimeras.
He pointed toward the distant battlefield. Other students were already fighting.
Already bleeding.
Already risking their lives.
"See, if those students can fight then you can fight too."
His voice grew firmer.
"Are you gonna always cover in fear when something terrifying comes in your way."
The Chimera was slowly standing up. It's massive shadow covered Rowan.
Ritvik pointed toward it.
"Get up and Raise your wand Rowan."
Rowan sniffled and slowly stood up he slowly reached for his waist and pulled his axe and took the familiar lumberjack stance.
The Chimera too had fully stood up now.
Rowan looked at the Chimera it's shadow falling on him, His hands and legs were shaking his breathing was heavy.
"Attack Rowan."
The Chimera advanced it's shadow swallowed him whole.
"Attacked Rowan."
The Chimera opened its jaws.
Rows of monstrous teeth became visible.
"Attack Rowan."
Rowan's eyes became glassy looking at the terrifying creature.
The Chimera raised it's claws.
"ATTACK. ROWAN."
The claw descended towards Rowan.
Rowan bit his lips, closed his eyes and then swung his axe.
Fire chop.
FWOOOOSH!!
The blazing cresent of fire roared forward and met the Chimera's claw head on.
Then—
The fire chop sliced through the claw.
The fire chop continued to move forward slicing through it's chest the creature was spilt into two halves.
The Chimera fell to the ground with a loud thud.
THUD.
Rowan flinched at the noise, he then slowly opened his eyes and saw the Chimera on the ground.
'What the?'
Rowan's heavy breathing gradually subsided when he looked at the fallen Chimera on the ground.
His gaze remained fixed on the fallen monster.
His hands and feet stopped shaking without him realising.
'it was... This easy?'
Before he could progress anything more a hand wrapped around his neck.
"See I told you."
Ritvik grinned as he shook Rowan happily.
Rowan continued staring at the dead Chimera.
The terrifying monster.
The creature from his childhood nightmares.
The one that looked like the Creatures he had only heard about in his Childhood stories that his mother used to tell him to force him to sleep.
That terrifying looking Chimera that looked no different from a ghost.
Was down. lying dead before him.
...Just like that.
"Hey Rowan."
"Huh?"
"You okay now?"
Rowan nodded slowly.
"Yeah... Thanks."
A faint smile appeared on Ritvik's face.
"I'm feeling much better now."
Rowan took a deep breath again. His heavy breathing had already stopped without him noticing. Though his heart was still shaking violently. Now he doesn't feel that much scared that he was feeling few moments ago.
'what is this feeling?' Rowan thought for a second.
"Hey Sarina see. What do you say."
Ritvik turned and asked Sarina.
Rowan also looked at her.
Sarina stared at both of them with a blank face before mock- clapping.
"Yeah yeah. It was good. Now let's go."
Her voice remained completely flat.
"There are still many more Chimeras.We need to help others."
Ritvik Sighed.
"What an enthusiastic reaction."
KRAAAAHH!!
A massive shadow suddenly fell over them.
This one was even bigger.
Another Chimera had broken through the formation.
Ritvik quickly raised his staff, Sarina raised her wand. Even Rowan quickly got into his posture.
The creature raised it's claws and then—
FWOOSSH...
A wave of crimson fire swept across the battlefield.
The Chimera was instantly reduced to ashes.
"...?"
"..."
"..."
The three stared.
Then a familiar voice echoed behind them.
"What's going on here?"
Ritvik's eyebrows twitched.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
He hid himself behind Rowan.
Rowan and Sarina turned.
A crimson-haired girl stood there.
Her long hair resembled flowing flames.
Her magma-like red eyes glowed with confidence.
Behind her stood several students.
"I asked."
Seraphine crossed her arms.
"What's going on here?"
Her followers were standing behind her.
Then her gaze landed on Ritvik who was hiding behind Rowan.
"Hey! class B mutt can't you hear me?"
She pointed towards Ritvik.
"Tch."
Ritvik clicked his tongue.
"Who even invited her." he muttered under his breath.
Then reluctantly stepped out from behind Rowan.
"Well..."
He scratched his cheek.
"The thing is..."
"It looks like the students are fighting some dark mages." Sarina immediately answered in his stead.
"Dark mages?"
Seraphine raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah."
Ritvik nodded as he explained the situation.
"We had encountered some in our dungeon. But then they escaped and it looks like they are now fighting other students."
Suddenly a smile appeared on Seraphine's face. A very dangerous smile.
"Wait. Really there are dark mages here."
Ritvik blinked.
'Why does that make you happy?'
"Where is are they i wanna see one." Seraphine asked excitedly.
Ritvik stare at her even with the glasses covering on the dull look on his eyes were clear.
Ritvik lazily pointed towards the direction where students were fighting the Chimeras.
The Chimeras were steadily overwhelming the students.
"Where are the other students?" Seraphine asked.
"some are properly still in the forest.
"and others must be inside the dungeons."
Her followers exchanged glances one stepped forward.
"Should we inform other students too miss Seraphine."
"No."
A grin spread across Seraphine's face.
"I will be enough for them."
She pointed forward dramatically.
"Members of the Crimson Club!
"...."
"Let's go!"
Without waiting for a response—
She marched toward the battlefield.
Her followers quickly followed behind.
Rowan, Ritvik, and Sarina watched them leave.
Then Rowan turned towards Ritvik.
"Why do you always hide whenever you see her?"
"Don't ask me."
Ritvik replied immediately with a sore face.
"Hey" Sarina called them.
The two boys looked at her.
She pointed toward the battlefield.
"Let's go. We should help too."
The two exchanged glances.
Then nodded.
And together—
The three rushed toward the battlefield.
---
CHAPTER ENDS