Races: Online (VR Smartphone App)

Chapter 150: We All Fall Down

"Cover your nose and hold your breaths!" She cried out as they approached the portion of the dungeon.

Ellynn's memory was sharp enough to recount the exact place where Timothy had fallen off. She looked back to only see two were following her—and Han was missing. She stopped before continuing forward: the Half Elf was with two people who didn't seem capable of heading back to the portal on their own. She gritted her teeth. In a time like this, it was more important that at least one or two managed to reach the safe area of Kraelonia Academy.

But was it even safe?

Even Timothy had warned them of the traps in the dungeon walls when they first escaped through the door—and in this time he seemed to have surmised the same conclusion as she did? She wasn't sure but there was only thing that she knew at this moment.

That kind of creature… it was ancient. Perhaps far older than anyone she'd encountered save for perhaps her own father and some Elves. And he wasn't here right now. Her heart rammed in her chest but she continued forward. They weren't strong in appearance and their mana wasn't revolting but the creature's way of thinking led to deaths.

And she hadn't signed up for that regardless of her intentions to help Han. 

If anybody asked her and she could reason it out—they'd understand wouldn't they? Cold sweat dripped down her back and she felt naked without her cloak, the Enchanter had seized it from her when she destroyed his original cloak and the barrier.

"T-This is it, but I forgot we can't climb our way up." Timothy spoke up and looked up to the heights they had fallen off from. "I-I… that thing can follow us, can't it?" His voice held a tinge of fear that revealed itself as his earlier bravado vanished.

There was no time to fear for friends or strangers—a fear of one's own life held more weight.

And yet wasn't it important to conquer their fears in the first place? Instincts said one thing but rationality said another. Ellynn looked at Theodore and came to a quick solution, she reached for her own belt bag and took out the remaining mana potions in her bottles and drank it down. It was too diluted to have any actual effects or she'd already worn herself thin earlier—even staying in the library seemed to have sucked much more than she expected.

Once she was done, she gave the Enchanter a look. "Take out my cloak and you'll hold it with Timothy. I'll use a Wind Spell to blast the two of you to the top."

"What about you?"

"Where's the cloak?"

Hadn't she turned back to help Han in the Test Trial before? The memory flitted back to her in the worst of times but she braced herself, "I'll be fine. There's nothing to worry about. The Illusory Mage is probably still up right?" She doubted that the person would go their way to help them when it was them who sent her and Timothy in the first place but she could only hope.

"Do you want my mana?" 

"Huh." Ellynn blinked and stared unsurely at Timothy. Until it clicked. Sharing mana… his assumption was right, she was already running low. But can this person who wasn't even a Mage be able to share their mana, she had much more use if it was Theodore who shared his but—josei

"I stayed in the cell chambers for too many days, I'm afraid that I can't share anything or else..."

"Take mine." Timothy held out his hands towards her.

She stared at him with a raised brow—until his hands started to glow rapidly. Her eyes widened but she quickly reached out to the mana in the air and took it for her own, "This much is fine!" She didn't want him to pass out or anything.

Timothy nodded and stopped.

He didn't look exactly exhausted and she couldn't help but think it may have been a little more useful if she asked once again but now wasn't the time. Theodore spreaded out the cloak from one of his own compartments and laid it out in the open. Timothy held on to one edge as the man held on to the other.

Ellynn took a deep breath.

The wind in the area seemed to hold no control or power here—the need for mana to perform a Spell was necessary at this time. As she exhaled, she released the Spell as a torrent of air began to build and level up.

A raging tornado that concentrated underneath the cloak and spiked them up the ground—she could have reached out and held on to it. She could have saved herself in this hour by doing it and yet she didn't. Her father would have probably said that she was foolish in this hour as she turned back to the corridor and awaited for the young man.

The current tornado was weakening but with a small increase of mana, she could bolster herself up with some trouble. Maybe it would have been better if Theodore's cloak hadn't been broken, and then she would still have hers. 

Ellynn waited for a moment.

And then another.

Until she had waited for more than enough time to think that he was gone. Would it have been better if she returned? Her legs didn't move despite her own—no, she didn't have any desire to move forward right now. The Half Elf gazed up at the portal that no doubt lay above her. It was finally time to leave—

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The sound of footsteps didn't reassure her as she glanced into the dark corridor and awaited for a monster? The 'Spectre' had been lying or it may have been an amalgamation of Necromancy that combined multiple aspects together—she could only think of one type that seemed closest to what they truly are:

A Revenant.

The mana they gave wasn't pure death but it was the only thing that made any sense. As soon as the steps became louder, she dragged some sliver of wind from the dying tornado and shaped it into wind blades and prepared herself. The creature might have been willing to slumber and kill its seekers and never leave their place, but things would change now.

A form finally appeared and she threw the formed slivers of wind at them—

[ You Have Been Attacked By An Invisible Blade ]

Han toppled backwards as he fell flat on the ground for the moment and cursed aloud. He had seen Timothy disappear from this layer and was now attacked by Ellynn? Was she possessed or something? He looked back furtively behind him and awaited for something to chase him and then drag him back into the library. 

But now he couldn't wait for that could he?

Picking himself up and trying to fight the spinning of his head, Han pressed a hand into his shoulder and felt the gush of warmth escaping it. Even his own agility and reflexes Skill hadn't seen it coming at all—the girl would have done good as an Assassin like the Shadow Elf if she had wanted to. "Hey! What gives, Ellynn!" He moved towards her and did it more slowly to not provoke her attacks.

It was only a couple of feet left so what mattered was arriving there without becoming a target practice by his friend. And so he had some time to spare and convince her that it was really him—he fought back the urge to reach out for his own dagger but the Inventory stayed open. 

Slow and steady. 

Until he became unsteady. 

Why was his foot—the walls around him were all shaking and vibrating. "Crap. He went into that direction." Han cursed himself and started moving faster. It was at this moment that he couldn't feel his other leg anymore but he limped as hard as he could. The walls and ceiling above him were caving in and collapsing.

He avoided them as he reached towards Ellynn and held his hands up. Another sear of pain inflicted itself as he moved his shoulder, but he did his best to rein back the pain on his face. "It's Han, don't attack me!"

"I-Is it really you?"

"I could ask you the same."

Ellynn's eyes narrowed at him and that was regardless of his own injuries. She was ruthless and uncaring when she wanted to be, didn't she?

Han waved a hand at her with his uninjured arm, "But we need to get out of here now before we get buried with the Spectre. Ghoul or whatever that thing was."

She looked at him unsurely but nodded, "Alright, I'll do my best."

Her tone made him a little worried—she didn't sound confident at all. Maybe he really shouldn't have expected her to do everything but with his bloodied leg and now shoulder, it was nothing short of a miracle for him to climb up. "Is there a problem?"

"No." Ellynn approached him and grabbed his arm and carefully placed it over her shoulders. She let out a deep sigh and then glanced at him. Her green eyes glowed in this moment as she chewed on her lip, "Actually, I'm afraid if we're too heavy together."

"Did you call me fat?"

She groaned, "We don't have time for that—"

Han felt a cold sensation prick the back of his neck and moved in that instant. He pushed her forwards and pressed her in between him and the wall.

A large crash sounded behind them.