The streets of the sanctuary bustled with heavy and loud voices, everywhere I looked it was full of activity, every sound I focused on, emerging from every single corner of this underground haven, creating a cacophony of energy, optimism, resolve and determination, the expressions over the faces of the many refugees, plus the soldiers had turned more determined and convicted.
The despair was something which still lingered in certain parts, but overall the morale of everyone in the sanctuary had been boosted, which brought forth the cooperation of the sanctuary in its entirety.
And I guess the credit for that goes to Zalar’s efforts yesterday together with the elders, and Mordian’s cooperation in becoming a symbolic figure for the refugees’ here.
I looked down at the busy sanctuary from above the fortress, the soldiers tip topped in hurry, either hurriedly putting on their armour, sharpening or maintaining their weapons, or getting supplies or materials necessary for their departure only moments away.
The preparations had been finally finalized, everything in place and according to what we had planned. And what we required now was to simply execute the plan and hope for the best.
My gaze moved through the sanctuary, seemingly slow and deliberate as I watched several scenes unfold through the streets which bustled with loud noises.
Children watching the adults getting prepared for war, their innocent eyes looking around the masses of the soldiers which encompassed quite a good amount of the sanctuary, their eyes shimmered in awe, but deep within them there was fear and trepidation.
Friends bidding each other farewell and praying for their safe return, pleas of consolation rose in the sanctuary, all three races were doing something similar, either a wife bidding farewell to her husband with tears welling in her eyes, orc, elf or dwarf children clinging to either their father’s or mother’s leg not willing to let go as their parents consoled them with a bright and hopeful, yet almost sad expression.
My gaze slowly moved again and I stopped on two elves, one male and the other female. The former had his slightly long blonde hair tied in a ponytail placed over his shoulder as he wore a pair of leather armour with vambraces, with the latter having short blonde hair with streaks of white and silver mixed, draped in ordinary clothing.
They both stood near a secluded mud-house which wasn’t that exposed nor well hidden, as the refugees and soldiers moved along the path, everyone was focused of their own task as they prioritized themselves first.
Their foreheads were touching as they shared a silent moment in the chaos around them, their hands grasped and eyes closed, until the female elf moved closer and stood on her toes with some effort until she reached the male elf's height as her lips gently caressed the male elf's.
Using that cue I took that exact moment and pulled my gaze away as if that hadn’t happened.
I wouldn’t want to intrude on their moment. I continued observing the others as I saw several similar scenes of the refugees bidding their loved ones farewell and wishing them good luck for their victory, after a while I sighed as I waited for the preparations of the soldiers to be complete.
The atmosphere had turned lively and kind of bearable since yesterday. Plus the attitudes of those around us had taken a turn for the better. They now held us with a more favourably impression, while I'd gotten quite acquainted with the soldiers and the refugees here in the last two weeks.
I nudged the systems interface open as a window came to life in front of me, my eyes ran up and down on the long window which had all my stats and abilities, either passive or active skills mentioned; my current levels.
Taking a while, I swiftly corrected and adjusted my inventory, the items within, minutes later, I placed the items in a more convenient order and bought some useful expandable items from the shop as I placed them inside the inventory after checking their contents.
I saw my accumulated and hard earned points, which I had obtained by risking my life each time, vanish instantly as the corner of my mouth twitched for a split second as I took a breath and eased my expression. It was indeed easy spending money, than to earn it.
I shook my head in slight exasperation, but with a sigh I closed the window and focused on to my body this time. The linen shirt I wore slightly swayed with a gentle breeze inside the sanctuary through the tunnel connection, matched with a pair of black pants and ordinary shoes.
To be precise, what I was looking at was the invisible armour which encompassed my body, given to me back Vetustima as a final gift, seemingly strong enough to not receive a single dent during my fight with the Eldergrove.
I pulled the tether which connected me to the relic armour, as I saw a layer of thick and hard scales envelop my body, their appearance was almost magical as the scales seem to appear from within me, which shimmered under the light around me, the iridescent rimmed quality of the armour added a certain mystery to the relic itself, as I touched the armour which had draped me like a piece of clothing.
It was far more comfortable than any armour I'd ever tried. I augmented mana into the relic armour as the scales hummed and the slightest light shrouded the armour enveloping it like a wisp as I felt the thickness and defences of the relic strengthened and my connection deepen as I felt the scales like a part of myself.
It was indeed an excellent artifact which was compatible with my abilities. I was never a big fan of wearing armours because it hindered my movement, only sticking to the light stuff like a leather chest plate or vambraces.
But the biggest advantage of the relic armour was that it didn’t hinder in any of my movements and allowed me to move in whatever way I liked, as freely as possible.
No wonder Vetustima took great pride in this particular item. I thought as I saw myself shrouded with the scaled armour from my chin to my toes. It was like an absolute defence, it can repair itself if damaged, which rarely happens and most of all, it gives me a boost in the accumulation and discharge speed of my mana either when manipulating mana rotation or when spellcasting.
I performed the same action as before, as the relic armour vanished inward as the obsidian scales with iridescent rimmed edges disappeared as if they were never there in the first place, absorbed into my body, but still there in a dormant state to be called out at any time.
And even without draping the relic armour over my body, it still provided me with a certain level of defence even in its dormant state, but I was still vulnerable to wounds and actual injuries in this state.
It was basically the difference between its corporeal and incorporeal state, which made anyone awestruck of the relic.
Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed inside my mind, it was filled with ancient wisdom and masculinity, stern and firm, as I responded back in affirmation upon hearing him.
I put pressure over my legs as I stood from the cobblestone floor, with the finality of my preparations and confirming that I was good to go, I walked down from the roof, covering a slow stride as I stepped down from the stone-cut stairs, the sound of my boots echoing against the hardness of the floor and walls, as I made way down, deeper into the fortress as the lights slightly dimmed before I entered a hallway which was illuminated by the torches and glowing minerals embedded in the ceiling.
I changed corridor after corridor and made my way to the main chamber, along the way I saw several refugees who were inside the fortress, as I communicated with Mordian, currently only he and Zalar were present in the main chamber while the other elders had moved out for the time being to perform necessary tasks to finalize their preparations.
Each step brought me closer to the chamber, trying to figure out why Mordian had called me so suddenly. My eyes landed over the guards which stood post outside the chamber, they did a cursory glace, not appearing too interested in my arrival like usual and without a word opened the doors as the almost loud creak resounded around us, as the doors jarred open.
‘What’s up?’ I asked as I moved my gaze around the not so big chamber, where Mordian continued to sat, and Zalar was standing, staring at a parchment in his hand as he moved on with work.
His eyes were fixed on the document with such concentration and focus, as he marked several areas over the document with a quill. What broke him away from his concentration was the sound of the doors opening as he laid eyes over my visage.
Seriously, did this guy ever know how to relax, even for once? I thought as I didn’t allow any emotion to show over my face, as I entered and the doors creaked closed behind me, their edges grinding against the cobblestone floor.
But it was true, ever since I'd arrived in the sanctuary I'd not seen this orcen elder rest properly even once. He was, at most all of the time, engaged in some debate or some important task which needed his supervision, giving him no time for any personal activity.
“I hope I didn’t call you at a bad time.” He said with an apologetic tone, his tone was as sincere as well, even with the most trivial matters. “With all the ongoing preparations, you must have been busy yourself.”
I shook my head solemnly, appearing casual in front of this particular orcen elder. “No, it’s fine. I'm already done with my preparations.” I moved my gaze across the chamber and glanced at Mordian, who silently sat with his arms crossed, back eased against the high-back chair, several parchments and documents were placed in front of him. “But I suppose it’s something that holds certain importance that you had Mordian call me here, and want to talk about it in private without the others present?” I jabbed with a straight face as I gave a passing glance at the vacant chairs, not trying to beat around the bush.
Zalar understood my intentions clearly as he looked almost apologetic, a gentle crease bloomed over his soft yet aged features which had experienced the vicissitudes of time as he remained hunched.
His expression turned contradictory to his previous one, as his brows knitted and he looked more serious, his furrow lines more prominently displayed, which added more depth to his face, but made me wary of his next words.
His eyes went down to the parchment which he was scribbling on only moments ago with a quill, as he looked at Mordian and then turned to me. “Yes. It’s something which I can only trust you with, Jiwoo, that’s why I requested Lord Astrionyx to communicate with you to come here.” He said with a solemn tone, each word holding a deep meaning. “You must also be aware of the reason yourself to some extent.”
I nodded simply, understanding his inclination without having to point out the obvious.
It was probably because of the spy which hadn’t been caught yet so far. It was because of me having first hand experience fighting in a war, that was why I was suspicious of the presence of a spy, or spies, because it was impossible for that to be unlikely. That spy, at the contrary, had done an excellent job at hiding itself. I had a few people pop up in mind, but their actions weren’t that suspicious, that I could just accuse them based on my vague opinion.
I shrugged as I walked closer to the octagonal table and reached Zalar, who stood silently in his spot, his fingers sharing the fresh smell of the quill's ink, as I laid eyes on the parchment which lied on the table.
From a simple glance, it looked like a map, a highly detailed one at that which easily highlighting the passages, hallways, rooms and other facilities of some massive building.
My brows jumped in surprise as I noticed the quill marks, which had left a dark circle over several positions and areas within and outside the fortress area, making an intricate path leading inside the fortress through a hidden passage, from the underground, but not connected to the dungeon below.
“This is..” I pointed out as I placed a hand over the old, yellow parchment which looked quite old, perhaps even older than all three of us in this room.
The document appeared delicate to the eyes, so much so, that I felt like exerting a little bit of strength might tear the important document apart.
Zalar beside me nodded, his serene eyes shimmering as they skilfully moved along mine as he pointed at the highlighted areas over the map, starting from the entrance and to where I needed to go to once I entered the fortress of Esparossa.
“This hidden passage is on the easternmost side of the fortress's surrounding area, the distance is about a mile, situated near the opening of the magical forest, which appears the most normal and unbothered position of the area which encompasses the fortress and the land around it ” Zalar pointed out. His slender finger traced over the parchment, following the circles in a chronological order.
He scrutinized over his words, trying his best to appear rhetorical and coherent in his speech. “Following this path, you will find an entrance which would lead you to an underground tunnel which connects to the first basement of the fortress.”
He paused, taking a glance at me and finding that I was fully immersed, he continued on with his explanation.
“The fortress has a total of two underground basements and below those basements is the dungeon where the chieftain and the remaining elders are most probably imprisoned. There are trapdoors and several secret passages within the fortress which only the chieftain is aware of, alongside this one.”
I followed the tip of his finger, and looked at the dark circles, the basements' structures were certainly complex, it was like a packed maze, and the maze only got more intricate and difficult to read and understand as it deepened.
Zalar took a breath, he concisely explained the path which led to the dungeon below the fortress, explaining every corridor, hall, and path in the basement, the rooms which each path connected to, as I continued listening with an observant expression, trying to piece together each path in my mind like a puzzle, but the premise was without knowing the presence of the enemies’ position.
The biggest problem I would face is the positioning of the guards, stationed around the fortress for any variables.
I activated Ruler’s Authority, as I saw Zalar suddenly flinch a step back, seeing the crease over his face, I controlled my skill and tried my best to suppress my aura, to alter the effects of the skill.
Getting back to work, my mind produced a clear and detailed simulation of the entire building, using the map and all the instructions given to me, I moved along each path, as if tracing through a maze, each room and hallway led to an entirely different area, and when it became harder for me to focus on some aspects I asked Zalar again where some places went, and he patiently replied, his face still holding the gentle yet serious expression from earlier, but his brows were creased exaggeratedly as he looked at me, the lavender reflected in his eyes.
I continued on with each simulation in my mind, phasing from one possibility and simulation to the next, putting together the maze which formed the entire fortress.
After thirty minutes of doing the same thing, I allowed myself to breathe, I took a moment to relax, the skill placed a significant burden over my mind as I continued, as if knives had been pulled out of my temples, as I recollected the entirety of the details.
Then after Zalar had covered the entire topic of the first portion, he slowly moved on from the basements and went to the upper floors, describing where the treasuries were precisely, the chambers, the throne room and other important places within the Esparossa fortress.
My main focus was on the treasuries and the throne room, which were the most probable places where the compass might be kept.
Zalar shared my thoughts as Mordian threw in his hypothesis, as we continued on with our discussion, taking time to study the parchments, the surroundings land of Esparossa fortress, running simulations.
After an hour of discussing and rigorously memorizing the entire map, thanks to Zalar’s help, I finally took a breath of relief as I slumped into a chair beside me, the burden over my mind was extreme. My temples contorted to the point as if they could burst.
I felt like another second of this would fry my brain.
‘Did he make you memorize the entire map of the Tseige fortress, in the meantime?’ I asked in passing, wry in my conduct, a smirk pulling at my lips.
Mordian moved his gaze, his eyes just as listless and indifferent as he replied ‘Unfortunately no. That honour was especially reserved for you.’ He said in nonchalance, his tone not one note up or down.
I fell silent as I blankly looked at Mordian without any strong reply in mind. For the first time, I was overwhelmed in the game of words and humour. I guess, the dragon can do it if he puts his mind to it.
I shrugged as I turned to look at Zalar, his hunched figure slumped on the high back chair beside me.
He honestly looked weary, and it was no surprise from how he had pushed himself for the past two weeks. It was admirable to see how the orc was sacrificing so much for his people, yet he never took the credit for anything. He always remained one with the bystanders.
And I think I somehow understood how Zalar felt, he wasn’t a fighter, but he is an intelligent strategist, one that knows better than anyone what role he’s supposed to play in all this. He perfectly understood the burden of those who marched into the battlefields, the fear that gripped the soldiers, the death which loomed above them.
He knew he was powerless in that aspect, but he didn’t allow that to hold himself back.
I respected Zalar a lot for his courage and patience. Even if he wasn’t a warrior, who couldn’t fight, he was far more useful and kind, he was a warrior in the truest sense, one that tried to understand the pain of others and give them time and patience to move on.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Unbeknownst to me, I looked at Zalar with a calm yet gentle expression. Noticing my gaze, he shifted in his seat and looked at me, his mouth opening.
“That should do for the hidden passages.” He said, words slow and comfortable. He straightened all of a sudden as he corrected his robe and stood.
His gaze turned to Mordian and then came back to me. “The time has approached for your departure. Hopefully this information will prove useful in your endeavours.” The words directed at both of us.
I stood alongside Mordian, and the three of us exited the chamber without any hurry in our steps. We covered the hallways and slowly reached out of the fortress to rendezvous with the others at the appointed place as promised.
The moment we exited, as if the entire sanctuary’s eyes had focused on to us, the casual conversations continued on, but the refugees and soldiers made a path which led us easily to the town square, their gazes still following us, as if looking for something—perhaps, reassurance.
My eyes followed several soldiers—elf, orc, dwarf—they encompassed the entire sanctuary, and out of all of them, my eyes jumped and stopped at the middle of the sanctuary, near the fountain where fresh water was still cascading in a rich display, where I saw a cascade of long silver gunmetal hair, two long pointy ears, and an extremely charming and delicate face, full of vigour and anticipation, the expression made any believe that she was a seasoned warrior, but there was fear and trepidation hidden beneath that facade, which was only visible if observed closely.
Aurora’s face turned with joy, as she got up and walked in our direction. Each step fast, but not rushed, carrying herself with grace, as she stopped in front of us.
I saw her wearing a leather chest plate with vambraces. There was a new dimensional artifact on her right thumb which she had acquired from Grimnir, who had also made her a new bow.
I moved my gaze around, and saw all the familiar faces I remembered. The elders were present and all the soldiers looked in our direction, precisely at Zalar.
“The moment we all have been waiting for has finally come.” Zalar said after a pause, his voice gentle, lips pursed, but still echoing through the sanctuary. “Now, let us not forgo anymore. I pray that you bring victory to your people, and more so for yourself. I know, not all of you will return from the clutches of war, but know this, that as long as someone lives to tell your brave tale, you will continue to live in our hearts, as a part of us.”
Everyone listened silently, as Zalar finished.
“Bring home victory, brave soldiers!!!” He raised his hand in a fist, as he shouted, and the entire crowd followed along, the resonance bouncing in the sanctuary like a chant.
Afterwards, Zalar looked at me, his face serious, and for a moment, I felt like he had opened up to me, his vulnerabilities and fear visible in his eyes, he extended his hand forward and without any hesitation I shook it and gave him a look of reassurance, as if that was the only one thing I could do right now, instead of saying some fancy sugar-coated words.
“Huŕum will guide all of you. There is an old portal dais in one of the tunnels, well hidden, its location is only know by either me or Huŕum. To be hones, its a special artifact left behind by our ancestors. So you can be rest assured. The portal dais will allow you to cover a few hours distance in a few seconds, it will save your time.” He whispered, and I didn’t ask further.
He understood me as he nodded and moved back and soon everyone fell in line as Aurora, Mordian and I reached for the far front where Huŕum, Angela and Ouldrin stood.
I saw Huŕum’s companion Surter who stood beside the orc, his eyes gazed at me warily for a moment as they moved away.
Everyone was draped in armour, their weapons resting beside them or probably inside their dimensional artifacts, they saw us approaching, the soldiers beside us observed our actions as we stood firmly.
Some of the elders were alongside them, Durin, Grimnir, Serven and Vaerin, together with Suren, they all stood draped in leather armour. Their demeanours firm as we all shared a silent nod and then we began moving.
It was time for our departure, the start of our counterattack.
We all followed behind Huŕum as we entered a wide tunnel, his wide back loomed in front of us as he marched forward, each step firm and powerful, as if to appease the nervous hearts of the soldiers following behind us in line.
Just like that we left the sanctuary and continued on foot. Huŕum guided as from one tunnel to another, the system of tunnels so intricate that I had to backtrack a few times to realize which tunnel we had entered, and which path we were currently on.
We continued on for more than half an hour, by now evening must have approached on the outside, as our operation could only start by the arrival of night time.
I noticed Durin walking beside me, the dwarf looked serious himself, but there was still that aloof look on his face as he brought a palm sized bottle out of his dimensional artifact he wore on his left thumb.
He took of the flask and downed whatever elixir was inside as his cheeks flushed for a moment as he sounded out his pleasure for the contents inside.
He noticed my gaze as he gave me a side eye, the dwarf only reached up to my abdomen, draped in thick leather armour, and a pair of goggles resting over his head.
He pointed the bottle in my direction. “You want a swing, kid?” He said as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
I shrugged as I took the bottle from his grasp and brought the opening close to my nose. The smell made my nostrils to open rapidly, as the pungent smell similar to strong spices mixed with unknown herbs entered my nose adding a strong but fresh smell which was almost intoxicating.
“What is this?” I asked in passing as I brought the bottle close to my mouth.
“Just a little potion to calm my nerves, you know in situations like this its pretty hard to keep your demeanour. Its pretty potent, matter of fact.” Durin replied with a knowing look, he shot me a wink, as I saw his flushed cheeks, but his voice was normal.
I took a swing, as the liquid inside entered my mouth and ran down my throat, I almost choked for a second on the extremely strong taste and flavour as my saliva mixed with the elixir made my throat burn and the sensation left my body feeling warm and energetic as the liquid travelled down into my stomach.
The second the liquor had entered my system, a window generated in front of me, only visible to my eyes as it read that the liquor had been cleared from my body, without leaving any side-effects.
All that was left behind was the strong sensation and warmth brought by the strong smell and flavour of the beverage.
I smiled as I took another swing, feeling my throat burn again as I got used to the sensation, feeling my cheeks turn red.
“Would you be alright drinking something this strong at such a time?” I asked as I handed him the bottle back, as the system cleared the intoxicating effects of the elixir.
Durin looked at me with a surprised expression, probably because I wasn’t affected by the liquor by the least to his expectations. After a moment of realization, he laughed lightly as the others looked at him, their faces grimaced or twisted from nervousness.
He shrugged the looks away as he replied cheerfully. “Heh, there is never a time to not drink. In a sense, you can say that its always a good or a bad time for a drink. But kid, you can hold your liquor quite well, I'm surprised, even orcs dare not openly drink this beverage, its quite intoxicating to be honest.” He acknowledged with a smirk. “This is dragon's breath, the strongest liquor that even the dwarfs hesitate before drinking. Well due to our strong metabolisms and because we live in the depths of the earth, he enjoy such strong elixirs. Our liver craves something strong.” He patted the area of his liver gently.
“Kid, you better come back alive. I'd love to see just how well can you hold yourself in a drinking competition.” He shot me a smirk, and I returned with a similar expression.
“I'll hold you to that.” I said with a wry smile. “But I warn you, I can hold my liquor quite well. You might want to bring Grimnir along if you want to have even a chance at winning.“ I jabbed as I looked at his companion who looked at me with a smile, I returned it as we moved behind Huŕum and changed a few more tunnels along the way.
Because, even if I continued drinking like there was no tomorrow, the system would just indefinitely continue to purify the harmful effects of the liquor and only leave the sensation, making me unable to get drunk or even tipsy, just allowing me to savour the flavour.
I don’t know if this was a blessing or a curse.
“We’ll see about that!” He shot back as I saw the end of the tunnel approaching.
Soon we entered into a bigger compartment of the network of tunnels, it was as big as an entire hall, as I saw moss like grass and vines twinkling and illuminating the entire chamber, as I saw a portal dais mounted at the very end of it.
But it was turned off, lifeless, as I saw it was covered with dust, webs and was dilapidated. Even from a simple glance, I could tell that this portal had something wrong with it.
“Come,” Huŕum said as he walked forward.
My eyes took in the intricate runes which encompassed the square shaped dais, and the entire frame of the portal, the runes forming an eye-catching display, which was connected with a flight of old cement stairs.
We approached in a sense of urgency, the soldiers behind us steadily marching. Huŕum climbed on to the dais and pulled something out of the pouch hanging near down the strap which secured the cloth which held the pant like garment.
I focused on the object and realized it was a core, but its colour looked almost fading and vanished. I activated Mind’s Eye and observed the palm sized core in his hand as I realized what little mana it had left, the core almost dry, as if it'd been used too many times.
There was a small compartment beside the portal dais, like an opening, which had a half-circular shaped cavity, as Huŕum brought the core in his hand forward and inserted the core into the opening, as the entire structure hummed with life.
The mana of the core suddenly jolted as the intricate runes of the portal frame, working like a circuitry connection sensed the change and sudden flux of mana and were stirred through the insertion of the core, as a golden pale light began to surge from each rune, as the frame hummed and the space around it began to distort and twist like a cloth.
The mana in the atmosphere writhed, as if it was being pushed and pulled by some force in between, as the space within the frame hummed as a soft gale began to blow around the dais, as an oily surface began to emanate from the space between the frame, as it distorted rapidly, the scene was like fireflies running along the air as the colour dissolved and suddenly brought back to life, as the cracks and quakes in the space vanished.
The scene was almost magical, as I sensed the tight mana wrapped around the frame and the oily surface of the portal which gleamed a teal ambiance with a faint iridescent quality mixed within.
So that’s why Zalar said it was a special portal. It can still operate despite the mana distortion devices placed across the lands. Or it might be able to bypass the distortion devices within a specific radius to make a gate like connection.
It was only a matter of time until the portal stabilized, and the mana went back to its normal condition.
But just as the portal was about to take form, a surge of lightning crackled around, the portal frame hummed and sparked as it destabilised, the runes burning like a hot-mark on the frame's surface dimmed and it went still.
“What happened?” Aurora voiced out as she gazed at the portal frame which was once again lifeless.
Huŕum looked nervous, as he tried to think of something, but he just stood there silently, my eyes were fixed on the core as I suddenly saw a crack run through it outer surface, as it shattered like glass as the residual mana inside it dissipated into the atmosphere.
“That doesn’t look good.” Grimnir beside Durin voiced out his concern, as he moved forward and began to examine the artifact carefully.
Everyone remained silent in the meantime, as the dwarfs did a thorough inspection of the artifact, his eyes skilfully examining each rune and aspect of the portal dais, and then he turned to us.
“The good thing is, this thing isn’t busted. It’s just really out of juice.” He said. “But this portal frame is unlike any I've seen till this day. The technology with which it was made is extraordinary and ancient, and it would require a very strong and massive discharge of mana to jolt it awake, plus it needs an ample amount of mana to stabilize itself.”
Grimnir shared his analysis of the device, as he tried to come up with some solution, but with the crease of his brows, it didn’t look good.
He looked up and spoke. “Currently I have some cores which might be able to supply the portal with mana, but it wouldn’t be enough to hold it stable, not enough so that we all can travel to the other side. And backtracking wouldn't be any better, we’re at a standstill.”
I thought over this matter, and realized that I used to have the Eldergrove’s core which was potent even to supply the portal with the energy it needed, but it had been spent on Aurora—aiding her with her break through.
What else can we do?” I thought as the wheels of my mind turned.
But suddenly, I realized I might have something similar but second only to the Eldergrove’s core. I reached out to the system as the shimmering window popped open in front of me, as I quickly opened the inventory and searched for that item.
I was still wearing the dimensional artifact that Vetustima had give me, as I withdrew the item from the system inventory and made it seem like I'd taken it out from the artifact I'd worn on my thumb, to not arouse suspicion from the others.
All of a sudden, everyone present had their attention fixed on me, as I looked down at my palm and saw a porcelain white core, about the same size of my palm, but there was a sinister black wisp forming inside the core, as it gave off a sense of corruption. Even from a single glance, I could tell and feel the untampered mana residing inside the core which was strong and potent—an item I'd acquired after my battle against the basilisk.
“Shun, that is?” Aurora asked, as the shimmering light of the core was reflected in her teal eyes, making them look almost white and ethereal.
“An old spoil from one of my battles.” I answered placidly, as I walked closer and handed the core to Grimnir. “Use it.”
Grimnir was left stupefied by my actions as he studied the core and tried to feel the compacted mana inside it. His mouth turned agape as his eyes looked at me incredulously, as if he came to some realization in his mind.
“Jiwoo, this core...i-its extraordinary. This isn’t a core of some random mana beast, I can feel it, the mana, the residual will, the mana it has is so much strong and potent that it can power an entire town for weeks on end.”
Wow. I was left surprised for a moment from the calculation Grimnir had provided.
After a few more words, Grimin turned and carefully inserted the core into the half-circular slap as a similar scene from before bloomed as the runes burned brightly as the space distorted as an oily surface formed between the space within the frame as the portal fully stabilized after a few minutes.
Then without any hesitation, everyone began to move along as I stepped foot into the portal as my senses dimmed momentarily, as I was ushered through space, and suddenly I was spat out, as I felt my mind churn as I felt a slight headache.
Besides being ancient, it moves a person through space without much convenience, its even worse than the ones we have in my world.
I was able to recover quickly from the vertigo, as I surveyed the area and found out we were in a cavern made of rock, as I saw an opening at the far end, through which the outside was visible which displayed green lands and mountains, with clear skies which were painted with hues of red and golden as the sun was about to set.
It was a cave well hidden.
Mordian, Aurora and everyone else slowly arrived behind me as the entire cave was filled to the brim.
My companions walked closer to me, Aurora didn’t look too good, her face looked pale and slightly contorted in unease. She took a few minutes and recovered quickly as an awkward silence descended around us.
I looked at them with a gentle smile, Mordian picked up on my actions as Aurora took a breath and eased.
“I guess, this is it. This is where we part ways.” I said in confidence, but there was still worry and trepidation hidden beneath my tone.
Aurora looked at me awkwardly, she took a breath, her arms subtly trembling by her sides, as she tried to appear rational and calm, but her expression betrayed her.
She tried to say something, but the words were caught in her throat, she opened her mouth once more to speak, but the words wouldn’t form for some reason.
There was concern, care, determination and trust on her face, she trusted me that I could complete my mission, but she was also worried for me, which I was genuinely grateful for.
“You guys better make it back, we still have a long way with my trials.” I said with a half-confident expression, not willing to let emotion take the better of me.
Both of them didn’t speak for a minute, then all of a sudden, Aurora moved, her body leapt in my direction as her slender arms wrapped around me and our bodies touched, her front pressed against me.
I was left stunned for a moment, as I realized what had happened all of a sudden, as I hesitated for a moment and returned her hug, my arm gently slid on her back as we shared a silent hug, I could feel the warmth of her body as vividly as mine, as I felt her breath brush past my ear.
But, I felt relieved for some reason, as if this hug perfectly conveyed her fear, worry, anxiety and care.
I smiled genuinely. This was definitely something Aurora would do, with the way she was, and how proactive, I didn’t push her away and accepted it.
Then she pulled back, I could vaguely see her cheeks were slightly red, as her eyes moved away and back at me awkwardly.
I smiled again, and Mordian was Looking at me with a determined glint in his golden eyes.
I brought my hand forward, as I clenched my hand into a fist and matched eye contact with my bond.
After a second, he did the same and smacked fists with me lightly, and Aurora struck hers from above as Mordian and I pulled our arms back.
“Shun, if anything happens, or you need help, just let Mordian know and we will rush over there as soon as possible, no matter what.” Aurora said as if to reassure me.
But realistically speaking, there was a few hours' distance between Esparossa and Tseige.
I nodded, as I replied. “Sure will.”
I suddenly remembered as I withdrew two flasks from the inventory and handed them to my companions.
“This is the highest grade potion I could buy from the system’s shop. Use it in case something happens.”
Aurora nodded and Mordian remained impassive.
Then afterward, we all moved separately, I went to join my team and Mordian and Aurora went to Huŕum’s side, the soldiers who would attack Tseige.
I realized that Mordian had turned around suddenly, his impeccable and alluring golden eyes gazed at me.
‘Be careful, Jiwoo.’ He sent.
I nodded and returned. ‘You too partner.’
I saw the five people who were selected to be in my team to retake the compass.
I'd been coordinating with them for the past few days, to better get to know them and their positions and fighting stance.
Three of the five I was familiar with. Angela Shard, Surter, Chul—an orc I'd gotten acquainted with a few days ago, with long tusks and a buff body—, and two other dwarfs, the one with the lighter beard was Quro Sendro, and the one with the dark disposition and thicker beard was Senzo Hailo.
These were the five who had been selected. And Angela had nominated herself for this mission, and I was more than happy she had done that, she was a talented mage and a good leader, more so a trustworthy companion.
Everyone had there weapons in hand Angela her daggers, Chul his club, Surter his broadsword and the dwarfs their gun like artifacts.
“Shall we?” I asked as we carefully made way out of the cave and changed direction to face Esparossa.
***
In just about two hours on foot, we finally arrived near the fortress of Esparossa. We travelled through the outskirts of the magical forest, surrounded by greeny and tall trees which worked as a good camouflage and with the help of Surter and Chul, we were easily able to make it to our destination without any problems and distraction.
I told them along the way about the hidden passage, and Surter and Chul brought us to the easternmost side facing the fortress.
A tall and imposing black fortress stood in the far distance, the black stone which formed the mighty structure looked almost invisible and invincible, impregnable, under the dark environment, as I saw it was surrounded by a moat, with several demon soldiers standing on the roof for look out.
I swiftly moved my gaze, using Mind’s Eye, I looked down at the earth, and realized a spot that was hollow, where the earth mana was clinging deep into the ground through which the wind attribute of mana were spewing out.
I looked back at the others and we shared a silent nod, Senzo looked nervous, but after a few seconds he turned calm.
I walked closer to the burrow in the ground, which was well hidden by the surrounding terrain, obscured from sight and covered with broken branches and leaves.
I waved the branches away and looked down at the darkness which encompassed the hole. I took a rock nearby and dropped it down, and after ten whole seconds, the rock struck ground.
Its quite deep. I thought as I decided to go down.
“The rest is up to you. Be careful, Jiwoo.” Angela said as I nodded and entered the tunnel, as my feet were suspended in the air, as I conjured a dim flame which illuminated my packed and dark surroundings.
***
Angela Shard
We changed our position in the meantime Jiwoo descended down the secret passage which he had told us about, leading to the inside of the fortress.
It had been fifteen minutes since we left Jiwoo and we had arrived at the decided destination, close to the fortress but not enough to get detected. We were in the open where several trees and boulders worked as obstacles from the sight.
I felt unease rise from my chest, but I shrugged it away as I looked at the pitch black sky, stars gleaming brightly as the silence felt like a wild beast ready to attack any given moment.
I surveyed the area for another ten minutes, as I looked back at the others.
“This should’ve given Jiwoo enough time to infiltrate the fortress and start his search for the compass. It's time for us to play our part in creating a distraction for him." I said as the others didn’t object, as we continued moving into the open carefully.
“And—” The words never came, as I felt a massive force strike me from behind, as an unimaginable amount of pain enveloped my back.
I didn’t even have the time to moan, or reinforce myself with mana as I was hurtled through the air as I struck a tree’s branch and rolled several times as I struck against the trunk of a tree and barely looked behind as I stirred into position, looking where my companions were lying on the ground in the open.
Senzo and Chul were already dead, Senzo had his neck snapped, his lifeless body lying helplessly on a terrible angle, an expression of despair plastered across his face, and Chul was stabbed into the heart by a broadsword, as Quro struggled in the grasp of Surter, his legs desperately flailing, who was slowly chocked to death in front of my eyes.
“You...traitor...” I spat through blood as I glared at the orc, the pain making me unable to focus as my entire body hurt.
“I merely chose the right side. It’s your fault for still holding on to the false hope of victory. That old fool Zalar, still made a pathetic display of himself.” He said, as I heard a loud but muffled noise of someone nearby.
"I honestly couldn't hold back my laughter, listening to that old bastard bark yesterday." He snickered.
My vision had blurred significantly, as all I was able to make out was a blurry figure draped in exquisite black robes, with two dark amber eyes burning malevolently.
I need...to tell Jiwoo...I thought as my breathing weakened.
Surter grabbed Chul's lifeless body and parried free his club and immediately struck me with it, as my body hurled into some nearby trees as my consciousness faded.