Panic coursed through our veins as the insectoids from the dungeon closed in on us. But just when it seemed like all hope was lost, we managed to narrowly evade the oncoming swarm. As we rushed through the dark corridors of the castle, the relentless pounding of footsteps echoed behind us, and the castle quaked with fury.
“What the hell is that?” Fidèle asked, with genuine terror in his face.
Leading the way, Nico found a stairway leading above. Higher and higher we ascended, climbing staircases and navigating narrow passages, desperate to escape the straggling swarm. The very structure of the castle seemed to conspire against us, shifting and collapsing with each thunderous step.
Finally, we found ourselves on a tower, with a reinforced window that seemed impossible to break. Fidèle, undeterred by the challenge, attempted to smash the window to create an escape route. He struck it with all his might, but to our astonishment, the window seemed to be magically fortified. Instead of shattering, it reflected the force of his blow back onto him, injuring him in the process.
Before we could catch our breath, the mysterious owner of the footsteps smashed their way into the room. The door was obliterated by her immense size and strength, leaving us with no means of retreat.
“That’s the woman we found earlier!” Nico exclaimed, running away from the assault of the armored lady.
In a frantic bid to survive, we dodged her sweeping attacks as she swung her colossal sword. With each swing, huge sections of the tower's walls crumbled, revealing an opening to the outside.
It was a daunting choice—stay and face the guardian or take a leap into the unknown.
Fidèle, carrying the unconscious Eveline, made the choice first. With a determined look, he leaped out of the crumbling tower window. He landed heavily but safely on the ground below, albeit with a broken foot.
Nico, who was already limping from his earlier injuries, followed suit. He jumped without hesitation, landing beside Fidèle who was squirming from his fall. He landed gracefully, showing no signs of pain.
I hesitated for a moment, doubting my ability to make the leap. But then I remembered the lessons of air resistance from my past life.
“Air resistance is a force that is caused due to air when an object moves through it.”
“Air resistance exerts a frictional force against the moving body.”
“As a body moves, air resistance decelerates it down.”
“I got it.”
Drawing upon my basic [Wind Magic] spell, I focused my energy to lessen the impact of the fall.
With a deep breath, I jumped out of the tower window. The wind rushed past me as I plummeted towards the ground. Just before impact, I summoned a gust of wind beneath me, slowing my descent and allowing me to land safely.
As we caught our breaths and assessed our injuries, the guardian peered over the broken tower wall, her immense figure casting a shadow over us. The wall seemed to repair itself after her relentless attacks.
We had narrowly escaped her fury, and now we faced an uncertain future outside the castle walls. Fidèle's broken foot, Eveline's weakened state, and Nico's injuries. I am worried.
Eveline began to stir, slowly regaining consciousness.
Eveline's eyelids fluttered, and her eyes slowly opened. She blinked, disoriented for a moment, and then her gaze settled on the three of us standing before her. Weakly, she tried to sit up, her hand clutching her forehead.
"Fidèle... Nico... what happened?" she murmured; her voice groggy.
"We're finally out of that castle.” I replied.
"We need to keep moving."
Fidèle, his broken foot causing him considerable pain, grimaced but nodded in agreement. Nico, seemingly unfazed by his injuries, was already scanning their surroundings.
We found ourselves in a clearing just outside the castle walls, surrounded by a dense forest. The air was cool and refreshing, a stark contrast to the suffocating darkness of the dungeon and the chaos of the castle. The sun, despite in its full glory, did not seem to burn my skin at all.
The distant sounds of battle still echoed from within the castle, but for now, we were safe from the immediate threat of the guardian and the insectoids.
"Into the forest," Nico said, his voice determined. "We need to put as much distance as possible between us and that castle. We can set up camp from there."
With Fidèle carrying Eveline, and me leading the way with a basic [Wind Magic] spell to help clear a path, we entered the forest. The dense foliage swallowed us, and the sound of our footsteps was muffled by the thick underbrush. The tall evergreen pine trees shadowed us as we entered the forest under their canopy.
Strong winds blew over us, and the skies suddenly turned dead gray.
We pressed on, our determination to survive driving us deeper into the heart of the forest. As the daylight began to wane, we decided to set up camp in a small clearing, hidden from sight by the thick foliage.
Fidèle carefully laid Eveline down, her breathing becoming steadier as she rested.
Nico gathered some dry branches and leaves to start a fire, while I used whatever was left of my limited mana to conjure up [Wind Magic] to create a small wind barrier, shielding us from the cool evening breeze. It was a meager camp, but it provided us with a much-needed respite. After gathering the branches, I set fire to the wooden piles using my [Fire Magic], releasing the wind barrier after having set up the camp fire.
Fidèle tended to his injured foot as best he could, but the pain was evident in his furrowed brow. Nico cleaned and dressed his wounds, his face a mask of concentration. Eveline, still weak, watched over us with tiredness in her eyes.
As the evening settled in, I began to feel a wave of exhaustion wash over me. The combination of physical and magical exertion had taken its toll, and my eyelids grew heavy. I tried to fight off the fatigue, but it was a losing battle.
“Oi, Ferdinand, are you alright?” Fidèle worriedly asked me, concern washing over his face.
Then, all of a sudden, I slumped forward, unconsciousness claiming me without warning. The world faded into darkness, and I was unaware of the worried glances exchanged by my companions as they watched over me.
[Blackout]
Fidèle gently shook Ferdinand’s shoulder, trying to rouse him, but he remained unresponsive. He let out a heavy sigh, looking troubled.
"He's completely out. Must've pushed himself too hard," Nico observed, his tone grave.
Eveline, still regaining her strength, nodded in agreement. "We can't do much for him right now. He needs rest."
They exchanged a glance, the weight of their situation settling upon them. The mission had taken an unexpected turn, and Céadach Craobhchoill, the elusive figure they had been chasing, had managed to avoid contact.
"We can't stay here for long," Nico stated, his voice resolute. "We need to report back to the expedition guild in Iouernia."
Fidèle nodded, his expression grim. "Agreed. We need reinforcements and a plan. We can't take on Céadach and that castle on our own."
Eveline, though still weak, was determined. "We'll get Ferdinand back on his feet, and then we head to Iouernia. We owe it to him to see this through."
Fidèle let out a faint chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.
"Once we're back in Iouernia, I can't wait to get my hands on some pastries at Eifansdoche. A bit of sweetness would do us all good."
Nico, who had finished tending to his wounds, nodded in agreement.
"That sounds like a plan. And I definitely need to visit the guild's infirmary. These injuries won't heal on their own."
Eveline, her thoughts turning practical, added, "We can't linger here in Ierne for much longer. We lost a significant portion of our provisions during the failed expedition inside the castle. We'll need to restock and regroup."
They fell into a thoughtful silence, the enormity of their mission weighing on their shoulders. Ferdinand remained unconscious, a reminder of the challenges they faced and the mysteries that laid upon in Ierne.
