Midnight in the Trial of the South...
Tack!
Tack!
Tack!
Back in the dungeon, things haven't gone well, will not go well, and the youths are starting to question.
When will it go well?
...
Zhao Lina was able to find Roan, who was busy attacking golems left and right, along with everyone else.
Jake and the other commoners were out of energy, and so were Amie and Anne. Only Wang Zihan and Roan remained fighting, and she could tell that both youths were at their very limit.
She was able to step in, turning to Roan and silently ordered him around with her soul piercing gaze.
Roan blocked a golems fist with the flat side of the great sword, pushed it away, and then used his fists to smack the first golems head, kick the second golem pushing it away.
He was in an impossible situation, but Zhao Lina has already started to form her consuming flames, he would be caught in the cross fire.
"She trusts me... Then I'll trust her!"
He gritted his teeth and used up all the remaining strength his young body has, pushing the first golem with a sudden burst in strength.
He felt... Rejuvenated.
His body felt light and more nimble and strong, his mind suddenly became clear, the world was slow and steady.
The golems that were about to lunge at him were slow...
Though they did not have muscles, they still had joints like that of a human to move their limbs around...
' First golem, straight punch... Second golem jumping straight at me... Third golem and fourth golem coming at both my sides...'
He could see it.
He could see it all!
Roan smiled as he realized what was happening to him.
Then, he grabbed the long handle of his great sword again and put on a readied stance as he dodged the first golems straight punch.
Pushing it away with his shoulders and swinging his sword horizontally to his left, killing the second and the fourth golem who was closest to his range.
Then he ducked at the right moment where the stone golems jagged fists swung at his head, almost crushing his face if he was too slow.
Roan let out a laugh as he pulled his great sword back and blocked the first golems lunge once more, he let go of his blade and kicked it's flat side, sending the golem back.
Then he quickly and somehow remembered Amie talking about how mages controlled their Mana...
"Get a feel of it first," the world turned even slower, he felt something warm wrapping his body, "then move it to where you want it to go."
Roan's core suddenly became warm, and he separated that warmness to his arms, solidifying it as much as he can. He sent another warm energy to his legs that were stepping back, and his shoulders.
Then lastly his fists, which he had clenched after kicking the first golem. He met the third golems lunge, but the golem was slower and he was faster.
Roan's fists met the golems head, and it turned into a rain of sand, rubble, and smoke.
He then took another big step to where the first golem was still flying, grabbed the handle of his sword and pierced it's head, turning it into a pile of rubble as well.
***
By the time Roan was finished dealing with his own fair share of golems, it was Wang Zihan's turn to do the same.
Zhao Lina was still focusing on making the most lethal fire blast that anyone had ever seen a non awakened kid could do.
The small cave was lighting up with a orange red glow, the fire ball over her head was growing bigger and more restless, Zhao Lina was looking tired as well...
' Just a few more...'
Wang Zihan already knew what she was trying to do, and he cooperated, a silent understanding between the two.
Between all of them, even.
The past weeks have been rough on all of them thanks to the masked girls guidance, but it was also thanks to her guidance that they were able to build understandings with each other.
Even the twins that pretty much caused everyone trouble from time to time became more cooperative.
Even Yoru, their mysterious but reliable eleventh member...
Wang Zihan huffed as he casted more light spells, bathing the entire surroundings of the cave in a beautiful, pale golden glow.
"... Javelin!"
"... Pierce!"
"... Chain!"
He let out a series of tiring chants.
Using his profound skill of manipulating the flow of his Mana around his body, and putting every bit of power into his will...
The will to succeed and destroy his enemies!
His body was already feeling weak from all the chanting, he exerted too much Mana but to no result, the flood of golems were still coming, and Zhao Lina was not even close to being done.
His eyes blurred, his breathing ragged as he held onto his staff tightly, using it to support his body up, he gritted his teeth.
"I... Will not... Falter." He said as he raised his staff up once more, pointing it directly at the golems.
He closed his eyes, using all of the Mana that was left in his body – not exactly all of it but enough to make him feel drained – and made it flow up to the radiant gem on his staff.
His body suddenly grew lighter, a warm and fuzzy feeling enveloped his body, he knew what was happening yet he did not let it distract him.
His mind was already going blank from draining his Mana to the brink of nothingness was tiring, if he gets distracted now, then what was the point of putting up a stand?
He let out a heavy exhale and smiled, speaking quietly:
"By my words, you will stay in your place."
And with that, he finally let himself go, though he felt something grab him before losing consciousness...
***
' Well done Roan...'
Zhao Lina thought in her head as she watched Roan quickly retreat from behind her.
Then she turned her head towards Wang Zihan who was passed out, being carried by Your who appeared somewhere, somehow...
' Well done Wang Zihan...'
Now.
It was her turn.
She huffed deeply, steam coming out as she did so as she braced herself.
She already felt the warm feeling of her body being rejuvenated and fixed, her mind and her soul changing.
It was the reason she was able to keep charging up this one basic fire move.
It was just simple fireballs, stacked on top of each other and molded into one firey ball of flames that filled the already cramped cave with heat that could boil someone alive...
Thankfully she was able to not do so, only aiming at the enemies in hand.
Yoru brought Wang Zihan behind her and she finally had her go signal.
She clutched at her amulet and started concentrating her Mana intensely, it flowed like a raging sea in a storm, crashing around her body.
Her flames mirrored it, moving around like it was hungry, hungry to consume the souls of the enemies, or if it even had a soul to begin with.
Then, the Mana flowed outward and started enveloping the massive ball of flames, the orange red color started to differ, turning into a radiant blue color, the heat in the room of the cave became even more unbearable.
"Set yourself ablaze."
She brought her hands down and then let go of the control of the flames, it immediately blasted towards the large groups of golems.
It melted their stone bodies, burning them and some even turning into small pieces of glass or molten rock just from the heat of the blue flames.
She collapsed onto her knees and looked up at the blackened and scorched room where their checkpoint was apparently designated...
After how many long days.
They finally found their first checkpoint, and in the midst of finding said checkpoint.
Out of the eleven of the youths, three have now awakened...