Chapter 26 - Field Trip From Hell

                                                     Lenton Filibree

A constant stream of densoon waves raged in the dead of night. Two men stood under the buffeting waves of energy that devastated the surrounding lands. They were protected by a bubble of force so potent that not the slightest ripple ran through its surface.

Lenton and Samris watched with morbid curiosity as Jiran’s body tore itself into a bloody mess on the ground.

“No matter how many times I see this, I find it disconcerting to the verge of disgust. Logically, I understand the body must be rebuilt to allow for the additional mana but seeing a child in such a state is not for the faint of heart.

“This seems worse than usual, did you do something, Master?

His body was now thoroughly torn asunder, like a bedsheet ripped into a dozen pieces, each held together by a few strands of blood-red silk.

“I had him take a seer filter,” Lenton said with a nonchalant shrug.

Samris clenched his fists. A snarl dominated his face as he looked down at Jiran’s ravaged form.

“Relax, Sammy. He’s doing great.”

“Was it truly necessary to give him that foul potion?”

“It was indeed. There is far too much underlying damage in his mana body. It would have killed him before the Fifth Tier. This treatment was inevitable. Better to do it now while he’s still weak and easily adaptable.

“This was the optimal time and the repercussions of leaving the damage untreated are far too great to ignore.

“He needs to live long enough to show me the way, Sammy.”

“Your insatiable appetite for knowledge is no excuse for putting Jiran through this, master.”

“Stop calling me that, squirt. I haven’t been anyone’s master for a long time.”

“It doesn’t seem that long to me. Besides, I was there, you agreed to make him your disciple. I thought you were done teaching. What were your words? Given up, hopeless, impossible to find someone worthy in this cesspit of degradation.

“Sammy, the kids out here in the reaches live a hard life without the ever-present safety of the Emperors. Any day could be their last, any random beast could walk into town and wipe them all out in an hour.

“If they survive, it makes them strong, hardy, and driven. But also stubborn, overconfident in their ignorance, and unable to learn or grow beyond what is set before them.

“Somehow, despite considerable hardship, Jiran is walking a different path and not by accident, but by personal choice. I’ve never seen anything like it in one so young. Even if he wasn’t Unique, I would have taken an interest in him.”

Lenton sighed deeply as painful memories flickered across his face.

“He has more potential than I ever did. I’ll not see him become nothing more than another tool in some noble’s arsenal,” The brief moment of recollection passed as Lenton once more became the sturdy, unassailable old legend that Samris remembered.

“I feel the same way, master. Can you imagine being rejected by density as he was? Those scars aren’t just for show. Yet I never saw even a flicker of doubt in him.

“I never thought of myself as a teacher or mentor. Yet I find myself wanting to watch him grow, to see what he will become. Maybe I’m beginning to understand why people would sacrifice so much of their time to guide the next generation.”

“You sound like your mother with all this sighing and moping about. At least she was pining after a man, while you're just chasing around a little boy.”

Lenton cackled at his own joke while Samris’s face lit up.

“That’s not funny, master. I will admit, it’s been surprisingly pleasant having someone to speak with over the last few weeks.

“I was prepared for my solitude, excited even. Now, seeing him like this, I realize how lonely I would be without him.

“I hope you’re right about Jiran being the answer, master. I’m tired of living like this. I yearn to be free from the curse.”

“Me too Sammy, me too.”

                                                  Unknown Perspective

Cameron smiled fondly at the boy and girl walking in front of him.

His cousin looked back at him, an excited smile upon her face.

“I can’t wait to see the statue of Sophoreses! I bet he’s even more handsome than in the stories. Dommell, did you know he traveled further than anyone else across the Murinth Ocean? He saw beasts larger than the entire city and lived to tell the tale.”

“Please, Olive. Why bother with that dusty old sailor. I’m interested in the memorial to Astarita. She charmed an entire city with the wave of her hand. I bet she was the most beautiful woman to ever live.”

The two continued to argue about the most impressive renditions of the empire’s heroes as they approached the tall wall and thick metal gate that lead into the ancient compound.

Meanwhile, Cameron studied his status. Pride welled inside him seeing the proof of his intense efforts and the training his father had put him through.

NAME   Cameron Amyntas

RACE   Human

AGE   8

WEIGHT  93.72 kg

STATUS  Healthy

TIER   2

GROWTH  23.11 %

MANA   2

CONCENTRATION 2

STRENGTH  31

AGILITY  25

ENDURANCE  33

DURABILITY  30

WISDOM  28

INTELLIGENCE 27

SKILLS  

Molding lvl 8

Shaping lvl 2

TECHNIQUES 

Forcing lvl 2

Resilience lvl 3

Fire control lvl 1

Wind control lvl 1

OTHER  N/A

The massive gate was cracked open just enough for them to squeeze through.

Lucky!

Cameron took the lead. He confidently squeezed through first, as was proper. He scanned the inner compound for threats in the way he had been trained, and found nothing that caught his eye. He stuck his hand back through the gate and beckoned them inside.

Together, they walked toward the field of beautiful marble statues. Even Cameron gasped in excitement at a massive warrior decked with impressive armor.

https://imgur.com/wgPzPJp 

Maybe this place isn’t so bad.

His foot landed on a brick that shifted strangely under his weight. A soft click resounded, which was immediately followed by a blinding light that surrounded the three of them.

When Cameron could see again, they were no longer in the city. The everpresent buildings, streets, and walls were replaced by countless trees and shrubs in every direction. Long shadows stretched toward them, coalescing into man-shaped pools of darkness.

The sound of gloating laughter reached his ears. His skin prickled and the hairs on his arms stood at attention from the promised threat inherent in their snickering mirth.

Suddenly, a shining figure descended from the sky, smashing into the shadowy men before them.

“Michael!” Olive shouted, relief replacing her panicked terror.

Michael’s body, clothes, and armor burst into flames that burned the nearby shadows back. The area around the man burned as his mana flared. Their sworn protector’s sword gleamed red as it sliced through three of the shadows.

Screams of rage echoed from every direction as more and more shadows appeared. They leaped at the burning figure of Michael a dozen at a time, quickly overwhelming the rapid swings of his blade.

When the first shadowy blade pierced through Michael’s back and erupted from his chest, Cameron snapped out of his daze. He grabbed Olive and threw her over his shoulder before sprinting into the unfamiliar woods.

Cameron’s heart hammered in his chest as his legs pumped for everything they were worth. The sound of crashing feet resounded from beside him eliciting a snarl of hatred. When he looked to his side and saw it was just Dommell, his face as white as a ghost, Cameron reigned in his anger.

“D-did they kill him?!” Dommell huffed as they sprinted together.

He’s faster than I thought.

Olive began to sob from his shoulder in a mournful, keening wail broken rhythmically each time Cameron’s feet impacted the ground.

“I don’t know. Michael’s fifth tier and they beat him, we don’t stand a chance. Our only hope is that he lasts long enough for us to make it back to Cruex.”

“Which way is Cruex? Do you know where we are?”

“No,” Cameron responded crisply.

He heard the laughter long before he saw the shadows around them, shadows which soon began to lengthen into familiar, nightmarish forms.

“No escape,” They chanted repeatedly in their eerie distorted voices.

Dommell tripped and fell, landing hard on the roots of the tree that tripped him. Blood leaked from his nose as he leaped back to his feet. The delay had been more than enough for the shadows to surround them once more.

They crept closer by the second, long claws wrapped in darkness reaching for their necks.

“I don’t want to die!” Dommell panicked and smacked his own chest with a closed fist.

The talisman buried beneath his skin activated and teleported him away in the blink of an eye.

Seeing their friend disappear, Cameron didn’t hesitate. He threw his cousin to the ground and brought his fist down on her chest, causing her to vanish as well. He took one last look at the shadows that now stood all around him.

Why are they grinning?

His fist collided with his solar plexus and his world flipped and tumbled before he found himself crashing face-first into hard dirt. He leaped to his feet, quickly spotting Olive and Dommell a short distance away.

A few seconds of brisk jogging brought him to their side. They were still in the forest. Tall hills rose around them in every direction. A creek burbled peacefully nearby. Birds chirped angrily at their invasion as small critters dashed away in fear.

“Any idea where we are?” He asked Dommell as the boy spun in circles trying to get his bearings.

Olive was sitting on the ground coughing while holding her chest. A ping of remorse swept through Cameron when he realized he had probably hit her a lot harder than he meant to.

For the second time that day, a figure descended through the boughs above and landed before them. The man was a shadow incarnate. Dark skin and hair framed black eyes. His leather armor was so ebony it appeared as if he was wrapped in midnight’s lightless embrace.

The shadows from trees and rocks all around them stretched toward the man like fanatic admirers desperate for a single touch.

https://imgur.com/FyNIB7D 

“That went sooooo much better than I expected. Thank you kindly for playing your parts to perfection, my faithful companions,” His kind and cheerful voice was completely at odds with his appearance.

“M-M-Mark the Hiss,” Dommell fell to his ass in the dirt, frantically scooting away from the terrifying visage.

“Oh, you’ve heard of me, how adorable,” He drew out his words, savoring the sound of his own voice and the terror on their faces.

“That moniker is so crude. Please, call me Markhiss. It just rolls off the tongue, don’t you agree?” He bowed deeply with one arm across his chest and the other dramatically raised into the air.

“How did you find us?!” Cameron snarled.

“Oh come now, those talismans of yours aren't as random as you were no doubt told. If you know the location of their creator, then it’s a simple matter of distance, and voila, here we are,” he gestured wildly with his hands while he talked as if everything was a theatrical performance for an eager crowd.

Cameron reached for Olive, desperate to grab her and run. Markhiss vanished and appeared between them, catching Cameron's outstretched hand in a vice-like grip.

Teleportation?! He’s tier six. We are so screwed.

“Tsk tsk tsk,” He wagged a finger in front of Cameron’s face as if scolding a toddler.

“Come along now. Your new home awaits. Everything is prepared just right for your maximum comfort and enjoyment.”

“What are you going to do to us?” Olive asked, finally recovered enough to breathe.

“Protect, nurture, and guide you, of course. All gifted children are welcome in your new home. I just know you’ll love it,” Markhiss purred.

A maniacal cackle echoed through the small valley before he teleported them away.