The Predicament (2)
Even as I waved my hand in front of her, Sugar's gaze remained fixed on one spot.
“Hey… Why all of a sudden…”
Why at a time like this.
When flustered, steam rises and magic bullets fly. Ryly clicked his tongue, pulled Sugar into his arms, and quickly dodged to the side.
As quietly as possible. Unlike Rubshi, he didn't have superhuman eyes.
As he did that, the crows' chorus grew even louder. It sounded like people singing, with a fiery intensity, cawing loudly.
I don't know what it is, but it's suspicious. What would happen after this song ends.
I had decided to wait quietly for the right moment. No matter. Once the spell is complete, everything will be over.
The calm voice annoyed him. What kind of magic was he preparing?
First, the barrier was already complete. Right now, the two kids couldn't escape anyway.
Then, attack magic? Why bother calling so many crows to attack?
One kid with depleted magic power and another with little knowledge of spells. Why make such a big fuss to deal with these two? Ryly felt this keenly.
'Then what...'
Not a barrier. Not an attack.
What was this guy aiming for in this situation.
A more reliable trap? Something to completely capture us?
“…!”
Suddenly, something flashed like lightning.
A horribly unpleasant and terrifying situation flashed through his mind.
Ryly quickly cast a spell at the singing crows, but the incantation didn't stop. No matter how they dodged or got hit, it didn't disrupt the song.
I see you've figured it out.
Claude approached with a cackle. Since Ryly had just cast the spell, he could gauge the distance easily.
Let me tell you one thing: The range of the magic activation is the entire area inside this barrier. How does it feel? The feeling of hope disappearing? You ran thinking freedom was right in front of you, but it turned out to be a cliff. What now.
“You trash…”
Ah, even if this is the case, I want to have a good relationship with you. I'm very interested in that book. Can I read it too? Or can only the owner see it? Anyway… If you surrender now—
“Die.”
Immediately, he shouted an explosion spell.
Through the smoke, Claude in a protective shield quickly flew over and slapped Ryly's abdomen.
“…!”
He's getting angry. No matter how much I am. Things got too twisted because of you. Because of you, it's all messed up. I don't even know how many subordinates I lost today.
When trying to stand up while panting, he got punched in the cheek. The inside of his cheek burst, and he tasted the familiar bitter blood. The disgusting taste he had savored many times before.
You treated me quite gentlemanly. What was the problem? Ah, the problem is that girl.
Claude, who had kicked Ryly several times, turned his head to Sugar standing blankly.
A bad feeling. Ryly quickly grabbed Claude's ankle. Immediately tried to inject magic, but Claude threw a knife at his hand to block it.
“Kya…!”
Are you directing his power towards us? What a commotion. Really angry. Looking at it, boy, you seem to cherish that kid. Watch carefully now. When we reach the destination, you might never see his face again.
“You bastard!”
Pulling out the knife stuck in his hand and rushing forward.
Claude grabbed his hand, twisted his wrist, and instead stabbed the knife into Ryly's arm.
Even so, Ryly gritted his teeth and blocked in front of Claude. Lifting his arm with the knife stuck and blood dripping, he shielded with his whole body.
… Hah. How pitiful. It's disgusting.
Perhaps because this woman suddenly started talking about old stories. The face behind the mask furrowed.
“I can't take you… We… will escape somehow…”
Yeah. Then what. Anyway, the transfer magic preparation is almost done. When we get to the headquarters, other apostles and disciples will welcome you very warmly.
Large-scale transfer magic.
Target: Humans inside the barrier.
Destination: The cult headquarters.
If such a commotion happened, the holy knights would likely appear. So, it's better to go as safely as possible.
Following would be troublesome, and who knows what would happen, so let's go with transfer magic in one go.
Originally, it was cumbersome and consumed a lot of magic, so he didn't want to use it, but since time was delayed, he had no choice.
Ryly, who had sensed such magic, was desperate.
He had to save Sugar. He had to make her free. At the moment, his magic was almost depleted. He had wandered the mountains all day, his body aching. It was a tough day for his young body.
Breath with sharp hissing sounds. Whether from the breath or from inside the mouth, the blood taste mixed and made his mouth bitter.
His left wrist was twisted, and due to the knife, blood was flowing everywhere, painful, but he stood silently in front of the girl, head raised, staring forward. Those eyes were sharp. The thick blue flame was something full of determination.
In some world, it started with just the desire to be recognized and eventually drove the continent to the brink of destruction.
That determination had changed to the desire to protect just one girl.
… Anyway. I guess I have to step on you a little here.
Claude, who didn't like those eyes much, aimed his wand.
Ryly also raised the grimoire with his right hand. As if reacting to the resolute owner, the light from the book grew stronger.
The pages turned by themselves. A small amount, but it would tell you the magic you want.
Ryly, confirming that, chanted the spell. With magic depleted, his body was ready to fall, but he prepared the magic.
A spell that was perfect for this time with steam in the air.
“———…”
Mysterious language came from Ryly's mouth, and the steam on the ground rose into the sky. Twisting, in a fierce manner. As if being pulled up by someone.
Then, they gradually condensed, and clouds began to form above the heads of the three people here.
“Era sio trun peresia de baren—”
The language of a race that lived in the old Ore Mountain Range. Spells of those who succeeded in performing rituals.
And, the price for touching the owner of the mountain range.
If you put such history into your mouth one syllable at a time, the sky darkens and thunder roars.
'Kk…'
At the same time, his mind became hazy, and he barely held onto his mind that was about to cut off for a moment. No time, no mental strength. He didn't do the full incantation, but even in this state, he had to cast it.
Claude, who noticed Ryly's situation, had already finished the incantation and was waiting with a good hand. To keep his word to stomp on you. To make the spell he worked hard to chant into vain.
Has the incantation ended?
Ryly pointed his finger at Claude without answering. Satisfied, Claude immediately spat out the activation word.
Fire Dragon.
“The owner of the cloud sea—”
Flames spurting from the staff. They gathered and took the form of a dragon and rushed at Ryly.
Heavy rain poured on top. Cold winter rain that would peel skin blocked the dragon's momentum a little.
But that's all.
With just this rain, what can you do? A bit disappointing.
Ryly knew it too. This wasn't enough.
But, it wasn't time yet.
Just hugging Sugar tightly and watching with wide eyes as the dragon approached with fierce momentum.
Just before being hit, he quickly rolled his body and dodged to the side. Holding Sugar and running in a circle around Claude.
The dragon following behind.
Not funny at all. Running around and trying to put out the dragon's fire with rain?
Claude took out the knife. He wanted to crush it with magic, but it would be very disappointing if he did this.
But Ryly had aimed for that moment. As soon as he checked the knife, he immediately wrapped around Sugar and lowered his posture.
And, at the same time as pointing his finger at Claude, he deliberately dropped the activation word.
“—Dragon's Wrath.”
Now, the magic was complete.
BOOM—!!
With a loud sound that pierced the ears, lightning struck. Direct hit on the spot where Claude was standing. Soaked in rain, no time to chant a defense spell while being restrained by the knife, he had deliberately aimed for the moment.
“Hic… Haa…”
Under the sky after the rain stopped. Panting, looking around, the crows were quiet. The dragon had disappeared.
Was it successful? Looking through the smoke, it's quiet. No matter how much an apostle, if hit by lightning without a shield, he would at least be paralyzed.
But still uneasy.
“…”
Ryly looked around, the crows that had stopped moving started moving again all at once.
Caw—
Kyaaaak—
Again, those nightmare-like things started singing.
The moment he realized, a knife flew from the tree.
“Kk!”
Ryly jumped to the side and looked up at the tree.
There, Claude was standing with one wound. He had switched consciousness to the crows, meaning the backup body.
The old body hit by the lightning disappeared into dust.
The timing was good. You made me into a critical state. Quite surprising.
He landed and said as usual while aiming his wand.
But with this body.
And immediately chanted the activation word of the explosion spell.
Damn! Ryly spat out a curse inwardly, suppressing his anger, and hugged Sugar. There was no magic left now.
Just closing his eyes tightly, thinking about the upcoming shock, and bracing himself firmly.
—!!
“…”
He slightly opened his eyes.
Even though the explosion sound was heard, it was strange that he didn't react.
The aftereffect of the explosion seemed to disappear. As if someone had blocked it instead.
Looking up ahead, through the smoke, there was a woman in black clothes.
She didn't look back and tapped the ground with her cane and immediately threw herself at Claude.
Rubshi—!!
The angry crows' voices echoed. To that, Rubshi answered vigorously, “Yes, it's me!”
As expected…! As expected! I knew this would happen! Traitor!
“I was mistaken. My faith in that person hasn't changed. I just wanted to stop you.”
Shut up! The reason those kids are entering the cult is thinking of that person! Why are you, why are you stopping me!
“That's different. Those kids don't want to enter the cult, right?”
You don't want to eat this for lunch? Saying it in the same tone, blocking Claude's attack with just one cane, and poking the opponent's stomach with a finger. Light movement. Nevertheless, Claude flew far away and crashed into a tree.
“You…”
Before Ryly could say anything, attacks rained down. The subordinates Claude had called here after finishing the barrier work.
“Kill all the crows!”
Just shouting one word, Rubshi stepped forward.
She saw them with her strange eyes. The burly and unholy holy knights coming with the guard. She saw them coming here. She had to hold on until then. She could do that much.
The goal was to escape the two kids. To the Holy City.
If only the transfer magic was blocked, it would somehow work. Rubshi immediately aimed her cane and chanted the spell.
“Illusion.”
As soon as the magic activated, Claude stopped moving.
But immediately, another crow changed into Claude's appearance and threw the knife. He had moved consciousness to another crow just before being caught by the magic.
While doing so, he dodged to the tree top, and the subordinates came rushing. Rubshi responded by tapping the ground with her cane, and invisible power appeared with sharp sounds, spreading around her like a storm. To not allow approach. The subordinates couldn't move.
The powerlessness from earlier was a lie. The sight was empty, and Ryly exhaled weakly.
But this wasn't the time.
Ryly chased the crows with his eyes.
Birds flying in the sky, circling around. Because of the sudden situation, Claude had decided to speed up, so the singing became faster. Soon heading to the finale.
He had to block it somehow.
Just once, just once more. Squeeze everything out of his body.
He couldn't let this heretical woman, the opportunity created even by Rubshi betraying the cult, go to waste.
Hic, hic, panting, raising his hand.
His arms and legs were trembling, but the sweet scent from behind made his heart a little easier. Using that as comfort, he braced himself properly.
What would be the outcome of this incident.
Would we be able to smile.
A bit of fear entered, a bad thought flashed in his mind as if his body would tear.
But still, I will do this body to the end—
“Ryly.”
“…!”
In this cold winter mountain, a voice like spring wind broke his contemplation.