Ziraiah pressed further, her voice edged with panic. "What's happening?"
Anuel's expression hardened. "We're being watched. Now stop asking questions. Lisa, take out that boat."
Lisa nodded, pulling out the tiny wooden model from her pouch. With a wave of her hand, it expanded into a full-sized boat. Anuel carefully placed Festron in it, seating him upright before climbing in herself.
"Who's watching us?" Ziraiah asked as she followed.
Anuel's voice was sharp as steel. "Stop asking questions and get in the boat."
"But the sea is far away!" Ziraiah protested.
"I said, stop asking questions," Anuel snapped.
Lisa climbed to the front of the boat, her movements steady despite the tension in the air. Wooden branches extended from the boat's sides, securing everyone in place. Lisa planted her feet firmly, the wood twisting to brace her ankles. She extended her arms forward, clapping her hands together in a dramatic gesture.
"Hold on," Lisa warned.
The ground beneath them began to shake violently. The land and soil moved, propelling the boat forward at astonishing speed. Ziraiah's heart pounded as the wind whipped her face. "What the hell?! A boat moving on land? This world is so messed up!"
Lisa's hands remained extended, guiding the moving ground. She deftly avoided trees, maneuvering through sharp turns and lifting the boat into the air to leap over obstacles. Each jump sent Ziraiah's stomach lurching as they soared over fallen trees and debris.
---
The Projectile Assault
Ahead, a horde of beasts appeared, their monstrous forms blocking the path. Lisa shouted over the roar of the moving terrain, "Anuel!"
Anuel leaned over the boat, her hand plunging into the hard ground as they sped forward. Rocks and debris collected in her grip, her movements precise and deliberate. She hurled the projectiles with incredible force, each one striking with devastating accuracy. The first rock tore through a beast's skull, continuing on to crash into a tree behind it, reducing both to splinters. Another shattered a creature's chest, sending it sprawling backward as its body crumpled.
Each throw was accompanied by a thunderous impact, the air filled with the sound of breaking bones and splintering wood. Blood sprayed across the forest, and the beasts fell one by one under Anuel's relentless assault.
---
The Final Push
As they neared the wall, Lisa's breathing grew labored. Sweat poured down her face, her body trembling with effort. Anuel noticed her faltering and shouted, "Push yourself again, Lisa!"
Lisa shook her head, her voice breaking. "I can't. It's too far!"
"You're proficient in Teramancy. Use it. Blow a hole in the wall for us."
Lisa stared at her in disbelief. "What? Can't you just punch it like Festron did?"
Anuel's expression softened slightly. "How will you gain experience if I do everything? Now get ready. The wall's getting closer."
Lisa gritted her teeth, extending her hands forward. She turned her palms inward, folding her fingers as the ground around them began to break apart. Debris gathered between her hands, forming a large projectile with a sharp, conical tip. Her veins bulged, and her eyes widened as she struggled to maintain control.
"Make it bigger," Anuel urged, her voice firm but encouraging.
The projectile grew to three meters in diameter, its pointed edge glowing faintly with energy. Lisa groaned under the strain, blood trickling from her nose as her mana surged.
"Do it now, Lisa!" Anuel commanded.
With a scream, Lisa released the projectile. It shot forward with incredible speed, obliterating the ice and wood wall. The force sent the projectile hurtling across the sandy shore and into the sea, continuing until it slammed into the distant town. Buildings crumbled, and people screamed as the projectile carved a long crater through the town before finally coming to a frozen halt.
They passed through the hole in the wall just as Lisa collapsed. Ziraiah, watching in stunned silence, thought to herself, My God, all of them are monsters.
Anuel glanced at Lisa's unconscious form with a rare look of pride before leaping from the boat. She pulled a small object from her bag and threw it into the sea. The object expanded rapidly, transforming into a massive submarine that floated on the water's surface.
---
Submarine Escape
Anuel carefully placed Festron and Lisa inside the submarine, Ziraiah following close behind. The interior was sleek and metallic, filled with unfamiliar technology. Anuel took a seat at the helm, placing a glowing helmet with cables over her head.
Ziraiah gawked, her eyes darting around the futuristic interior. "You even have a submarine in your bag? What else do you have in there?"
Anuel smirked but didn't respond, focusing instead on piloting the vessel. With a subtle movement, she activated the submarine. It hummed to life, gliding silently toward the location where Festron had thrown the Earthers.
Once they reached the water, Anuel pressed a button. Mechanical arms extended from the submarine, plunging into the sea to retrieve the Earthers. The barriers that had protected them had vanished when Lisa fainted, leaving only the strongest swimmers alive. Out of 400, only 344 were recovered. The rest had drowned, their bodies lost to the deep.
Inside the submarine, chaos reigned as the rescued Earthers tried to make sense of their situation. Some shouted in panic, their voices echoing off the metallic walls, while others wept in relief, clinging to each other in desperation.
Ziraiah opened a door to the crowded chamber, raising her hands in a calming gesture. "Don't worry! You're safe now."
A man pointed at her, his face pale and his eyes wide with fear. "It's her!She was with that creature! The one that tossed us like rag dolls!"
Before Ziraiah could respond, a thunderous crash reverberated through the submarine. The floor tilted violently, throwing everyone off balance. Ziraiah stumbled, grabbing onto a nearby railing as Lisa and several Earthers tumbled to the floor.
"What's happening?!" Ziraiah yelled, panic rising in her voice.
She looked out the large glass window and froze. High above the sea, a figure descended from the sky, wreathed in an ominous, glowing energy. The man slammed into the water with unimaginable force. The impact was catastrophic. The ocean parted around him, exposing the sea floor in a massive crater. A towering wave rose in his wake, growing higher and higher, its shadow engulfing the submarine.
The wave struck with devastating force, sending the submarine tumbling end over end. Inside, chaos erupted as everyone was hurled around like rag dolls. Ziraiah clung to the nearest surface, her fingers slipping as she fought to stay upright. Lisa screamed as she was thrown across the cabin, colliding with a group of Earthers. Metal groaned under the strain, and loose items flew in every direction.
The submarine slammed into an ice wall with a bone-rattling crash. The wall, hastily erected by a woman in the distant town, had shielded the buildings from the wave's full force. The submarine groaned as it came to a sudden halt, its metallic hull wedged awkwardly in the frozen barrier.
Ziraiah gasped for air, her heart pounding in her chest as the world around her finally stilled. She pulled herself upright, her body aching from the violent tumbling. Lisa groaned from where she had landed, clutching her head as several Earthers moaned in pain.
"What… what was that?" Ziraiah managed to stammer, her voice trembling.
The submarine's interior creaked ominously, its structure strained by the collision. Ziraiah's wide eyes darted toward the window, searching for the source of the chaos. The wave was subsiding, but the mysterious man remained a dark silhouette against the horizon.
"We're stuck," Anuel announced grimly, her voice sharp as she assessed the situation. Her hands flew over the submarine's controls. "Everyone, stay calm. I'll get us out of here."
Ziraiah clung to the wall, her heart racing as she whispered, "Can't we get a break?!"
---
To Be Continued...