CRACK!
In a shattering and heart-wrenching sound, the plates cracked.
—He won't be able to take it! —shouted Daren, as he placed his broadsword against the turquoise balls.
The thin layers were crumbling. Daren was tense, as drops of sweat fell, sliding around his face.
Crack…!! ¡Crash!!
Finally, the platelets were destroyed. Daren opened his eyes, observing one of the shards of the plate that reflected the sighting of the elemental.
"Damn it!" Daren reacted instantly and also swung his greatsword at the elementalist, who approached with a leap.
In that moment, taking advantage of Daren's distraction, one of the turquoise balls thrown by the wizard was aimed at his broadsword, deflecting the counterattack. Approaching, the mace descended with fury, crashing down on Daren. He had no time to think or react, he just saw the mace approaching with speed.
Clack
—Agh!... What? —Daren said, while touching his head.
The mace fell to the ground. Daren, with his heart pounding, looked around, finding no trace of the elementalist or the constant attacks of the mage. It was as if they had disappeared all of a sudden.
…Daren — I called him when I was behind him.
—Aak! — Daren reacted with a start.
Turning to look at me, the next moment, he let out a long sigh, trying to recover from the tight situation he was in. Regaining composure.
—What's going on, Noah?— Daren asked, looking around.
...Calm down, it's all over now—I said, as I patted him on the back.
—If you say so.
… Rather, can you go call Liria? Actually, can you go call Liria?
—good.
Daren walked away, looking for Liria, not before turning and nodding without saying anything. Meanwhile, I returned to Elia, lying on a pile of rocks. Her breathing was calm, but her face bore marks of the impact. Even so, he looked at peace.
I carried her in my arms and let her sit against one of the rock walls, her hands intertwined. I sat down next to her, looking at the rough ceiling of the cave.
What happened to me? —that question crossed my mind.
I knew about the emotional problems between Noah and me, but reaching the point of losing consciousness from rage and hatred...
I scratched my head, this only increased my anxiety, feeling for the first time, the insatiable anger, was not to my liking. As I escaped those thoughts, I saw Daren and Liria approaching.
—How are you? —Liria said, with a serious and neutral voice.
…S-She's just asleep. —getting up from where I was sitting.
Liria approached and gently lifted Elia, resting her head beneath it. She stroked her hair while diligently tending to her wounds. It was a nice sisterly moment, but it feels weird to look at it for too long. In that moment, Daren spoke to me.
"Thank you, Noah, you helped me a lot," Daren said, lowering his head.
...D-Don't worry.
The conflict had passed, the problems had calmed down. But... wasn't I forgetting something? I shook my head, pushing that doubt away; I just wanted to rest a little longer. I sat next to Liria, and soon I felt slightly drowsy. A little nap doesn't hurt, closing my eyes.
—Hey! Wake up.
I heard a stern voice that woke me up immediately when I had fallen deeply asleep. Upon opening my eyes, I was astonished: there was nothing, just a deep, eerie darkness.
—It seems like you're doing well.
The same sound, a rough voice that inspired distrust. I didn't know where it was coming from, I couldn't see anything; it made me uneasy and doubtful.
A dream? —I thought, as my hands sweated and trembled.
—Why am I not like this?
The words buzzed in my ears. Whoever was talking to me was behind me. But what I saw surprised me quite a bit, I took a step back. It was another one, another "Noah." But he had nothing, he did nothing, he seemed like an empty shell, with his dull eyes, speaking directly to me.
…That's not my problem — I replied, startled.
An equal with nothing to feel, staring at me intently, unsettled me. I raised my hand quickly, aiming at him — (icy bullet) — I tried to use one of the skills, but nothing happened, although I sensed something like this would happen.
… what do you need? — speak carefully.
—Nothing...only I know — I say, as his presence faded into the darkness.
The other Noah deliberately disappeared all of a sudden, just as I felt my head hurt, my body became heavy, as if I had something on my back.
—R-Run! —Daren shouted as he approached at high speed.
…ugh
In the blink of an eye, the dark surroundings disappeared and I found myself again, with my companions. But at the most inopportune moment
When I tried to move, I felt a heavy sensation in my back. But what intrigued me was him, why he was standing there, or why they were chasing us. Carrying the backpack, which was terribly heavy, I ran with all my might, despite the fear clouding my mind and my body trembling.
Author's words: Here it is, the rest of the story continues at the beginning of chapter 19. Where I left off, it begins (to avoid confusion).
The flash of light managed to reveal a large part of the area for a few seconds. Allowing Elia to dodge the rocky obstacles more smoothly.
... Elia, watch out! —I shouted.
—¡!
Elia, with a loud noise, dodged the sudden attack aimed at her. The salamander was pointing at me, but it seems it understood that I was fleeing thanks to Elia. Liria kept running, but her anguish and fatigue were evident. Collapsing after running a few more meters.
Daren unconscious, Liria with mana exhaustion, Elia indecisive about what to do. We were getting closer to Liria, just around a bend in the cave.
…let me go
Elia looked at me for a moment, but I just nodded. Letting go of me and grabbing Liria, carrying her in his arm while dragging Daren along.
…but I'll take this —I mentioned just as he let go of me.
(Whip) With seconds to react, I got up. The salamander approached with an imposing aura. While I held the whip tightly, waiting for it to come a little closer and….
…Why do you master almost all weapons, professor? — I asked confidently. I was sitting on a rock.
—In a battle, fight, you never know if you'll have your weapon for that moment, the vast majority made that mistake, losing their weapon and dying.
Selene replied firmly, while standing at the edge of the small floating island, her hair billowing in the cool breezes, and the sunlight shining on her beauty, along with her bright eyes. She was slightly older than my friends, Javier and Luna, only if I considered my years in my other world.
From what I understood, the beauty of a well-cared-for older woman.
Don't think about it! —I thought, just before hitting myself in the face.
—!, is something happening? — I speak with strangeness, tilting my head.
The teacher noticed my strange behavior, raising an eyebrow as she looked at me.
…N-No, nothing, j-just a fly! — I replied incredulously.
…
"Take a shower, I don't want you to come in with your dirt," he said calmly.
I would have preferred the awkward silence; now I feel marked as the dirty one. How low will I fall in this world? I got up and stood next to Professor Selene, observing the landscape, with the sun's rays, trapped between the mountains. In the distance, the rivers were intertwined, the birds were soaring in the sky, and the sailboats were in the middle of the giant lake.
Views I would have never witnessed, feelings I would have never felt, a calm and relaxing sensation.
"Aren't you going to take a shower?" Selene asked.
… it was a joke about the fly, I took a shower when I woke up It was a joke about the fly, I took a shower when I woke up.
—So, what about your strange behavior?
…Nothing….
Professor Selene looked at me for a moment, then returned to the beautiful view at the edge of the island.
I gripped the whip tightly in my hand, throwing it towards a rock outcrop just as the salamander approached. With a quick use of the Pulse ability, the whip coiled tightly around the rock. Before the creature charged at me, I managed to dodge just in time. When one of its legs dangerously approached the rope, I activated Pulse again, propelling myself forward.
I slid under the body of the salamander and came out on the other side. Taking advantage of the momentum, I stretched the whip and managed to hook one of its front legs. Unbalancing the creature and bringing it down.
It won't stop him for long—I thought.
I gripped my sword and charged at the salamander. Although it had its regeneration, every creature has a weak point, and what better weak point than the heart itself! Before he stabbed the salamander.
"Get out of there!" Liria shouted, who was agonizing in Elia's arms.
Just at that moment, from the depths of the cave we came from, a giant creature appeared, approaching terrifyingly, like a worm, but with scales, so gigantic, even bigger than the salamander. A centipede.
At that moment, a barrier surrounded me, like a ball. At the same time, I felt the impact of the centipede.
Crack! ...! TRRAACK!
The pressure and the impact I received fractured the wall, right at the curve of the cave. Until finally, the wall cracked and collapsed. The last thing I saw was my companions, before falling into the depths.