Extra's Guide to Surviving a Dark Fantasy World-Chapter 58: Betrayal-2

Tess and Aria watched in surprise as I flew through the air. As the demon grabbed me through my collar and launched me towards the city gate.

The moment it did so I unsummoned it, prompting it to return back to my body. I only had three more seconds worth of mana remaining, hoping to god that Tess would put her archery to good use I summoned Stormraven.

Stormraven emerged out of my hand and grabbed me by the back of my armor. It then began flying straight through the gate, barely being able to carry me in the air.

I was just about to cross the gate’s threshold when a wooshing sound caught my attention. An arrow pierced through the air, flying straight through stormraven wings.

"Urgh." I cried as a piercing pain shot through my soul. At the same time, the stormraven’s grip on my armor vanished, prompting me to crash down onto the ground.

THUD!!

Air lunged out of my lungs as my already injured body fell straight into the stone ground.

Damn it. I internally cursed while dismissing stormraven. Thankfully, I hadn’t been flying too high up in the air.

The sounds of footsteps caused me to barely lift my head to my side. Tess was slowly walking towards my collapsed body, limping due to her own wounds.

"You are only making this difficult on yourself." She spoke in a measured tone while trying to reach her hand to grab me.

"Don’t touch me." I whimpered while trying to get away from her.

"I am sorry, Zane, but I can’t have you trying to escape again." Saying so, she pulled out a small blade from her side.

"I am really sorry. I’ll try to make this quick." She slashed her knife and, with one swift motion, sliced my leg, separating it from my body.

"Aah." I wanted to scream in pain, but only a whimper escaped from my lips. Honestly, with all that pain I was currently feeling, cutting my leg hadn’t even been registered.

"Don’t worry." Tess continued while taking out a piece of cloth and began bandaging my wound. "I wouldn’t let you die; the ceremony won’t work if the sacrifice isn’t fresh after all. In fact, once you are in a cell, I would even request My Lady to heal your leg."

Saying so, she pulled me up like a sack and placed me over her shoulder.

Carrying me over her shoulder, the three of us began our journey once again, making our way to the large port in the distance.

In the end, it took us more than an hour to reach the building. Originally, the distance towards the building hadn’t been too long, but in our injured state, Tess had been prompted to stay away from the roaming Jakaras, no matter how little of a danger they possessed without their master controlling them.

The sun was already about to set in the sky by the time we entered inside, slowly making our way through the destroyed main hall to the spiral stair case in the back, cautiously climbing it up to the top hall where we were presuming the ships were located.

And we were correct; in front of us stood rows and rows of broken and withered ships, standing in line facing a half-opened broken gate, the other side of which one could see the red river flowing in all its majesty. On the other side of the hall stood a large stone desk filled with levers, which seemed like a control panel. It was filled with levers, dials, and luminescent crystals and set into a weathered console.

Once reaching the hall and making sure it was safe, Tess placed me down on the stone floor like a sack of potatoes. After which, both she and Aria took out the last of our medical supplies and began dressing each other’s wounds.

"Water. My throat is parched." I slowly asked Tess, who paused for a second before asking.

"Where is your spatial storage? You are the one who’s in charge of carrying the supplies, right?"

I slowly nodded and signaled to my pocket. Tess took out the storage card, slowly took out a glass water bottle, and handed it to me.

I didn’t say anything, instead put the bottle to my lips and began chugging the water as if my life depended on it.

"Slow down, save some for the rest of us," Tess complained, but by then, I had already finished the bottle.

"Ask her to make some more," I answered dismissively and pointed towards Aria.

Tess stared at me before speaking. "Aria, if you are finished go and see if you can figure out the controls."

Aria slowly nodded with her head down and began walking towards the controls. Tinkering with them, reading through what I was assuming was ancient Khravaen to figure out the controls.

She stayed at it for quite a while, tempering through the controls before stopping.

"Is there a problem?" Tess asked while tightly wrapping the bandage around my open wound, trying to make sure I didn’t die before we reached our destination.

"I am not doing it," Aria spoke in bated breath.

"What?"

"I said I am not doing it."

Silence descended in the room as both Tess and Aria stared at each other.

"You aren’t thinking straight. Do I once again need to remind you of the consequences? He is just a stranger we met a couple of months ago. A stranger who has been lying to you all this time." Tess screamed in frustration.

"This has nothing to do with him. Frankly, I don’t quite care what you do to him." She took a breath.

It has been months since we disappeared, and by now, we are surely presumed dead. We’ve endured hell to make it this far, yet all I can think about is how Mother would react if I returned alive but empty-handed. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"I am done playing her game, done looking for her approval at the cost of my life." Saying so she stepped down from the platform.