Kill The Extra-Chapter 52: Midterm Examination [5]

BOOM!!!

The sky inside the Abyss Gate shimmered like cracked glass, swirling in hues of blood red and obsidian.

Lucas tightened his grip on his spear as he walked through the dense forest. His boots hit damp and mossy earth. The moment he stepped foot in this area. It tossed him into a dense, fog filled forest. Lightning crackled faintly from his fingertips as he scanned the area.

"Looks like all of us are dropped in different zones," he muttered as he was taking a cautious step forward. The air felt heavy and thick with mana. Twisted trees loomed around him and their bark pulsing faintly as if alive.

Crack!!!

Something moved. A creature emerged from the shadows. It was taller than a man, covered in matted fur with bones jutting from its limbs. A twisted aberration. Lucas narrowed his eyes.

"You are not supposed to be here."

The monster lunged.

Whoosh!!!

Lucas ducked under the first swipe and jabbed his spear upward and impaling the creature through the jaw.

Zap!!!

Lightning surged through the spear. The beast convulsed and fell. It was twitching as smoke wafted from its wounds.

Lucas exhaled. "That was... different. Not what I was expecting."

He moved on, weaving between the trees and staying alert. Minutes passed. Then, he felt movement ahead. Two familiar figures came in front of his eyes. He hurried forward.

"Aurora and Selena! Finally."

The two girls turned. Aurora and Selena, both had sharp eyes and pale features with long silver blue hair tied into high ponytails and seeing Lucas coming towards them Aurora had a faint smirk on her face.

"Lucas," Aurora said, "You took your time."

"Where are the others?" Lucas asked as he approached them.

"Haven’t seen them yet. We thought they’d be near you." Selena answered this time.

Lucas frowned. Something didn’t sit right. He grabbed a flare from his pouch and fired it into the air. A crackling ball of blue light burst high above the forest canopy.

"That should let the others know where we are."

SHLICK!!!

Blood sprayed and in the blink of an eye Aurora’s head flew from her shoulders, her eyes still wide in silent shock.

"Aurora!!!" Selena screamed at the top of her lungs.

Lucas barely reacted in time.

Clang!!!

His spear caught a black blade inches from his throat. Sparks flew as he blocked the attack.

Two figures emerged from the fog. Both of them were cloaked, masked and their auras drenched in bloodlust.

"Tsk, tsk," one of them said with a chuckle. "Look at the brave little students. Still thinking this is just a test."

Lucas gritted his teeth. It didn’t take him long to identify them, "You are...the demonic cultists. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh, so the little hero recognizes us. How flattering."

Selena standing in shock raised her hands and magic circles started glowing very brightly.

"Infernal Prism!!"

"Arc Lash!!"

"Mana Burn!!!"

BOOM!!!

Whoosh!!!

She immediately launched three skills towards the cultist. Three skills exploded into the cultists as it reached them.

Dust and debris flew.

Lucas turned and grabbed Selena’s arm tightly, "Run!!!"

But the smoke cleared. The cultists stood unharmed. One of them flicked their hand.

Wham!!!

With a single wave Selena flew backward into a tree and slammed with a sickening crunch.

Boom!!

She crumpled and became unconscious.

"NO!" Lucas shouted at the top of his lungs.

The cultist stepped forward. "Now, your turn."

Swish!!!!

Lucas blocked another blow. Electricity burst from his spear.

"Stay away from her!"

SWOOSH!!!

ZAP!!!

He fought with precision, but the cultists were faster and stronger. He knew he wouldn’t win in a direct fight. He needs to make an opening.

"I have to buy time to create an opening...."

He suddenly charged.

"YAAAAAH!"

Blades clashed.

Then Lucas spun, driving his spear into the ground and launching himself backward.

Thump!!!!

Thump!!!

He didn’t stop. He ran. He knew leaving Selena there isn’t good but he needs to save his life first.

As he ran something struck him from behind.

"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"

Pain burst through his back and He was suddenly airborne, tumbling over the cliff’s edge.

Crack!!!

Thud!!!

His vision blurred. He hit the ground hard and rolled. He was barely conscious.

The cultists laughed as they saw it.

"You fool," one of the cultists said.

"We need them alive,"

The other snapped, "Relax. There are six hundred of them. One or two won’t matter."

They picked up unconscious Selena and disappeared into the trees.

*****

Above them, high in the canopy of a massive tree, Ryker watched silently. His heterochromia eyes glinted.

He had seen everything. From the headless Aurora... to Lucas’s desperate charge... to the brutal attack that sent him flying off the cliff.

He smirked.

"Everything is going exactly as planned."

A soft ding sounded.

[•Quest Updated: Prevent Lucas Lockhart’s Corruption]

Objective: Save Lucas from the clutches of the demonic cult.

Reward: Unknown Skill and Lucas’s Growth Increased by 9%

Failure: Lucas’s Corruption +5%

Ryker’s eyes narrowed as he leapt down.

Swoosh!!

"Time to play my part."

*****

Slash!!!

Sasha severed the monster’s limb with a clean strike.

Crack!!!

A second strike shattered its skull. The body hit the ground with a dull sound.

She wiped blood from her cheek. Her breathing was steady.

At that moment, another presence approached her.

A girl. She had short hair with dyed streaks of red and orange, goggles strapped to her forehead, and a shining bow strapped across her back.

The Spectral Marksman girl Ryker talked about.

Zeke raised her bow and pointed it towards Sasha.

"Stop there. Say something funny and I shoot."

Sasha raised both hands. "I am not here to fight. I am looking for my team. We got separated."

Zeke narrowed her eyes. "Convenient."

"Looks like you are also looking for your team. We are both looking for our teammates. It would be smarter to work together."

Zeke thought about it for a second and she considered it, then she lowered her weapon slightly.

"Fine. But try anything weird and you will be the one getting buried."

Sasha nodded. "Deal."

They walked together, but Sasha hung behind slightly.

Her expression was blank and her eyes were cold.

******

Ryker stood on a branch once more to look around the forest.

He looked out over the forest. He could see smoke rising where Lucas had crashed.

Cultists moved like ants.

Everything was falling into place.

"Let’s begin the next phase."

He vanished into the shadows.