Mysticals: The Crimson Chaos

15: Mt. Skufagel

June 13, 545
7:30 AM

The newly recruited agents are now fully ready to be dispatched on a mission following a week of training. Weapons made by Rennard, Maia, Adeline, and Aria are effective for killing Haunele Bacteria and, perhaps, putting an end to the Epidemic.

Advanced armor and suits have been equipped for Liam, Vesper, and Arbulet. The three are escorted to the meeting room. In the center, waiting for them is Vianne. Notably, there are other agents present in the conference space.

The senior agents are formally introduced to the three new agents by Vianne. Liam, Vesper, and Arbulet, along with the other two agents, will be sent on a mission to Wind Island. Agent Season and Agent Stinger are these agents. The agents are instructed by Vianne on the three locations with high Haunele energy. The Wind Island Province Sewers come first. The Luften Forest is the second. The Mountain of Skufagel is the third.

Agents Houndbite and Stinger are sent to the provincial sewers by Vianne. Additionally, she places Agents Kirbrine and Season in the Luften Forest, while Agent Midnight is put in charge of Mt. Skufagel.

Arbulet is dismayed that he will explore Mt. Skufagel alone. Vianne tells him that all of them will be equipped with various communication devices, so even if they are far away from each other, they will be able to communicate. The objective, according to Vianne, is to acquire everything there is to discover the intense amounts of Haunele energy present in these three regions. They must be back at the Wind Island harbor by 6:00 PM because the assignment will take them 10 hours to complete.

Now, the agents are boarding the aircraft that will transport them to Wind Island. Liam is continuously tweaking his invention while flying. Arbulet asks Liam what he is doing. According to Liam, he has been working on a tool that lets users manipulate wind currents. Being assigned to the forest disappoints Liam. Arbulet receives the gadget from Liam. As there are several wind currents at that peak, Liam claims to have given the device the name "Wind Current Controller" and asks Arbulet to test it there.

Agent Houndbite is approached by Agent Stinger. Vesper is questioned by Agent Stinger about her intentions to really utilize Dual Blades as weapons. Vesper responds that the Dual Blades have given her more confidence. She also explains to Agent Stinger how using Dual Blades allows her to dispatch the opponent more quickly. Vesper is informed by Agent Stinger that she is unhappy about her assignment to the sewers. Vesper agrees, but she clarifies that a mission is a mission, and they will have to do it regardless.

The aircraft arrived at Wind Island's harbor after half an hour. To travel to their designated sites, the agents split up. Agents Houndbite and Stinger traveled to the province of Scotia. Agents Season and Kirbrine traveled to the Luften Forest. Agent Midnight goes on hiking to climb Mt. Skufagel.

In the mountain, Arbulet's communication device receives no signal. Now that his digital map is broken, he is compelled to navigate without one. Arbulet remembers the device that Liam gave to him. Arbulet taps buttons on the gadget despite not understanding how it operates. The object protrudes an antenna, which begins emitting strange radio waves.

The wind has suddenly grown more forceful. In order to avoid being carried away by the strong wind, Arbulet lies down. When Arbulet again hits random buttons on his gadget, the strong wind has vanished. Arbulet tries to contact Liam about his discovery, but his communication device is not working.

Arbulet continues his investigation of the Haunele bacterium because his equipment, which allows him to track Haunele energy, is still functional. Arbulet needs to traverse a cliff, but the distance between them will require an impossibly high jump. Arbulet modifies the wind current using the Wind Current Controller. Arbulet leaps, but the wind takes him away. He succeeded in navigating the cliff.

The wind current he created forced numerous boulders from the mountain top to fall, resulting in some landslides. Arbulet is now stuck. Arbulet is forced to ascend the mountain by scaling a dangerous avalanche.

He takes a rest beside the suspended boulder. However, the boulder rolled down the mountain, and Arbulet had to continue climbing the steep landslide. Arbulet observes a massive hole beneath the fallen boulder. Two persons could fit through the hole. Arbulet installs an escape rope and enters the hole.

Arbulet managed to find himself inside a temple after navigating the narrow tunnel. The earth has covered the windows and exits of the temple. There is an altar in the temple's center, which is a sizable structure. Arbulet thinks that the temple is buried inside the mountain. Nothing happens when Arbulet tries to use his wind current controller. Suddenly, his communication started to function slowly. Arbulet manages to contact Liam, but neither of them can understand each other's words. After a while, the communication device malfunctioned again.

Arbulet senses a wind inside the temple, and it grows stronger by the second. Arbulet tries pressing anything in his suit that may help him resist the wind. Arbulet activates the heavy suit armor that is usually used for navigating a seafloor.

Meanwhile, at the Ylhaya Facility, the communication team receives a signal from Agent Midnight's suit that Arbulet has activated the seafloor suit. However, they are unable to pick up Agent Midnight's radio transmissions. Though Vianne is becoming concerned, she is sure that Arbulet will be alright.

The wind in the temple finally faded away after a few minutes of severe wind. Arbulet maneuvers around the temple. Ancient symbols and writings can be seen on the walls. Arbulet thinks the temple is older than a few thousand years.

At the temple's altar, a brilliant light emerged. The light has a blue glow to it. Arbulet moves slowly toward the bright light. The glowing light abruptly changed into a brilliant cloud that grew larger by one inch each second. Arbulet tries to get away, but he can't because of the weight of his outfit. The shimmering cloud gobbles up Arbulet. Arbulet notices a bird's figure flapping its wings inside the cloud. The strong light inside the cloud made it difficult for him to see the figure clearly.

Arbulet collapses to the ground, senseless. The brilliant cloud vanishes. Arbulet becomes illuminated for few seconds and his communication device starts to work again.