The Huntsman of Red V2

Chapter 55 Cursed Arm: Part 2

Sound vanished into a muted lull, echoed by the sound of glass shattering within the mind.

Emerald swallowed, staring at everything with morbid resignation. She was barely able to stop her teeth from chattering, and was madly cursing herself. Beacon was supposed to be a walk in the park with her capabilities, and this was just a field trip to gather tree sap!

In the end, Emerald was grief stricken at her complacency. She'd left behind the artifact Archer had given her in the case of an emergency because the trip had three professors going on it, and normal Grimm weren't enough to make her nervous.

Regret. That was all Emerald had at this moment, but a part of her was also petty enough to glare at Neo.

Neo, like Emerald, was also given an artifact to use in an emergency.

So where was it?!

Emerald and Neo had been able to get along well with each other because they at times, shared similar mindsets. Both had been crooks before the Rose Mercenaries, but their egos were large. Neither of them prepared for a life and death situation at Forever Fall, a trip that was whispered to be more of a vacation spot for First-Years than a live-combat field-trip.

A shudder travelled down Emerald's back.

There was nothing to be had dwelling over mistakes already made.

Her life was flashing before her eyes.

Everyone else was no better.

The moment they saw the heart crushed, it felt as if their breaths were taken away. In the prior joint combat tournament held by Archer and Glynda, Emerald and her peers got to experience the novelty and terror of magic. Those that had ran into Cardin's group were even more aware of the effectiveness of a curse.

The silence stretched, the pitter patter of blood spilling over the ground echoing in the ears.

Colour faded from Glynda's eyes, her expression growing vacant, her body lurching forward as if a ragdoll with its strings severed. For a moment, she staggered, but that too was short lived.

She slumped forward and onto the ground with a heavy thud.

Strips of shadows quickly wound around Glynda before pulling her into the darkness, leaving nothing left.

Cursed Arm stood still, flicking his hand of the residual traces of an illusory heart before turning his attention onto everyone else.

"W-We're going die," Dove's teeth chattered as his complexion rapidly paled.

The mood plummeted.

Ector glanced at his hands and realized that they were shaking. His only solace was that Pyrrha was no better. Her silence rather than reassurance spoke volumes.

"Shut up, Dove!" Sky yelled at his teammate; eyes bloodshot while staring anywhere else but Cursed Arm.

"The professors and almost half of the class are gone!" Dove fired back.

"Is it ready?!" Cardin butted into the bickering, his body trembling from anxiety.

"W-We have to get closer," Russel stammered, holding onto the magic artifact they'd won from the competition.

Cardin went silent, much like everyone else.

Get closer?

None of them dared try and leave the boundary of the Saint's Banner, let alone draw closer to Cursed Arm.

'Any luck?'

Emerald glanced at Neo who flashed her scroll's screen at her.

Pursing her lips, Emerald shook her head.