The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 87: Repayment

Chapter 87: Repayment

Aria Friend:

"Damn it," I scowled as the mana I had collected slipped out of my control again. "It's not working. Each time I'm about to connect past the Rift the space around us interferes."

"Then we destroy the mountain?" Zen raised her brow at me.

I shook my head, "If we do, we'll be hurtled into the Rift without an anchor. Even if I could cast a spell, the chance we're separated would be too big. I doubt either of you have a way out."

"Nope," Poppy admitted freely. "I'm surprised you're so talented with regular magic. Most the Witches I knew we're pretty dominant in just their fields."

"I'd say it was my efforts, but it comes naturally," I sighed. We had been stuck here for hours now. Ever since that demonic woman had sacrificed herself, the entire mountain was thrown to the Rift and sealed. While time in the rift was mostly constant, it could slip forward at times. There was no telling how much time would have gone by on Earth.

Zen sat down on a nearby rock, she frowned, "Aria, I don't like this. We knew it was a trap... but for it to be a trap like this, they wanted us gone for a reason."

"But why?" Poppy asked. "Almost all their forces were in the one place. They might have trapped us for now but we took them all down."

"That's..., that demon woman, she mentioned someone else," I showed my frustration and anxiety.

"Wasn't she just referring to the Faceless King?" Poppy suggested. "They were all spouting that crap."

"No," Zen disagreed. "She seemed like she was speaking about someone closer."

"Kazu," I said the Archmages name.

"And Callus," Zen added. "If he's as strong as we believe, I'm not sure Vanter could defeat him alone. Is there anyone left on Earth who could match him?"

I grit my teeth, "There has to be a way out of here."

"How about you use the power of the End?" Poppy looked at me. "Could that do something?"

"I don't know.... But how do I target just the interference and not the space itself?" I sighed a laugh, "Dare I say it, but this is where Vanter would come in handy. He has an eye for these types of things."

"So, to get this straight," Zen began as she looked about the rocky chamber. "You need to break everything around us to stop the interference, but we also need to stay together?"

"That's about right. Can you do something?"

"I think so," she stood up from the rock. "I've been trying more to solidify my Aura. If Poppy helps me, I might be able to protect a small region around us."

Poppy floated beside her, "I'm game."

Zen however looked at us pointedly, "The only thing, I may not be much use after. My strength would have been used up, especially if I am to stop something like the End Aria can produce."

"We'll cover you," Poppy grinned, remaining positive.

"It's our best bet," I folded my arms. "Let's do this and get out."

Zen nodded and began to release her Aura. The electrifying golden energy snapped around her, breaking off to form protective shielding. Poppy supported her from behind and I took a deep breath, my eyes turned white and I felt the desolation of the End. As the mountain began to dissolve around us, I felt the Rift beyond it... I felt my brother.