Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol 2- Descent of Darkness

Episode 118: Colossus of the Forest

*Ning*

Yanyu, Guang, Xing, and I had been warped to a densely forested areas with a lot of rocks dotting the forest floor. A flock of toucans flew past us and perched themselves on a large broad-leaf tree. Using their rainbow-beaks, they yanked the pink, banana-like fruit growing on the tree. With their heads reclined back, they swallowed.

"So pretty," Yanyu said.

I nodded. "Yeah... An would love to see this."

"They're just birds. Nothing too out of the ordinary," Xing said, shrugging.

"But there aren't birds this colorful back home," Yanyu said, staring at their red, green, yellow, and blue beaks.

"Well, they look hideous if you ask me," he said, sighing.

"You got bad taste to begin with," I said, rolling my eyes.

He held his head back just like the toucans and laughed. "You're saying I got bad taste? Yours is a hundred times worse!"

"Guys, don't start a fight," Yanyu said, staring at the map in her hands.

Xing looked over her shoulder. "What's the point of the map if it doesn't hint to the locations of the mirror pieces?"

"There's a secret to it," I said, snickering.

"Really?" Guang asked, staring at it intently. "What is it?"

I took a hold of the map and walked over to a spot where the sunlight was more intense. My lips curled upward as soon as I saw spots appear on it.

"Seems I was right."

"About what? What did you discover?" Xing said.

"There's spots on this map," I said, lowering it. "They're only visible with a certain amount of light passing through the sheet."

"So it's like a code," Guang said, grinning. "This will be fun."

"Let's start the search then," Xing said. "What's the nearest point?"

I glanced around the place. "First I need to assess where exactly we are."

"May I see it?" Yanyu asked.

"Sure," I said, handing it over.

Birds took to the air as she ran up a tree and leapt between its branches until she could see over the canopy.

"What do you see?" I shouted.

"I see what seems to be ruins," she yelled. "Mt. Rios is toward our south too, so we must be in the ruin area."

"Look what the cat dragged in," a voice called out.

The hairs on my back stood up. My body moved on its own as vines came at me from behind.

"Impressive," Aida said, grinning.

I summoned my wand and transformed it into its railgun form.

"What do you want?" Guang snapped.

"I came here to eliminate the competition," she said as the branches of the trees around us began to move.

"Yanyu! Jump!" I yelled. "Yanyu!"

"Your colleague is stuck in knots," she said, grinning. "It's a good thing I faced off against her, else I would've underestimated that barrier of hers."