Chapter 59 Receding Mystery?

Seeing that the fog was quickly closing in, I reinforce my body to the fullest, spreading my aether to every place that my current pathways would allow, Aoif beside me was doing the same except her body was engulfed in a purple cloud of aether instead of the bright green that was mine.

A shiver then another, my body was shivering at the very touch of the desolate fog. The very moment my body had touched the fog, my muscles locked into place, frozen.

I could still feel them, move them but it was almost futile with how much effort was needed to even begin to move.

Looking down I could see the frost climbing up my limbs. With a great struggle I reached my fingers out, caressing my legs with aether. The frost that had once locked them no more, mobility restored.

Once I had recovered my bodily functions by flooding aether into them I looked over to Aoif. I expected to see frost climbing up her body too but instead I saw the fog just flow off of her. The fog looked upon Aoif in reverence, like a subject to their queen.

It seemed like Aoif had picked up on that fact and with a wave of her hand the fog sharply turned this and that way before settling in a nearby tree that was instantly engulfed in ice.

It was like the fog wanted to obey Aoif but had trouble interpreting her commands. Each wave of her hand though, brought the fog more in sync.

Aoif looked over at me with a sheepish expression then with a wave of her hand the frost that once attacked me receded.

I released the extended reinforcement that I had done out of necessity, seeing that it was no longer needed.

It was as if the very universe was taunting me as the very moment that I had released my reinforcement Aoif's eyes went wide. The once calm fog became agitated.

Immediately I reinforced my body in the same way as I had done before ready to resist.

…

The fog had receded, swirling around and around, before the force of the fog was overwhelming.

It was spinning with such force that wind had blown up from it. The dead grass and trees around us, covered in frost, were shattered. The shards being flung around.

Countless shards had already pierced my skin resulting in many little cuts.

Aoif fared no better, her untouched skin now marred with cuts all over.

Eventually it stopped spinning and stabilized into something that looked like a portal.

A heavy atmosphere filled the air and a hand reached out.

The traction of my feet was broken and I was sent flying.

*BANG* *BANG*

Instead of just the one bang that I knew was caused by time I heard another. Looking over I saw Aoif, she was sweating, the presence weighing heavy on her.

Though after when I looked over that struggling expression was instantly gone though I was able to get a brief glimpse of it before Aoif had killed it.

Another hand reached out and the pressure doubled.

Holding the portal were two hands pushing something that looked like a crown out of the portal.

However before whatever the being wanted to accomplish could be done the hands were chained.

Golden chains appear out of nowhere to force the being back into the portal.

However before the presence left it sent something that slipped between the chains' attention.

"Hah"

"Hah"

Both Aoif and I visibly panted when the presence had finally disappeared, our mouths finally able to take air into them.

Before we could take more relief in the presence's disappearance a growl interrupted us.

Standing before us was what I imagined a Minotaur would look like.

With skin as red as blood and yellow eyes glowing with hatred the Minotaur advanced, a sword in hand.

My spear was in my in an instant, the moment that I had noticed the Minotaur was the moment I jumped into a combat stance.

With my spear ready I started to reinforce it, then reinforced it again.

No doubt would the Minotaur have skin that would not be cut by a once reinforced spear.

Though that cost me time. With surprising agility for something so big it dashed at us. The sword swinging downwards, intent on cleaving me in half.

Immediately the spear in my hand was held by both and raised so that the shaft would intercept the downwards slash.

*CLANG*

The sound of metal raking metal was heard as the sword was stopped m, though the Minotaur had no intention of letting up.

Just as quickly as he had attacked the minotaur had raised up its sword again but this time instead of hacking at me it threw the sword with all its strength towards the still recovering Aoif.

I tried to intercept it but the Minotaur tackled me and it took all I could to just resist the strength of the Minotaur.

…

The sword was flying at me, it was at such a speed that I could barely even react but barely still means that I could react.

The fog in the area was still here and I could feel it responding to my desires.

Without conscious thought it coalesced in front of me however it wasn't enough to stop the sword.

However it did give me enough time to react, immediately I swung my dagger out in front of myself.

*CLANG*

The force of the sword blew me away but I was alive and that was what mattered.

Looking back over I see Darwin's spear on the ground and Darwin himself being manhandled by the Minotaur.

There was no time to think, I could see the light leaving Darwin's eyes as he started falling unconscious.

Dagger in hand I dash, unnoticed by me though was that the fog had gathered around my legs forming plates of armor that gave me a boost to my leg strength.

In just a moment I was above the Minotaur. My eyes had already seen its death, my dagger tip was poised to pierce the origin of its soul.