Chapter 63 Fortress And Risk

Esdras tried to run, but his body refused to obey his orders. It was as if he was held in place by a strange, unseen power.

And just like that without being able to control himself or resist, he levitated in the air until he landed on the hand of the shadow figure.

Esdras was in despair, he knew that he couldn't do anything. Even without the power to suppress his movement, he couldn't have done anything.

"Not bad, not bad, with this body I should be able to leave in time before it's too late."

Esdras had no idea what this thing was talking about. He also didn't know why it was thinking out loud. Maybe it was a consequence of spending so much time alone in that sarcophagus.

Suddenly that smoke-like substance that made up the body of the shadow started entering his body through his eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth.

Esdras fell down on his own, unable to move still, after the entirety of the shadow has entered his body, and he was unable to move his eyes or empty, and his breathing was extremely slow.

Within the darkness within his body, it was like he was meditating, and was able to observe his sea of consciousness through his spirit body.

He could see that smoke invading his mind and spirit but at a deeper level.

"Hahahaha! I will be reborn!"

He was able to hear this roar reverberate in his mind for a long, long time. But then something happened.

"What is that thing? Huh?"

The shadow made a confused noise.

"No! What?! Stop! Noooo! Leave me alone! AghaaaaaaH!"

Esdras didn't do anything, but he was able to see that deep inside of him. Beyond the Sea of consciousness, there was a shining object that he could not see clearly.

Currently, all of the shadows that invaded his mind and body were being absorbed, devoured and drained by that object. Subconsciously, he knew what it was.

The Divine shard that was in his possession!

​

" no please aghhha, I didn't know! I didn't know! Leave me be! I swear I won't bother you!"

After a short amount of time, the noise ended, and the smoke was completely cleared.

But a transparent spirit suddenly floated upside down in his sea of consciousness. Esdras didn't know what to do now he wanted to activate that power once again, to completely annihilate it.

But he didn't know how.

He didn't feel any different after he I walk from the trance and returned to the right word. You didn't get any boost in power or anything of that sort.

Feeling relieved and slightly disappointed, he looked around and realized that he was alone.

With all his power, he ran towards the fortress, hoping to make it this time.

Twenty minutes later, he was able to see the fortress. It seems like there was a battle, but it has since ended or maybe they were taking a break.

In any case, it seems that the warlocks retreated for the time being. This was good news as he was able to reach the fortress safely.

The fort didn't look so good, with broken walls and fallen ramparts, soldiers lying everywhere with some physicians looking after them.

Many deformed corpses and there was an occasional limb here or there. This is what happens when magic is involved. Regular people die in droves and these are the lucky ones.

He found some apprentices, who actually managed to return safely, and one of them was his friend, David.

"Seems like you made after all, huh?" Esdras said feeling completely exhausted.

"Oh, yeah. We were the closest to the fortress so we quickly found ourselves in safety. Did you hear that explosion?" David asked.

"Which one?" Esdras asked.

"That one, the one that released all that mana? It forced The Warlocks to retreat. Even the True mages on our side didn't want to fight anymore. If only you saw the look on their faces, everyone was scared for their lives."

Esdras had a feeling that he knew what they were talking about. But they did not know that thing was already on the verge of death.

He better finds someone to ask how to kill a spirit quickly.

Ironically, it was that creature's intervention that allowed Esdras to reach the fortress safely. Otherwise, he would have to find a place in the wild to hide.

"Oh? You're a level 4 now?" Esdras asked David, astonished. "But how do you already know some cantrips?"

Esdras used his [Third eye] on David casually, what he saw surprised him.

"How did you know?" David asked in return, and then he started bragging shamelessly, "actually, I managed to break through yesterday. As for the cantrips I already learned them so when I broke through, I was immediately able to use them."

"That's smart." Esdras was impressed, he didn't think of that before maybe you could do that himself later.

"Honestly, I expected the fortress to fall by now the warlocks came in great numbers, and we have only one True mage," Esdras asked.

"I thought so too, but did you remember the female True mage that was injured? It was a fake injury, and she was able to ambush the warlocks. There's also another True mage who has a great chameleon as a familiar with this combination, we were able to hold on, and even repelled their attacks several times."

Indeed, the True mages had predicted something like this happening, or at least be prepared for the worst possible scenario.

"Oh, wait where is Celine?" Esdras suddenly noticed that he didn't see her among the apprentices in the fortress.

Add this question David's face turned ugly, "she, she's not here yet... but, like you, she's going to make it now that the warlocks have retreated. Probably."

Esdras frowned, being still in the forest was extremely dangerous. The Warlocks only retreat it, but they haven't given up yet.

He did give her that amulet of protection, but that simply wasn't enough I guess these foes.

"I'm going to bring her here." He decided. He couldn't just sit around and wait for her. What if she faced a warlock? It was way above her abilities.

"What you can't go it's insanely dangerous out there!" David tried to block him. "The siege might resume at any time, out there you will get yourself killed, it's already great that you managed to get here. Be rational."

"It's fine I'm going to bring her here. I know where her camp was, she must be around that area. If I can't find her in half an hour then I will just come back."

Looking into his eyes David knew that he couldn't stop him.

"Fine then I'm coming with you, the place is still very difficult to search alone, two people will cover more area let's go."

"Why? Didn't you say it's irrational? You don't have to come." Esdras shook his head.

"I'm not exactly the rational type either, I'm your friend so how could I sit back and do nothing while you risk your life? Come on, don't waste time let's go!"

Esdras wouldn't refuse help when it came to things like this he was very well aware that he couldn't solve every problem himself, and he was grateful for the help.