Chapter 118 Oscuro



"Erwin...wake.....wake..up...Erwin." The voice grew louder, and Erwin felt a jolt of energy course through him. He struggled to open his eyes, but they felt heavy and unresponsive. He tried to move his limbs, but they were like lead weights.

And then, just as he thought he was about to give up, a warm light started to spread across his vision. It grew brighter and brighter until it was all he could see. Suddenly, his body convulsed, and he gasped for air as if he had been drowning.

Erwin sat up with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked around frantically, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He realized he was no longer falling through the abyss, but lying on a cold, hard floor. He felt a sharp pain on his cheek and realized that someone had slapped him.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed, rubbing his cheek gingerly. He looked up and saw a beautiful woman staring expressionlessly at him.

"Why did you slap me?" he asked the giant assistant, his voice laced with a mix of pain and annoyance.

"I found you lying on the floor with books on your body and tried to wake you up, but you were not responding, so I had to slap you," Valara said as she rose from a squatting position, making Erwin's eyes miss the chance to examine her fat thighs.

Erwin rubbed his cheek again, now understanding why it hurt so much. "Well, next time, maybe just a gentle shake will do the trick," he said with a wry grin.

The assistants exchanged amused glances, and Valara nodded. "Noted."

Erwin looked around with confusion and found himself in the library, with books scattered all around him. He realized he was in the same place where he was sucked into the bookshelves, but there was no sign of any commotion like before.

Erwin scratched his head, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Had he been dreaming, or was it some kind of strange magic?

Erwin muttered under his breath, "Was all of that an illusion?"

Valara noticed Erwin looking confused and asked, "What illusion?"

Erwin quickly responded, "Huh...nothing." He decided not to tell anyone about the dark labyrinth and the stone path that led to the abyss.

"Miss Valara, how long was I knocked out for?" Erwin asked, changing the subject.

Valara arrived and found Erwin lying unconscious. "I don't know, I just got here and saw you," she said, before continuing, "What were you doing here?"

Erwin fabricated a lie and replied, "Just reading, nothing out of the ordinary." He cleared his throat and continued, "I must have dozed off from the exhaustion. Is it still nighttime?"

"Yeah, it's late at night," Valara replied. "You should head back to your quarters and get some rest. It's not safe to stay here alone at this hour."

Erwin nodded in agreement and started gathering the books that were scattered around him. As he picked them up, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He wondered if what he experienced in the labyrinth was just a dream or if it was something more. He decided that he needed to investigate further and find out the truth about what had happened.

"Thanks for your concern, Miss Valara," Erwin said as he collected the last of the books. "I'll head back to my dormitory now."

Valara nodded and watched as Erwin made his way towards the exit. As he walked through the dimly lit library, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him from the shadows. He quickened his pace, eager to leave the library and get to the safety of his dormitory.

Erwin shivered as he made his way back home. The chilly wind was making his neck feel like ice and he was feeling quite spooked.

Erwin quickened his pace, trying to shake off the feeling of unease. He couldn't shake off the memory of the dark abyss and the stone path that had led him there. Was it all just a figment of his imagination, or was it something more?

As he walked, he suddenly heard a rustling sound behind him. He turned around quickly, but there was no one there. His heart racing, he started walking again, feeling a chill run down his spine.

Just then, he saw a shadowy figure lurking in the corner of his eye. He turned to face it, but the figure disappeared into thin air. Erwin couldn't believe his eyes. Was he seeing things, or was there really someone or something following him?

Erwin tried to keep calm and continued walking, but the feeling of being watched persisted. He felt like he was being followed, and the fear inside him started to grow.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw a dark figure approaching him. His heart pounding, Erwin started to run, not looking back until he reached the safety of his home. 

As Erwin was about to enter his home, he suddenly felt a cold hand on his shoulder, causing him to scream like a terrified little girl. "Ahhh! Don't kill me!" he cried out in fear.

He quickly turned around to confront his attacker. And found a disfigured face staring at him with amusement.

Kael couldn't help but laugh at Erwin's girlish scream. "Dude, you really do scream like a girl!" he teased.

Erwin's face turned beet red with embarrassment at his unmanly reaction. "Shut up, Kael! You shouldn't be allowed to wander around at night with that face...you're likely to scare the living daylights out of someone!"

Kael smirked. "Hey, I've heard that before, you know."

Erwin walked inside and asked, "But what were you doing outside this late?"

Kael replied with a teasing tone, "Me? I should be asking you where you were this late at night. I was searching for you all over the academy and only found you walking back to quarters screaming like a scared little girl."

Erwin's face flushed with embarrassment as he recalled the terrifying experience from earlier. "Hey, I wasn't scared. I was just... caught off guard," he retorted.

Kael chuckled, "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, buddy. But seriously, what happened?"

Erwin hesitated for a moment before recounting the events of the night. "I thought I was being followed by someone or something. And then, you fucker come and scared me."

Kael laughed. "Wow, that does sound pretty scary. Maybe you need a nightlight to help you sleep."

Erwin rolled his eyes. "Very funny, Kael. Just wait until something like that happens to you. You won't be laughing then."

"But seriously, where were you?" Kael asked, struggling to contain his laughter.

Erwin felt his face flush with embarrassment. "I was just in the library, reading up on some basic magic," he replied, omitting the part about the labyrinth and abyss.

Kael raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Basic magic? It's almost midnight, Erwin. What are you doing reading basic magic at this time?"

Erwin shifted uncomfortably, feeling a little guilty. "I just lost track of time, okay? And besides, you were the one who was sneaking around, scaring people."

Kael grinned sheepishly. "Okay, fair point. But seriously, be careful wandering around at night. Who knows what kind of creepy things are lurking around?"

Erwin nodded, a shiver running down his spine at the thought. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

Kael clapped him on the back. "Good idea. Now let's get some rest before we turn into scaredy-cats like you."

Erwin scowled playfully at Kael's teasing. "Hey, I'll have you know that I am not a scaredy-cat."

Erwin and Kael continued teasing each other for a while longer, with Kael unable to stop laughing at Erwin's girly scream. Eventually, Kael offered Erwin some food he had taken from the dining hall, and Erwin gratefully accepted.

As they ate, they talked about their day, with Erwin mentioning his trip to the library and his attempts at practicing some basic magic. However, he found himself unable to concentrate because the memory of the dark labyrinth and the ominous red moon kept popping up in his mind.

After a while, they finished their food and returned to their respective beds. Erwin attempted to focus on his magic once again, but he just couldn't shake the thoughts of the terrifying creatures he had seen earlier. Frustrated, he decided to give up and try to get some sleep instead.

**********

"The path to Oscuro has been reopened, my lady," announced a figure cloaked in darkness, their attention fixed on a gleaming object resting on the table before them. It was a spherical glass orb, containing a shimmering pink cloud within.

"Are you certain?" A sweet voice sounded from the orb.

The figure hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of the hesitation. The sweet voice continued, commanding yet curious, "Speak, don't be afraid. What is it that troubles you?"

The figure let out a deep breath before speaking, "My lady, we have encountered a creature from the path and lost two of our 6th circle mages in the process."

The voice from within the orb remained calm and collected. "I see. It seems our long wait is finally over. The path is open once more, and we shall not waste this opportunity." the voice said with clear excitement in her voice that show she didn't care about the lives that have been lost in the process.

The cloaked figure hesitated once again, feeling the weight of the sweet voice's scrutiny. "What are you hesitating to tell me?" the voice demanded, its tone commanding and tinged with a hint of impatience.

"My lady, I beg your forgiveness, but the path to Oscuro is once again closed. We were unable to enter before it closed," the figure said, its voice betraying a slight tremble.

There was a brief silence as the sweet voice seemed to contemplate the figure's words. "Then find out who opened the path before, and make sure it stays open," the voice commanded firmly, leaving no room for argument.

The figure nodded hastily and quickly departed from the room, eager to carry out the sweet voice's orders and avoid incurring its wrath.