Freedom Jumper-Chapter 98: Safehouse

"LANDON! LEAH! THERE SPELLS ARE GETTING PAST YOU!!" Screams Mikhail at the top of his lungs.

BANG!

The menacing clawed fist of a green core kobold impacted the clear crystal cocoon Mikhail had created as a line of protection while Landon and Leah took care of each beast. With each strike of the seven foot tall beast, a large crack began to form that moved vertically across the crystal.

BANG!

"Ready all the spells you have!"

CRACK!

The final scaly fist ruptured the formed crack and made an opening wide enough to pass through. However, the second the opening was made, all the children threw their most powerful spells at the menacing and overly muscular beast.

Not a single scratch was made into the touch skin of the kobold. Its body grew a bright red flame that conjured a pulsating spear and quickly thrusted it forward into the cocoon.

CRACK!

The face of Mikhail winced at the heat spreading throughout the air. And with a single motion of his hand—the shield conjured just after the kids' spells that had zero effect—a thick clear crystal grew a spike at a near instantaneous speed piercing the very center of the kobold's chest.

Whether it be the weight of the two unconscious and dead children that rested on a backpack that quickly grew callus' on his shoulders, or the three children he swore to protect—there was almost too much to keep track of.

In the close distance, fiery explosions and violent gusts of wind neared the cocoon.

"Are you guys okay?!" Leah asked while panting next to Landon. Even with this path being cleared under four days ago, it seemed to quickly return to normal. Landon and Leah were preoccupied killing one kobold after the other, and even found themselves on the defensive from the humanoid fighting styles these overly powerful beasts used. The Kobolds—especially at the green core stage—were filled with an undeniable strength. If any mage were to go against them in a fist fight, the first punch would leave an indent, or even a hole in the chest resulting in an instant death.

"Yes... Barely. These beasts are... are populating these areas too quickly. At least we made it." Mikhail said while pausing from mental exhaustion.

The previous cavern of empty mana crystal indentations and large rock formation reaching into the ceiling was passed, and what came after was a small maze that led to Abel's cave. The path was marked by cross indentations on the ceiling.

"I assume the tournament has concluded?" Abel asked while lifting his black hood off his bald head.

"Abel. There is a lot to explain." Landon said as he walked into the cave and stared into the reverse whirlpool.

"I don't see Elijah, so it must have something to do with him right..."

"Yes. We will be here for quite some time, and even brought food as the journey will be long. But, that does not mean we will take our time here... Once all of us rest for at least six hours, we will begin the escape." Landon said before turning around.

"Aren't you going to ask about Amaris, Abel?" Leah asked with a mourning tone.

"I already know... Recently I have uncovered more memories of my past. Specifically memories of my conversations with Amaris on the way to this kingdom." Abel said while laying his back against the hard floor. "Amaris is someone who is flawed. A child who wanted more power and was unlucky just like most people in the Kingdom of Gion... Amaris told me he was shown his death, every detail. But was also forced to forget everything after the fact. What he did tell me, was that he knows it has something to do with this kingdom... Amaris is dead right?"

"Yes. He died protecting Elijah, and his death meant nothing as Elijah will also follow the same fate." Landon explained in a monotone voice.

Don, Novius, Alexia, and Emery were all listening to everything with confusion within their head.

"I doubt that. If you haven't noticed already, Elijah is an anomaly in this kingdom. An anomaly that is disrupting the chaotic flow that whoever is in charge wishes for. Most likely the King." Abel continued on with a lackadaisical tone. "I have no idea what they will do to Elijah as I have no idea where he is going. But... In the end, he will most likely die—not from his throat being slit, but from the torture of being picked and probed like a science experiment. They may even take his soul...So I guess you may be right about him dying, but there is a chance he will find a moment to escape."

"Also, would you like me to look at those boys you are placing on the ground Mikhail?" Abel asked.

"Yes, but one of them has passed..."

Abel slowly moved over to the bodies of Raylen and Theon, and placed one hand on each chest. "Hmmm, I think something very odd happened between these two boys. What are their names?"

"Raylen has the fatal wound, and Theon is alive..." Said Novius from the far side of the cavern.

"Well, it seems that either Theon has always had two souls within his body, or Raylen's soul somehow made it into Theon's body. When Theon wakes up, he will likely be sharing a body with his brother. In fact, there is no reason for Theon to not be awake right now, which must mean there is some type of conversation going on between their souls."

"And how would you know that?!" Novius was becoming unfriendly. Afterall, this man he had never met before is proclaiming that one of his best friends didn't truly die, but entered the body of his twin brother. How foolish of a thought is that?

Abel batted an eye at Novius, then looked towards Landon. "More of my memories have returned since the last time we saw each other. Please trust me, and keep their bodies together for no reason other than letting go when they wake up..."

The conversation filled with questions ended with the group of ten relishing in small amounts of food and water, and then resting their eyes for over seven hours.

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

...

What woke everyone up from their slumber was the sound of Abel frantically voicing his dismay. "...Wake up! There must have been people that followed you all here, we have to start moving now!"

"Huh? What?!" Landon sucked the drool back in his mouth.

Small squabbles of talk were followed by the end of small explosions.

"Shit! Everyone, get your packs on and follow me! Quickly!" Landon took the lead and helped Mikhail rest the bodies on the crystalline flat that hung on his shoulders by a curved hook. The last thing anyone within the cavern wanted to do was smear the friendship of the children by leaving even a dead body behind. Unfortunately, this action would not prevent the followers from finding out people had been in this area. Abel had made this his home, and as such, there were clay cups and pots, formed beds made from dirt and rock, and scraps of bones lying next to the whirlpool just waiting to be thrown into the water.

The sound of footsteps splattered through the moist puddles and natural earth. With each huff of their breaths, the group slowly made their way into the darkness. Finally, when the sounds of elemental spells and chatter completely disappeared, a long torch was lit by Don. However, the torch gave light to not just themselves, but several horrid looking kyrat's with glowing red eyes that were slightly burrowed into the walls and ceiling of the small cavern they had just entered.

KAAAAAAA!