Runes - A Tale Of The Abyss 58 Chapter 52 - The Battle to Survive - Part 2

The gates were being clawed by the undead monsters.

"The gate... should hold them for half an hour."

The adventurer who had shut the gate replied as he leaned towards the wall to breath.

They had lost a good amount of people. Their forced were almost halved after the undead turned berserk.

"Who knew that our opponent would use Berserker Enhancement on them..."

Leebus said as he walked down the stairs of the walls.

Alatar was still on the top, chanting golems by the second, but they only served to annoy the undead at this point.

"We don't have much time. I'm afraid the military won't make it."

An adventurer tossed his spear on the ground in annoyance and shouted.

"THIS IS MADNESS!"

No one was saying anything as they tried to catch their breath. The injured were being evacuated into the city center. It was a good thing that Alfrum was evacuated over the last few days.

"I'm... I'm out of here. I don't even know why we should defend an empty city at this point!"

Another adventurer said as he dropped his blade. Several more were nodding at this. The undead could breach the walls any second now, but the selfishness of man was still prominent even in a situation like this.

"This... is a symbol. It's bigger than each and every one of us. This city has stood as a self-sufficient trade port in this nation governed by nobles for too long! It is a revolutionary concept that was born here. Abandoning it means abandoning our history."

"WHAT GOOD IS HISTORY WHEN WE'RE ALL DEAD MASTER?!"

Leebus tried to reply to that, but suddenly the shrill cry of Alatar resonated across the area.

"IT'S MOVING! RUN! RETREAT!"

Some of the adventurers were baffled, but the ones who understood what was happening suddenly turned tail and started to run.

The ground was rumbling as something seemed to be running.

Griff reached for his blade in hesitation, but suddenly someone that was running past him grabbed both him and Sylvie and started to run with both of them in his hands.

"Reiner?! Let me go we-"

"You fucking... it's over. It's all over. This is war Griff. We never stood a chance. The master... he was too attached to this city."

"What does that-"

Suddenly the wall was smashed in two as the menacing Troll King's shoulder broke through the stone wall.

Alatar was lucky as he used his Stone Magic to create pillars which he used to retreat. The rest on the wall? Not so much...

The city rumbled as the broken pieces of the wall fell down and crushed several unlucky adventurers who shrieked in fear. Those who could use magic tried to defend themselves, but to no avail as they were simply not strong enough.

The Troll King took a step into the city, and raised its head up to roar once more.

"Let me go! Let me go damn it! It's slaughtering them!"

Griff shrieked as he watched this new home he had thought he found slowly start tumbling on itself. Remnants of brave adventurers fought against the small undead in order to buy time for their comrades, but it was for naught as their numbers simply crushed them.

Alatar and Leebus were no where to be seen at this point.

Rin was using her wind magic to slightly levitate with Sylvie in her arms who was still unconscious and muttering nonsense.

"Why... why why why why why must this always happen to me! Whenever... i find somewhere I can call home... why does it always get destroyed!"

Reiner jumped over a fence in his way, and came to a stop. Rin followed suit as she fixed her hat, but kept staying levitated.

Reiner tossed Griff onto the ground in anger.

"Look Griff! I was the one who led the ground assault! Do you think I like seeing this one bit? Especially after I commanded everything down there! Damn those others... the entire top 10 adventurer groups of Alfrum fled when the chance rose... but I stood my ground with Rin because I was hopeful. Look what it brought us now?!"

Griff slowly stood up, but fell again on his buttocks as he was breaking down again mentally.

Rin was only watching silently, but instead of her usual gaze she had a solemn and sad one. She wasn't going to interfere. Griff needed to realize how harsh this world is. Again and again till he finally understood what it meant.

The troll king was rampaging across the city now... there was nothing in its way and the hordes of undead goblins orcs and monsters that were slaughtering everyone they could find.

"Get up..."

Reiner said with an angry tone as he nudged Griff with his foot.

"We're not done here... we got to leave now... get up Griff..."

Reiner's voice was cracking up now. It was a matter of time before the undead made it to where they were hiding. After all, a wooden house can only provide a slight camouflage in this situation.

[I think I chose the wrong host... you only have an interesting magic. What good is it when you'll keep falling like this every chance you face death or despair.]

'I'm not...'

[Scared? A coward? Every living being gets scared, but that's where your memory loss plagues you. Unlike some who can stand up and fight again with their fears, you fall and succumb to it until someone shakes you out of it.]

'Shut up shut up shut up...'

[Is it a lie? You know well it isn't... Now what will your choice be? Running around circles like you always have? Or getting ready to face risks and the stench of death like a true human?]

Reiner was frustrated.

"It's no use I see..."

Reiner turned around and looked at Rin.

"Take him with you to the north as well... maybe you can come across the military."

"Brother you-"

"I'll stay. It's part of my mistake this is happening too... I-"

"Stay..."

A twisted and wrathful voice spoke. Reiner and Rin suddenly turned to look at Griff who was slowly getting up.

[What the hell are you doing! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU ARE DOING!]

The mind scape that Caphriel had been resting in was forming cracks all over it.

[You FOOL! You're actually contradicting YOURSELF?!]

'I don't want to fight... I have to fight... Why must everything I love be taken from me... I'll take back everything that was taken from me... My life... is not... going to be... withered out now, Angel...'

Griff's voice was resonating inside his mind scape. The stronger and solemn voice was overpowering Griff's usual voice.

'Fear... I can't stop now... Death... Yes it is possible...'

Griff's mind had fallen into chaos... yes, chaos was the right word here.

[...amazing... To think you would create chaos inside you to adapt...]

The world inside Griff's mind shattered... as Caphriel looked around in the darkness to see a small forge... which ignited itself with black flames.

"I'll fight..."

Griff said as he stood up. He wasn't ready to back down now. Not now.

Reiner was looking at him in shock as Griff's body was emitting slight amounts of black flames around his body.

[The forge of concepts... alright. I'll stick around a bit more... I just hope you don't swallow me...]

Caphriel said sarcastically. Griff didn't respond as he looked at Reiner with new found? More like newly forged determination. His fist was clenched.

"You... crazy bastard..."

Reiner said with a slight smile. His tough friendship seemed to pay off.

The screeching of the undead suddenly woke them all up from this moment as the house they were hiding behind was suddenly barged through by an undead troll which was bringing down its club.

Reiner's eyes widened. He didn't have much time to push Griff out of the way, neither Rin.

He collected his mana in his fist and turned to face the troll with his determination to die that moment.

'It was a good ride I guess...'

But suddenly... the troll was shot back at unforeseeable speed! It crashed towards another building... which proceeded to be engulfed in fire.

The sparks of flames were everywhere. Reiner turned to look at Griff in shock as his fist was still emitting a load of steam. He blew it away,and shook his arm.

"Good as new... I don't need this for now..."

He de-materialized his blade, and looked at Reiner with his fist still squeezed in a fist.

"Let's survive..."

Reiner smiled nostalgically as he too curled his hand in a fist and fist-bumped him.

"Yeah let's..."

Chapter end