Broken Tower Saga: The First Swordsman

The group of eight had entered the fifth floor and the vibe in the path told them it was not going to be easy. Even with the limelight lamps, the darkness could not be chased out and the murky, strangling feeling brought them the memories of the past. 

They walked slowly, conversing now and then. Infectors had come after them a couple of times, but with every one of them together, they solved it pretty easily. 

Abruptly, Anton stopped in his tracks. He put his and smelt making noises that could be heard by everyone else that he was trying to find some smell. 

"What's wrong?" Wrik asked, raising an eyebrow. After what Tanya unfolded, he had been silent the entire time, and the same was true for Tanya. She had not conversed with anyone other than a few yes, no and nod. The others had noticed that yet they had not asked yet, perhaps thinking it was not a place to ask something like that. 

Anton stood straight and rested his nose. "I thought I picked up something," he said unconsciously. "Let's advance." 

The group continued and within a couple of minutes, the stench that he had picked once came back and this time he did not have to search for it to ooze out all the directions of the surging current. Before Anton could say a word, a terrifying screech came into their ears.

"Is that what I think it is?" Byul asked hesitantly. Her grip on her wand tightened, and she took a step back. Michelle brought her palm on her shoulder, then did she calm down.

"This awful reek can only mean one thing," Anton said, brandishing his blade. "Get ready, it's coming and I think it's not alone." 

They were all in their proper places, but still moved a little all around to make it more comfortable to battle the thing that was about to come. Davin stayed with the three girls and so did Kevin, while Jake the archer, moved back a little for his archery. And in the forefront stood Wrik and Anton with their blades in arm waiting for the abomination to arrive. 

The screeches rose and so did the awful stench. Wrik restricted his nose first and enabled the [Eye of Insights]. A glitter of white light appeared in his eyes and his vision cleared. His senses became so sharp that he could feel the footsteps of the heavy thing and other counterparts that were coming with it. 

Then he could finally see the three feet tall abominations. It was the same they had encountered, but a far better version. And along with it came two dozen more counterparts.

Considering the thing they encountered before, he could feel a little fear. After all, it was probably a better version of the half-baked one they battled or struggled with together to finish. Yet, no fear came in his mind, nor the ecstasy of the battle. He just felt annoyed. Annoyed that he wanted to clear this test fast.

Perhaps his thoughts about what was about to come and what Tanya said were the reason, but he did not ponder long. With an exchange of glances, Anton and Wrik moved with their fastest speed. Mana was swirling in both of them as they both of them took two separate directions to assault the huge things. 

Anton made a swift move with his blade on its lower body before moving away in his ghostly fashion. The ghoul came at him, but another swordsman assault its lower body from the back. 

The huge ghoul lifted its leg and ran it towards Wrik in the back, while all the wounds they had caused healed like it was nothing. 

Wrik blocked the foot with his sword and recalled the humongous strength he once felt before. This was far stronger than the half-baked one, but he was far stronger, too. He moved away soon while Anton came at him with the shadow blade.

Abruptly, the dark, cold cave lit up in a raging fire, and the temperature rose as well. Michelle had not wasted a moment when the packs of infesters came. She ran her mana and ablaze the entire cave with her flame. Jacob helped further with his flame arrows. He helped whoever was in need.

The two warriors held onto the hounds that came their way, giving the caster enough time to cast their spell. In the middle, Byul linked with Wrik and supplied him with her wind, attributed mana. She had no intention of going against the huge thing ever again if she had her way and today appeared to be that day as Wrik and Anton together holding the ghoul pretty well together. If another person got into the mix, they could finish it after some time. 

But the situation was not as easy as it looked to Byul. Whatever damage, Wrik and Anton worked up to the huge ghoul all rendered useless as it healed instantly. 

The wind element became a boon to Wrik and both of the brothers joined in an assault, not giving the ghoul time to focus on one. Their plan was to see how far its healing went. The other had done pretty well as well, keeping its counterparts busy while they dealt with the monster. 

Meanwhile, Tanya was looking at everyone. She did help them with her ice spells, keeping the infectors away, but her attention was in some place else. She saw Michelle blazing the cave with a cherry expression on. Byul was frightened, yet she had learned to cope with it far better than she ever could manage without her [Mist of Change.] She was extremely jealous of Byul for that thing alone, even though she knew what kinds of awful days Byul had to get here.

Davin was not enjoying killing these infectors like Michelle, but he was far better at rising up from his issues. Kevin was doing his best as well. Whatever the situation, he always tried his utmost best. 

She did not know if Jacob had any fear or other feeling about fighting, but he seemed to enjoy archery. She enjoys casting spells as well, but whenever she see the effect, it has of the thing she was against her heart turned unrest and she felt like drowning. 

She looked far where Wrik and Anton were battling the ghoul. All she could see was a focused Wrik with cold silvery eyes. He was headstrong about what he had to do, and when he decided something, there appeared to be nothing that could stop him even if the path before them was a dead end. 

Tanya was the exact opposite. She had never decided anything big, her sister had done most of it—and she was grateful to her for it. She did not know where she would be if she did not have the safety net—Sophia, who always makes things right for her. Whenever something goes wrong, she always saves herself from it. Perhaps that made her like this; a person who could not decide on her own; go with the flow as long as you are comfortable with it. 

Tanya sighed, and her eyes were still at Wrik. He seemed to have got a hit from the ghoul, but he still kept going. Tanya breathed heavily a couple of times and thought about giving it a last try. She prepared her mind and then with a single thought cut the [Mist of Change.] 

The emotion she was restricting came at her. She thought she could keep up like this and that thought lasted only a couple of seconds. Even though Michelle's spell brought light to the cave, the darkness found its way towards her and strangled her. Her breathing became heavy and air escaped from her lungs. Sweat formed instantly on her forehead and cheek and dripped down on her face.

Tanya felt cold and the screeches of these god-forsaken abominations raged in her mind. 'I can do it. I can do it," she told herself and continued murmuring as if trying to convince herself.

She inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. She found everyone was busy dealing with the infector, and she tried as well. She focused and swirled the mana inside her. She found herself far colder than usual. Even the mana, which was usually warm, gave a chilly touch to her.

Clasping her arm together, she ran the mana into an ice spear. An ice spear formed instantly. It took far less time than she usually needed. Perhaps because her mind was not in the right place, she had not noticed it, nor had she noticed the spell took far more mana than it needed most of the time and was far more powerful.

Keeping her breathing under control, she attacked towards a huge darkhound Davin was fighting. The huge ice spear moved swiftly and pierced the body of the hound in an overkill way. It made a hole far bigger than a human head in its gut as it lay dead on the cold floor.

"I did it."