novelODS Chapter 21 Escape
Chapter 21 Escape
The noise from inside the cave brought Chen Mo back to reality.
On the opposite tower, the skeletons summoned by Potema did not disappear as she fled.
The gray-white skeletons continued to move on the platform, their eye sockets burning with eerie blue flames, and the ancient swords in their hands gleaming coldly against the eerie blue background.
Without Potema's will to drive them, their movements became stiff and mechanical, but they still attacked—attacked everything still alive in the tower.
A necromancer was cornered by three skeletons.
His robe was torn in several places, revealing his pale, scarred skin underneath.
His short sword was parrying the blows of a skeleton, while he used his other hand to cast weak necromancy in an attempt to regain control of the skeletons—but the soul imprint left by Potema was too strong, and his spells simply couldn't cover it.
"Damn it—damn it—damn it—" he muttered, his voice filled with a near-collapse of despair.
In the distance, the master of ceremonies raised his hand and fired a flaming arrow, blasting a skeleton apart. He looked at the chaos on the platform with a somewhat grim expression.
His aura was no longer as strong as before; clearly, the side effects of the drug were beginning to manifest after its effects wore off.
The host's jaw was taut, and his face looked particularly ferocious in the dim blue light.
The two necromancers behind him looked grim—one was panting heavily, and the other had a fresh bloodstain on his arm, probably from being scratched by something during the battle.
"Withdraw!" the organizer's voice rang out, hoarse but decisive. "Potterma's already gone! There's no point in staying here!"
The necromancer beside him was overjoyed and turned to run towards the switch on the suspension bridge.
The host stood on the high platform, his gaze sweeping across everything on the platform, over his companions who were fighting the skeletons, and finally—
His gaze was fixed on the tower where Chen Mo and Benjamin were.
He saw them.
Across the wide rift, through the deep blue light and swirling energy ripples, the host's gaze and Chen Mo's gaze collided for a fleeting moment in the air.
In that instant, Chen Mo saw what was in his pupils—not anger, not hatred, but a calm, almost cruel ferocity.
The hunter is sizing up his prey.
The host grinned maliciously, and magical light seemed to be gathering in his hand.
Chen Mo's heart skipped a beat.
"Hurry up." His voice was hoarse, but he enunciated each word clearly. "We have to get out of here quickly."
Benjamin didn't waste any words. He grabbed Chen Mo's arm, draped it over his shoulder, and helped him stand up. Chen Mo's legs were still trembling, but he gritted his teeth, shifted some of his weight onto Benjamin, and took a step.
The two staggered toward the stairs inside the tower.
"Wait a minute," Benjamin suddenly said.
He leaned Chen Mo against the wall by the stairs and turned to face the tower opposite.
The old man opened the spellbook, turned to a certain page, and quickly ran his fingers across the page while his lips moved.
A ball of orange-red flame gathered in his palm, growing thicker and brighter until it finally formed a fireball the size of a fist.
Benjamin looked up, his gaze following the spiral staircase upwards, landing on the retracted suspension bridge.
The iron chains of the suspension bridge were faintly visible in the darkness overhead. If the necromancers were to come after them, this suspension bridge would be their fastest route.
"Before we go," Benjamin said in a low voice, a sly smile creeping across his face, "we'll leave them some souvenirs."
He raised his hand.
The flaming arrow shot out from his palm, tracing an orange-red arc, and accurately struck the iron chain of the suspension bridge.
Flames erupted on the iron chain. The chain quickly turned red-hot and softened in the high temperature before snapping.
The broken iron chain swung in the air, making a piercing metallic scraping sound.
The suspension bridge lost its support and broke off from the tower wall, plunging into the depths of the ravine along with the entire wooden plank bridge deck.
A few seconds later, a dull thud came from below, followed by the continuous echo of shattering planks.
The suspension bridge is gone.
"Damn it!" came a furious roar.
The master of the ceremony waved his arm, magic gathering in his palm, and an icy arrow shot across the chasm toward Benjamin.
Benjamin shrank back and grinned at the person opposite him.
Behind them, the battle on the opposite tower continued.
A skeleton was struck by the necromancer's spell and scattered into a pile of broken bones.
But the other two skeletons had already broken through the defenses, and the ancient sword struck the necromancer's shoulder, splattering blood.
The screams echoed through the cave, quickly drowned out by the sounds of bones colliding and spells exploding.
Benjamin helped Chen Mo up again.
This time, they did not look back.
They went down the spiral staircase.
Each step felt like it weighed a ton, and Chen Mo's legs grew weaker with each step, but he dared not stop.
Benjamin's breathing also began to become heavy, and the old man's strength was also being exhausted, but his steps remained steady. He supported Chen Mo with one hand and held onto the wall with the other, moving down step by step.
In the circular room at the base of the tower, the treasure chest was still open, but they had already taken everything from it.
Chen Mo's gaze swept across the room—no enemies were visible.
With the suspension bridge burned down, even if the necromancers find another way, it will take them at least a long time.
After climbing the long staircase, the two stepped onto the platform. He could see the hidden entrance to the passageway opposite—the wooden door they had half-closed was right in front of the platform.
The passage was dark, and Benjamin lit a faint flame from his fingertips, barely illuminating a few steps ahead.
Chen Mo's breathing echoed in the corridor, heavy and labored, like someone who had just finished a long-distance run.
He didn't know how long he had been walking. Maybe five minutes, maybe ten minutes, maybe longer.
Then he saw the light.
It is not Benjamin's firelight—it is the real light.
moonlight.
The silvery, cool moonlight shone in from the end of the passage.
Chen Mo quickened his pace.
A cold wind swept over me.
They stood on the high platform at the entrance of the cave.
Beneath our feet was that huge rock, and behind it was the main passage of the cave.
Moonlight streamed in from overhead, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
In the night sky, Mather and Sequinda hung silently.
There were no skeletons. No necromancers. Nothing at all.
Chen Mo leaned against the rock, looking up at the two moons, panting heavily.
They are still alive.
Benjamin stood beside him, also panting heavily.
The old man had his spellbook tucked under his arm, his hands resting on his knees, and he was bent over like an old fish washed ashore.
"Damn it," Benjamin gasped, his voice broken, "I almost died in there."
"I feel like I've already died once," Chen Mo said quietly, his voice hoarse but calm. "Don't just stand there, hurry up and go, they'll be chasing us soon."
Chen Mo was a little out of breath.
His face was pale, his lips were chapped, and there were dried bloodstains on his forehead—the result of Benjamin drawing runes with his blood.
But Chen Mo's eyes were brighter than Benjamin had ever seen.
There was something in there, not exhaustion, not the relief of surviving a disaster—something deeper, something more profound.
Benjamin stood up, tucked the spellbook under his arm, and extended a hand to Chen Mo.
"Alright," he said, "before those necromancers catch up and tear us to pieces. If we get back alive this time, you have to buy me a drink."
"Of course," Chen Mo smiled and took Benjamin's hand.