Becoming Legend

It wasn't just Ned, even Katolin was nearing her limit.

Behind Ned was the pathway going to the tower. Not that it would help them leave the dome but at least they got to see the entirety of the place they were in. Perhaps they might find a way to the surface.

Ned has been using Fireballs that drastically reducing his mana to less than a thousand, yet the damage he made to the beasts was only a limb.

Without much of a choice, he rounded Katolin, conjured Egnious, and blast the smaller Kruthiks in front of them.

"Let's go!" Ned cried at the top of his lungs which prompted Katolin to follow.

Behind them, the spike of the enraged Evolved Kruthik tore to the ceiling and hit the floor, tearing it, and crumbling it to pieces. That move made the beast sunk deeper into the shattered floor, momentarily stopping it.

Given the chance, Ned and Katolin dashed toward the room that might lead them to the tower. To their sides were the bodies of the dead Kruthik burned and oozing black smoke.

But not long after, another wave of smaller Kruthiks came rushing above the holes, they tried to get a hold of the two invaders, but to no avail, both humans were running for their lives, pumping adrenaline and thrill.

Ned and Katolin reached the room with the wooden door gaining a booming roar both from S'vokalt and the Evolved beast. But only to be welcomed by another hallway that led to another hallway.

Above them through the broken slates of the ceiling, Ned caught a glimpse of the dark tower. They were nearing it.

There were a series of rooms with every hallway they passed through, Ned caught a glimpse of a room filled with books, some with only beds, and other art hanging on the wall. But they sure knew that they do not have the luxury of time to check each room for antiquities.

Ned saw the tower through the gaps between a door and the wall. Although ruined, Ned saw that the walls of the ruined castle were dark, even the ceiling, the only white there was from the ground outside the ruined plaza.

Ned and Katolin took the last of the turn and entered a room with rusted iron ladders going inside the body of the tower. Ned withdrew the broken Butterfly to free his hands as Katolin withdrew her lightning spells.

After climbing the ladder, they then proceed inside the tower that was connected by spiral stairs that would lead them to the top.

An echoing screech resounded behind them. The army of spiky beasts has piled behind them, trailing both of them.

Ned knew that the tower was a suicide. But he wanted to go up to gain perspective. If the beasts still follow them then he might have to destroy the base of the tower and let it fall toward the center of the plaza, giving them another path towards the many different exits of the dome. That is if they survive the crash.

It took all of Ned's breath to reach the top of the tower with a speed, not even the smaller ones could catch up to. Katolin was mesmerized by the view below them while she got to catch her breath.

The top of the tower was circular with crystals lining the ceiling for lighting purposes. These crystals could light for years even without human interference since it absorbs mana in the surrounding to emit bright lights. To think that the old civilization uses mana stones for lightning purposes.

Open windows were lining the tower, which gave Ned a good view of the scene below them.

On the West side of the tower was the ruined castle. There, Ned saw that S'vokalt was using her minions to try to break the chains. Anger led her to this even though she knew that it would be pointless even just to try since she said it herself that she needed someone to inject mana to the chains to break them. But Ned also knew that it wasn't that simple since the Runic symbols carved on the chains were a part of a much bigger Array. Only an Array could keep S'vokalt in captivity.

Ned saw that out of a hundred chains, one of them was already chipped, and this chipped part of the chain was where her minions were trying to break it. But as soon as the smaller ones touch the chain they dissolved to dust. Only the bigger one has the strength to resist the strong barrier of the chains. But even so, sparks and roar were scattering as the Evolved Kruthik tried to break the chains with its bare spikes.

Ned smirked amidst their situation. It would take them a hundred more years to destroy one chain. But even if they found someone to inject its mana to the chain, and since Arrays were a combination of runes and symbols, they must find the right spot to inject the mana. It was like a lock and a key. One needed to find the right spot to enter the key.

"Why are you smiling?"

Katolin had to ask.

"Well." Ned paused. "We might die here."

This time, Katolin smirked and said, "At least I get to be with you. The one who tried to fulfill my wish."

She then ran toward Ned diffused all her mana and hugged him from behind.

"Thank you. Dying together with you ain't that bad. You—at least, gave me the hope to journey outside the Hive. Although it didn't happen, just the thought that I have the chance to venture the surface makes me happy. Also, your memory alone is already enough to fulfill my wish. Thank you. my savior."

The air was warm as Katolin's body was. All of a sudden, in Ned's mind, the roaring had stopped. The scream ended as though a button was pushed to stop the time. Everything felt quiet. The hug gave Ned a focus he wasn't supposed to have. A feeling he was so aware, but hidden. The happiness of someone accepting you no matter the crime you have committed. This feeling gave Ned the focus he needed.

Ned's eyes went wide. "That's it."

Even Ned was surprised by what he saw below.

The plaza. The once blooming of life plaza was actually an Array connected to the chains of S'vokalt. And they were under the Du'kki Mountain. A dead volcano according to the inhabitants of the Hive. But what if it weren't dead at all? What if the volcano was the specific location for S'vokalt's captivity? What if this ruined castle was not a castle at all but a prison? And the plaza was the key to this prison.

Ned's thought and Katolin's tear put to a halt as the floor under them cracked and a massive spike bloomed. The crack then followed by a roar. Then its head made its way as the floor couldn't hold it any longer. It was the Evolved Kruthik, the same as the one Ned and Katolin first encountered. Its back was leaking brown blood, but its eyes were enraged looking at Ned then Katolin.

The Evolved Kruthik raised its spike to strike the two—

The crack widened and the two fell along with the Evolved Kruthik.