Chapter 35 -forest of illusions-
Hey,so me and my team were being led by a referee,she led us to this starting point.we stood there,I had my trusty daggers and out of the four behind only emi and Boyd had weapons.Boyd had a short sword with him,I figured he could use it since he brought it.Emi had a bow and at best her case was full so we didn't have worry about her running too soon.We stood in our starting and I'm guessing the other teams are in place too.we heard the announcer from the stands.
Announcer:GOOD DAY TO THE ROYALTY AND COMMONERS ALIKE ! ARE YOU READY !
The people screamed at the top of their lungs in excitement.
Announcer:TODAY IS THE BEGIN OF THE TOURNAMENT ! 5 BRAVE INDIVIDUALS FROM EACH OF THE 20 KINGDOMS WILL COMPETE FOR 5 ORBS,THE ARE 3 PAIRS OF THE 5 WHICH MEANS ONLY 3 TEAMS CAN ADVANCE TO THE NEXT ROUND ! WE WILL BE BLESSED WITH AN AMAZING TOURNAMENT THIS YEAR !
A referee walked up to me.
Referee:is your team ready ?
Tylor:yeah,we can start anytime.
Referee:then please proceed through the gate.
A portal appeared Infront of us,I sighed.
Tylor:alright guys,you know the plan right ?
Kid:yes sir,down to the last letter.
Boyd:just shut up and lead the way(sarcastically)captain.
I sighed,we all went through the portal and came out on the other side.We were at the rain lands,It was raining but not hard,the weather wasn't sunny here,huh.The tree's were so tall and huge they covered the sky,We were surrounded by nature and every single vine,every single leaf was massive.I was truly amazed by this place but we had to focus.The portal behind us vanished,each of us were also given a wrist band that monitors our vital signs.
Kid:so which way boss man ?
Boyd:like he'd know where to find any orbs here,he's as lost as us,look at this place.
I didn't respond,I just sent out a barrier to scan the area of a 100 meters from all sides.I sensed two orbs close to each other 20 meters from us and 3 separate teams headed for them at full speed.
Tylor:I've found orbs,let's move !
Emi:so you sent out a barrier to scan the area,huh.
Boyd:what ?!
Kid:that needs some seriously precise mana control and crazy sensing ability.
Everybody started running after me.We all went towards the location of the orbs.We avoided the monster's along the way,it turns out I wasn't the only one who could sense the area with a barrier,emi could too.She mainly focused on detecting monsters in our way so we could either go around or through them.We ended in this flower field,the place was beautiful,straight out of a fantasy world--well I am in a fantasy world but it was just too breathtaking to not be amazed.we were running through just fine until.
Duke:everybody wait,where's Boyd ?
Tylor:what ?
Emi:wasn't he right behind you ?
Duke:yeah but when I checked he was gone.
Kid:(uneasy)what the hell is going on you guys ?!
Was it another team ?! No,we would've heard them or something.Maybe a monster ?! But is it's skill then ? Can it hide it's presence ? Or is it a participant who can hide his presence ?! I need to calm down.
Tylor:let's go back and look for him.
Kid:what ?! But we could just keep going.
Duke:that's not a way to treat comrade in arms kid.
Emi:don't be a pussy heart,come on,the captain has decided.
Woah,I didn't expect them to be thus cooperative.We traced back our steps till we found Boyd out cold on the floor,he was asleep and snoring.I swear I was annoyed but something felt off to me about this.
Kid:(angry)THIS MOTHERFUCKER IS ASLEEP WHILE WE'RE WORRYING ABOUT BEING KILLED ?!!!! WHAT THE FUCK MAN !!!?
duke held kid back while kid screamed in anger at the top of his lungs.Emi went over to check Boyd,she check his pulse,his heart beat and if he was breathing or if he had any abnormalities with him.
Emi:nothing's wrong with him,he's really just asleep.something feels off about this doesn't it ?
Tylor:yup,I just don't know what it is,it could be a participant who's trying to keep us here.
Duke:maybe their trying to keep us busy while his or her buddies go get the orb.
Tylor:but I would've sensed her,although humans can hide their mana signal,it takes way too much skill.It would have to be someone extremely powerful and I didn't sense anyone like that in the teams that were close by.
Emi:so what ? It could be a monster then ? I'm sure Boyd would be in piece's though.
Kid:unless he was bait right ?
Duke:yeah but wouldn't it or they have sprung their trap by now then ?
What's going on here ?
Tylor:I don't know,I'll take Boyd,let's keep moving okay.
Emi:what ? You're going to carry him ? Won't that stop you from battling at your best ?
Tylor:not really.I'll be fine.
Kid:alright then boss man,here.
Duke:damn Tylor,you're an admirable guy.
Tylor:whatever,let's go.We have a tournament to win.
I carried Boyd on my back and we carried on.We creeped closer and closer to the exit of the flower field but then again.
Emi:Tylor...
Tylor:yeah ?
Emi:where's kid and duke ?
Tylor:damn it ! Let's go back !
Me and emi went back.We found duke and kid passed out too,kid was sucking his thumb while he slept,he looked like a widdle baby.I wish I had my phone with me.I decided to use a barrier to carry,I had all 3 of them floating inside it,that way we could move around easily and they were protected.Me and emi carried on.
Emi:so have any idea what could be doing this ?
Tylor:nope,not a clue and it's bugging me.Are they hoping to take us out one by one slowly ?
Emi:could be though I've also heard of monster's who have evolved to use magic in their hunting strategies now,I don't know if that's worth something.
Tylor:like what kind of magic ?
Emi:some use elemental,some use spirit based,some demonic but they can't use angelic magic.
Tylor:sad to be them.I wasn't blessed with it though too.
Emi:...you seem rather calm though,this doesn't scare you even a bit ?
Tylor:...well after everything I've been through since I got to this bloody world,this is probably the less scary thing I've delt with.
Emi:what kind of horror's have you been subjected to(giggles).
I shrugged off what she just said.
Tylor:it was scary at the start yes but I've gotten stronger because of it.I want to protect those I care about with that power,it's that simple.
Emi:so you'd face anything for them ?
Tylor:until they betray me ?...yeah.
Emi:betray you ? Why would--you've been hurt too,huh.
Tylor:you could say that.
Emi:wait--so was it one of your wives or ?
Tylor:something else and unrelated to this I feel like I've finally figured out what's been bugging me about this.
Emi:what's that ?
Tylor:the fact that you're rather talkative today.
Emi:(uneasy)i--i--its cause I'm trying to know my teammates better,that's not a crime is it ?
Tylor:no but....what's a crime ? Impersonating someone you're not.
Emi:(nervous)uh...wha--what are you talking about Tylor,it's me em-mee !
Tylor:you're sure ?
Emi:yes ! Matter a fucking fact how can be sure you're not impersonating anyone in our team.
Tylor:cause their still alive.
Emi:.....what ?
Tylor:cause they're still breathing,if I had the ability to impersonate a person,I'd kill and hide the body of the person I wanted to impersonate.
Emi:(uneasy)that's dark....
Tylor:you asked...
Emi:anyway you said had an idea of--
Tylor:yeah,you're impersonating our teammate.
Emi:I've been with you idiots the entire time,how could I possibly.
I tapped her forehead and while doing so,I mixed my mana with her's so I could dispell the spell that was cast on her.She also passed out and when she did,I watched as the pink scenery around me from the tree's surround us to the flower field disappear.Emi hit the ground and when the spell broke we were back where we started.Exactly where we were when we portaled here.I saw five other participants standing across from us,so these were the punks who caught us in their trap,huh.They must've been teleported here before us then and we were caught in their trap from the start,that's why my magic weird while under their spell.I couldn't sense people but I could sense everything else,it was weird to me.
Rock:damn it ! How are you still standing ?! My spell illusion magic is supposed to drain all of your mana till you pass out ?!!!
Tylor:oh....I can't run out of mana,you would've had to wait here for eternity my guy,my mana is bottomless.
They all got shaken.
Rock:that's a lie ! Nobody has bottomless mana no matter how strong they are !!! No matter what happens ! I've sucked all of your friends mana and most of yours,I'll crush you with this one attack infused with all of it.'flame magic dragon ! Kill them all' !!!
He blazed releasing massive amounts of magic power and he burned with a flaming aura around him.He released a huge dragon and it bursted towards towards me in all it's flaming glory and his friends shot four of their elemental dragon magic and all five of their spells combined into one combo spell and it's came exploding to me.I released limitless potential and a golden white glow surrounded my body.I released a small fire ball spell and it shot from me through their spell dispelling it as a small black blue-ish flaming ball dashed for them.they looked scared,it hit them and the whole area exploded,I covered myself and team in a barrier before it did.The smoke cleared and the two orbs fell down to the ground.One was green with wind magic inside it and the other was blue with water magic inside it.I released the barrier and 3 inside the other one fell to the ground when I released theirs too.I wasn't tired or exhausted,I just wanted to think and formulate a plan before I carried on moving forward.I didn't expect that we'd be at a disadvantage to a team the second we got here.That just goes to show how dangerous this place is and what the other participants are willing to do to win and.....I just killed people and that....doesn't bug me ?....
Tylor:I need to calm down and think,since my teammates are all unconscious,I figure I'll just wait till they wake up.
A notification popped in the wrist band they'd given us.A holographic image box popped up,showing me a message that the Florian kingdom was the first team to succeed.They had finished the first round of the tournament in record time.
Tylor:(shocked)what ?!! They're already done ?! That's crazy !
Checking the time on the box,it showed that we'd only been here for 20 minutes.
Tylor:(smirking)I've got some serious competition on my plate.