Chapter 48 - Descent Into...?

"...Cast: Recover…!"

She desperately tried to use the restorative magic on her companion, holding her magecraft-conjuring staff close to the gushing wound.

"Cancel: Magic."

–Again, her magic was snuffed out before she could conjure anything, all done at the snap of the man's bony fingers, backed by his blood-churning grin.

"...No…"

She could hardly manifest the words from her gut through the infallible veil of despair hanging around her.

It continued to rapidly descend in front of her eyes; the life of her friend.

Myung-Hee was profusely sweating, overcoming a flash fever at the continuous, aggressive loss of blood as she kept her hand over the wound in a futile attempt to stifle the loss.

"...Get out of here."

Those words muttered from Myung-Hee's lips confused the silver-haired girl as she sat there on her knees beside her companion, only faintly hearing the laughter and heckles of the two entities of evil who seemed to spectate with interest.

"What…? Why would I leave…? You're coming, right?..." Kamou asked weakly.

Myung-Hee only stared at her, the white, sleeveless uniform she wore becoming half-drenched in crimson as she did her best to compose herself.

"I'm not makin' it outta here, Kamou."

"--"

"...I've…maybe for a minute or two…I'm not usin' that to flail around and act all pathetic, holdin' onto my life…I'm usin' it to actually do somethin'."

Myung-Hee's words were backed up as the bleeding warrior-class woman struggled, but managed to lift herself back to her feet, using her claymore to help her balance.

"Myung-Hee…!"

She attempted to persuade her companion otherwise, but that look embedded in the eyes of the bulwark woman stopped her: utter conviction laid in her eyes–accepting of the fate that awaited her.

Why…is she already so open to death? There's still hope, isn't there? Something can be done, right? Even if it's a one-in-a-million…! She thought.

"Even…if it's just praying for a miracle…Myung-Hee, we have to go!--I can still–!" Kamou tried to urge her.

Myung-Hee remained unmoving to her words, only stepping in front of her as the red-haired hound-man was on the prowl once more with her second, and last stand.

"I'm makin' a miracle right now."

"...?"

"Get outta here already, Kamou…!" Myung-Hee yelled at her, "I'll never forgive ya' if ya' don't even give me the chance to make somethin' outta my death, ya' hear?!"

"--"

There were no further words she could say; she understood what was being asked of her, though it was difficult to swallow.

Silence filled her throat as she looked on with trembling, tearful eyes at her companion, but resolutely nodded her head, holding her hands close to her chest.

"...I'll go…"

Myung-Hee wore a small smile at her understanding before returning to her hardened, resolved expression.

"...Then get outta here already! Go!"

–With that, Kamou finally nodded, running back towards the steps to venture back to the original hall with diverging paths.

"No, I don't believe I've permitted such a thing: Yu-Jin, get her!" Cah-In commanded.

As the dog-man sprinted towards the silver-haired girl on all fours, leaping towards her with his unnatural fangs bearing, he was intercepted by Myung-Hee, who moved with speed unbecoming of somebody in her condition, forcing the red-haired, animalistic foe to twist himself back to avoid being bisected.

"How do you still move…?" Yu-Jin asked in his raspy, low voice.

Myung-Hee had one hand on her bleeding, torn throat, and one holding her claymore, breathing heavily as she simply stared at him.

"...Good question…"

—

Running up the stairs, the silver-haired maiden didn't look back; clenching to the last wish of her friend, she ran and ran, surmounting the steps as tears fled from her eyes.

Why…am I so weak? She questioned.

Shutting her eyes, she didn't want to imagine what the sounds she heard coming from the chamber far behind her now were–the clash of steel, the grunts, the yells–none of it was wanted against her ears.

Running without stopping, she pushed herself, stumbling and falling down as she reached the starting point from which the tragedy embarked; the room bearing many passageways.

"--"

She laid there for a moment, still processing what was happening as she caught a glimpse of the party status in the corner of her eye:

[Kamou Yoo. Level 12. Health Points: 2700/2700]

[Jeong-Hui. Level 12. Health Points: 2250/2500]

[Myung-Hee Yun. Level 12. Health Points: 0/3000]

"--"

In the next moment, after having witness her companion's health plummet to the state which can't be returned from, the party status shifted:

[Kamou Yoo. Level 12. Health Points: 2700/2700]

[Jeong-Hui. Level 12. Health Points: 2250/2500]

She was gone; Myung-Hee's status was erased following her loss of life, prompting the tears to force their way out of the girl's eyes.

"...Myung-Hee…"

A quiet mourn left her lips as she cried, laying there for a moment before forcing herself up, placing her hands on her knees to help herself stand.

She didn't want to, but she knew she had no other choice.

She did this for me…a helpless person like me…the least I can do is keep going. I…I have to find Jeong-Hui…She thought.

The same problem from the very beginning arose: selecting the proper path among enigmatic options.

As the sounds of footsteps and panting became audible, coming from beyond the depths of the hall in which she just escaped from, she forced herself to make an option, opting for one of the unexplored passages as she ran down it.

It was a faint hope she held onto, but she held it dear and close to her heart: the fact that Jeong-Hui's status seemed fine.

He's doing his best–he's making it. We can make it out of this still…! She thought.

As she moved with this hope in mind, not hesitating to traverse the depths of the horrific keep of the cult, she eventually found herself stumbling into an unknown, enigmatic area: it was the edge of a precipice, guided only by a ladder that led downwards.

"A ladder…? She mumbled quietly.

But, it was exactly what she hoped to find–something leading far downwards, as Jeong-Hui had seemingly fallen to such depths previously.

It was so abundantly, suffocatingly dark that she couldn't even see the domain in which the ladder led down towards, but after standing there for a moment, she found it to be her only choice as she began her descent.

Please stay safe, Jeong-Hui…She prayed.

Tears were still falling down her cheeks even as she pushed herself, as an explicable sorrow embedded itself in her heart, causing her to yearn for salvation in the safety of her one, final companion.