Chapter 220 Nebulous Cabin

“Even that didn’t work...?” Melisandre questioned.

“I think I understand what’s going on,” Emilio said, holding his hand to his chin.

“Yeah? I’m all ears,” Everett said, waving his hand from the sparks of pain.

Looking at the colossal seal of fog around the area, Emilio explained what he’d come to understand, “I’m not experienced in this, but I read about it in my journal recently...this is a barrier spell—specifically something made from runes or inscriptions.”

“I could’ve told ya that much,” Everett added.

“That’s not just it,” Emilio continued, “Spells like this can be altered and have their properties altered to strengthen in some ways and weaken in others. It’s a sort of law of equivalent exchange.”

“Is that why it doesn’t actually harm us when we touch it?” Melisandre asked.

“Exactly,” the young mage nodded, “Whoever cast this barrier made it so that it can reject us from leaving it, but it can’t actually do anything to hurt us. Still...it’s powerful. A barrier this strong needs more restrictions.”

“So, is it even breakable?” Yuna asked.

“I was thinking...but, you all might not like this answer,” Emilio said.

As he looked around, he could tell they were arriving at the idea he was lingering on, which became unsavory now that the situation became mysterious,

“What is it?” Everett scratched his hair.

“If this barrier is unbreakable, it needs an “anchor point”—and to truly empower a barrier, the best restriction would be putting that anchor within its walls,” Emilio explained.

“Let me guess: this ‘anchor’ is somewhere in the cabin?” Yuna asked as her tail flicked.

“...Precisely,” Emilio nodded.

They all had the same question in their minds now, turning to look at the lodge that now sat there more ominously than ever: who wanted them to be trapped there?”

“Whoever is responsible for this is getting a pair of knuckles to the mouth,” Everett smiled, hitting his own palm.

“Easy there, tiger,” Yuna said, “We’re in enemy territory now—we need to keep a cool head.”

It felt like just one thing after another within the world-class trial, wearing them all down slowly, though Emilio knew the only choice was to push on–especially in the troublesome situation they found themselves in now.

“It doesn’t have to be a bad thing, right?” Melisande asked.

“How do ya figure?” Everett raised an eyebrow.

“Maybe somebody knew we were coming and lowered the barrier for us, then put it back up...like inviting us in?” Melisande posed the question.

Though there was some logic to it, ultimately, they all knew it was simply something that sounded too good to be true.

“I’d like to believe that, but going off of what we’ve encountered here so far...” Emilio told her.

“Yeah, I know...I’m just trying to think positively,” Melisande nodded.

Approaching the front of the lodge, they all stopped before the ominous door that remained closed. In contrast to the boarded windows, it was left sparkling clean with a shiny, copper handle awaiting.

Poison?! Emilio guessed.

“Argh! What is this?!” Everett said, covering his nose, “It stinks like death!”

Yuna seemed disgusted by it the most, though dealt with it silently by pulling her scarf over her nose.

“I’ll dispel it! Hold on!” Emilio shouted.

As he lifted his staff to begin conjuring wind, he felt a wobbliness throughout his body when trying to focus his mana.

Wh-what...? I feel so lightheaded all of a sudden, he thought.

It was exemplified when he tried invoking magic, finding the sickness growing to such intensity that he nearly gagged when attempting to force the spell out.

“Ngh...!” He held his head.

“Emilio! Hey! Are you alright?!” Everett called out worriedly.

From what he noticed, the others weren’t subject to the same symptoms as he was, prompting him to yell out as he noticed Melisande about to try the same idea he had.

“Don’t...! There’s something tampering with our–”

Just as he figured out what the nature of the black gas was, his warning was interrupted as the false flooring beneath each person opened up into separate holes.

“Waaaah-!”

They each fell, split-up and and dropping into unknown tunnels leading directly downward into unknown depths.

What is this?! I’d fly out, but...I can’t focus my mana at all! That gas is still in my body! He thought.

He found himself plummeting down an unlit tunnel of smoothed stone, sliding down it as it curved around into a jarring path, making the sickly feeling inside of him amplified.

...Gas that sickens magic users? Is this like what those slavers used? He recalled.

Though the nature of it was hardly at the top of his problems as he focused on his destination that he couldn’t prevent himself from falling to, trying to grab onto anything to try and stop, but helpless to inertia now.

Shit...! He thought.

What he feared was a large fall at the bottom of the swerving tunnel, though what awaited him once reaching the bottom, feeling his stomach sink from the sudden feeling of being thrown into air, was an unlit room with a pool of liquid below.

With a splash, he landed in the pool of liquid that was too thick to be water, able to be discerned as dark in color and smelling of putrid copper.

“Gak–!” He coughed out.

It was up to his waist, though he felt his boots stepping on something squishy beneath that led him to begin puzzling together what he was swimming through.

What is this...? He questioned.

After a few moments, it became clear what it was that he was walking waist-high in: old, lukewarm blood.

“Ueghhh...!”

The immediate reaction from him was gagging, though he covered his mouth before gagging turned to spilling bile, doing his best to compose himself, given the horrific scenery he found himself in.

What kind of place is this...? This is under the lodge? He thought.

Fumes of the black gas were still in his body, but he was able to at least summon a small flame for light, casting away the shadows that swallowed the rancid room in darkness.