The only way out was to climb up to the first level of the castle and use the main bridge. Elion had realized that when they rescued Talom and Hela.
That might prove to be a problem.
On the main level, the Class V's influence was sure to be infinitely more powerful. They would be detected in no time, and if that happened, all of Blood City would be after them.
Elion would need to get closer to map the upper floor with his affinity. If he managed to glimpse the Class V's main body, he might glean insights that could help them survive.
That would be difficult, though, if they wanted to avoid detection.
The best option was to explore the underground and try to find a way up as close as possible to the main bridge.
He shared his plan with the other Unlocked because of 'trust' and all that bullshit.
They all agreed.
Elion led the way into the darkness, walking with every sense alert, trying to locate danger before it found them.
Fortunately, the castle's underground was mostly devoid of abominations. Perhaps the Class V didn't expect invaders, weakened by the crimson water—the only way in—to survive its armored minion.
Either way, it worked out well for Elion.
Through their meandering in the castle's guts, they found a winding staircase made of stone. It was crumbling and nearly rubble, but still usable. It was the only way up they had found.
Even in its decrepit state, the underground had been carved directly into the rock. It would take a true landslide to breach its vault. Unfortunately, the city had fallen to disease—likely engineered by humans—not to a missile strike.
Time was the only thing degrading the magnificent castle, and though it had taken its toll, it wasn't enough to let the eight Unlocked slip out unnoticed. Worse, the ceiling of stone was too thick for Elion to sense what lay beyond with his affinity.
There really seemed to be only one way out.
I don't like this.
"So, what do you sense?" Lumos asked.
"Nothing. This is the only way up," Elion answered. "I think our best chance is to make a run for it. If we get out of its territory, the Class V probably won't chase us."
That assumption was based on the fact that it had stayed in Erika for a thousand years without ever leaving, if Kellta's tale was to be believed. Its only goal was to expand and protect its territory.
Still, running through the city and the scarlet forest while being hunted by a Class V didn't sound like the most pleasant activity—especially considering Elion's current condition.
I need to find a way to run on my own…
With what they were about to attempt, they would need to run for their lives—and fast. Someone carrying him would slow the group down too much.
"Let's take a short rest before escaping. We'll need to be at our best," Elion announced.
No one complained. After their dive into the cursed water and the fight against the armored abomination, everyone was exhausted.
The young cook studied his wounds with rapt attention.
If I can modify my own tapestry, can I repair it?
That would be incredibly powerful if possible. Still, the risks were obvious—but at this point, Elion didn't have much of a choice. He needed to be able to run; that was the only way they'd have even a sliver of a chance to make it out alive.
He touched his bruised skin, wincing, but fingers didn't interact with the weave.
How do I…
Elion focused on a single thread, placing all his attention on it until it was the only thing that existed in his world.
If it's like my ability, then at first, I'll need to start small.
His fingers plucked one of the darkened strings out of the sea of chromatic light. He could either cut it or change it.
Elion narrowed his eyes as the meaning of this peculiar thread became clearer. It was still strange, insignificant within the greater weave—but wasn't that what life was? A soup of tiny, insignificant arrangements forming something greater. That was the very fractal of existence.
Each thread was a tiny part of what made a human, but each was indispensable to the whole. Humans were themselves just parts of a greater machine called humanity. And humanity, in turn, was an insignificant force in the course of the world.
Even this world might be nothing but a small part of something greater.
But each small, inconsequential piece was still essential to the function of the grandest cosmic creations.
Every string of his body had to be treated with care, because that was what made him—what allowed him to be.
Alright, let's try this…
Elion sweated merely from holding the string. If he made a mistake, he could deal irreversible damage to himself.
He searched the rest of the weave, looking for another thread with a similar purpose that wasn't broken. Once he found one, he carefully cut it and brought it over. It connected almost too easily; the blackened string regained some life.
That's it?
It wasn't as hard as he'd thought. No—the real difficulty would be the sheer volume he had to fix. It was overwhelming, and one mistake could be dangerous.
No point dwelling on it. He had to do as much as possible with the time he had.
Looks like I won't be resting after all…
The young Unlocked concentrated, painstakingly shifting strings and trying to make sense of the intricate tapestry that was his being.
His concentration became absolute. He slipped into a state of flow; the outside world faded until only the weave and himself remained. He could feel his soul slowly depleting with each use of his ability, but that didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was the task at hand and—
"Elion…" a voice called.
Not right now. I'm busy.
"Elion."
"Eli! What are you doing? we need to go!" Someone shook him; his heart lurching as if it might burst.
He hadn't realized how much his heartbeat had slowed to grant him precision, and now, jolted awake, it had to catch up again.
"Fuck! What—WHAT IS IT?!" he blurted, jerking his head back.
"You've been touching your ribs with a blank expression for three hours. What are you doing?" Eshrod asked, a little concerned.
Three hours?!
He was at a loss for words.
It only felt like a couple of minutes at best…
"Farha tried to talk to you earlier, but you didn't respond at all," the Gremlin added.
"I was testing my new ability…" he said, still shaken.
She tried to talk to me? What did she want to say?
Elion gazed at the Mute Demon. She just shrugged, not saying anything.
"Did you lie to us again? 'Cause it looked more like you were turning into a vegetable than modifying yourself," Eshrod joked.
Elion stood, his body feeling much better. Some wounds remained, but he was leagues ahead of where he'd been before. The process had taken a toll on his mind, though; he felt drained.
It wasn't too bad. He could endure until they escaped Blood City Erika. That time fleeing from the faceless Class III with Farha had been worse in terms of sleep deprivation.
Ah, the good old times—almost nostalgic.
Though it had only been a month ago, for him it felt like far longer since he remembered every loop of the time loop.
Elion shook his head.
"Oh no, it worked out quite well, actually." He stretched like a runner about to break a world record. "Ready to sprint for your lives?"
Eshrod grinned.
"We've had plenty of practice. What's another time or two?"
"I'd rather this be the last," Farha chimed in.
"Yeah, let's make it the last," Elion said.
They climbed the stairs. The young cook could feel the Class V's influence thickening, suffocating. Even as First Fingers, the pressure was crushing.
His affinity now picked up the higher floor. There was a grand hall, its top arches too far to sense. In the middle stood a massive, uneven column—most likely a pillar of flesh.
The stairs would bring them to a back room behind the hall. They would need to cross the chamber, pass the flesh pillar, and sprint to the main bridge. Then they would have to make it through the city and the scarlet forest—with all hell chasing them, eager to devour their souls and twist their flesh into mindless abominations.
The next step would be the last they could take at a walking pace for a long while.
"Past this point, it's full speed to the exit. You guys ready?" Elion asked, glancing over his shoulder.
"Yeah." — Kellta
"Ready as I can be." — Eshrod
Nod — Farha
Blank stares — Talom and Hela
"Sure…" — Leonard
"Of course." — Lumos
"Then let's do this." Elion stepped forward.
That familiar sensation returned—the suffocating awareness of being watched by something unfathomably more powerful.