Unable to find any answers, they immediately pushed those thoughts aside and turned their attention to the situation in front of them.
After discussing the planning required for the morning, the group gradually departed. Ryan's team headed into the forest, while Lilian's team remained at the camp.
Lilian seemed lost in thought. She stood still, seemingly caught in a conundrum; the more she pondered her decision, the more she vacillated.
Eventually, James approached her from behind and tapped her shoulder lightly.
"Hello, what are you thinking?" James asked.
"Tsk, even if I tell you, you wouldn't
understand," she said, before walking away.
Hmm, this girl sure is stubborn. I only asked out of goodwill, yet she responded with mockery, James snorted coldly.
Suddenly, Lilian called for a gathering.
When all the members of her team had assembled, she solemnly asked, "Since we can't wait here doing nothing, we need to take action. I have a plan in mind, but first, I must ask: does anyone have a solution right now?"
Tsk, even if I had an idea, I wouldn't tell you, James thought cynically.
One by one, everyone shook their heads in silence.
Lilian made no effort to mask her disappointment. "Actually," she began, "I have a proposal. It involves using runes."
The moment those words left her lips, the team's eyes ignited with a flicker of hope, though it was quickly shadowed by trepidation. They all knew that runic magic was notoriously volatile, especially since Lilian had yet to master it.
"But using runes is exceptionally risky. I fear..." Lumain's voice trailed off, her worry evident.
Beside James, every member of the team nodded in solemn agreement agree with Luman statement.
Lilian understood their fear perfectly. However, she knew that if they remained idle, they were destined for the same failure they faced yesterday. Rather than waiting for a certainty that might never come, she preferred to gamble on the unknown.
"It's alright," Lilian said, a proud smile gracing her lips. "Have you forgotten I'm a genius? I've consulted the professors whenever a problem arose. As for this rune, I am confident I have a sixty-percent chance of success."
As James watched her smile, an unexpected wave of consternation washed over him. He felt a sudden, sharp worry for her safety, though he kept his lips pressed thin and remained silent.
Eventually, Lilian instructed the team to excavate a pit to serve as a reservoir for water. Everyone, including James, fell into a rhythm of collective effort to quickly dig the pits.
Before long, the hollowed-out earth began to take shape. It was a narrow, cylindrical basin, reaching a depth of 1.5 meters and measuring 1 meter across.
Recalling the ancient texts and the lectures of her professors, Lilian knew all too well that attempting to manifest a rune without sufficient spirituality was usually impossible. However, this time, she had come prepared. Selecting a sturdy branch from the forest floor, she consecrated it as her makeshift staff and began to etch a complex, twisting symbol into the dirt.
James's mind was seething with confusion. He watched her actions, completely perplexed, unable to comprehend the logic behind her strange ritual.
Unable to restrain his curiosity, James asked, "What are you doing?"
Without warning, aside from Lilian, nearly everyone shifted their gaze toward him.
Faced with James's question, Lilian did not bother to respond. Her expression remained solemn as she continued inscribing the symbol with unwavering focus.
Lumain, who stood beside Lilian, offered a quiet explanation instead. "She's drawing a rune symbol. Keep in mind, do not disturb her."
Understanding the gravity of the situation, James promptly closed his mouth and watched Lilian with cautious attention.
With a final, deliberate stroke, Lilian completed the symbol.
The rune was densely woven with intricate lines and unfamiliar characters, written in a language James could not even begin to comprehend.
Beads of sweat glistened on Lilian's forehead as she gently wiped them away, her breath faintly unsteady.
"Phew… finally, it's done. Still, I don't know whether it will work as planned. I've never actually tried it before," Lilian said, exhaling softly.
"No matter what, I can't help recalling why the professor never allowed us to use runes until we reached ten years old," James said in puzzlement. "Is there some age requirement tied to runes?"
Normally, this rule was strictly enforced by their families. Only upon reaching the age of ten were students permitted to practice rune usage.
This question had lingered in Lilian's mind for a long time as well. Yet whenever she pondered this peculiar restriction, she could not help but feel bewildered.
The thought that always surfaced was simple. Why not just state that only those who reached the second area could use runes?
After all, to enter the second area, students were already at least twelve years old. Considering the time required, it took nearly four years to advance there.
One year was already sufficient for a student to grasp the fundamental knowledge of magic. Two years, however, allowed them to internalize those basics with far greater depth, ensuring nothing was left half understood.
In general, two years of study was perhaps the most prudent choice. It prevented students from recklessly using runes without proper preparation or comprehension.
After all, in the first area, they were only taught runes, combat techniques, and swordsmanship. Only upon reaching the second area did they begin true magical studies.
Unable to obtain any answer, Lilian immediately redirected her focus to the predicament before her.
She cautiously inspected the symbol, her gaze meticulous as she sought to confirm that nothing had gone awry. After examining it three times, Lilian finally released a faint breath, her expression settling into solemn resolve.
"In a few minutes, I will activate the rune," she commanded gravely. "Do not disturb me. Remain as silent as possible."
Everyone there nodded in quiet agreement and slowly stepped back, clearing the space around her. They did not retreat far, stopping roughly two meters away, close enough to intervene should anything go wrong.
Standing at the center of the symbol, Lilian seemed to recall something. She inhaled deeply, steadied her heart, then raised both hands into a precise gesture as she murmured words in an sprite language.
"Holy fairy of the spirit world,"
"Your grace stands vast as a monolith,"
"On this day, I beseech your sacred mercy.
Bestow upon me spirituality, that I may resolve the trial before me,"
"May your benevolence endure for eternity."
The moment her final words faded, her entire body erupted in a soft, resplendent white glow.
Lilian's breathing suddenly grew erratic, each breath shallow as though an unseen pressure weighed upon her chest. She struggled to steady herself, barely managing to draw air.
Shock seized the onlookers. Every face was frozen in disbelief, as if they had just witnessed a phenomenon beyond the reach of language itself.
Unconsciously, James was about to rush toward Lilian's position, but Lumain immediately stopped him, gripping his arm with firm resolve.
Just as James was about to retort, Lilian's voice rang out, steady yet strained. "Don't come. I'm fine."
James hesitated, then reluctantly stepped back. Still, his body remained tense, poised to move at the slightest sign of danger.
Moments later, the radiance enveloping Lilian gradually faded. In her grasp, a wooden stick slowly lifted into the air. Drawing a deep breath, she began to trace patterns into the empty space before her.
Each movement of the wooden stick left behind a faint trail of silver light, shimmering briefly before dispersing. As her hand continued its deliberate motion, another symbol began to take shape, suspended midair. Unlike the previous one, this symbol formed a perfect circle, its center etched with an unfamiliar characteristics.
Within a few breaths, the symbol fully manifested, hovering like an ethereal seal carved from light itself.
Lilian twisted her waist sharply, pulling her hand back as she shouted a word in a resonant in spirit language. "Fluarue!"
The instant her voice fell, the sigil at the center began to rotate, transforming into a swirling vortex. It slowly consumed the surrounding circle, drawing it inward as though devouring its own form.
A heartbeat later, a surge of water burst forth from the collapsing symbol, cascading violently through the air and rushing straight toward the cylindrical basin five meters away from Lilian's position.
Lilian's face turned deathly pale, as though her vitality was being steadily siphoned away.
After a few labored breaths, she could no longer endure it and abruptly halted the rune.
The instant the incantation ceased, the symbol before her wavered, then gradually dissolved into thin air, as if it had never existed at all.
The moment the rune vanished, Lilian's body slackened and she collapsed.
James reacted without a trace of hesitation. Instead of shock, instinct took over as he rushed toward her. Just as Lilian was about to hit the ground, he caught her from behind, pulling her into his arms and preventing her fall.
Only a few seconds later did the others recover from their astonishment. They hurried forward at once, gathering around Lilian with anxious expressions etched across their faces.
.....
Marcus and Ryan's team strode through the forest, careful not to venture too deep.
This time, every few steps, they deliberately dropped small stones along the way to mark their path and avoid getting lost. Yet, just like yesterday, they encountered nothing of note.
Marcus soon noticed that if they continued searching like this, they would inevitably return empty-handed. Without any thoughts he quickly tell his idea from before to Ryan. Strangely Ryan nodded his agree upon Marcus idea.
Without delay, Ryan gathered everyone and spoke in a firm, measured tone. "Let's split into two groups. One will search for a water source, the other will look for food."
After a brief discussion, they ultimately agreed with Marcus's suggestion. By now, they had seen for themselves that the knowledge Marcus gained from the novels he read was unexpectedly useful, especially after witnessing James build a bonfire with practiced ease.
No one raised an objection. Soon after, they parted ways, heading in separate directions.
Marcus and Pin stayed together, tasked with finding water, while Ryan led the remaining two to search for food.
As they walked, the silence between Marcus and Pin grew increasingly oppressive. Neither spoke a word, and only the faint crunch of dead leaves beneath their feet echoed through the forest.
Marcus felt a subtle chill creep down his spine each time their footsteps disturbed the lifeless ground.
Please say something… This forest is already creepy, and if we walked without saying anything it will make this more creepy. Marcus thought slightly in his mind.
He wanted to speak, to broke this silent. But he didn't know where to start.
Yet even as he wrestled with his thoughts, Marcus kept hearing a faint rustling behind them, as though someone else was walking just out of sight, matching their pace step for step.
This gave him an ominous feeling, and as he dwelled on it, the unease began to grow.
Suddenly, Marcus turned around and shouted, "Who's following me?!"
Pin reacted at once, but when he looked back, there was nothing there except a vine swaying as it fell from a tree.
Marcus's face was filled with fear as he trembled and said, "I heard faint footsteps behind us…"
"What? But I don't see anything," Pin replied, carefully scanning the surroundings.
"But I heard it very clearly," Marcus muttered fearfully.
Pin seemed to realize something and chuckled. "There's no one here besides us. As for the footsteps you heard, that was your own imagination. The more you think about something that doesn't exist, the louder it echoes in your mind, until it turns into fear."
With that, he lightly tapped Marcus on the shoulder and walked ahead.
Was it really just my imagination?
Evean so, Marcus could not help but glance behind him again. A chill ran down his spine, and he immediately dashed forward to catch up with Pin.