Chapter 17: A Clash in the Dark

CHAPTER 16

I was not running out of the cave, I was running further in. I had no idea how deep the cave was but instead of worrying about that I chose to focus on the enemies behind me. Fortunately for me and my risky plan, they were running after me. The cracking of their bodies I heard from behind as they conducted their chase was the stuff of nightmares. Once I was deep enough and darkness enveloped me entirely, I closed my eyes and waited.

I was prepared to put up a defense just in case, but this was ultimately a suicidal endeavor. My sight, which I had relied on for every little thing, much like almost every other person in the world, I had to relinquish entirely for the time being. With my eyes closed, I stopped breathing as well just for good measure. Some time passed and I did not feel a stone axe or claws pierce my flesh.

After some more time spent cloaked by the darkness, I heard a message from the System.

[Synthesis successful. Ability ‘Footsteps in the Night’ is in full effect.]

It was true. Inside the realm of darkness, with my ears as the only guide, a world like I’ve never known before began to unravel before me. I could hear the constructs approaching with careful steps and some time later it went beyond the realm of “hearing”; I could “see” them, in a manner of speaking.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise that the full extent of 'Footsteps in the Night' went beyond the scope of what I was able to accomplish with it until now. Leader of the Ghouls who could not see but could only ever move and hunt with the help of his hearing was able to be formidable thanks to this very ability. This is the world that a creature like the Leader occupied, the world of a bloodthirsty scavenger.

Being able to clearly hear their every movement, their steps and the crackling of their wooden bodies, I imagined the space they occupied in the dimension of darkness with unmistakable clarity. I could envision their heads turning in confusion which confirmed that they could not see in the dark, to my immense luck.

I tried to maintain complete stillness nonetheless, there was still the possibility of them being able to sense vibrations through the ground. My assault had to be sudden and swift, there was no doubt about that.

With utmost care I raised my arm and moved it around the space I was in. There in that direction, I thought, is a fallen rock. Further in is a bat hanging from the cave's ceiling. I moved my arm again and there ahead of me I could “see” my palm standing over the chest of one of the constructs in the distance. While its head was turned to the side I launched myself forward with all the power I had in me. Upon impact, I felt my hand breaking through the twists and knots of the construct’s wooden body until I held a cold globe firmly in my palm. I yanked it out with an enraged roar and used the body as a springboard to move away and disappear back into the darkness.

A belated arrow flew through the air and struck the spot where the construct’s body had already fallen apart. I couldn’t look yet but I imagined that the body, without its core, had reverted to a pile of wood and dirt on the ground. They would all reach the same fate soon, I had hoped.

I focused on the other construct and envisioned his position once more. I launched myself again and when I punched a hole through the construct’s chest, there was no core there. I knew this. The constructs were aware enough to manipulate the position of their core and this one hid its own inside its left thigh. I knew this because I could hear the core move through its body thanks to my ability. That’s how potent the skill was, once utilized fully.

I left my hand inside the hollow opening of the construct’s chest and with my dagger in my left hand I pierced the constructs arm. Its body and weapon arm were now pinned by me. Lifting up its body I began to sprint forwards. The body of the construct was just light enough to allow for this. The archer construct was loosing arrows repeatedly in my direction but they did not reach me, they were all stopped by the body of the other construct which I was using as a shield.

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The construct was not happy with this and realizing what I was doing it kept smashing its shield into the side of my torso. It hurt like hell, I was breathless and weak but I did not loosen my grip on its body. If I did such a thing even for a moment, that would be the end of me.

A few seconds later a loud crash emanated through the dark cave, it was the bodies of the two remaining constructs clashing together. My right arm, which was still piercing the first construct’s chest, went even further and pierced the chest of the archer. There was the cold feeling of a globe-like object which I managed to pull out.

Throwing the core to the ground I grabbed the remaining construct’s thigh and squeezed it with all my power. The branches twisted under my grip broke as I came to hold the flux core before it had the chance to relocate it again. I pulled it out and the last construct fell apart.

Not taking a moment to rest I gathered all three cores and stuffed them in my pockets. Only then did I open my eyes. After being in the dark for so long even the meek sunlight protruding at the entrance of the cave seemed blinding. Exiting the world of darkness, which mostly consisted of lines and silhouettes began to receive its lively colors. I watched the piles of the defeated constructs on the ground. The first one I took down was the axe-hand; with the clawed and the archer constructs being next to one another at the time of their demise.

I kept my awareness up just in case there were more enemies but it didn’t seem like there were any.

“System, can you do anything with these cores?” I asked, just in case.

[Negative] was the simple answer of the system.

I figured they would fetch a good prize somewhere, if nothing.

I spent some time resting and then I began exploring the cave. I could not find a single thing that caught my eye even when looking through it several times.

I figured the best course of action was to return to the village and consult the elders, most importantly, consult Regan once more. He seemed the only one willing to do something regarding the issue their village was facing.

With labored steps I returned to the Tobermory village.

“I think this is the adventurer that came here today.” I could hear one of the villagers whisper as they saw me approach the meeting hall.

“Is advisor Regan inside?” I asked them.

They nodded without speaking a word.

“What happened?” Regan was looking at my beaten and bruised form with wide eyes once I stepped inside.

A large crowd gathered around me inside the meeting hall, each person asking a different question.

“I was investigating…the area,” I began, “when I was attacked by three wooden constructs.”

After explaining that much I placed the three collected cores on a nearby table as proof. Some curious and greedy fingers began reaching for the cores but I snatched them away before anyone could touch them. They were my prize.

“Are there any mages around who could be behind this?” I said.

“We allow no mages around here.” alderman Firrosta said while wagging his finger in the air.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the children is behind such a horror.” an elderly man in the crowd spoke.

I was disgusted by these words. Blaming the poor children for such a thing, I could not fathom it. My hands were shaking, both from the anger and from the fatigue, but I tried to keep it under control.

A commotion happening outside the hall stole everyone’s attention. A woman was crying and shouting at the top of her lungs. Everyone went outside to see what was happening and I followed along.

The crying woman was pointing a finger at one of the elders while cursing, with the man next to her trying to restrain her.

“Our child, we must find our child before it is too late. Call on seekers and mages, call the royal guard from the capital if you must, just do something… how can any of us continue to live like this?” She was screaming.

I looked past this scene and a bit further off saw the figure of a young girl. One I recognized.

“Moirah,” I yelled, moving towards her.

Her eyes were red from crying. She could barely gather her breath when she saw me approach.

“What happened?” I said.

“Bran, he is gone…” She cried.