Chapter 222: Right
It looks like Stallus was out of essence as well as the platform began to stumble in the air, wobbling and then suddenly froze midair, almost throwing then off but at least it kept the monsters from them a little.
The monsters descended again and Alex shot her a panicked look, his face streaked with blood. "What's happening? Are you okay? Stallus we are going to fall!
And true to his word, the platform began to go downward tilting to the right. Their grip on the rails tightened and the monsters weren't helping matters as their talons flashed down, griping flesh and ripping it off.
Stallus cry out as one of the monster hugged her on the back with it's talons and sunk small fangs into her neck. She gritted her teeth and her eyes flashed with anger and she dumped the rest of essence and anything else she could find.
The dying platform hummed sharply and the runes flared with light and heat, the platform heaved and then like a monster it flunged forward with speed, shooting out of the darkness with the cries of its occupant left ringing.
Azaroth took a deep breath, the platform moved so fast all he could make out is blur and the monsters gave them space. And then, suddenly from the darkness a cliff showed, dark rock glimmering wetly.
The platform crested to the top and then slammed down on the ground with a rumble. It took some seconds for Azaroth to get himself but once he did he realized the platform has landed safely somewhere and that the flying monsters have stopped their assaults.
He felt as if he's just fought through a storm and maybe he did with the monsters being the storm. His body stung l, numerous wounds flaring with pain. He took another deep breath as the little remaining essence in his body moved to start the healing but it'll take a while to be fully healed.
"What just happened?" Alex demanded, a scowl twisting his lips. His was the most bloodied from them all and his robe is all torn.
Stallus was leaning against a rail, her face drained of blood and her eyes heavy. "Blasted thing just drained all my essence. It must have been meant for other with higher rank. But just where is this place?"
She shivered and pointed downward where the cliff sloped down, and far from the rocky ground there's something resembling a gate. "I can feel other cliffs higher in the darkness. This one looks like the lowest floor. It's like the platform can still go higher."
They looked up but everything was covered in a sheet of darkness. Just then the platform hummed deeply, shuddering and Azaroth didn't wait for what that might mean as he hurried away from it.
The others followed his move and they all watched from solid ground as the platform lifted, tilted and then stumbled away, falling down into the darkness.
Stallus hissed. "So it has the power to return to its original station, that thing must be building a reserve from the essence it took from me!"
Azaroth sat down a seconds later, he has some essence he gained from killing the flying monsters so he quickly began to cultivate it. He'll use that time to heal as well.
The others followed his move after grumbling for a while, not caring that they are basically in the open. The darkness around them is shield enough and they trust their instincts to warn them in case things went wrong.
After they cultivate, Catena brought out pot and dried wood to began cooking for then. They'll use that time to heal and gather the energy for their core.
They were mostly silence as everyone focused on their own stuff, this isn't the first time they would be having an after fight wounded and battered after all. Azaroth cleaned his sword while smoke rose up in the air while Alex was standing in one corner practicing his moves.
And Stallus was studying her technique book with a small frown on her face. Finally the smell of boiled meat and vegetables mixed with that of burning wood and with some more stirring, Catena decided the food is done and he served it.
Everyone eat as fast as they could and then after that, the three sat in front of Azaroth and Stallus asked. "What's our next move?"
His eyes glowed red like dying embers. "Our next move will be to proceed. This place isn't looking like a crypt but we will treat it as one without the usual strategies. So far, the monsters are Acolyte and within our fighting range."
Alex scratched his head. "If this is not a crypt then we might be trapped here because we won't be killing any boss and escaping."
Stallus nodded, a frown on her face. "He's right. What are we going to do about that?"
Catena shrugged. "Do you see all the dead bodies? There must be a way out of here. One thing this place is, is function. And with all the enchantment written on all available surface then it is a given that there's also a way out."
Azaroth stood up smoothly, his sword clinking softly as it brushed the ground. "Then we move." He said, there's really nothing more to say about it.
And moved they did, walking down the slope until they reached the door, a thick metal thing engraved in so many enchantments it seems to be made of it.
But this close to the gate, the sight of the gate gave them pause. Stallus shook her head, disbelief on her face. "What could have done this?"
The metal gate have a big gash in the middle, twisted inward like crumbled paper. Stallus brought her light closer to the gate. "I don't like this. Anything about this place is screaming bad news."
Azaroth narrowed his eyes at the gate, he didn't want to meet whatever made that hole but he was also curious. What sort of powerful beings lived here before?