Mislead: Episode 44
1522 Words
Mariposa and the man finished all necessary preparations to ignite the tunnel.
"Here goes 3, 2, 1" the man counted.
He tossed a lighter inside the tunnel making the LPG vapors ignite. A huge explosion was made luring nearby demons towards them.
"Let's go. Demons will arrive soon" Mariposa said as she grabbed the man by the arm.
The man just shoved her hands off with a smile on his face
"Go" the man said as he handed over the rest of the items.
Mariposa didn't like how the man acted so she used wind magic to carry him. Mariposa also used a wind spell to boost her mobility and they burst straight in the tunnel.
While traversing the tunnel Mariposa can't help but noticing the man's pissed face.
"Is there something that matters?" Mariposa asked.
The man just looked at her then looked away without saying a word.
"Is it about me dragging you into this?"
"Sorry, I just want you to be safe that's all" Mariposa apologized.
"That's what you want!"
"What about what I want?" the man shouted at her.
"Sorry, but I can't just leave you there after all you had done for me" Mariposa said.
"I helped you because you have a sense of purpose just like I do"
"If you are looking for someone go I won't stop you but what about me?"
"Did you asked. No right! You just assumed that this is the best course of action" the man said.
"Sorry" Mariposa apologized.
"I don't need your apology I need to get back to my shop" the man said as he wriggled his way out of Mariposa's wind spell.
They were going so fast so he took a hard fall making him roll over. Je had several cuts and bruises but nothing fatal.
Mariposa immediately stopped and go check on him.
"Are you alright?" Mariposa concerly asked.
"I am fine" the man said as he stood up.
Mariposa tried assisting him but he refused. He walked in the opposite direction without looking back.
"Stop! you're going to get yourself killed" Mariposa shouted as she grabbed the man's shoulder.
"Who's fault is this in the first place!"
"I would not be in this situation if you had not carried me here" the man furiously shouted.
"What's so important that you are willing to risk your life just to go back there!" Mariposa argued.
"My shop is there!" the man shouted.
"What's so special about a run down building anyway?" Mariposa said.
"A run down building?"
"Okay" the man said.
He turned his back against Mariposa and tried sprinting away. Strong wind brew in front of the man blowing him back.
"Go on tell me what's so special about that building anyway"
"You could just construct a new one" Mariposa said.
The man just ignored her and continued running against the wind.
"Run all you want. You are just wearing yourself down" Mariposa arrogantly said.
After a while the man finally ran out of juice. He sat on the ground as he tried catching his breath.
"Now, would you tell me what's so special about that run down building of yours" Mariposa asked.
"It is none of your business" the man rudely said.
Mariposa is getting pissed but she tried keeping it cool. He helped her to reach their current location and Mariposa is still in debt to him.
"If that place of yours is really that special to you. How about a proposal"
"You join me at the evacuation site and I together with some students assist you back to your place"
"Sounds good?" Mariposa bargained
"No thank you"
"I could take care of myself from here" the man refused.
He stood up and tried walking away from her. Mariposa used wind magic to block his path but the man was just too stubborn.
They continued the farce until the demons arrived.
Using wind magic Mariposa carried the man once again then burst away. The man being too stubborn decided to jump off making him plummet to the ground. Demons were approaching fast and the man didn't recover in time.
"Wind Destruction Magic: Blade of Whirlwind" Mariposa casted.
Strong gust of wind brew in the form of crescent blades. The blades were sharp enough to slice the demons to the bone.
Demons continued popping one after the other but the man just crawled his way towards the demons.
"What the hell are you doing!" Mariposa shouted.
"Get your ass back here" she added.
The man just ignored her and just continued to crawl his way out of there. Mariposa had no choice since her hand was full at the moment. She just sustained the wind spell she was casting to provide cover for the man.
Strangely, the demons just disregarded the injured man as he crawled past them.
By the time Mariposa wiped out the demons the man was long gone. She tried chasing after him but not a single trace was left. No trail of blood no anything. To think an injured and exhausted man vanishes inside the tunnel.
Mariposa had mixed thoughts about this.
"Maybe demons grabbed him?"
"Or maybe a secret passageway" Some thoughts that bother Mariposa's mind.
Lost in her thoughts she just continued her journey in the tunnels. The tunnel ended in a huge crater-like structure. The area was a bit damp and several demon carcasses were decomposing.
Different materials were also present in the area giving Mariposa a bit of hope. She searched the area for more clues then she stumbled upon a small tunnel.
Using wind magic she navigated the tunnel without leaving her spot. Several passageways were inside the tunnel and all were dead.
It was getting pretty late so Mariposa decided to camp at the tunnel entrance for the night.
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In the middle of the night, Mariposa gets up upon hearing eerie noises close by. She stepped outside the tunnel only to see the dark area in front of here. Nothing seems strange but the noise continued to echo.
"Where could that sound come from?" Mariposa asked herself as she creeps further away from the tunnel entrance.
The area was so dark and the terrain was a bit bumpy making it tough to navigate.
After a while Mariposa just gave up searching and headed back to the tunnel entrance. She laid her head then dozed off.
Morning and the sun had already risen. Mariposa was eating her breakfast then she heard thunder. The sky was clear with no signs of thunder clouds but several lightning strikes were spotted.
After finishing her food Mariposa immediately scouted the area where the lightning struck.
Upon finishing her scouting Mariposa learned that the lightning strikes were kilometers away from here.
"Lightning doesn't strike at the same location twice" Mariposa muffled.
She started questioning herself whether or not to go there. Surely someone is using lightning magic. What if she or he is in need of assistance and only I saw the distress call.
"Ah! What to do?" Mariposa shouted as she clenched her hair.
Frustrated with the situation she decided to check it out. Using wind magic she flew towards the lightning strike sightings.
Sure enough someone or something was battling. The ground was scourged but there were no signs of life nearby.
Mariposa used wind detection magic to scan the area but still no luck.
"I am late" Mariposa said with a regretful expression on her face.
Mariposa was about to head back but another thunder roared and it was close. She followed the sound and it brought her to a battle.
Draxx mounting Kirin against someone wearing a full armor made of water.
"Draxx!" Mariposa shouted.
Draxx and Kirin look at the side only to see Mariposa waving at them. They quickly fall back and head towards Mariposa.
"Who is that?" Mariposa curiously asked.
"Believe me or not but the person you are looking at is Sora"
"The water spirit said she was possessed so we left the evacuation zone to avoid any mishaps" Draxx informed.
"How were the kids?" Mariposa asked.
"I think they are all safe"
They have an unlimited supply of clean drinking water and have a stable supply of food" Draxx informed
"How about Rex?"
"You two were together during the recon right? Where is he?" Draxx added.
"Sorry, but Sterling died protecting me" Mariposa said with teary eyes.
The words just flew right out of her mouth. Draxx was caught off guard so he remained speechless. He tried shaking the feeling off and just focus on the situation they were currently in.
"Mariposa do you have any restraining spell?" Draxx asked.
"Yes why?" Mariposa weirdly asked.
"Good" Draxx reacted then Kirin burst towards Sora.
Mariposa didn't get the instructions properly so she just assumed Draxx needs assistance in restraining her.
"Why go all the trouble in restraining her if we could end her life here?" Mariposa said.
Draxx just gave her a blank stare with a disgusted look on his face.
"You know what, I think I could handle this on my own" Draxx said with an intent of shoving Mariposa away.
- Writer
