[Novel] The Mirror [Chapter 8 (Part 1/6)]

Doyeon is stepping into a dark alley. He is holding his magic staff tightly as he marches forward. He remembers that Daesun might be in danger because he is alone, so his mission is to find and save him. Actually he doesn't really like the idea of him collaborating with Daesun and Eunkyung, as they are usually rivals in the business world.

"But this is different," said Doyeon to himself, "the safety of this world is coming first. And, this thing is actually so cool."

But suddenly his way got blocked by a thorn bush so he couldn't step forward.

"What should I do with this damn bush?"

He takes out the spell book and attacks the bush with a fire spell. It does burn for a while, but it's quickly extinguished with only a little part of the bush getting burned. 

"I need hard work to eliminate this, I guess," sighed Doyeon.

But before he could cast another spell, he heard a loud groan behind the bush.

"Anyone there?" asked Doyeon, half screaming.

But nobody is answering him, he just hears another groan. Doyeon thinks he knows whose voice is that, and he feels worried suddenly.

"Daesun? Lee Daesun?" he asked again, louder this time.

Doyeon pressed his ear to the thorn bush carefully and this time he can hear heavy breath behind it. 

"Doyeon-ssi?"

A little excitement appeared in Doyeon's heart as he found out Daesun recognized his voice.

"What happened? Are you okay there?"

"Basilisks. There are three of them. I can't look straight into their eyes," explained Daesun, half-screaming too, but his voice sounds weak, "it feels useless to fight them while avoiding their eyes."

"I don't know what that is but all I can say is hanging on there," said Doyeon, "I might need some time but I'll be there soon."

"I'll try to stay alive," said Daesun.

A while later, Doyeon can hear the slight sound of flying arrows and the sound of loud scream - it must be from the creature called basilisks. The sound is so loud and it makes Doyeon's mind go crazy.

"It must be a big creature," said Doyeon, "and I think their shape isn't nice either. I must be hurry,"

Doyeon keeps casting fire spells to the thorn bush without stopping. He manages to create a bigger fire that burns the bush longer.

"I hope it works..."

One basilisk fell to the ground with a loud scream and bumping sound. Daesun is kneeling on the floor with his right hand holding an arrow - this arm is bleeding, while his left arm is holding his bow. He doesn't dare to look up to the head of the other two basilisks, he just traces them by their large lower body. He quickly rolls away as one of them sliding their tail towards him. He doesn't know how much longer he can stay alive. He is losing his energy as well as his blood. He bravely stood up and stretched his bleeding arm to lift up the dead basilisk with his telekinetic ability and throw it to the other two basilisks. It bumps them quite hard. Using this chance, Daesun is rolling on the ground to the backpack and drinking one bottle of potion. His wound suddenly healed. But before he can drink the hot chocolate, one basilisk is trying to eat him alive. He has no other way of rolling away to save himself.

"Magic arrow!"

Doyeon forced himself to get into the alley through a small burning hole that was just enough for his body. His clothes looked a little burnt, but he quickly flew to Daesun's side.

"Daesun, your arm!"

"It's okay, it's just dry blood, my wound is healed by now," said Daesun, "and how can you join us here... hyeong?"

"It's a long story but I guess you can ask Myungwoo about this," said Doyeon while smiling, "it feels awkward but also nice to hear you call me hyeong."

"Thank you for coming here," replied Daesun, smiling too.

"Let's kill these two... giant snakes then?"

"Their eyes. That's their only weakness," said Daesun, "but we also are not allowed to stare in their eyes or we'll turn into statues!"

Doyeon quickly traces the spellbook until he finds the right spell.

"I need to get closer to them to cast this spell."

"Leave it up to me! You go, hyeong!"

Doyeon jumps closer to the basilisks before standing up bravely on the ground.

"Attacking shields!" screamed Daesun, protecting Doyeon with a red bubble, "hyeong, I can't recast it, I lost my energy!"

"It will be enough! Earth Ripple!"

From Doyeon's staff, a wave of sand appeared and hit the basilisks hard.

The basilisks shut their eyes as the sand disturbed their eyesight. Taking the opportunity, Daesun shoots one basilisk with two arrows at the same time. The two arrows go into different directions not far after it is launched, and it hits right to its eyes when the basilisk opens its eyes. Blood squirts out from it before the basilisk screams and falls. Doyeon quickly ran away from it.

"There is no way I will let myself get dirty by that blood."

The other basilisk seems angry and tries to bite Daesun. Daesun screams before running away from it. Doyeon flies and grabs Daesun by his waist.

"You aren't as light as you look like," said Doyeon.

"Hyeong, your energy is still a lot, don't you? Keep holding me, I'll try to shoot it!"

Trying to avoid the basilisk's eyes, Doyeon is flying while looking at its body and maintaining their distance - while Daesun is shooting to its head, also without looking at it. He shoots it endlessly while the basilisk fights fiercely - it tries to bite them and hit them with its tail. And after a tight battle, they finally hear the basilisk scream and followed by squirting blood around them - Doyeon is a bit slow to avoid it - so he and Daesun are drenched with blood. Doyeon landed safely along with Daesun then they were laughing to see each other's appearance. 

"We look so ugly now," said Daesun.

"And damn smelly. By the way what is that?" asked Doyeon while pointing to a big backpack.

"Ah, that's our potions stock."

They walk towards it as Daesun checks on the inside. The bottle which contains what looks like sparkling water - there are 4 of it; while the bottle which contains brown liquid - the hot chocolate - there are still 5 of it.

"This is a healing potion while the other one is hot chocolate to replenish our energy. I need to drink this now. Is your energy still a lot, hyeong?"

What makes Doyeon shocked, as he is wondering about his energy, in front of his eyes there are three lines of numbers: at the top is numbers with red colors - written 100; while at the lower one is numbers with blue colors - written 50; and in the lowest line is numbers with green colors - 62.

"Wow, that's so cool."

"Did you see the number, hyeong?"

"Yes. The red numbers are 100, the blue numbers are 50 and the green numbers are 62."

"The red numbers mean our health, the blue numbers mean our energy and since you are a wizard, you have the green numbers which mean your spell points. Usually our energy and spell points will be replenished by itself - it's slow if we keep do activity but if we rest or sleep, it will get replenished super quick," explained Daesun, "but since we don't know how long we should keep stay alive in this maze, I think I should drink one hot chocolate now. My energy is only 9, it's not enough even to cast an attacking shield. Hyeong do you want one too? Just in case?"

"I think we need to use the potions wisely. I'll be okay with this. We should march again, right?"

"Right. Let's not waste our time," said Daesun while drinking the hot chocolate quickly.

He smiles as he sees his energy points are back to 100.

"Let's go, hyeong!"

Both of them are running closer to the newly opened alley in front of them, ready to approach whatever is waiting for them there.

Minsook bid goodbye to Minseong and Eunkyung as they vanish when they stand on the save spot. He takes a deep breath as he feels relieved. He knows now his prophecy won't happen since he won't be in the same frame with Minseong and Eunkyung.

"Then there will be no black dragon here," said Minsook to himself, "but I still need to get prepared."

He is wondering if anyone already finds a way out of the maze. It's been the third day they have been stuck in this maze. He will be alone for today, but he feels quite confident - he is level 9 guardian and the backpack is still full of potions.

"So far the enemy is also not hard here so I can feel rest assured," said Minsook while walking lightly. 

Suddenly something in his pocket makes his thigh feel hot. He stopped his steps.

"They are here... too?"

Minsook is running fast, but he steps into a big hall where the entrance and way out got blocked again. And inside, instead of there are some enemies waiting for him, there are two people in black cloaks sitting on the top of a big rock. One of them is  holding an axe, and on the other hand, he is playing with a small black stone; the other person is holding a spear. 

"Where are you going, Dark Guardian? You look as if you're in a hurry," said the man with an axe.

"Don't say that you're trying to avoid us," said the other man.

"What do you guys want?"

"We want two things," said the man with an axe, "first, the location of Sunsook. And second, your team arrangement."

"How if I refuse to tell you?" asked Minsook.

"Then you might die here... or we'll cancel our agreement."

Minsook is looking at them... there are two of them now and it's not wise for him alone to have a battle with them. And about the agreement...

"But you will follow our agreement, right?" asked Minsook.

"You can keep my words," said the man again.

"Alright then... Sunsook, that evil guardian, is being kept in the princess' castle, in the dungeon. While our team arrangement is... Water and Earth guardian; then I'm alone here as you can see; our leader is with an air guardian, one warrior and warrior leader; Princess Sungmi is alone."

Two of the men are looking at each other.

"How about the guard of your bodies and Sunsook's guardian?"

Minsook is frowning, he doesn't feel right to tell this to them, "a light guardian is guarding our body and a fire guardian is with evil guardian. Let me remind you guys... you can't win over that fire guardian."

"Are you sure about that? Well my purpose is to save Sunsook, not to kill that fire guardian," said the man with a spear.

"You promised me," said Minsook, trying to sound brave, "you won't kill anyone."

"Well yeah I've promised that," said the man who is holding a small black stone, "I will just play with them. But I won't promise if they get on my nerves."

"But..."

"Thank you for your information. And actually we've killed some of the enemies who are waiting for you here. But of course we won't let you go that easily. You need to spend some energy too. So... we'll let you finish up the rest."

Minsook's eyes is widened as he just realized there are some creatures being trap behind a sparkling jail in the corner of the hall - it's the first time for Minsook to see it: they're a small creature not taller than his waist, their ears are long and their nose hooked, they're bald and holding a small sharp knife, their skin is kinda greenish; and of course they don't look friendly.

"Goblin. Have fun with them," said the man with a spear, "make sure you won't die."

The other man is waving his axe, and soon, the sparkling jail breaks open and the goblins run towards Minsook. Minsook don't have time to analyze the enemy, he just randomly cast spell towards them: the fire spell work but it's not giving them big damage - the air spell giving them smaller - almost no - damage; Minsook jump away from the group of angry goblins before a prophecy suddenly comes. He can see himself casting a big beam towards them and apparently, it killed all the goblins instantly. 

"Oh right, that one!" screamed Minsook happily.

He opened his spellbook before jumping high then screamed, "sun beam!"

There is a hot, blinding big light being cast from his staff which hits the goblins hard. The goblins are screaming in pain and as the light has gone, there is no more trace of that creature.

"Wow I think you're so powerful now, Dark guardian," said the man with an axe, "you're making me scared now."

"But thank you for helping us open the doors," said the other man.

"Hey!"

But before Minsook could say anything else, the two men were running into the entrance behind him. Minsook is hesitating for a while, should he follow them or walk forward? But his feelings tell him to walk forward, so he follows that feeling. He runs forward and he enters another small alley, but there is something different about this alley. Minsook can spot a ray of light, and as he runs faster, the light is getting bigger and fills the entire alley. Before he could realize it, he steps out of the alley into the outside of the maze. His eyes are still adapting with the light as he is looking around - it must be still in the morning as he spots the sun is in the East. But he is alone there - he thinks he is. But suddenly there was a loud voice talking to him.

"Dark Guardian Kim Minsook, you're the first person who found the way out."

Minsook recognized it as the sphinx's voice.

"Now you can wait until the other people come. You did an impressive job."

Minsook is sitting down while facing the maze while praying that any of his friends will appear after finding their way out, and there is nothing bad will happen to Daejoon and Kichul.

"If only I didn't make that agreement... but I have no other choice..."