Chapter 35.5 - Travel

Red looked ahead at the long narrow crack through the gate. It had not been this way last time, it had been fully opened before.

What happened? Was this door that much more difficult to open? 

She silently weaved together a protection spell, but didn't cast. She had not seen Argo since he became the Violet Knight and rose to Murphy's side.

Be she knew he was there. 

It created a sense of comfort, but she also recognized that he was a man with enough of a conviction towards his daughter, to come this far by any means.

If it came down to it, she knew who he would pick in a struggle, even if it meant all their lives.

Laughter. 

Her head turned.

What an uncomfortable laughter. It had been ringing for some time now, since the door had opened, but no one was saying anything about it.

Could they not hear it? 

She wanted to ask Raul or Karl, but both of them wouldn't even look at her. And she couldn't bring herself to be upset.

She had broken their trust.

She searched for the source of the laughter, but, no one was laughing. 

There were only silent soldiers, watching mages, and the muted dead to give air to the otherwise noiseless narrow straight.

But that infernal laugher continued.

Where? She turned her head.

Where was it? She turned again.

Her nose scrunched. A suffocating feeling started building in her chest. 

Laughter came again… below her? 

WHERE?! She swung her head straight down.

A little withered light floated there. Her heart stopped for a few seconds, her palms grew cold and her head went blank.

She activated the protection spell.

That little light went flying! 

The laughter stopped. 

Red's heart stopped.

She looked down.

Hands were rising from the stone.