Chapter 22:Illusioner Influence

 Two days later, The two finally arrived to Groovelock who was a mythical forest that located south in Riverstone. They had their few stops and they reach there half day late from their expectation. They rode the horse into the thick oak forest. This forest actually very dense and most tree was up to 10 feet tall or higher.

 The sun was high up the sky but slightly blocked by the cloud. The two look up and sigh.

 "It's going to be snowy tonight." Black Blade say and get off his horse.

 "Yeah... I can feel a sharp pain in my back already. Those snow really low us down." She get off her horse as well and pull the leash as the two walk further into the forest.

 The reason that slow them down was the snow at some place in Fallidom that didn't melt slows their horse down. The snow was thick and they couldn't go to the other way that absolutely no snow because it need them to cross Fallidom most dangerous Barren Land. So, they accept to go on their original route.

 As the two walk through the forest, Codex sense mana trace in the air so she quickly open the book to see if there is anything.

 "What's wrong?" He ask as she suddenly stop.

 "We need to leave our horse here. There is an ominous aura in the depth of this forest We might lose them."

 "Hmm.. Okay, Fine by me." He start to leash the horse at the tree."

 Codex does the same and they continue their walk. The wind feel gentle in this forest. Black Blade actually feels weird that there is actually wind in this dense forest.

 "Hey, Black Blade. Look." Codex pointed to a tree.

 "It's... hmm... looks like from a sharp weapon like axe or sword."

 "Yes. someone was marking their way with their weapon. In other word, they lost. "She said.

 "We might be as well. I can sense a high level illusion magic in this area. I don't think my dispelling magic will work to such high level magic."

 Codex sigh and open her book again to collects the information regarding where the source of the magic from. Data writen in the book is absolute so it won't be reading anything from illusion. But, after reading what appears about the source, her eyes widen.

 "This is..."

 "What?" He kneel down to look to the book and his eyes wide as well to the shock.

 "They should be dead... right? Why is it the mana trace is identical with that magician?"

 "The Dark Illusioner. Should be dead 30 years ago. In the hand of Madam Silence."

 They fall silent for a moment before Codex closed her book.

 "This... I kinda feel like someone must call upon their soul and make a vengeful spirit. High Illusion magic is rare these day and... this kind of mana trace only belongs to that Magician.

 "It doesn't matter. Let's go. I think we need to beat this Illusioner again if we want to get past this area."

 She nodded and stand up. They start to walk to the direction where this magic concentratred on.It wasn't that far but this forest alone is a total maze and the fact they were under influence of illusionary magic. They also facing a hard time to keep heading towards it.

 After almost two hours of walking, they finally reach to the place that supposed to be the source of the magic. but...

 "It's just a small wooden witch hut." He said.

 "I don't know but... I think there is something happening in there."

 "Let's investigate. Maybe it may give us the lead to break this illusion." He step up to the witch hut and forcefully open the door and what inside just shocked him.

 "Black... Blade?" Equ said as she was tied on the floor with heavy wound.

 Equ was almost collapse at the point as her head leaning to the wall and blood flows out her mouth. Black Blade rushes to her and untie her to check her full condition. She got some heavy cut in many place of her body and it's seemingly to be claws of Watchers.

 "If she is here...Ekiu must as well here, right?" He said and start looking around the cabin.

 "Leave the healing to me. You go and find Ekiu."

 Black Blade didn't delay a second and rushed out the cabin and looking for the trace of a fight and to his luck, He heard a strong explosion not far from there. He quickly go to where the explosion come from.

 As he arrived, he saw Ekiu was fighting with a bunch of Ice Watcher and he seems very restless as he shout.

 "GIVE MY SISTER BACK!!!" he jumps away from the watcher and hurl a few spells towards a tree.

 "Ekiu!" Black Blade jumps down and slash a few Watchers as it turns to dust instead of leaving a dead body that slowly desolved into mana.

 "You?!" He quick cast firebolt to him.

 Black Blade blockes the bolt and try to talk sense in him but he realised now that Ekiu was under influence of illusion and seeing him as the enemy they were fighting with.

 "You return me... My SISTER BACK!" He cast two spell and make a mix bolt.

 "This amount of power!!" He jumps away to evade the spell but it's turn back to his back and hit him hard as he flew towards a tree.

 His robe bore a big burn hole in his back. Since Ekiu was Enigmata tier, his magic power is just that strong. A simple spell could hit harder than 10 spells from Black Blade. He rushed to Black Blade and blast him again with an explosion magic.

 He didn't give a chance to react and he take another hit and his body breaks through the tree as blood start to splattered out from his mouth and his stomach. It's only take two hit to bring him down at this point.

 Ekiu walks up to him and charge a spell to his face.

 "Tell me, where is my sister?!"

 "By the grace of holy light... I... pray upon thee so one could cleance one out of impurities..." Black Blade start to chant.

 "What the hell are you talking about?!"

 "...Dispelling light..." A bright light suddenly emitting from his hand.

 Every single watcher that shines by the light immediately disappears and Ekiu's eye wide to see behind the bright light it was Black Blade and not the Illusioner that he was fighting with.

 "Black Blade?!" He kneel down and check upon Black Blade condition.

 "You finally realized what happening huh... took you long enough." He said as he chuckles.

 "Sorry! Drink this." He give him a healing potion as he drink it.

 The potion is enough to heal almost all heavy wound. just some scratches and small bleeding is not healed. But he certainly could stand again.

 "Thanks, that's helps a lot. I don't know you're have very strong mana. I can tell your tier by taking those hits alone." He said as Ekiu help him get up.

 "I am... Anyway... did you see my sister?"

 "I do. Follow me." He said as start to lead the way to the cabin.

to be continued.