Ambitious Escape 2

Air crackled with raw mana inside the warship as the three Cosmic Magi closed in on Larin. Vibrating on the humming of the ship's core, he could hear only his own steady breathing, for he controlled that with the Sinlung Breathing Technique. His senses have sharpened, drawing in every detail—the shifting of their weight, the slow gathering of mana in their palms, the way the air itself seemed to bend around them.

One of the magi, a tall man with pale, sickly skin, was the first to move. He reached out his hand, curling his fingers into a fist. "[Gravity Well]!" he hissed.

The air around Larin thickened instantly. His body felt like it was being dragged into the floor, his limbs weighed down by an unseen force. He had felt something similar before but never this intense. His bones screamed under the pressure.

Larin ground his teeth. He could not be restricted. An enormous gulp of air, and he focused [Sinlung Resonance], his mana blurring into sync with the structure of the ship and its essential energy. Tense muscles from the pressure released, making him somewhat moveable. He flicked his wrist to cast [Echo Wave], releasing a shockwave of energy.

The wave slammed into the three Magi, disrupting their formation for a brief moment. That was all he needed.

Larin disappeared into view with [Veilstep]. She reemerged behind a woman, long jagged streaks of silvery tattoos travelling down her arm. He flashed his machete toward her lower back before he could stop the motion, so she was extremely fast. He saw her flick her hand upwards, a translucent light shield arising between them before his blade went into resistance in a jolting impact shooting through his wrist.

She sighed. "You do fight quite well." Lips curving upward, a hard, cruel smile formed on her lips. "Solar Chains."

Golden chains suddenly shot out from the air itself and began unwinding toward him. Larin flipped back from under them mid-action, then tossed [Petal Cascade], throwing spectral razor-edged petals across the strands and cutting cleanly through them.

The third magi was an older man with deep scars across his face. He took advantage of the distraction to launch his attack. He pointed at Larin. "[Void Lance]!"

A beam of absolute darkness shot forward, the air screaming as it burned through reality itself. Larin barely had time to react. He ducked low, the beam scorching past his face, searing the air just inches above him.

Larin clenched his fist. He had to change tactics. If he kept reacting, he would be overwhelmed. He needed to take control.

He cast [Binding Roots], channeling the ship's metal instead of earth. The floor beneath the Magi twisted, sharp tendrils of steel and mana bursting up, wrapping around their ankles.

"Pathetic trick!" The gravity-wielding magi growled, shattering the bindings with sheer force.

Larin was already moving. He lunged toward the scarred magi, aiming a punch infused with [Thousand Needles]. His fist exploded into a flurry of tiny mana shards mid-strike, each one piercing the magi's defenses.

The magi staggered, blood trickling from a dozen fresh wounds, but he did not fall.

"Enough," he rasped, wiping his lip. "[Astral Rend]!"

Larin's eyes widened as the blade of void energy materialised in the Magi's hand, slicing towards his chest. It only barely caught his machete, and the force sent him back flying against the wall, slamming his back into it once again. His ribs screamed in pain.

His vision blurred. He had no other choice. He had to get out.

He struggled to his feet, dragging air into his lungs. Then, he dug deeper, calling up all the mana he could spare. The ship's walls—cold, unyielding steel—were not part of Sinlung, but they were part of the world.

Larin placed a hand on the wall and activated [Detonation Rounds]. Mana-infused energy he'd seeded into the floor erupted in an instantaneous flare.

The explosion tore down the corridor.

The blast hurled him back, and the sonic boom was deafening. Flashes of flame and shrapnel exploded all around. The Cosmic Magi screamed, their shapes indistinguishable in the blaze and smoke.

The wall behind Larin had collapsed.

He was plummeting.

Cold night air closed over him as he fell towards the ground. His ears throbbed; his vision was blurry. He was too high, far too high. He must have hit the ground at such a speed, even [Sinlung Resonance] couldn't save him. But then he looked up and saw the warship in the air; then he remembered the other [Detonation Rounds] he had placed. He triggered the spell and his bombs started blowing up in succession. One by one the rounds were exploding, and the warship rocked and croaked, losing altitude slowly.

Then Larin turned his attention to his pressing concern. He was plummeting.

"Think. Act."

he breathed into the wind

Larin drew in a sharp breath and cast [Soft Glide], slowing his fall, but not enough. The ground was still rushing up too fast. He needed more.

He twisted midair, channeling energy into his hands. [Verdant Coil]. A vine shot from his palm, latching onto a tree below, but the momentum was too much. The vine snapped.

Desperate, he activated [Ripple Bind], sending pulses of mana downward, distorting the air currents beneath him, trying to cushion his fall. It helped—slightly—but not enough.

At the last second, he cast [Echo Shroud], cloaking himself in an illusion of the forest floor. It wouldn't stop his fall, but it would prevent the soldiers from spotting him if they were still watching.

Then, he hit branches over branches, softening his landing.

Pain exploded through his body as he plunged forward through branches, snapping like brittle bones beneath him. He hit the ground with a thud, rolling, gasping, his limbs screaming in agony. His head spun, his vision blackening at the edges.

He coughed, blood dripping from his lips. His body refused to move. Every muscle ached, his mana reserves dangerously low. He tried to focus, tried to stay awake, but the exhaustion was too much. With one last attempt, he activate [Sinlung Resonance] but it seemed to not be so effective.

The last thing he saw, before darkness overtook him was the glint of water-a faint, soft glow of natural spring.

He then blacked out.