The dense mist enveloped Sylvie and her friend, Jasmine, as they walked through the mysterious landscape of Phantom’s Land. The mist seemed to shroud everything, creating an atmosphere around them.
After they had spent their night together, Irina and Astron were doing something that was far more complex than she had thought, so she got bored.
So she went to get some fresh air if it could be called fresh, and there she met Jasmine and her group.
And thankfully, they let the two do their own thing without objecting much.
And now, here they were.
Jasmine, glancing around with a sense of awe, remarked, “This place is so surreal. It’s like we’re in a dream or something.”
Sylvie nodded in agreement, her senses on high alert. “Yeah, it’s unlike anything we’ve experienced before. I never expected the test to be like this.”
Jasmine chuckled, “Well, at least it’s not boring, right? But seriously, what do you think about all this?”
Sylvie pondered for a moment before responding, “I don’t know. It’s fascinating and a bit overwhelming at the same time. Astron seems to know a lot about this place, though.”
Jasmine raised an eyebrow at Sylvie’s mention of Astron. “That guy?” she inquired, a curious glint in her eyes. Well, considering his prowess at the library, it seemed like he was at least intellectual enough.
“Yeah. They are discussing something with Irina right now?”
“He is with Irina? That Irina Emberheart?”
“Yes.”
“Do they get along?”
Sylvie hesitated, her expression becoming slightly complicated. “Well, you know how they are. It’s a bit… complicated. They either bicker like there’s no tomorrow or… well, it’s not like they’re best friends.”
Jasmine chuckled, sensing there was more to the story. “Complicated, huh? That sounds interesting. What’s the deal between those two?”
Sylvie sighed, trying to find the right words to convey the intricacies of Irina and Astron’s dynamic. “Irina is…..Well, it is really hard to explain. But their personalities clash, you know? Irina is all about authority and rules, and Astron, well, he’s not exactly the obedient type.”
“Yeah, he doesn’t seem to be the obedient type, certainly.”
That guy was pretty rude, both to Sylvie, to her, and to others.
But at the same time, Jasmine remembered something. Her friend’s expression when she was with him.
“Are you okay with it, though?” So, she asked.
Sylvie looked at Jasmine, a puzzled expression on her face. “What do you mean, okay with it?” Follow current novels on Noᴠlꜰire.nt
“I mean….These two are together alone in the bungalow, you know?”
Sylvie still didn’t understand. “They’re… together in the bungalow?”
Jasmine chuckled, “Yeah, you said they needed some ‘alone time’ to discuss strategies, I suppose. But you know, being alone in a bungalow, it could lead to… other discussions.”
Sylvie’s eyes widened as the realization dawned on her, and her cheeks turned a shade of pink, understanding what she was saying. “You….What are you saying? They are not like that.”
She wanted to tell her friend that there was no way these two were like that, but at the same time, she suddenly remembered their feelings when they bickered.
‘That….No way, right?’
THUD!
But just as her thoughts were about to drag away further, suddenly, she heard the sound of someone falling to the ground.
“Huh? Jasmine?”
Turning towards the source of the voice, she noticed that Jasmine was lying on the ground.
Sylvie rushed towards her fallen friend, panic creeping into her voice. She knelt beside Jasmine, gently shaking her shoulders. “Jasmine, wake up! What happened?”
But there was no response. Jasmine remained unconscious, and Sylvie’s worry intensified. Panicking a little, Sylvie shouted for help, hoping someone nearby would hear her.
“Help! Somebody, please help-!”
She was about to shout more, but then she realized where they were. Right now, they were inside the fog of the Phantom’s land, and they couldn’t see much.
Sylvie, her worry escalating, gazed down at Jasmine, trying to comprehend what had just transpired. The misty surroundings of Phantom’s Land added an eerie touch to the unfolding situation, making it even more unsettling.
She felt a creepy sensation rising upon her skin and face, but she couldn’t focus on that right now.
Focusing her attention on Jasmine, Sylvie attempted to use her healing powers to revive her friend. She placed her hands on Jasmine’s shoulders, closing her eyes to channel mana through her fingertips. The soft glow of healing energy enveloped Jasmine, but to Sylvie’s surprise, there was no immediate response.
Panic crept into Sylvie’s voice as she continued to shake Jasmine gently. “Come on, Jasmine, wake up! What’s happening?”
But suddenly, her world turned cold for a second.
‘Calm down, Sylvie.’
As if something inside her was calling her out. No, it wasn’t something but herself.
‘What are you doing, Sylvie? Are you going to mess up everything again?’
She knew for a fact that right now, they weren’t in the perfect position to get help, and neither did they need to. She was a healer herself.
‘You must always remain calm, regardless of the situation. This is the most important aspect of learning how to fight, but it applies to everything.’
Remembering his words while he taught her how to fight, she knew if she wanted to be any help to others she needed to keep her calm.
‘Start with finding the source of the problem.’
Focusing her attention on Jasmine, Sylvie attempted to use her healing powers to perform a quick check-up on her friend, her friend.
However, as her hands moved over Jasmine’s body, she couldn’t discern any apparent injuries or ailments. It was perplexing.
The misty environment, coupled with the mysterious nature of Phantom’s Land, seemed to obscure the true condition of Jasmine. Sylvie could feel a dark aura enveloping her friend, but its origin and implications remained elusive.
“Something’s not right,” Sylvie muttered to herself, a sense of frustration and helplessness settling in.
lightsnοvεl This was no natural thing. Right now, the thing that was surrounding her friend was definitely out of the ordinary and a phenomenon that she had encountered for the first time.
The dense fog distorted her surroundings, making it challenging to comprehend the situation fully.
SCREECH!
The sudden, ear-piercing sound echoed through the misty landscape, sending shivers down Sylvie’s spine.
‘What?’
As if in response to the unsettling noise, a phantom materialized from the fog, lunging towards Sylvie with menacing intent.
Fear gripped Sylvie, her senses on high alert as the phantom approached.
SWOOSH!
However, a reflex born from her training kicked in. Without conscious thought, Sylvie’s body moved, a fluid dance of evasion that narrowly avoided the spectral creature’s attack.
The phantom passed through the space Sylvie had occupied just moments before, its ghastly form dissipating back into the mist.
“Haaaah…..Haaah….”
Sylvie’s heart raced, a mixture of fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins.
“Calm down, Sylvie,” she whispered to herself, remembering the importance of composure in moments of crisis.
‘Now phantoms are around, this is not good.’
The encounter with the phantom only intensified the urgency of the situation, urging Sylvie to find a solution for both Jasmine and herself.
‘I need to find a safe place.’
And instantly, she remembered where they could protect themselves.
SCREECH!
The unnerving sound of the phantom’s screech echoed once again through the misty landscape. Annoyance flickered in Sylvie’s eyes, and a surge of frustration boiled within her.
“Shut up!” she shouted, an unexpected burst of anger fueling her voice. In a reflexive motion, Sylvie swung her hand through the air, as if swatting away an irritating insect.
To her astonishment, a radiant white-yellowish light intensified at the tip of her fingers. The light expanded, forming a protective barrier that enveloped the phantom.
In an instant, the ghastly creature dissipated into nothingness, vanishing into the mist.
Sylvie blinked, bewildered by the sudden manifestation of her powers. It was an instinctive reaction, an outburst of magical energy that seemed to emanate from within her.
“Huh… What just happened?” Sylvie mumbled to herself, staring at her hand in disbelief. The misty surroundings held an eerie silence as if even Phantom’s Land itself was surprised by the turn of events.
‘This…..’
Realizing that her newfound ability might be a key to dealing with the phantoms, Sylvie focused her attention back on Jasmine. The dark aura surrounding her friend persisted, and Sylvie felt an urgency to find answers.
“We need to get out of here,” Sylvie muttered, determination replacing her earlier sense of helplessness.
She reached for the small watch strapped around her wrist. She opened it, revealing a magical compass that always pointed towards their accommodations – the bungalows.
“Haaaaah…..Come here…”
Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her friend and put her on her back.
“Ack! You are heavy.”
But her friend was a little heavier than she had taken, though after imbuing herself with mana she was able to carry her easily.
‘Now, let’s go.’
Sylvie followed the gentle pull of the compass needle, leading the way through the thick mist. The path was challenging, with obscured visibility and eerie shadows dancing around them. However, Sylvie pressed forward, carrying the unconscious Jasmine on her back.
SCREECH! SCREECH!
As they moved, spectral shapes materialized from the fog, phantoms drawn by the mysterious energy permeating Phantom’s Land. Sylvie, now more composed, swung her hand with purpose each time a phantom approached. The radiant light emanated again, dispelling the ghostly creatures effortlessly.
The journey was not easy, as the mist played tricks on Sylvie’s senses, and the constant encounters with phantoms tested her resolve.
‘Don’t stop Sylvie.’
Despite all the challenges, the determined healer pressed on, guided by the needle of the compass. After all, there was no way she could abandon her friend like that.
Finally, after navigating the maze-like terrain, Sylvie arrived at the familiar sight of the bungalows.
The bungalows stood as beacons of safety amidst the spectral landscape. Sylvie, relieved to have reached their destination, approached her bungalow with Jasmine still on her back.
“Haaaaah….Finally…..”
She carefully opened the door, anticipating the comfort and security within. However, what awaited her inside was not the peace she expected. Irina lay on the ground, unconscious, just like Jasmine. Sylvie’s eyes widened, and a feeling of dread washed over her.
“Oh no… Irina!”
Leaving Jasmine on the ground, Sylvie rushed to Irina’s side. She checked for any signs of injury or ailment but found none. It was as if an unseen force had rendered both Irina and Jasmine into a deep slumber.
“No! Don’t tell me…..”
A sense of urgency gripped Sylvie as she realized the gravity of the situation. Leaving the bungalow, she ventured into the small town area of Phantom’s Land, only to find that everyone else—students, instructors, and staff alike—lay unconscious on the ground.
“No, no, no, no, no…”
Even if she needed to calm down, how could she?
“Something’s terribly wrong… What happened to everyone?”
After all, inside this misty fog of the Phantom’s Land, only she was awake right now…..