Chapter 10

Sagil sat crossed-legged in darkness.

It was an abyss. It wasn’t pitch black but a mix of grey, purple and black.

He could barely see his hands.

He could still feel the rush of blood pumping around his body and gathering in his hands.

He squeezed his fingers in and out, relishing the feeling.

It was then that a shudder of pain shot through his body.

“Ngh!”

Finally aware, he fell backwards, shakily looking all around.

“O-Oi!”

His shout coursed through the abyss.

“…”

The abyss was silent.

No.

The abyss was almost silent.

Sagil could have sworn he heard a sharp laugh in the distance.

“W-Where am I?!”

He shouted again.

The abyss stared back, blankly.

Sagil stumbled to his feet and trudged through the abyss, looking for the voices.

His body started shaking the further he walked. His eyes started welling up with tears. His breaths started to grow short and shallow.

He clenched his fists and tried shaking it off.

“Huh!?”

A shadow moved in the corner of his eye.

“…”

Or was it just the swirling abyss?

“You have to be there if this isn’t just a nightmare.” He mumbled in darkness. “But what have you done to me and the other adventurers? To Misaka…?” Sadness consumed his voice as it trailed off. What was he doing just now? Learning a simple water ball spell? He might have only been given the name of where his sister was but that was a start. The first thing he should have done was ask the rangers where it was. He sighed. “Why… am I here right now?”

The grey, purple, and black did not answer.

He didn’t know if this was a nightmare or real. To be honest, he didn’t know if the first time was a nightmare or real. He didn’t even know if what happened with the monster, beast, rangers, and Siliva, was real.

Either way, it was where his consciousness was at the moment.

“I have no idea what the abyssal riftgaol is. I have no idea where I was a few seconds ago, nor do I really know where I am. But…” he trailed off as he looked over the grey. Purple, and black. “…what should I do?”

He knew the answer was simple. He hadn’t done the most obvious step of action – asking where the abyssal riftgaol was. He knew why though. He had only spent about an hour in this world and it had been something after something after something. He hadn’t had the chance. Something tugged away at his mind though. Whether it was being scared of finding out his little sister was dead or being scared of being outed as an ‘otherworlder’ again, he did not know. He just-

“Hm?”

His dark body glowed. Blood rushed to his hands, gathering around the palm. The blue light gathered and gathered until it spilt out, forming a water bullet in front of his right hand.

“Bestow the protection of water on the place thee demandest, let thine crystal clear flow here, WATER ORB!”

It shot out and was slowly swallowed by the abyss.

“W-What’s that supposed to m?-!”

The world around Sagil changed in an instant, almost like someone had switched camera angles in his brain. He was startled by the sudden influx of information, for the second time. He tried blinking his heavy eyelids several times, adjusting to the sudden light.

He lay still on the damp wooden floor. What…?

His mind was blank for a minute until it flashed to the magic he had learned.

Water orb. Water orb. Water orb.

He looked at his hand and no bullet of water floated in front. Why and how did he randomly cast it just then?

He ruffled his mind as he tried coming to a conclusion to no avail. He didn’t know if that was a nightmare or the abyss, but something had tried telling him something. All he could think of was to try the spell again.

The weary young man struggled to his feet, taking a few seconds to balance himself. He then took a few more to relax his body and take deep breaths.

He tried clearing his mind but his little sister's small face wouldn’t disappear.

Fuck, what am I supposed to do?

As he scratched his head and questioned everything, the picture in his head moved. The little girl bounced up and down before she straightened her body. She slowly relaxed it with deep breaths and chanted “Bestow the protection of water on the place thee demandest, let thine crystal clear flow here, WATER ORB!” Just like Sagil did in the darkness, she shot the water bullet perfectly.

He sighed, finally pushing her into the back of his mind for now.

He raised his hand once again, recalling the feeling from before and imagining it in his mind.

Concentrate

He reassured himself only once.

The blood flowing around his body was channelled into his right hand as he imagined the perfect casting.

He gathered the blood in his hand, a light blue light glowing from under his skin. It gathered bit by bit with every heartbeat.

He focused on the feeling of firing it out from his palm. Squeezing the water out.

Water seeped from his pores and began to form a water bullet in front of his hand. But the form wobbled in the air. His sister popped back into his mind, along with Cerrin and the moments before everyone was engulfed by darkness.

He took a deep breath and shouted.

“Bestow the protection of water on the place thee demandest, let thine crystal clear flow here, WATER ORB!”

The water bullet stabilised instantly and flew through the air.

“Yes!” Sagil let out as it passed through the door and-

Splash!

It drenched Red’s grizzly face.

His wide grin turned upside down.

“Uh…” Sagil stumbled over his words as he tried moving, his body sluggish. “Sorry.”

“Haha…” Red laughed under his breath, before glaring into Sagil’s soul. “Really now?”

“Um, yeah. I didn’t mean to.”

Red marched over to the tired boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Nah, it’s alright. I deal with this from Ban and Silvia quite often.”

“Uh…oh.”

Yeah…” he stroked his stubble. “But we only just met.”

“T-True…” Sagil agreed, unsure what the battle-scarred ranger, who didn’t look that much older, was thinking.

Red’s auburn eyes drifted to Sagil’s sword and his brow rose.

“I know the perfect way we can get acquainted.”

“I see,” Sagil forced a smile. “H-How?”

Red stared at the black katana. Sagil gulped. Red’s own thin, steel sword dragged his hand down. His fingers wrapped around the handle and began to unsheathe the sword when a smaller hand slammed it back in.

“This was a magic lesson!” Silvia scolded the man almost twice her size. “We’ll have none of that, thank you very much.”

Red roared with laughter in response. “Sorry, little mage! Hahaha!” He looked at Sagil and smiled. “But I can tell he’d like to as well.”

“Uh…” Sagil quickly stopped licking his lips and pulled his grin down. “I’m, um, fine.”

“Right.” Red shook his head with a grin. “I can tell you grew up with the sword. I want to test your strength.

Sagil dug his nails into his palms, making tight fists. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to. No. He did. He kind of wanted to spar with him. But… a sigh escaped him as his mind flashed to his sword bouncing off of the silver beast’s arm.

“C’mon, it’ll be fun!” Red clasped his hands together and pleaded for Sagil to agree. “No magic or nothing though, I won’t even use aura.”

Sagil’s eyebrows raised. Aura… sounds like some sort of physical enhancement. Maybe it was what that beast was doing. He let a smile escape, convincing himself that was why he had been destroyed. If it’s similar to the magic enhancement the beasts in my world use then maybe not all hope is lost. Plus, if this guy promises not to use it, I can actually see where I stand in this world. He tightened his fist. I can see if I’m even capable of finding Misaka. His eyes lit up.

“Som how about it?” Red asked.

“Sure.”

“Yes!”

“Sagil!”

Red let a gasp of excitement loose and Silvia frowned in disappointment.

“On one condition.” He interjected with his index finger raised. “You tell me what you know about the Abyssal Riftgaol.”

“What?” Silvia flinched and her eyes sank before she quickly composed herself. “W-What’s the Abyssal Riftaol?”

“That’s what I want to know,” Sagil stated.

“Hmm?” Red narrowed his eyes and stroked his stubbly chin. “Sure. If you win.”

“Tsch!” Sagil shook his head. He knew that was coming but he knew he couldn’t barter, despite how desperate Red looked like for a sparring session. “Fine.”

“Hahahah!” He bellowed. “That’s the spirit. Follow me.”

As Sagil started to follow Red out of the barracks, a soft small hand pulled his arm back. He turned around to a pair of glistening grey eyes staring into his red eyes.

“W-What?” He stuttered, his cheeks turning red.

“Raise your hand and try casting the magic one more time. I know you can do it but I want to be sure of something.”

“Uh… okay.”

He nodded his head and cleared his mind.

I can do it again, no problem.

He started to concentrate when he stretched out his right hand once more. But he felt strangely sluggish as if something heavy was on his shoulders. The feeling of fatigue. The few seconds he had passed out for hadn’t done much for him.

“Thought so,” Silvia stated as she stroked her clean chin.

“W-What?” Sagil held a worried expression. Don’t tell me…

“You don’t seem to have much mana.”

“Ah.”

His heart felt a pang of pain. It was like her plain tone had hidden a dagger stabbing into his heart.

“Oh, s-sorry. I don’t mean it in a bad way. But… if it’s your first time you’ll feel a bit off physically as well.”

Sagil sighed and tried limbering his limbs, struggling with the heavy weight of his muscles.

“I… guess.”

“Then no sword sparring.”

“Huh?”

She fiddled with her fingers and rubbed her tanned boots on the wooden floor. She glanced to and from Sagil, her face a slight red as she made “mmmm,” sounds when she finally said. “It’s for your health. You need to get some rest before you spar.”

“Huh?” Sagil audibly gasped and took a step backwards. The last time someone had said something like that was, Stop. He clenched his fist as an image of his father came to mind. He scrunched his face and tried shaking it off. “Th-thanks.”

“Oh?” A bright smile appeared on her face, her eyes dazzling. “A student that appreciates my care!”

“Hm?”

“Not like that brat Ban…” She turned her head and muttered under her breath. Her smile faded and a snarl appeared only for a split second before she shrugged it off and turned back to Sagil. “Sorry, just my other student can be a bit…

“Of an imp?”

“Great way of putting it!”

The two chuckled.

“Well, there’s a spare bed somewhere here.” She suddenly changed the topic back, averting her gaze. “I’m sure the rangers will let you use it.”

“Ah, thanks.”

Silvia nodded and said “let me just check,” as she ran out of the barracks.

Sagil looked around and shifted on the spot as he waited.

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After an hour-long nap, the time had finally arrived.

Sagil finished wrapping his wooden arm guards around his forearm and turned his back. The timid looking ranger with glasses fastened the lamellar that wrapped around his red tunic and said, “good to go.”

Sagil rolled his neck, cracked his fingers, and limbered his legs one last time. With a deep breath, he walked forward, his hand resting upon his katana’s black handle.

Red got up from the tree he was leaning against and grinned at Sagil. He had a similar thin wooden piece of armour around his arm and chest, covering his brown tunic. He too cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck. He unfastened his green cloak from around his neck and threw it to the side. He stretched his arms and also rested his hand on his sword handle.

The two stood a couple of metres away from each other, Red with a wide grin, Sagil with a nervous smile. The rangers from before were watching on the side, along with Silvia and a couple of kids that had heard the rumblings of a duel. One of which was the young boy from before, Ban, who shouted, “Hurry up!” as he messed with his black wand, dripping water onto a patch of grass that hadn’t been worn down.

“Let’s see what y’ere made of, kid.” Red grinned.

“Y-yeah…” Sagil muttered as nerves coursed through his body with a tinge of excitement welling up underneath.

“Three.” The old man slouched against a tree yelled. “Two,” he shouted a second later. “And…”

Sagil stepped forward anticipating the three count, only for the old man to pause. He snatched his foot back, only just managing to balance himself and not trip over his feet.

“Three!”

“Heh!”

Red let out a small laugh as he dashed forward, unsheathing his sword and thrusting it at Sagil.

“Shit!” He let out as he stepped to the side, the tip of the rapier slicing his cheek open.

It was not a good start.