["Just let me kill them... geez"]

Her blue hair sticking out of her helmet. I couldn't see her face, but I know that she was puffing her cheek.

Sigh... Good thing that she listened to me just now, if not... there would be another blood bath

We were now out from the previous hall. The door led to another wider, grander hall way with path at the middle left and right. But I chose to run straight, and the guards from the previous hall had now chasing behind us.

GOONG GOONG GOONG

"!!!!!" The guards started yelling, simultaneously, one of the guard was ringing a big bell stood not far from the door, probably for alerting purpose. The sound spreads across the building. It was getting rowdier as time goes.

More of those guards started running into the hall, they came from the left and right, started flooding the big main door stood at the end of this hallway.

If they were blocking it, that must be the exit

I was running behind Elly, the guards who’s chasing us was getting closer to me.

["You are too slow!"] Elly exclaimed.

The guard has almost caught onto me, Elly hauled me up and started leaping while carried me in front of her tiny body.

The guards before the doorway had lined themselves straight, forming a human barricade with their spears and swords pointing at us. Behind us, another group of soldiers were chasing at us aggressively. Their heavy leather boots tapping wildly as they were inching closer while they were shouting at us.

A guard behind us thrust his sword straight at Elly's back, but Elly leapt to side and avoided it. Another guard at the left, saw it as a chance and thrust his spear but Elly turned around and blocked it with her leg, furthermore, breaking the spear in two. I was flung around in her arms, looking like a disabled person.

This should stop

Elly turned and ran again while dodging and leaping toward the targeted door.

The guards who lined before the door, started advancing as we reached them. There were guards inching closer from behind us too. They had surrounded us, and made sure didn’t leave any space for us to escape through.

Elly turned to the left and stomped on the floor, the carpet ripped and the stone cracked, we flung straight to the pillar. These guards turned their head in sync, looking at us.

Targeting the big thick wooden door, Elly kicked and we flung straight to it. The guards were yelling and shouting, they gathered at the door, one was putting a lock on the door. Regardless, Elly thrust to the door, instantly breaking the door open, and the guards were flabbergasted.

We landed at an open hall, where a beautiful garden built in the middle, surrounded with a rectangle shaped hallway, with one door on each side except the north of us. Instead of a door, it was a big archway standing gloriously, leading to another hall.

We didn’t had any time to admire the garden. We ran through it, stepped on whatever flowers blooming on the ground. I peered through the large archway, there was a large metal studded wooden door at the end of it.

The surrounding guards were all chasing us on our tail. We had stepped in the hallway, probably the last one. There were two rows of guard standing before that large metal studded wooden door.

The guards at the second row looked a bit different than all of the other guards we had encountered before. They didn't wear visible armour like the helmet or the breastplate nor holding any spears or swords. They had both hands raised in front of their chest, eyes closed and their lips were moving.

"Careful! There are magic users at the door" I warned Elly. I was not hundred percent sure, but I definitely sensed it, the mana that was flowing aggressively through them.

A magic circle emerged on the floor, expanding and spinning in circle. The circle is red, bright and expanding quick.

"Ahh!" Elly was startled, didn't stop in time. Her leg stepped in the corner of the circle.

Fire blazed and exploded, Elly managed to jump away and landed behind the blazing circle. The fire faded quick like how it suddenly appeared.

Another circle emerged from below us again.

BOOM!!

Elly was a bit late this time and we were caught in the explosion as we jumped. We fell separately, rolled onto the ground. I quickly adjusted myself up, so was Elly.

The red circle emerged again, but only at Elly.

BOOM!!

Exploded again, Elly flung away by the impact and crashed on the west wall. But, she landed on the ground with both leg standing straight.

I glanced at the magic users hiding at the row behind the swords wielding guards, they were still chanting the spell.

It seemed that they couldn't cast two circles at the same time

The guards started coming at me, they swung their swords aggressively, I tried dodging but still got a few brushes here and there.

"Heeaarrgghh!!" One of the guard yelled as he thrust his spear targeting my waist, I shifted my body to the side, resulting him to miss his strike. I grabbed at his tightly gripped spear, pulled it with force causing the guard to stumbled and fell down in front of me. I swung my elbow straight down right to the nape of his neck and hit him with all the strength I could muster. The guard flinched and dropped to the ground. Grunted but still conscious.

Damn... I don't have the strength like Elly

The guard on the floor was getting up while two guards came running from both my side with their sword swinging toward me. I grabbed at the guard who’s still struggling to get up and pulled him as I moved backward. The guards at my side had swung their blade and couldn’t stop in time.

“Arrghh!!” The guard I pulled was mistakenly slashed by his fellow guards and groaned out from pain. I dropped the injured guard and immediately dashed away, while the standing guards were still in shock.

Ahh… did I just…

I glanced at the injured guard as I ran. He got his arm slashed pretty badly, fortunately his fellow guards halted their strength when they noticed him being dragged in.

Good thing that he didn’t die on spot, but even so, he tried to kill me anyway… I was only defending myself

More guards surrounded me and swung their sword at me. I barely avoided them at the beginning, but now that they have started to outnumber me. It was too much. I couldn't hold out much longer.

"Uaaggh!" One of the guards in front of me was kicked on the side by Elly, and got sent far away. She swiftly swing her kicks at those soldiers, sending them out, one by one.

Amidst the fight, a guard secretly snuck behind Elly, thrusting his sword at her blind spot and Elly didn't seem to notice at all.

Damn it

"Behind!!" I leapt forward as I raised my hand trying to reach her.

CLANK

The blade got sliced, and dropped to the floor while the guard holding it was dumbfounded at his sudden broken sword.

“???” He was still stunned looking at his sword and now raised his head looking at me.

Elly had turned around and landed a deadly kick on his head. He was sent straight to the wall and few of his teeth flung out from his mouth. I glanced at my faint glowing hand, now faded.

What was that?? I can feel the mana swirling on my palm... If feels like...

["Yuu!!"] Elly's voiced in my head snapped me out of it.

There's no time to think about this

I quickly followed Elly, running across the guards filled hall.

The magic circle emerged on the floor, bombing all the way as we sprinted through. We were inching closer to those guards before the door. Elly now, could avoid those exploding magic circle in ease as though she had learned their timing and pattern. I closely followed her, the explosions almost got me every time as I lagged behind her.

["Cover your ears"] Elly suggested, and I did.

WOOOONNGGGGGGGGGG

She roared, the whole building shook and all of the guards dropped their weapons to cover their ears, including the magic users. Their focus was broken down and they were wailing in agony as they shook their head. We had finally reached the tall metal studded door.

BAAMMMMM!!

Elly broke it in one kick, making the thick door looked weak and undependable. The bright light aggressively shone through the opening, blinding my eyes. We had now, reached the outer ward of the building.

In front of us, stood a big stone wall with guards shouting on top of the walking way. They had closed the metal gate down. There were more guards standing neatly on top of the wall. They were all holding a bow, loaded with arrow and pointing at us.

"!!!!" One guard shouted out loud, signalling the archers.

Elly once again hauled me up and we sprinted toward the wall, the guards released the arrows. The rain of arrows flung aggressively toward us. Elly leapt from side to side while avoided the speeding arrows.

The guards from within the building had come out chasing us, holding their weapons. Shouting furiously while running and some even threw their spear toward us. We were now behind the high stone wall, the guards has cornered us.

Whooosshhh

All guards that stood on the ground have their head tilted up, mouth hung open. Because we jumped up so high, now we were flying across the row of archers who stood on top of the wall, whose mouth was also wide open.

I stole a look across the horizon from high up, in front of us was spread of forest, far from us was mountains, surrounding this area. This very building was built in the middle of the surrounding mountain, as though it was a meteor crater, but was covered with lush forest.

What on earth is this place??

We went pass the wall and landed perfectly at the other side. We continued running straight. I glanced at the guards, who now busy opening the big metal gate, in order to chase us. But we had gone into the forest, out of their line of sight.

It seemed like some guards had already come out as their shouting could be heard from distance. We ran as fast as we could.

"Where are we going?" I asked whilst running by her side.

["I don't know"] Elly answered.

She did say that she lost her memories... hmm…

There's no other option than running deep into the forest, away from the manmade road. After a while of running, we finally stopped to catch some breath. No sound could be heard anymore. Only the sound of tree foliage brushing against each other and birds chirping.

I looked around. It was a normal looking forest, normal coloured trees. I looked above me, through the green foliage, the sky also looked normal. It wasn't like what I had expected as the terrains on the caves below were nothing of ordinary. Could this be a hidden location in the earth as I formerly guessed?

The guards were wearing old era looking clothing, where in the earth people still wearing that? Which country's language was that? And those magic users... Magic...

I glanced at my hand.

It was me... I sliced the blade of that guard. But how?

I turned my hand, looking it from the palm to the back. Nothing seemed to be out of ordinary.

I remember the mana swirling on this part.

I tried imagining flowing the mana toward the palm. My eyes squinted in focus. Sweat rolled down. But nothing happened.

[“Yuu...”] Elly broke my focus. I glanced at her. She was smiling, tiredly.

[“Do you mind sharing some of your mana?”] She asked.

“Ah... yeah, sure” I answered, instantly agreed as I walked closer to her.

I haven’t give her any mana since the second time she touched the barrier which strongly depleted her... I thought she was fine as she didn’t ask for it. But, strange... We went through the barrier together but why did it only affect Elly?

I channel my mana out, golden aura reflected from me, and Elly absorbed like usual. I could do it easily now. But, I still had trouble focusing the mana in a specific part of my body.

Maybe I should try practising.

[“Thanks for the meal Yuu!!”] Elly thanked, back to her cheerful demeanour.

We started walking slowly through the forest, the guards would found us if we stay in one place for too long. For now, we will go to the north. I remember seeing a route in the middle of the forest when we jumped high up, leading north to the base of the mountain. But, we will take a roundabout, instead of walking across that manmade route.

“Elly... why do you always said ‘Thanks for the meal’...” I asked her recent statement.

The lid on our helmet had opened, we can now see each other’s face. She was swinging the dangling sleeves as she walked.

[“Because... it was indeed a meal!”] She answered.

I throw her a confused look and before I could open my mouth to ask, she explained to me.

[“Elly doesn’t eat to fill stamina... mana is all I need to sustain my energy”] She added, while beaming a smile from ear to ear.

“Huh? But you did eat something back then, right?” I asked again, reminded of the slimy egg embryo flesh. Speaking of that, made my stomach growled.

[“Yeah... Elly eat because Elly like the taste and nothing else... Eating makes me happy! Yuu has a loooottttt of mana”] Elly raised and opened her hands in circle as she said cheerfully.

“...and what do you mean by a lot?” I asked again.

Elly turned around and walking backward as she looked at me.

[“hmm... Yuu is filled with boundless mana!! Look how you didn’t even flinch when you transferred yours to me”] She stated.

“But then, how did you fill yourself before me?” I asked.

[“To be honest, Elly can get mana from the surrounding, but not as quick as how I got from Yuu in one swoop. Elly only had to rest if I used up all my mana. Fighting drew quite a lot out of me too.”] She explained.

“From the surrounding?” I asked.

[“Yep, there is mana circulating in the air you know? Can’t you feel it? It was stronger in the caves though”] She answered.

I looked around the forest. Trying to see what Elly said. But, I didn’t feel anything. The air smelled like... forest and nothing more.

“Is it normal for people to transfer their mana to the others?” I asked. Transferring mana... is that normal?

[“Hmm....”] Elly turned her back to me, now facing to the front, [“I don’t know”] And she shortly answered.

[“All I know is that, not even the monster had that much mana as yours, Elly doesn’t too”] She added again after a brief pause.

Is that normal? Those magic users back then... they had to chant the explosive spell in group, furthermore, they can only cast one at a time. The mana flowing through them, not even close to what Elly usually showed to me.

I know nothing about magic after all... I need to get more information to decide on.

We had walked over an hour, and the mountain wall in the sight was now closer and higher. Although, the trees looked normal, but to be honest, they were not the species I know. Still, it could be that I am the one who hadn't learned about it. I am no botanist after all. And the birds that sometime caught in my sight when they flew through, they were unknown to me too. It's not like they had three eyes or five wings, it's just that they were kind of unfamiliar to me.

I glanced at Elly, she was happily hopping all the way as she hummed a tune.

"grooowwwll"

Elly turned her head and looked at me as she chuckled. It was my stomach.

"You might not need to eat... But, I do... We have to find some food." I added. My stomach had started its war against my mind.

For now, we will have to focusing on going out of this area, going pass the mountain and probably find a village or city if there is one nearby. But, I don't even know where we are, Elly's doubtful memories lost also didn't help.

Going pass the mountain and avoid being caught is the priority now...

It was a peaceful journey until we started ascending the mountain, there was a manmade tunnel on the mountain base. But, the tunnel was guarded, probably because of us. Going through the tunnel could save us some time rather than climbing up the mountain, which would probably take few days without any food and water. That would be impossible for me.

I have to think some way through that tunnel.

Elly and I were staking out not far from the tunnel, hiding in the forest. But the guards were in clear sight for us. There are dozens of guards standing at the tunnel side.

["I can just beat them all"] Elly declared. But, I immediately reject.

"No, I don't have enough stamina to play chase with them"

["I will kill them, they can't chase us then"]

I stared Elly coldly.

["I am just... kidding hehehe"] She shrugged it off.

I let out a sigh, "Elly, you said that you lost your memories, didn't you? Which mean, you didn't know what's lying beyond the mountain, where could be the nearest city or village and how they will be looked like"

She nodded.

"If we kill more of these people, they will put more guards everywhere, probably in a city entrance if there is one, it will be harder for us to travel and eventually put us into a needless danger" I explained.

["But, they don't know who we are, do they? We covered our face"] Elly stated.

I went silent for a while.

"Actually... my face was seen by the guards, up close" I confessed.

Elly puffed her cheek.

["Yeah, you did... I wanted to kill them but you won't let me."] She was reminded of the previous event and now sulking.

The guard did see my face, but I doubt he had the memories good enough to remember it in just a glance, at least not in a detailed way. Nonetheless, still, I should've just let Elly kill the guy who saw my face. I made a grave mistake there. Hope I won't be seeing my face posted on a wanted list.

I scanned along the route opened in the middle of this forest, which came from the previous building until this tunnel. Although I haven't explored the other part of this forest, but my instinct said that this could be the only route leading straight out of the surrounding mountain.

After a while of pondering, something finally caught my eyes, from the south of the route.

There was actually a horse, a plain brown horse carrying a sand coloured carriage, coming from afar. A coachman sat in front of the carriage reining it toward the tunnel. The carriage was closed, the inside was not visible. But, it was big enough to fit around six peoples.

"Elly" I pointed the carriage to her.

And then we both grinned.