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Chapter 7 - Sliver Of Light

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Yuno's POV
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Ferocious wind whips and lashes my physique, as the raw strength behind my jump thrusts my slender frame through the air, preparing me for the attempt to latch on to the opposite side of the imposing, towering crevice. I still my head forward, scarcely catching a glimpse of my surroundings due to the raging, raven tussles of hair that continue to block, and obstruct my half-lidded vision.

However, what I do manage to comprehend, is the rock-solid, jagged ledge.

Several metres away from my fast-ceasing body.

As I begin to descend into the misty, treacherous ravine below, my mind becomes utterly, and devastatingly blank. I ponder to myself...

Is this the end...?

Will my worthless, pitiful life come to its' conclusion right here?

Right now...?

Prior to myself being able to achieve anything...?

Before I was able...

to make a difference in this wretched world...?

However, as I am meandering in the gloomy, bottomless pits of self-doubt, it seems that 'dear fate' has another plan in store for me.

In the exact instant when I truly believe that this 'chapter of my life' will be its' last,

I feel myself...

Halt.

As my amber, crystal-like orbs open wider than they ever have before, I briskly glance down to where my feet appear to be positioned,

level,

in mid air.

I pause, as my perplexed face clearly conveys my disbelief.

Ignoring the rapidly crumbling ravine, at a speed that can just barely be comprehended, I pivot my head, and see Klaus, Langris, and Mimosa,

paused, in what appears to be pure fear, and disbelief.

I gulp, as I now know what I must attempt, even if it seems to be impossible, irrational, even. My uninjured, left foot begins to lift itself, and places a step forward. Much to my surprise, it stays level, on whatever surface might be beneath me...

It is then that I come to the realisation,

An invisible path of sorts must be structured beneath my body somehow...!

'Dear ol' fate' won't win yet.

Maintaining my balance, and refusing to look down, I limp as fast as I am able, back to the ledge we had first come from, and gently lift the silver-haired girl into my arms, as I step back onto the path.

I motion for my teammates to follow me on to the path, as they seem to have figured out the unique scenario as well. However, even when the roaring ravine is deteriorating before our very eyes, they remain ignorant to it, and take the time to remain stunned.

"Hurry, jump!" I yell, out of haste.

Klaus seems to snap out of his trance-like state, as he fixes his glasses with his middle finger, mutters something indecipherable, and shrieks as he jumps off the ledge. He stumbles, as his boots make contact with the transparent path. He then gains his composure, standing up straight, acting as if the shriek had never escaped his lips.

In all haste, as the ravine continues to violently crumble, Klaus offers his hand to help Mimosa down from the ledge.

However, prior to Mimosa being able to place a single foot on the transparent path, a boulder slides down from above, and explodes on impact with the ravine's wall, adjacent to her head.

She yelps, as her foot slides off of the ledge, causing her to stumble and lose her balance.

In a normal circumstance, she would've fallen straight onto the path, earning a couple of bruises here and there. However, her misfortune triumphs, as she seems to have just missed it.

She begins to descend into the murky, never-ending ravine...

Though, before Mimosa is out of arm's length, an unclear figure leaps down from the ledge, dashes over to her aid, and reaches out for her.

The figure only barely manages to reach her, as it clasps its hand with hers.

As I peer closer, the one who has unexpectedly saved Mimosa's life...

Is Langris...!

As Klaus and I dash over to the two figures to be of some aid, Langris hoists her up onto the invisible path, as Mimosa remains stunned from her near-death experience, unable to speak.

Yet another bolder plummets down, adjacent to the path, again exploding on impact.

Boulders after boulders continue to rain down closer and closer to the transparent footway, as the entire ravine begins to roar and quake even more violently and ferociously than it had previously.

As the four of us barely manage to stand upright, we stumble and sway as we sprint on the translucent path, aiming to reach the other side of the ledge. Yet again my injured foot, and the ever-so-slight weight of the girl decelerates me, as I view Klaus, Mimosa and Langris bolting ahead of me, into the doorway of the ledge that we had aimed to enter.

How shameful, to be seen behind as an wounded burden like this.

As I eventually catch up to the others, they offer me their arms in support, seeing as there was some reason that I was slower than them. However, I brush them away, telling them that I have no need for their aid.

I told them, that I was completely fine.

Though, that was completely, and utterly a bold-faced lie.

Every single stride I place in front of me with my injured foot is so unbearingly excruciating, that it causes my mind to become fuzzy, and unclear. My vision becomes clouded with specks of black, as the ever-so agonising taunting of the grievous pain desires me to faint and collapse.

I am unable to keep up this facade for much longer.

We have to exit this wretched dungeon, as soon as possible.

As the four of us dash down the newfound, desolate hallway, not a single speck of light is to be found.

Our stamina is being cut short, as we are running out of time, and options.

Pebbles, gradually transforming into larger rocks, rapidly rain down from the damp, murky ceiling. The underground passage continues to reverberate and quiver, causing us to clap our hands over our ears and squeeze our eyes shut for short intervals, in a desperate attempt to save ourselves from the piercing roar of the dungeon. I shield the silver-haired, luminescent girl with my body, holding her close to myself, in a whole-hearted attempt to protect her from the piercing plummeting pebbles, and possibly, the inevitable collapse of the dungeon that could occur at any given instant.

However, as we continue to dart down the dull, gloomy hallway, we finally reach its end. The whole team gasps and wheezes for oxygen, and all place their hands on their knees, unable to muster the energy required to stand proudly upright.

As I glance up to the ceiling, looking for some sort of obvious escape, a slight, blinding shimmer catches my eyes.

The thought in my head manages to escape through my lips, as I murmur "Is that.... daylight?"

~Chapter 7 Finish~