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Chapter 8 - A Warm Wind

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Yuno's POV
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Klaus, Mimosa, and Langris hear my words, and immediately gape upwards, and perceive the same sliver of light that I had gazed upon previously.

"It... It is! It's daylight!" Mimosa yelps in relief and genuine aspiration, as her lemon, soft eyes sparkle with a glimmer of hope.

Having now pondered more about our situation, I realise that the roof of this section of the cave is in fact in arm's-length. Meaning, it very may well be possible, to tear and break through it...!

I discuss my spur-of-the-moment idea with my teammates, as they eagerly nod their heads in agreement.

As our raw, wounded knuckles punch and tear their way through the glimmer in the cave's roof, it appears to be eroding away, revealing more and more daylight, slowly but surely.

As the cave continues to rapidly decay behind us, our minds come to the same releasing conclusion, that we are drastically running out of time. The time that we have left to escape this dungeon, is severely limited.

As the pierced hole in the cave's ceiling becomes substantial enough for a body's proportions to fit through, Klaus bellows,

"Mimosa, you will be going through first. The girl will be going through second, with you aiding to elevate her, seeing as the potential for her to be gravely injured, is immensely high. Yuno will go through third, Langris will go through fourth, and I'll go through last. I hope that none of you have any objections, because we don't have the essence of time to discuss another course of action!"

Klaus, Langris and I all hoist Mimosa up, as she climbs through, and up the torn hole in the ceiling. However, neither Klaus, Langris nor I are able to view anything outside of the hole, due to the blinding light that emerges from it. After Mimosa successfully clears herself from the entrance of the hole, Klaus, Langris and I raise the tranquil, luminescent girl up toward Mimosa, as she latches onto her, and draws her out of the hole, being gentle, and aware of possible grave wounds all the while.

After the unconscious girl is clear from the hole's entrance, Klaus and Langris hoist me up, as they are aware to handle my injured, right foot with care. With Klaus and Langris' aid, I too, claw my way out of the hole.

Unable to take any time to avert my eyes, I then help Langris out of the hole, as he is being hoisted up by Klaus. After Langris finally exits the hallway and hole, I then gather all of my remaining strength, and hoist Klaus out as well.

After we are all finally free from the desolate hallways of the dungeon's ferocious atrocity, we collapse on the luscious grass beneath our backs, exhausted and relieved that we had finally exited the viciously excessive danger-zone. We look up, to find the same countryside that we had admired prior to entering the dungeon.

We all pause, as our breath has escaped us.

The glimmering, amber orbs that reside within the deepest depths of my eyes dance and gleam, as they reflect the green, luscious grass of the soothing serene countryside, and the plentiful rolling hills that spread around for miles.

Magical shimmers and sparkles of snow-white dandelions dance and float, as they hover around the grass. After meandering around the luscious nature of the ground below, they then, float up towards the sky, and disintegrate in the soft clouds of the never-ending, azure sky. Beyond the bounds of possibility as it seems, I feel my mana returning to me, as I glance down at my hand in disbelief, which appears to have a green aura emanating from it.

Klaus appears to notice this strange mana-occurrence too, as he then gains enough mana, and summons a steel chariot, using his steel creation magic.

"Everyone, quickly! Hop in! We must return to headquarters immediately!"

Langris and Mimosa obey Klaus' orders, as he readies himself, and his short supply of mona for the rapid flight ahead. I bend down, and pick up the girl, as I begin to feel my consciousness slipping from my grasp.

As soon as we are all aboard the steel chariot, Klaus races ahead, determined to reach the Golden Dawn headquarters at the fastest speed that he is able to manage, with the little mana that he has gained in the short period of aforementioned rest.

However, as all of this is occurring, I still my mind, as I feel a presence...

Leering at me....

I recognise this feeling as identical to that which I had sensed the night in the dungeon, prior to my discovering of the mysterious girl, and prior to the dungeon triggering its' deathtraps.

Though, I decide to ignore the feeling, as I can barely even muster the strength to maintain my eyelids open.

As the silver-haired girl's petite physique remains cradled in my lean, slender arms, my cheeks begin to tint a soft shade of rose, as I blink and avert my eyes. I struggle to maintain my neutral, nonchalant look that has always remained plastered on my face ever since I was a young child.

What...

is this feeling..?

As I contemplate this newfound, unknown emotion, pondering what it may be, I stare off into the luscious countryside, as a warm wind ever-so-gently blows the raven tussles of hair that topple over my head, causing them to flow gently behind me. I close my eyes for a minute, sighing, and breathing in the fresh air that pleasures my aching lungs. I find myself staring at the silver, soft strands of delicate hair that drift gracefully beside the luminescent girl's tranquil, pale face, as her luscious eyelashes remain heavily shut all the while.

However, our moment of rest is soon disrupted, as I feel the chariot jolt, and make sudden contact with the cobblestone ground beneath us, I hear Klaus yell, "We've arrived! Now, bring the girl, and all transfer yourselves to emergency as fast as you are able!" in extreme haste.

I briskly raise myself from my aforementioned seating position, continuing to cradle the girl in my arms, as the seering, agonising pain returns to my foot, which then shoots up my entire leg in a matter of milliseconds.

Tattered, scratched, and covered in bruises, Klaus, Mimosa, Langris and I all emerge, and step out from the chariot, as medics from all around yell and rush to our aid.

The scenery around me blurs and plays in slow-motion, as my consciousness begins to fade away, even more swiftly than it had begun to previously.

I feel the ever-so-slight weight of the girl being lifted out of my arms, as I am being laid down in a stretcher, neither occurring with my consent.

As much as I yell and scream for them to give her back to me, they couldn't hear me, or perhaps, they just didn't listen.

I stretch my arm out, in a futile effort to break free from their firm grasp, however, it slowly lowers in defeat,

as my vision becomes clouded with specks of black,

and as everything around me,

fades to pitch black.

"Don't leave again...

Mireya..."

~Chapter 8 Finish~