Stefan laughed like a maniac. "We're getting the hell out of here!"
Michael moved behind them, clearing a path as fast as they could. He watched the flames extinguish and the cave grow dark, just barely being lit by the dying embers. More mana beasts moved in, confident that there was no more fire to keep them away.
Ellis pushed Michael aside and slammed another bottle of flames on the ground, cutting off the incoming horde.
"Keep moving!" he shouted. "Don't look back!"
Michael followed his orders and kept running behind Stefan and Mave. He ducked under lunging beasts just barely swiping above his head. He didn't know how far they were from the exit. It was already hard enough to not think about the horde of mana beasts that chased behind them. Just hearing their howls echoing throughout the cavern and their claws scraping against the stone, gave his body enough reason to muster more adrenaline.
Then he was knocked against the walls of the cave and dragged to the ground. Michael quickly flailed his arms and slashed his sword across the mana beast. It howled in great pain, clawing against the blood profusely spilling out of its chest. Michael sprung from the ground and kept moving forward, hearing the shouts from Stefan for them to follow. Compared to the damage that Stefan and Mave inflicted on the mana beasts, they weren't as effective as Michael's sword had done. The mana beasts that Stefan slashed out the way would regain their composure and chase behind them with the crowd. But for Michael, his sword had made them howl in pain. Was it because his sword dispelled magic against the mana beasts?
Stefan ran his hand along his blade and shouted defiantly, slashing the air above them as the cave exploded in a mass of rubble. He guided Michael's hand through the smoke and moved the rope into his grasp.
"Climb," he said calmly. "As fast as you can."
Mave stared behind them. "You sure that can hold them?"
Stefan sheathed his blade. He boosted the rest of the party onto the rope that he tied at the beginning. The sounds of mana beasts clawing and smashing their own bodies against the rubble. They had agitated the beasts too far to the point that they weren't supposed to leave alive.
The blockade of rocks shook more and more, even breaking off the small clusters that rained from the top.
Mave pulled Ellis up and called for Stefan.
Stefan jumped off the ground and grabbed the rope, pulling himself from the cave.
Mana beasts bursted through the rocks and filled the darkness. They roared and clawed against the walls, pushing on each other and forming a ladder with their own bodies. They were determined to kill the adventurers that invaded their nest.
Mave shouted Stefan's name, reaching her hand for him to grab. Ellis drew his shortbow and shot down any mana beasts that were coming too close.
Stefan kicked away another one that clawed on his legs. He grabbed her hand as she pulled him up. They backed away from the hole, hearing the cackle and howling of the mana beasts below.
Michael didn't understand their language but he knew they were infuriated, having a band of adventurers invade their home and even kill some of their kind. But none of them climbed over to keep fighting. The smell of the forest and the clean air was more of a relief knowing the quest was finally over. Michael even doubted if they were even in the uncharted since they were freed from that dark cave.
Stefan chuckled, slumping over the grass. "I told you we could do it."
"The scroll," Mave turned to Michael. "Where is it?"
Michael fished through his bag and pulled out the same scroll he found. Compared to what he thought would be just parchments of paper wrapped together, the scroll was nothing like that. Being coated in gold was an understatement, it was almost solid like someone would need some type of key or magic to unroll it. He imagined a mana beast choking on the artifact before swallowing it and then vomiting it right back out.
"Yep, you got it," Stefan rested his hands behind his head. "Quest finished, we did it."
Michael handed the scroll to Mave.
"You can hold it," she said. "I can trust you with that, right?"
Michael nodded. It was nice to hold some responsibility for the team. He wrapped his backpack around and sheathed his sword. Holding his hand on the handle, he thought if there was any voice that liked to talk to him.
Was this what you wanted, the voice said, to be chased down by beasts with your life hanging by the line?
Michael didn't know. He cracked a smile by the thought of her face teasing him. He glanced over and shared a small laugh with Stefan, watching him roll over the grass that they somehow had barely escaped. Michael imagined their first run here was worse than the second time.
"We should move," Ellis said. "The earlier we return, the better."
"I'm in no rush," Stefan rested his hands behind his head. "Can't we bask in the warmth of victory, even for just a minute?"
Mave pulled his arms apart. "We don't have time for this."
"Alright, alright," he chuckled. "A man can't even catch a small rest."
"She's right," a voice said. "It would be a shame for something else to happen."
They turned to the voice. It was a man, resting against a pillar in the ruins. He had messy dark hair and armor fit for an adventurer. Judging from how he looked at them, Michael assumed it was somebody that they knew. Two more figures seemed to peek over beside him.
One had almost the exact gear, only his hair was buzzed and his face was less sarcastic.
The other one had a different attire, something more light and a staff. Michael assumed this man was fit as a mage. His glasses were cracked near the rim and had long hair with a rough stubble. The way he looked at Michael was uncomfortable, like he was aiming to do something evil.
Stefan groaned and flipped himself over. "You're a real pain in the ass, you know that?"
"Bold words coming from Stefan Jaegen," the man said. "I never knew the common drunk could ever amount to anything."
"How long have you been waiting around back there, pleasuring each other off—"
"Stefan, don't make me kill you."
Stefan's expression changed. "Kill me?"
This was the first time Michael had ever seen Stefan angry. Through his flippant demeanor, he couldn't resist to size up against a real threat. This could be the same party that ambushed them before Michael had tagged along. His suspicion was right, they had been waiting for them to retrieve the scroll just to confront them right at the finish line. It was a cheap and dirty move but adventurers didn't play by the rules. Especially if those rules involved risking their lives for some money that wouldn't even sustain them for long.
"Let's settle this like good people," Ellis surrendered. "We don't have to fight again."
"Good people?" the man repeated. "Don't make me laugh, Winslow, your small-talk won't work on me. You can reach a compromise with other fools but I only have my mind on one thing. The scroll, give me the scroll and we can let you people leave with your lives."
"We don't have the scroll."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"No, but this fight you want will get us nowhere. I know the guild has appointed you—"
The mage stepped forward, aiming his staff. "Scroll or not, you won't disrespect me and get away!"
He chanted words from his mouth, gathering mana from his body to manifest a ball of flame. Everyone dashed away from his line of sight, rushing for cover behind the stone rubble. Everyone except Michael. The mage shot the fireball directly to the child that still stood his ground.
Michael could hear the voice in his head ring louder. He shouted, swinging his sword through the fireball as if he was cutting it in half. There was a theory he came up with, it was practically suicidal but there was already evidence that he could make this work. His sword was immune to magic. The reason why his sword cut mana beasts down more effectively was because his magic sword dispelled their tough skin away. If his sword was really immune to magic, then spells would have no effect on him nor the sword.
The fireball exploded into a cloud of thick smoke. He could hear the shouts from Stefan. If he could still hear, then he was still alive. His body didn't seem to be hurt or damaged, and apart from the coughing, Michael could still move. Once the smoke cleared, he was still standing with his glowing golden sword.