Nathiel woke Leo up when it was still dark outside. He wasn't able to sleep well that night. The nightmares kept getting into his head, sometimes even when he was not asleep. He thought that, whenever he really managed to get into deep sleep, it was just a moment before they woke him up, and he still felt tired.
Leo got up and saw the cave's entrance was open again and he was the last one in the cave, except for Nathiel, who was holding a small ball of light in his hand, waiting for Leo to follow him. When they went outside, Leo couldn't see any light coming from the sky. There was no moon that night.
The others were waiting for him outside, around a bigger light. He saw Ly was back into the bubble, and his mood dropped even more. Garen offered Leo something to drink, and he accepted gratefully, until he noticed the alcohol's smell.
- Ewh... god, I'm barely awake, there's no way I can drink that now, sorry... - Leo then returned the bottle to Garen - Is there no water?
- Nope - said Andur -. But you can get some yourself.
- True.
Leo then used his eye to summon a small water flow where he drank from. Before calling off the power, he offered water to the rest. Nathiel and Eanel accepted his offer, and it confused Leo, because Eanel was still playing with his water bubble. Leo then thought he probably didn't want to break it, so he forgot about it. Leo was about to sit with the rest when Andur decided to leave. That day was going from bad to worse for Leo, and it was still dark.
The group started to walk, all together. Andur was leading them, with Ly's bubble at his right. At the other side of the bubble were Amy, holding a light ball, and Eana. Leo followed behind Ly, with Garen and Nathiel at his sides. Eanel and Jinei were the ones closing the group.
Andur guided them fast. Straight through the roads, without stopping. A four long hours had to pass before the daylight decided to show his colors in the sky. But that day started grayer than usual in Leo's eyes. Like if the sky could also feel his same pain... or a worst one.
Soon after that, the group reached a higher area of the plains, and Andur decided to stop there, where they could see any enemy approaching. Leo felt relieved being able to rest, gladly drank water that Amy had summoned, when she offered it to him.
- Can you not waste so much energy? - said Andur - We are reaching the border of the safe area, so we don't know when could we get attacked. I need you all to be ready anytime.
- Sorry, sir - said Amy -. I'll keep that in mind.
After having got their mood killed, the group just rested silently, without ever saying a word, and they stayed that way until some time after the group left the place.
They continued walking in the same direction for a while more, until suddenly Andur stopped.
- This is it - said Andur -. We are at the border.
- I don't see anything different at all... - replied Leo.
- That's because it can't be seen with those eyes, Leo. It's not a physical border.
Leo then opened his eye, and the view amazed him.
Right before his eyes, he could see a huge tall wall of magic energy, so thick he could not see what was in the other side at all. The wall extended up so tall he could not reach to see the end of it. Vibrating, the energy of that enormous barrier seemed to flow in all directions at once, changing colors without ever stopping. In some points the barrier would suddenly get denser and then Leo could notice a small explosion in the other end, probably meaning something in the other side tried, unsuccessfully, to cross.
What could there possibly be in the other side that needed so much protection? How strong could that enemy be? And how strong were the powers that created the barrier, and kept it constantly powered? Leo did not know, and his mind couldn't even start to understand. He was lost just trying to imagine how were they supposed to cross it. Leo didn't manage to say a word.
- It's always amazing to see it - said Amy -, this is only the third time I have been near the wall.
- I have been here many times - added Eanel -, and it's no less impressive. Such a massive amount of magic energy, and such a perfect work... they could only be the work of our goddess.
- Actually - replied Andur -, this wall was built many years ago by the previous High Bladirs. IT is indeed powered by the goddess, more specifically, by five of her tears. The High Bladirs created the strongest known magic bind, and they gave up their lives for it to complete...
Andur then turned over to the group, and talked to them with a even more serious voice.
- Now, Leonard and everyone else, look at the morning sky, save the sight and keep it, treasure it... because once we are out, we will not see it the same way... nothing is the same outside anymore.
» The barrier is meant to keep the enemy out, but it does not affect people or beasts, as long as they are not infected by the power of the shadows. Also, once we are outside, we would be vulnerable to the shadows, so I will need to make sure all of you can create a barrier around yourselves. Except you Jinei, I know you can't do it, so in your case this amulet will protect you instead, as long as you don't try to use it at the same time as the sword.
Andur then took out the amulet from his bag, and gave it to Jinei.
- Thank you, sir.
- Now, let's go. We need to reach the outpost before night, before the swadows can move freely everywhere.
The group got ready after that, ready to cross the wall and go into the wild.
The first one to cross was Andur. On top of Ly's bubble, he created one barrier around Ly, and one around himself, and walked towards the wall. When he crossed, the wall reacted like if he walked through a liquid, letting the bodies go through, and closing quickly after them.
After that, Amy and Nathiel were the ones who crossed, followed by Eanel, Jinei, and then Eana. The last one to cross was Leo, that was still trying to imagine how could the other side be. He needed a few seconds to snap out of his thoughts, and then he quickly built a barrier around himself, and crossed the wall as if getting ready to hit a solid one. Crossing could have been almost fun, if it wasn't for the other side.
Outside the wall the sky was dark, even when it should have been bright from the morning sun, it was all gray, and shadowy. Leo suddenly felt a strong magic pressure coming from everywhere. A power that tried to reach his body, only stopped by the barrier he had created. Unconsciously, he made the barrier stronger for a bit, making his aura go bright, just going unnoticed by the rest of the group because all of them were feeling just like him, or worse.
They needed Andur to impose his will to walk forward, to be able to act against that power, that pressure that was holding them back. They started to walk... hardly, slowly, making every step an effort to continue. But with every step the pressure felt lighter, and it was lighter the further they were from the wall.
After some time walking they were already able to walk normally, and after another while they were even able to talk. The sky though, was still as dark as before, or even more. Andur told them to keep up the pace, he told them they were doing fine, and they would be able to reach the outpost in time. Those words comforted them a bit, the bit necessary for them to continue. And so they did.
Leo noticed how the sky was getting darker every moment, and it seemed to get darker even faster every time. He then noticed a faint aura ahead of them, and walked to the front, to where Andur was.
- What is that, Andur?
- Oh, you can see it already? That is the outpost. The barrier around it is faint because there hasn't been anyone in it in many months. We will recharge it when we get there, in about an hour.
That time passed slower to Leo, because he wanted to reach it fast. But in the end, time never stops, so the group eventually reached it.
It was a small building, with a single room with some beds, a kitchen, and a fireplace in the back. At the middle of the room, there was a big gem faintly glowing with magic power. Once all of them were inside, Andur took off the barriers and started to give power to the gem. He gave time for the people to choose a bed and rest a bit, and then started to call each one in turns of some minutes, to give power to the gem.
That didn't last long, and soon the gem was completely charged, and everyone could go do what they had to do. Amy called Nathiel and Eana, and asked them to help her make some dinner. Garen took out a bottle from his bag, and was talking to Andur and Jinei. Eanel was laying in a bed, still playing with that water bubble. And Leo was sitting in a bed next to the one where Ly was, looking at how she was still sleeping.
Then suddenly Ly started to move. She opened her eyes, and looked around.
- Where are we? - she asked.
- We had to leave the house - replied Leo -. We were being attacked by beasts. We are now in a outpust outside the wall.
- No... this can't be... I was supposed to... I didn't have to leave.. not yet... I... failed them... I failed...
Ly didn't even have time to finish, she was sleeping again. But now Leo felt even worse, now he was left wondering what was she supposed to do, who did she fail... with those thoughts Leo forgot to tell anything to Andur, and jsut went to sleep instead.