Psychokinetic Eyeball Pulling

Chapter 40: Colosseum

Astrid stood in the middle of the room with her Mind Barrier activated. Leena held her lance-umbrella pointed to the floor.

“My lady, I’m going to attack now.”

Astrid nodded. With a burst of movement, Leena rapidly approached her Mind Barrier, and lunged her lance at the barrier. With a strange sound of friction, sparks erupted. Her lance slid off the shield and crashed into the hardened tiles underfoot.

Level ?? - Leena - Battle-maid

“Leena, what level are you?” Astrid said as she felt the heavy force of the hit.

“Level 89, my lady.”

“Okay, use your strongest skill against my barrier!” Astrid smiled.

“With your permission.” Leena nodded.

She dashed back and crouched into her combat stance and then blasted forward. The iron gauntlets hugging her arm, and the steel umbrella seeped into her skin, forming a massive lance. Her lips curled as the arm-like lance spun at a tremendous speed. With a shower of sparks, the drilling lance contacted the barrier.

Astrid could feel a tremendous impact bear down on her mind. The drill was like a rotating drill that struck her brain.

Suddenly, Leena took a step back. The lance in her hand extended backwards, like a massive counterweight. Metal seeped around her body, encasing her in battle-armour, then she attacked once more. The lance blurred and slammed into the barrier.

Astrid’s psychic mana surged at the attack. Blood seeped from her nose. It was too much to bear. Like glass, the barrier shattered as Leena’s body continued, and stopped right in front of Astrid. She could feel the air swirling around her maid's weapon.

“Are you okay, my lady?” Leena reverted to normal, the umbrella in hand.

“I’m fine, new ability?” Astrid asked in wonder, she wiped the blood from her nose.

“Yes.” Leena’s eyes shone with excitement. “My metal control is finer now, not just my boots, but I have a new weapon.”

“I saw that–and felt it.” Astrid chuckled.

Plopping her behind on the hard tiles, her fingers pinched her chin. So I can stop a powerful attack on a level 89. Monsters, and beasts tend to be stronger. So I can probably stop a powerful attack at, let's say, 70 just to be safe. She was going to say 80, but better being safe than sorry.

After recovering her mana naturally, she wandered over to Losef, as he was on his own.

“Hey, new Skill upgrade?” Losef sat cross-legged with his lance rested over his thighs.

“That’s right, I should be able to help the frontline a bit more now. My barrier is stronger.”

“That’s great. Just watch yourself and don’t get too confident.” Losef smiled.

Astrid nodded. “I don’t mean to pry–but, you seem quiet compared to everyone else.”

“I suppose I’m not much of a talker." Losef chuckled. “Brett talks enough for all of us.”

“That’s true.” Astrid agreed.

“How are you dealing with all of this so far–the Wayfaring life?” Losef gazed at Astrid.

“It’s difficult, very difficult.” Astrid continued. “But I couldn’t imagine doing anything else now. Exploring, fighting, surviving.”

“Same here. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Although, a couple of beers and a comfy chair would go a long way.”

Astrid giggled. “You’re right. I miss my bath. Or I wouldn’t mind even a clear lake. Just anything but muddy swamps.”

“Yeah, it’s not great. Let’s just hope for a better environment next time. Just wait until we get to the tropics.” Losef opened his arms. “Wide rivers and tall mountains that spurt water everywhere. Fantastical creatures, some more deadly than others–humid, though.”

“Is that your favourite?”

“One of them, either that, or a nice dry forest. It’s amazing when you get a peaceful spell. Laying on the forest floor, listening to the air billow through the tree’s. Then the bird whistles come.” The corner of Losef’s lips pulled upwards. “Until they try to eat you, I suppose.”

“Talking of things that try to kill us. What do you think of that demon? It looked–human.” Astrid thought back to the creepy smile on its face. He just looked like an oversized human to her.

“I’m not sure. I’ve seen nothing like it. We’ve faced humanoids before, but nothing so, well, human like."

“You think he’s the boss of this place?” Astrid tilted her head.

“If he was the boss, we'd already be out of here I'd imagine.” Losef said. "Although, this so-called dungeon is a mystery, isn't it?"

“I think Daniel’s theory is becoming more real by the second.” Astrid said.

Their vision turned towards Daniel as he sat in front of the three passageways. It was as if he had glued his eyes to the darkness. Refusing to move.

“Alright everyone, try to get some sleep. We’ll rotate the lookouts, Astrid, Rachelle, no need for you to be on watch.” Daniel finally moved and shouted.

It made sense. Higher the constitution meant that they needed less sleep. Their bodies could recover faster, unlike the mages. Astrid lay down and rested her head against her backpack. The solid tiles were extremely uncomfortable, but it was the best she had. Unless she used Leena as a bed. Astrid shook her head.

With the thicker, more powerful skin and muscles, it made sleeping on the hard tiles manageable. Soon Astrid’s eyes became heavy and darkness took over.

Astrid felt awful. With a droning yawn, she wiped the tears from her baggy eyes. I need to bring a mattress with me.

After having breakfast or lunch. Well, whatever time it was, she had something to eat. Everyone hoisted their bags onto their back, with a quick check of their weapons, they were ready to venture onwards.

“Everyone good to go?” Daniel said.

With a nod, they set off into the middle pathway. Where the Eternal Demon had come from. Astrid didn’t question it, not that she knew where she was going, anyway. She could only trust in Daniel’s ability to find a path.

They approached a spiral staircase that descended into the floor. As they travelled down, Astrid’s fingers trailed across the bricks in awe. Based on how hard the material was, she couldn't imagine the strength needed to create and sculpt the entire labyrinth. She wondered if it was done by magic, or some sort of ancient machinery.

I’ve never seen brick like it before, not even from any of the Bubbled Towns or Cities. It’s like it was a material from a different world. Astrid was awoken from her thoughts as her foot no longer found a step to climb down. The corridor once more opened up into another room as Astrid flinched. Six people were huddled around each other in the middle of the room. The stench of copper pervaded throughout.

Humans.

They were all wearing an assortment of different armours and they weren’t wearing any badges. They recoiled at the sound of Astrid and the others as they immediately put their guard up.

“Are you the group that found this place?” Daniel stepped forward.

“Stay back.” The man in the lead snarled as his energy violently fluctuated.

“We don’t want any problems.” Daniel sheathed his sword. “Just here to explore, that’s all. If you can let us through, that would be much appreciated.”

“It wasn’t us. They continued further down this damned labyrinth.” The man said. “Found anything good so far?”

“Not yet. I’m hoping to, though.” Daniel brushed his hand against his blade's hilt. "Bills to pay, mouths to feed. You know how it is."

“I do.”

“Then you won’t mind us taking one of these tunnels then?” Daniel motioned towards the other side of the room, where six different passageways disappeared into the wall.

“Go right ahead.”

Daniel nodded. “C’mon, let’s move.”

They neared the passageway when the man said from behind.

“What’s the big chain around the big lad’s neck?”

“That? Oh, it was a gift from his missus.” Daniel chortled. "They’re big into symbolism and all that."

“That so?” The man said. "Go on then."

“Appreciate it.” Daniel nodded and headed into the tunnel.

After walking for a few minutes, he stopped.

He then shuffled around the formation, so he was now at the back.

Are they going to ambush us? For our artefacts? Astrid could only guess. She had only heard stories of betrayal, and back-stabbery. But to think it may happen to her. They waited a full hour in full silence.

“Alright, let’s keep going.” Daniel said as he returned to the front.

Astrid breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn’t even imagine attacking someone for their hard earned artefacts.

Will there come a day I need to take a life to defend myself? Astrid shook the sullen thoughts from her head as they once more entered a new room. This one was vastly different, however. This one was enormous. Steps descended further into a sprawling field of yellow as it replaced the tiles on the floor. It looked familiar, just like the Sinwen training grounds back home.

There was nowhere else to go but forward. Rob took the lead down the steps, and then his foot slammed onto the golden floor. Astrid soon joined everyone else. She was expecting it to be hard, instead; it was soft like a carpet. Her foot sunk into it, with a step, it was pushed to the side as it travelled up her boot. It made walking more laborious than normal.

Astrid peered around. Now that they had travelled down the steps, she looked up at the steep black walls surrounding them.

“Well, this can’t mean anything good.” Astrid shook her head.

With the words, the bricks, or something, began grinding beneath them as it trembled the floor. Holes emerged from the sand flooring, then a beastly roar rocked Astrid’s eardrums. With a thud, a monster leapt up from the hole and collided against the sand, sending it scattering around like a cloud.

Positive thoughts, think of the levels. The beast had a large mane covering its throat, it then travelled back, all the way down its spine and finishing at the tip of its horned tail. Two large horns sprouted from the beast's head. With each step, the floor thudded at its immense weight.

Level ?? - Demonic Chimaera -

This one isn’t a good fluffy, let’s kill it. Astrid’s hands itched. Then another appeared, leaping out of a new hole from the ground–and another.

Four monstrously big cats began flanking them on all sides.

“Just like before. We’ll take our own. If you need help, shout.” Daniel said.

Astrid nodded as she focused on the chimaera in front of her and Leena. It slowly stalked towards them. Its eyes were twitching from Astrid, to Leena, to the other Wayfarers. As if trying to decide something. She watched as its eyes sparked with intelligence. Then, the cat’s muscles tensed and rushed straight at them.

As it approached, the beast shifted its weight. Dodging to the side, it suddenly spun as its spiked tail whipped at Leena like a club. Astrid encased Leena in her Mind Barrier. With a strike of sparks, the barrier shattered. But it gave Leena more time to react. Her umbrella seeped into her skin as an enormous lance took its place. She lunged forward. The beast attempted to dodge, but Astrid locked onto it with her mind.

She sent a [Crash] to its legs. It stumbled, losing its footing. It tried to regain its balance, but Leena was already there. Her lance plunged into the monster’s eye as its beastly roar scratched at Astrid’s eardrums. Its other eye, filled with red, peered toward the duo.