It seemed as if the jungle spat out zombies. Twisted, corrupted undead creatures. Uthred Payton was right. Danger had arrived. And it wasn't knocking.
The expedition members barely had time to react. Before the first wave crashed against their perimeter. The hastily formed perimeter.
Explosive gunshots rang at the beginning of the clash. But the expedition members' rudimentary guns were only useful once or twice. They were soon forced to rely on melee combat.
Uthred, the bodyguard, was a whirlwind of steel. His sword danced. It was a blur of metallic grey that cleaved through flesh and bone. He moved with a practiced efficiency. Each strike was precise and deadly.
Leon Drake wielded a machete with surprising ferocity. The treasure-hunting archeologist was hacking at the creatures that got too close. With brute strength. Despite his cultured-person appearance.
Amaranth and Lucca fought back-to-back. The primal sorcerers' movements were synchronized. They were wielding their daggers with surprising agility. Dancing and slicing the zombie-like creatures with surprising finesse.
Dr. Crafton drew a sword from his cane. And, despite his scholarly appearance, he wielded the sword cane expertly. Piercing and slashing against the lunging creatures.
His young teenage students, including Chloe Chase, were not weaklings either. After a moment of shock, they quickly adapted. They drew similar sword-cane to their teacher's and started stabbing and slicing the enemies.
Even the less physically imposing members of the expedition held their own quite well.
One of the documentarians jabbed a spear into the face of an attacker. While another bashed at their limbs with a mace.
Jack, still a silent observer, was impressed. These weren't helpless academics. They were well-trained explorers. They were prepared for the dangers of the unknown.
However, Jack noticed that the transcendent characters were still holding back. None of them used their supernatural power yet.
Still being invisible, Jack weaved through the chaos. He decided to lend a hand.
He focused. Lesser Ward. He erected an invisible shield. Deflecting the blow meant for an old archeologist.
Then, he used [Mysterious Control] to trip a zombie. The one trying to attack one of the teenage students. It was much easier compared to the incident in Whitecoal Town. Zombie was nothing compared to that gigantic locomotive-mecha.
Jack kept giving secret aids to the explorers. Another Lesser Ward appeared, deflecting a leaping attacker targeting Dr. Crafton from behind.
Another burst of [Mysterious Control]. A documentarian was yanked backward. Saving him from a brutal attack from the side.
Jack was careful. Subtle. Just enough to tip the scales. Enough to keep the survivors alive.
The battle was a messy dance of desperation. Jack observed that the transcendent did use their powers. But similar to him, they did it stealthily.
One of the zombies got past Leon's machete. Its claws tearing at his arm. But Leon ignored the torn shirt and chopped it. Jack noticed that his arm was perfectly fine.
Uthred decapitated a zombie with a single swing of his sword. And then, he rotated and did the same to another behind him. As if he had eyes behind his head.
Amaranth dodged a bite. Her opponent suddenly stopped without any reason. And her dagger conveniently finding its mark. In the creature's exposed throat.
The zombies were not strong. They were clumsy. Driven by instinct. Not a shred of intelligence. But they were numerous.
The expedition members were slowly forced into fighting back-to-back. They were gradually creating a circle of defense.
Jack continued his unseen support. Yanking someone in crisis here. Misdirecting an enemy's lunge there. He was an invisible protector. Trying extremely hard to prevent casualties.
Slowly. Painstakingly. The tide began to turn. The zombies thinned. Their numbers dwindling as the expedition members fought with grim determination.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of blood and snarls, the last of the corrupted zombies fell.
...
But Jack was unsettled. The air felt wrong. He scanned the camp. His spectral gaze piercing through the darkness.
Then he realized what was wrong. Jasmine Moonlake was gone. Did she even fight against the zombies? No, he didn't recall seeing her in the skirmish. She hadn't been in the fight. Where the hell did she go?
Suddenly...
A blinding light erupted from the ruined temple. It pulsed outwards. Covering everything.
As the light disappeared, a thick, choking white mist had rolled over the camp. Obscuring everything. And it was eerily silent. Not a sound could be heard in the mist covered world.
Jack felt a strange dizziness assaulting his perception. It was a disorientation that ripped him away from the familiar. It was like the time he accessed Mirror World. But this was several times stronger.
He fought against it. But it was no use. The world dissolved into swirling white.
For a fraction of second, there was darkness. Then...
He blinked with his non-existent eyes.
He was now standing in a vast tunnel. The walls were lined with rough-hewn stones. The air was damp and heavy. It was thick with the smell of mildew and something else… something acrid and unsettling.
Where the hell was he?
He tried to phase through the wall. It was a trick he had mastered since becoming a ghost. But, he failed. He failed phasing through the wall. For the first time since he became spectral.
He tried again. Focusing his will stronger. But the result was the same. He failed. He was trapped. And alone. It was not a great feeling.
Jack shook his head. Calming himself. He moved deeper into the tunnel. Or the opposite, probably. He had no idea. He was completely lost here. But at least, he moved to one direction.
His spectral form were gliding silently, invisibly, through the darkness. The place was a maze. A labyrinth. Twisting corridors led to dead ends. Branching paths offered no clear direction.
Every now and then, he saw them. Huge spiders. Grotesque things. Their bodies were swollen. Their legs were thick and hairy. They scuttled along the walls and ceilings. Their multiple eyes were gleaming in the darkness.
They were clearly not just normal animals. They were monsters.
Fortunately, they didn't seem to notice him. Apparently his invisibility still still worked on monsters.
He kept moving. Driven by a gnawing sense of urgency. He had to find the others. Had to figure out what the hell was going on.
After what felt like an eternity, he heard it. A faint sound. Carried on the still air. The unmistakable crackle of magic.
He followed the sound. His spectral form speeding through the twisting tunnels. He rounded a corner and there she was.
Chloe Chase. The teenage Mystic Scholar. She was backed against a wall. Her grimoire clutched in her hands.
Facing her were two of the giant spiders. These were even bigger than the others he saw earlier. They were easily the size of lions. Their fangs were dripping with venom.
Chloe was chanting nonstop. Her voice was trembling slightly. Small orbs of light formed around her. She launched them at one of the spiders. Magic Missile.
The orbs struck its armored carapace with a dull thud. It staggered, but wasn't seriously hurt.
The spiders lunged.
Chloe screamed. Casting another Magic Missile. But it was too slow. One of the spiders was on her. Its fangs were bared.
Jack didn't hesitate. He called his grimoire and channeled his mystic energy. Magic Missiles.
Bolts of arcane energy erupted from around him. Blitzing and slamming into the spider about to bite Chloe. One even hit it right at the eye,
It shrieked in pain. A sound so strange and weird. Its legs twitching as it fell to the ground.
He followed up with almost instantaneous Lesser Ward. Erecting a shimmering shield between Chloe and the remaining spider.
It was just right on time. The beast jumped to attack her. But it slammed against the ward. Its fangs were snapping uselessly.
Chloe stared at the fallen spider. Then at the broken shimmering ward. She was breathing hard. Her eyes were still wide with terror.
Jack realized another thing wrong here in this labyrinth. He could make himself invisible. But he couldn't make his Mystic Arts invisible.
There was no time to ponder about it.
He unleashed another volley of Magic Missiles. Striking the remaining spider again and again.
It recoiled. Its armored body were able to withstand the barrage. But Jack specifically aimed for its eyes. And one actually hit the mark.
Finally, with a shuddering screech, it collapsed.
The silence that followed was deafening.
The young mystic scholar was panting. Clutching her grimoire tightly. She looked exhausted, and… injured. There was a gash on her shoulder. Bleeding sluggishly.
"Are you okay?" Jack asked. Floating closer.
Chloe was startled. "Who's there?" She whispered. Her eyes were darting around the tunnel.
Jack hesitated. Revealing himself was a risk. But this girl was hurt. He couldn't just leave her.
"It's me." He said. Slowly solidifying his form.
Chloe stared at him, her mouth agape. "You... you're a ghost?"
"Well, technically I am a specter. Jack Mystery, a friendly specter for the innocent." He gave a fancy theatrical bow. "Anyway... Right now, you seem to need some help."
He focused his energy. His spectral grimoire appeared. Floating in front of him. He casted the Healing Chant. The spectral energy flowed from him. Washing over Chloe.
Faint hymns seemed to echo in the tunnel. The restorative power of the spell started to work its magic to the wound on Chloe's shoulder. The gash began to close. The bleeding slowed down to a trickle. And then it stopped.
Chloe gasped. Her eyes were widening even more. "What... what did you do?"
"Healing Chant." Jack said. "It should help." He frowned behind his mask though. The spell was really inefficient. His energy was quite drained for just a single spell.
Chloe stared at him. A mix of fear and wonder could be seen in her eyes. "You can... you can heal?"
"Apparently," Jack said calmly.
"Alright, Fellow Mystic Scholar! Let's now get you somewhere safe." He scanned their surroundings. "This place gives me the creeps."