Chapter 89: Siege of Base Camp D X

"Everyone, fall back toward the mirror!" Klein shouted. "Bring the injured inside first!"

Nobody needed to be told twice.

The Academy staff hurried to gather those who could no longer walk, while the remaining Knights manage to slowly tighten their formation until they all fit inside the crater that had been formed from the explosion before.

Meanwhile, the custodian scrambled toward a squat metal device beside the mirror’s platform, before dropping to his knees and began turning the brass rings surrounding them.

"Smaller!" Rian called. "We only need enough room to stand!"

"If I reduce it further, there won’t be—"

"Then we’ll stand closer! Make sure we have the most protection as possible!"

The custodian swallowed and followed along, twisting the outermost ring until the lines of pale light burst out from the device again. The light then enveloped the crater and the mirror’s platform.

"Inside!" Klein shouted. "Now!"

Nolan shoved one final skeleton away before stepping over the glowing line. And as soon as he did, the translucent dome closed, turning more corporeal by the second.

CRAAAAASH—!

The undead pursuing Nolan struck the surface immediately. Even from inside, Rian could hear the sounds of rusted blades scraping as well as magic being fired into the dome.

But it held...somehow.

Several candidates simply collapsed where they stood while others dropped onto their behinds, finally able to catch a breath.

"Rian!" Eliza stood beside the reservoir with one hand extended. "The core!"

He placed it into her palm, and for the briefest of moments, hesitation caused his fingers to resist letting go.

After everything he had spent fighting that damn lich, he hadn’t even gotten the chance to see how much lifespan it was worth. Still, the plan was in motion, and all he had to do was make it out alive.

Eliza hurried back into the crater and lowered the core into the empty central socket. It didn’t fit perfectly, but as soon as she did, the device activated instantly.

One by one, the conduits running under the camp lit up, carrying mana toward the transportation mirror, causing the dull black surface to briefly flicker.

A few candidates stood up at the sight, asking restlessly:

"Is it working?"

"Can we leave?"

"Not yet!" Eliza answered. "It’s only starting!"

Julius finally removed his hands from the conduit. His shoulders sagged and he nearly tipped over if not for Eliza catching him.

"You can stop now," she said. "The core will handle the rest."

"Good..."

He sat down heavily against the edge of the platform.

"I don’t think I had much left anyway."

***

"Hold still."

Rian hissed as an Academy worker pressed a folded cloth against his shoulder. The woman had cut away part of his sleeve and was cleaning the wounds under them.

Beside him, Marie sat on an overturned crate, getting treatment around her hands by another worker at the same time.

Neither of them complained about how much it hurt, as there were too many people nearby in worse condition.

It really was a miracle, as without Instructor Klein and Orion’s leadership, this bunch of ragtag students would’ve fallen by now.

But throughout it all, Rian kept his eye on one person and one person only: Martin, the butler.

The man was grouped up with the other Academy staff that weren’t medics, blending himself inside so that no one would notice. But for some reason, his eyes kept darting all over the place, specifically toward Eliza’s direction.

However, when he caught either Rian or Marie staring, the man would just look down again. So without anything to stop him, Rian decided to confront the guy.

But instead of going in guns blazing, he decided to be discreet. Rian approached the man slowly before sitting beside him.

"I—I can’t believe this is all happening..." the man shivered.

"Apparently, Instructor Klein deduced that the undead were coming in because of certain black flowers that were located within camp," Rian bluffed.

"The same ones you told Marie to help you with..."

"Really...?" the man shrunk back in fear. "I—I didn’t know...! Those flowers...they’re a delicate and rare cooking ingredient so I thought maybe I could grab a few while I was here..."

"I didn’t know..." he frowned. "Did everything happen...because of me?"

Rian couldn’t put a finger on if he was telling the truth or not, but looking from the man’s tells, his trembling hands and lowered gaze certainly made it look convincing.

’Did he really not know what those flowers would do? There’s just no way...’

Before Rian could probe any further, Eliza approached.

"It’s almost done!"

CRACK—!

A white fracture ran across the barrier, and before the generator could repair it, another weapon struck the same spot.

"Everyone, get ready!" Klein shouted.

The students scrambled to their feet while Academy workers hauled the injured upright. Those who could still move raised their weapons toward the widening cracks while moving toward the mirror.

"Come on..." Eliza muttered.

One of the crystals went dark, causing the mirror to flicker. And in the very next second...

WOOOOOOSH—!

The mirror’s black surface rippled, revealing the Academy’s entrance hall on the other side.

"It’s open!"

"Through the mirror!" Klein ordered. "Go!"

The nearest workers practically threw themselves through, dragging the wounded along with them. Students followed close behind, stumbling over the platform in their haste.

Rian caught a glimpse of Martin disappearing among them.

’You’d better not go anywhere...’

CRAAAAAAAAACK—!

And before long, the entire barrier shattered.

A skeletal hand pushed through, followed by the tip of a spear. But by then, not everybody managed to get through.

"Get back!"

〈Magia Aegis〉

Colorless mana surged causing the spear to just barely stop in front of an Academy worker’s face. The person fell on their back, before scrambling to get up to make their way to the mirror.

’Julius...!’

The third prince stood beside the entrance with both hands extended, his teeth clenched as he forced mana to hold up their last defenses. The undead slammed against his barrier, causing Julius to slide backward half a step.

"Keep going!"

Nolan grabbed Lillian and pulled her through. Mira followed with the last of her group, while Celin helped an injured worker up the platform.

Eliza lingered beside the reservoir.

"The core is still—"

"Leave it!" Rian shouted.

Marie caught her arm and dragged her toward the mirror. Klein backed onto the platform, sword raised, making sure the remaining staff had crossed. His gaze stopped on Julius.

"Your Highness—"

"I can hold it!"

Klein frowned before nodding, stepping through himself. Orion followed a second later, turning to stare at them before eventually disappearing through to the other side...

Which left only Rian and Julius in the ruined camp.

"Rian, hurry..."

"You first."

"What?"

"I’m right behind you. Go."

"But the barrier—"

Though instead of arguing and trying to explain himself heroically on why he should be the last person here. Rian simply grabbed Julius by the back of his shirt, before tossing the boy through the mirror.

Colorless light vanished, and the undead rushed through in hordes.

Rian turned toward the reservoir.

’Sylph! The rest of the cores!’

A current made its way toward the reservoir and tore everything free in one go without any need for elegance. Behind Rian, the mirror flickered, the image of the Academy beginning to fold inward.

As the cores flew into his outstretched hand, so did another rusted sword travel toward his neck.

But as soon as he felt a cool presence in his palm—

"See you later, suckers..."

Rian threw himself backward and into the portal just as quickly before it turned dark once more—

And sealing the undead away in this godforsaken Graveyard for good.