(Sys' POV)

  The chains reached him and absorbed his magic. However, the chains broke. Just as expected.

  Being shackled for so long made him have an affinity with them. What was once a curse turned into a blessing here.

  The kid's feet was nearby, just one touch and he could use his magic. His hand smmed against the dirt, bruising it. It was worth the pain. The magic used a lot less mana than expected. An earthy feeling shook in his grasp as his escape ticket was acquired.

  The mageseekers were not happy.

  "Sys! You were not supposed to get close."

  A snarl came from Adept Lowe, as he stormed closer with rapier in hand. Sys smirked, as this was the moment.

  "Freedom never comes cheap!"

  He crowed, before trying utilizing the magic to escape into the earth like the teen that had his magic absorbed. One step on the ground.

  "Huh?"

  Nothing happened, he wasn't taken into the dirt.

  The ground around him cracked. Trees were uprooted. Rocks started shaking. The river churned.

  The scene of destruction was brought.

  The kid was tossed out, spitting blood out of the side of his mouth. Adept Lowe fell into a crack, his leg being crushed by the earth. He didn't seem like he was being shaken hard enough though, as his petricite graymark protected him from the vibrations.

  The silverwing raptor flew higher into the sky to avoid the miniature earthquake.

  "Fuck!"

  (Aerth's POV)

  The ground rumbled, shaking as it jostled me. I feared for my life if I stayed underground, so I climbed out. Blood spat out of my mouth, as I gasped on the ground that shook. My insides were churning.

  Not me.

  Shivering in pain, I realized I had made an extremely rge mistake. They know what I can do, so they were prepared with countermeasures.

  With my blurry shaking eyes, I spotted something strange. The mageseekers were having internal conflict, raptor in sky, and two mageseekers facing each other. A shout pierced through the nausea I was experiencing.

  "Help me fight them!"

  Who, me? Nah, not me. Shaking my head, my thoughts quickened.

  They had come in a group, and there was still the threat of the silverwing raptor in the skies. A quick gnce at the battlefield, revealed what seemed to be an emancipated man fighting Adept Lowe. Not knowing who was on my side, or whether it was a trap, I decided to quickly skedaddle.

  I waved farewell in my head, as my stomach fred in pain. Digging my feet slightly into the ground, I pushed off the ground with my entire foot, sending me forward. I shot forwards, stumbling, unable to keep my bance as this was my first attempt at this technique.

  The silverwing raptor was still above. If I enter the ground, I don't know when the ground was going to quake again.

  Gncing back, I was shocked to find everyone chasing after me. Or rather, chasing after him, who was chasing after me.

  As I scrambled away with internal wounds, they were slowly catching up, a rge shadow casting above my head. Shook, I dived straight forward into the ground, only to be caught, again. This time however, the skinny guy tried to jump into the ground with me.

  Fully inside the ground, I turned my head, at the strange sight of the person that tried to go in with me. He was halfway into the ground, clutching my legs. Kicking my legs as hard as I could, his grip started to loosen, as my trousers ripped.

  He shouted into the hole I made.

  "Take me with you! Or I will shake the ground again."

  He was the one that did it? This bastard!!!

  Initiative in my hands, time not on his side as the mageseekers were soon to be on us. I had to decide quickly. I never tried to bring someone with me underground, and this result right now? Horrendous, it was likely to be impossible to move. I moved my fist, striking the earth, sending shockwaves through the ground. It thumped, then shook, I controlled it to protect affect me, jarring away the skinny person.

  His eyes widened, not believing my choice. He then scowled, preparing to get revenge, shaking the ground in an explosive manner. This didn't affect me at all, as I protected myself beforehand this time.

  He was suddenly yanked upwards, to meet his fate. Meanwhile, I started tentatively started cruising along, spreading shockwaves ahead to protect myself.

  They had started fighting again, which I sensed somehow. I continued my journey while holding my stomach. The pain eased but a hunger for food tightened my stomach.

  Maybe my magic just lets me to stay fed for longer. Or is it because I'm hurt?

  Musing to myself, I felt that I was far enough. Popping my head out, the coast was clear. I was inside a sparse forest, where birds chirped and the occasional critter jumped through the trees. A dry smell of overgrowth tickled my nose. The sky was still clear, sun halfway through the sky.

  Feeling safe, I decided to walk, as I needed food.

  Looking in a circle, a glimmer of red caught my eye. Berries! I helped myself to the innocent red berries. They glimmered, like rubies in the light, or so I thought. Staining my hands, I picked and ate, they were bitter and tangy.

  I couldn't stay forever however much I wanted to eat. Reaching underground, I nabbed a rock. Brushing my hands over it, I removed the dirt, revealing a pin ordinary rock. This will do. Feeling my magic, I urged it to spread over my hands. The rock softened in my hands, as I formed it into a rough bowl.

  "Hahahahaha! I'm a genius!"

  Grinning, I shook the berry bush, clumps of berries falling into my makeshift bowl. My pain went away with it, as I moved onto another bush. The other fang of the Greenfang mountains loomed in the distance, as the forest got denser. Cloudfield vilge was right ahead in the distance.

  I had vastly underestimated the distance towards Cloudfield, as the underbrush, vegetation all hampered my progress. Underground was a tangled mess, roots spread like a net, making progress much, much slower than above ground.

  After two days of briskly walking, it wasn't a surprise that my feet did not bleed, as I had shaped clogs of dirt around. It enabled me to be in touch with the ground at all times as well as not step on branches too hard. My shins were not as lucky, whipped into shape by all the bushes.

  The first buildings of the vilge showed up in front. Hurriedly ducking my head below a bush. I peeked at the activity. Sitting down, I ate some of my stashed berries.

  "Hey big bro, can I have some?"

  Passing my bowl to the side, I realized something was strange. A boy wrapped in a leather tunic was there.

  "Oh. Here you go, you can keep it. I can't be te."

  Waving a quick goodbye, I fast walked towards the sound of water. I had let down my guard.