Doggone Academy

Chapter 4: Farewell (2)

I had only heard of wraiths in books and adventure stories. Adventurers who took down enormous, demonic beasts. Knights who devastated continents. Mercenaries who endangered empires. It was this other-dimensional existence that killed those prominent humans with ease.

Liza quickly adopted a fighting stance and gathered the necessary mana to cast a spell.

I brandished the hammer I used in the workshop in front of it. There was no chance this would work , but I had to buy time somehow so that Liza could cast her spell from behind.

The wraith approached at high speed and stopped a few feet from us in mid-air.

Grawrrr

Every hair on my body stood up at the blood-curdling cry.

The wraith was covered in a black cloak, with arms like a mummys, and fingers as long and hideous as a spiders legs.

There was only darkness and emptiness at the bottom of his floating cloak. Black smoke billowed from where his legs were supposed to be.

My body trembled just looking at it. I didnt understand what such a terrifying existence was doing here.

Liza, who had finally gathered her mana, cast a spell. Immediately, a pumpkin-sized fireball hurtled toward the wraith.

However, the fireball passed through the wraiths torso intact and slammed into the tree behind. The tree snapped in half with a crack.

It didnt didnt hurt it?

Liza hurried to re-cast the spell with a panicked expression.

For the second time, the magical attack passed through the wraiths body intact.

The wraith showed no reaction to Lizas attacks. It then stretched out its hideous fingers toward me.

I stepped back and swung my hammer.

Damn it, get the hell out of here!

The wraith didnt react to my intimidation either. We flinched like cornered mice.

As soon as the wraiths fingers were about to touch me, I swung my hammer with all my might.

Thump!

The wraiths hand was struck by the hammer and bounced back. The wraith stepped back slightly as if bewildered by the unexpected attack.

Lets run away!

I immediately took Lizas hand and started to run. I threw the backpack and provisions to run as fast as possible.

Soon after, the wind blew hard behind us and the forest trembled. The wraiths screams spread in all directions.

All I could think about was that I had to save Liza. Even at the cost of my life.

When I looked back, I saw that the wraith was chasing us at a terrifying speed.

As we ran, Liza chanted a spell and shot moonfire behind her back. The moonfire also had no effect on the wraith.

How did you manage to hit the wraith?

I dont know! Now is not the time to think about it!

Liza panted and said,

No, I need to know so I can try to do something about it!

I just swung my hammer when it approached me.

Wraiths are immune to physical attacks, so how did you do it!

I told you, I dont know!

As we ran frantically, we came to a hill. Behind us, the wraith was closing rapidly. Without a second thought, we ran relentlessly up the hill. When we reached the top of the hill, we had to stop. Ahead of us, the precipice awaited us.

I bit my lower lip. I felt as if we had been led down a dead end.

When the wraith noticed that we hadnt stopped, it approached us slowly surrounded by black smoke.

The wraith made eerie sounds that gave me goosebumps.

I stepped forward with my hammer, determined to confront the wraith. I swung the hammer when the wraith was about to touch me again. This time, the wraith flinched at the threat as if it were cautious.

I tried to hit wildly with my hammer when the wraiths hand was near me, but then the black smoke engulfed me. I swung the hammer to create a gust of wind but to no avail.

The smoke engulfed me until I was unable to move as if I had been shackled.

I cant move, damn it. What the hell?!

Just hang in there a bit longer, Ill use my magic!

Grawrrr

While my body was pinned down, the wraith stretched out his arm towards me. Then his long fingers pierced my stomach. I didnt even have a fighting chance.

The biggest pain Ive ever felt in my life spread throughout my back and intestines.

Keuhuh!

Blood gushed out of my throat.

The wraith lifted my body. I was hanging helplessly in the air as if impaled on a pike.

With my body raised above the wraiths head, my blood spilled over his completely darkened face. Then it twisted its fingers inside me, which made me bleed more.

I screamed in agony.

The wraith tasted my blood as it consumed it.

Even in this situation, I could only think about how I had to save Liza. I turned my head. My vision was blurry, so I couldnt see Liza clearly. Liza seemed to be shouting something, but her voice was inaudible to me.

I yelled with all my strength.

Run away!

But no sound came out, my mouth could only open

Suddenly, the wraith stopped. Its behavior became strange. Its twisted arm inside me vibrated slightly. Soon after, the wraith shook violently and took a step back.

Kiuhek

Blood spurted out of the wraiths dark face as if it sneezed a few times, and then, as if it had drunk bad wine, it started to throw up all the blood it had just consumed.

Something seemed to be tormenting the wraith.

The wraith writhed in pain. At that moment, it flailed its arm and threw my body off the cliff.

My body made an arc in the air and plummeted down the cliff.

Time seemed to slow down.

Just then, silver hair came into my sight.

I saw Liza stretch her hand down the edge of the cliff. I reached out to her too, but we were already too far apart for me to reach.

I kept my eyes on Liza until the end.