Giant Thorns

"But all sorcerers have disappeared from the human world. This is hard to believe," Darius said, shaking his head.

"Now you see, they didn't disappear," Michael replied.

Talisa looked at the two of them with a lot of questions in mind. Why is Darius so adamant that all of the sorcerers have disappeared? Darius as usual seemed to be able to read Talisa's mind. He quickly replied, "There's no time to explain now. Let's go in."

Darius led them through a dark alley that was muddy and also smelled bad. Talisa could guess, maybe they were in the sewer leading to the school. Talisa didn't want to ask. She just hoped that this bad smell would go away soon. Talisa continued walking silently following Darius' footsteps while covering her nose. Michael was behind her, not at all bothered by the bad smell.

Darius lit a dim firelight in his palm and led their way straight ahead because there was no other way than this. However, after walking quite a distance, they only found a dead end and a rusty staircase that led up, back to the highway.

"Good… A magical portal that goes nowhere," Darius quipped.

Talisa took a deep breath and a second later regretted it, because the pungent smell immediately pierced her sense of smell.

"There must be a way here," Michael replied, trying to defend himself.

Talisa shrugs while looking around. They're just damp walls that aren't going anywhere. But suddenly, she felt something from the ground. This is something strange and Talisa can't explain it.

At the same time, Michael saw something glowing in the air around them. Only Michael could see it.

"We'd better get out of here," Darius said.

"Wait! I think I found something," Michael replied.

Michael followed the direction of the bluish light he saw and it gathered on the wall to their left.

"Another magic portal," Michael said.

Darius fell silent as Michael started moving his hands and light started to form on the walls. However, something was wrong here and Darius could sense it. Michael was about to open the portal when Darius realized what was wrong.

"Michael, stop!" cried Darius. At the same time, Talisa also realized that what Michael was doing triggered something on the ground.

"Trap..." Talisa said in a low voice as if she couldn't believe what she was thinking.

However, it was too late. Michael now also realizes that what he opens is not a magic portal, but a fake portal that triggers something dangerous. Of course, a sorcerer school couldn't possibly be entered easily by strangers like them. Darius was pissed, he should have warned Michael earlier about this.

"Jump!" Talisa exclaimed.

Talisa wasn't sure why she was shouting like that, but she felt danger from beneath the ground. Talisa, Darius, and Michael jumped as high as they could. At the same time, thorns as large as a kitchen knife and as long as a sword appeared beneath them. A second too late, they would be dead. But the problem now is they can't stay in the air for long.

Panic made Talisa's throat tighten as they slid back to the ground. Talisa screamed as she closed her eyes, preparing to feel the constant stab. But a moment later, she felt the wind blow hard and keep her body floating in the air. Talisa's hair flew because of the strong wind.

After a second of floating in the air, Talisa slowly opened her eyes and saw right in front of her eyeballs were sharp thorns ready to pierce her. Talisa screamed stifled by it, making her body unstable and almost impaled by one of the thorns.

"Don't move too much! I can barely hold back the two of you!" cried Michael.

"Do something!" he cried again. His face was red because he had to spend a lot of energy.

"My fire will be of no use," Darius replied. His tone was cold, there was barely any fear in his tone. Talisa did not dare to look. She didn't even dare to breathe hard. However, she could feel that the two men were now staring at her.

"Me?" Talisa asked in a very low voice. It was as if her vocal cords had been eroded by her panic.

"Who else can conquer the earth?" asked Darius.

"I-I…"

"Hurry up, Talisa!" Michael cried, groaning, trying to keep their bodies afloat.

Sweat began to drip from Talisa's forehead, but she tried to close her eyes and concentrate. Talisa didn't know what to do, but she kept trying. A bead of sweat dripped from the tip of Talisa's nose, falling right on the thorn.

"Talisa…" Darius said.

"I'm trying!" Talisa exclaimed annoyed.

Her anger made her body sway unstable again.

"Aaaaahhh!" Talisa shouted as one end of the thorn cut her thigh. A drop of blood started to flow from there.

"I told you not to move much!" exclaimed Michael, who seemed unable to bear any more weight. The thorns on the ground filled the entire ground along the passage. Even though Michael could move their bodies, they couldn't land anywhere along the sewers. The thorns were too tight, there was really no place to stand.

"Damn it!!" Talisa exclaimed.

She tried to concentrate, but nothing happened. Talisa was almost in despair when suddenly Darius let out a little fire from his hand.

"Talisa, stretch out your hand," Darius said as he stretched his hand towards Talisa.

"What are you up to, Darius?" Michael asked.

"Saving our lives," Darius replied.

Talisa didn't know what to do but obey Darius' words. She tried to stretch out her hand to touch Darius' hand, even though they all knew that the distance between them was too far.

"Michael, can…"

Darius was about to ask Michael to help them move closer using the power of the wind, but Michael immediately interrupted Darius' request.

"I can't!" cried Michael.

Sweat was dripping from all over his body even his face was starting to turn red. Michael couldn't hold out any longer. Talisa must immediately use her powers.

Darius sighed in thought. The heat from his body must reach Talisa's body to trigger her power. However, his hand could not touch Talisa, nor could the flames erupt from his palm. The distance between them was too far, which was also why Michael had a hard time getting them to hover above the ground. Darius was planning to convey his body warmth through the fire, but it is hard to manage the fire. He could not let out a fire that was too big or too small because of the strong wind around them. Strong wind can extinguish a small fire, while a fire that is a little too big will burn Talisa.

"Hurry up and do something!" cried Michael.

Michael couldn't hold it in any longer. The wind around them becomes unstable. Talisa's body suddenly floated so high, almost touching the roof of the sewer, but then she fell free without anything holding her body up.

"Nooooooo!!" Talisa shouted.