Descending Into A Novel

Chapter 195: 195:It’s So Boring

She let out a deep breath, taking the brief opportunity to rest. Her hands ached, her muscles burned. Each and every part of her body working at its maximum capability.

It hurt, but she was co unbearably close. The snow capped peak of the mountain she was climbing sat within reach. She could feel the harsh sun shining down on her from how high up she was. The intense cold chilling her down to her very bones.

As she continued her way up, she felt her hand slip on a hold. Nearly sending her tumbling down again.

Each time she grabbed something, the mountain itself shifted. Causing her hold to become precarious. The risk of her slipping off again increasing as she got closer to the top.

Up.

Another ledge to grab onto, then another.

Her breathing grew heavier as she continued hauling herself upwards. Her feet slipping against the slick surface. The wind howling around her, blowing her hair into her face.

With a final pull, she reached the summit. Her hands trembled. Yet looking down upon everything, a smile still graced her lips.

"What exactly are you doing?"

Raymond stared ahead at the upside down face of Erin, a silly grin on her face as she tightly held onto his shoulders in order to not fall off.

Still breathing hard, she responded to him. "I’m...climbing... a mountain!"

"..."

Well this was certainly a new one.

He had wondered what was happening when he felt a hand grip onto his clothes. Erin seemed to have a knack for finding the most random things fun and interesting. Although that also seemed to apply to most children anyways. One time Erin found their air fryer to be the most unbelievable creation in the universe. Something he partially understood.

Luckily Raymond was strong enough that he wouldn’t fall over from the extra weight moving around on his back and shoulders. Otherwise Erin could have gotten hurt.

But that didn’t mean he was just going to take this lying down.

Raymond picked her up off of his shoulder. Dangling her upside down. Their eyes meeting each other.

Staring at her like this. Raymond couldn’t help but think that if Erin was forced to survive in the wilderness like real dragons. She wouldn’t be able to last a single day. Dragons might be amazing creatures, but when it came down to survival of the fittest. Natural selection would have taken her away long ago.

That thought was quite a saddening realization.

"I’m not a mountain you know?"

"Hehe...sorry?"

Raymond started tickling her.

After a brief match of play fighting, something Raymond sometimes did in order to help Erin develop as naturally as dragons did. The two of them quietly lay on the floor panting in exhaustion.

Normally Colleen would take care of Erin while Raymond and Ellen was away on their missions. But now since Raymond was still here. The responsibility naturally fell to him.

It was also...very boring.

If Ellen were here, she might just simply smile at their antics. Before quietly stopping what she was doing and joining in soon afterwards.

’If only Ellen were here...’

The moment he had that thought, Raymond immediately slapped himself mentally.

’Did I seriously just wish that Ellen were here? After celebrating my freedom from her?All purely because im bored?’

Something was seriously wrong with him now.

Sure it was boring, but it was the bad type of boring. The boring that made your sanity slowly degrade. The type of boring that had the legendary capability to make students miss class. A boring calm, not a calm bore. (If that even made sense)

Perhaps it was this that caused him to yearn for Ellen’s presence. Yes that must be it.

This was a special case of a blind man convincing himself he could see.

"Dad...when is mom coming back?’

"There’s still a few more days left. You miss her already?"

"Yes. Do you also miss mom?"

"Yeah."

In the past (5 minutes ago) , Raymond might have said no. But having now gaslit himself, he replied yes with zero hesitation.

There was a minor stray thought about what would have happened if he said no. Largely leading to Erin being devastated once again that Raymond and Ellen weren’t in a perfectly harmonious husband-wife relationship. But that was merely an event which would never happen.

"Dad. I’m hungry."

He turned to face her, almost being hit in the face by her tail as he did so.

"What do you want to eat?"

"I don’t know.’

***

Ellen stared intently, her eyes blazing with an amber fire. While her multicolored pupils glimmered intensely.

In her hands was a dark purple bow, ominously reflecting the last rays of the setting sun. Her gaze fixed onto a target and a pathing that only she could see.

’DØïTÑ0w!’

A horrifying voice screamed inside of her head, a mess of sounds of noises that held no meaning individually or combined. Yet somehow still transferred the knowledge to her regardless. Indecipherable, yet clear in its meaning.

As she slowly exhaled, her fingers let loose the purple feathered arrow. Sending a shockwave of wind that could be felt from anyone remotely close to its path.

A loud monster the size of a bus roared. Standing on its hind legs, resembling a mix between human and bear if it took all the worst parts of both. Swinging its fists wildly at the ground. Sending dust and rubble everywhere.

Surrounding its lower half was the rest of the group. Desperately cutting away at as much muscle and flesh as they could in an attempt to immobilize the monster.

Flashes of light, starlight and holy energy drew blood until it collected into a puddle on the ground. Making it even more difficult for their hit and run attacks. Sparks of electricity and ash flowed into any exposed wounds. While several floating swords lodged themselves into its thick fur. Followed up by constant sneak attacks in an attempt to blind or weaken it. Further enraging the already angered monster.

Noelle briefly sidestepped. A massive fist pummeling the ground where she just stood. Grazing her armor.

Without any hesitation, she thrusted her spear directly at it.

Starlight burst out of the spear tip, destructive energy surging as it burned through fur, skin and muscle. Exposing the grey bones beneath.

Starlight flashed once again underneath her boots. Her footwork allowing her to dodge another enraged wild swing.

Retreating temporarily, each of them glanced at each other. Exhaustion and weariness clear on their faces.

That exhaustion didn’t last for long however, faster then a blink of an eye. A flash of purple and gold blitzed through the air. Piercing through its chest like a hot knife through butter. Interrupting the monster mid-roar as it coughed put blood. Before keeling over and collapsing onto the ground.

Lightly landing onto the ground next to them. Ellen calmly walked over to a small crater that had formed, before pulling out the Kairos arrow and wiping the blood and dirt off of it.

Truth be told, there was once an embarrassing part of her past. In which she believed that, as part of her need to become the ’perfect noble’. She refused to rely on outside power such as equipment, barely using the Kairos set she had and opting for standard equipment instead.

Of course, thoughts like that quickly disappeared. In a war where the fate of humanity was unknown, her set of beliefs was holding her back, and this rule of hers was one of the first things she threw away.

Looking back, she had really made her past life so difficult for herself...

Ellen let out a sigh, wishing she had someone to talk to about this. Unfortunately, the only person was Raymond. Even more unfortunately, he was all the way back at the academy still. Likely disregarding her words as he indulged himself along with Erin. Meanwhile his clone, Raelynn was slaving away all by herself.

"Scanner says we still have two more of these things left in the area. They’re not leaders like this one was so they’ll be weaker, but it seems like they’ve started moving together after seeing us kill so many over the past few days."

Lucy rubbed her chin, "Should we just finish it now? It’s only two more anyways."

"I’m fine with it."

Amidst the several agreements, Ellen couldn’t help but think that if Raymond was here, he would have just called it a day and tried to convince the rest to do the same. In the end, he would probably just grumble before following behind them.

Then again, if he was here. They would have been done with this mission significantly faster.

Ellen quietly twirled the Kairos arrow in her hand. While she was someone that was used to boredom and spending her entire past life basically apathetic. That didn’t mean she enjoyed it any more then the next person. She had simply grown more used to it, and being with Raymond often helped to alleviate the boredom.

Right now...she just really missed Raymond.

’I miss him...’

’...’

’Gosh, I sound like some young girl in love or something.’

Ellen shook her head, regaining clarity. Unaware of just how accurately she had hit the nail in the head...partially, she wasn’t exactly young.

Just three more days.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!