Chapter 296 Distort
Inside the humongous corpse of the Iron Mammoth, Adam, Edward, and Lisa huddled together, their faces grim and pale.
When they had set out from the camp two days ago, they never would have thought that they would have to hide inside a beast's decaying carcass to survive.
Life was full of twists and turns, and more often than not, things rarely went according to one's plans.
Inside the corpse, the atmosphere was thick with the scent of death and rot, making it difficult for the trio to breathe. It was completely dark, except for the dim light that seeped in from time to time through the deep cut on the mammoth's abdomen.
Lisa's body shuddered every time she heard the sound of flesh ripping and bones crunching as the pack of ferocious wolves tore through the mammoth from the outside.
She glanced at Edward, who had a solemn expression on his face. He was tightly gripping his spear, waiting for the unfortunate moment the wolves outside finally spotted them and made their way in.
Meanwhile, Adam was holding onto the bodies of Ivan and Kelly, using them to bulwark the entrance of the corpse.
The two Magi had already perished at some point, having died in one of the most gruesome ways imaginable. However, Adam felt no remorse whatsoever.
You reap what you sow, he thought indifferently.
Inside the mammoth's corpse, the atmosphere was extremely claustrophobic. The trio were surrounded by bloody, slimy flesh, the walls of the corpse and the rib cage pressing them from all sides.
Suddenly, Adam slowly turned around and glanced at Lisa and Edward. Their gazes met and he nodded, assuring them that everything was going to be alright.
Edward and Lisa, strangely enough, felt that everything would indeed turn out to be alright. They stared at the broad back of their friend who was guarding the entrance of the mammoth's corpse.
Involuntarily, their shoulders relaxed and the anxiety in their eyes was slowly replaced by firm resolve. They gradually became calm and composed despite all the blood and gore around them.
As the sands of time continued to fall, the trio's nerves stretched to a breaking point. The walls of flesh around them were becoming thinner. If this continued, the wolves would have finally spotted them.
They knew that their survival depended on them remaining hidden until the wolves had their fill and moved on. They could only hope that the wolves left before they became visible to them.
Knowing that the decisive moment was soon arriving, Adam's eyes narrowed, his pupils flashing with determination.
He let go of the corpses of Ivan and Kelley he was holding onto and started to weave hand signs at a slow pace, making sure to not produce any sound.
First, he cast Mind Whisper and sent a mental transmission to Edward and Lisa, giving them a heads-up.
No matter what happens, don't move even an inch!
Sensing the gravity of the situation, the couple solemnly nodded. They even held their breaths, not willing to take any risks. Their lives depended on it, after all.
Following that, Adam cast three spells one after the other.
Rank 1 Spell: Dingy Illusion!
Rank 1 Spell: Disguise!
Rank 1 Spell: Distort!
The area around the three young Magi slowly twisted, until they gradually disappeared. A few moments later, the pack of wolves had ravenously eaten through most of the flesh and had now made their way to the entrails.
Here, they saw nothing but rotten inner organs that were giving off a pungent odor. Dozens of wolves scrutinized the insides of the mammoth with bloodthirsty looks, searching for something edible.
After what seemed like forever, the pack of corrupted beasts realized that there was nothing else that they could feed on. All they could see were bones, flesh, and organs inside the mammoth's corpse.
Soon, the wolves started to turn around one by one and gradually left after they confirmed that nothing else was left of the mammoth that they could eat.
Silence descended in the area once again, with only the sound of the waterfall coming from beside the clearing. After confirming that there were no beasts in the vicinity of the corpse, Adam deactivated his spells.
A small area inside the mammoth's corpse—or whatever was left of it—twisted once again. The next moment, the air rippled and the silhouettes of three people started to form until finally, the trio came into view once again.
The three were drenched in blood, pieces of flesh, and organs still stuck to their bodies. Their breathing was heavy as they looked around, their eyes flashing with a mixture of fear, shock, and relief.
"We… we survived!" Edward had an incredulous expression on his face, still unable to believe what had just transpired.
"I thought we were really going to die," Lisa muttered softly, fear lingering in her eyes.
Adam turned around and glanced at them, his lips forming a faint smile, "No matter how difficult it gets, there is always a way out."
The trio emerged from the confines of the carcass, gazing at the sudden brightness outside. The dark, nimbus clouds at some point had disappeared, giving way for the sun to shine brightly upon the lands.
As they stepped foot on the soft, mossy ground, the group looked around in caution, their eyes scanning the forest for any potential danger.
To their relief, the pack of wolves from earlier was now nowhere to be seen.
The trio exchanged weary smiles, their nervous expressions slowly fading away as they realized that they were safe.
For now, that is.
Adam's expression gradually turned solemn as he recalled Alex's parting words. He glanced at his friends and spoke grimly, "We have to go after Alex."
Edward and Lisa's expressions darkened when they realized that there was still another nuisance to deal with. The latter suddenly asked with slight hesitation, "Do you think… he could have still made it out?"
"We can't be sure." Edward shook his head.
Adam turned his head and deeply gazed at the direction that Alex had escaped in.
"Only one way to find out."
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