A week later, on the same spot it had first appeared on. The Gate of Strength rose once again. Both doors opened wide, with that Merlin was chucked out like a used can of soda. She was bloody and disheveled everywhere. Her clothes and equipment had long been lost. Her pupils felt heavier than mountains while her body felt like it was in the middle of a volcano. She had screamed so much she could scream no longer.
She didn't give and lose consciousness because she had not noticed that she had already finished the trial. In the trial, you die once you sleep. It wasn't until she heard Woodsy's troubled voice that she finally had a positive thought.
'I made it. I...finally...made it.'
She did not have the strength to give voice to her thoughts, but she sincerely hoped she was out of that godforsaken place.
For the first time in her life, Merlin felt like her childhood had been paradise.
...
A few minutes earlier the Gate of Knowledge opened and a smiling Woodsy came out. As she walked out she would often be lost in thought then smile again. She thought she would see Will waiting for her in open arms.
Yet the later was lying in a pool of black foul liquid that made her want to vomit. His seizure was still going on. Woodsy wanted to go an help him but she couldn't. Not that she did not want to, but she felt that if she touched that black stuff she would die. Her entire body from head to toe shivered and forced her back to where the Gate of Knowledge had been. As if she was facing her worst natural enemy.
The black puddle around Will was releasing an aura of death. All of the plants nearby had simply vanished. What was once a flourishing grassland had turned into a barren land of death.
Woodsy picked up the soil near her. Just from touch she knew, nothing could ever grow from this soil ever again. Her class gave her sensitivity to life energy. And the lack of it.
It was at this point that the Gate of Strength opened.
Woodsy saw Merlin getting thrown out of the Gate mercilessly. She saw Merlin's condition and could not help but scream. For the duo, it had been far more than a week since last they met. Woodsy sorely missed the others even though they were not that close. To her, they represented some sort of stability. It would be no exaggeration to say that she subconsciously saw Will as her Atlas, holding the sky above her.
Will's area was a land of death, one she was not confident in surviving in if she so much as took a step. Hence she rushed to Merlin and immediately activated her most potent healing spell. Vines grew from the ground and encapsulated Merlin in a cacoon. Green lights flashed from time to time indicating that something was happening inside.
Woodsy took advantage of this to scan Merlin's body and what she saw horrified her. Plenty of Merlin's core functions were near collapse. It was a miracle that she was alive, even with the augmentation that came with leveling. Not to mention that she was a mage, so her body was much weaker than her warrior counterparts.
The spell that Woodsy was applying drained her quite a bit, but she did hesitate to use it. They were in the middle of nowhere, what could possibly happen?
"Child, no matter where you are, you must always have your guard up."
This voice spooked Woodsy to the extreme. It came from nowhere. It was very rare for this to happen. Woodsy's class allowed her to have a deep connection with nature. The man was walking on the ground but she felt nothing. Even the Supremes would have to fly if they wanted to surprise her. Not to mention that the man was still a hundred meters away. But his voice sounded as if it was close. Woodsy was shocked but only for a moment.
"Were I someone with nefarious intentions you would be in trouble."
Genesis walked slowly with a broom in hand toward Woodsy. He was honestly giving her good advice, or at least that's what he thought.
��Thank you for your advice."
This time it was the monk's turn to be surprised. He was still quite far away but she sounded close, in other words, she did the same thing he did.
'This girl is more than meets the eye.'
Genesis chuckled, truly impressed. It was rare for him to be unable to see through someone on Earth. From all the data he had gathered she should not be capable of this.
'Does she have a master? Did Peerless teach her? But he should not be capable of teaching this well. Amusing, truly amusing.'
"And I'm not a child, I'm pretty sure I'm ol-."
It often takes the cogs in the mind a moment to truly function, especially if one is multi-tasking, the same could be said here. Woodsy adorned an ugly expression on her face as she recalled some information she had received when she had just been chosen as a Supreme Candidate.
'Brown skin, a young face, as if he is a teenager. Bald and walks around in Buddhist Monk apparel. Carries a broom with eyes that looks centuries old. Preachy and takes his time walking.'
"Genesis!" Woodsy shouted. She was so shocked her knees started shaking. This was one of the powerful beings on the planet! Patriarch of the Samsara Sect and the number one Emperor! The man who was rumored to have subdued Ezra The Mad One and battled Musashi and Arthur to a draw!
Of course, these were rumors with no concrete evidence but none of the Legendary Users ever denied these claims.
"Relax young woman, I'm not here to fight you, I don't pick fights with random people as you sure know."
Woodsy frowned. It was known that Genesis was more of a pacifist and very kind. He doesn't attack unless provoked. Woodsy started to calm down somewhat until she heard a somewhat raspy voice behind her.
"He is here to fight me." This was no doubt Will's voice!