Chapter 2: 2. Escape!

Learn Drain Force?

Yes/No

Yes. Rhys thought, still reeling from the box that appeared as soon as he glanced at the first page. This should be one of the permissions the game system granted me.

A progress bar appeared and as it crept towards the one hundred per cent mark, Rhys opened the other two books. The same box appeared for both the Creeping Lightning and Raise Lesser Undead spells. To which Rhys accepted to learn them.

A huge grin spread across Rhys’s face each time one of them finished. He instinctively knew what each spell did and how to cast them. I see. The Drain Force spell is a bit of a problem. He thought as he closed the books with a sigh. The other two will be useful if someone tries to stop me from escaping.

He carefully peered out of the room and listened for any sign of the cult members returning. However, only silence greeted him. That’s the tunnel they took to reach outside. Rhys thought as he looked at the tunnel across from the entrance to the room.

A determined expression fixed itself on his face as he hurried down that passage. It was the only lead he had on escaping that place, but there was the risk he could run into the cultists during their return. Hopefully, it’ll take them a while to capture those people.

He did not like the idea of leaving others to suffer the same fate as he had, but he had to put himself first. Rhys silently swore to himself that if he gained enough power, he would return to wipe that cult out. He cursed under his breath with each footstep, afraid that they would betray him somehow with the noise they made.

Minutes passed in the gloom. The only light to see by came from the luminous mushrooms and stalks that grew in that place. Those patches of light only gave more depth to the shadows, making it feel to Rhys as if he could fall inside of them. At some point, Rhys felt the ground beneath his feet angle upward, and a flash of joy appeared on his face.

How far down am I? The journey was taking longer than he expected, and each second longer it took increased the risk of getting caught. Eventually, the passage he was following split. The opening on his right led deeper underground again, and its walls were damp.

The one to his left rose towards the surface at a sharp angle. However, there was a problem. Rhys could hear the soft sounds of someone talking echoing through that tunnel. Are they coming back, or did they leave people behind to guard the entrance?

Rhys chewed on his bottom lip as he weighed his options. There’s a chance I can walk right past them. They shouldn’t be worried about anyone leaving, right? He eventually concluded that if the owner of the voice was guarding the entrance, then he should only be concerned with stopping people from entering the tunnels. With the way he was now dressed, he should pass for a cultist that was slow to react to the commotion.

Rhys grit his teeth as he decided to risk it. I should try to look like I’m in a hurry! He broke into a run as he entered the passage, soon noticing that his body felt lighter than ever. Is this the effect of my speed stat? He gasped as he reached a speed that he was sure was impossible for normal people.

He wondered at the capabilities of his body, as even at that speed, he had fine control over it. There was no awkwardness of having to get used to how he had to move to achieve what he wanted. I must have unconsciously used too much strength when opening the wardrobe back there. That’s why it broke, but now that I’m aware of the changes, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Rhys focused on the path before him when a bright light came into view. He was so lost in his thoughts that he had not even noticed the scent of fresh air that had gradually invaded the tunnel! Almost there! He thought, as he prepared himself to rush past any guards without looking back!

A sea of green and brown exploded in his vision as he burst out of his prison! The breeze that ran through the dense forest instantly lifted his spirits as the two cultists on guard duty became startled at his sudden appearance!

“You there! Wait!”

Rhys ignored the shouting as he willed his feet to carry him away from that awful place. The sun shone through the forest canopy, enveloping him in its warmth. Tears appeared on his face beneath the hood. He had forgotten what it felt like to be free during those two long years of captivity!

He did not know what direction he was running in, but he did not care! Anywhere was better than remaining too close to the cultist’s lair. He leapt over a fallen tree, scattering the carpet of fallen leaves when he landed on the other side. Pure joy filled his mind as he slowed down.

He had just noticed that there was no sign of the guards chasing him! I did it! A fit of laughter escaped his throat as he allowed himself to fall to the ground. His hands grasped at the dirt, leaves, and branches all around him. Rhys could not help but savour that moment as stared up at the sky.

“What do we have here?” A rough voice sounded from somewhere above Rhys.

“Looks like another one has lost it.” A woman said in response with a sigh.

Rhys’ expression froze at the sound of those voices. His eyes narrowed as he frantically scanned the branches. However, whoever they were, they were extremely skilled at hiding. His eyes could not find a single trace of the owners of those voices.

“The hunt is already over.” The woman’s voice said as a shimmer appeared above a thick branch a few meters above Rhys. “Did you get lost or something?”

Those words made the blood in Rhys’ veins freeze. They cleared all of his doubts. They’re part of the cult! Rhys felt a cold sweat on his back as he stood up, keeping his eyes fixed on the spot where he had seen the air shimmer.

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“Yeah.” Rhys said as he suppressed the tremor in his voice. “I was asleep when I heard the shouting.”

He played it safe in that situation. I can’t be sure but I think the shimmer is one of them. As for the other one… Rhys shook his head when he realised that there were no signs of them. At least, as far as he could tell.

“You sound quite young.” The woman said after a brief silence. “Are you one of Elder’s kids? Guess you have spent little time above ground.”

Rhys struggled to think of an answer to that question. However, before he could say anything, a woman appeared in the spot he had been monitoring. Her dark hair flowed down to her chest, but it was her piercing blue eyes that really caught Rhys’ attention.

He felt like those eyes viewed him as prey. He lowered his gaze as he felt a sense of danger while under her scrutiny. Rhys noticed she was wearing a tight fitting leather hunter’s outfit that only left her neck and head exposed. She doesn’t look like a cultist.

The sound of a branch snapping sounded nearby, drawing the woman’s attention off of Rhys for the moment. She seemed surprised by what she saw, which forced Rhys to look. However, his heart sank when he saw a group of people wearing the black robes of the cult.

Trailing behind them was a group of around thirty individuals. It took Rhys a moment to realise there was something off about that group of captives. They’re smiling! Rhys could not imagine anyone being happy about being enslaved. Never mind over thirty people!

When his eyes lingered on those captives, a small box would appear above their heads. Raging Blade, UrMom, No Name… They’re players! Rhys stared at them with a frown on his face. These people were immortal in his world. No matter how many times they died, they would always come back. A luxury that those, like him, who lived in the game did not have. Once they died, that was it. End of the road. Good Night.

How did the cult capture them then? They shouldn’t be afraid of death. As they drew closer, Rhys felt like he had found the answer. Don’t tell me they let themselves be taken? If there were no one around, he would slap himself at their stupidity. However, in that situation, it would draw too much attention to himself.

Thanks to the glitch, Rhys could somewhat understand the player’s mindset. They probably think this is some kind of storyline or a quest. Rhys sighed as he watched their eager expressions. However, from what he understood, Nexus was unlike any other game.

The game did not have xp for a start. So players could not just grind their way to higher levels. Instead, they would have to travel and find methods to absorb Force. Once they reached enough Force Accumulated, they would have to perform a task to advance to the next rank.

Do they think the cult will help them grow stronger? Rhys was unsure if they were naïve or just confident. Though he could not help but wonder how terrifying the cult would become if all those players became members!

The group came to a halt as they neared Rhys’ position. The cultist in the lead seemed confused by Rhys’ presence there, but the woman in the trees spoke before he could say anything.

“You should take better care of your junior members. This one got lost trying to catch up with you!” The woman said as she let out a small laugh.

“Nayla? You’re saying he’s one of ours?” The cultist replied with a dubious expression.

“As sure as the sun in the sky. Came flying out of the caves like a bat out of hell. We had to chase him for a while before he finally stopped!”

“I see.” The cultist relaxed when Nayla confirmed Rhys was definitely one of their members. After all, there was no way he knew every member. “Thanks for looking out for him. I’ll take him back with us.”

“No problem, see you later Bert! Take care, kid.” Nayla winked at Rhys before disappearing from sight again.

Damn it! Now there’s no way I can get away! What am I meant to do when we get back? Rhys tried to remain calm as Bert motioned for him to follow him as the group set off again. I can’t make a run for it now. There are too many people!

Besides the cultists, he also had the players to consider. Rhys was sure they would not remain quiet if he were to slip away. No matter what he thought of, nothing seemed likely to work. Before he knew it, the dark maw of the cave loomed in front of him.

The guards spoke a few words to Bert, who jabbed a thumb over his shoulder in Rhys’ direction. They must be telling him about my escape. Rhys sighed, but luckily, it did not appear as if they suspected anything. After all, with their enthralment spell, they did not have to worry about their slaves escaping.

“Let’s go.” Bert said as he ushered the group inside. “Seal the entrance behind us.”

Rhys helplessly joined the group while sticking close to the left wall. To his horror, once everyone was inside, a rocky wall rose from the ground and sealed off the sunlight as the guards placed some crystals at the mouth of the cave!

Damn! Now I need to find another way out! Rhys cursed, a little unsure if such a thing existed. The players gasped at the sight with wide grins on their faces as they spoke enthusiastically amongst themselves. Rhys could only shake his head as he dragged his feet into those depths once again.

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