The two promises said by the girls spread out, they understood that Austin was trusting them while speaking out such a secret and they in return paid back such trust with their action, seeing the severe looks on the girl's faces Austin kept a touched look outside while planning up the future paths that he could take,
'I wonder how they will react when all my secrets take the stage'
Austin didn't lose himself in his thought as he responded with a smile,
"As much as touching this is, I don't think we have the luxury to rest"
As he said so a huge barrier surrounded the three of them as several spells landed on the trio, none of the made it through as the barrier stayed strong,
"Kekekekekeke"
"Screech.....screech...screech..."
"Dingh....dingh...dingh....."
Several voices started to be heard around them, the voices of monsters and some other voices that were yet to be identified but even then no figure could be seen, the three didn't have a way back, while the way forward was unknown,
Slap!
Suddenly Catherine slapped her face to get her focus back, as her eyes regained a bit of their clarity, with a serious gaze she turned towards Austin as she spoke,
"With your current powers, our path will be smoother but first we need to find out who or what our enemies are"
Saying so she began to instruct on a very possible layout of the path that they could take,
"Stay close"
Austin said as they once again began their walk forward, after the initial bombardment and noise, everything went silent, the whole place looked like a haunted location, designed to break the will of whoever walked this path.
Austin took the lead with his huge sword in his arms while Catherine and Marlene took both his sides, on their wrists a protective device that Austin had loaned, it was only them with issues accessing their treasures, Marlene due to her seal being unable to access her treasure while Catherine was stripped of hers when she was taken down.
Swish!
Once again a wide range of attacks landed on them, this time once again none of them being able to identify where these attacks were coming from. Austin moved as his sword took a wide arc, cutting down the attacks, while Marlene even though weakened defended a hit or two, while Catherine who was the most weakened was dealt with by Austin who kept her closer to him.
He rose up a wall of dirt that defended against the attack while covering her whole body with his, Austin's earth wall quickly crumbled before becoming a wall of fire, burning away the attacks, soon the attacks stopped letting them relax,
"You used your low-power moves, right?"
Catherine asked to which Austin nodded his head,
"Yes, just as you said, I am barely using anything, every movement is minimal"
Austin spoke,
"Good, keep it up, if my guess is correct this will be a long fight forward"
Catherine replied to his words as they soon kept, moving forward again, taking slow steps to watch out for any traps that may lay ahead, soon another few seconds of walking passed before which another group of attacks followed, this time heavier than the ones before. Austin had to exert more focus than before to protect Catherine,
"Just as I thought, attacks will keep landing at us, as we move forward"
Catherine spoke after which this round of attacks was over, her eyes turned to Marlene who was panting, the more power Marlen used the more quicker she was losing them, after which her eyes tuned to Austin, she had a bitter look as she spoke,
"It would seem that the two of us will be depending on you, the more we move forward"
Catherine's words caused Marlene to bite her lips in frustration, she hates being weak yet now she's in a situation she hates more than anything but, in the end, she kept her frustration to herself as sometimes that's all one could do,
"Don't worry, things will be fine, I think...."
Austin replied as the three of them once again started to move forward, and just like before after some steps a new round of attacks began, and as always the attacks this time were more dangerous than before, plus the attacks seemed to be getting craftier.
Unlike before the attacks, this time was more centered around Catherine and Marlene, the fog around the three that led the way ahead started to swirl after which the attacks now arrived from all directions! even from behind! they were not left alone, as these attacks forced Austin to take a higher action,
"Sword Star fall!"
Austin called out as his sword started to shine bright white before which he waved his sword all around him, faster than anyone could see, small needle-like white sword rays lefts his sword as it intercepted all the attack that was aimed at them, if one was to look closely, the ray of lights would have looked like spinning stars.
Boom!....Boom!
Austin used a considerable amount of power to create the attacks as he felt the danger from them, since he didn't have the luxury to move, his attack destroyed the ones aiming for the trio yet its backlash was huge as a power blast returned from the interruption, Austin quickly cast another barrier around the three of them to protect Marlene and Catherine.
A huge foggy atmosphere had formed around them, and it took some time before the shaking and collapse settled around, seeing the fog return to normal, Austin let out a sigh as he took down the barrier, and the three of them relaxed but just as they did some kind of figure broke through the fog before arriving directly in front of Catherine.
Its killing intent now let lose while the weapon it held inches away from taking Catherine's life, all she could do was watch along as her life seemed to flash before her eyes but suddenly the bracelet on Catherine's hand lit up as a barrier appeared around her, sadly it couldn't last a full second before which it broke,
Splash!
The sound of blood being drawn was heard, Catherine's eyes widened as she saw the small sword that was supposed to go through her head now stuck in Austin's hand, he had arrived just in time to save her,
"Die"
He spoke as he wiled his sword with one hand and punctured through the attacker's body, killing it in one blow, black blood being sprayed around after which the body fell to the ground,
"Catherine!....Austin!"
Marlene who could finally react rushed up to them while Austin pulled out the sword in his hand blood flowing out but he paid no mind as he looked at Catherine and spoke,
"You okay?"
"Yeah...."
Catherine replied in a daze, it took a moment for her to get out of her daze, the near feeling of death covering over shook her to her core but she wasn't some weak-willed woman to fall under its pressure, her eyes soon regained its calm as she looked at Austin's hand with guilt,
"I'm sorry, I-"
"Don't go there, it's not good for you"
Saying so Austin threw his sword forward towards Marlene who was running at him, her eyes widened at the sword that was inches from killing her,
Splash!
"Kreee!"
The cry of pain called out as the sword had killed another similar beast that has now slithered up to kill Marlene the sword piercing through its head, Austin took out a healing potion and he chugged it, he didn't need it but the act still has to stay.
