The Master of Uradan

"It's time, let's go. You are lucky enough to have this sacred water, don't forget to bow your head to the sacred Kolmos mountain."

The voice of the old man woke Rohan from his daze. His face reflected on the surface of the lake as he looked deep inside. The risks were far too great, he couldn't simply plunge like that without caring about anything.

He stood up and bowed his head toward the water like all the warriors around him. The sole idea to bend his body in front of the water was quite ridiculous, but he didn't mind it. If it could make him evade any suspicion, he would even kowtow without hesitation.

One by one, the warriors put away the magical water they carried in their bags before decisively leaving. After a few seconds, Rohan was the only one looking at the water, with the old man waiting for everyone to return outside.

The young warrior turned around with a heavy expression. It was simply foolish. His life could be wasted away, he could die if he chose this way. He took a step forward, toward the only way out with a calm expression, the same as always.

It was without a doubt the worst choice he could ever make. It was maybe only a small opening inside this lake with a dead-end not even a few meters away.

He took a second step.

Plus it was now far too late. He could have played along earlier and accidentally fallen in the water so the suspicion would take some time to appear in the warriors.

A third step toward the exit.

And what more, there was now the old man waiting for him to leave this underground lake. If he ever decided to plunge now, he would die even if it was indeed the path. There was no way out if Rohan decided to take the risk.

A fourth step.

This risk was too much. Nothing was telling him it was here. No proof, no mark, nothing. Just a random opening inside the still lake inside this large cave.

Then why? Why did taking a step made his heart stir that much? Why did his instinct scream to not leave?

His hands were shaking, his legs were shaking, his whole body was shaking. But it wasn't from the cold.

He took another step forward. The fifth one.

He tightened his fists. His calm expression became even calmer, more ethereal as if he was becoming an immortal.

The sixth step, never came.

Rohan turned around and stomped the ground violently. His leg filled with his mana crushed the stone floor. He had never been this fast, squeezing all the strength he had for this sole movement.

He left an afterimage behind him as well a footprint. Pebbles flew around while the rank 10 Intermediate Warrior widened his eyes from the surprise. Before he could react in any way, the young man had already reached the shore of this freezing water.

He gnashed his teeth and tightened every muscle of his body. There was no hesitation. The instant he came closer from the water, he plunged inside like an arrow sinking toward the abyss.

Rohan didn't know how the old man was reacting, but he didn't wait to discover it. The cold water cut his breath the instant his body touched the water. He felt his body transforming itself into an ice block.

All gestures were taking ages as his mind was shutting down from the terrible cold. He couldn't even open his eyes as he feared the extreme cold would make him blind. But he didn't need to, he already knew where the entrance was, and the moment his hands, as agile and sensitive as a piece of wood, touched the bottom of the lake, he propelled himself with Strengthened Blow.

The mana eased the effect from the cold, but Rohan didn't dare to send it inside his fifth meridian. If he used the skill Overload, his senses would be further enhanced, and he would probably want to die already.

Inside this cold darkness, Rohan felt his body passing through the small entrance. It was big enough to let him swim inside without any difficulties. He used all his strength, currently disappearing because of the cold as he rushed faster and faster.

He didn't know if the warrior would follow after him or if he only thought he would die anyway, but Rohan didn't want to take any risk. He just swam and swam, fervently praying for this damn lake and mountain to let him leave after this stupid choice.

His hands pushed on the smooth walls making up the artery. His only goal was to move forward the fastest possible, and his legs and arms fully grasped each second to push his body forward.

The more Rohan advanced blindly seconds after seconds, the more he felt he shouldn't have plunged. There was no dead end, but there was also no other opening. The water slowly paralyzed him while the air in his lungs was used rapidly. The more he moved, the more his body consumed, and the faster Rohan approached the drowning.

He had no choice anymore. Maybe he would be beheaded the moment he would surge from the lake, but he could only permit himself to continue for a few seconds before turning back.

The moment this thought entered his mind, his right failed to touch anything above his head. Hope exploded in his heart as he groped in the dark to feel a tunnel going up. He quickly entered it, kicked the floor, and surged toward the potential freedom. All he wanted right now was to leave this water, but he knew that the cold would still be there anyway.

He rushed up, and with an explosion of water, his head finally exited the clear but icy water. He immediately sucked all the air he could, filling his lungs with the bitten icy air of the area.

He dived toward the shore a couple of meters away without caring about anything else, he only wanted to leave this place. The cold was killing him, and he didn't know if the old rank 10 Intermediate Warrior had decided to follow him or not. Seeing how much the nomads of the Barren Lands venerated this mountain, that wouldn't be incredible.

He got out from this second lake and found himself shaking against the moist and icy floor. The same blue hue was around, lighting up this area, which was almost the same as the other one.

At first, he thought that all this suffering was for naught as he couldn't see anything, but he was overjoyed when he saw another tunnel, hiding by the shadows and the faint lights.

Without wasting more time, he stood up and rushed at his maximum speed toward this passway. He wasn't feeling some parts of his body anymore, and the water dripped down against the flood as he was running.

Even in this situation, while his life was closer to the end than ever before it had been, a painful thought entered his mind.

All the affairs he had in his leather bag should be pretty much wasted now.