Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 575 - 42 Falling into the Clouds_1

Chapter 575: Chapter 42 Falling into the Clouds_1

Behind Lina was a vertiginous cliff towering a kilometer high, her feet rested on a protruding rock, which compared to the mighty Dragonscar or the cliff itself, was almost negligible. In front of her, beyond these rocks, lay an endless sea of fog. This indistinguishable mist of cloud and fog surged beneath Lina’s feet. Standing on the narrow platform, she felt like she was adrift on a solitary boat, bobbing with the tumultuous waves on a sea formed by the enveloping mist. The tumultuous, billowing clouds resembled ceaseless surges of waves and the little boat she was in was so minuscule that it seemed it could capsize at any moment.

"This reminds me of my childhood." A surprised Lina turned around to find Freya standing behind her. Freya, who had climbed down while Lina was lost in the fog, was also gazing at the sea of fog. Freya mused, "Lord Father took me to watch the sunrise from Brimia Mountain on the Butte Plateau. The scenery was almost like it is now. With the clouds swirling around the mountaintop, each of us found ourselves in the midst of the mist, feeling like we could grab the illusory smoke next to us by just stretching out our hand. Thick clouds lined the ground below, making us feel as if we were strolling among the clouds. In the vast horizon, the figure of Huront, the Sun Lord, gradually rose, and the first rays of dawn sprinkled over the cloud layer, tinting everything in a golden glow. The cold wind carrying the humid air hit our faces..."

With a "thud", Freya abruptly stopped, sat to one side nursing her head, and said no more. Vivian, as if nothing had happened, brandished her magic staff and said, "What’s taking Pannis so long? I hope nothing has happened up there."

"He must be straightening the rope." Catherine looked up, her line of sight blocked by the rough cliff, and guessed, "Freya said the rope got tangled earlier. Oh, here he comes."

Pannis seemed to have skipped using the descent controller, swiftly sliding down the rope without a pause. Landing with precision on the platform, he promptly received the bundle of nylon rope from Ike. After harnessing the suspended rope from the top, Pannis set about connecting and extending it to create one long rope.

"This fog has a peculiar trait," Ike explained while Pannis worked: "From outside, it appears to be thin, and you can vaguely see things inside. However, once you’re in it, your visibility is severely compromised. You won’t be able to see clearly whether the object is fifty or five meters away, the clarity remains quite the same. This layer of fog is quite thick, about three hundred meters or so. Therefore, we have to make a round trip through the fog, which is the most troublesome part. Once we traverse the foggy layer, the following descent becomes straightforward."

"Is this descent longer than usual?" Catherine watched Pannis’s movements and asked, "Otherwise, there’d be no need to lengthen the rope, right?"

"No, the distance to the third transfer point is not far, roughly as the same distance, around one hundred and sixty meters." Ike explained, "However, the distance to the fourth transfer point is considerably longer, and one rope certainly will not suffice. It’s troublesome and error-prone to connect the ropes in the fog, so we usually prepare in advance at the third transfer point."

"What’s the third transfer point like?" Pannis asked, raising his head, "I didn’t survey it very carefully when I came since I wasn’t clear about its exact range and conditions, but I sensed that it’s not much larger than this place, is it?"

"It’s slightly larger than this," answered Ike. "It’s another platform-like area, but the length is almost ten meters, with a width of about two meters, so it’s quite crowded for combat."

"We’ve got to be really careful then." Pannis finished his work and, while tugging at the rope to test its strength, said to Catherine, "Once you’re down, try to block the attackers from the right side to minimize the area being attacked. If you are attacked, remember, you can dodge within a small area, but absolutely do not shift from your spot, because the visibility in there remains fuzzy all the time. If you fail to take notice while moving, you might fall off the platform. That’s a seven hundred meter drop."

"So, does that mean, once we enter the fog, we have to keep the shield activated all the time?" Catherine asked, "Also, can we turn on these lanterns in the fog? Would that provide better visibility?"

"Absolutely not." Ike, who was hammering alloy steel pins into the ground, shook his head vehemently: "The creatures that attack us in the fog are magical beasts with excellent vision. Once you turn on the light, it’ll be like telling every magical beast within the range of the light that food has arrived, and then, all the magical beasts will come to attack us. Besides, even with the light on, we’ll still have difficulty seeing the surroundings. The light doesn’t affect the fog much. There’s no need to waste our energy needlessly."

"What about speaking?" Catherine asked further, "Would a normal conversation draw the magical beasts like the light does?"

"You don’t need to worry about that. Those magical beasts have poor hearing." said Ike, "They rely mostly on their vision. Get ready for their sharp sight, and you should be just fine. Oh, and their sense of smell isn’t that sharp either, so don’t hesitate when killing an enemy. Their blood won’t attract more magical beasts."

"You are constantly referring to the magical beasts." Catherine furrowed her brows and asked, "Even if you can’t provide precise information about the species of these beasts, you should at least know their general type. Inform us in advance, so we can be prepared while dealing with them."

"Most of them are flying magical beasts." Pannis replied on behalf of Ike, "They’re predominantly carnivorous birds, but not exclusively. There are a lot of creatures living on the cliff in this region as well, which are capable of causing a ruckus. So be on guard for enemies coming from every direction when you’re defending. Make sure not to remove the shield just because you don’t see the birds. It is safe to remove it only after you have crossed the fog."

"Then I guess I’m ready to go." said Ike, taking the rope from Pannis, "Hopefully, we all can pass safely through the fog. See you on the other side."

"Any other advice?" asked Catherine, clutching the rope, "Or anything crucial that we need to be careful about?"

"The descent should be similar to the previous two times," Pannis directed, "Pretend the attacking magical beasts don’t exist. The power of the flying magical beasts isn’t strong enough to shatter your shield, even if they huddle round you all at once. Therefore, ignore them and descend as quickly as possible. Do not tangle with them in the air. Hold onto the rope tightly, as the threat of falling is far greater than being pecked by them. Also, move as quickly as possible—the sooner you get down to the third transfer station, the safer you and others will be."

"Understood. Here I go." Catherine stood on the edge of the cliff, waved her finger at Pannis, gave a hard push with her foot, and disappeared into the rolling fog. The sound of flapping wings echoed from within the fog, with intermittent shrieks of the magical beasts.

Pannis knelt on the platform, his eyes closed, listening carefully. As a faint smile appeared on his lips, he swiftly pulled up the entire rope, "Since Freya doesn’t rely much on the rope, the two of you can descend together. Oh, and Freya, your hands are free during the descent, so try to use your Crystal Energy Gun to shoo away the magical beasts near Lina. Yet, like Catherine, you should prioritize your safety. Off you go."

The two girls looked at each other in astonishment, both nodding their heads. Lina moved her lips as her hands fluttered, casting several defensive divine spells on the both of them. This would help them hold on for a few more seconds, even if their shields were breached. After finishing all this, the two girls plunged into the fog side by side. Immediately, the rumble of the Crystal Energy Gun broke out continuously.

Once engulfed within the fog, Lina and Freya understood the descriptions given by Ike and Pannis. The fog seemed to cover their eyes like a layer of gauze, making everything around them blurry, regardless of distance. Even their companions, standing close by, could only be seen as a blurred silhouette. Seconds after entering the fog, the sound of skittering echoed from the rocks, as if waves of magical beasts were racing and leaping. Seven or eight clusters of dark shadows came flying from all sides, constantly bashing against Lina.

The shield thankfully absorbed the majority of the impact. Given their strength, the beasts couldn’t upset Lina’s balance, otherwise, the continuous blows they received would have made it impossible for her to move normally. "Boom!" echoed the sound of a gunshot. Freya wasn’t using her specialized weapon as its immense power would also inflict a great impact on herself. In a situation like this, there was a chance she could fling herself off the cliff accidentally. Therefore, she only used a common low-powered Crystal Energy Gun, driven entirely by the crystal. Although it wasn’t capable enough to kill high-ranking magical beasts, it could keep them away from her vicinity.

"Keep it up, Freya." Lina completely ignored the magical beasts constantly attacking her, as Pannis had suggested, and began descending swiftly. Freya, controlling the mechanical appendages on her back, followed closely by. After a short while, the sound of thumping wings joined the cacophony of leaping beasts. Glancing back, they saw flocks of shadows converging from all directions. The sound of flapping wings and shrill cries filled the air, creating a chaotic environment. Blacks shadows continuously bumped against the girls’ shields before being repelled, with multiple impacts occurring every second.

Neither of them could exchange words anymore. Rather, this environment wasn’t suitable for conversation. The girls had to rely on the presence of their companions to soothe their anxious hearts. This short journey of just over a hundred meters seemed incredibly long, to an extent where fear and doubt began to creep into their hearts.

"How much time has passed? Did I take a wrong turn? Have I already passed the midway station? Why can’t I see the others? Is it really okay to keep descending like this?" Questions like these kept swirling in the girls’ minds, up until a loud roar echoed just less than a meter away from them. (To be continued. If you like this story, please vote for it on qidian.com. Your support means the world to me. Mobile users can enjoy the story on m.qidian.com.)