Return of the Fallen Vol1 Ch41
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch41
Rust waved his hand and a large ancient war hammer appeared within his hands.
“Soldiers, on me! We have a mission. Right now a Magical Beast is headed in our direction but not just any Magical Beast, this one is none other than a Sky Beast, a third tier.”
The soldiers and mages immediately broke out in a cold sweat as fear spread across their faces. The panic could clearly be seen and the atmosphere grew heavy.
“With its speed and strength, it will be upon us soon and we cannot fight it and protect the young heroes simultaneously. Our mission is to hold it off for as long as possible, while Master Garn escorts the heroes out of this swamp back to safety. Does everyone understand!?”
A few soldiers gulped but in the end they still all gave a firm salute and shouted to their commander.
“Sir, Yes, Sir!”
Rust nodded and was just about to head out when Garn hollered from behind.
“Wait!”
Rust looked back and Garn gave a nod to the surrounding Mages.
“You all will join him and provide back up while I and Alice escort the heroes out of here. Once I’m sure the heroes are safe I’ll immediately rush back and we’ll destroy that Sky Beast together.”
The surrounding Mages’ faces suddenly went wide in shock but they could not disobey Master Garn. Only Alice held a sour look as she argued.
“Master Garn, why do I need to protect these brats when I can help on the front line. With you, they will be completely safe but If I don’t go with commander Rust and the others…”
Alice wanted to say more but Garn’s face twisted in anger like never before. He roared at his number 1 apprentice.
“SHUT THE FUCK UP AND DO AS I SAY! THERE IS NO MORE TIME NOW LET’S GO!.”
This shout felt like a lightning bolt had struck her and Alice was stunned to silence. Her body trembled with fear and all she could do in response was give a small nod.
Everyone looked on in silence before Rust shouted at them.
“You have your orders, now follow me!”
As the mages and soldiers disappeared out of view, Garn was already chanting something under his breath. the end of his staff began to glow before he said two words.
“Feather Weight.”
A small cyclone of wind extended from the end of his staff before it split itself into 6 smaller rotations of wind. These 6 extensions of Garn’s power flew directly at Kazuki and the others’ legs and feet. Before they had a chance to even react, the wind wrapped itself around each and every one of their bodies, causing their clothes and hair to constantly but softly flutter about.
The expression on everyone’s faces drastically changed especially Shin’s.
(This Spell…)
Shin was starting to gain some insights with this wind constantly wrapped around his body but before he or anyone else could think too deeply about what was going on, Garn Barked at them.
“Let’s move!”
Garn wrapped himself with a similar spell and Alice used her own magic before they all began to run in the opposite direction of Rust and the others.
As soon as everyone’s feet brought them forward, they all instantly noticed a difference in their movement and realized what Garn’s wind spell was.
Each step they took was made faster than the one before it and the weight of their bodies seemed as though it no longer existed, as though they all weighed as much as a feather. As they ran through the trees, each step brought them nearly 40 feet forward and it was all done with little to no effort. Whenever their feet touched the ground, they would no longer leave an indention on the land below them. They were moving so quickly that the sound flying past their ears came across like a tearing whistle. It was very annoying to hear but it caused them no harm.
They continued to race ahead for several minutes unimpeded. Asuna and the rest seemed to relax a little, not understanding or getting what the big deal was. They had never heard of Tier 3 Magical Sky Beasts and didn’t understand why the soldiers seemed upset. Besides they had Rust with them and he was supposedly stronger than Alice.
Kazuki, on the other hand, was starting to sweat.
(Damn…Damn Damn Damn. For there to be a Sky Beast so close to the outer rims of The Mirian Swamp, Damn. Rust should be able to slay that Beast under normal circumstances but I clearly heard it. With my Ki, I could tell there was a second roar under the first. The roars were basically done simultaneously so no one else seems to have noticed but how could Rust and Garn not sense a second presence. If I were at either of their levels, I definitely would have noticed the extra presence, so why didn’t they. Damn. Should I tell Garn there is a second Sky Beast? If I do that though I’d also have to explain how I know. Is there another option? Rust and those men and women are going to engage that Sky Beast and without all the information they will surely die. Damn Damn Damn, what should I do?)
Kazuki’s face had gone pale. He had wanted to say something earlier but for the first time in several years, he felt true fear and wanted nothing more than to get away as fast as possible. To fight a Sky Beast, Kazuki knew that he would die instantly and everything he’d worked for would be all for naught.
Kazuki bit his lower lip in anger and self-defeat. With a small line of blood dripping down his chin, Kazuki thought.
(I’m so fucking weak. I must hurry and return to Tresta so I can get the ingredients I need and reforge my Mage Core. Only then can I actually begin. Please do not let it come.)
Garn could see the change in expression from Kazuki and wondered what it was about but he suddenly came to an abrupt stop and threw up another barrier. Asuna and the others slammed hard against the inside wall of the barrier, causing them to crash hard to the ground. Before they could groan or complain in pain, A large wall of fire shot up right outside the barrier and stretched for nearly a mile in both directions. The power of these flames crashed repeatedly into the barrier, causing it to flex and tremble violently.
Garn roared up into the skies above him.
“Sky Beast! For what reason do you attack us?”
Looking up into the sky, Kazuki’s fears had come to fruition. A large figure floated high up above. Stretching nearly 50 feet in length and around 30 in height, the creature’s size alone was something you couldn’t look down at. Besides the abnormal size of the creature, its actual appearance at first could be mistaken for a lion from the color around its neck. It had a mane of orangish-red fur but looking closer, one could tell this was not the case.
Instead, its head was shaped more like that of a dog or a wolf. Its eyes were black and the rest of its fur was like fine silver. With fangs like a sabertooth and claws razor-sharp at this point it had all the markings of a demonic wolf beast but its description was even more. Two wings sprouted from its back like a bird and its tail was scorpion-like, with even a sharp tip at the end of it dyed with a deep purple.
Kazuki had no clue what species of Beast this was but it seemed like a mutation of some kind rather than something natural.
Asuna and the others looked confused and wondered why Master Garn spoke to this creature when a sudden Booming voice mixed with a growl of some sort came rumbling like thunder from the Sky Beast mouth.
“You dare pretend to not know why I have come.”
Garn truly had no clue but did his best to remain respectful. Cupping his fist he calmly replied.
“I truly have no clue, could the great Sky Beast please enlighten this old man.”
The Sky Beast Black eyes started to glow red in anger.
“You truly don’t know? You actually have the gall to enter my territory and slay my subjects and then claim you don’t know. Do you take me for a fool, human?”
Garn thought for a moment.
(Subjects what subjects, could he mean?)
“Are you referring to the goblins?”
The Sky Beast remained quiet for but a moment.
“They were my servants and you slaughtered them like scum. You, humans, you’re all the same. You trespass, you kill, you take, you burn, and then claim us to be the monsters. No more.”
Garn could tell that the Sky Beast was gathering power and shouted up.
“Wait a moment, I’m sure we can come to some form of an agreement. Name a price and it shall be done but then leave me and mine alone.”
Garn didn’t really care about making a deal, truthfully he could slay this Magical Sky Beast with a bit of difficulty but the natural balance would be thrown off as a power vacuum would be left open for any Magical Beast looking to claim this territory. If the devastation only remained here then Garn could care less but that would not be the case.
Dangerous creatures would be chased out of the swamp and they would head to the surrounding areas to remake their own territory and gather food. That would cause a chain reaction, causing disastrous results for the surrounding 1 or 2,000 miles.
If Garn were to slay this Beast, millions of lives could easily be affected and that was something Garn wished to avoid at all cost. So, for now, he would try and come to an agreement. To pay a little to save a lot, he could live with that.
The Sky Beast looked over at the Asuna and the others.
“Kukuku, fine, I am a magnanimous ruler. You killed many of mine but I will call it even if you simply hand over that one.”
The Sky beast extended a large claw towards someone and licked its lips.
Everyone’s eyes followed in the direction where the Sky Beast had pointed and were shocked to find it was pointed at a now shaking Kimi.
Questions filled Garn’s head.
“You want her? Why? I can give you fortunes beyond dream. Powerful tools or weapons the sky’s the limit but you actually want young Kimi, why?”
The Sky Beast again licked its lips and its black eyes began to shine with lust.
“Yes, that one, she will make a fine snack indeed. If you give her to me I will let bygones be bygones and our dispute will be settled here, if not…”
The Sky Beast once more began to gather power within itself before it continued.
“You will all die!”
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