Chapter 931 Monsters in the night

Chapter 931 Monsters in the night

Trian watched the dark forests light up with purple lights, void spells sent towards the Sentinels and Shadows methodically clearing the southern mountains. He hid behind a tree, focused on regenerating his mana as he smelled burning wood and blood. He saw dozens of spells and barriers flaring up all around him and throughout the trees, countering void spells, freezing monsters, or deflecting projectiles. He breathed in a deep breath, seeing the silver Executioners walking between the lower leveled adventurers and Medic Sentinels to make sure the void creatures wouldn’t break the formation with overwhelming numbers.

Aki’s machines did not engage except when the monsters broke through.

Trian knew that most of their fighters didn’t have the stats, spells, or weapons to efficiently kill the three mark monsters left behind by the Extraction, him included. Their most powerful mages and warriors could clear out hundreds if not more of the creatures in mere moments but they were busy protecting the many shelters and settlements still under attack, to bring some semblance of control back to the lands of the Accords.

He had felt overwhelmed with everything that had happened. Had felt tiny in the face of the void creatures stepping out of the massive rifts in the sky, and he had felt terror when they had first appeared in Morhill. And he knew most everyone else here had felt the same. He grit his teeth and felt the power of his magic running through his veins, red lighting crackling over his arms as he rushed out from behind the tree. He could see the flower-like heads, a few turning his way as he sent a bright set of red lightning bolts straight into their blooming faces.

He flew to the side, avoiding a purple blast before he teleported to the side. A short charge as he flew, his magic pulsing before he sent a bright burst of red lightning through the closest set of monsters, absorbing some of their health and mana in turn. He ducked his head to avoid a flying void spell and flew back when two of the creatures charged.

Fiery explosions ripped through the forest, crystal spears and arrows chipping away at the tough purple skin of the monsters.

Trian saw two Sentinels appear, their weapons wreathed in ash striking the long legs of the right most charging monster, one halberd cutting through a limb before the two Medics retreated once again, the creature stopping to face them when a chunk of rock struck its side, a thrown spear scraping past its rib cage.

Train teleported a second time and sent three bright bolts into the injured monster, the last one snapping its head back before he heard a ding resound in his mind, followed by more messages.

He grit his teeth, flying back when a stray void spell grazed his left thigh, ripping out a chunk of his armor and flesh below. He gasped, tumbling in the air before he flew back and past the line of Executioners, one machine every ten meters, Centurions and normal Guardians behind them to make sure the monsters would at least be slowed enough for the adventurers to escape in case the silver machines were destroyed as well.

He landed, breathing hard as he touched his bleeding thigh, much of his leg gone entirely. He summoned a piece of wood and set it between his teeth. Hand on his thigh, he let his lightning sear the veins shut. He fell to the forest floor, groaning in pain.

“Medic!” a nearby machine called out, the green eyed Centurion variant with four arms ending in closed fists stepping up to Trian, green eyes glowing as it scanned the surroundings.

“Second tier resistance and one spell still just rips through my armor and leg,” he spoke, on one knee as he waited for one of his Medics.

“Most of them are three marks. Be glad it wasn’t your head,” Aki said. “You are fighting well, the bolt that struck you wasn’t meant for you.”

Trian sighed when a Sentinel landed next to him. Vienna as far as he could tell.

The woman was clad in her slightly moving ash armor, her face shrouded, ashen wings at her back. The bow in her hand dissolved as she touched his leg, healing flowing into him. “Headmaster.”

A neutral tone, he surmised. A greeting, nothing more, nothing less.

He gave her a nod when the wound was closed, the tissue on his leg regenerated, fresh skin now exposed due to the destroyed piece of armor.

Vienna vanished in the same moment, Trian unable to see her in his vicinity. Past three hundred now, and progressing fast.

She had been one of the first to eclipse him, at least in personal power. There were many now in their organization, and he was proud of every last one of them. Thousands, hundreds of thousands of void creatures were crawling this realm, at least they would provide experience and levels to those willing to fight. And there were many.

One silver lining to all of this.

He was glad the Sentinels and Shadows worked together so well, neither any less mad when it came to the risks they were taking in this ongoing battle. Loss, anger, terror, revenge, opportunity. They all had their own reasons to be here.

Trian himself had not wanted to stay behind. Already he had wondered if his position as headmaster was justified at this point. Perhaps he would soon promote a willing Sentinel but not yet. Most of them were far too young, and far too eager for battle to even consider such a position. And until then, he wanted to show them that he too could fight. That he was present. At least to level three hundred, he sighed and spread his lightning wings once more. Then I’ll take a day off.

He smiled, reminded of his first months as a Shadow, the ambitions he’d had, the arrogance and ignorance with which he’d joined and fought.

Slow and steady now. Don’t want to die and embarrass yourself here.

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Navalis rushed past the branches and trees, coming to an abrupt halt when she saw another cluster of void creatures. They were two hundred meters away, carcasses of bears, trolls, and wolves covering the clearing where trees and bushes had been destroyed in the vicious battle. The wildlife in the southern mountains hadn’t often brought a real challenge to the Shadow’s Hand, few creatures would’ve stood a chance against the three mark void monsters.

She saw them consume flesh and blood with their spells, though she didn’t know what exactly they ate. Residual mana? Blood itself? Bone? All she knew was that the beings of the void sought out and killed any living thing in Elos.

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She raised her bow and aimed. The insides of their heads were most vulnerable. She charged a single arrow, feeling the magical projectile thrumming with energy and power. Enough to pierce through ten demons, enough to shatter through a wall. A moment later, she loosed, the arrow flaring up with light fifty meters later, burning bright and golden before it struck into the head of an unmoving void creature, the small explosion leaving a scorching mark but the creature still stood and turned to run towards her.

Navalis stayed on her branches and aimed again. It would take a while for the creature to cover the distance. They were resilient and powerful magical beings, but not the fastest. She charged three more arrows when she heard a roar from the left. Dozens of meters away.

She took in a deep breath, aimed and fired. Perhaps she could kill the single being before the others reached this cluster.

She saw a flying form of black armor wreathed in blue lightning crash past the trees, shattering a few of them as loud laughter resounded. Next to the Elder of the Hand flew a single Sentinel. A beast, she thought. Navalis had to avert her eyes when she laid eyes on the silver pole weapon the large man wielded in his hands. An artifact of great power, she knew it even at a distance.

Her arrows struck the monster charging her way, slowing it as she teleported away, making distance with a few quick steps through the tree tops before she aimed and loosed more arrows. She continued with the same approach until the creature fell and a message appeared within her mind. Hearing the distance explosions of spells, she knew how far away the moving line of Executioners and lower leveled fighters were. Looking up, she glimpsed a flying Watcher.

She sighed, knowing that her skills had already been replaced by one of their machines. Would there be need again for scouts and rangers when they had eyes flying far above? Either way, she wanted to fight the monsters, Sulivhaan having received an obvious answer to his question if they would want to join the fight. Any fool would take this opportunity. It did not come without danger, despite the machines, and the somewhat simple minds of their enemies.

But they were Shadows. They had come to Ravenhall in search of danger, in search of challenge, of glory.

She reached the clearing she had seen before, the carcasses of bears and trolls now joined by broken creatures of the void. She knew the Elder and the Sentinel would soon leave the confines of the southern mountains, despite the arcane lightning.

The suns will soon rise.