Before our eyes, the guardians that we've somehow managed to defeat are rising to their feet once more, to fight again one last time.

"Aurelius, get to the princess! I'll hold them!"

"But-"

"I can handle it. It's not as if they're Champions and I've struck them down before. And if I may be blunt, with your current skill, you'll only get in the way. So go now, while you can!"

I am hesitant to leave. Merida had only taken them out because she caught them by surprise, and at the time there were only two of them. Now, there's five, even the fairies has decided that we're a bigger threat and needs to be dealt with rather than the princess that is now approaching the Tree. However, she's right. I'll only get in the way. More importantly, if we don't deal with the Tree's [Ward] somehow, we won't be able to deal enough damage before reinforcements arrives.

"Stay safe, Merida."

"I'll do my utmost."

From my grimoire, I pull out yet another [contract].

"Timothy!"

From thin air, with a gust of cold accompanying him, the [Snow Liger] appears before me. Promptly, I climb atop him and point him towards the princess.

"Go, as fast as you can."

Unlike Michaela, Timothy does not speak, but somehow, I can feel his compliance. With his powerful legs, Timothy begins to sprint, moving at such speed that if I were a second late in grabbing onto his fur, I would most like have been blown off. With his razor sharp claws, he digs into the bark of the tree, easily scaling it as he would in his natural habitat atop the mountains.

Seeing us trying to break away, the fairies give chase, raining down fire and stone at us, the elements most effective against a [Snow Liger]. However, while he does not have the defensive capabilities of Fredericka, Timothy is much more agile, allowing him to deftly weave his way around the blasts of magic.

That being said, this is still a problem. So long as these fairies remain in the air, there are no ways for either me or Timothy to retaliate, and with Merida busy with the rest of the guardians, we can only rely on ourselves to deal with these two. If only I have a flying creature with me, then taking care of them would be a cinch. Alternatively, I could use [Feather Weight] to allow Timothy to leap high into the air. If only I had obtained the skill form the Holy Beast. I haven't requested it since that one time I tried, and something happened back there that rendered us both unconscious. I didn't dare to try again, the priestesses are pissed at me enough to pick a fight last time, and more importantly, I needed the Holy Beast in top condition to summon the winds that would carry our makeshift air ship over the forest. I couldn't risk it just to get a single spell.

Another shot of magic flew by my head accompanied by a terrifying high pitch sound. It was a spike of stone, and having missed both Timothy and me, it embedded itself deep into the massive root we're running atop of. Even with [Greater Protection Boost], I'm not sure if I would survive if I was hit. Something needs to be done here and now, before they eventually strike me down.

"Timothy!"

Timothy turns around, facing the fairies, even before I give him my command. It's as if he could read my thoughts.

I gaze upon the fairies, measuring the distance between them and us with my [Insight] skill.

"About two? No, three, three should do it."

Sensing something amiss, the fairies try to take off higher up into the air. It is, however, too late, as they are well within my range.

"[Bind Circle]!"

The magic circle appears above them, catching the ascending fairies within it, binding them and rendering them defenseless aside from their distance from the ground, which prevents anything short of a ranged weapon from reaching them. It's not going to be pretty, not at all, but I'm going to have to try, without any ranged weapon or flying creature, I'm going to take them out right here and right now.

I pat Timothy on his side, and without the need for words, he immediately knows to leap into the air. To move about within the mountain range at great speed, the [Snow Ligers] have powerful legs that allow them to both climb and jump while carrying prey. Timothy of course, is no exception, but, while his leap is powerful, propelling both of us high up in the air, high enough to easily vault over a fully grown man, it is still too short to reach the fairies. One leap simply isn't enough. Which is why he'll do a second jump, and he'll do it in mid air.

"[Mana Wall]!"

In Elysium Online, the [Mana Wall] is but a static shield that stops damage, placed upon which ever direction the player is facing. However, that was in the game, when the character can only be registered as facing towards the front, the back, the left, or the right, or somewhere in-between, never above or below, Elysium Online was not a game with that sort of dynamic. However, here, in Elgardia, things are different, whether it be above or below, without the restriction of a reality simulated by a game engine, I can place the [Mana Wall] in whichever direction I please. And so, for this specific case, I chose to place it beneath Timothy as he is in mid-air, effectively turning the wall into a floating platform.

However, one was not enough, according to [Insight], it'll take three leaps from Timothy to reach the fairies. And so...

"[Mana Wall]!"

I cast the spell a second, time, bypassing the cooldown. The very moment the second [Mana Wall] manifests, I feel the sensation akin to lava flooding through my veins and needles stabbing into the centers of every single nervous systems in my body. It is the sensation of "mana burn" the consequence of casting a spell before one's body is ready.

With a swift movement, Timothy, crushes one of the fairies in between his fangs while I fight against the pain of mana burn for just long enough to haphazardly fling my grimoire towards the other. The grimoire smashes into the small fragile frame of the other fairy, igniting the tiny creature in azure flames via the effects of [Holy Weapon].

With the fairy caught within his fangs turning into glittering dust, the eventual fate of all brought back by [Resurrection], Timothy lands back onto the massive root with a feline's grace. But even then, I am hardly able to hang on and end up rolling off of the large cat-like creature after feeling the soft impact of the landing. The pain coursing through my body has become too much to handle, even while I'm in my out-of-body state.

"Quickly... to the princess..."

Even so, I can't stop here. I don't have the time. If this battle doesn't end soon, everything will be lost.

Gently, Timothy carries me within his jaws, carefully delivering my body towards the trunk of the [Demonic Tree], where the princess awaits.

***

As I draw closer to the trunk, I feel the cold air spreading from the [Frost Ward], dramatically lowering the temperature. Not liking the cold very much, I have Timothy release me from his jaws and with a bit of struggle, climb atop him once more and bury as much of myself as possible into his thick coat of white fur. It's soft and warm, and I would love to just spend the whole day buried in it. Of course, I am more than aware that can't be done; there's not even a second to waste, much less a day.

Proceeding atop of Timothy, I find the princess, standing before the colossus trunk of the [Demonic Tree], the princess gazes upon the gigantic [Frost Ward] swirling above. Something is wrong, even though time is of the essence, she does not seem to be doing anything but stand there.

"Princess, what's wrong?"

Her ears perk upon hearing my weak voice, turning immediately towards me with a shocked expression.

"Aurelius, what happened?"

"I just over did it with the spells, nothing that's going to kill me. More importantly, why haven't you dispelled the [Ward]?"

At my question, she turns back towards the [Ward] swirling above.

"I have tried, but it's far too massive. I don't think I have enough mana to deal with it."

Her words confuse me, though I am quick to come to an understanding of what she is saying. It appears that I have made another miscalculation. I had thought that the casting of [Dispel] comes at a flat cost, that it'll cost the same amount of Mp each time it is cast, just like in the game. However, I suppose that was just wishful thinking. As the scale of the target grows, so does the cost of casting [Dispel].

I concentrate at the corner of my vision, where all Hp and Mp bars of everyone in the platoon are visible. It seems that the princess still have a third of her Mp left. Is that enough? I don't know and [Insight] only shows information of something I am viewing. Unless the princess uses [Dispel] on the Tree again, I won't have a clue. I can't have her waste any more Mp though.

"Either way, I'm glad you waited for me."

"I waited because I knew you would come, I somehow felt it."

Is that so? I wonder if that has anything to do with the [Soul Bond] effect.

"Well then, I suppose you're thinking about the same thing that I am."

"I would hope so."

The princess helps me off Timothy, who I then promptly send to Merida. Hopefully she won't need the help, but having come so far, I feel like maybe our luck might be running out anytime now.

With my arm over the princess' shoulder, the two of us approaches the trunk and place our hands upon the bark of the [Demonic Tree].

"There is more than one way to dispel a [Ward], and this is something we can both do, right, princess?"

"Indeed, though I'm sure mine won't be as powerful as yours."

"But mine alone won't be powerful enough. We're going to have to do it together."

"Then together it is. Are you ready, Aurelius?"

"Even if I'm not, we're going to have to do it. There's no turning back now."

At the same time, we take our breaths, and then, together...

***

From beneath the [Demonic Tree] a wave of heat surges forth, meeting the swirling frost above and fights it for dominance over the temperature. However, it is not meant to be, the heat is only as strong as the frost, and so in the end, neither is able to dominate, and both cancels the other out.

"They've done it."

I watch from afar with my [Insight] skill as I stand amidst a field of azure flames. At my side is a Knight, and if I remember correctly, his calls himself Gil. Diligently, he hacks at the plants without rest, keeping them away from me. His breathing is becoming erratic and clearly fatigue is catching up on him. He won't last long, but, hopefully, he won't have to.

From the ground, I feel tremors, and as I turn to find the source, I spot a stampede of beast-like [Demons] rushing towards us. The flames we have set upon the surrounding woods can no longer be seen. All that is left is a thin veil of smoke rising up towards the sky.

"Gil, protect me."

The Knight as well sees the stampede and turns to looks me in the eyes upon being asked. I can see his arms and legs shaking, but towards me he puts on a big smile.

"Gladly, Lady Toto."

I can't tell for sure with his helmet on, but I think he might be rather young, as young as Cecilia perhaps. It's crazy, to be able to put on such a bright smile in the face of such danger. Is he doing this because I'm a Champion? Is this how much trust he puts in me to win this? I... Can I really win this? I have to, right? Since if I don't everyone would die. I wonder, if this is something that Aurelius and Cecilia have to deal with, if this is what they think about all the time.

I remember, on the other night, Cecilia spent it in Aurelius' tent. Six said that they might be doing the "deed", but I don't think so. Six was asleep at the time, but I can hear them, vaguely, but I can hear them. They seemed to be arguing about something, I'm not entirely sure, but I think they're talking about Six and me, and they sounded worried. At times, I am relieved that they're here. Around them, I feel safe, like they're going to take care of everything. I just have to do my best so I can help them. But, during times like that night, when I see those two talking in secret while casting their worried gazes towards Six and me, I can't help but feel like I'm just being a burden, that my best isn't enough.

But, even so, I have to do this, I have to win. I want to go back with Aurelius and the princess. I want to see Cecilia again. I want the soldier that followed us here to be able to go home to their families.

"Everything, I'll give everything for this."

I call upon my spell, gathering what they call "mana" towards the tip of my staff as my Mp bar drains. It is a strange sensation, even though I've never casted a spell outside of games before coming to this world, this came to me so naturally, as if I've been doing this all my life. As the mana gathered together, clustered and compressed to their fullest, they begin to release their glow, what the people here call the light of magic. The light glow brilliantly at the tip of my staff, and I feel a pressure throughout my arm, as if blood is about to burst from my veins. I'm at my limit, this is the greatest amount of mana I can gather at a time, but I need more, more than this.

"Lady Toto! The [Demons], they're coming!"

From behind, I hear Gil calling, but I am unable to respond, is it taking me everything I have to keep my mana concentrated. Just a little more, a bit more. I have to do this.

And then, I reach the absolute of my limits, and I release the spell.

"[Meteor]!"

The instant the spell is cast, the sky turns crimson, and from beyond the clouds, a great fire ball descends, drawing towards the [Demonic Tree]. Upon the moment of impact, a loud noise resounds and shockwaves born from the collision blow across the field, creating powerful gales. I brace myself, fighting against the gale for my footing as I watch the giant [Demonic Tree] catching fire. However, it's still standing, and throughout its massive trunk and branches, surges the energy of life. It is desperately trying to heal itself, and with how powerful its healing is, I don't doubt that it'll be as if none of this had even happened in a few moments' time. That is why, though I promised not to do this ever again, I went and did it again. I can think of no other ways to win. That's why, I'm sorry, Aurelius. You can yell at me as much as you want later, but just let me push it, just one more time.

Another ball of fire falls, followed by another, and then another. Four consecutive [Meteor] spells. Intense pain assaults me, as if I've been splashed with acid and set on fire. The pain is so intense, even my spirit left the body. Now, I look upon my own avatar on the ground, a feeling akin to watching a game from across the screen.

One by one, the [Meteors] crash into the [Demonic Tree]. Two plummets into the Tree's base and set the roots on fire while another two smashing into its trunk, forcing even this massive Tree to start bending, uprooting the now burning roots. Even so, the Tree continues to burst with the lights of healing magic, trying to fight against the fire. It's no use, however. As soon as a part of the Tree heals, it is quickly turn into ashes. The Tree's healing is no longer able to catch up with the all consuming fire.

The Tree continues to tilt, and the roots that were supposed to hold it in place, are scorched and start to break apart. As my vision fades away, I see the Tree hitting the ground, creating tremors that turn over the earth over great distances.

I've done it. We've won. But, what happened to Aurelius and the princess? They were at the Tree. I hope they got away in time. And what will happen to me now? Am I dead? Will I disappear? I wonder, if I die here, will I be able to return?

I can't see anything anymore. Even though it was so chaotic just moments ago, I can't hear a sound. Even though my body felt as if it was on fire, now I'm so cold. I... I'm scared. Is there no one? Cecilia? Aurelius? Six? Somebody... please...

...

...

...

***

End of Chapter 44