352. The Search

We were outnumbered, more than two-to-one. There were over twenty Wyverns circling around me, and I only had eight clones. Just using [Salvo of Vanity] drained me of a lot of energy, but it was necessary. The Wyverns charged us, unleashing their frost magic as my clones and I took off to the sky.

Fire and ice clashed— a brilliant explosion of magic. The Mistress of Remnants was weaker than the Frost Lord. She was 4 levels lower than him. A Level 142 [Lesser Wyvern]. But to defeat the Frost Lord, I had the help of two of my clones. And while she was weaker than him, she was still strong, so I’d have difficulty taking her down without any of my clone’s help.

There were three Wyverns for every one of my clones, while I battled the Mistress of Remnants on my own. I was pushed back by a blast of her ice magic, watching from the corner of my eye as one of my clones was clawed from behind by a Wyvern’s talons. We struggled, locked in combat with our enemies that outnumbered us.

We only had one saving grace— this wasn’t the entire flock of Wyverns. There were still more of them scattered throughout the city. If they’d been here, I might’ve lost. But they were preoccupied. Busy with my companions. Busy with the city. And thanks to that, I stood a chance.

Edithe Dawnrise craned her neck as she heard the shrill shrieks echo from above. She saw Salvos clashing with dozens of Wyverns, accompanied by golden figures. They looked like duplicates of the silver-haired girl, borne from fire and magic. The red-haired woman gaped.

“What… is that Skill?”

“Edithe!”

A young man’s voice snapped her out of her stupor. Daniel called out to her as he raised his Primordial Longsword.

“Focus. We have a job to do.”

“R-right.”

Edithe blinked a few times, glancing between him and the crowd behind them. They were just two people, yet they stood protectively over the evacuees fleeing the city. A city guard of Catark raised a hand, pointing at a shadowed figure swooping down from above.

“It’s coming again!”

Panic ran through the crowd as they saw the Wyvern coming down for a quick snack. Daniel braced himself as Edithe glanced up. She raised her Primordial Staff, aiming at the Wyvern as it let out a roar.

“[Frostflame Vortex]!”

A blast of fire and ice shot out from the tip of her staff, enhanced by its inherent effects. It struck the Wyvern head-on. It engulfed the winged beast in frost and flame. Edithe thought it would’ve slowed— that her attack would’ve at least scratched the monster’s hide. She was, after all, a Level 104 [Sentinel of Elements]. A Diamond Ranked adventurer. Amongst the peak of Humankind. But she was mistaken.

Because it dwarfed her level entirely.

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl 126]

The Wyvern tore through the attack. It let out a screech as it came for the red-haired woman, angered by the blast of ice and fire more than anything. Edithe’s eyes grew wide as it drew closer. And Daniel leapt in front of her.

“[Crescent Fury]!”

He unleashed a flurry of strikes at the Wyvern. His blade sunk into the monster’s skin, tearing its hide open. The Wyvern let out a roar as it flew back to the sk and circled above them like a vulture. Daniel panted, glancing back at Edithe.

“Stay back and make sure the people are safe!”

“But what about you?”

She started, and he shook his head. Daniel Song, the [Hero] from another world, stepped forward. A glow overcame him. He was wreathed in a glowing armor. His sword extended, powered by some kind of aura. Edithe stared as he glanced back once.

“I’ll keep the Wyverns back.”

Then he leapt forward. Edithe watched as he jumped a hundred feet into the air, slashing at the flying Wyvern with his now gigantic broadsword. He was only Level 113. Barely 10 levels above Edithe. Still 10 levels below the Wyvern. Yet, there he was, battling it in the sky.

Meanwhile, Edithe stayed on the ground. She was unable to help, aside from casting the occasional spell to distract the Wyvern. She followed the evacuation as they funneled out of the city’s gates, looking at the two sets of fighting from a distance.

At the very heart of Catark, she saw explosions. A golden blast ripped throughout the city, bringing down multiple Wyverns as Salvos continued her fight with the bulk of the Wyvern flock. And much closer to the city’s walls, Daniel finally felled that one Wyvern he’d been fighting. He leapt onto another’s back, cutting apart its wings as they both dove out of the sky.

And as Edithe watched these two scenes, she realized something. She’d once again fallen behind. Salvos was up there, fighting dozens of Wyverns with no one but… her clones accompanying her. Daniel was fighting Wyverns 10 to 20 levels above him and winning.

Edithe wasn’t even able to help. The red-haired woman gritted her teeth as this realization sunk in. As she stood on her own, far beneath her friends. She wanted to do something. She felt like she needed to do something. But she couldn’t, even if she tried.

Screams erupted behind her. She saw the shadow— heard the beating of the wings. A Wyvern landed before her as her gaze snapped up.

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl 131]

It was larger than even the first Wyvern that came for her. Its eyes fixed on Edithe, hungry and wild. The nearby [Archers] loosed arrows at the Wyvern with their Skills as [Mages] formed a circle and erected a barrier. Edithe stood ahead of them, shouting.

“Get back!”

Daniel and Salvos were preoccupied. It was all up to her to hold off this Wyvern from getting to the evacuees. She unleashed another [Frostflame Vortex], but the Wyvern sent its own frost breath back at her. The explosion of the clashing magic sent her flying back. She stumbled to her feet— the world wheeling around her as she heard the heavy footsteps of the Wyvern drawing closer.

Edithe looked up just in time for the Wyvern to loom over her. Its mouth hung open, almost like it dislocated its own jaw. She flinched—

And the aura around her flashed. The Wyvern stumbled back, repelled by the myriad of protective artifacts Edithe wore. She scrambled to her feet as the Wyvern charged her once again.

“[Shield of the Misty Lord]!|

She slammed her staff to the ground, and a giant wall of ice appeared before her. The Wyvern crashed into the ice barrier. It stared at it, confused. Then it tried to swerve around it. But Edithe just moved her staff, and the [Shield of the Misty Lord] swung with it.

Wherever Edithe pointed, the barrier was there. The Wyvern couldn’t get to her. It unleashed a blast of ice magic— sending down a hail of ice spikes at the red-haired woman. But despite their level differences, Edithe’s greatest defensive Skill managed to hold up.

The Wyvern roared in frustration and turned away from Edithe. Then it caught sight of a susurration. It looked over at the side— at the evacuees and the few city guards with them. And Edithe’s eyes widened.

“No— [A Guardian’s Blessing]!”

She called out, but it wouldn’t help. The city guards moved faster. They were wrapped in ribbons of light. Like butterflies that came down to render them aid. They’d have healed from any injuries they sustained. And their Stats would gain a minor boost. But it wasn’t enough to face the Wyvern.

Edithe cried out, dropping the [Shield of the Misty Lord] as the Wyvern rammed through the defenses of the guards. Dozens of figures went flying into the air, like ragdolls being hurled. Their bodies were broken, and they fell limply to the ground with heavy thuds.

“You bastard!”

She raised her Primordial Staff as it flashed. The Wyvern actually glanced back at her as it caught sight of the glint. A golden light coalesced around her staff as she screamed.

“[Ray of Retribution]!”

It was one of Edithe’s strongest Skills. A beam of gold shot out. It moved almost instantaneously. The Wyvern couldn’t even react, despite the speed it normally moved at. The [Ray of Retribution] struck the monster, engulfing it in a rainbow-colored blast.

The red-haired woman panted as the Skill ended. It drained her of her magic. She looked up hopefully, staring into the smoke that was clearing.

An ice sphere shot out at her from the smoke. She tried to throw herself out of the way, but the explosion of frost caught her. Her protective artifacts failed. The blast knocked her back as the aura around her dissipated. She winced, cut on the cheek and the forearms by the ice shards. She rolled on the ground to a stop as the Wyvern emerged triumphantly from the smoke.

Edithe lay there, grimacing. She was weak. Too weak. She couldn’t hope to defeat the Wyvern. It was 20 levels above her. There wasn’t much she could do. Daniel and Salvos were preoccupied, and she’d already used up most of her good Skills to no avail.

The Wyvern rose up as it let out a screech. Edithe craned her neck. She could only see the monster’s figure reflected on the ground amongst the death and destruction. It cast a shadow over the corpses of all it had killed. Edithe stared into the lifeless eyes of a man. One of the guards who’d helplessly held the line against the Wyvern.

The red-haired woman heard the screams of the panicked citizens of Catark. She sensed the magic coalescing around the Wyvern. She thought of Daniel and Slavos. And she rose to her feet.

No, I am not weak! She still had one trump card left. Edithe raised her arms as she strode amongst the dead. She wasn’t a [Necromancer]. She couldn’t raise the dead. But she could draw power from them. Avenge those who had died.

The gloating Wyvern flapped its wings as it gazed at those fleeing Catark. It had all of them to itself. It would feast on their corpses— a grand buffet. Then a voice shouted, drawing its gaze.

“Hey!”

Edithe stood as the ground beneath her feet seemed to sparkle. Motes of cinder rose from the dead surrounding her. The Wyvern stared at her, puzzled at the sight as the red-haired woman raised her staff.

“I’m not finished yet. [Vindication of They].”

All at once, the gathering sparks shot upt. It took on the ethereal, burning form of a mirror-image of the Wyvern. The spell drew from the pain that had been inflicted here, and the Wyvern’s eyes grew wide.

Its confusion turned to anger as it unleashed the frost breath it had been building up. But it phased through the apparition. [Vindication of They] came for the Wyvern, moving faster than the monster could flee.

Vengeance incarnate. It struck the Wyvern mid-flight, erupting into a blaze of brilliant crimson. Edithe’s eyes glinted at the sight. There was a terrible shriek. Words echoed in her head. Then it was over.

Defeated [Lesser Frost Wyvern - Lvl 131]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Class [Sentinel of Elements] Level Up!

[Sentinel of Elements - Lvl. 104] -> [Sentinel of Elements - Lvl. 105]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Edithe grinned in victory as the Wyvern fell. She’d just recently leveled up, so the fact that she’d already leveled up again was quite exhilarating. She would’ve luxuriated in this moment if not for the fact that she heard a shrill screech. She glanced back just in time to see another Wyvern descending from the sky.

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl 126]

“You’ve got to be fucking—”

She backed up hurriedly as the Wyvern dove straight for her. It was a dive bomb. It came so fast, she barely saw the blur. Edithe closed her eyes and whispered.

“[Greater Aura of—”

Would she cast it in time? She hoped that she would. But before the spell could even go off, she saw a flicker through her closed eyes. A bright light flashed, seeping through her eyelids. Edithe felt the heat. The flames.

She looked up, blinking as the burning Wyvern lay on the floor. It was writhing in pain. One of its wings had been entirely burned off. The red-haired woman gaped.

“...Salvos?”

A golden explosion erupted in the middle of the city as Salvos continued her battle, far from Edithe. But if it wasn’t Salvos, then who…?

The red-haired woman paused. She finally caught sight of her savior. A [Will O’ Wisp] flitted down beside her, glinting a dark crimson.

Willy.

He sent another blast of crimson flames at the Wyvern before it could get up. It slowly burned to death as Edithe stared. Then she narrowed her eyes.

“But if you’re here, that means—”

Her gaze snapped to the sky as she saw the clouds moving. And with a booming thunder, a figure descended from the sky.

The trio of Wyvern crashed into my clone’s back, snarling and snapping at her head. She was tired. Exhausted. So she just accepted her fate. She exploded into a golden cross that tore through the city. It ripped apart the frozen barracks, melting the ice as it took out the three Wyverns.

That was another clone down. I was now down to just four of my clones. Half of the eight that I started with. And I was getting tired. The Mistress of Remnants sneered as she sent a salvo of ice spikes my way.

“Are you tired, false Human? Give up and abandon these people if you wish to live. They are not your own.”

I dove down out of the way. A few of the projectiles struck my back, finally breaking the Aura of Greater Protection around me. I yelped and faced the Wyvern leader.

“I made a promise to Saffron and princess Rana. And I’m not going to lose to you.”

I countered with my own flaming projectiles. The Mistress of Remnants reeled back as she took the brunt of my attacks. My clones fought with her Wyverns all around us..There were still nearly 20 of the Wyverns. Around a dozen and a half. My clones weren’t able to take down as many as I’d have liked— the fact that I was grossly outnumbered here hurt even more when I’d already used up all my speed Skills just to get to Catark.

But my biggest mistake might’ve actually been summoning all the clones I did all at once. It exhausted me. Made it difficult for me to defeat the Mistress of Remnants on my own. If I wasn’t as tired, I could’ve possibly beaten her by now.

The Mistress of Remnants laughed as another one of my clones was brought down, killing only two Wyverns this time. The Wyverns were finally picking up that my clones would explode upon dying, so they were smart about it. They managed to avoid it best they could this time.

“Then you shall die for no greater cause.”

Three Wyverns broke off from fighting my severely outnumbered clones and charged at me. The Mistress of Remnants joined them as they flew my way, and I readied myself to take them all on my own. Despite my exhaustion. My hand glowed as [Demon’s Mark] seared itself on my palm, ready for use.

But before the Wyverns could encroach on me, lightning fell from the heavens above. It thundered down, a shower of strikes. The Mistress of Remnants hurriedly dodged out of the way, avoiding the lightning bolt entirely. But the Wyverns accompanying her weren’t as lucky. They exploded from the attack as even more lightning fell from the sky.

The Mistress of Remnants cried out— not in any physical pain, but pain nonetheless— as her kin died. She cast her gaze to the sky, glaring in anger as the clouds parted. I looked up in shock as a figure emerged.

Storm clouds had gathered at some point, masking the evening sky. But there was no rain. No violent wind. A woman stood atop the only pure white cloud as it slowly descended. She looked down at the frozen city— at all the dead scattered throughout the streets. And her brows creased.

I recognized her, even though I had only met her briefly just a few hours ago. Everyone had looked at her with respect. With a sense of admiration.

Helena Warshade.

She simply raised her crystal staff, speaking simply.

“[Mana Storm: Lightning Vortex].”

My eyes widened as the ground shook. The strands of mana in the air bent. Crackling electricity shot up from the earth and crashed from the sky. The Wyverns dove around in a panic, but many were caught by the torrent of lightning.

These were monster’s I’d been struggling with, even with my clones. I had so much difficulty dealing with them. Yet, half their numbers were culled at that moment. They’d been greatly reduced, just like that. They’d dropped to just seven Wyverns left, including the enraged Mistress of Remnants.

I stared, slowly taking in the scene. I looked up at Helena Warshade in awe. This was the power of an Elite. This was the strength of the greatest the Human lands had to offer.

The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy. The leader of the Rising Veterans Company. The second-highest leveled [Mage] in the world. The pinnacle of Humankind. An Elite.

“Huh.”

Now I understood why everyone had so much respect for her.