Now how to find Zakrens? Edward’s eyes had difficulty adapting to the sudden variation of brightness between the dark clouds blocking obscuring the sky and the flashes of lightning. The lightning strikes were so close to each other that the thunder from the first strike was still rolling when the second strike came turning the thunder in a continuous dull rumble.

Thankfully he still had his compass and his aura to help him. With all the blood essence he had consumed his aura was able to extend up to 1.7 kilometers around him, this was less than his eyesight in normal time but in such a situation, it was pretty useful. Mm, I must have deviated somewhat. Considering the distance I’m crossing an error of a few degrees on my cap gets magnified several times. Let’s check a bit further to the west.

The advantage of Edward’s traveling speed was that an error margin of a few kilometers could be solved within seconds. He found himself facing a city remembering him of Minas Tirith. The city was sprawled against a mountain’s flank, the buildings climbing the mountain’s side that acted as an impassable wall but which also cut any path of retreat. The city itself was surrounded by tall walls and the habitations on the inside were tightly packed together to save space, restraining the roads to narrow streets.

Same approach as the rest, let’s announce my presence and find the leader.

Edward teleported to the top of the city walls but didn’t find any guards manning it. What the hell? A spike of anxiety flared through him. Did I arrive too late? Has it become a ghost city? His aura picked up living guards in a tower overlooking the walls fifty meters on his left dousing his rising anxiety. He teleported next to them, his arrival concomitant with a flash of lightning.

The five guards in the room jumped in fright at his sudden appearance. Edward held an empty hand toward them. “Peace, no need to be afraid, I’m an ally.” He could have sent them a telepathic message to warn them in advance, but he was fast enough to prevent any fighting from occurring and a childish part of him enjoyed their surprised faces.

“Who-What are you?” The captain asked while brandishing his sword.

Edward sighed, having to explain himself every time was not a part he was looking forward to. “I’m an ally. I was sent by Ignis to help. Actually, an army should be on its way too but I don’t know how much time they will take to arrive.” I wonder if the army will even be helpful. By the time they arrive, I should have resolved the situation. Well, I still had to do it since I didn’t know when the Andherians would attack.

“What’s the situation over here? Can you tell me where your leader is? It will be easier if I can talk to him directly.” Edward continued. His explanations seemed to have eased the guards who were slowly lowering their swords.

The captain winced. “The situation is not great. Those Rocs keep pestering us, and they are strong enough that we are not able to repel them. We tried to shoot at them with ballista but they fly fast enough that such weapons are not that effective, and they blasted them to scraps with their lightning. Even our wind users were not able to stop them, we had no choice but to hide and forsake the walls themselves. Those damn birds even picked us within the city as if we were but mice. The majority of the population is hiding in shelters within the mountain, but that means all activities are halted and I don’t know how long we will be able to sustain. The only silver lining is that those birds are but monsters, and they stopped attacking us when they didn’t find anyone to eat anymore. But if we get attacked by a swarm of Troglodytes or by a Behemoth while the walls are unmanned the city is done for.”

“Thanks for the information.” Edward nodded. “Now, could show me the direction to the one managing this city?” Edward repeated himself while musing about what he had learned. Giant fast birds able to wield lightning. These are not the easiest opponents I had to face. Aura steps, teleportation, and my acceleration should be enough to catch up to them but depending on their numbers avoiding lightning strikes will be quite hard to achieve.

“Oh yes sorry, Balara should be in the shelters with the others. I don’t envy them. It may be dangerous outside, but at least no one is bickering with you,” the guard added.

Edward nodded, his aura already extending toward the flank of the mountain. The next instant he was gone. He reappeared next to the mountain’s side, his aura crossing through the buildings in search of the shelters. He noticed one place where his aura was lagging behind, having difficulty crossing through the ground. Looks like they added runes against aura probing on top of their shelters. It is good enough against mindless monsters but against any sapient being it is obvious that something is concealed. I wonder if someone could display fake feedback instead of simply blocking aura, this would be much harder to notice.

Edward teleported inside the building, a few seconds was all that it took him for his aura to pierce through the runes supposed to block him. Such runes were not designed to be fully impervious to aura but only to block it long enough that someone visiting wouldn’t have the time to probe past the protection. An awaken wouldn’t be able to probe past it, a predator would require some time, and for a patriarch, those runes were almost useless. Anyway, as the highest level of power having a patriarch after you was a guaranteed death in this world.

Edward appeared in the shelter's main room, it was a wide space but crowded with berths and people. The light was dimmed, provided by glowing runes on the walls and ceiling but it was far more sustainable than torches. As Edward had appeared without a noise most people hadn’t noticed his arrival within the hubbub of worried conversations. With his aura, Edward probed the surroundings, multiple rooms and corridors were branching from the main area. There was a kitchen, some bathrooms, mushroom growing spaces, an armory, some small warehouses, and a meeting room with a big round table where numerous persons at the predator rank were reunited. Found them.

Edward reappeared in front of the room and knocked on the wooden door as the two guards protecting it watched him flabbergasted. The conversation within the room stopped, but the atmosphere seemed quite tense from the few words that Edward had managed to hear.

“Who…” the left guard began, but Edward interrupted him. “No worry I’m here to provide my help.”

The door opened wide by an incensed middle-aged man wearing a steel mesh. “The council is in session. I hope this is important.” His eyes widened when he realized the power of Edward’s aura. “Who are you?” he asked while getting his hand on his left hip where he was carrying an empty sheath. Looks like weapons are not allowed inside. That’s good for me, less chance of starting a fight.

Edward teleported past him as the man was blocking the way. “Good day to you. Forgive me for my impromptu entrance but I don’t have much time. I was sent at Ignis's request to help. Please note that I’m unaware of how long I will be able to stay, an army is also on the way to provide reinforcements but it will probably take a few days to reach you.”

This council was formed by five people including the one that had opened the door, three men, and two women. Edward had just stopped speaking when everybody talked over each other.

“You can’t just barge in! Who do–,”

“How can we trust you?”

“What do you think you will be able to do on your own?”

The woman had the end of the room hit the table with her fist to get things in order. She had dark brown eyes that seemed almost black in the half-light of the room. Her black hair reached up to her shoulders and she had determined eyes.

“What are your capabilities?” She asked with an authoritative voice.

“I’m at the patriarch stage,” Edward answered casually, while the persons present reacted with shock and disbelief, slowly realizing who they had in front of them.

“Balara, you can’t really think about working with a stranger not even respecting protocols?” the one that had opened the door asked with incredulity.

Balara simply threw him a dark glare and ignored him focusing back on Edward. “We are getting assailed by Rocs, giant birds with lightning capabilities. Each of them takes a group of predators to repel. You think you can take care of them?”

“It will depend on their numbers, but yes,” Edward answered, appreciating that Balara was not wasting time and cutting the pointless chatter.

“Good, then you take care of them. Once this is done, we may need the incoming army. Rocs are not the only threat, but I’ll brief you if you are still around.” Balara finished.

“That works for me,” Edward replied. “One more thing,” he summoned a clone. “Summoning clones is one of my powers, it will be able to maintain contact while I hunt those Rocs.” He nodded to the persons present and teleported directly to the outside leaving only the clone behind. He had no sooner left than the ruckus resumed but Edward paid it no mind keeping only the barest focus on his clone.

That was promptly done. However, her advisers seem to be less competent. I’m glad my job is to hunt monsters rather than to listen to people yelling at each other.

Now to hunt those monsters. Nobody told me where to find them, but if they are regularly scouring the city I just have to make my presence known.

Now that he was back on the outside the thunder that had been dulled by the shelter’s walls resonated again to full volume, the lightning illuminating the dark clouds above him from within.

Edward ignored all common sense advising to avoid standing out when in a storm and he teleported in the sky. He wasn’t there to hide but to hunt. He bolstered his voice and issued a challenge. “HEY YOU WIMP CHICKENS! COME GET ME IF YOU CAN!” He knew the Rocs couldn’t understand him but his shout would get their attention all the same and he felt pretty good provoking them in such a way.