Minutes after in Liberia , the Silver sparrow inn...
A subtle magical wave tore through the walls prying off the old paint with tempestuous momentum. " Boom!" A second later another wave crashed shaking the building bringing the adventurers out of their drunken stupor.
" What's happening?!" Cries of alarm echoed as some awoke arming themselves to the shaking building and in the midst of it 2 figures quickly, silently entered the building and ran upstairs to the wave source, Nathaniel's room.
"BANG!" Kicking the door, they entered.
" They are gone." Hawk 1 the man in his 40s said as he lay witness to the razed room. Hawk 2 crouched down his hand feeling the subtle magical residue that was quickly waning. " A long distance teleportation circle." he mumbled and picked up a plain dagger that was tint blue with a pool of blue underneath it.
" It was a trap. Considering the dome over the city, the long distance teleportation attempt must have failed and they ended up probably teleporting around 3 kilometers in the vicinity of the city. Looking at the set up, it was a professional group so they likely accounted for the failure. They just needed their target out of the city. " Hawk 1 said delving further into the ruins of the room.
" Seek and capture." Hawk 2 said, " They either want something or information that the target has but they weren't confident enough that they could capture him silently or without alerting the powers within the city. So they took him quietly. So what do you want to do?" Hawk 2 turned to Hawk 1 and asked.
" While its possible that he is one of our targets, it could also be independent from our mission. Nevertheless, lets first find out who booked this room and then go from there. Take a sample of the poison. " Hawk 1 said as he turned to the shuffling sounds of footsteps rushing towards the room.
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" Mmhaa...haaa" Nathaniel let out heavy breaths with paleness smearing his flushed face whilst staring at the 2 remaining enemies. Ice chunks fell to the ground as he stood wobbling back and forth preparing for the last bout. Blood smeared his white shirt as his right lung bleed profusely.
Minutes earlier....
John and Joannah faded from sight draped in darkness as electric surges lit up the night sky blinding Nathaniel sightly and with instinct his ice sword glazed Liliana's dagger and chain deflecting it back.
Cloud flashed and instantly swung his sword draped in lightning aiming at his leg. With a shoulder bash, "Bang." Cloud catapulted into the distance. Reverse griping the sword he thrust underneath his armpit impaling john's stomach.
In a mad rush John jumped back, blood dripping as coldness permeated into his body. He grit his teeth numbing the pain but his eyes on the rushing figure coming at him.
The ice rapidly molded and ice lances sprang forward aimed at John. From behind Nathaniel, snowflakes rained down on the forest piercing at everything in it.
John formed a shroud of darkness and using shadow walk he attempted to flee but Nathaniel pursued and a series of ice shards maiming his barrier. After a minute of relentless pursuit and with a resounding crack the shroud of darkness fell revealing John's pale face. Ice was spreading from his left abdomen slithering gradual over his body.
" Liliana! Quickly...HELP HIM" Joannah shouted desperately fleeing from the assault of the snowflakes. Fire burned endearingly as a dome covering Liliana. Frustrated Liliana shouted back," I can't move!" Her eyes pleadingly looked at Cloud but he like them was in a mad rush dodging the endless assault of the snowflakes.
In a mad fit Nathaniel swung his sword, countless thrusts grazing John's body. Nathaniel marveled at his agility but it was short lived eventually his sword pierced through John's figure that was incased in ice having immobilized him.
" Haa." Letting out steamy deep breaths he released the shower of snowflakes and the other 3 immediately rushed to john's side but they met with the body of their now dead comrade.
Frustration washed over Cloud, despite being the strongest he had contributed very little to the battle thus far and now one of his men was dead.
" Bastard!" Cloud roared electric sparks illuminating the dark thicket of woods.
Lilian and Joannah's eyes gleamed with intent and strong reaffirmation to end Nathaniel.
Nathaniel glanced at his sword and shield despite the sturdiness of ice he wasn't at a level like the emperor, where he would create strong elemental weapons similar in power to artifacts.
Nonetheless this style of fighting suited him perfectly, it rapidly increased his power along with elemental affinities and mastery of his power. However with ice, the density was shallow so it fractured easily.
Looking at the figures surrounding him, they were relatively unscathed and his stamina was rapidly depleting.
"Woosh" The winds crazily kicked up a dust storm as Nathaniel gathered 25% of his null force instantaneously changing it into mana.
" Be on guard!" Cloud shouted advancing rapidly onto Nathaniel's figure attempting to stop him. The 20 or so meters would be meaningless in 2 seconds as lightning surged on his blade. However unlike before when he had used static ice domain, 2 rings of ice rapidly clashed causing ice shards to splinter of the ice stakes in the domain. 1 ring emerged from Nathaniel as as the epicenter and the 2nd ring encompassed them all advancing to the center clashing with the first ring spreading outwards.
The ice stakes pierced everything on the ground except the airborne figures. Clasping her hands a torrent of fire lit the skies as Liliana's dual affinity, fire raged at Nathaniel below. Spears of fire catapulted and crashed on the frozen ice creating craters. Nathaniel's figure hid behind tree after tree avoiding the fire spears.
" Shadow spears!" Joannah with rapt speed took advantage, ' I can't win 3 on 1. I need to separate them again!' Hiding behind a tree with ices stakes Nathaniel's shadow spasmed and shadow spears pierced his thighs. " Arghh." Nathaniel let out a muffled shout.
' Fuck...' He fell to his knees and immediately started casting petals of life spell but the rain of fire was not done, spears of fire slammed into him curving behind the tree.
A chill ran through him.
" Fuck..." He desperately raised his hands a barrier in an instant sprang forward....
" Booom!" Waves of fire incinerated everything 2 meters around him but from behind sword and eyes gleaming Cloud appeared. His murderous intent having overtaken him.
" Die you bastard!" He bellowed..." Noo! Stoop!!x2" 2 voices hurriedly shouted but it was too late as in a counter move the moment Cloud landed on the ground, an ice stake from the pierced his back tearing his heart into 2 but his sword flashed impaling Nathaniel's right lung. " Blerghh..." Both coughed up blood. In fascination Cloud looked down at the stake that ran through him stopping short in front of Nathaniel.
Disappointment reflected in his eyes as his grip on the sword faltered and Nathaniel took a couple steps back breathing heavily facing the 2 figures of Liliana and Joannah.
Lilian and Joannah drowned in madness and disbelief, were about rush at Nathaniel when their eyes turned grim looking behind Nathaniel. From behind him mana pulsed rapidly entering into Nathaniel. Turning his head he saw and would never forget one of the few people in this messed up world he truly called a friend.
Charles's frosty eyes stared at Liliana and Joannah as his mana entered Nathaniel rapidly healing him.
" You're late." Nathaniel chuckled falling limply to the ground. His pale flush as a tint of red was slowly recovering.
" Well...I had a lot of searching to do but thankfully you were never one to be subtle. Let me deal with this." Charles spread out his hand as withing 2 miles moisture from the disappeared and flames raged suffocating Joannah. Liliana was fine due to her dual affinity of elements.
Dual affinity of elements implied that the individual was born with two elements at the same proficiency and they both progress at the time. That is to say Lilian's overuse of water did not results in great increase in her affinity unless she used fire equally as much to see more progressive growth. Though they matured slowly both elements were strong and maintained a strong balance.
" Crimson Burst."
Liliana instantly rushed to Joannah quickly covering both of them in a veil of fire and water. Fireballs burst exploding failing to rupture the veil of water and fire casted by Liliana.
" Lets retreat." Liliana suddenly said as observed Nathaniel and their new assailant. Joannah was about to protest when Liliana cut her off, " We can't win. We couldn't subdue him let alone the both of them. Nathaniel is still recovering but we can't face both of them."
" Even if we retreat, we won't be spared." Joannah said as she turned to Liliana. " I know but we have no choice. We simply can't defeat them." Liliana's mana flared up while Joannah prepared for their retreat meanwhile Charles was still healing Nathaniel.
" We need to retreat. While I don't mind killing them its gonna take time and time we don't have. They are coming." Charles said as slowly surveyed the trees rapidly flaring up his mana as well.
" Water magic; Chaotic serpentile waves!" 80% of Liliana's remaining mana tuned into raging blue water waves like serpents as the water advanced to Nathaniel and Charles.
" Darkness magic: Abyssal snakes." Joannah infused shadow snakes into the water turning it murky black as the wide range attack devastated the trees in the little distance between them.
Charles who had been preparing as counter simultaneously released infernal waves as the fire blazed through incinerating everything on its path. The flames though imposing looked meek compared to the tempestuous momentum of the water however a few nanoseconds later gusts of wind magnified the fire turning it into a blazing inferno.
Charles turned and looked at Nathaniel and without pause both of them absconded into the night. Liliana and Joannah had long been gone by then. The two attacks left sunk the thicket further into destruction as the water levelled the trees and the fire left the ground scorched.
" Booom!" Waves of steam blasted the trees further away as a cloud of fog settled into the thicket. Anything within 2 kilometers of the collision was killed by the gusts of hot steam.
By then the perpetrators were long gone but figures shuffled amongst the trees as as seven men all covered in mana barriers arrived at the scene of the fight. Their black clothes were light damp as water vapor settled back and the heat was decreasing. Gusts propelled the steam away clearing a full sight of the location.
" Crazy bastards." The figure at the forefront spoke as he stopped releasing wind gusts. All their bodies were lean blending seamlessly with the trees.
" Hawk 3, what do you think?" The one after him asked stepping forward and her female voice wafting in the air. " Number 4, there is nothing to think except a bunch of lunatics went ape shit in this thicket." Hawk 3 turned to the group, " Number 5, do a spiritual summon. We need a high vantage point view."
" Alright captain." Number 5 quickly got to work with the summon.
" The rest of you I need insights and traces. I want to know how many, their elemental affinities and where they ran to. Get moving!" Hawk 3 and the group quickly dispersed.
" Ohh, Number 4 send a message to number 1 and 2. I need them here asap."
" But boss, there is no entry and exit into Liberia after midnight until dawn." Number four quickly said. Hawk 3 stopped and cast a glace at the faint silhouette of city covered by a fait shadow of a dome.
" I know but whatever happened here started in the city. We need to know who we are dealing with here. So they must know something or I will have their heads." Number 3 turned and faced Hawk 4. " They are still in the thicket. Both parties are exhausted and they will most likely rest to recover their strengths before moving.
However, keep in mind we are only after those that escaped from the battlefield as his Lordship Lennard has tasked us. So stop playing around!" They both disappeared into the shadows.