Lucas POV
The cold air bit at my skin as I followed the knight through the encampment. The crunch of snow underfoot was the only sound accompanying us as I was led toward the group I'd be commanding. The top 100 soldiers, they said. They are the best of the best...well, among the former reserves, most did fight in the war. This kind of team wouldn't be sent out if it weren't for me...but the lesser, the better, it's hard to cover for so many people.
White Forest loomed in the distance, its trees perpetually covered in snow. Even now, it looks more like a painting than a real place. But that beauty came with danger; low temperatures, poor visibility, and enemies who knew the terrain better than we ever could. And right near its edge was our target: Famus' second-largest base.
They'd been moving assets and personnel there ever since their other bases had been found out and infiltrated, even if the raids failed, they moved most of their assets here. It was a logical choice, hidden in the snowy depths and fortified against both the elements and outsiders.
A base this important meant people who knew things: locations, plans, and weaknesses. A successful raid here wouldn't just cripple them, it could open the door to dismantling the entire organization.
As I approached the gathered soldiers, I was greeted by a tall man in a polished uniform, his presence as imposing as his title. Bryan Johnson, a Magic Knight Captain and second-in-command for this mission. His hand was firm as we shook, his face was also skeptical.
"I'm Brian Johnson, magic knight captain." He commented, "For a healer, you are very heavily geared."
"A helmet is useful for a person who's targeted the most, and a gas mask is useful for gas-related attacks."
"I'm told you'll only need two days to finish this operation."
"That's correct," I replied simply. I didn't need to justify myself.
The plan was sound, and I knew what I was doing.
"Two days? This base is fortified, heavily guarded, and buried in some of the harshest terrain we've dealt with. Most raids of this scale would take at least a month." he commented, "I understand that you are a hero, and calling for only a hundred troops is a very understandable move, but it is a bit rash."
"Oh, come on, Bryan. Who are we kidding here? You've got Lucas leading this." Evan said, "The Lifegiver, one of the 10 summoned heroes. If he says it'll take two days, then it'll take two days."
"I'll admit, I've heard the stories. But seeing it for myself is another thing entirely." Bryan sighed.
"You'll see it soon enough, I'm leaving by the third day. Once the base is down, you'll take over information gathering and follow-up operations. That'll give you time to solidify what we find."
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*3.5 years ago*
Lucas POV
I rushed outside, the urgency in the voices of soldiers and civilians alike pushing me forward.
"Sightings of more than a hundred demonic wyverns heading straight for the capital!" Terrence informed me, "Rush for the walls."
Evan then applied support magic to help speed us all up as I sprinted to the walls, slipping my helmet on and tightening the straps of my gas mask. Civilians were running towards evacuation zones as the soldiers helped the evacuation. I saw the mage soldiers on the walls with their staffs prepping strong long-range spells to shoot toward the wyverns. They would aim to thin the numbers as much as possible before the wyverns reached the walls.
But even if they succeeded, only a few will die, the wyverns' air cavalry would still bring chaos, taking too many lives before they could be brought down. Their riders are probably also armed with explosions or simply powerful mages that can drop down and cause massive damage.
The wyverns were still distant, but their forms were unmistakable, massive creatures with molten bodies, made of rocks and lava. I'm surprised that they are not called inferno or something fire-related, but people here called them demonic because they're only found on the demon continent.
Fighting them in the air was the only way to minimize casualties. Terrence wouldn't be much use here. As a tank, his skills were defensive, meant to absorb damage and protect those around him. I can help him fly and help him move to where he wants, but he'll be more useful down here, and his leadership skills would be better put to use commanding the soldiers on the wall and organizing the evacuation.
Evan is also more useful down here as there would be many that he needed to tend to.
Riley was my best bet. She could fly and had offensive capabilities, but her body wasn't built to withstand prolonged damage. I can heal, but I need physical contact...unless...
"Terrence, Evan, you two stay down here. Riley, with me."
"You sure? My magic doesn't last as long if I'm not nearby." Evan said, "Besides it renews as long as I'm nearby, you're going to need me."
"Yeah, but I want to minimize casualties, we can take down 90 of em, you guys can hold off the rest before I come back, can't you?"
"I would say leave some to me, but that would lead to deaths of civilians, so go, we got no time." Terrence responded.
Riley and I then used wind magic to fly toward the wyverns.
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"Chain magic: Spectral chain."
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Spectral chains shot out from my hands, linking to Riley's body. The glowing links shimmered faintly as I cast the healing spell: Restoration. Normally, my healing magic required physical contact, but with the chain acting as a conduit, I could keep her in fighting shape from a distance.
"Riley, you're good to go." I called out.
"You're going to put Evan out of a job!" she replied.
"That's funny, but let's joke later."
She nodded, taking off with her spear. Water magic enveloped the weapon as she surged through the air, cutting down the riders and fighting the wyverns. She was flying and weaving through the wyverns and their blast, every time she got hit, my magic healed her immediately, proving my earlier theory correct. And once I saw that she was far away...
"Lightning magic: Volt Detonation!"
The spell exploded from my body in a sudden burst of electricity, sending a violent shockwave through the air. The blast brought down several wyverns in an instant, their bodies convulsing as they fell.
"Watch it!" Riley screamed.
Sorry!" I yelled back and then yanked on the chains once I saw that a wyvern blasted a surge of flames at her.
The spectral links glowed brighter as I dragged Riley through the air, out of the wyvern's line of fire. I should really start using chain magic more, that was cool. Riley then shot me a quick look of thanks before diving back into the fray. Her spear streaked through the air like a comet as she tore through wyverns one by one.
I landed on the back of a wyvern, its molten body searing hot beneath my boots. I should really buy higher quality fire-resistant boots.
"Lightning magic: Lightning Mark." I chanted, placing a crackling sigil on the creature's hide, "Speed magic: Rapid Movement."
Leaping off, I moved to the next wyvern, repeating the process. My body felt weightless as I darted from one wyvern to the next. Once I gained enough distance, I focused my energy, feeling the electric charge building within me. The marks destabilized them, crackling with energy before detonating.
"Lightning magic: Lightning Surge."
A massive pulse of lightning energy radiated outward, collapsing inward before the marks exploded in a devastating blast. The shockwave tore through the wyverns, sending their charred bodies plummeting to the ground like meteorites. But even with the destruction, about fifty wyverns still remained, flying toward the capital and not stopping.
"Chain magic: Lockdown."
Chains then flew from my hands, flying toward the wyverns and wrapped around the bodies of every remaining wyvern, coiling around their wings, necks, and limbs. The creatures roared in defiance, thrashing against the unyielding restraints, but they couldn't break free. The chains connected back to me, coiling tightly around my forearms. Their weight bore down on me like a mountain, but I wasn't about to falter. I poured more mana into the spell, feeling the chains pulse with energy as they tightened, binding the wyverns in place.
"Wind magic: Gale Force." I cast.
My body surged with unnatural speed and force with wind boosting my downward pull. With a guttural yell, I yanked the chains with everything I had, dragging the entire swarm of wyverns down with me. The sky darkened as the mass of molten bodies hurtled toward the ground. I braced myself with healing magic and layers of wind barriers as we plummeted together, the earth rushing up to meet us since I couldn't swing them against the ground.
The impact was cataclysmic. The wyverns slammed into the frozen earth-like meteors, the ground quaking beneath their combined weight. A blinding explosion of heat and light erupted, sending molten rock, snow, and shards of ice flying in all directions. The shockwave tore through the battlefield, knocking down trees and sending plumes of steam and debris skyward. When the dust settled, a massive crater sprawled before me.
I then dodged as I felt several spells were shot in my direction from the capital, hitting the wyverns. Several wyverns then lay motionless, their bodies shattered or charred beyond recognition. Others stirred weakly, their molten scales cracked and dimmed. But it wasn't over yet. Most of the wyverns were still alive as Riley landed next to me.
"Terrence should be running toward us." Riley said, "I got the wyverns, you focus on the riders."
"Yeah, no worries. Spectral magic: Phantom step."
"Wind magic: Tempest Lance."
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Back at the capital, the celebration was in full swing. The streets were alive with cheers, soldiers, and citizens alike reveling in the victory. Word of the wyvern attack had spread, and there were cheers of relief and gratitude from every corner. The city had survived, and there were no casualties to mourn. But I wasn't celebrating with them. I slipped off my mask and helmet, the cool night air brushing against my skin as I stepped away from the bustling crowd.
I then went back to the school that I volunteered at and asked for their break room. The dim light inside was a relief from the brightness outside. I peeled off the rest of my gear and collapsed into one of the chairs as I unpacked my takeout, causing the room to smell of beer, chicken, and sandwiches.
"Not out there celebrating with everyone else?" Ramona asked.
I sensed her a bit ago. She also came here with some takeout herself.
"We can share if you want."
"Where did your earlier personality go?" she asked as she sat down.
"This is the very same me."
"Your personality sure have a lot of ups and downs." she commented, "So answer my question."
"I just don't feel like it. So, why are you here?"
"Why not? I live here."
"Didn't think you'd be the type to hang around the celebration. There should be a lot of beautiful women out there."
"Yeah, but I'm not that desperate. Sleeping with women does start to feel empty eventually."
"So why do you want to sleep with women? I heard the rumors of the so-called phantom, good-looking and surrounded by beautiful women. You're not sleeping with that party member of yours, are you?"
"The surrounding part is way exaggerated, I have slept with only...hmmm..."
"Are you actually counting?"
"Yeah, so wait...I have slept with only 6 women. Flirted with or had a kiss with, that's another story."
"6 women in like what? The 3 years you've been here or throughout your life."
"The former." I answered as I shared half my sandwich and gave her a few pieces of chicken.
"So why do you do it?"
"Why would a young man not want to sleep with beautiful women?"
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"You know, you're kind of a contradiction. You claim you're not desperate, but you keep doing it anyway. If it starts to feel empty, why not stop?" She commented as she took a bite of her sandwich.
"Yeah, you're probably right."
"It's easy to get caught up in the moment, especially when everything around you is so...chaotic. But that doesn't mean you have to follow along with it."
"You're a lot more insightful than I thought."
"I'm just not too busy to notice things. You'd be surprised how much you can learn just by paying attention to the little things."
"Guess I've been too focused on other stuff to notice, but hey, I guess it's nice to talk about something that isn't life or death for once.
"Yeah, well, I'm just glad you're listening. It's not like I'm an expert or anything. I just think people like you, with all the power and responsibility, need someone to remind you that there's more to life than...just fighting."
"So, what about you? You seem like you've got things figured out."
"I don't know about that. But I do like what I'm doing here. I'm living here because they needed a teacher for the kids. It's not a high-paying job, but it's fulfilling enough. My family comes from a long line of merchants, so I could've easily taken that route. But I wanted to do something I enjoyed, you know?"
"Merchants, huh? So you're well-off?"
"Not really. I mean, yes, but it's not my money. But it's good that I can do what I enjoy without worrying about finances. My family has always supported me...I guess that you're not that bad of a guy after all."
"You're falling for me? Huh? Maybe I should look sad more often."
"...That's...not...why are you making me take back my words?"
"Ramona is your name, right? Would you mind if I call you Mona?"
"Yeah, I take it back, you are a bad guy."
"I thought girls love a bad guy."
"I hate you."