Ezekiel continued to ignore the shock that filled his mind at the revelation that there was a Mythic in the Cult of Light. Possibly more than one, since there was no way that the cult wasn’t led by a Radiant Hunter. But he would allow himself to think about that later on.
Instead, he focused on adjusting his position in midair, something he had grown accustomed to doing. It was a necessary skill for those in the Legendary Tier, as most of the fighting happened when flying. So, it was relatively simple for him to change his direction and dive toward one of the Adept Hunters that was heading into battle.
Altering his and his student’s momentum, he landed silently and weightlessly on the back of the truck sized bird Spirit. From its coloring, he could tell that it was a Glacier Spirit as well.
Recognizing the Hunter as one of the members from the Lolend branch of the Prime Guild, Ezekiel knew he could trust this woman with his student’s lives.
“Legend Luminance! What’s going on?” The woman nearly screamed in shock, but didn’t react in a threatening manner, even when surprised. Though, she did look quite concerned with what was happening down below.
“I know you’re here to fight, but I need a favor,” Ezekiel’s voice was barely audible over the wind from how fast they were moving. “My students were knocked out by the enemy Mythic, by my order, I need you to take them away from the battle, and report back to the base directly. Can you do this without a conflict in your contract?”
This was his primary concern. In situations like this, where all hands were needed, it was common for retreat before a loss was certain would have consequences.
Luckily, it seemed like there wouldn’t be any conflict, as the relief that flooded her face was unmistakable.
“I can do that, sir,” she said with enthusiasm.
“Good. Can you get back through the miasma before the hole closes?”
The Hunter looked up and shook her head after a moment of thought. It was unfortunate, but nothing Ezekiel didn’t expect. So, he simply took an Artifact from his Void Pouch and gave it to her.
“Take this. It’ll keep you hidden for thirty minutes. Enough time for you to get back to base if you push it. Now go!” Ezekiel tagged his students with his ‘Push and Pull’ spell, and stuck them, and their Spirits, to the backs of the Glacial Hunter’s Spirit.
He then jumped off the Spirit and began free falling once more. The Glacial Hunter and her Spirit reared back, coming out of their dive, and seemingly disappeared the moment they activated Ezekiel’s Artifact. A Shroud surrounded them, and they disappeared from all senses, except Ezekiel’s Void sensing.
‘Good to see that that thing is working properly,’ Shine quipped in the back of Ezekiel’s mind.
‘We tested it before, so this shouldn’t be surprising.’
As the Void duo got closer and closer to the ground, their ability to sense the location of Ezekiel’s students got worse and worse. Until finally, they escaped the pair’s sensor range.
‘Alright, no more distractions.’ Ezekiel began channeling his mana through Shine. The Spirit’s blade began to sparkle as the mana flowing through them was focused into spells ready for release.
Glancing around the battlefield, he saw that Riley was locked in combat with a Hunter garbed in violet Spirit Armor. Lightning and fire danced back and forth, but it seemed like the cult’s reinforcements were holding their own.
Not far away, a field of steel hardened thorns burst from the ground and nearly started consuming the assembled Hunters. Only for a tornado to blow through the area and rip the land apart.
Ezekiel ignored the significantly larger catastrophe happening just kilometers away and focused on his girlfriend. For now, she was his priority.
Shrouding himself to stay hidden, he dropped like a meteor into the midst of battle. Avoiding Riley’s flames, while dispersing the Lightning Hunters electric field.
No words were exchanged as the Void and Flame duo began a dance of death that slowly chipped away at the Lightning Hunter’s defenses.
Riley released a sea of fire, covering the area they were in and increasing the general temperature. It wasn’t much, but it would make the Lightning Hunter fight in a less than comfortable environment. Something that neither Ezekiel nor Riley would have problems with.
This was also a very basic use of Riley’s magic, since her blue flames were a part of her ‘Understanding’ and therefore had a lower mana expenditure.
The effects were not immediately apparent, but since both Ezekiel and Riley were trying to retain as much mana as possible, it was obvious that there would be a bit more back-and-forth going on.
Ezekiel charged forward to punish an opening, only to have to weave out of the way of a condensed ball of lightning. He then followed through with his charge, moving past the cultist without attacking as the ball of lightning exploded. Had he remained close enough to strike, he would’ve taken an injury that might’ve changed the flow of the battle.
As it was, Riley, who hadn’t moved in since her wide range attack, finally got closer as the electricity faded. Two rings of fire spun beneath her feet, and she began to move at speeds not much less than a Tempest Hunter. Just barely keeping pace with Ezekiel and the cultist, who was clearly not specialized in high-speed movements. Though their overall power was clearly quite high.
Stabbing forward with her spear, the cultist chose to dodge this time. But they also didn’t counterattack with another ball lightning. While it wasn’t confirmed, this was enough to indicate that it was likely a mana intensive spell. A last resort that they wouldn’t have to worry about at every second.
The duo still chose to exchange positions, however, as Ezekiel began attacking from a distance. Mixing up void Slashes with Stabs and mixing in his Push-and-Pull to throw the cultist off balance.
This helped Riley a lot, as she was able to take advantage of a number of stumbles and openings to melt and chip away the cultist’s armor. They were definitely on their back foot now, and it was apparent they were aware of it.
“Raaaaggghhhh!” the cultist screamed in rage. Their entire body lit up with Lightning as they blasted toward Ezekiel. Intent on taking him out with a suicidal charge.
All thoughts of holding out any longer were gone from his mind, as his rationality fled while the thought of killing Ezekiel consumed his pained and injured form.
Riley immediately made space between herself and the berserker cultist. While Ezekiel retreated a bit, to help Riley make distance. But he took no other actions to defend himself.
The moment the cultist got close enough to strike; Ezekiel took a swing. Much to the cultist’s delight. A moment later, the cultist exploded in a mix of gore and plasma that faded as the cultist tried to take Ezekiel out in a final attack.
But the area was clear of any signs of a corpse. Instead, Ezekiel simply reappeared next to Riley. Somewhat tired, but none the worse for wear, having ‘Jumped’ out of range the moment before the cultist self-destructed. A close call, but his danger sense was of great aid in this situation.
“You good?” he asked Riley, who nodded in turn.
“Yeah. Where to next?”
Ezekiel tried to reply, but a heavy pressure suddenly pinned both of them down, just as vines sprung from the ground and wrapped around their legs. The two were unable to move but were still barely able to grab one another’s arms as a shrieking roar filled their ears. Distracting Ezekiel enough to pause his ‘Jump’.
“Anathema!” the voice of the Life Mythic filled their heads and nearly made their ears bleed.
Thorns pierced their legs as a tornado sprung up around them. Ripping the vines out and away as the two Legendary Hunters fell to the ground. The once distant Mythics were now up close and personal, as Wolken did his best to keep Ezekiel and Riley safe.
The sudden silence was a relief that was short-lived as a massive accumulation of vines as thick as redwood trees punctured the wall of wind and barreled toward the fallen duo. The ground shattered and broke into pieces as the vines tore up the earth where the two had been laying on the ground.
But the feminine scream of rage and hate that filled the air proved that Ezekiel and Riley had escaped. The Mythical cultist was silenced as Wolken renewed his efforts. Twisting streams of winds stuck the forest with ease, and the landscape was rent asunder as great gouges appeared wherever the winds passed through.
Neither Ezekiel nor Riley saw any of this, however, as they were both running away as fast as they could. Ezekiel forced his legs to move, even though there were holes running up and down each of them. This reinforced flesh stayed together for now. But neither he nor Shine had enough mana for another ‘Jump’ that would’ve been worth the mana spent.
He carried Riley as he ran. Neither one of them was able to take flight at the moment due to the raging Tempest that would’ve torn them apart had they risen too high.
A bloody trail was all that was left behind as they got further and further away. Mostly from Ezekiel, who was still bleeding, since Riley had cauterized her wounds to ensure she didn’t suffer blood loss. Her constitution wasn’t as great as Ezekiel’s.
Their figures grew smaller and smaller as the fighting began to die down. At least the fighting between the Legendaries and below had started to fizzle out.
The two Mythics continued their battle. Both sides refused to let up. The cultist tried again and again to break past Wolken, and go after Ezekiel, but the Tempest Hunter didn’t allow it.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
All while Ezekiel ran and ran and continued to run. Not stopping to rest until he finally passed out at the entrance to the Prime Guild’s forward base.
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Although he knew that Ezekiel and Riley had gotten far from the battlefield, same as the other Hunters of the Prime Guild, Wolken did not let up his attacks. The fact that there was a Mythic Tier cultist that was willing to hunt down Ezekiel meant that the cult was a much more terrifying enemy than they had already proven they were.
“Interfering bastard!” the raging Life user screamed as multiple wooden giants grew from the ground and began marching toward Wolken’s position.
The Leader of the Prime Guild didn’t falter, even as these giants were slowed down, rather than being ripped to shreds. His ‘Understanding’ and the origins of his power began to falter but did not let up.
Countless tornadoes that tore into the ground warped and turned into spinning serpents that twisted through the air. They didn’t cut or push like most winds used by Tempest Mages and Spirits. Instead, this maelstrom of chaotic air seemed to dig in before ripping away.
Gashes were left behind on the wooden giants, only to be filled in with rapidly regrown plants. Spikes and thorny whips grew in response. Evading or interrupting the wind flows that held them back.
Wolken, who had remained stationary in the sky, his arms moving to direct the winds under his command, allowed himself to be pulled away by the air currents. It became impossible for the cultist to land a hit. Instead, their giants were continuously torn apart, only to regrow, and a back-and-forth exchange began.
Seeing that neither of them were getting anywhere, the Life cultist, who was weaving between the spiraling winds, dove into the body of one of her giants. It glowed green as she directly empowered it with her mana. The winds that were tearing it apart found they could no longer get a hold like they did before.
“Damn!” Wolken let out a curse as he took in what was happening.
With the direct empowerment of her constructs, the cultist would have an upper hand since she was now physically involving herself in the fight. While not a common tactic, since the side effects of magic like this linked up the Mage’s sense to their creation, it was powerful, and was considered the pinnacle of combative Life magic.
It wasn’t something he could match in a direct confrontation anymore. Worse yet, his atmospheric senses told him that their battle was gaining attention. Powerful attention, and if it didn’t end soon, it was likely that neither of them would be getting out of this alive.
An updraft flung him higher into the sky, moving his body out of the way of a giant wooden claw. Tendrils of wooden branches extended into the sky after him. His winds were now focused on helping him evade, rather than trying to tear his enemy to shreds.
Though he did manage to take out the lesser constructs, and it was now one-on-one once more.
The massive grin that had once split his face had turned into a frown. His love of battle was losing out to his ingrained survival instincts. He hadn’t gotten to the Mythic Tier by throwing away his life in stupid battles.
Risking one’s life to grow stronger, or achieve a goal, was different from throwing it away, after all.
“Let’s stop this. Your target is lost, and the true enemy is gathering not far from here.”
The wind itself spoke for Wolken. His voice carried for hundreds of kilometers. Carried on the air currents infused with his mana. The cultist he was fighting with paused but did not let her guard down.
Wolken knew this was risky, but he allowed the cultist to extend her senses through roots she spread through the ground. A few seconds later, the giant seemed to scoff, and it collapsed to the ground. A massive plume of pollen exploded in all directions. Momentarily blocking Wolken’s sight.
A gust of wind scattered it away in an instant, and he immediately flew in the direction of his Guild’s base. A series of tornadoes fell from the sky as they shredded the plants that crawled across the land. A figure clad in verdant Spirit Armor with a tree motif on it was revealed.
“Dammit woman! Now is not the time for this!” Wolken called out.
“If you’re so worried about the Cruor, then perhaps you should give up on protecting that monstrosity!” the cultist screamed over her shoulder as another giant formed around her body.
The Leader of the Prime Guild sighed. He knew that it was unlikely that the woman would concede to his sensible argument. But he had hoped that he was wrong.
Legendary Rot Cruor were now numbering in the hundreds at the edge of his senses. One of the most numerous Cruor Broods was now waiting for an opening, and if the winds he could barely feel in the distance were any indication, then the Broodlord would also be here soon.
Wolken had fought her once before and had found himself in a stalemate after losing a leg and an arm to her nearly a hundred years ago. He had grown much stronger since then, but he still didn’t want to risk it when he was already in the middle of a battle.
Letting out a sigh in frustration, the Mythical Tempest Hunter dumped a full Step of mana into his final spell before fleeing.
A series of cylindrical walls of wind formed around the Mythical cultist. All of her movements were cut off, and Wolken took this moment to overcome her position, and make his way toward that base that Ezekiel had been running to. Leaving the cultist to her fate.
The cultist reared back in shock as she nearly lost her limbs getting too close to this wall. Her giant construct was almost instantly eviscerated. But rather than regrow it, she allowed it to remain as it was. It would be a waste of mana otherwise.
Now that she couldn’t move, she was forced to think about her next actions more clearly. She hadn’t realized that Wolken had gotten so powerful since he was last seen fighting for real. His actions in the Fjorya didn’t count, as those were just pseudo-Mythics that he had fought.
Had she stopped earlier, she might’ve been able to hear the cacophony of monstrous shrieks that grew closer to her. A massive woman made of mold and fungi leading the charge. But thanks to the winds that Wolken had whipped up, the cultist heard nothing.
“Next time, I’l just attack directly.” she muttered as the wind finally began to die down.
Her next actions involved fleeing for her life as spores of flesh-eating fungus tried to eat her, and directly consumed her constructs for sustenance.
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Wolken’s arrival at his Guild’s base was filled with death as he immediately executed the cultists that had chased his Guild members after retreating from the Desolate Lands. He didn’t wait for his Hunters to greet him, however, and got them into motion as soon as he could.
“Get all the equipment, Artifacts, Relics, and other supplies ready to go. We’re abandoning this base,” he ordered the moment he set foot on the ground. “The Rotting Matriarch is near.”
No words were exchanged as the Guild members immediately did what they were told. The base was cleared out in minutes, and those that were injured were loaded up onto the back of Wolken’s Spirit. Those that had the ability flew on their own but stayed within a certain distance of their leader.
The base itself was only a kilometer away from the edge of the Desolate Lands and was defended by the highest level of enchanted arrays the Church was able to provide. But everybody there knew that they would be worthless in front of a Mythic Tier entity.
“Exalt! What happened to the other cultists?” a Legendary Hunter inquired as they all flew away from the former base.
“That depends entirely on whether or not their leader is willing to fight for them.”
The Mythical Hunter didn’t bother following the cultists that hadn’t run toward their base. Given the Rot that were gathering nearby, it was unlikely that they would all survive, but if the Mythic cultist took action to fight for their survival, then it was possible they would all make it.
“How are the survivors from this expedition?”
A report that made him wince was given. It seemed like their plan had been successful, for the most part, but they would also be spending time recovering, since over half their forces had suffered debilitating injuries.
Micro-organisms left behind by the Life cultist’s attacks had caused secondary effects that would need to be specially treated. Ezekiel had only gotten away with pierced muscles due to his mana nullifying the foreign entities in his system.
The Flame, Life, and Death Hunters that had taken part were also clean, due to their own unique methods. But the damage was done before they could escape, so they still suffered additional injuries.
From what he could see, roots and stems were working their way through the different body parts that the cult leader had managed to pierce. He couldn’t help but find it ironic that it was their target that was suffering the least from this attack.
He’d have to send a letter to one of the known Cult bases to taunt them. But that would come later. For now, he needed to oversee his Guild’s retreat.
A task made more difficult thanks to the fact that half his reserves had been used up in the previous battle.
“Exalt Wolken!” a number of voices called out to him. It seemed he’d been so focused on getting his people away that he’d allowed his senses to get distracted.
In the distance, lingering near the edge of the Desolate Lands, a gargantuan figure looked toward them. An army of fungal and moldy creatures surrounded her.
A glowing rose had sunk its roots and thorns into the Broodlord’s pseudo flesh. Green glowing lines seemed to purify and absorb the Ichor that filled the being’s veins.
She took no steps forward, however, and merely watched. As if examining them for any weaknesses. Of which Wolken was ashamed to say there were many, if asked.
“Why is she just standing there?” one of the Legendary Hunters asked.
Wolken wondered the same thing, and slowed down to watch what would happen next. While it was obvious that the final spell that the cult leader had used was effective, it wasn’t necessarily debilitating for the Mythical Rotting Matriarch.
Finally, taking action for the first time, the Rotting Matriarch ripped out the rose that had been bothering her. Its glow had receded, but it hadn’t died yet. So, Wolken could safely assume that the cult’s Mythic was still alive.
As the rose began to crumble in the matriarch’s grasp, an appendage that had grown out behind her whipped around from where it was hidden from view. A cracked and Ichorous spear shattered the sound barrier, flying directly toward Wolken and his Spirit. His passengers, and the assembled Legendaries, moved to intercept, but they were too late.
A spear that was a hundred feet long pierced through the defensive barrier Wolken and his Spirit threw up, and a cloud of spores began spreading out in all directions.
The Legendaries were safe, but those below were at risk of infection, even with their protective gear, due to the sheer difference in Tier. Plus, the spear had nearly reached them.
Suddenly, an opalescent gauntlet reached past Wolken, and a sword of the same color flew forward. Shining and sparkling with the light unique to Void magic.
Ezekiel had awakened, only a few moments ago, when his danger sense had suddenly jumped to levels he had only experienced once before. When facing the Broodlord of the Winged Cruor.
Reacting instinctively, he threw Shine’s now empty vessel, allowing the spell infused sword to cut through the wind barrier, and ‘Jump’ the massive rotting spear a short distance away.
Due to the difference in Tier, Ezekiel and Shine had to burn every mote of mana they had left, just to shift the Spear a dozen meters up, so that it would fly past Wolken’s Spirit, and leave their group unharmed. But it worked, and his actions allowed Wolken to get his Spirit moving, even as the Spear flew into the distance.
The Mythical Hunter made a note to go and clear up the fallout that would result from the spear’s landing as soon as possible.
“You owe us a new sword. Make it a nice one.” Ezekiel said, before falling flat on his face.
Wolken just nodded, mentally promising to do as Ezekiel said, and pushed his Spirit to move faster. His eyes didn’t leave the matriarch’s form until they were too far away for him to see her.
When they were finally at a distance that he considered safe, Wolken allowed his mind to wander.
That had been the most restraint the Rotting Matriarch had ever shown in the hundred or so years he’d known her. It did not bode well for him, and the rest of humanity. Her action meant that something was happening. Something that involved the Cruor specifically not using their strength.
There was also the fact that the Cult of Light had at least one Tier five in their ranks. Something that hadn’t been known until now. Though the presence of their pseudo-Mythics had already raised their threat level. It would still need to be addressed and planned around.
“We need to call a grand council. Something is happening in the Desolate Lands. Something we need more information on. The cult has also proven to be a bigger problem than before.”
The words ‘grand council’ made the Legendaries that heard him shiver in fear. Such a thing hadn’t happened in over fifty years, so many of them hadn’t experienced said event yet. The last time it had happened, they had nearly been taken over by an underground incursion from the Swarm Queen.
“We shall spread the word as soon as we get to the city,” the closest Legendary declared. Affirmations from the others quickly followed.
Lamenting the discoveries made today, Wolken couldn’t help but sigh.
“This was supposed to be a simple bait and kill mission. How did it turn into the prelude to a major war council?” the Exalt’s words reverberated through the assembled Hunters. There was nothing to say.
Life had sent them another challenge. It would be up to them to rise above it once again.