[Alisha’s PoV]
We…I made a mistake. We were too overconfident thinking we could just easily transport so many people back with us being level 20. I wasn’t struggling to kill anything. No, I was struggling to prevent others from dying, the more monsters I killed the more they were lured here.
Hearing a scream, I moved once again, killing the monster that had attacked someone. Again, another scream came from somewhere on the other side of the group. I have to do something, the monsters attacking us were named Juvenile Shadow Panther, their appearance matching their name. Hard to see at night, and with the smell of blood, water and mud everywhere I couldn't smell them in time.
Finishing off another monster, it had only been ten minutes since Alice left, Olivia wouldn’t be here for some time. I need to do something, anything, to protect everyone I had with me. Hearing a cry ring out, I pivot, moving my body as fast as I can.
I’m too late this time. Seeing the panther pounce at a young boy, it bit down on his leg, dragging him to the ground as another panther appeared and bit down on his head. Killing the two, I already knew I was too late to save him.
What can I do, I can’t protect everyone myself. It’s barely been an hour into the night, the deeper the night the worse this is going to get. Think Alisha, think. A way to protect..to shield…shield.
A wind wall…no, I can only aim that in one direction. I need to form a bubble of wind around everyone, but it won’t be solid enough. I’d have to output too much mana. Visualizing how a bubble of wind would work as I killed another panther that managed to kill someone else, I started outputting mana in an attempt to set the bubble down.
Moving towards the center of the group, my visualization of the spell was a big bubble of wind around everyone and just as I’m about to try it, my mind changed the visualization to a barrier of lunar energy around everyone. Grabbing this inspiration, I muster all the lunar energy I could and surround the entire group with mana, guiding that energy into the mana.
Very quickly a thin, transparent silver barrier appeared around the group. I felt my Mana Pool reduce by at least a third. It was a rushed job, but it was effective. Looking around the barrier, monsters were unable to enter, clawing at the barrier they barely made any dents in it. Feeling my mana continuously leaving me, I pushed for the barrier to slowly strengthen and repair any danger.
Gritting my teeth, I checked my mana.
[7,450/12,000]
It was slowly draining each time a monster hit it, at the rate of five mana per strike. It was also draining every second at the rate of ten to strengthen the barrier. Looking at the spell I had cast, the System provided the spell information.
[You’ve learned Barrier of the Stars (Incomplete)
A barrier up to fifty meters in radius, continues protecting the area until mana is exhausted. Slowly strengthens overtime.
Initial Cost: 3,000 Mana
Continued Cost: 100 Mana per minute]
Not mentioning the cost of mana for each time a monster attacked, I ignored the numbers the System showed and depended on feeling my mana output myself. Looking around, the monsters were growing in numbers very quickly…I may have worsened the situation. I wouldn’t be able to sustain this barrier until the next daylight.
After another thirty minutes of waiting, and with just above a fifth of my mana left, I am starting to feel light headed, a sign that I was running out of mana. Looking around, there were at least forty monsters surrounding us. The Hybrids around me were sticking close to each other, afraid of the sheer amount of monsters around us.
Just as I start feeling fearful that I would have to stop the barrier, I make out a figure jumping into the group of monsters. Seeing the figure easily killing monsters with a sword, I knew help had arrived. The figure was Olivia, seeing her hooded face was enough for me to know. The way she wielded the sword is impractical, like she’d never swung one before, but she still culled the monsters like it was nothing.
As she continued cutting through the tide of monsters, I kept the barrier going. It cost way too much mana to sustain for long, and being locked down like this to keep it up limited what I could do. I had considered adding wind to the outside but the cost would be way too high, and that wasn’t considering I had to make said wind magic lethal, something I had no practice for.
After another five minutes, most of the monsters had been defeated, with a handful left that were attempting to kill Olivia. Dropping the barrier, I assisted Olivia. By my estimates I had less than ten percent of my mana left. Panting from the loss of so much mana, I nod to Olivia.
“We need to keep moving before we’re surrounded again. I can’t do that again.” Olivia looks around at the Hybrids grouped together and sighs.
“I’ll take the lead, you keep our backsides safe. We’re about two hours from safety, are you good with mana?”
Feeling my mana, I nod and say “As long as we don’t need to fight something our level, I’ll live.” Turning and leading the group, we follow Olivia. We had lost about six Hybrids from my mistake. Hoping Sally would send Alice to Elizabeth next as planned, we’d need to drop everyone off at the plateau and move to assist the others if they had groups.
[Sally’s PoV]
Sitting near the entrance to the dungeon Hellscape Plains, a level 5 dungeon, I kept watch. No one had appeared to or from the dungeon. Seeing Pup near me playing with his own tail, I smile. We finally were strong enough to help the Hybrids and stand against the humans. Leaning back on the tree, I checked my Status.
Status
Sally, the Aspiring Hero
Race: Vampiric Priestess Level: 20 Experience: 0/100,000 Class: None Class Level: 0 Class Exp: N/A
Stats
Sally, the Aspiring Hero
Strength: E- 120 Agility: F
50
Intelligence: D 150 Toughness: C- 200
Magic
Sally, the Aspiring Hero
Blood Magic: Blood Barrier (Incomplete) Blood Eruption
Skills
Sally, the Aspiring Hero
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None
Seeing my race, I was a bit confused by the explanation.
[Race: Vampiric Priestess
The beginning of becoming a true Vampire, you require blood to survive and to energize yourself. As a Vampiric Priestess, you move unhindered at any time of the day and have strong affiliation with Blood Magic and have incredible regeneration and toughness.
You gain +1 Stat rank to Toughness and Strength.
You have a stronger affiliation with Blood Magic.]
I had yet to receive a class, I wasn’t sure why this was the case but I knew I’d awaken to one eventually. Elizabeth also did not have a class, so I did not let it bother me.
Thinking of what to do while I was waiting, I heard the cry of Alice. Looking up, I saw her fly in and land on my head. Taking a piece of the jerky that we made earlier, I gave her a piece while she ate. No words were needed, I knew why she had come, Alisha had run into trouble.
Picking up Pup, I move to hide in the shrubs nearby and start my search for a safe place to keep the Hybrids safe, since we would have to wait till Alisha and Olivia arrive before transporting them. Finding a spot I had seen prior, I scouted it out and found it was a small burrow, inside was a large skeleton monster. A level 17 Skeleton Warrior. Defeating it with ease, I nod and decide to use this location to keep everyone safe. The entrance was easy to defend.
“Alice, lead Elizabeth here if she has rescued anyone.” “Kraa!” Setting off again, I knew she could find Elizabeth easily. Once again going back to my hiding spot outside the dungeon, I continued to keep watch.
[Elizabeth’s PoV]
Looking up at the sun, I smiled. I could make out the sounds of many footsteps coming up the path to the dungeon behind me, Shadow Shrine. Standing up, there wasn’t much time left in the day. Seeing figures finally round the corner, the Hybrid’s pulling the cart looked at me in surprise. Another human being here already must’ve caused them panic.
On the cart were a few faces I recognised. This would make my job a lot easier. Approaching the cart slowly, one by one the humans on the cart start seeing me approach, surprise in their faces. Jumping off the cart with their swords drawn, they actually approached me without demanding the Hybrids to approach me.
“Elizabeth. The council has issued a bounty for your head.” Speaking, my brother, or rather ex-brother, Mike spoke. “Come with me peacefully, I’m sure our House can negotiate the bounty.”
Smiling at my idiot brother, I remember all the times I’ve had to deal with him. Walking forward towards him while keeping my smile on my face, I speak. “Dear brother, have you missed me? After all, I was kicked out of the House. Come, give your big sister a hug!”
Moving to Mike’s side, he was about to speak when I threw out a blow to his jaw, knocking him out instantly. Before those near him can react, I step forward throwing an Alisha-style kick at one, pivot and slam my fist into another while elbowing another that hadn’t recovered yet.
With four knocked out within seconds, I glare at the other humans. They had recovered by this point, though even if they drew their swords they wouldn’t be able to cut me. I just wanted to make it easier to prevent killing them, after all it was the plan that Alisha had given me.
“Leave, take these idiots with you. Tell the council that if they harm any of the Hybrid’s in Crater we won’t hesitate to massacre the city. We wish to do this as peacefully as possible.”
Looking angry, the remaining humans instead nod and draw their swords, two approaching me from the sides and two from in front of me. The remaining two moved to attack me from behind. Shaking my head, I didn’t bother drawing my sword and simply dealt with the ones on my side with a single blow to each of them.
Sending a kick upwards, I knock out one of the idiots charging at me head first, and drawing my sword I behead the other easily. I knew at this point I needed to kill, to prove a point. Turning to the two behind me, they hadn’t even had the time to get completely behind me.
“Do you need me to repeat my message?” Seeing them shake their heads I nod. “Good, you two can take these idiots and the cart. Leave your bags and supplies behind. Don’t come back.”
Watching as they moved their comrades onto the cart, except the one I had beheaded, they left quickly. I felt nothing cutting down one of my own, I’d warned them enough, and this was all the sake of saving the Hybrids. Looking at the fifty or so of them, I saw fear on their faces, uncertainty and unwillingness to speak.
“It’s okay, I’m not here to hurt you. I will be taking you guys somewhere safe, there are other Hybrids going there as well, we’re freeing you all. I know you’re scared and not willing to trust me, but please trust me this once. I will ensure you survive.”
Knowing that regardless of what I said they would’ve followed anyway, I got them to get their bags off the equipment cart while I dug through the supplies left behind. Finding mostly food, medical supplies and water.
Standing up, I saw the Hybrid’s had finished getting their bags and gathered again.
“Alright, we don’t have much daylight left, so we’ll go to a cave I found earlier and get you all rested and fed.” Planning to catch some monsters and start a fire, I heard someone speaking up.
“A-are you r-really helping u-us?”
Looking at the one who had spoken, it was a young girl with blue hair and matching eyes. Seeing her name is Charlotte I nod. “Don’t worry, I’m taking you guys somewhere safe, far from Crater where there are three very powerful Hybrids. They’ll take good care of you.”
Blushing slightly from me speaking to her, so nods. Standing again, I led them to the cave that was about an hour away, planning to camp out for the night while gathering some wood and having some of the healthier Hybrids help me carry some.
Reaching the cave, it was perfect for defending by myself and had a wide open area in front where I can cook meat until I fill the bellies of the fifty behind me. Getting the fire lit, I pass out the healing potions and help bandage any severe wounds they had before leaving Crater.
With night arriving and a coldness spreading, I killed any monsters that came to investigate the fire while cleaning up any blood to remove the smell. Quickly skinning and cooking the monsters I killed, I was kept busy between killing and skinning. Managing to distribute the food throughout the cave, the Hybrid’s looked a bit more excited at the prospect of eating.
Without even any concern of poison, they just started eating away. Keeping guard outside, I made sure to cook some more meat for them for later when I heard Alice approaching. Landing on my head, she pecks at my hair. Cutting off a slice of meat, I put it on my head for her to eat. I knew she was here because Alisha had sent her to Sally, who would’ve in turn sent her to me.
Knowing this meant Alisha had run into problems, I was glad to have opted for the backup plan of waiting out the night, with the distance from here to our new little home, it would take three daylights to reach there safely, two if I pushed everyone. Feeling Alice settle in to sleep, she must’ve been exhausted with the flying she had to do. She was surprisingly fast, but burned energy so quickly.
Finishing with the cooking, I put out the fire and try my best to rid the area of the smell of cooked meat. Monsters would likely be lured over, but in lesser numbers than before. Leaning on the entrance of the cave, I hear some chatter from inside, some scared, some excited or others emotionless. Deciding to take the traveling easy and on the planned route until the others arrived I kept watch.
[Alisha’s PoV]
With the plateau in sight, we had nearly made it. My head was light, I felt weaker than usual due to mana exhaustion. I had used it sparingly, no longer surrounding myself with wind nor using Star Dust punches. Usually mostly physical strength, I had been able to fend off monsters though not as quickly as I can with mana. I need to stop relying on using mana.
Looking at the number Hybrids, I felt a tear in my heart. We had lost six Hybrids and it was my fault. I was overconfident in our strength, we should’ve planned this out better. Hopefully Sally was fine, I knew Elizabeth would’ve likely found somewhere safe to camp out for the night so I wasn’t worried about her.
Watching as Olivia led the way up the path of the plateau as I kept watching, not that I needed to thanks to the orb effects reaching outside of the plateau, I thought about the next steps of what we need to do. Firstly checking on Sally then Elizabeth, then waiting for Gray to return to see how Crater reacts. Reaching the top after several minutes, I turn to tell Olivia to take care of them before she cuts me off.
“You stay. I don’t need you to tell me you’re nearly exhausted of mana, you’re doing a poor job of hiding it. I’ll find Sally and Elizabeth and bring them back. Cook for them and get them rested.” Without waiting for me to respond, Olivia runs off towards Sally’s location. Biting my lips in frustration and shame, I calm myself down and put on a face as I turn towards the people we’ve brought here, readying myself to take care of them.
[Gray’s PoV]
Stalking the shadows around the inner walls of the slums in Crater, I kept watch on the activity of those inside. Seeing the Hybrids near me that were starving, I knew I was powerless to help so many of them at once. Shifting my eyes away, I keep watching for any drastic changes.
Earlier there was a human who ran in, scared out of her wits, followed by another an hour later pulling a cart filled with eight other humans. Knowing this was the handy work of those that went to the dungeon paths, I kept an eye out for any activity from the humans.
Hours passed before things started moving. From the gates leading to the human residence, dozens of guards started coming out, all between level 15 and 18. They started spreading out among the slums, gathering Hybrids towards another location. Confused by this activity, I stuck to the shadow of the walls and followed behind carefully.
Soon I arrived near a large building, where they were moving all the Hybrids into. It was familiar to me, the building was one of the breeding facilities, a single story building with a flat roof. The underground was the main part of the building, spreading deep underground with cages and rooms.
The strange thing was the building was absolutely not big enough to hold all the Hybrids in the slums. They weren’t being led there to be killed either, they could’ve just simply done that without moving them. Looking at the people who were standing on the roof, I knew this was not a simple matter.
Four people in fancy clothing stood there, with five hooded figures bowing on their knees behind them. The four people were level 20, their names and class, if they had one, hidden. Recalling Elizabeth’s words, I knew they were the nobles she mentioned. Something was happening at their behest, and wondering what I should do, I thought of following them, but it was highly possible I would be spotted.
Deciding to follow behind them when the nobles had left, I kept watching and listening for any sounds like screaming or sword strikes. Not hearing anything, I waited until the nobles jumped off the top of the building and followed the Hybrids in. Waiting thirty seconds, I followed, staying to the shadows.