Early in the morning, the party gathered up. Most of the people in the refuge were still sleeping.

As they were packing their horses two guards walked up to them.

"What are you three up to this early in the morning?"

Joseph stopped packing and turned towards them.

"We are leaving towards the south. We on our way, but got stuck in the city the whole day yesterday so we would like to get back the time we lost by going early."

The guards looked at each other.

"It seems like you won't be staying here, so it might not be necessary, but in the morning there will be a briefing for people staying in here."

Joseph shrugged.

"Not our problem it seems like. Although do you have any news about the siege?"

"We only know that it is still going on. The last messenger came here recently and he said that the outer walls are still holding out. We have nothing to fear anyway. Even if they get through the city, which they won't, this wall here can keep them at bay."

"I see. Well, we'll be on our way."

"Good luck on your travels!"

"Thank you! I wish for the siege to end soon!"

They noded as they backed away to watch the party pack up and leave.

The canyon was turning left and right as they were crossing over it. It had the same boring, silent stone sides and sometimes holes in a few places, but other than that they didn't see any noteworthy.

In the late afternoon, the sidewalls were finally getting lower and lower until they stopped.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

They got through the mountains without more problems and got to a high place, which towered over the southern side.

As they were looking south in the setting sun they saw the giant forest below them where all the trees were showing their autumn colors. They breathed in the fresh air and listened to the distant bird noises.

It was quiet-peaceful after the silence of the canyon.

They started to descend on one of the ways that led downwards to the forest when they heard screeching from behind.

As they looked back they saw dozens of grey wyverns flying towards them.

They all prepared for battle as their horses got freaked out and ran towards the way down.

Arborus was about to run after them but stopped and swore.

"Didn't they say none of these things will get through?"

Catherine shrugged.

"They can just fly over. I don't think it's that big of a surprise. It's just a few wyverns anyway. It won't take more than a few seconds."

As she said that she held her staff in front of her towards the wyverns and a ball of fire was forming in front of it. After a few seconds, it shot towards the creatures.

They all spread out and dodged the ball. Catherine smiled at them and pulled her staff to the side and pointed at one of the wyverns on the left. The ball of fire changed direction and flew into the monster blowing it to bits.

Meanwhile, Joseph shot a few missiles at one of them and made holes into its wings. The immobilized creature fell face-first into the ground, broking its neck, and died on the spot.

Arborus started to chant in his language but couldn't finish it before the last five wyverns got close enough.

All five of them took a deep breath and then blew it on the party. A dark grey mist came out of their mouth closing in on them.

Catherine hit the ground with her staff and the air around them started swirling around pushing the mist in all directions away from them.

Arborus stopped the chanting and held his open palms in front of him facing towards the wyverns. After a few seconds, the air glittered around his hands and two beams of light shot out of them.

He moved the continuous beams to his left and right respectively. They went through all the wyverns and cut their chest and wings.

It wasn't strong enough to actually cut the monsters in half but their wings were unusable after the attack.

As they fell to the ground Joseph took the chance and shot two with a barrage of magic missiles.

After that, he felt too tired to cast any other spells, but the two died from the attacks.

Catherine did the same with the remaining 3 wyverns and they all died.

Joseph saw a familiar, but long time not seen window.

Attention!

You've leveled up! You have unspent stat points.

As he looked around it seemed like he was the only one tired after the encounter.

"Guys, can you get the horses? I think I used up too much mana."

He sat down not waiting for an answer which actually didn't come. Arborus already left for the horses and Catherine was next to the wyverns examining them.

"Never mind..."