Chapter 17 Part 5 of 5 (Patreon)

“Fuck you and fuck your Institute!” Erik reached out, channeling mana through the ground as he formed a claw with his hand. Chains tore free of the ground, the sound of freed bolts filled the air.

Sho waved his hand, the chains stumbled but didn’t stop. He looked at Erik in surprise.

“You!” The repeater bolts drowned out what he was trying to say. Chaotic mana chains stabbed at the barrier that surrounded Sho.

The barrier collapsed in seconds, two of the six chains as thick as a man’s thigh stabbed forward.

“Tracking Water! Water Waves!”

Bolts of water rushed at Erik, Sho seemed determined to destroy him as he pulled out a spell scroll.

Erik’s flames surged again, devouring the water bolts, turning them to steam, two of his chains shattered with the wave. The others were pushed back, they forged through the waves in rising steam.

The wind howled as arrows cut down from above.

“Storm Winds!”

Clouds twisted with his hand, they captured the arrows and tore them apart. One made it through!

Sho turned at the last moment, the arrow going into his shoulder instead of his neck.

His regal appearance was tattered as he fought off the attacks with his body.

Lightning dropped from the sky, Elder Sho poured out his mana into his storm wind spell.

The swirling storm clouds, twisted the incoming arrows, defending Elder Sho, tearing apart his cloak. His face distorted under the power.

Erik closed his fist.

Two more chains broke apart, their mana flowing into the two remaining chains that ran out like chains hooked to an anchor.

“Waterfall!”

Water condensed into a clear physical barrier in the chain’s path.

Just as he stopped the chains he lost his concentration on his storm wind spell.

Lightning descended, striking his body.

His spells faltered. The two chains stabbed into his body.

A cracking noise came from deep within his body.

The mana within and around him became chaotic, tearing at Elder Sho’s body internally.

“My mana core.” Elder Sho looked listless.

An arrow made it through his failing spells.

Others descended on his weak frail body with a tombstone rising above.

Erik dismissed the fire chains and summoned a second pair.

He heard the wet noise of them piercing their target. Erik’s eyes shifted to Nico Tolentino. A chain had pierced his throat and mana core.

He slumped, a tombstone appearing.

“Roska, hunt down the runners,” Erik didn’t look up at the approaching flying beasts as he walked towards the dead Elder Sho.

Two of the air force birds remained, circling Erik. The other two sped off towards the runners.

Erik collected Elder Sho’s tombstone and stored his body in his storage ring.

He’ll make a powerful undead. What a fucking iditot. He was stronger than most people in the Fourth Realm. Though I wasn’t going to fight him head on. That would just reveal all of my trump cards.

Erik repeated the process with Nico. He glanced at the Alvan Air Force beasts dive, their spells spat out, cutting down any runners.

He covered his eyes against the wind as one of the circling Kestrels landed.

“Sir!” Davos came down the back of the Kestrel’s ramp.

Erik jogged to the ramp, past Davos. Yang Zan who were covering the area with the bay door gunner. They followed Erik inside, grabbing onto the vines along the walls and ceiling.

“Make sure that they collect the bodies,” Erik yelled into Davos Ear as the Kestrel flapped its wings, forcing them back into the air.

Davos nodded talking into his sound transmission device.

Erik contacted Chonglu.

“Lord?”

“It was the Willful Institute. Have the guards make sure that none of them make it out alive. Organize with Elan, cut off the Institute where we can. Declare that we will no longer trade with the Willful Institute. Have the military on fifty percent readiness, all leave is cancelled. Others will learn that the Associations are willing to cut a deal. They could try to make use of it. Have all of the Adventurer’s Association halls notified, collapse the ones that won’t be able to defend themselves, work according to the list.”

“Yes sir,” Chonglu’s voice was heavy as he ended the sound transmission.

“How bad is it?” Erik used his sound transmission device to talk to Davos.

“It ain’t pretty, the medics are there putting them back together. They were burning their cultivations to put up a fight. Even if they recover, it will take time for them to heal their internal injuries. Their bodies are broken, the mana systems are shattered or strained to the point of collapse.”

“As long as they’re alive, we can fix the rest.” Erik felt the wind on his face, looking through the door gunners position as they scanned the city with their repeaters.

“Casualties?”

“Hundred and fifty seven at last count. It’ll climb. We’re recovering bodies still from the guild hall. Two hundred and thirty four wounded.”

“I’ll head there and lend my skills.”

“I can’t let you do that sir.” Davos shook his head.

The anger rose in Erik’s throat.

“You’re the city lord, the guilds, traders and others will all want to talk to you. The army needs to be reassured. If there is another attack, we can’t have you in the middle of it. Trust in the medics you trained sir.”

Erik bit back his words, letting out a hot breath. Holding back his frustration from venting it at Davos.

He saw the Adventurer’s Association hall, the claw marks that cut through the building. Guards patrolled the area on the ground and in the sky. Healers had broken up the guild hall into sections, working on the people there.

***

Blaze took off his helmet and rubbed the back of his neck, tilting his head from side to side.

“They’re stuck in like damn tics.” He sighed.

“Well, they can’t let every city go,” Joan checked her bow before putting it down in reach.

“Some of the sects are rethinking the battle due to losses.”

“They only desire rewards as soon as it comes to dying they get scared.”

“Just want someone else to die for them.”

The flap of Blaze’s tent was thrown to the side, the messenger face to face with Joan’s loaded bow and Blaze’s ready sword.

“Guild leader! The halls were attacked!”

Joan lowered her bow.

“Which ones?”

“Several, across different realms. We don’t know how bad it is. They attacked Vuzgal and were torn apart. We’ve lost contact with other guild halls. Erik sent out orders to the other guild halls. Some were able to hide or flee before they were attacked.”

“Fuckers!” Blaze kicked a desk over, sending papers across the room. “That is why they have been fighting so hard here. They wanted us to dedicate more people, draw us in and attack our rear. Shit.”