Chapter 47: One Sided Massacre
Chapter 47: One Sided Massacre
Chapter 47: One Sided Massacre
A strange heat swirled within Astrid’s body. It wasn’t fear, nor was it excitement. She didn’t know what it was, but she shook her head and focused on her surroundings. One thing was clear to her, however, they wanted not just her life, but her friends.
Another arrow shot at them from the forest. Astrid quickly formed her Mind Barrier around herself, Rachelle, and Lisa. At the last second, the arrow splintered off into hundreds of little pieces of shrapnel. Leena and the others held up their shields as the continuous sound of metal on metal rang out throughout the bloodied battlefield.
Another force blew Losef backwards as he crashed right in front of Rob. A familiar face made his appearance. Fletcher rushed forward with the group. They broke off in both directions as their team comprised mostly frontline warriors. It was an unbalanced team composition for adventuring, but it worked perfectly for a full frontal assault. For war.
They must be the ones that killed and plundered the Seafarers. Now they must be after the Epic piece of set equipment. Astrid thought as she turned serious. With a frown, she controlled the knives by her waist and hid them behind Rob’s enormous body. She then scattered the black needles on the floor, in between them, and in front. Daniel and Brett were still dealing with the ranged users at the back, but based on their efficient killing speed, it would only be a couple more minutes until they were dealt with, but that also meant they had to survive the oncoming charge from Fletcher and his team.
Losef dashed to one side of the flank, and Rob on the other–next to Astrid. She counted four, including Fletcher. They each held a different assortment of weapons. Fletcher barreled towards them with his spear in hand. The other three clutched a hatchet and shield, sword, and a two-handed curved blade.
Fletcher stepped to the side of Rob, but his enormous forearms, covered in ice and shielded in chains, loomed toward him. The ice spread out on the ground and created a slippery ice rink. Fletcher slammed the butt of his spear down onto the ground as he lifted himself up and leapt over, into the middle of the formation.
Leena was quick to react as metal formed around her body like a second skin. Her armour went through an evolution as it covered every inch of her body. The once metallic umbrella transformed into an enormous lance as she pierced forward. With a parry, Fletcher struck his spear at Leena’s dense armour. Sparks flew as the spear tip lodged itself in her armour. As if it had turned to liquid, the metal surrounding Leena devoured Fletcher's spear. He tugged his spear, and it pulled Leena forward. She used the extra momentum to lunge her pointed lance to his chest. With a thud, she sent him tumbling back at the surprise attack.
Astrid sent her psychic mana outward as she regained the connection to the needles. With explosive momentum, she shot them up into the air. Fletcher screamed in pain as Astrid exploded them into his skin. His armour blocked most of them, but a few made it through the gaps. Blood seeped from his legs and chest, staining his clothes in a scarlet red. Then she connected to the blades and the remaining needles and fired them outward at the encroaching frontline.
With such a sudden, and hidden attack and no surge of mana, they couldn't possibly defend in time. Their high constitution and armour saved them from becoming porcupines, but the last warrior wasn't so lucky. A stray black needle that was hard to be seen, especially when wearing a helmet, pierced directly into his eye. With a wailing scream, he continued his charge.
Ignoring their wounds, they clashed into Rob. An ice wall emerged from his arms, covering his sides so that they couldn’t get through. Then, an ethereal chain sprouted out from Rob’s wrist and coiled itself around the warrior holding the two-handed sword. Rob grit his teeth and opened up his arms. Astrid widened her eyes in horror. She attached her mind to the man’s arms, but the force was too much for her to handle. The blade’s forceful momentum crashed into Rob’s shoulder. It glided through his thick armour with ease and stopped at his muscled skin. The sight Astrid had expected to see didn’t come to fruition. Instead of Rob’s shoulder splitting into a bloodied mess, it was the other warrior that was injured. His armour wasn’t touched, yet blood cascaded from his tough body as he thudded to the floor. The only thing holding his severed body together was his heavy armour that latched onto his body.
Astrid sent psychic [Crashes] forward. With no way to defend against it, they resorted to holding their hands against their faces. Blood seeped from their nose and ears. With Rob freezing the rest of them, she placed her attention on Leena. The barrier she had erected around Leena had smashed. Astrid felt the mana leak out into the air from her container.
Astrid wanted to test out her new skill, but she was worried his intelligence would be too high. Although a warrior, she wasn’t sure if his high level would send her mind into a frenzy. A shadow brushed up against her arm as she sighed in relief.
Brett and Daniel had arrived.
Daniel’s curved blade parried the incoming spear that threatened Leena’s life and snapped his leg against Fletcher’s chest. Fletcher glanced around as his team was being slaughtered in a storm of fire and metal. Each move was accurate from the Wayfarer group. Astrid did not know what the level difference was, but she imagined it couldn’t be too high. With a quick check of Identify, most were in the tens, while Fletcher and a few others in the hundreds. If she had to guess, then Daniel and the others all held rare classes that strengthened them over Fletcher’s group. That, and their technique was vastly superior.
“I should have done more research.” Fletcher wiped the blood from his mouth. "To think you could wipe us all out. Shit, what classes do you have?"
“Greed,” Daniel stepped forward. “It’s a funny thing. To waste your life for some coin when you have all of this to explore.” He motioned towards the sprawling trees and lush grass.
“How else are we meant to become strong and leave the clutches of Rebirth?”
“Why do I care?” Daniel flashed forward.
A gruelling fight broke out between them. Just as Daniel parried Fletcher backwards, an arrow tore through the air as if shot from an overpowered ballista. With a thud, it penetrated his throat and continued into the nearby tree. Lisa stood with a frown.
“You–” Fletcher said in a choked voice. His hand stretched forward, then his body lost all strength and fell to the floor.
The other warriors had scattered as soon as they noticed their plan go awry. It looked like companionship between plunderers was only as thick as their wallets. Brett disappeared within a cloak of shadows, he vanished from sight.
Has he gone to hunt them? Astrid took a breath.
Astrid glanced around at the bloodied battlefield. The stench of copper and metal overpowered her senses. She felt something curdle up within her stomach, but she forcefully held it down. Her blood pumped through her body, sending a fiery sensation that burned away the feeling of disgust.
“Everyone alright?” Daniel sheathed his sword. Rachelle was already running around, plundering their equipment with her grubby fingers. A smile plastered on her face despite her hands being washed in blood.
Astrid bobbed her head, her eyes still attached to the bodies littered on the battlefield.
“Astrid?” Leena placed her hand on Astrid’s back.
“I’m fine.” Astrid shook her head, her hands faintly trembling. "I take this isn't the first time?"
Daniel's hand rested upon her shoulder. There was no need for words.
“The blood will most likely attract unwanted visitors.” Daniel wiped the blood from his blade. “Take some potions if you need to. We’ll leave right away.”
Astrid nodded. She uncorked one of her mana potions and swallowed the blue liquid. The cooling sensation calmed her nerves.
With Daniel and Losef on guard duty, Astrid stripped off her armour, leaving only the tight swimwear. Stuffing the dress alongside the armour into her bag, she was ready for a long swim back up to the surface. When they were all ready, they got into formation once more. Then it was Astrid’s turn to enter the endless ocean.
She pressed her hand through the air bubble as the frigid cold water encased her hand. Taking a breath, she walked forward as the water engulfed her entirely. She quickly formed her mind barrier around her, then connected to the mass of water and pushed it out. Next, the matter within her body became lighter. Her body rose as she pulled with Psychokinesis.
With that, she could keep up with the other strength users as they relied on their powerful legs to propel themselves upwards. Rachelle and Lisa simply held onto the warriors at the vanguard. Lisa signalled for everyone to look to the right. A Spawn was tearing through the water, its large, powerful tail sent the water back in a wave. Red eyes glowed within the dark waters, the red mixed with the ocean and created a trail.
Astrid tried to connect to the Spawn. The matter was a jumbled mess. Astrid hadn’t noticed it on the last mission, but while in the water, it was hard to get a grip on the matter. It was like the water was impeding her control. The water impeded the range of her matter control. Straining her mind, she sifted through the matter and finally connected to the incoming Spawn. Sending multiple [Crashes] the water exploded into a burst of bubbles. Blood splashed on its rock hard skull, its maw opened wide when a spiralling blade of water surged through the ocean.
The blade sliced deep into its skin as everyone's line of sight was destroyed by the red mist. Another blade appeared, then another. It finally sliced the Spawn in two. Then, just like a receding tide, the blood mist was swept away.
Jonathan!
Astrid’s eyes widened. A team of Seafarers arrived as they moved through the ocean with exceptional mobility and power. Astrid clearly remembered Jonathan’s power back within the underbelly. She knew that Jonathan’s family received a huge buff by fighting in water, but to think it was to this extent. His water blades looked like they were injected with an over-excitable stimulant as they ripped through the water and reaped their foes like a death scythe. He wasn’t the only one.
The Seafarers moved within the ocean like Brett, and Daniel moved on land. Unimpeded. Effortless. Astrid smiled. Something about watching the extermination of the monsters made her heart beat faster than usual.
With the help of the Seafarers, they breached the surface of the ocean. Astrid took a gulp of the fresh air. Although smelling of salt, blood, and fish, it was one that reminded her of home. Daniel’s boat was in the distance. Astrid levitated in the air as they finally boarded the old, rickety boat.
“Ahh, good to be back.” Daniel rubbed the wooden steering wheel of the boat.
Astrid noticed an awkward silence in the air. It reminded her of when she and her father were left alone. He needed to hold a stalwart face for the rest of humanity, but she knew he wanted to talk like when she was younger. Freely. Memories of when he would toss her high in the air, past the buildings to catch a glimpse of the endless HMS Rebirth. Well, he had to stop when mother threatened that he would end up sleeping on the couch. Astrid’s lips tugged upwards.
“Everyone, I’m okay.” Astrid said.
“Huh?” Brett didn’t know where to look.
Astrid was about to say something else when her stomach rumbled.
“We just ate, didn’t we?” Rachelle asked.
“Shut up!” Astrid shouted.
Her stomach rumbled once more.