Husayn and Sara remained concealed in the shadows of the alleyway, their damp clothes a reminder of their recent narrow escape. The air was stifling, but they dared not move, keenly aware that discovery could mean peril. Husayn, scrolled through his skill repertoire, contemplating their next move. The central market offered limited options, as most of their funds had been expended on essential potions and scrolls. With the city under attack, their choices were dwindling. The town portal loomed as a potential escape route, but it was likely crowded with others seeking refuge.
As they weighed their options, the grim reality of the city's devastation surrounded them. Dead bodies lay strewn about, a macabre testament to the chaos that had unfolded. With each step, Husayn and Sara navigated a grim landscape, doing their best to avoid eye contact with the fallen. The tension was palpable, punctuated by sporadic screams for help that quickly turned to shrieks as the imps closed in. In this dire setting, Husayn and Sara pressed on, their resolve unwavering. A soft cry for help reached Husayn's ears, and he turned toward the source. There, he beheld a tragic scene, an adventurer pinned beneath the rubble of a collapsed building. Husayn's instinct to aid the stricken adventurer warred with the grim reality that there was little he could do.
"I can't," he said, his voice heavy with regret. "I don't have the means to save you." The adventurer, in a desperate outburst, accused Husayn of deceit, their frustration palpable. Understanding the risk of drawing unwanted attention, Husayn quickly pulled Sara away from the scene, their footsteps echoing against the cobblestones as they hurried onward.
As Husayn and Sara moved away from the center of the city, they found solace in the dwindling demon presence. The slow pace of their journey granted them time to rest and strategize. Husayn's initial plan to reach the city wall was abandoned in favor of seeking a hiding place, as he hoped the chaos would resolve itself. The sight of survivors banding together and adventurers offering aid brought a glimmer of relief to the pair.
However, this solace was short-lived as a series of explosions rocked towards the academy. Husayn's attention was drawn to a figure floating in the sky, effortlessly conjuring fireballs that rained down with deadly precision. 'She's there,' he realized, referring to a powerful ally who could turn the tide against the demon invasion. With this knowledge, Husayn and Sara's determination to find refuge grew stronger, knowing that help had arrived.
The source of the explosions, a mysterious figure clads in black robes, hovered above the city. Her eyes, a piercing shade of amber, scanned the destruction below with a mix of satisfaction and contempt. Demons scattered in her wake, unable to withstand the raw power she wielded. As the fireballs danced across the sky, painting the night with hues of orange and crimson, the city's defenders found new hope. The battle was far from over, but with this unexpected ally, the tide had turned.
The woman, her robes billowing as she hovered, unleashed a volley of curses upon the imps that dared to challenge her. With each fiery blast, she seared their forms, sending them scattering in fear. But as she ascended, seeking a vantage point to assess the chaos below, a massive boulder hurtled towards her, an unexpected threat. She narrowly avoided the projectile, her eyes widening as she beheld the source. A mutated human, its body twisted and enhanced with the arm of a Red Orc, stood amidst the rubble, a snarling embodiment of raw power. Recognizing the handiwork of a high-ranking demon, she knew her presence had likely been detected.
"I didn't expect to encounter him here," she muttered, her voice tight with concern. "This changes everything." The prospect of facing such a formidable foe alone was daunting, and she knew her chances of success were slim. Yet, even as doubt crept in, her determination burned brighter. With a swift movement, she descended, seeking cover in the shadows of the alleyways. Her mind raced as she considered her next move, aware that the fate of the city hung in the balance.
"Link," The woman whispered to herself.
From her dimensional storage bag, she retrieved a green crystal, its surface shimmering with arcane energy. Activating it with a whispered incantation, she waited, her eyes fixed on the figure of the mutated human. The crystal pulsed with a soft green light, and soon, a faint voice echoed in her mind. It was a response, an acknowledgment of her call.
"Slyvia, you finally respond." Distorted and strained, a voice crackled from the fray, betraying the intensity of the ongoing battle.
"I will not be able to take on two grand lord demons by myself, Salazar is here too." Slyvia, the woman responds. requesting for help.
"Tch that bad huh, we'll get there." The man responds before a distorted sound once again can be heard.
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Deactivating the verdant crystal, Sylvia returned it to her extradimensional satchel before unleashing a pinpoint targeting incantation. The spell arrived instantaneously, its ethereal tendrils piercing the veil of reality. Sylvia's augmented perception now rendered the human mutant acutely visible, though not to her physical eyes. A preemptive strike was imminent, but a sudden intrusion into her sensory perimeter forced an evasive maneuver. With breathtaking speed, she narrowly avoided a devastating earth spell assault that shattered the earth where she had stood moments before.
Slyvia's quick reflexes saved her from the earth spell, but the threat was far from over. She knew that the mutated human, enhanced with the strength of a Red Orc, posed a significant challenge. With her targeting spell active, she could perceive her opponent's every move without relying on her physical senses. She prepared to unleash a barrage of attacks, confident in her ability to anticipate her enemy's next move. However, as she launched a series of fireballs, the mutant demonstrated its own agility, dodging each blast with surprising speed. It returned fire with a storm of sharp, crystalline projectiles, forcing Slyvia to take cover.
Demonstrating her mastery over the elements, Slyvia summoned an earthen barrier, shielding herself from the onslaught. However, as the battle raged on, the situation grew dire. Eight more human mutants joined the fray, flanking Slyvia and forcing her to divide her attention. Her concern deepened as she sensed the presence of the two grand lord demons, biding their time, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Slyvia knew that a direct confrontation with the demons could be catastrophic, so she restrained herself from casting high-level magic attacks, which would leave her vulnerable. Every moment was crucial, and she had to carefully calculate her next move. Slyvia's strategy shifted as she sought to minimize her movements, conserving her energy for powerful attacks. She directed a series of precise, controlled blasts at the mutants, aiming to inflict maximum damage with minimum effort. The air crackled with electricity as she unleashed lightning bolts, followed by searing flames that engulfed her opponents. The mutants faltered, their forms charred and smoking, but they continued to advance, their resolve unwavering.
With five minutes until the inevitable clash, Sylvia erected a psychic bulwark, then propelled herself skyward, nimbly evading the hail of projectiles unleashed by the ten aberrant humans. Her gaze shifted to the Academy, a bastion renowned for its formidable faculty and potent students, a potential lifeline in this desperate struggle. Yet, despite the city's plight, the Academy remained eerily silent, unresponsive to the unfolding carnage. A chilling realization dawned on Sylvia. Instantly, she conjured a volley of glacial shards, hurtling them towards the Academy's imposing structure. As anticipated, the projectiles detonated harmlessly before breaching the formidable barrier erected by the Archmage himself, the Academy's esteemed Dean. A wave of relief washed over Sylvia. The barrier's integrity confirmed the Archmage's survival, a beacon of hope amidst the encroaching chaos.
To shield the city, Sylvia strategically shifted the conflict closer to the academy's protective barrier, transforming the impending barrage of enemy projectiles into a harmless assault against its defenses. Swiftly, her allies converged, executing a decisive ambush that vanquished two monstrous mutants. However, despite this tactical victory, the ominous absence of the two grand lords, their sudden and inexplicable disappearance, cast a chilling shadow over the hard-won triumph.
Husayn, accompanied by Sara, encountered a large group of survivors congregating near the city's partially collapsed eastern gate. Many displayed injuries, lacerations, burns, and bruises. Husayn distributed a collection of vials containing a murky, brownish liquid. He labeled them simply "Low quality potions," though their efficacy was questionable at best, several recipients grimaced after consumption, while others showed only minimal improvement.
"Do you have any potions left?" Sara asked, her tone flat. She observed a young woman clutching her arm, the potion seemingly having done little to alleviate her pain.
"Better than nothing," Husayn replied, his voice lacking conviction. He continued distributing the potions methodically, his movements efficient and practiced.
Driven by avarice, Husayn ravaged the abandoned shops, plundering salvageable goods. He traded these spoils for gold, meticulously reinvesting his ill-gotten gains in a fresh supply of inferior potion, leveraging his skill to maximize his acquisitions.
'The academy barrier… it shouldn't be holding,' Husayn murmured, examining the seemingly intact magical barrier shielding the Academy. He recalled the game's narrative: the Academy Dean’s journey into a dimensional dungeon to rescue trapped students, resulting in the barrier’s collapse. This discrepancy was puzzling.
'Something's off, the Dean should have gone to the dungeon by now. The barrier should be down,' Husayn whispered to himself
'The game mechanics should have triggered the collapse, but they didn't. Maybe the game's timeline is… different? Or incomplete? Or perhaps I am the cause of it?'
The realization that he might have altered the timeline weighed heavily on Husayn's mind. The provision of potions to the academy, a deviation from his recollection of the game's events, left him questioning the consequences of his actions. Why had the demons targeted the city instead of the academy? As he and Sara navigated the ravaged streets, the mystery deepened, compounded by the academy's enigmatic silence amidst the chaos. The air was thick with the smoke of battle, and the city lay in ruins. Husayn and Sara's journey through the decimated streets was a grim one.
As the sun set, Husayn and Sara made their way through the ravaged streets, the cries of celebration guiding them towards the center of the city. The battle-scarred landscape bore testament to the fierce conflict that had unfolded. Charred buildings and smoldering rubble lined their path, the air thick with the acrid smell of destruction. Husayn's relief at the battle's end was tempered by the grim sights that greeted them at every turn. He found himself grateful for their survival and hoped that the slaves and merchants they partied with would be back to the academy safely.
Upon reaching the center, they joined a crowd that had gathered to celebrate and honor the heroes of the battle. There, Husayn's eyes were drawn to a familiar figure, Slyvia, the mysterious ally who had turned the tide against the demon invasion. She sat atop a wooden cart, overseeing the distribution of food and supplies to the grateful survivors. Their eyes met, and Husayn was taken aback as Slyvia offered him a warm smile and a wave. Confused, as they had never officially met, Husayn averted his gaze and gently patted Sara's arm, indicating their departure. With the battle won, it was time to return to the academy. As they made their way back to their house in the academy, Husayn and Sara remained silent, their minds filled with the day's events. The hot water of the shower washed away the physical remnants of their ordeal, but the memories of the devastation they had witnessed would linger. Exhaustion pulled at their bodies and minds, and they welcomed the comfort of a well-deserved rest.
