Chapter 111: Attack – End of Volume 4
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Many hours later
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On Magmor…
sizzle sizzle
The sounds of meat cooking rang out, fat melting alongside buttery steak. Warm spices gave off a delicious scent, interwoven with tasty noodles.
A huge, 2-meter large iron wok could be seen resting atop a blazing fire. A large, raised up stone outcropping roughly eighty meters wide spread out around the wok, standing hundreds of meters above the Magma Sea down below.
Several winding stone paths could be seen moving off in various directions, going down towards the surface of Magmor. Two large stone paths existed from this plateau, shooting off into the air towards a huge, massive plateau roughly thirty miles in the distance, a plateau that spanned several dozen miles.
A plateau that held one of the Six Oasis Cities located on Magmor, the Tomo Oasis City. Each Oasis City was a city in name and scale, and that was it. Outside of each city was a lawless land where anything went. The Exotic World of Magmor was unforgiving and wild.
The insides of each City were fiercely controlled by local groups, merchants, mercenaries alliances, and the leaders of each City themselves. While crime may go unpunished outside each city, the insides were safe and guarded.
“Alright, the Wonton Gilbari Noodles are almost done!” Xaphan’s cheerful voice cut across the air as the Anomaly looked down at the food he was cooking, a pleased expression on his face.
“All we need now is for our good friend Probus to return with the ice!”
A small campsite was visible, set up on the large outcropping. Several tents were deployed, and the attendants from the Aurelius Family that had come with Helena could be seen moving about finishing the setup.
Standing just a few meters away from Xaphan was Trajan, the Rain Wizard. His blinded eyes notwithstanding, he was currently glaring at the friendly Anomaly.
“You are waiting for Probus to return with… ice?” His voice was full of exasperation.
While they are only thirty or so miles from the Tomo Oasis City, Helena had made the elective decision to set up camp outside of it. She had talked with Trajan and Probus about, as well as the two Anomalies they were temporarily allied with.
Now that they had found the target that the Shades were hunting for, all they needed to do was wait for the Shades to find them. By setting up camp outside, relatively far from help, they had made themselves a lucrative target.
A target that was prepared to be attacked, however. The outcropping they had chosen might seem like a haphazard, random choice, but it was functionally an outstanding defensive spot.
Several stone paths lead towards the outcropping, but none of them had sturdy footing. The outcropping was large enough to hold all of them and more, but not large enough to be indefensible.
There were two stone paths that led up higher into the distance, but neither path had spots where enemies could hide. It was impossible to approach the outcropping without being spotted. The walls of the stone plateau they had set up camp on were slightly slanted and smooth, making climbing a dangerous chore.
It wasn’t a perfect setup, but it was an excellent choice to lure an enemy to attack.
Especially with the secret preparations Trajan had helped Helena prepare.
“Yes, friend Trajan! He left with Aron to hunt in the wilds for some ice! These Wonton Gilbari Noodles cannot be finished without it, they are one of my masterpieces!” Xaphan returned a reply, his voice ever cheerful.
“Another masterpiece? Isn’t that what you said the last three times you’ve cooked for the team?” Trajan had reluctantly accepted that Xaphan had become the chef for their alliance. While he didn’t see eye to eye with the Anomaly, he had to respect that his cooking skill was something extraordinary.
“Everything these hands touch is a masterpiece!” Xaphan proclaimed as he proudly patted himself on the chest.
Trajan shook his head,
“Wait- before that. You sent them to find ice?” His voice was incredulous.
“Yes.” Xaphan nodded as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
“On Magmor. The Planet of Unending Lava.” Trajan returned. He would’ve glared if he still had eyes.
“That is correct.” Xaphan nodded a second time. As he nodded, he went back to tending to the meal that was being cooked in the wok, carefully guiding it.
Trajan held his hands out to the side,
“Are you actually a moron?” He sputtered, annoyed,
“The average temperature of this world is well above the melting point of ice! There is no chance that they will return with any amou-”
“Heyo friend Xaphan!” Before Trajan could finish speaking, a familiar voice interrupted him,
“We have returned victorious! We found a small hidden crater full of centralized Ridian Ice, perfect for cooking!”
Probus waltzed forward as he finished speaking, walking up one of the stone paths. He was accompanied by the armor-clad Anomaly Aron behind him. Probus carried a large sack on his back, presumably full of the ice he had discovered. Why he didn’t put it in a Spatial Ring only the heavens knew, Trajan thought.
“Excellent work, friend Probus! What a fortuitous encounter! Luck has turned in our favor!” Xaphan waved at Probus in a friendly manner.
Trajan stared at Probus and then back at Xaphan.
He rubbed his forehead, mentally swearing.
Fortuitous encounters like this, where the Anomalies found exactly what they needed just in time, happened with an incredibly irritating frequency. He was aware that each Anomaly had a soul that twisted Fate in their favor, but for it to work for small things like this…
It was like they were the main characters in a story, where everything went right for them.
He threw his hands up in the air in defeat and spun around, stalking back towards his tent.
Helena, standing in the opening of her tent a couple dozen meters away, smiled as she watched all of this go down, her eyes warm.
The alliance they had formed with the Anomalies had gone swimmingly. Both Aron and Xaphan had proven friendly and engaging, both acting in completely unexpected manners. Aron was devoted to his swordplay and got along well with Probus, while Xaphan was focused on cooking and practicing his crafting. While it seemed as if he and Trajan had a tense relationship, Helena could tell that the two of them enjoyed playing off each other.
Her eyes hardened as she looked around, her hand clutching at her Spatial Ring tightly.
She could feel it in her bones.
Their enemies were coming.
It would soon be time for them to attack.
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“I’ve received word, Wimo.” A slim man wearing a green suit, with a set of fine lace pants, spoke aloud, his voice cool. A small hat covered his short brown hair, unable to cover his piercing red eyes. The entire right side of his physique appeared to be made out of clear, crystalline diamond, including his physical body as well as the clothes he was wearing.
In his hands was a small, glowing white crystal.
“Oh, Taemin? What say?” A gaunt-looking woman covered in multiple layers of twisting water responded, her voice quiet. She was wrapped in a large, floating bubble of water, shaped like a snake. Underneath the water, a long, blue robe was visible, wrapped around her figure. Her face was tight and lined, stern looking.
The two Wizards were sitting on the edge of the Tomo Plateau, the large plateau that housed the Tomo Oasis City. They looked out over several dozen winding stone paths that led off into the distance.
Specifically down one path in particular. In the direction of Helena’s camp.
“We are to attack immediately. The Department Head himself is on the way here, but we are not to delay or wait.” The half-diamond man’s voice was eager as he spoke.
“Head Jiro is coming personally?!” Wimo’s eyes widened in astonishment. For the Department Head of the Diamond Department, one of the 88 Departments of Magic in the Borrel Autarchy, to be personally making a move…
“Yes! We must not let him down!” Taemin’s voice was full of excitement and fervor as he stood up.
“It is time to attack!”
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WHOOSH
WHOOSH
THUNK
A resounding boom echoed out as Gerulf landed down on top one of a Magma Giant, his eyes full of fire.
His muscular, two-meter tall body heaved from exertion while his short brown hair shivered. His face was tough and weathered, lined with both age and experience.
“Piercing Magic: Ten Mile Lance!”
WHOOSH
The head of the creature directly exploded, sending out clumps of molten magma and rock in a cascading wave of energy. By that time, however, Gerulf had already flipped off, his chest heaving from exertion.
BOOM
An explosion rang out just behind him as Jasper crashed through the air and knocked away another Magma Giant that had been trying to ambush Gerulf.
“Thanks, Jasper.” He grunted, taking in his surroundings.
“Of course, Gerulf. It’s only you and me here. We need to look after each other.” Jasper responded, his voice muted.
Gerulf frowned ever so slightly at that. Jasper had changed a great deal after the disaster back on Blizzaria.
Around them, the battle faded away. The team of elite Shades made quick work of the group of Magma Giants that had charged them, annihilating it.
At the back of the group, Gerulf could make out the figures of the Holy Prince and the being known as Veritas watching the fight.
Gerulf sighed.
After disaster struck them on Blizzaria, their entire team had been mostly separated. Siegfried was unconscious, as were most of their teammates, and several of the others had died.
Only Gerulf and Jasper had survived and maintained good health. And, almost immediately, they were conscripted to work with Prince Isaac.
The Holy Prince was a kind and wise leader, and Gerulf had no issues serving him. After all, they were all trying to protect the Shade Race, their goals aligned.
It was only that other creature that he found unsettling… that ‘Veritas.’
His eyes flashed as he stared at the humanoid before turning away.
It wasn’t his business to question orders. All they needed to do was hunt down that murdering fox, and settle this, once and for all.
He sighed again.
‘How on earth did we survive?’ All he could remember was being knocked unconscious by that ridiculously tough Grakon King. According to Jasper, the servant of that Lightsworn Fox had nearly choked him to death, but he couldn’t remember anything before that.
His entire survival was a huge mystery. One he was grateful for, but one that it seemed might never get solved.
His thoughts trailed off, however, as a commotion drew his attention. In the distance, several of the other Shades on their team were talking excitedly.
WHOOSH
Jasper’s body blurred into view, particles of light gleaming around it. His eyes held excitement, however, his fists clenched.
“We’ve got her!” He smiled at Gerulf.
“They’ve got a lock on the fox!”
Gerulf returned his smile with one that failed to reach his eyes.
“That’s good news.” It was. He was ready to catch the murderess and put all of this behind him. Capturing vicious criminals was part of his duties to serve his race, but this had become inarguably tiring.
“Yes! I will have my revenge soon…” Jasper’s eyes trembled briefly,
“It is time for us to attack!”
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On Paxital…
A huge, golden dragon soared high in the sky, its gaze sweeping below the wooded landscape beneath it. A vast forest spread out, stretching for hundreds of miles up into a snow-strewn northern tundra.
Next to it, a jade-scaled dragon flew sharply, following the larger dragon’s movements.
“Where is it now, Mira?” Aiden asked, his voice bellowing in the air. Because they were so far up, flying several thousand meters high in the sky, not a soul could hear.
“The signal I’m getting is coming from that direction. It’s faint, but it is inescapably my grandmother. It’s definitely her soul wavelength.” Mira’s voice was calm and feminine as it slipped from her draconic mouth, her tongue flicking into the air.
“Right there.” She pointed with her snout at a city that was just barely visible, bordering the forest beneath them roughly three dozen miles away.
“It’s coming from right there. It’s in that city.”
Aiden turned to look at the city. It wasn’t close enough for him to see anything beyond that it existed many miles away.
He grunted,
“Very well.” He pulled his wings back, his body driving forward as he raced towards the city.
“Let us resolve this mystery now- before we head to Magmor.” He continued,
“It is time we launch an attack!”
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Dorian smiled as he looked down at his plate, pleased. Two large pancakes covered in warm, buttery syrup, several large slices of roasted ham, a small cut of cheese, and two slices of buttered bread.
All in all, it was a meal Dorian could expect to see even back on earth. In fact, he’d had no idea the 30,000 Worlds even had pancakes, but he wasn’t complaining.
He was back in his human form, wearing a set of nice grey pants and a smooth, silk white shirt. Around him, a lively restaurant spread out, serving breakfast food to various travelers and guests. It wasn’t a luxurious restaurant, with wooden tables and a long wooden bar, but it was one that smelled great and had a friendly atmosphere.
“Mmmm, look at that Leader. See, it’s the simple things in life that make it worth it!” Dorian smiled wider as he looked across his table to where the man known as Leader sat, eating his own breakfast.
He had explained his ability to shift forms rather easily to Leader. He simply told him it was a type of magic he practiced, and Leader accepted it without doubting him.
Magic was versatile and ever-changing in the 30,000 Worlds. Dorian had no doubt that there actually existed Transformation Magic or something that worked like that, so his excuse had been one he was confident in.
“If you say so, Great Lord.” Leader shrugged, wolfing down his meal.
Dorian shook his head ruefully,
“You gotta take life slow, Leader. Trust me. Why, we’re only a hop, a jump, and a skip away from Magmor after all.” He picked up a knife and fork from the side as he turned back to his plate, his eyes gleaming,
“Enough chit-chat, however.” He nodded, his tongue almost falling out of his mouth as he looked at the delicious breakfast,
“It is time for me to start my assault!”