167. Who's There?
An army encroached on Vamont. It came not from another Human country, but from the Motharis Mountain Range. Monsters of all kinds filled this giant horde. I recognized and fought many of them such as the Drakes and the Saeves. But they weren’t all that came.
Silver Rank monsters, Gold Rank monsters, and even Platinum Rank monsters. Monsters of all shapes and sizes. It was as if all of Motharis itself decided to descend from the tall peaks to trample over the weak Humans lying in wait below.
“There has to be tens of thousands of them…”
Daniel spoke, breathless. I glanced over at him, before turning back to the impending army. Both of us have seen this sight before; we had encountered many of them on the way to the Brilsum Ruins Dungeon, when we first sought out a Fairy Temple over a year ago now. They were natural inhabitants of the vast mountain range.
But when we arrived at the Brilsum Ruins, we found a nest of Mindreapers leading the monsters of Motharis, all controlled by an Archdemon by the name of Belzu. There were dozens of Mindreapers then, leading a small army of hundreds. Now, however, their numbers have grown to an exorbitant amount.
It looked like there were more monsters than people in the city. Most of them were smaller, Silver Rank monsters. But there had to be thousands of Gold Ranked monsters mixed amongst them. Maybe even more.
And the Mindreapers that were herding them? Hundreds.
Hundreds of Platinum Ranked threats. Each one, on their own, would be able to bring down a town on the outskirts of Nixa. I was pretty sure a single Mindreaper would be able to do more damage than Lucerna, even if they weren’t nearly as durable as him.
They were coming for Vamont. The city was in lockdown, preparing for a siege. They had archers lining the battlements— those above Level 40 already had their bows drawn, raining fire at the army so far away. But they must have only numbered in the bare hundred. Maybe even less.
“It’s pointless. Vamont will be destroyed.”
Edithe whispered, her hands tightening to balls. I met her gaze.
“So, do we leave?”
My companion narrowed her eyes.
“Leave?”
“Yep. Those are a lot of monsters. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many monsters in my life! We should run away, right?”
“I…”
She hesitated. Daniel clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“No, we can’t just leave Vamont.”
He spoke with finality in his voice.
“We have to help evacuate the city. We can’t just leave these people to die.”
Sure enough, I craned my neck and saw the streets were packed. An evacuation order had been called. Word was spreading of this monster army, and everyone wanted to leave now. City guards were rounding up the terrified citizens with the help of volunteering adventurers.
But there were no orderly lines. A stampede was slowly forming as the march of the monsters drummed closer to Vamont. [Mages] have joined the [Archers] in targeting the monster army from afar, but the monsters were now firing back as well. The wall shook and rumbled with each hit, which struck more fear into the evacuating populace than before.
The only reason why the crenellations didn’t just collapse was because of the [Barrier Mages] deflecting the attacks.
I scowled at Daniel’s declaration.
“Oh, so now you’re trying to be brave.”
He ignored my comment, and Edithe nodded. She took a swig of a potion before handing it to Daniel. With that drink, the pair shook off the last of the alcohol within their system and resolved themselves.
“We fight.”
They spoke at the same time. They were resolved to do it, whether or not I stayed. I could have left if I wanted to. They wouldn’t force me to do anything— they couldn’t force me to do anything, if I didn’t want to do it. Especially something as incredibly stupid as this.
I stared at them. Then I grinned.
“And you guys call me the reckless one.”
Edithe and Daniel exchanged a glance. The red-haired woman was the one to speak.
“Are you sure about this, Salvos? You don’t—”
“I know, I know. But I can’t just abandon either of you. So, I’m staying.”
It was the same thing with Haec. It was the same thing with them. I looked over past the walls at the army of monsters. These poor creatures had no say in what they were doing. Mind magic, illusion magic, and curses drove them to destroy this city. It was unfair to them. But it was us or them.
I chose me, of course.
The three of us marched up to the guard captain as she shouted orders at those on the walls. She was directing supporting adventurers to various different parts of the city, preparing for a battle within these streets. They knew they were going to die.
“Guard captain!”
Edithe stopped before the rough woman. She was a Level 72 [Warrior], wearing scars on her face. Probably one of the highest leveled individuals in the city— besides us, of course. She definitely could see Edithe’s level. And when she glanced over at me and Daniel, she straightened.
“Adventurers. Diamond Ranks, I presume?”
“Yes. Look, there’s no time for formalities. Tell us how we can help.”
Daniel stepped forward, nodding. The guard captain grunted.
“You’re a [Warrior], right? If you can take hits, I need you to position yourself by the gates, for when it falls. Hold the tide of monsters with the other [Warriors]. And you two [Mages], if you’re able to use long-range spells, we need you up here for as long as possible. We can’t let the walls fall.”
“Got it.”
Edithe immediately took her place on the crenellation, at the very fore, and began casting spells that eclipsed the magic of everything within the vicinity. Her [Storm of Ice and Fire] raged on in the distance, sweeping monsters off their feet, ripping apart the very front lines of the oncoming army. There were gasps and stares as [Archers] and [Mages] couldn’t help but look her way. The guard captain snapped, drawing their attention.
“Don’t let up! We need to hold them off until the city is fully evacuated!”
Judging by the haphazard mess of the streets below, I highly doubted that that would happen anytime soon. I didn’t join Edithe as she decimated dozens upon dozens of monsters at a time.
“I’m not really good at fighting from afar.”
The guard captain narrowed her eyes.
“I… then help your friend down below—”
But Daniel cut her off.
“Salvos, you can fly, can’t you?”
I paused, tilting my head back.
“Yes?”
“I know it’s a risk, but—”
“You want me to fly over them and burn them to slow their approach, don’t you?”
He pursed his lips but did not deny it. I hefted my sack and leaned it against the wall.
“I’ll do it. Just do your thing, alright?”
“Thank you.”
He ran down the steps as I took a deep breath. There was a spark. A blue glow that descended upon me. I wreathed my body in flaming armor. It almost solidified around me, protection equivalent to a Medium Grade Armor. Then I spread my arms wide, the flaming armor unfurling behind my back.
It covered the wings that sprouted from my skin, burning the black blood before anyone could see it oozing off me. Or would it be red blood, since I was ‘partially mortal’? A pair of brilliant, burning wings revealed itself as heads turned to face me. I grinned, lying as I whispered.
“Flaming wings.”
Was that even a real Skill? I just said it so people would think I wasn’t using a Skill that only Demons had. The guard captain seemed fooled by it, at least.
“That’s…”
I patted Edithe on the shoulder before leaping off the walls. The guard captain stared for a moment, before snapping at the other watchers to focus on the monsters.
As I soared through the air and got closer to the army of vicious, terrifying creatures, I readied myself for what was to come. I spotted the Saeves down below, already picking up rocks. The Gatho Mammoths wouldn’t be able to reach me, but the Scavenger Yetis had powerful ice magic to toss my way.
And the most worrying one of all were the Mindreapers. I squinted at the figures floating far above the others, like they were somehow better than the others. And they were, in a sense. They were what enabled this army to form.
I knew what to do. But first, I had to draw their attention.
I quickly zipped over the front lines of the army, releasing a flaming breath into their numbers. It incinerated everything in an instant as I flew over them, mouth open, spewing powerful, magical flames. Hundreds of monsters died. They stood no chance against me. The ones behind them tried to fight back. They slung magic and projectiles my way, but I mostly managed to avoid their flurry of attacks.
Some struck true. When a thousand pebbles were thrown, even I couldn’t avoid all of it. But I wasn’t an idiot. I knew what to dodge and what to ignore. The small orbs of fire would splash off my magical protection. But the lances of ice, the boulders that were hurled high up into the air, and the bolts of lightning would have actually been felt if I weren’t protected.
So, I evaded those. I made sure those didn’t touch me. I managed to stave off taking any damage for the longest while… until I heard the sound magic blaring in my ears.
Ground Cravers leapt up at me, screaming their unavoidable attacks. I blew them apart as fast as I could, seeing the ripple that ran over my body. My Pendant of Greater Protection managed to repel their assault. It was the only thing that stood between myself and the sound magic. It was a strong magical barrier over my body itself. However, it wouldn’t hold up against what was to come next.
I looked up at the Mindreapers rapidly descending upon me. They came by the dozens, the mild effects of their mind magic quickly amplifying as they edged closer and closer. I took a deep breath as a hot feeling boiled in my chest. Then I released it with an explosive speed. A sphere of flames shot out and exploded amongst the Mindreapers. A dozen of them dead from that single blast.
But more came. And the magic— the aura of protection around my body— grew weak. I unleashed one more powerful blast against the Mindreapers, before fleeing. I felt the Pendant of Greater Protection begin to fail as I sped back to the walls.
“Yep. Their mind magic is as annoying as ever.”
There had been a lot of close calls when I was in the Brilsum Ruins. And while I have leveled plenty and grown far more durable since then, I was still very much vulnerable to their magic. Back then, I struggled and nearly died fighting single Mindreapers. Now, one of them alone wouldn’t be a problem, but there were hundreds, all using their mind magic at the same time.
“Nope. I’ll definitely die if I engage them for too long. However…”
I glanced back at the army of monsters. A lot of Mindreapers had died. That didn’t break the monsters from their sleep-induced hallucinations. That much was clear from my past encounters with them. But now you could break them free with just the right push.
I bared my teeth and pointed.
“Kneel before your Princess!”
I screamed as loud as I could. My words were carried over the first rows of monsters. All at once, hundreds of monsters were freed from their sleep. It was an effect of [Intimidation]. It wasn’t like [Zealous Call], which instantly freed them from their madness. It only freed the ones who were being led by the dead Mindreapers.
They thrashed and turned against one another. Those leading the charge of the army were thrown into disarray. I didn’t get the experience for what they did, but that hardly mattered.
It slowed them nonetheless.
I landed back on the walls, laughing and spreading my arms wide.
“That was dangerous. Especially when they all concentrated their magic on me. Good thing I’m amazing at surviving, right Edithe? That could have gone very long if I stayed out there for too long.”
I glanced over at the red-haired woman— past the rows of adventurers and guards unleashing what they could at the faraway army. I was expecting them to cheer for me or shout praises for what I accomplished, but they were far too engrossed in what they were doing.
I shrugged and went to pick up my sack. I paused when it wasn’t there.
“Edithe, did you take my potions? Edithe?”
She didn’t respond. I looked over at her, not paying any attention to me. Then my eyes widened as I looked past her, at the city walls far from where I was.
“What?”
The crenellations around me vanished, bubbling into a colorless gas. I spun around in a panic as a shadow loomed over me.
A creature stood there. A winged being with a bulbous body. It had six legs, each bent at odd positions, crooked and wretched. It stared at me with obscenely round eyes, a crimson gaze that bore into my soul.
It was… not an it. No— it was a he. And he was here. I identified him and saw nothing. But the illusions were enough to clue me in to who he was.
Belzu himself appeared. He looked like an abomination of an insect, doubling me in size and height even when I was overtaken by [Demonic Essence]. And he smiled.
“Ah, those wings… a [Changeling], then? Or perhaps a [Succubus] or a [Cambion]?”
Shaking his head, he took a step forward. With the click of his leg, the world around me vanished, and his voice was all I could hear.
“It doesn’t matter. You’re in the way.”
[Hellprince - Lvl. 151]
MelasD
Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.
Join my discord or subreddit.
Follow me on twitter or instagram.
167. Who's There?
An army encroached on Vamont. It came not from another Human country, but from the Motharis Mountain Range. Monsters of all kinds filled this giant horde. I recognized and fought many of them such as the Drakes and the Saeves. But they weren’t all that came.
Silver Rank monsters, Gold Rank monsters, and even Platinum Rank monsters. Monsters of all shapes and sizes. It was as if all of Motharis itself decided to descend from the tall peaks to trample over the weak Humans lying in wait below.
“There has to be tens of thousands of them…”
Daniel spoke, breathless. I glanced over at him, before turning back to the impending army. Both of us have seen this sight before; we had encountered many of them on the way to the Brilsum Ruins Dungeon, when we first sought out a Fairy Temple over a year ago now. They were natural inhabitants of the vast mountain range.
But when we arrived at the Brilsum Ruins, we found a nest of Mindreapers leading the monsters of Motharis, all controlled by an Archdemon by the name of Belzu. There were dozens of Mindreapers then, leading a small army of hundreds. Now, however, their numbers have grown to an exorbitant amount.
It looked like there were more monsters than people in the city. Most of them were smaller, Silver Rank monsters. But there had to be thousands of Gold Ranked monsters mixed amongst them. Maybe even more.
And the Mindreapers that were herding them? Hundreds.
Hundreds of Platinum Ranked threats. Each one, on their own, would be able to bring down a town on the outskirts of Nixa. I was pretty sure a single Mindreaper would be able to do more damage than Lucerna, even if they weren’t nearly as durable as him.
They were coming for Vamont. The city was in lockdown, preparing for a siege. They had archers lining the battlements— those above Level 40 already had their bows drawn, raining fire at the army so far away. But they must have only numbered in the bare hundred. Maybe even less.
“It’s pointless. Vamont will be destroyed.”
Edithe whispered, her hands tightening to balls. I met her gaze.
“So, do we leave?”
My companion narrowed her eyes.
“Leave?”
“Yep. Those are a lot of monsters. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many monsters in my life! We should run away, right?”
“I…”
She hesitated. Daniel clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“No, we can’t just leave Vamont.”
He spoke with finality in his voice.
“We have to help evacuate the city. We can’t just leave these people to die.”
Sure enough, I craned my neck and saw the streets were packed. An evacuation order had been called. Word was spreading of this monster army, and everyone wanted to leave now. City guards were rounding up the terrified citizens with the help of volunteering adventurers.
But there were no orderly lines. A stampede was slowly forming as the march of the monsters drummed closer to Vamont. [Mages] have joined the [Archers] in targeting the monster army from afar, but the monsters were now firing back as well. The wall shook and rumbled with each hit, which struck more fear into the evacuating populace than before.
The only reason why the crenellations didn’t just collapse was because of the [Barrier Mages] deflecting the attacks.
I scowled at Daniel’s declaration.
“Oh, so now you’re trying to be brave.”
He ignored my comment, and Edithe nodded. She took a swig of a potion before handing it to Daniel. With that drink, the pair shook off the last of the alcohol within their system and resolved themselves.
“We fight.”
They spoke at the same time. They were resolved to do it, whether or not I stayed. I could have left if I wanted to. They wouldn’t force me to do anything— they couldn’t force me to do anything, if I didn’t want to do it. Especially something as incredibly stupid as this.
I stared at them. Then I grinned.
“And you guys call me the reckless one.”
Edithe and Daniel exchanged a glance. The red-haired woman was the one to speak.
“Are you sure about this, Salvos? You don’t—”
“I know, I know. But I can’t just abandon either of you. So, I’m staying.”
It was the same thing with Haec. It was the same thing with them. I looked over past the walls at the army of monsters. These poor creatures had no say in what they were doing. Mind magic, illusion magic, and curses drove them to destroy this city. It was unfair to them. But it was us or them.
I chose me, of course.
The three of us marched up to the guard captain as she shouted orders at those on the walls. She was directing supporting adventurers to various different parts of the city, preparing for a battle within these streets. They knew they were going to die.
“Guard captain!”
Edithe stopped before the rough woman. She was a Level 72 [Warrior], wearing scars on her face. Probably one of the highest leveled individuals in the city— besides us, of course. She definitely could see Edithe’s level. And when she glanced over at me and Daniel, she straightened.
“Adventurers. Diamond Ranks, I presume?”
“Yes. Look, there’s no time for formalities. Tell us how we can help.”
Daniel stepped forward, nodding. The guard captain grunted.
“You’re a [Warrior], right? If you can take hits, I need you to position yourself by the gates, for when it falls. Hold the tide of monsters with the other [Warriors]. And you two [Mages], if you’re able to use long-range spells, we need you up here for as long as possible. We can’t let the walls fall.”
“Got it.”
Edithe immediately took her place on the crenellation, at the very fore, and began casting spells that eclipsed the magic of everything within the vicinity. Her [Storm of Ice and Fire] raged on in the distance, sweeping monsters off their feet, ripping apart the very front lines of the oncoming army. There were gasps and stares as [Archers] and [Mages] couldn’t help but look her way. The guard captain snapped, drawing their attention.
“Don’t let up! We need to hold them off until the city is fully evacuated!”
Judging by the haphazard mess of the streets below, I highly doubted that that would happen anytime soon. I didn’t join Edithe as she decimated dozens upon dozens of monsters at a time.
“I’m not really good at fighting from afar.”
The guard captain narrowed her eyes.
“I… then help your friend down below—”
But Daniel cut her off.
“Salvos, you can fly, can’t you?”
I paused, tilting my head back.
“Yes?”
“I know it’s a risk, but—”
“You want me to fly over them and burn them to slow their approach, don’t you?”
He pursed his lips but did not deny it. I hefted my sack and leaned it against the wall.
“I’ll do it. Just do your thing, alright?”
“Thank you.”
He ran down the steps as I took a deep breath. There was a spark. A blue glow that descended upon me. I wreathed my body in flaming armor. It almost solidified around me, protection equivalent to a Medium Grade Armor. Then I spread my arms wide, the flaming armor unfurling behind my back.
It covered the wings that sprouted from my skin, burning the black blood before anyone could see it oozing off me. Or would it be red blood, since I was ‘partially mortal’? A pair of brilliant, burning wings revealed itself as heads turned to face me. I grinned, lying as I whispered.
“Flaming wings.”
Was that even a real Skill? I just said it so people would think I wasn’t using a Skill that only Demons had. The guard captain seemed fooled by it, at least.
“That’s…”
I patted Edithe on the shoulder before leaping off the walls. The guard captain stared for a moment, before snapping at the other watchers to focus on the monsters.
As I soared through the air and got closer to the army of vicious, terrifying creatures, I readied myself for what was to come. I spotted the Saeves down below, already picking up rocks. The Gatho Mammoths wouldn’t be able to reach me, but the Scavenger Yetis had powerful ice magic to toss my way.
And the most worrying one of all were the Mindreapers. I squinted at the figures floating far above the others, like they were somehow better than the others. And they were, in a sense. They were what enabled this army to form.
I knew what to do. But first, I had to draw their attention.
I quickly zipped over the front lines of the army, releasing a flaming breath into their numbers. It incinerated everything in an instant as I flew over them, mouth open, spewing powerful, magical flames. Hundreds of monsters died. They stood no chance against me. The ones behind them tried to fight back. They slung magic and projectiles my way, but I mostly managed to avoid their flurry of attacks.
Some struck true. When a thousand pebbles were thrown, even I couldn’t avoid all of it. But I wasn’t an idiot. I knew what to dodge and what to ignore. The small orbs of fire would splash off my magical protection. But the lances of ice, the boulders that were hurled high up into the air, and the bolts of lightning would have actually been felt if I weren’t protected.
So, I evaded those. I made sure those didn’t touch me. I managed to stave off taking any damage for the longest while… until I heard the sound magic blaring in my ears.
Ground Cravers leapt up at me, screaming their unavoidable attacks. I blew them apart as fast as I could, seeing the ripple that ran over my body. My Pendant of Greater Protection managed to repel their assault. It was the only thing that stood between myself and the sound magic. It was a strong magical barrier over my body itself. However, it wouldn’t hold up against what was to come next.
I looked up at the Mindreapers rapidly descending upon me. They came by the dozens, the mild effects of their mind magic quickly amplifying as they edged closer and closer. I took a deep breath as a hot feeling boiled in my chest. Then I released it with an explosive speed. A sphere of flames shot out and exploded amongst the Mindreapers. A dozen of them dead from that single blast.
But more came. And the magic— the aura of protection around my body— grew weak. I unleashed one more powerful blast against the Mindreapers, before fleeing. I felt the Pendant of Greater Protection begin to fail as I sped back to the walls.
“Yep. Their mind magic is as annoying as ever.”
There had been a lot of close calls when I was in the Brilsum Ruins. And while I have leveled plenty and grown far more durable since then, I was still very much vulnerable to their magic. Back then, I struggled and nearly died fighting single Mindreapers. Now, one of them alone wouldn’t be a problem, but there were hundreds, all using their mind magic at the same time.
“Nope. I’ll definitely die if I engage them for too long. However…”
I glanced back at the army of monsters. A lot of Mindreapers had died. That didn’t break the monsters from their sleep-induced hallucinations. That much was clear from my past encounters with them. But now you could break them free with just the right push.
I bared my teeth and pointed.
“Kneel before your Princess!”
I screamed as loud as I could. My words were carried over the first rows of monsters. All at once, hundreds of monsters were freed from their sleep. It was an effect of [Intimidation]. It wasn’t like [Zealous Call], which instantly freed them from their madness. It only freed the ones who were being led by the dead Mindreapers.
They thrashed and turned against one another. Those leading the charge of the army were thrown into disarray. I didn’t get the experience for what they did, but that hardly mattered.
It slowed them nonetheless.
I landed back on the walls, laughing and spreading my arms wide.
“That was dangerous. Especially when they all concentrated their magic on me. Good thing I’m amazing at surviving, right Edithe? That could have gone very long if I stayed out there for too long.”
I glanced over at the red-haired woman— past the rows of adventurers and guards unleashing what they could at the faraway army. I was expecting them to cheer for me or shout praises for what I accomplished, but they were far too engrossed in what they were doing.
I shrugged and went to pick up my sack. I paused when it wasn’t there.
“Edithe, did you take my potions? Edithe?”
She didn’t respond. I looked over at her, not paying any attention to me. Then my eyes widened as I looked past her, at the city walls far from where I was.
“What?”
The crenellations around me vanished, bubbling into a colorless gas. I spun around in a panic as a shadow loomed over me.
A creature stood there. A winged being with a bulbous body. It had six legs, each bent at odd positions, crooked and wretched. It stared at me with obscenely round eyes, a crimson gaze that bore into my soul.
It was… not an it. No— it was a he. And he was here. I identified him and saw nothing. But the illusions were enough to clue me in to who he was.
Belzu himself appeared. He looked like an abomination of an insect, doubling me in size and height even when I was overtaken by [Demonic Essence]. And he smiled.
“Ah, those wings… a [Changeling], then? Or perhaps a [Succubus] or a [Cambion]?”
Shaking his head, he took a step forward. With the click of his leg, the world around me vanished, and his voice was all I could hear.
“It doesn’t matter. You’re in the way.”
[Hellprince - Lvl. 151]
MelasD
Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.
Join my discord or subreddit.
Follow me on twitter or instagram.
