Helen woke up rested. In her morning confusion, the siege seemed like a fant dream. But she could feel the tug of the hundreds of bees busy building their hive nearby and she saw herself in the mansion's master bedroom. She then checked her status and truly enough, a half plus one of her HP were missing. She also read the messages and chat windows one-by-one, getting to know what the night crew did. She shook her head. It was good that Shraaizar vented some well-deserved steam and returned healthy but she had no idea if that was a good or a bad thing. On one hand, the invading army would be fearful of them, but in the other hand, they would be even more motivated to take the town. And they were awfully undermanned.

The self-proclaimed Viscountess hopped out of bed and stretched. She touched her belly and sighed as she walked to her vanity. After a few applications of lifestyle magic, she was clean and her hair combed. It was time to start a new day.

Helen: I'm up. Anyone awake?

Zahariel: Me. Good morning... milady.

Helen: Good morning... Nobody else, it seems. What can you tell me about Alice's disappearance?

Zahariel: It is as if she just vanished out of thin air. There are no record of her leaving the city field, in fact her last activity was tithing MP at the fountain. She didn't teleport or it would be recorded in the logs. She is just... gone.

Helen: Did Heorot take her?

Zahariel: No. I trust our Naga receptionist and she didn't pick even the faintest sign of her in the enemy camp. They were burning repellent potions like pirates drink rum though.

Helen: Pirates?

Zahariel: Oh. They are like a mix of sailor, merchant, and bandit. Make that twice as much bandit. They used to travel the seas robbing ships when the oceans were navigable.

Helen: I see. Back in the time of the legendary heroes. Before you locked youself in that chalice to seal Beelzebub.

Zahariel: Exactly. I was getting nostalgic.

Helen: I'm going to the fountain. Meet me there and we'll talk more.

Zahariel: OMW.

Helen: What?

Zahariel: Coming.

She dismissed the chat window. it didn't convey emotion and the others could eavesdrop on their conversation. She reached the fountain and sat on its edge sideways, listening the water fall but too embarrassed to look at her own statue. While the Seraph didn't arrive, she messed with the City Core's settings. Satisfied with the energy levels, she looked up after hearing the flap of wings and saw the blue sky hidden behind a glowing ring of couds. Mirfield was in twilight even though it was already morning. The air was moist, cold, and smelled of wet earth even though it was Spring. The roar of torrential downpour was a backdrop.

"I'm here," Zahariel gracefully landed and folded his wings behind his back. She couldn't help but notice they looked much like the clouds above. He bowed to her and sat across from her.

"Thank you," She smiled and nodded. "Now, while nobody else can listen to us, what do you think happened to Alice?"

"I don't know. I can tell you she didn't defect or run away, she--"

"No," She interrupted him with a glare. "Please tell me what you think. I don't care if you are mistaken, I won't hold it against you. But you are the one with the most knowledge here. Maybe Imayne, but nevermind. Speak your mind, friend."

"I've seen people vanish without a trace before, ages ago. The Gods sometimes moved them to other places or worlds. Marcy tracked her. Shraaizar looked for her in the camp. Petal looked for signs of magic. Nothing."

"But the gods are no more," She mumbled and immediately regretted as she saw the painful face the angel made.

"I saw most of them die..."

*BLEEP*

The City Core interrupted their conversation. Helen waved a hand and the interface window appeared.

"Shraaizar's night mission earned us some rage. There's a group of riders approaching," She said. "To the wall."

Helen: To the northern wall, everyone that is reading this right now. We have incoming riders.

Azelinus, Mercy, and Alvus met the two on the wall. They couldn't see anything past the veil of rain, but Helen tuned on the arrows on the hostiles.

"A large group," The apothecary noted. "Not only riders, there seem to be a group of infantry coming up behind."

"Less than a thousand men," her father added, after using his Merchant Skills to count the arrows.

"Jobs?" Helen asked Mercy.

"Some tier 4 Knights and tier 3 conscripts and warriors," She replied after checking with her Guildmaster privileges. The guild core was using a ton of power to keep the field at maximum range. "No spellcasters."

"They won't be able to shoot anything in this rain," Azelinus added. "I doubt they have any siege engine. If we can keep them from climbing, they won't bother us."

"No. They won't bother us. I'll make sure of that, father. Alvus, take control of the Core. I'm going to deal with them."

She messed up with the settings before transfering control to the mayor and then tried to move but a gentle hand held her shoulder. "Daughter. Don't do anything rash."

She held his hand, squeezed. Their eyes met and she was sure she could blame the drizzle for the water in her face. "Sorry."

Helen jumped down into the mud and ran toward the sea of illusionary arrows pointing at where the enemy was.

She stood up, not bothered by the mud sticking to her woolen robes. As she walked into the wall of falling water, she felt a presence above her, shielding some rain.

"Whatever stupid thing you are going to do, count on me." She looked at the guardian angel and sighed. His wet clothes showed more than it was proper for a Lady. She was very improper too, with murky water up to her knees. Helen grinned at the angel, but she knew he could tell she was nervous.

She walked in silence for a hundred yards, the invaders twice as much.

"Glad you are flying," She glanced over her shoulder. "I think this far is safe enough. Tether me."

She tied a rope around her waist and gave the tip to the Seraph. Then she focused and used Ultimate magic.

"[Earthquake]!"

She intended to isolate herself and restrain the area a bit but with the flying celestial here, there was no need. The tremor protection of the core was off, she made sure of it before handing control to Alvus. And as the spell's energy infused the ground in front of her, it met no resistance.

No resistance at all. As drenched as it was from the days of rain, the soft fields that were perfect for growing wheat danced along the vibrations. The agitation mixed the dirt and water, sending small waves all around. The ground cracked and a mighty sucking sound, like a huge dragon drinking a lake rang. Grendel would later tell Helen she created "quicksand". But right now, she felt the water and mud rushing past her toward the site of the spell. It swept her from her feet and she would be carried along were not for the tether. The arrows were disappearing one by one.

Zahariel heaved and pulled her from the current of mud. The sucking sound and the rushing waters could be heard even over the rainfall.

"What did you do?" He asked after securing her on his arms. "Was it a compound spell? Why is the water moving like that?"

"No. It's just Earth magic. I have no idea what is going on," She shouted back and hugged his neck to secure herself both physically and emotionally.

A minute later, the ground could be seen. A mighty gargle roared after the spell ended and at last all the water decided to show up again. A giant spout of mud rose dozens of yards up in the sky, mixing with the rain and splashing down everywhere, sending waves backward, twice as large ans the ones before.

Zahariel was already flying back to the town walls. Helen looked behind and saw the bodies of some horses falling down on the mud. She flinched and closed her eyes. Notifications, however, are not visual but a figment of the mind.

Grendel has gained 0 + 18 + 8 levels (5-Monster Wrangler 4 > 22, 3-Acolyte 53 > 58). Marcy has gained 16 levels (4-Ranger 10 > 26). Zahariel has gained 5 + 11 levels (5-Racial, 4-Priest 23 > 34). Cloude has gained 11 levels (4-Magic Swordsmen 27 > 38). Azelinus has gained 19 levels (3-Warrior 5 > 24). Mercy has gained 10 levels (4-Sniper 34 > 44). Alvus has gained 10 levels (4-Knight 31 > 41). Helen has gained 3 levels (4-Druid 67 > 70 ( ☆ ) ). You gained +34 SP. Congratulations, you reached your job's level cap.

She felt her guild card tingle in her purse, tucked inside her robes next to her breast. A reminder she had to pick her next Job. Even her bees leveled up. She tried not to think about the faceless people she just killed. They were the ones attacking. She felt truly sorry for the horses. They didn't deserve these riders.

"I think it was their way of 'testing the waters'," Zahariel did a bad pun as they landed back on the wall.

Seeing who was rushing to meet them, she waved a hand. "I'm fine, dad. I just went there to cast a spell."

She looked down and noticed the mud droplets, not all of them from her robes. Her father was also with mud on his clothes.

"What's done is done. We are at war, daughter. I'm glad you are safe."

"This stunt won't work again," Alvus commented from behind the merchant, a hint of fear in his voice. "They will bring spellcasters now."

Marcy: What just happened? What did you guys blow up this time?

Helen: Rise and Shine. Or go back to sleep. Where are you?

Marcy: In the guild with the receptionists and the fairies. With a hangover, thanks for the levels. What did we kill?

Alvus: An incursion group. They were sending some knights to test our defenses.

Marcy: Oh, boy. Any left?

Mercy: No. Go back to sleep, you barely slept for a bell. Helen took all of them.

Marcy: Yes, right. Level cap and all. Congrats. I recommend changing jobs now even though your stats will suffer a bit. I suspect we are going to fight a lot the next few days. Yes, I'm going to sleep. Petal, hit me up.

Petal: RIght-O. One unconscious Ranger, coming up.

She might as well take care of that. Helen dug for the guild card in her robes and since they were inside the guild field anyway, she said the command words.

"Job change, Archmage!"

You have became a [5] Archmage. Skill list conflict: Some skills aready known. Alice is safe. Sorry. Searching for alternatives. Multicast [c] awakened. Spell Radius (D) awakened. Thunder Magic [c] awakened. Spell Range (D) awakened. Ice Magic [c] awakened. Acid Magic [c] awakened. Lava Magic [c] awakened. MP Cost Reduction (B) awakened.

She froze.