414. What the Horn Called

Saffron Merryster cast her gaze over the healing wards, looking at all the injured figures strewn about like it was a medical tent in the middle of a warzone. There were so many men and women who’d been hurt during the various attacks by the Archdemons over the last week. So many people Saffron knew too.

Healing potions could recover simple wounds, of course. But these were grievous injuries. Dismemberments. People who’d lost limbs or suffered deep gashes that would otherwise have killed them gathered here en masse, recovering, resting, or some even… dying.

There weren’t many high-leveled [Alchemists] in Alyras. Some were visiting for the Conference of Alyras, and they worked overtime to produce as many Potions of Regeneration as they could. Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to acquire all the resources necessary to mass produce such a high grade potion.

And these Potions of Regeneration were prioritized for either the highest-leveled individuals or those who wouldn’t make it. Saffron didn’t like the fact that those who weren’t at a certain level couldn’t receive the same treatment as others— but she understood why that was the case. Regardless, understanding the ethics and necessity of how [Healing Mages] conduct their work wasn’t why Saffron was here.

“What did you need my help for again, Saffron?”

Rana Alyras, princess of Alyras, asked. She’d accompanied Saffron here at the latter girl’s behest, but just being in this room of injured men and women alone made her uncomfortable. Rana clearly averted her gaze from laying sight onto anything too gorey.

“Just follow my lead. I need to get into that room.”

Saffron pointed at a door up ahead. It was guarded by two soldiers— both from Alyras. They’d refused the pink-haired noble entry before, so she resorted to abusing her friends. Or… the friends of her friends.

She wasn’t too close with Rana— Salvos was much closer with the princess. But they were acquainted with each other. So, Rana acquiesced and started through the hall until they reached the room. The guards exchanged a glance.

“Was there something you needed, princess?”

“I need to, uh, enter the room. My… father asked me to carry out a… task for him.”

Rana stumbled over her words, but she got the point across. Saffron’s heart raced in her chest, hoping the ploy worked out. The guards nodded and pulled the door open, letting them in.

Saffron wanted to sigh in relief as she stepped inside. Now, I just need to… She paused as she stared at the empty bed in the center of the room. That wasn’t right. She turned to the [Healing Mage] who was supposed to be tending to the patient inside, and he was tied to a chair with his mouth and his hands bound.

“Mmph!”

He spoke in a muffled voice. Saffron blinked a few times as Rana gasped. The princess ran forward, quickly removing the cloth gagging his mouth. The two guards huddled behind her with wide eyes.

“What happened?”

Asked the princess. Saffron could already guess, and the [Healing Mage] panted. He opened his mouth.

“She—”

But before he could answer, the city shook. A rumbling ran across the palace, knocking Rana off her feet. Saffron caught her and narrowed her eyes.

“What’s going on?”

“Alyras is under attack!”

Zack leapt out of his tent, spellbook in hand, as he heard the shouts and screams echo throughout the encampment. He’d already been jolted awake when he heard the explosion, but the clamoring forced him forward, bringing him to action with haste.

His team— Jaakko and Helen were already— were already waiting for him. The Cyclops only needed his kusarigama to fight, and Helen slept with her bow and arrows within reaching distance. Zack was a [Mage], so he was a step slower than them, but now they were all prepared.

“What’s going on? Who’s attacking the city?”

He cast his gaze around the adventurer coalition encampment. He could make a guess— in fact, there was a high likelihood his assumption was correct. However, he didn’t want it to be true. Unfortunately, he was right.

“The Archdemons.”

Jaakko spoke in a dour voice, gaze fixed on the two specks flying through the dim sky. Helen pursed her lips as her grip on her bow tightened.

“How were they able to breach the barrier? Where are the Elites?”

“No one knows.”

The Cyclops shook his head and hefted his kusarigama as its chains jangled behind him. Stepping forward, he ushered Zack and Helen after him.

“But we have a job to do.”

Zack hesitated, looking up as a pillar of black flames crashed from the sky. The explosion shook the earth, nearly knocking the man off his feet. There were hundreds of thousands of both adventurers and soldiers from other armies gathered here. These two Demons— they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Especially since there were many high-leveled individuals too.

If this was a militia of only low-leveled men and women, Zack didn’t doubt that they’d be utterly slaughtered. But these Demons didn’t stand a chance. Not against all the Diamonds and Platinums gathered alongside the armies. Yet—

Wisps of black flame swarmed the plains below. Like locusts. Little specks and motes that flew in a frenzy, a black blanket of death enveloping the armies. A [Jinn] flew at the heart of this firestorm, unleashing his fiery plague into the masses of Humans below.

Next to him, fissures in space rapidly opened and closed in a sphere around a blurred figure. A rotund [Fiend] blinked in and out of existence at regular, set intervals as she redirected the salvo of spells and projectiles flying her way back where they came.

Zack couldn’t help but shudder at the sight. Still, he drew forward with the rest of his team. They had to fight. They couldn’t shy away from this battle. They exited the encampment with the rush of adventurers, converging on the two Demons.

He felt his heart racing— his nerves acting up. But he knew they could win. Logically speaking, they could win. His reasonable side was only emboldened when he saw a one-handed man dressed in silver armor step forward. The adventurers cheered, watching the one-handed man raise a blade in the air.

“I am Marwin!”

He bellowed a challenge to the Demons.

“The Silver Swordsman! A Level 141 [Warrior]!”

His words echoed throughout the battlefield. Louder than even the explosions and blasts resounding in the distance. Zack didn’t exactly like the man, but he was glad Marwin was on their side right now. Surely he’ll be able to put up a good fight against the Archdemons, the [Mage] thought.

Marwin’s blade shone as he swung in the air, sending a ripple up at the Demons. The [Fiend]’s gaze snapped his way as he continued shouting.

“Come down here and face me in battle, you cowardly De—”

His voice was cut out. Zack blinked. The cheering stopped. The adventurers watched as the Silver Swordsman reappeared a thousand feet in the air, falling and screaming in terror. The [Fiend] lowered her hand and scoffed.

“Idiot.”

Zack could see her mouth the word, even from down here, thanks to his Enhanced Sight spell. And his spirit— his certainty that they would triumph over these Demons— faltered.

Daniel Song started awake from the chaos and clamoring. He heard the booming explosion— his mind reeled as he tried to process what Hadrian was yelling. Then he heard the deep, resounding call of a horn. One that reverberated throughout the entirety of the palace. Its magical blaring rumble through the city of Alyras, overshadowing the echoes of battle for just a brief moment as it traveled far throughout the Helbir Plains.

That snapped the young man from Earth to reality. He immediately understood the situation and got to his feet. Drawing his Primordial Longsword, he stepped up past the confused Zin Norwood and Crocus Merryster, ignoring Amanda’s annoyed interrogation of Hadrian, before reaching the red-haired woman waiting in the balcony.

He stared past her for a second, seeing the explosions and projectiles flying high in the distance. A [Jinn] and a [Fiend] circled through the morning sky as an army converged on their location. No— multiple armies. And at the level they were? It was ridiculous. Even two Elite Ranked adventurers shouldn’t be able to win against them.

Yet, these Demons were evidently stronger than the Elite Ranked adventurers. Here they were, alive, while Helena Warshade, Orgaf, and the other Elites were not.

Edithe gritted her teeth and glanced back his way.

“What do we do, Daniel?”

She asked, already holding onto the Primordial Staff.

“Do you think Salvos heard the call?”

Daniel didn’t know. He had a feeling— an inkling of an idea. Perhaps it was simply his cynical side talking. And he didn’t want to acknowledge it, nor did he want to voice those thoughts.

“I don’t know. But we need to prepare.”

He shook his head and spun around. He strode back into the room as Edithe followed. The balcony door closed, latching shut as the enchanted protections activated. He didn’t say anything. But he saw all the faces looking at him expectantly. From Zin to Crocus to Amanda to Edithe to Hadrian.

He stood there— the one entrusted with the Crown of Alexander. A [Hero], although not a lot of people knew it. It was up to him to decide what happened now. He had gathered the strongest people he knew, but now that didn’t seem like it was enough. If those Demons got here, it would be a slaughter.

Sighing, Daniel faced the room. All the pressure was on him, and he had to stay composed. So he did.

“Let’s stick to the plan for now.”

He lifted a little pen-like object for all to see.

“As long as those Demons don’t get to this Dimensional Storage Unit, the Crown of Alexander is safe. We just have to find a safe place to hide and wait them out—”

Daniel spoke as Edithe raised her head. Her eyes flickered for a second before she dashed forward, cutting him off.

“As long as we… Edithe?”

“Get back!”

The red-haired woman yelled as she stepped before the balcony. She slammed down her Primordial Staff, yelling as Crocus and Zin tensed.

“[Shield of the Misty Lord]!”

An ice wall formed against the balcony door as Daniel backed away. Zin Norwood swung her staff around the room as vines and thorns grew over the bodies of all those present. A kind of protective aura.

Before Daniel could even get a good look at this second layer of natural armor he’d been given, the [Shield of the Misty Lord] shattered— the impact knocking Edithe back as a small figure landed.

The Demon clinked together the boots on his feet, baring his teeth. He cast his gaze over the six Humans before him and laughed.

“Hey, I’m Avaritia.”

[Imp - Lvl 148]

Daniel raised his Primordial Longsword. Crocus brought up his shield as Amanda backed up warily. Hadrian helped Edithe back up to her feet, while Zin covered them. Avaritia shook his head.

“Nice to kill ya!”

And he lashed out.

As Alyras descended into chaos, a Wyvern-like figure soared through the skies, laughing, unknowing, not hearing the horn she’d bestowed upon her companions. She would’ve continued flying at a glacial pace— for the sake of the babies she carried.

But then she slowed. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of a devastated landscape. The babies gasped. The [Will O’ Wisp] hesitated. She narrowed her eyes and saw. At the heart of the destruction, lay a body. One she recognized.

Orgaf, the Thief of the Golden Scales.

And he was… charred. Burnt. Left for dead at the bottom of a crater, unmoving.

Salvos was at his side in an instant.