The ravaged forest around Velmo and the plant-like mana beast trembled under another wave of devastating carnage.
The part of the tree where Velmo once stood was reduced to dust as the thrashing mass of vines crashed into it.
Velmo safely landed on the ground and looked up at the mass of vines already assuming its humanoid shape.
"If the Hydrangea Wraith dies then its spawn would also wither away." Velmo thought before glancing over in the brother's direction, "It seems like the brothers are dealing with them well enough." He continued inwardly.
Again, taking the opportunity given to it, the Hydrangea Wraith surged forward in another mass of roiling vines. It crashed into the ground, destroying a large area of the forest's floor.
A plethora of dirt was thrown into the air before quickly falling back to the ground, revealing the wraiths formless body.
It shifted erratically, its attention focused on the jade eyed figure gracefully gliding in the air. The mana beast felt a deep sense of frustration, unable to deal a blow to the troublesome wind sorcerer.
Then, with a sudden burst of speed the wraith shot up towards Velmo. As it did, massive vines burst out of the ground from behind Velmo; intending to tear through his skin and feast on his blood.
"Good thing I lured you away from the boys." Velmo spoke whilst he activated another of his spite abilities.
A connection with Law formed and his ability was set off.
Spite Ability: [Aery Shards]
Spite Description: You harness your mana in tandem with powerful winds into small shards of energy.
In the next moment, as the roiling vines threatened to breach Velmo's defence, five green shards of wind and surging mana had formed around him.
Following his will, two of the five shards shot towards the vines that approached him from behind. Colliding with them and releasing powerful surges and loud booms.
Then, he activated another of his spite abilities, [Gale].
Spite Ability: [Gale]
Spite Description: You harness wind through your body and summon a sphere of powerful gales. You can release the strong winds as you please.
Another sphere appeared behind Velmo, but it didn't possess a strong surge of mana similar to [Aery Shards].
Instead, it was simply a powerful gathering of winds.
In a flash, the orb broke releasing a surge of wind and launching Velmo towards the Hydrangea Wraith.
Simultaneously, Velmo willed two more [Aery Shards] towards the roiling mana beast. The two shards surged towards the thick green vines and tore through them with ease.
As they ripped through the beast, they released a wave of powerful winds, scattering the wraith's amassed set of vines.
Velmo didn't see its facial expression – because it didn't have a face – but he could sense that the beast finally understood their difference in power.
However, it still pushed forward, the thick vines that survived the blast from Velmo's ability still lusting for his blood and mana.
They reached forward to engulf Velmo, but he elegantly avoided the beautiful grasp of the Hydrangea filled vines by summoning another [Gale].
Releasing it near his abdomen, Velmo gracefully flipped over the wraith and its writhing mass of vines.
At the apex of his flip, just above the Hydrangea Wraith, Velmo concentrated his mana circulation around his fist and dropped it onto the wraiths back.
A guttural screech forced its way out of the creature's body as it flew downwards and crashed into the ground.
Turning his attention back to Xaryus and Zadius' mana signature.
Velmo felt a sudden surge of mana and heard a loud boom. He would have applauded at the brother's destructive power if he hadn't felt Xaryus' mana signature dim.
His eyes widened for a moment, then, they shot apart.
"There's one more creature and their signatures have become so weak!" He thought anxiously before the winds encasing his body roared fiercely.
The few trees that still stood in the ravaged clearing violently swayed in the presence of the sudden tempest of wind.
His eyes gleamed in the moonlight and the boon of his title strengthened the fierce winds. So much so that the trees were slowly being rooted out of the ground and the Hydrangea Wraith was almost thrown to the side.
Velmo knew the insidious beast was only pretending to be dead in the crater below, waiting for a moment to strike.
He could slay the wraith so that its spawn would wither before it severely damaged the brothers. But there was a sliver of doubt in his mind.
"Would it wither fast enough? No, it doesn't matter, those two are too important!" Velmo thought before he seemingly vanished, the violent winds vanishing with him.
The forest groaned as its thick trees were bent in Velmo's wake. The winds encasing his body forced the thick canopy apart, easily rooting the smaller trees out of the ground and throwing them to the side.
***
Back in the clearing, the Hydrangea Wraith's spawn moved its repulsive, crimson covered vine towards the two brothers. As it approached its long-awaited meal, the hydrangeas littered across its body shifted with dark glee.
The vine slithered through the moonlit air and stopped just as it touched Zadius' flesh.
However, just as it was about the pierce through his brown skin, the spawn heard a deafening boom and the splintering of wood.
Its pale, horrific face turned to one side of the clearing in confusion.
In the next moment, the Jade Tempest flowed into the clearing with monstrous speed, the winds around him crying like a raging tornado.
The wind boomed, bending the surrounding trees and threatening to throw Xaryus and Zadius' unconscious bodies up into the air.
However, Velmo willed the wind around the two brothers, leaving them unscathed
On the other hand, he wasn't as caring for the abominable corpse of the fallen adventurer.
Before the animated corpse could react to his movement or be thrown away by the violent winds, Velmo slammed his fist into the creature's body.
The violent force of the blow eviscerated its abdomen, leaving a wide spray of pollen, petals, armour, dried skin, flesh and bone.
The insidious pollen didn't even have time to spread as it was flushed out of the clearing because of the strong winds.
"That was close!" Velmo screamed inwardly before releasing a soft sigh, "Although these corpses were grade two, they might've been a bit more dangerous than I thought… I may have miscalculated." Velmo continued, speaking to himself in an awkward tone.
He glanced down towards the two brothers and observed the one remaining corpse that laid within the massive crater Xaryus carved with his [Solaris] ability.
"Xaryus possesses more raw power than I had thought… and Zadius' abilities are more insidious than I had imagined." Velmo pondered, thinking back to the plethora of holes that were left in the last corpse's body.
"A shame I wasn't able to see what type of abilities they truly possessed." Velmo ended wistfully.
Velmo's gaze had moved around the clearing several times in an attempt to discern the battle between the brothers and fallen adventurers.
He was impressed – to say the least – at their performance.
The brothers may not have realized because of their experiences with Valon, but Velmo would have rushed into the clearing at the slightest sign of danger.
Eventually, Velmo's attention shifted back towards the area where he had left.
The Hydrangea Wraith was on the move again.
"I won't let you off easy again." Velmo thought, pointing his hand forward and shooting the last of his [Aery Shards] in the wraith's direction.
The shard screeched as it roared through the wide path Velmo had created, shining like a jade star amongst the forest's darkness.
***
The Hydrangea Wraith had just begun to morph itself back into its humanoid shape. The beast's hydrangeas rustled violently in the stark moonlight, frustrated at its devastating losses.
Turning away, the mana beast began to move in the opposite direction. It could find more prey with ease, so it was going to cut its losses and escape before the powerful sorcerer had returned.
Its attempt to escape was quickly thwarted.
The mana beast had suddenly felt the powerful surge of mana flying towards it. It vines and hydrangeas froze in fear before its body shifted with great speed, erupting a massive wall of vines.
***
Standing near the brothers, Velmo waited for a moment.
Then, he waited for another.
Eventually, his shard had reached his target and released an echoing boom. He could faintly see a cloud of dust and dirt rise up above the dense forest's canopy.
Stretching his mana sense forward, he confirmed that the mana beast was slain and dawned a soft smile.
The threat was eliminated, and he had gained a good grasp of the brother's capabilities, but Velmo knew the daunting nature of the world outside human cities.
"We need to move before territorial mana beasts move towards the explosion." Velmo thought, draping the brothers over his shoulder.