Selene sipped on the bland soup and peeked at the crack on the carriage's window.
There was only a white fog outside, making it difficult to discern objects from it.
Taking another sip, she felt strangely nostalgic; remembering the first time she rode a flying carriage.
'Nothing much has changed since then.'
Looking at herself, she was covered in bandages and her muscles were sore. She wanted to slap herself for being so reckless in the previous fight. There are better ways to use her mana efficiently, but in the face of real danger, all her knowledge flew out of the window.
'Well, I had no time to think.'
She took another spoonful of the warm soup and replayed the battle in her head, seeing how lacking she was with pretty much everything about combat.
'What could I have done differently?'
If she really wanted to be strong, she had to face enemies that are even more dangerous than the monster she fought last night. And she wouldn't be so lucky next time.
Ever since she woke up, the ride has been smooth so far. But, Selene had no hopes that their entire journey will be the same. Who knows how long this moment of peace will last?
Looking down, she realized that the bowl was now empty.
She spent some time staring at the white nothingness outside before deciding to sleep for a bit.
Selene woke up hearing the clangor of steel coming from the front ranks of their procession. At this point, it was no longer strange to hear the sounds of battle here and there.
There was no need for her to come out and help. With her mana veins still healing, she wouldn't be of much help fighting off the enemies anyway. In fact, she will only burden them with her inexperience.
'It must be nice if I could... observe them at least.'
Less than five minutes later, the sound stopped and the group proceeded on their way.
It was like that for five more days. Selene spent most of her time thinking and getting bored. She did not bring some books this time, fearing that she might ruin them. Now, she's starting to regret her decision.
The only thing worth noting was that one time when their group passed by a morbid sight. Human-like bodies lay lifeless on the sides of the road, scattering into the forest. Their flesh mangled and unrecognizable. Selene found out that those were the bodies of bandits.
She can still feel the shiver running down her spine upon witnessing it.
'What kind of creature could have massacred them like that?'
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
She stood straight and turned to it.
"Yes?"
"Anton... you might have to come out for a bit. We need your help."
Her eyes widened. A strange feeling tugged her heart. She enthusiastically opened the door and jumped off the carriage.
Sanjiv panted heavily. His long, red locks were wet with blood and the fur of his cloak had long turned red as well. His arms had become like the bark of a tree and his nails were as sharp as a sword, still dripping with fresh blood.
A black feather stuck on his hair, but that's not the most astonishing part of his appearance.
There were two horns, resembling rose thorns rising from his head.
Seeing her reaction, he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I'm sorry, you have to see me like this."
Selene blinked.
"It's fine. What do you need my help for?"
"A swarm of Hawks are heading our way. I need all the manpower I can get."
Selene nodded and followed him to the front of the procession where everyone is gathered.
Her hands trembled as soon as she heard the screeching sounds and the rustle of countless wings.
"Anton, Ronan, Felice and me will be the first line of defense. Bren... and Leonard. Take at least ten knights and form a group." Sanjiv's voice was full of authority, without a hint of fear.
This made Selene relax a little.
"The rest will form a group and guard the utility squad. Bren must guard the healers and Leonard make sure the supplies are safe. Do you hear me?"
"Sir, yes, sir!"
Sanjiv doesn't have to tell them twice. Selene headed to his direction and stood behind him. Several people followed her actions and the rest were running, disappearing into the line of carriages. Their muddied footsteps resounding in the everpresent veil of white fog.
Selene didn't summon her vines yet, she decided it was wiser to save her mana until the last possible moment.
Her mana veins were healed, with the help of their healers, but if there's something she learned from the previous fight, it is that being reckless might cost her her life. So, she decided to go with the safest course of action.
She won't be alone this time. The other mages whom Sanjiv chose to be the first line of defense does not look weak at all.
The woman Felice was holding a staff on her right hand and her eyes were glowing in blue.
"They will be upon us in two minutes."
Her ominous statement made Selene shiver.
On the other hand, Sanjiv looked quite calm and composed, his posture was upright and perfect as he took the head of the group. His shoulders broad and reliable, giving them a sense of security.
Selene took deep breaths.
The rustle of countless wings drowned all the noise around them and soon enough, a hawk came crashing on them in a whirlwind of screeches and black feathers.
Sanjiv jumped and landed on the back of the monstrous creature. He sunk his claws on its neck and threw the rest into the air, causing a fountain of blood to splurt out and rain on the ground.
He flipped and landed gracefully, running towards a new enemy as if nothing happened.
Crashing sounds filled Selene's heart with dread. It took her a fraction of a second to react when a hawk landed near her. It's beak opened and a deafening screech reverberated from it, revealing its sharp row of teeth. Its tongue was long and slimy as it shoot towards Selene.
She stared at the creature in all its morbid glory. In the next moment, her hands moved in a calculated motion, sending sharp objects flying towards the hawk. One of her projectiles missed its mark, but the rest sunk into the creature's throat, causing its tongue to grow limp and drop to the ground.
Its sharp claws tried to rip her to shreds. Selene jumped to the side in the last second. She ended up with a gash on her forearm as she rolled into the mud.
The hawk wasn't done, it flapped its wings and hovered above. The claws were upon her like blades of a guillotine.
Selene ran to the side of the road and hid under a dead tree. However, the hawk followed her with its anticipating claws, ready to tear her flesh.
Desperate, she called forth her vines and waited for the perfect timing. If she's lucky, she might be able to capture the monstrous creature.
Speaking of the creature...
Its eyes burned with bloodthirsty desire to devour as it crashed on the tree, using its fall to destroy Selene's hiding place.
Before its fall, Selene had prepared herself to avoid it. This time, she avoided the impact successfully, without gaining any new wounds.
Black feathers filled the air as the creature struggled to get out of the dried branches.
Selene took this opportunity and let her vines slither around the body of the hawk. Her vines grew increasingly massive as it coiled around it and tightened.
A suffocating feeling crashed on Selene's mind, but it didn't stop her from tightening the hold even more, making her vines grow as thick as her mana allowed it.
Several grunts later, blood and viscera bursted out from the immobilized creature, bathing her body in the crimson liquid. The repulsive smell made her gag.
Bits of flesh scattered all over the branches, looking like cursed leaves dripping with blood. Some splattered into the muddy road.
Slowly, her vines started disintegrating into tiny sparks.
She turned around and ran back to her position where a swarm of hawks awaited.
However, they didn't appear as frightening to Selene anymore.
All they do is hover above or try to snatch an entire wagon as they flew past.
With the adrenaline rushing in her veins, Selene took the brave but stupid move of climbing atop the wagon.
It turns out she wasn't the only one who thought the same.
A figure landed beside her and stood in his fighting stance. With claws no inferior from those of the hawks, ready to decapitate any unlucky enemy.
"I'll take the rear."
Sanjiv said and turned his back.
Selene responded with a nod.
"Here they come!"
Just a split second after his shout, a hawk crashed into them in an attempt to bury them under its weight. It seemed it had given up on its initial goal. Whether that is an advantage to Selene and Sanjiv... currently it is not.
They were thrown off to the sides because of the impact. The wagon was reduced to rubble as the hawk crashed on it and flew upwards again, circling them from above.
Sanjiv was back on his feet in no time. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and in the next second, he floated in the air.
Meanwhile, Selene was reeling from the impact. The pain cleared her mind, which she took as a chance to cast the healing spell.
Looking up, Felice was in the middle of casting several spells in succession. Her face bathed in the blue light from the orb in her staff.
Several balls of mana formed above her. When she moved her staff, they shoot into the sky at the same time.
Felice didn't stop there, balls of mana formed above her again and she repeated the process for several times in a span of a minute.
A few moments later, Selene heard several thuds all around them. One hawk fell beside her with a gaping hole on its stomach.
She shuddered.
A thundering sound tore through the sky, clearing a bit of the fog in the process.
And there, Selene discerned Sanjiv's figure slamming an uprooted tree into an incoming trio of hawks.
His booming voice reached their ears.
"Felice! Check the back. They need support!"
Then, he disappeared as he clashed with one of the flying abominations.
"Lady Selene. Come with me," she said calmly. Her voice was serene and almost hypnotic.
She offered her hand, which Selene accepted, albeit with reluctance.
"Eighth Form: Teleportation."
Before she could react, a falling sensation assaulted her senses and the moment she opened her eyes, they were in a different location.
'She's a high mage.'
Selene thought to herself. Her heartbeat was still beating fast, remembering the memory of the earthquake.
She shook her thoughts out and paid attention to the surroundings.
One thing she noticed was the visible crack in the air. It look like a glitch of some sort. A rainbow-like something swirled all around them.
In the middle, there were a group of people holding various weapons and standing in their fighting stance.
'They must be the utility squad.'
One of them was currently talking to Felice.
"... It's only a matter of time before the barrier collapses."
The scrawny man looked over his shoulder.
"Fortunately, none of the supplies were damaged... yet."
"I understand. I will cast a new barrier, but it will be much smaller. I might need you to move the cargo..."
Her eyes moved around and pointed at a spot.
"... there."
Responding to Felice's words, the scrawny man called a few of his companions and started pushing the cargo.
Selene approached Felice.
"Uhm... I think it's easier if we use the levitation spell to move the cargo."
"That's... Lady Selene... if I do that, I will ran out of mana before I could create a new barrier."
"Oh... I see."
Just then, a thunderous clap resounded across the area. Selene and Felice looked up only to see one of Leonard's companions falling through the barrier and into the muddy ground.
He was dead.
"He's one of the new recruits." Felice looked away.
"I'll go help the others."
Selene left and helped in pushing the cargoes into position. Her muscles screamed in pain and her boots keep sliding off the mud, making it a bit challenging to complete the task at hand.
It took them some time to move the cargo into the middle of the barrier. But, when they did, Felice started performing what seemed like a ritual.
Her eyes glowed bright blue once again. She raised her staff and new rainbow-like swirls rose from the ground until it formed into the shape of a half sphere.
Felice casted a side-long glance at the lone dead body from outside the smaller barrier.
She turned to face them and smiled.
"It will hold for as long as I have mana."
Shifting her gaze to Selene, she said, "Now, let's help Leonard's group."