-- CLANG!
The sound of metal clashing grew even louder.
With Lisa translucent and Lohan’s skin camouflaged, the two slowly approached the place, curious about what might be happening there.
The closer they got, the louder the noise became, until they could recognize a scream.
"Attack now, Jamie, their reinforcements must be on their way!" A male voice shouted urgently.
"Stop interrupting him, Kase, if he loses focus again, I’ll go crazy!" A female voice shouted angrily.
After that scream, the people fell silent.
With every step Lisa took, Lohan felt the magical saturation in the air growing stronger, but instead of the calm and refreshing Mana he normally felt, the Mana in this place was very chaotic and disorganized.
Getting close enough, they finally managed to see what was happening.
Instead of the bears they had imagined they would see, what was happening in front of them was a group of four humans fighting two elves, who were protecting two white-haired elf children behind them.
The humans looked like experienced and well-equipped adventurers. A man with a large axe exchanged heavy blows with an elf swordsman, while a woman with two daggers tried to flank the battle, but was being prevented from doing so by arrows fired by an elf woman who seemed to be at her limit.
Further back, a human archer tried to provide support, but the biggest problem was the fourth man. He held a staff and recited something under his breath, making the mana around him even more chaotic. It was clear that when he finished, the elves would have no chance.
Seeing the cowardice of four against two, and the children’s state of terror, Lohan felt that the right and wrong sides in this situation were clear.
"Do you want to interfere in this?" He asked Lisa.
He was still unsure about it, considering that he was still weak and that he didn’t see himself as a hero, he was unsure whether he should interfere or not.
Sure, the fact that those who needed help were elves, who were possibly from Thalendor or a nearby town, contributed to his intention to help, not to mention that seeing the two terrified elf children touched his heart.
But considering that Lisa was still the one with the most experience in this "game," Lohan decided to consult her.
Lisa watched the scene in silence for a few seconds, then nodded positively. "As long as we keep our presence hidden, the risk our involvement will bring us will be low, and considering how well-dressed the two children are and that the adult elves act as their bodyguards, the reward for this help may be greater than the risk. How about it?"
It took Lohan only a moment to consider. "Sure."
He wasn’t a hero, but he also wasn’t indifferent to seeing such injustice. If he had the ability to help, he would likely lose nothing by doing so, and if he chose to abstain, he would be no better than those people.
Lisa began to move silently toward the human group.
What she didn’t say was that even if there was nothing to gain from it, seeing the children in that state triggered something in her.
Years ago, Lisa had been in an identical situation: hidden and powerless as she watched her security guards fight people who only wanted her head. The fear on the faces of those elf children was a reflection of a memory she would rather forget, and the desire not to let history repeat itself was what really made her decide to help.
Lohan stood firm behind her, using his 360-degree vision to analyze the battlefield. The humans were slowly gaining the upper hand, and once the human mage completed that spell, the battle would be completely in their favor.
-xXx-
Despite their professionalism, it was possible to see the desperation rising on the faces of the two Elven guards.
Vulre swung his sword to block the human’s axe once more, feeling the impact vibrate through his shoulders.
Technically, he was superior. His movements were more fluid, his blade was faster, and his strength, refined over centuries, surpassed that of the brute in front of him. But technique meant little when he had to divide his attention between the warrior, the arrows coming from the human archer, and the assassin’s stealthy advances.
He glanced quickly at Elara, the archer beside him.
She was pale, her fingers trembling from pulling the bowstring, doing her best to gain space for Vulre.
Vulre made a discreet signal with his free hand, an elven military code that said, "I’m at my limit. Take the children and run while I hold the corridor."
Elara shook her head almost imperceptibly, keeping her eyes fixed on the human assassin.
She knew that if she ran, Vulre would die in seconds under the weight of four opponents, and they would likely be hunted down in the forest soon after.
"Go, Elara! That’s an order!" Vulre shouted as he spun his body to dodge an arrow that grazed his face, only to have to parry a downward blow from the axe that left a gash in the ground.
The situation was desperate.
The human mage in the background already had his staff glowing an unhealthy purple, and the pressure of chaotic mana in the air indicated that the spell was ready.
Vulre closed his eyes for a brief second, preparing for one last suicidal advance, when the unexpected happened.
Out of nowhere, a small white fireball crossed the clearing like lightning, hitting the human archer positioned among the trees squarely in the chest.
The impact was so sudden that the man didn’t even have time to scream, being thrown backward by the impact.
Almost at the same time, a sharp cry of pain tore through the air, but it did not come from any of the elves. The wizard, Jamie, dropped his staff and fell to his knees.
Something green and slimy had wrapped itself around his leg with absurd force, pulling him down and digesting his skin with an acidic hiss.
"AAAAARRRRRGHHHH!!!!!!"
Unlike the archer, who didn’t even have time to scream, the human wizard felt his mind go blank for a second, followed by excruciating pain in his leg.
The pain and shock completely shattered the wizard’s concentration.
The spell he was about to cast imploded, generating a small shockwave that threw him to the ground, leaving the group of mercenaries in shock and complete silence for a brief moment.
Vulre and Elara froze, not understanding what had happened, but realizing that the tables had turned.