From the mist of the spell's aftermath emerged the monsters of various sizes and shapes.
Azure quickly plugged her ears and charged forward, sword held tightly in her hands.
The spells rained above her head, obliterating weaker fighters.
Occasionally, a massive fireball was launched by Sheira, obliterating large numbers of fighters.
Not only the savage warriors, but even monsters were not immune to her firepower.
I was right to let her participate.
Her Acidic fire sliced into the flesh of the lizard-like brute, enveloping and melting him into a puddle in the blink of an eye. She then charged toward the next one, cutting off its head before pushing the hulking corpse back into the enemy.
She rushed toward a massive Bauk, jumping above it and landing on its back. She raised her sword and plunged it into its head.
It did not defend itself?! She jumped back and swung into a wide arc, clearing space for herself.
A hit from a brute sent her flying into the horde. They raised their crude weapons and swung at her.
She rolled to the side and swept the large beasts, leveraging her new power to easily topple massive beasts. She swung her blade, cutting their legs and melting their bodies.
Her eyes instinctively looked toward the gate. The spell barrage was able to keep the horde from going around her to strike the gate, but it would not last.
The warhorn resounded once again, and even more screamers and besomars appeared from the horde. They charged forward, and Azure prepared to block.
Yet, the monsters ran past her, ignoring her presence.
The spells were unable to damage the powerful monsters, thus Azure quickly regained her wits and rushed after them, cutting them down before they could reach the gate.
The sonic attacks made the spell support wane, yet she could not afford to stand still. Her eyes glowed acidic green, melting everything in her sight.
I can't push into the horde. There are too many of them.
She grit her teeth. If she had distanced herself from the gate, the academy would have fallen to the onslaught of monsters.
Then, an artillery of spells belonging to the savages flew above her, raining straight into the purple barrier, which fortunately stood strong against the powerful attacks.
From a corner of her eyes, she noticed the horde branch out, a small section of monsters and savage warriors attempting to go around the wall.
Azure turned to the defenders. "An attack on the western section! Sheira, deal with it, quickly!"
The princess saluted and quickly ran across the wall.
Sheira was the only person other than herself who could handle the monsters, the others had to remain and cover her back and prevent the savages from surrounding her.
However, the fact that monsters refused to attack her worried her. They seemed to be glued to the gate.
She jumped up and, with her foot, stomped a screamer, reducing the skull into dust.
The warhorn sounded again.
I can fight like this all day. She grinned, a thrill of the battle finally catching up to her.
The sword erupted in yellow fire, and a slash sent a wave of acid into the endless horde.
Yet, slowly they were managing to gain ground behind her.
The spell support waned, leaving only Avaros and Mia.
"No, we can't stop them like this!" She shouted, raising her sword and blocking a strike from a brute. "Everyone! Hold the gate, I need to find their commander!"
Avaros saluted. "You can count on us, Lady Azure!"
Please hold on, once their chieftain is dead, they should scatter.
The monsters would quickly overwhelm the defenders, yet it was a reason she needed to be quick.
She sent wave after wave of acid, pushing back the vanguard and buying time for her friends. She slashed forward, clearing her way through the horde.
They had to have teleported, there is no way they could push this massive army through the border unnoticed.
She was an unstoppable storm, a whirlpool of absolute destruction.
The horde grew thinner.
She scanned the environment. "Where is the cheiftan?! I challenge him to a duel!" She shouted, sending a challenge.
The beasts around her stopped.
Despite everything, they would never dare decline a challenge.
However, these beasts did not deign to answer her, instead, they ran away.
The savages always had a chieftain, it was as true as when someone said the sky was blue. Yet instead of a leader, a smell of rot filled her nose.
Her instincts screamed at her.
Azure's muscles stiffened.
A soft green glow emanated from her necklace, pulling her attention to it. "Huh?"
Before she could even process the glow, a dark, spindly arm connected to her side, digging into her enhanced flesh.
A dark wound spread over her skin.
She fell onto her back, yet she could not afford to sit idly. She grit her teeth through the pain and rolled to the side and jumped back to her feet.
The forest around her was not only trampled, but it was dead and decayed, preventing any life from ever treading upon it.
Her eyes fell upon a monster that was unknown to her. Is this one not ignoring me?
In her centuries-long life, she had never witnessed something so grotesque.
The dark tendrils sprouted from the monster and rushed toward her.
The acid dug into the wood-like appendages, yet while her yellow fire was able to consume most of the monster, it only took a moment for it to return to it's pristine state.
Azure's eyes widened, and she jumped back. Her gaze fell onto the monster, where others melted, the faceless creature merely stood, not taking any damage.
Just goes to show how ignorant I am.
She dodged a strike.
The creature dug into the ground, and quickly emerged under her, the grotesque creature hitting the broad edge of the sword.
[Argussian Hand]. A mighty acidic attack connected with the monster, yet nothing happened.
"Run Away."
She felt a familiar presence.
"Why, my lady?"
"This is not one of my children; I have no control over it."
A shiver ran down Azure's spine.
"Is this why the others didn't attack me?"
"Yes. My children will always see you as one of their own."
Azure sighed, her blessing as a reason why controlling the monsters was so difficult. "I cannot run away. If I fail, everyone I care about will die."
The silence was her only response.
She blocked another hit, then a sharp pain spread from her side.
"That thing is dangerous."
A flood of divinity washed over her, and the pain that spread through her retreated.
"I will support you. Do not get hit by it!"
Azure nodded. "I appreciate it, my lady!"
She jumped to the side and gave a mad dash around the monster.
Her sword roared in crimson fire, and she swung at the monster.
Her teeth grit and she pushed down with all her power, the fire turned yellow.
However, the monster would not remain motionless for long. Its spindly arm wrapped around Azure's leg and threw her into the air.
"Left."
She ignored her instinct, and instead of dodging to the right, she leaned into the incoming projectile, which sharply snapped toward the space where she would have dodged to.
Can it read my instincts? She launched an acidic slash toward the spindly arms.
Then, the monster disappeared.
She looked around.
"Above."
Azure jumped forward, attempting to dodge the powerful enemy.
She conjured a dozen spikes and then melted into the shadows.
The champion moved around the enemy, barraging it with hollow earth.
Azure appeared behind the monster and launched a kick, sending it flying.
This is not working.
Despite her being faster, she could not damage the monster. No matter how hard she pushed herself, not even a scratch could appear on it.
"Why not manifest and help me?"
The moments passed, and she dodged and counterattacked a dark breath.
"Peron forbids it." The voice was shaky.
I see. Azure shook her head. She gripped the sword harder and slashed at the monster's numerous hands.
The monster's form seemed to liquify, it grew in size, and the stench of rot grew more potent.
A connection to Laleyn cut off, leaving Azure alone, her strength began fading.
The pressure collapsed upon her. "Why," She said, gritting her teeth, "is… this… thing… so strong!?"
She put everything she had into fighting the pressure, she had failed to notice a tentacle buried under the ground.
The hidden appendage erupted from the ground and hit her in the back, spreading the rot over her body, yet this time her goddess could not heal her.
She spat blood.
"[Shadowmeld]!"
She disappeared into the shadows and put distance between herself and the enemy.
The dark veins spread through her body.
"I need to do something!" She shouted and grit her teeth. The [Mortal Hope] flared in black fire.
Azure instinctively lunged forward.
The monster defended itself, yet the moment black flame touched it, it shrank back, and the faceless monstrosity shrieked.
Leave it to Aqua to make tools for any situation. She chuckled, pushing through the pain she swung her black flamed blade, and the monster was consumed, leaving nothing behind.
She collapsed onto her knees, panting. "At least it was only one…"
Just as those words left her lips, the emerald in her necklace glowed brightly.
Two more of the faceless horrors appeared from under the ground.
Me and my fat mouth. She pushed herself to her feet. These monsters were powerful, but she had killed one; what was two more?