Noah watched Marcus as he walked back. He knew there was some missing variables about the report he gave. But Marcus didn't do anything for no reason, so he left it at that… Moments later he strolled to where Milo would be at the time. He was currently giving a lecture to some of his students.
They all sat down facing milo.
"So you see… I'm not a mage, nor a magic swordsman, yet I still rose to become a B-Rank Hunter, with nothing but my World… and aura, of course."
He flashed his teeth in a grin while his eyes remained shut. Around him, the cadets stared in astonishment, captivated by Milo's story.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
"Would you like to hear my World's rank—"
Before he could finish, the corner of his vision caught a glimpse of Noah.
He smiled faintly. "Ah sorry kids… perhaps another time." The moment they left, his smile disappeared. "What's wrong?" Noah dropped down. "Ah the group I sent to replenish our water source are back…"
"Okay… did something happen?" Noah looked at him and shrugg. "Yeah… something bad." Milo became more drawn into the conversation. "They ran into a husk monster."He frowned in disbelief. "What?"
"Luckily Marcus was there with them." Noah smiled as though saying: My student defeated a husk…
"A damn husk." Milo cursed. "If that thing came close to the stream… that means…"
"Yeah we'd better pack up and relocate…" Noah decided they should do that, all while keeping their eyes locked on the damn tower ahead. Milo and Noah continued their discussion… Making plans on how they would commuting the Ivory waste. They had to be really sure and pinpoint where they where going… else they'd find themselves in some monster's snare.
But how would they do that…? After all traversing the Ivory waste was no ordinary feat...
This wasn't their backyard… it belonged to someone else. Moments later Grey walked out from the forest, and moved into the open space… Camp.
He stared at the environment, few cadets gave him strange look… 'Ah, this losers.' He watched them oddly as they gathered around. Grey had just gotten back and they were already preparing to leave…
"Could it be…" Indeed. Most were angry seeing the clown. It would have made them happy, if they had been gone at the time he arrived.
He frowned at them and joined the group regardless of their design. 'I'm not going to be left behind.' They gathered all their supplies and voyaged on.
After meticulously preparing everything and ensuring no trackable traces remained, the group set off once more, traversing the Ivory Grounds beneath the gloomy crimson skies. Hours passed since they had abandoned their previous location… before something finally crossed their path.
Boars.
But not the ordinary kind that simply ran on all four limbs.
These were bulging aborminations much larger than any human, they walked with two muscular feat… The raggs they wore exposed mosts of their bodies, espessially their well round belle… and the light of the crimson sky gave them a strange glow. They surged forward, driven by hunger for human flesh.
Most of the cadets shivered…
At the time Noah and Milo were already harmed… their weapons reflected crimson. It was Incase an encounter like this presented itself. The cadets scattered in groups, each taking the battle formation they were taught, they each knew who to party with at times like this.
The camp lunged forth attacking the boars, this time Noah did not reinforced them in a golden cage… rather he did the opposite. He pressed on with his three favorite apprentices, leaving the others to fight along side Milo.
Marcus summoned his axe… long and steady, it looked like an heavy battle axe but the young boy held it with one arm. Next he flattened a boar with it…
All while a sinister smile edged his face. On the other side, Noah drawed a faint golden line on the body of a boar. It unleashed a roar as its yellowish eye core plunged into darkness. It dropped its weapon in a strange spasm, as dark blood rippled through the gold.
Its bisected halfs fell apart… left and right. Noah had cleaved it from the leg up, and moved behind the boar monster's corpse. Meanwhile Darrin dispatched spiraling blades into more boars covering for Noah and Marcus who fought ahead, clearing a path with Ceaseless strikes. The duo were like monsters…
Marcus sending boars flying even with his bare fist. And Noah creating piles of golden mass… Hides and tusks of boars no doubt.
Natasha move slightly behind Darrin. She drove holes into some boars, sending them moving backwards. The monsters swung, and crashed their shields towards her, but she quickly moved using the earth as leverage. Mostly removing herself out of harms way…
Sliding with out moving her limbs much. She was fast and unhinged. She looked at them With clear revulsion.
Meanwhile Grey and the other group with Milo followed at a much slower pace. Avoiding most of the monsters, They held back their strength, just disabling the monsters rather than killing them, while carefully evading their attacks through the already carved path.
All of a sudden a dwarf girl released a blast far more powerful than expected. For someone of such short stature, with delicate, almost fragile skin, the force behind it was shocking. Her hair carried an auburn, Irish-like hue, and her eyes burned with a muted bronze light.
Her curled ears twitched violently… She panted heavily, narrowly avoiding the attack. Even Noah and the others from the frontlines turned in astonishment. Her attacks had dispatched two gnaring boars. Leaving nothing but their feets behind, A space opened in front of her—as though that place had never existed. It was pale, like the fading echo of lightning, while sparks scattered like drifting dust through the ashes of ivory trees…
Although the explosion was brilliant and stunning, it was uncalled for. For what it revealed drew everyone's attention and plunged them into dismay and horror. Strange bird-like monsters circled the aftermath, their tattered feathers hanging like those of vultures. Their eyes were black and hollow, like blind creatures searching without sight. Ugly was too mild a word for them—it felt like a misnomer…
The birds of the endless crimson had decided to descend upon the noise and light spectacle.
They swept aside the boars and snatched them into the skies. Who said they were blind…? one of the detestable creatures… ploughed downward toward Darrin—but it drove itself straight into Natasha's sword. Its gaunt neck convulsed around the needle-thin blade, as though she had already predicted its path. Black blood splattered across the air as it went limp almost instantly. Dead. Very much dead. The way it had met its end was absurd.
Noah alarmed:
"Move quickly…! This fight is no longer ours." Grey looked at him, then retrieved his plunged sword… that was deep within a boar's throat. They immediately exited the field of carnage… at the same time slipped past the assaults of both creatures all in the heat of a clash.
The winner would undoubtedly be those ugly vultures… Their sheer size overshadowed the boars completely, and their talons and beaks could easily crush bones.
But the camp did not need that certainty.
Finally, they reached a new safe spot. Noah and Milo began discussing things moments after setting up camp. There were faint conversations among the group about the girl who had unleashed that attack—one that had nearly sent them to an early grave.
Then Noah called Darrin, Natasha, and Marcus over.
When they arrived, Milo was already smoking while Noah carefully prepared a cloth, probably to bundle their supplies.
Milo spoke.
"Wow… you kids have really grown. You've gotten this strong in such a short amount of time."
He smiled mischievously. "But I've got to ask… who's the strongest among you?"
The question hit the trio differently. For a brief amount of time, none of them knew how to respond.
Darrin glared. Natasha frowned. And Marcus wore a wicked smile, as though he was about to answer.
But Noah interrupted, smoothly shifting the topic.
"Yeah… that's what an environment like this does to you. Survival becomes strength."
Noah got up… then placed his hand on Marcus's shoulder, they rested there a bit longer than intended.
"Anyways… Milo and I will be going ahead to see if we are truly safe here."
He was leaving the responsibility of camp to the trio, without fully knowing whether they would return soon. He and Milo had already made up their minds—to investigate what laid within the tower.
Marcus smiled. He had a feeling that was the case.
"And just how long will you be gone, Noah?"
"I can't really say… maybe an entire sleep and wake, or more."
Noah gave a rough estimate of a day and a half, maybe two days. Time in the Waste was difficult to track, especially when separated from the group.
"You guys should rest here."
They packed up some supplies and walked away. Soon, even their shadows disappeared. If not for the faint red glow of the sky, the Ivory Waste would have swallowed them whole.
Some time later, after it was certain that Noah and Milo had left them behind, Marcus spoke to Darrin and Natasha.
"Hey guys… there's this thing I want to do?" Marcus smiled as they both turned towards him. Darrin's face grimaced.
"What is it… are you trying to break the rules…?"
Marcus smirked... Darrin raised an eyebrow. 'Yeah… I know that smile. 'His about to do something really stupid.'
Marcus replied:
"No… I just want to stretch my body a bit it's been a while… So I'll like to train." Darrin's eyes widened. 'Who wants to train with this freak… his he thinking of sparring with the two of us?' He looked at Natasha. But her expression carried the same thoughts as his.
"You need not worry… I'll be training by myself, and I'll try my best to tone down the noise while maintaining a fair distance from the camp." Marcus reassured them… An obvious lie.
Darrin resisted. "Regardless… that doesn't—" Before he could finish, Natasha interrupted.
"Let him be. Or are you willing to be his sparring partner?" The corner of her lip curled.
Seeing this, Darrin frowned.
"Ah… do whatever, as long as it doesn't affect me." He walked away with both hands in his pockets, then muttered… "And Marcus… don't ever call me for this kind of gathering again."
Marcus stared at Natasha… baffled. But then his eyes ignited a strange glow. "And Tasha… is it okay if I bring someone with me?"
She furrowed her brows. "Who?"
A sinister smile appeared on Marcus's face without him realizing it. "Grey Lucas."
She looked at him stunned, but said nothing... He noticed the sudden shift in her demeanor… so he asked: "Is he a friend of yours?"
She grimaced. "You know you can do whatever… so why are you asking…?" Natasha became somewhat paranoid. "Are you kidding me right now? We didn't even need this assembly in the first place."
Marcus explained… "We're a team, aren't we? So isn't it best if I ask first?" In truth what he really meant was that... I should at least ask before I take what I want.
Natasha understands this very well… so she immediately ended the discussion by walking away.
"It's fine, Marcus. Just try not to get us killed before our time… I could care less about what you do with that jester."
She knew what kind of person Marcus was, so it was better not to push things any further or turn it into a debate.
Exhaustion settled over the camp like a heavy veil, yet beneath it… lingered relief. Finally, they could rest once more… and slowly but surely, they were inching closer to escaping the cursed... Ivory Waste.