A light tap on Aster's shoulder told him it was time to move. Like a rebirthed phoenix, they rose from the ashes and stealthily began to make their way to the cave entrance.
They emerged unnoticed. The hundreds of beasts marched forward like an enthralled army. The soft texture of the snow cancelled out the sound of their steps, but also impaired any quick movements, the terrain remaining an ally… but also an adversary.
After crossing a minor distance, Vivian signalled for them to stop. Any further movement into the blizzard would greatly reduce their chances of escape…if the need arose.
And from the current distance, her affinity could work undisrupted.
Vivian's affinity, unlike most, wasn't elemental based. Elemental-based affinities were just the most common. The most in tune with mana, making them widely accessible to young awakeners.
Hers wasn't one of those. The existence of her affinity wasn't something that had been given an official name, its abilities varied per person.
Each one gravely similar…but then drastically unalike.
But among warriors, adventurers and mercenaries, people like her were called sentries. Extremely rare and highly valuable.
A sentry's affinity allowed them to see the constitutions that made up either man or beast. The flow of mana, the state and rank of one's mana core. Their physical weaknesses and strengths.
These were what made them so invaluable, their unique ability to instantaneously gather information on the enemy.
And for someone like Vivian, who had tempered herself with steel, bone and blood, even the slightest bit of knowledge on her enemies made her a terrifying foe.
They pressed their backs against a great stone, a desperate attempt to cancel out the fierce winds, but also serve as cover from the beasts.
Aster readjusted his furry coat. Glancing at his master, he noticed her deep dark eyes had adopted a tinted shade of scarlet.
…She was probably using her affinity. All they could do now was wait.
Vivian's ability as a sentry not only granted her the basic known qualities, but also allowed her a wide range of perception that sometimes served as her second sight.
…Her ability to perceive the world through mana flow spread out like a tidal calm in the raging storm. The feeling sometimes felt like having a second body completely made out of energy, allowing her to perceive herself and those around her as separate existences altogether.
She guided her perception, slowly making her way towards the walking catastrophes.
…Hovering above them, the rage of the blizzard grew futile. Without normal vision and hearing, its rage grew docile and its roars…quiet. Allowing her to see the full extent of the enthralled army in all its vile glory.
The sight was…catastrophic. The dread she had felt earlier multiplied itself a hundredfold. The blizzard had greatly deceived them about their numbers, this was not an army of hundreds…but thousands.
The flow of mana from each beast felt the same yet different, the absurdity of the situation enough to make her question the extent of her own affinity.
Feral grades having the mana readings of Hunters…Hunters having the readings of War grades, and the cycle continued.
Everything about them felt sinister…and wrong. A large number of them looked like walking corpses, dried bone and rotten flesh. But they all shared one similarity…a mass of darkness that moved around their beings.
…It didn't feel like the element itself. She had been around people who possessed it as an affinity long enough to know that this was different.
It felt alive, more sinister than the army it possibly commanded…corruptible, and with a dark will to consume everything till only its darkness remained.
Even while incorporeal, Vivian felt threatened by it…scared of it, even. This wasn't an enemy she or anyone could face currently.
Suddenly, she felt greatly uneasy. Like something was staring down at her intently. She glanced to the sky, a towering mass of bones appearing in view.
The pressure of the colossal skeleton felt suffocating, attempting to swallow her existence into itself.
Vivian paled as she struggled under the assault. Her perception had never been discovered by a mana beast before. Even War grades failed to notice her incorporeal presence.
Except…maybe this wasn't a War grade.
A calamity?
She struggled with all the will in her being, and for a split second she felt herself escape its grasp.
Pushing through the mental pain of straining her will and perception, she rushed back to her body.
Aster waited silently in the snow. He wasn't sure how much time had passed. Maybe around ten minutes? He couldn't tell, really. The cold assaulted him with terrifying force, but he persisted.
He glanced at his master. Her eyes snapped open, the swift motion startling him greatly. Strangely, he felt uneasy. Her eyes still looked the same, although their scarlet shade was gone…but at the same time, they looked listless.
The creak of bones that resonated around him was loud enough to drown out even the howls of the wind.
Without hesitation, Aster picked up his master with obvious struggle and began to run back towards the cave.
'Crap.'
Somehow they had been noticed. He wasn't going to wait and find out whether the beasts would react to their presence.
Straining the muscles in his legs to push forward despite the added weight and restrictions of the terrain, he made slow progress.
The sound of snarls, howls and snapping jaws behind him indicated that he was already being chased. Thankfully, there had been a great distance between them and the beasts, and just as the snow restricted him…hopefully it restricted them too.
Before long, the cave entrance began to grow nearer. The beasts behind him were already drawing closer, consuming the distance with frightening pace.
Aster pushed his legs forward, finally touching the solid ground of the cave's entrance. He spun around, hand outstretched to tug on a carefully hidden rope.
He pulled.
Countless miniature boulders crashed down, blocking the entrance. Beyond it, he could hear the sound of claws scraping against the rocky surface.
Gently laying his master down, he sprawled onto the cold ground himself.
The brief encounter hadn't lasted up to a minute, but his lungs burned from the cold air. He took in a breath, trying to calm his raging heart, and shut his eyes.
The beasts were possibly still beyond the entrance, but Aster didn't have the strength to move any further. For these few seconds, all he wanted was…rest.