Chapter 81

Nick had seen and participated in many fights throughout both of his lives, but none were quite like this. When Eugene launched himself at the fae, Nick had to raise a shield to protect himself from the heat. The grass was charred, and even the air became harder to breathe. Despite this, he made sure to circle around the clearing until he was standing next to the fallen adventurers, where he could shield them from the duel’s backlash.Eugene’s sword erupted in flames. Each slash unleashed a wave of heat that scorched the air, causing the nearby leaves to wither and darken. Yet the fae moved with uncanny grace, twisting around the strikes and weaving illusions that left streaks of color dancing at the edges of Nick’s vision. He struggled to keep track of the creature’s true form; each time Eugene’s blade got close, the fae shimmered and suddenly appeared two steps away, grinning mockingly.

Nevertheless, Eugene never lost sight of his opponent for long, swiftly dispelling the fakes and locating the original again. He frequently had to unleash waves of fire to eliminate the clones in the area, which forced Nick to pump more mana into his shield lest the adventurers be consumed.

The fae slid backward, narrowly avoiding a decapitating slice. Then it flicked a hand, and the world around them blurred. For an instant, Nick’s vision was full of flickering shapes—dozens of clones, each charging from a different direction.

Eugene was undaunted. He roared and plunged his sword into the ground. A column of fire surged upward, spreading out in all directions. The illusions vanished under the immense heat, leaving the man standing resolutely in the center of a scorched circle of earth. The fae hissed, its beautiful features twisting with frustration.

Then its face went expressionless as it lashed out, unleashing a jagged arrow of greenish-white mana. Eugene countered with a downward swipe, slicing the spell in two with a flicker of red power. Then another. And another. Eugene had to defend himself from the onslaught for a whole minute until it finally ended.

Despite his success, Nick could see that the effort had taken a toll on him. He staggered a step, blood trickling from a shallow cut on his arm that Nick hadn’t even noticed was there. The fae pressed its advantage, and illusions surged forward, enveloping it in a swirling shroud. A blow from behind knocked Eugene off balance, causing Nick to suppress a cry.

Yet his father righted himself in an instant, turning just in time to deflect a second strike from the fae’s elongated fingernails—claws made of shimmering light. The collision spat sparks like a grindstone, illuminating the gloom of the forest. Nick couldn't help but notice that the current pace far exceeded what he had seen from his father during the stampede, which either meant he had been holding back then or that he had put in some serious work since.

Lunge after lunge, wave after wave of flames, each attack left its mark on the fae’s otherwise flawless skin. Nick noticed that Eugene immediately pressed with a counterattack whenever he blocked a blow, never allowing the fae the time it needed to reset the board. The physical heat in the clearing intensified, radiating outward as Eugene directed his unstoppable fury into the sword.

The fae had to zigzag away to avoid being burned to a crisp, which made its path predictable. Seeing an opening, Eugene lunged forward with a roar, but the fae blurred into illusions, flickering in place until it reappeared behind him, raking its claws across his back. Eugene hissed in pain but channeled it into greater power, unleashing a bright column of flame to fend off the fae’s follow-up strike.

Nick wondered if he should intervene, but with illusions whipping around at breakneck speed and Eugene parrying glowing arrows in a flurry of sparks, stepping in might cause more harm than good. Instead, he gripped his wand tightly, waiting for the moment when the fae would attempt something even more underhanded.

As if sensing his thoughts, it cast a glance in Nick’s direction. A cruel sneer curled its perfect lips. It conjured spidery arcs of mana that coalesced into a glowing bow. With a flourish, it shot two ethereal arrows, each streaked with swirling patterns of green and lavender light, aimed directly at Nick’s chest.

Knowing that his father wouldn’t make it in time, Nick abandoned all other spells and focused on his defense. “,” he yelled, bracing for impact.

The arrows struck the barrier, scattering harmlessly in a burst of brilliance. A swirl of heated wind tousled Nick’s hair, but he remained unharmed. He exhaled in relief.

“Good job, son,” Eugene growled through gritted teeth, seizing the moment. While the fae’s attention was divided between illusions aimed at keeping him away and Nick’s successful defense, Eugene unleashed his strongest attack yet. Fire engulfed his arm in an explosive burst, scorching the air as he incinerated the fae’s side, taking out a chunk.

A shrill hiss escaped the creature’s lips, a sound halfway between a scream and a gasp. Its face twisted in fury and pain, as the illusions flickered erratically around it. It looked as though the fae might stand its ground for a moment, but then it recoiled, stepping back and fading from view with a swirl of darkness.

Eugene didn’t let his guard down. He planted his sword, scanning the clearing for the slightest ripple in the mist. “Be ready,” he warned in a low rumble. “It’s coming.”

Nick nodded, extending his senses outward. Suddenly, he saw the sparks leftover from the lances rushing toward him at breakneck speed, completely ignoring his force shield. An odd pressure pushed against his mind, a clawing presence trying to slip past his defenses. But a familiar tingle flared, and activated. In an instant, the mental intruder was repelled before it could even enter, forced away with an almost audible snap.

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Trait has repelled a mental attack.

A strangled cry erupted from nowhere. The fae staggered into view, golden eyes wide with disbelief. One hand clutched its head as if reeling from a wound. The mental attack had evidently backfired.

Eugene wasted no time. Flames surged up his arm once more, and he lunged forward. The fae twisted, still recovering from the psychic backlash, while its illusions flickered weakly, desperately trying to cover its retreat.

Eugene drove his flaming sword through the creature’s chest. The metal hissed as it met flesh, sending a wave of heat across the clearing.

The fae shuddered, pinned on the blade. Its eyes locked on Eugene’s, still burning with hatred. Bright, alien blood spattered the ground. Then, it shuddered one last time, and the illusions collapsed like broken glass around them.

It went limp.

For a long moment, the clearing was silent, broken only by Eugene’s ragged breathing and the distant rustle of the forest. The swirling mists started to fade back into invisibility, as if no longer supported by the fae’s presence.

Eugene yanked the blade free, allowing the body to slump to the charred earth. A final wave of smoldering heat radiated from him, and he stood straight, exhaling deeply. Sweat gleamed on his brow. He glanced at Nick with a weary smile. “You okay?”

Nick nodded, letting the adrenaline drain from his limbs. “Yeah,” he managed, stepping cautiously toward his father. “That was—”

“A close call,” Eugene finished. His gaze lingered on the unconscious adventurers scattered around. “But we’re not done yet. Let’s check if they’re breathing.” He paused, taking one more look at the fallen fae. “And then we’ll get out of here before anything else arrives.”

“They are,” Nick replied, “I can feel them breathe.”

“Ah, that’s a handy ability. I usually have to wait until a body has cooled to know if they are dead…” Eugene replied. “Well, no reason to be sloppy. Keep guard while I check their condition, will you?”

While his father examined one of the fallen adventurers, Nick seized the chance to crouch beside the fae. Its strange, pale-green flesh remained hauntingly beautiful even in death, and thick, shimmering blood oozed from the fatal wound.

Nick knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t resist. He couldn’t let an ingredient this rare slip away. And if he was going to fight the forest’s forces, he needed every advantage he could find.

He leaned in, glancing over his shoulder to ensure Eugene was still busy. His father was turned away, trying to steady a groaning swordsman. Good. Moving quickly, Nick fished a small vial from his pocket and scooped up some of the fae’s blood. He hesitated, then decided to go further. A chunk of greenish, pliant flesh, no bigger than his thumb, came away easily under his dagger. He shoved it into another vial, sealed both, and tucked them carefully near his chest.

There was no time to analyze or regret. The hush of the forest felt louder than any sound. The usual chirps and distant growls of the Green Ocean had disappeared, leaving a heavy silence that pressed in on Nick’s senses.

He stood up and hurried to where one of the adventurers lay face down in the dirt. Taking a steadying breath, he raised his wand and activated . The effort weighed heavily on his mind—he’d never attempted to move anything larger than himself, and that one time he’d held the wyvern hatchling back. Moving four unconscious bodies was beyond his abilities, but luckily, his father was more than capable of dragging two.

A faint shimmer in the air surrounded the nearest adventurer, and Nick gritted his teeth. The man floated a few inches above the ground, limbs dangling like a poorly strung puppet. Nick focused on distributing the weight so it wouldn’t slacken and cause him to drop the man on his head.

Eugene looked over, eyes widening. “Careful. That one’s a big fella.”

Nick nodded tersely. “I’ve got it,” he muttered. Even though couldn’t unleash powerful attacks, its precision had always been its strong suit. He coaxed the unconscious form above the underbrush until he was sure he wouldn’t bump into anything and turned to do the same with the short woman next to him.

They began their return journey once Eugene had slung the two remaining men over his shoulders. A flicker of proud amusement lit his eyes. “Never thought I’d see the day you’d be hauling bodies around. You are all your mother.”

Nick snorted, doing his best to keep the two adventurers still.

The hush that had overtaken the forest followed them, sending prickles down Nick’s spine. At last, the edge of the Green Ocean loomed, and beyond it, the faint lights of civilization. The moment they stepped onto the safer path, Eugene’s posture loosened by a fraction.

He eyed Nick sidelong. “Killing a Courtly fae isn’t a small feat. We must ready the garrison for a possible counterattack. Old laws bind them, and their kind never lets a slight go unanswered forever.”

Nick paused. “So… it’s friends will come back for revenge?”

Eugene shook his head slightly. “I doubt it had friends. But we should expect them to take their pound of flesh, especially since the Court has already set its sight on Floria. Or maybe nothing will happen at all; they’re fickle creatures. They might not even mourn it.”

Nick grunted, patting his chest where the two vials rested. “Will you make this public?”

Eugene nodded. “Yes. This has gone beyond a few incidents. Even the caravan’s presence cannot justify keeping this silent anymore.”

As if reading his thoughts, Eugene caught his eyes.

“We did well tonight,” he said quietly, “and saved these four from a fate worse than death. I’m proud of you. If you hadn’t been there, I would have had to fight much more conservatively, and I can’t guarantee I would have brought even one back with me.”

Nick managed a nod, letting himself feel just a bit of pride.

The path finally changed from dirt to stone. In the distance, Nick could see the wall, its perimeter dotted with torches like fiery stars. As they drew closer, the activity on the wall became clearer—people were rushing around, and guards were shouting.

A soldier spotted them from above once they got close enough. He nearly skidded to a halt at the sight of Eugene and Nick dragging the unconscious adventurers. “Captain!” he blurted, saluting out of habit. “You’re—uh—” His eyes darted to the blood and burns on Eugene’s clothes.

“We’re fine,” Eugene said curtly. “They need healers. What’s going on?” Google seaʀᴄh novelhall.com

The soldier’s face fell. “The temple, sir. It was attacked. Prelate Marthas fought off several beasts inside the grounds.”

Nick felt his stomach drop. “What?” Adrenaline spiked anew, and he clenched his fists. “Is anyone—?”

“Not sure,” the soldier admitted. “They say he got them all. But the damage to the building is bad, and some priests got hurt.”

Eugene’s expression hardened, and the heat that had faded around him seemed to flare up ever so slightly. “Get some men to gather these adventurers,” he said, gesturing at the unconscious forms. “Bring them to the healers. Nick—go home and wake your mother. Tonight’s adventure might not be over yet.”