The swampy terrain was still as foggy as ever. Eon sat on a moist log trying to think of a way out of his current predicament.
The hydra was a powerful being without a doubt but he could still make quick work of it. The problem was whether he would be able to continue living after having done so. Unfortunately, Eon had to admit the chances were slim.
Truthfully, Eon was surprised he had lived this far with his condition. He knew he owed much of that to the space crystal but that only made it all the more unfortunate.
This crystal was the source of his robe's power. That was what he had designed it to be and that's what it had been for a very long time. Now, it was also the key to prolonging his dwindling life and because of that, he would soon run out of it.
The powerful rock of plentiful mana could not be used endlessly to supply his dying body with the vitality brought by the essence of mana. This made Eon sigh inwardly.
The essence or nature of mana. He couldn't really say he knew what it was, but if he wanted to find out he needed to get rid of that Hydra.
"Cough, Maybe I can talk to the natives" Eon muttered in contemplation. The natives he had yet to encounter were likely to exist since he had found traces of civility in the swamp.
These took the form of destroyed plant life to entire rotting huts made using the local fauna.
At the same time, Eon didn't think they'd be willing to help. Though if they were half as smart as the orcs on the previous floor perhaps so but the odds weren't in his favor. There were no real reasons for these natives to incite violence on a hydra which they stood no real chance against.
After considering the idea for just a while longer Eon decided to still act on this thought, however. He didn't plan on committing diplomacy as the plan would fail without question, he planned to instead sow discord.
"If there are no reasons I'll create a reason… cough C- Cough" Inciting conflict and then using the cannon fodder as a sufficient distraction to weaken the hydra. It didn't sound half bad.
Eon finished the lunch he brought from his storage space and stood to look for the natives which he suspected to be a certain reptilian species of humanoid creatures.
Eon trudged over the corpses of monsters and started making his way over to the last sign of civility he had found. He then instantly disappeared back into his separate space.
***
The situation of the Sanctuary orcs had been looking grim but with the timely assistance of Ed and his minions, things were finally looking up.
"What the hell is that thing!?! Sh*t!!!" One orc had exclaimed seeing a bony human with death exuding from each and every bone. This reaction was justified and many shared this sentiment. But after noticing that the skeleton, Scavenger, wanted them to follow it most doubt left their minds.
These creepy dead human skeletons were fighting the living humans and the struggle was fierce. With them putting their all to fight the humans they couldn't be bad dead creatures!
So much doubt left the minds of these orcs that some even before Scavenger started to lead them away, wanted to speak to him. One orc, in particular, was however disappointed after being met with Scavenger's unamused attitude.
"You are not very Humerus" The orc said finally quieting down. Scavenger only stared at the orc for a brief couple of seconds before beginning to lead the orcs out of the artificial room inside the cavern.
Immediately, the orcs were thrown into the chaotic fray of battle. Stray shots kept on finding their way over to Scavenger and the orcs as they aimed to scamper out of the cavern.
Whenever this occurred one of the other anti-skeletons would block the attack with a spell or Scavenger would have to slice apart the incoming spell himself. Each and every time the spells were about to hit an orc something or someone would intercept them.
That was at least until things started getting much more chaotic. Soon, more and more stray spells were finding their way over to the group of fleeing orcs. One could only assume they weren't stray spells anymore and they would be right.
"Come together, let's kill as many orcs as possible!" The only mage squad captain present on this side of the battlefield, Abram, screamed at the top of his lungs. The anti-skeletons were not a threat to their life, but those orcs could not be allowed out.
They were, but at the same time not entirely. That was because few of them were actually held B-class strength. They simply had more numbers.
The most prominent of the anti-skeletons, Gold, was being easily held back due to a lack of comprehensive battle experience. That meant that under the attacks of the mages, these skeletons would all eventually perish.
"""Understood""" The mages were not all from the same squad but they were still all trained with similar formations and tactics in mind. They all, therefore, knew what exactly they had to do and how to do it. They started to run.
As the number of mages was smaller than the number of anti-skeletons by a fairly large margin, the anti-skeletons seemed to be holding things together. That they theoretically had the leisure of respite, but the anti-skeletons were not going to take this chance to rest. They had to make use of the opportunity.
The mages retreated with nothing but flimsy elemental shields to protect their backs. Blaze who was one of the first to notice the opportunity operated his core at maximum potential. His fire core burned brightly and a roaring flame was birthed from his hand. It threatened to burn all as it spewed towards a group of retreating mages.
The flames clouded one's vision as they… reflected against a barrier? Not only that but the seemingly flimsy barrier of wind held! If Blaze had the ability to properly process this happening he would be undoubtedly too shocked to continue.
Then again, if one were to consider the strength of the flames it wasn't that surprising. The cores of the skeletons were made from a singular mana crystal. The amount of mana contained in them was limited from the start. That meant the strength was determined by their skill which they hadn't had the chance to nurture to a sufficient level.
In comparison, most of the mages they were facing had their whole lives to nurture not just the amount of mana they had but also their control. They had to be better by leaps and bounds, it was how they maintained a stalemate while being outnumbered 1 to 4.
Other spells from other anti-skeletons then shot out and hit against other barriers. They all suffered the same fate and soon enough, all the mages who had appeared to be retreating were grouped up as one.
The shields which they were using to retreat were now all forming a wall that defended them against all sorts of magic attacks.
"Begin the counter-attack!" Abram shouted before promptly casting a spell himself. The four elements began to intertwine at his fingertips while spells continued to pelt at the wall of magic barriers.
Abram was not the only one casting an offensive spell, the other mages directly beside him began to do the same. Dazzling lights blindsided the orcs, they squinted seeing the source.
Mages were casting spells at their fingertips with them as the target. Just as the orcs were starting to consider whether they should guard against these attacks the spells shot forward.
They were all of dazzling and varying colors but though they seemed quite spectacular they were also rather deadly. The anti-skeletons tried to defend themselves by any means, but their spells ended up meeting that of the stronger mages and all ultimately fell short.
It was over! Most of the anti-skeletons, not excluding Blaze, were being bombarded with spells. Their tough metallic body held up stubbornly but the vast majority of the anti-skeletons started to topple like dominoes.
Yet, the glaring light originating from the mages still persisted! Abram, as a mage squad captain could not have his skill fall short. He who was known as the father of magic even among the people of the capital was not one to be trifled with.
The four elements coalesced into a beam. This beam soon shot out like light and Trench who had been withholding his entire mana pool was forced to act rashly.
The earth rose to meet the beam, but the beam burned through it like butter. Trench didn't give in however as he continued to make more and more walls of earth exhausting his core.
The quad beam as Abram had dubbed it was formidable but it was not as fast as lightning, never mind light. This meant that Trench was able to keep up with it, and when he wasn't able to, the other earth anti-skeletons carried the torch!
That was because the quad beam had slowed down significantly by this point. It had already bore several holes on earthen wall after earthen wall so the speed
Scavenger stepped up to attack it, but the beam simply dissipated before it could do as much as touch his skull.
Abram who saw this was irritated but he also kept a straight face. He was known as the father of magic because of his ability to conjure new spells, he was more of a research mage. Nevertheless, one wasn't always a good father.
"Tsk!" The orcs were going to be able to run away at this rate!