chapter 70
A monster which resembled a dragon appeared in front of them.
Boooooom.
The platform shook from impact as the monster didn't give them any chance to catch their breath and directly attacked them with a fireball.
The attack dealt them a blow, and the platform had cracks appearing all over it. The front spear had shattered as well.
Genevieve had air surrounding all of his companions, so they didn't bear the impact and gently landed on the platform again.
But monster wasn't giving them any leeway.
It continued its attacks and stone platform started shattering.
Azek crushed a magic crystal, and the platform resumed its shape again.
Lyana didn't fall behind, and her fire thorn whip landed directly onto the monster's head.
Snap.
And it bounced off the monster's thick skin.
It was a high-grade monster.
It locked on to lyana and conjured a large fire spell.
Genivieve shot a spell out and pulled lyana away from spell pathway just a sec before.
Azek rapidly navigated the platform and took off again. The monster chased behind closely.
Genevieve sent air blades at it, but he was limited in his attacks as well, as he was protecting his comrades.
Lyana started conjuring mana at a faster pace than before, and a large circle appeared in front of her.
Magic crystals turned to dust in front of her, and a large fire dragon came out of the circle and started countering the monster.
But it could only serve as a distraction at best.
monster was still attacking platform in between.
"It can only last for 3 minutes, Azek."
She said in an urgent tone, trying to shake the monster off.
Azek looked at the remaining crystals.
They were only left with few, and if these were used, they couldn't guarantee their safe arrival in Solar City. But if he didn't use them now, they would not be able to fight that monster off.
"Damn it."
He bit his lip so hard that it bled.
He took out a magic crystal and decided to gamble.
Mana started gathering in front of him, and thin threads came out of his hands.
He closed his eyes and imagined Professor Zain's spell and then opened his eyes.
Mana in the form of neat threads had appeared in front of him, glowing.
Pain was shooting throughout his body, starting from his circle.
He was now using internal mana way past his limit.
He shouted,
"Princess, attack it with everything."
The fire dragon melted, and Lyana bombarded the monster with fire bombs after Azek's shout.
Monster shrieked uncontrollably and tried to break the platform with physical attack and came dangerously close to them.
Genevieve lost strength in his legs.
Azek let go of his spell.
Srrr.
A low noise resounded, and the monster had excited mana threads cut through its body.
Its head got severed, and immediately, without giving it a chance, Azek buried it in earth.
Haaaaa.
Haaaa.
He hunched over the edge with breathing disheveled.
Blood started seeping through his arms, soiling his sleeves.
His veins had burst.
"Genevieve."
He called Genevieve, and Lyana came over to support him and sat him slowly.
Genevieve was dazed for few seconds but gathered himself when he saw Azek's bleeding arms and cast a healing spell on him.
His external injuries closed, but the pain shooting through his body didn't get any better.
He stood up.
"Princess, please make sure to protect the rear."
Lyana looked at his condition and bit her lips.
Her eyes became bloodshot.
If only she was a bit stronger....
No..
she shook her head.
"I will."
she replied to azek.
She wanted to stop Azek from going so far as to damage his body to protect them, but if he didn't, all of them would die here, including him.
And she wasn't able to offer him help at all.
This was the first time she had felt this helpless.
She stood up.
There was only one thing she could do right now.
Break past her limits.
Azek was already willing to sacrifice himself and his body for them, people who weren't even his family.
As Princess of Saika, she couldn't hold her head high if something were to happen to him.
She even confidently sent her personal guards away with Professor Serbian to make sure of their safety.
"Princess, at least allow the commander to accompany you."
Her knights insisted.
"You think the commander is stronger than me?"
Her confidence shattered their hopes.
After all, they were only magic knights, and the Princess herself was stronger than all of them.
"Don't worry. If something happens that even I can't handle, then you people will be even of less help. And besides, if I can't survive, that would only mean one thing. Things are beyond dangerous at that point. So commander, I am leaving you with another task."
She looked at the Shadow Knights commander.
He got on one knee.
"If something happens to me, then relay this letter to His Majesty and make sure that you will do this by all means. And if Azek Willowheart is alive, then you would protect him in my stead."
The knight commander had received the letter with heavy heart.
"And you don't need to worry. I am Princess Lyana Rotherham. I will not die so easily."
Lyana opened her eyes.
Time had come to prove her words.
She felt her mana running out.
She collected last embers from every corner and conjured a blade.
"Come on, you bastards."
Her eyes showed something crazy emerging.
She was now putting everything she had on the line.
Azek looked back and then looked in front.
Will it last?
No.
It had to last.
For their survival.
All of the remaining magic crystals got crushed.
He even crushed the mana stone that was showing Professor Serbian's location since he couldn't afford to be lax right now.
Mana stones provided higher mana amount.
He had to make sure that he used everything he had on him right now.
A large circle appeared in front of him.