Marcus: "Depart."
At his command, everyone mounted their own Griffins and soared into the sky. Together, they headed toward the center of Aldor City, where the mage tower stood.
The flight went relatively smoothly.
Although a few were unfamiliar with riding Griffins and flying before, after guidance from experts and some practice, they managed to ride with confidence.
This was hardly surprising, since the group was composed entirely of elites. Each possessed excellent control over their bodies.
Amy: "This isn't an ordinary Magical Beast, is it? Is it some kind of summoned creature?"
Flying close to Tris, she curiously eyed the black horse he was riding.
It was John, flying nearby, who answered her.
In fact, he was also somewhat curious, so he drew closer to better observe how the black horse moved, walking through the air as if on solid ground.
John: "Not a summoned beast. This must be a magical item crafted to resemble an animal."
With his sharp eyes and vast experience, the guild master immediately discerned the horse's true nature.
Amy: "A magical item?"
She exclaimed in surprise.
Though astonished, she trusted John's words without doubt.
After all, John was a Mage specializing in summoning magic, a rare and difficult discipline.
In fact, he himself was riding a creature he had summoned, rather than a Griffin like most of the others.
The creature took the shape of a large fish, its body patterned with alternating white and green.
On its head was a straight, long, razor‑sharp horn.
On either side of its body, two broad fins flapped slowly and gently. In this way, it glided through the air as naturally as if it were swimming in water.
John: "I recall that there's a small group of Mages who follow a very peculiar school of thought. They specialize in using puppets as weapons. Could this be one of them?"
Hearing the question, Tris nodded frankly in confirmation, while inwardly admiring:
'As expected, one cannot underestimate the knowledge and keen eyes of someone who could become the guild master of a major city.'
In truth, Tris had initially debated whether he should disguise himself and conceal his identity when delivering information about the threat in Aldor to Marcus and John.
Ultimately, he chose not to, reasoning that since they would need to act together, the puppets he relied on would inevitably be revealed sooner or later.
Tris's use of magical puppets was hardly a secret anymore. Many in Dorn already knew of it.
With the adventurers' guild's information network, if John wished to investigate, even if Tris hid his face, it wouldn't be difficult for him to piece together the clues and deduce Tris's identity.
Thus, rather than attempting half‑hearted concealment, it was better to be upfront from the start, making trust easier to build and cooperation smoother.
As for Amy, once she learned that the black horse Tris was riding was a puppet, she grew excited.
Amy: "This is the first time I've ever seen something like this. After this mission ends, will you let me take a closer look?"
Tris: "Don't go setting up flags before a fight."
He grumbled irritably, nearly swearing aloud.
Amy: "Setting up flags? What does that mean?"
Tris: "Anyway, let's focus on the matter at hand. Leave the rest for later."
John: "Tris is right. Focus now, we've arrived."
Since they began moving from a location not far from the city, it didn't take long after takeoff for them to reach their destination.
Now, the group hovered high above Aldor. From this height, everything below looked so small.
Marcus: "Is everyone ready? Once we lower altitude, we'll immediately enter the enemy's firing range and surely face their attacks."
The wind was so strong here that Marcus practically had to roar to check on the group. Everyone nodded in response, affirming that they were prepared.
After a final careful inspection, Marcus gave the order:
"Then let us dive into the battlefield."
Under the group's control, all the Griffins burst into full speed and plunged downward, creating a spectacular sight.
Unfortunately, no citizens of Aldor looked up to witness it. And Marcus's group had no leisure to admire the view or do anything else.
They focused intently, calculating their distance from the ground below, bracing for the incoming attack.
1000m … 800m … 600m … 500m … steadily, they descended further.
At that moment, Tris frowned, sensing something unusual.
Previously, his puppet 'Feathers' had been attacked from a much greater distance than this. Yet now, not a single arrow had been fired.
Tris did not believe the enemy would foolishly relax their guard. On the contrary, after the prior infiltration, he expected their defenses to be even tighter.
Feeling the strangeness of the situation, Tris grew more cautious, anxiously awaiting whatever the enemy had prepared.
And then, when their altitude dropped to about 400 meters, the attack they had been anticipating finally arrived.
But it was not just a few arrows or isolated magics. Instead, it was an overwhelming barrage of magic fired all at once, as though intent on swallowing the skies above Aldor.
Each magic projectile was as large as a cannonball, glowing with eerie flames of gold and green, radiating a sinister sense of danger.
Marcus: "Focus everything on defense."
Seeing that the sheer volume of magic was far too great to evade, he could only give that order.
Moreover, the enemy's magic attack was far too sudden, with no prior signs until the moment it was unleashed. This left them with no other choice.
Marcus's group immediately unleashed their strongest defensive measures.
Moments later, a massive explosion erupted, shaking not only the skies above Aldor but the city beneath as well.
Every citizen inside their homes could feel cups, dishes, and furniture trembling violently for a brief instant.
That sound awakened everyone, serving as both an alarm and a declaration: the battle to reclaim Aldor had begun.