Chapter 321

Chapter 321

The dust settles, and Abby restores everyone including herself back to her best ability. It's clear there is still some leftover mental and physical fatigue; all four team members are moving slowly with sore muscles and aching bones.

Lydia, approaching, previously restored by Abby after being freed from the cuffs, has her eyes wide, and an expression of pure shock and awe is plastered across her face.

"W-What happened to all of you? This..."

Her voice trails off as she looks at the ice sculptures before her and the burned town off in the distance. Streaks of red energy cover both of them, reminiscent of the aura that was engulfing all of the fighters moments ago.

Abby replies, "It's a long story, we'll fill you in on the way back."

She turns around, making eye contact with every member of the group.

"Before we do anything else, we need to find out what happened to Jay."

Arie points a hand toward the ashes of a burned abandoned city. "I have a hunch if anywhere, that's where we'll find some clues."

Everyone shares a few thin smiles, and a few hugs with Lydia, but quickly make it to the blackened and demolished village. Everyone's excited to have successfully saved Lydia, but there's a much more important matter to focus on.

Once everyone is safe and accounted for, then the team can finally relax.

"Over here!"

Abby finds the crash site first using her earth magic. After a few minutes of searching, the hot morning sun has started melting Maria's Ice, but the light breeze is still pushing cold refreshing air over to the burn site.

Fisher and Arie walk over together while Abby continues to catch Lydia up to speed. Although the white-haired mage is saved, she looks awfully on edge, still looking over her shoulder at every crunch or crackle from the fallen burnt debris of the town left behind.

On the way to the town, a loud crash from up above on the cliffside followed by a rumbling buzzing noise for a few seconds makes everyone's head turn for a moment. However, it's just the observatory's top floor collapsing down to the first due to the severe damage done before the battle. This only makes the white-haired mage's paranoia worse.

Abby's voice rings out again as she stands over the briefcase and item drops next to the shattered uniquely black-colored armor.

"I found the soul stones... and the leftover gold... this is everything left in Jay's inventory..."

Arie comments on the odd metal scraps. "He never wore armor like that."

Lydia peers around a charred woodpile, and her eyes open wide at the sight of the gear. "That's- That's the Sector Two Leader's Armor, I'm positive."

Fragments of metal, rock, and debris roll down the cliff in unrecognizable shapes. Some burning with orange flames while others are covered in the greyish glow moments before it dissolves into the atmosphere.

Fisher sighs. "Dang, I wanted to see if there was any good leftover gear in there too. I guess we still could find some... but I doubt it's in good condition anymore."

More time passes, and the area is stripped clean of any valuables or identifying items. The only thing that can be known from the sight here is that a battle definitely took place, and one or more users wielded some odd crimson energy.

Arie's guesses it will all be covered by the Abyss in the next surge anyway. So, it isn't optimal to leave the place like this, but it isn't the worst situation that could have occurred. There isn't anything more to do.

The group of five makes their way back to Solara and finds Chester nervously waiting for them to return.

Everyone is mentally and physically drained, so there's a happy greet and quick run through of events that took place with the old man, but everyone eats and falls asleep within the hour of stepping in the door. It's only been a few hours since they left, but it feels as if the many days of fighting have finally come to an end.

—

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

There's a light knocking on the door that evening, but the team of five are still sprawled out and sleeping in the living room.

Chester hurriedly nudges Arie awake.

He wasn't expecting any visitors, and Arie is the only one here who looks like a Solara native while being much stronger than Chester if there's any issue. If it's a government official or just an old business friend, Arie would be the least suspicious out of anyone to answer.

He whispers in a low tone as the archer wakes up. "There's someone at the door, and I'm not sure if I should open it. I can't see who it is."

Immediately, Arie peers out one of the windows to see the setting sun. He uses his mana control to feel around the house and whispers under his breath. "There is definitely someone there, but the feeling of this reading is odd. The person is strong, very strong. However, It's impossible to tell how strong they really are..."

He wakes everyone else up to be on guard before approaching the door.

Ready to summon an arrow and even activate all of his buffs again, the archer slowly opens the door.

"Who is it, what do you want?"

A confident voice responds. It's paired with a bright white smile and sharp blue eyes.

"My name is Lith Galeheart, I'd like to come in and have a chat."