Chapter 249: Saving the Queen 15

"So, we're truly in the north now, huh?" Alex commented, his breath forming wisps in the frosty air as he scanned the rugged landscape before them. "To think that our journey here would take this long," he chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I can't tell whether that's a good thing or a bad thing."

Everyone around him nodded silently in agreement, their faces marked with fatigue and resolve. Their mission to reach this desolate northern region had been fraught with delays as they diverted to rescue and aid villages ravaged by the same turmoil that had befallen the small village of Alba.

From village to village, they witnessed the raw ugliness of human nature, laid bare by desperation and chaos. It was a sobering realization that not even the threat of execution could deter some from acts of cruelty and selfishness.

"Alex, I want you to lead party 2," Adrian declared, his voice cutting through the quietude of their surroundings. He approached Alex, pressing a communication crystal of the highest grade into his hand. "Your party members will include Isabella, Darius, and Buka. I want you guys to act separately from us and enter the north through the western edge."

With a nod of understanding, Alex accepted the responsibility entrusted to him, though a question lingered in his mind. After weeks of traveling alongside Adrian, he had grown accustomed to trusting the hero's judgment implicitly.

But that rationale didn't sit well with everyone.

"Why are we splitting up now, Adrian?" Louise's voice cut through the crisp air, her brow furrowed in a mix of concern and curiosity. Despite her trust in Adrian's judgment, the impending snowstorm and the lurking presence of demons cast a shadow of doubt over the decision. She knew there were countless reasons to stick together in such a harsh environment.

As they trudged through the snow, the air thick with a musky, dark demonic miasma, Louise couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Beneath the pristine blanket of snow lay a hard, dry ground devoid of life.

The prospect of splitting up now seemed stupid, akin to walking willingly into the jaws of danger.

Louise's concern deepened as she considered the composition of Alex's party. Buka, a formidable damage dealer, and Darius, a stalwart vanguard, were crucial assets to their group. Without their strength and resilience, their chances of survival diminished significantly. Even with Isabella's presence, the balance of the party Adrian chose to split off with seemed precarious at best.

As a high-ranking spirit summoner, Louise knew she relied on the support of her comrades—Darius, Buka, or Alex—to safely call forth her spirits in times of need. The thought of facing emergencies or

Adrian pondered for a moment before offering his explanation.

"Because those four would likely garner the least amount of attention."

Louise's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"The moment we set foot in this place, the demons were alerted to our presence," Adrian explained, his tone grave. "Just as we can sense their demonic miasma in the air, they can sense our heroic divinity and sun divinity."

Demons were not merely mindless beasts; they possessed a cunning intelligence that set them apart from other monsters.

Remaining together as a single group would only make it easier for the demons to track them. But what if they were divided into smaller, more agile teams?

It could buy them precious time and create opportunities to outmaneuver their adversaries.

"Elena and I will act as bait," Adrian continued, his gaze unwavering. "Meanwhile, the other parties will launch coordinated attacks from the sides. Louise, you'll be with Aria and Bella."

Louise's expression softened as she processed Adrian's plan. But Aria voiced her concerns.

"Isn't that more unbalanced than Party 2?" Aria interjected, her voice tinged with apprehension. "One spirit summoner and two mages?"

Aria couldn't help but feel a twinge of suspicion. While she understood Adrian's strategy of splitting the groups for tactical advantage, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was being a bit too transparent about his motives.

It was evident to her that most of the members in Alex's party were men, with the exception of Isabella.

And then there was Elena, Louise, and herself—all of whom were Adrian's fiancées being set up in one group with the exception of Elena.

She couldn't fault Adrian for wanting to keep his loved ones close, but wasn't he being too obvious about it?

Despite finding his actions cute, Aria couldn't help but feel a hint of jealousy creeping in.

'Why can't he choose me to be the one with the party with him? Why Elena?' Aria thought grudgingly, her mind consumed by a tumult of conflicting emotions.

She knew, of course, that the synergy between Adrian the hero and Elena the saintess was unparalleled. Yet, the pang of envy still lingered.

"Can't we just enter with two parties?" Bella's unexpected interjection caught everyone off guard.

Despite her usual sleepy demeanor, Bella was surprisingly attentive for once.

As the orcs moved away, their argument fading into the distance, Mavis released a pent-up breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she gingerly touched the wound on her shoulder, feeling the poison from the arrow coursing through her veins.

Despite her fairy heritage, she was not immune to the corrupting influence of the demonic miasma. Like all non-demonic creatures, she was vulnerable to its poisonous effects.

Standing, Mavis gathered her resolve and attempted to move as quietly and swiftly as possible. She knew she had to escape this place immediately, heading in the direction of the smoke she had glimpsed earlier. She chastised herself for not being more cautious; she should have known better.

As she navigated through the dense forest, Mavis couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment in herself.

How could she have forgotten about the monsters and tribes that inhabited these woods?

Once revered as the queen of the entire north, she now found herself consumed by thoughts of survival, her people relegated to the back of her mind.

The realization left her feeling ashamed of the person she had become in recent weeks.

Suddenly, the ground beneath her began to tremble with thunderous vibrations, like mini earthquakes echoing through the forest. Accompanying the rumbling was the unmistakable sound of raucous, unhindered laughter—a chilling sound that sent shivers down Mavis's spine.

"Found you, WOMAN! Hahaha!" the voice of one of the orcs rang out, its tone filled with malice as it brandished a net and rope.

Fear gripped Mavis's heart as she locked eyes with the approaching orc.

With no time to spare, she summoned the last shreds of her mana, channeling it into a burst of speed. But despite her efforts, the orc continued its relentless pursuit, its grotesque features contorted in a sinister grin.

The sight of the lust and madness etched on its face filled Mavis with a deep sense of revulsion and dread.

"Oh, mother of the earth, please guide me," Mavis prayed fervently, her voice trembling with desperation. As she uttered the words, a radiant glow emanated from her eyes, casting a golden path before her.

"It seems the blessing of nature isn't lost from this place yet," Mavis thought, her heart lifting with a glimmer of hope.

Despite the darkness that enveloped the land, she could still feel the divine presence that surrounded her, a reassuring reminder that the north had not yet succumbed entirely to corruption.

"Come back here, woman!" the orc's voice echoed behind her, its anger palpable as it hurled a net in her direction.

With lightning reflexes, Mavis dodged to the right, narrowly avoiding the entangling ropes by a hair's breadth. Ignoring the taunts of her pursuer, she continued to follow the golden path laid out before her, her determination unwavering despite the pain that coursed through her body.

Blood dripped from her arms, staining the forest floor beneath her feet, and her nose began to bleed from the strain of channeling her depleted mana. Yet, she pressed on, fueled by sheer willpower and the desperate need to escape.

As her speed slowed and exhaustion threatened to overcome her, Mavis felt a searing pain erupt from her back—a sharp, stinging sensation that brought tears to her eyes.

Slap!

"Aghhh!!!" Mavis cried out in agony as the orc's rope lashed out, tearing through her flesh like a whip. Blood welled from the wound, staining her clothes as she stumbled forward, the pain radiating through her entire being.

"You should have listened to me, woman!" the orc's voice taunted, its cruel laughter echoing through the forest as Mavis fought to remain upright, her strength ebbing with each passing moment.

As the orc closed in on her, its rage evident in the thunderous slap of the rope against the air, Mavis braced herself for another onslaught. "Punishment is needed for unwilling women!!" the orc bellowed, its whip poised to strike her once more.

But before the rope could find its mark, a blinding flash of white light erupted in their midst, freezing both orc and Mavis in their tracks. Time seemed to stand still for a fleeting moment as the brilliance of the light enveloped them, casting an otherworldly glow upon the forest.

Confusion etched across their faces as they struggled to comprehend what was happening. "Did you do something, woman?" the orc began to ask, its voice trailing off mid-sentence.

And then, in an instant, everything changed. With a sickening sound, the orc's body was cleaved perfectly in half, blood and viscera spilling forth in a grisly torrent as it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Mavis stared in shock at the scene before her, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to make sense of what had just occurred. Before she could gather her wits, a voice cut through the silence, drawing her attention.

"Are you okay?" The voice was calm and reassuring, belonging to a man with dark blue hair and features that bordered on ethereal beauty.

With a graceful motion, he returned his single-bladed sword to its scabbard, the metallic click echoing in the stillness of the forest as he approached Mavis, concern etched upon his handsome face.