22 Chapter 22: Magic

However, before I could do anything else seeing this giant fiery wolf appear from the forest, I suddenly heard a mechanical ding sound off inside my mind. One that I've slowly gotten used to these couple of years, but for once it gave me a new notification I haven't seen as of yet.

[Ding! An Emergency Quest has been issued. Player Naoto has been given an emergency quest. A powerful cryptid has emerged. Please make haste in defeating it.]

[Emergency Quest: Slay the Cryptid, the Flaming Beast, Agnagarn. 0/1]

Rewards:

+5 Levels

+15 to all stats

Choose one: Beginner Taito Style Breathing Combat Manual, Beginner Third Form Karmic Flame Combat Manual, or 1 Random Lost Arts.

Penalty:

‐Roer gets razed to the ground. -50% Favorability with the Reinford Group.

Time limit 59:59...]

So it was an Emergency Quest after all...

Moreover, there goes another term I wasn't expecting to hear for a while. Not until the events of Crossbell start to happen.

Cryptids...

What would be best way to explain what Cryptids are?

On the outside, they just appear to be your big baddie boss type of monsters. Heck, they might even be one or two tiers higher than boss monsters, more tiered to super bosses in the games.

But what are Cryptids, really?

From what I understand, they are essentially creatures that exist within the laws and boundaries of Zemuria, but at the same time they don't exist. They are said to come from other planes of existence, like from the realm of Phantasma hidden within the Recluse Cube ancient artifact.

Ever wonder why Cryptids always just exploded into big light shows upon being defeated? That part was likely them returning to not existing in Zemuria anymore. Essentially returning home to put it bluntly.

Well, that's what I thought about them, anyways.

Either way, one showed up at our front doorstep, with a rallying swarm of monsters at its side.

The Flaming Beast, Agnagarn.

It was a massive fiery wolf-like creature currently making its way toward Roer, as if it was dead set on attacking it.

I had another look at Agnagarn, and its fiery flames were setting the grass it was walking on on fire, leaving behind a blazing path. Should it continue its fires would quickly spread to the forest to the north which was unmarked territory and Vestia Forest to the southeast of our current position.

"Father, we must make haste to defeat Agnagarn, its target is the city of Roer!", I yelled out to Giliath. He too saw the giant wolf had its eyes dead set on Roer, intending to break through the Schwarz Drache Barrier.

It didn't even have its attention on Giliath.

"Hoh? So Agnagarn is the name of this foul beast?", Giliath asked with a grin, reaching toward his sword again. "Stand close to me Naoto, I don't want you to get swept away by these monsters. Do you think you can hold a sword on your own?", Giliath asked me, drawing my attention to him.

Hearing that, my eyes became serious. 'He isn't really wanting me to try attacking these monsters who god knows how high are above my base level, is he? Or maybe just for self-defense?' I retorted to myself.

"I will try, father.", I said to Giliath, who turned around to me. I saw he barely had any blood on him, nor his weapon. All of his attacks were clean slices.

"But father, if I take your sword that'll leave you with no weapon besides your pistol...", I suddenly asked, which caused him to chuckle.

"Didn't I tell you already? Expect the unexpected. We humans are much more unpredictable than monsters are.", Giliath said. I then saw him pull out a giant cleaver sword from inside his military garb, causing me to turn wide eyed a bit. It was a steel claymore essentially.

I knew the sword Giliath ended up using later in the games was quite similar to the size of this sword. I guess it makes sense for him to have experience in using one...

However, after I finished taking Giliath's normal one-handed sword into my hand for the first time, it wobbled in my arms. But I steeled myself, as I had already done some basic endurance training. I made sure to keep a firm stance and not drop the sword. Seeing this, Giliath smiled.

"Good. Despite at this young age you can properly wield my sword without faltering. Remember to stay close by as I hunt down this 'Agnagarn', as you call.", Giliath said, bending his knees a bit, getting ready to dash toward the giant fiery wolf.

"Yes, father--?", I tried to say. Yet at this time an unexpected voice reached out to us, causing our eyes to shift again. This voice seemed to belong to that of a woman.

"That won't be necessary, little one. Can you draw the wolf's attention for me, mister? I shall lend you what support I can. Thank Aidios I managed to catch up to Agnagarn in time. But I'm afraid we don't have much time.", A womanly voice said, reaching our ears.

We soon saw a lone figure of a woman approach from the forest to the southeast of us at a fast pace. Behind her were two other straggling girls, who were much smaller in height compared to this first woman.

"Mother, I'll be going on ahead.", The first woman said to one of the other two without looking behind. As for the other, while she seemed small in height, but the way she responded acted as if she was older than the first woman.

"Hmph, do as you wish, Isola. This little wolf escaped quite far even without the help of help of the nearby spirit veins, but it still ponders the question how a Cryptid showed up here.", The smaller girl responded. Despite that, she had insanely long wavy blonde hair that almost touched the ground in several places, as if it had been unkempt for years.

After saying that, she moved her mouth a bit silently. In the next moment, space distorted around her and a crimson magic staff appeared in her grasp that was much longer than she was.

As for the first woman, she was much taller than the second girl with navy blue eyes and long purple wavy hair that was tied with a red ribbon about halfway down. Her staff she was holding appeared much simpler than the smaller girl's staff. Hers had a large sky blue crystal on its tip surrounded by coiling white wood. She herself was wearing a white long dress with a blue robe draped over it.

Going back to the smaller blonde haired girl, I saw her speak to the third girl, who appeared to be no more than ten years old with sandstone colored hair. The blonde haired girl spoke out to her.

"Vita, this will be your first encounter with a Cryptid since I gave you permission to leave our village. But it will be only Isola who will support that soldier in defeating it. So be careful and stay by side, okay?", The blonde girl asked.

"I understand, Grandmother. But if Auntie helps that soldier defeat this Cryptid, then who will be left to protect that kid? He's struggling to keep up with that soldier.", The third girl, named Vita, asked with a hint of worry.

"I have no idea why a soldier brought such a small child with him, nor do I even care for that matter. Our only focus is to help get rid of that Cryptid, but I guess it won't be bad to ensure his safety either.", The blonde girl responded nonchalantly.

"I'm already on it, Mother.", The other woman, named Isola, responded.

She soon saw a few waves of monsters standing in her way to where I was currently positioned. As for father, after handing his sword to me, he gripped both of his hands on his claymore. Bending More downward, he did a sudden twist of his body, slashing out in one strike. Fwoosh!

A large gust of wind struck dead on, blasting a few meter radius within the monsters in front of him, blasting then away in a bloody spiral.

As for Isola, she came to a halt. Raising her staff, she placed it horizontal after gripping onto it with both hands and suddenly started to chant. A calming blue aura soon appeared around her.

"O wandering spirits of the forest, please bless this one with the bellows of the wind and rest these pour souls with your cry. Sweeping Lullaby!", Isola chanted out.

In the next moment, we all saw wind get swept up around the purple haired woman. It wasn't fierce like Giliath's swing just now, but a rather soothing green wind. It came in gust after gust, sweeping over the monsters separating our paths.

In no time at all, we saw the monsters start collapsing onto the ground one by one, unable to move any longer...

It was this time Agnagarn took notice of these new arrivals, causing it to suddenly let out an angry howl.

"AWOOOOO!", Agnagarn roared out in anger, which caused it to turn. Instead of stamping toward Roer, it switched to Giliath and Isola. Seeing this, the blonde haired girl grinned.

I wanted to retort their prior remark but I stayed silent Instead I became excited seeing magic before my eyes. A path soon became clear between me and the woman who chanted that.

"Come now little one, go join Vita's side to where its safe.", Isola said to me, revealing a smile. As for me I turned toward Giliath once more.

"Father?", I decided.

"Go, Naoto. We'll hold off your remaining lessons for the day to defeat this Agnagarn. I thank you for your prompt assistance, young lady.", Giliath responded to my question.

"Yes, father.", I said. I then hurried on the path that lead right to Vita.

"Fufu, such a polite child. I take it you're his father?", Isola responded with a chuckle seeing me head to the other side. She then approached Giliath.

"Indeed. We'll save the pleasantries for later. For now, how shall I address you?", Giliath asked as he took another large swing at some monsters, blasting them away.

"You may call me Isola Millstein, a wandering witch. I am at your service.", Isola said, introducing herself.

"So you are a witch then. I am Giliath Osborne, Brigadier General in service of Erebonia. I will not let this foul beast wreak any more destruction on my country.", Giliath said, introducing himself.

"Then let us defeat Agnagarn.", Isola responded in confidence.

Giliath and Isola then turned toward Agnagarn as it was still rushing right at them in anger. They were getting ready to enter direct combat with it.

And as for me...

I was now within distance of the sandstone haired girl who was no more than ten years old, curiously looking at her. In the end, it was her to speak up at me first.

"So that soldier fighting beside Auntie is your father, huh?", Vita asked me, to which I nodded in acknowledgement.

"He is. I thank you guys to coming to help us. May I ask who you are?", I decided to ask. I already had my suspicions, but still decided to ask.

"Hehe, you are most certainly welcome. Your dad seems pretty strong so he and Auntie will definitely take care of that big bad wolf. We've been chasing it for quite a while, your distraction caused it to get cornered.", Vita responded with a smile hearing that. She then continued to speak, introducing herself to me.

"And as for me? Well, I'm Vita. Vita Clotilde! And this girl beside me is Grandmother!", Vita happily said as she introduced herself.

*

How did you guys like doctor strange if you went? Me personally I should have paid more attention to who directed it lol

New week, more power stones!