Chapter 32: Back from the Deadth?

Perhaps the meeting place Kurnel told me about was true. But it was more likely that he secretly sent out some signal to alert his companions when I wasn't paying attention. 

I looked back again where I had left Kurnel, but there was no trace of the lizardman anymore.

"Forget about that guy!" 

I gritted my teeth and decided to chase after the black shadow in the sky. They flew pretty fast and were already quite far ahead after my brief hesitation.

The Sildenga Bridge was located near the edge of the city. Just beyond the city walls was practically wilderness, with scarce places to hide. I had to rely on the faint starlight and occasional illumination spells I cast to keep track of them.

It was easy to lose sight of my target if I wasn't careful, and then they'd be impossible to find again.

"So there are other monsters involved?" 

I murmured to myself. In the brief flashes of light from my spells, I could vaguely make out that the figure ahead had a pair of wide wings and was carrying something in its claws. It looked like the legendary dragons, just smaller in size.

After chasing like this for some distance, they must have realized it wasn't working. The figure started descending, until it was about 10 meters above the ground. Then it suddenly split into two - the top half accelerated upwards and vanished into the night sky, while the lower half dropped to the ground.

I had no choice but to land as well. 

"Who exactly are you?"

Though I couldn't see clearly due to the lack of light, the faint glow of light element coming from Nicola lying on the ground confirmed that the figure standing nearby was the fake waiter I had been trailing!

It seems they had set Nicola down after realizing they couldn't escape. Now this person was ready to face me directly.

We had flown for so long I had no idea where we were. It seemed to be a vast basin among mountains, with no vegetation around. I cast another illumination spell into the air to get some light.

"Hmph, angels sure have poor memory..." 

That familiar voice again.

I had just launched the glowing orb when a gust of wind rushed at me. They had used this chance to attack me barehanded!

"Whoa!"

Caught off guard, I hastily dodged upwards into the sky.

"Extreme Art: Tailwind!"

The girl didn't stop just because I flew up. She shouted and launched herself upward, matching my height instantly.

So fast!

Before I could react, she had flashed right up to me. With a kick she knocked me tumbling back to the ground, while using the momentum to flip back near the unconscious Nicola several meters away.

Luckily she didn't have any weapons, so despite the solid hit, I didn't take much damage and barely felt any pain. But the move did seem familiar, reminding me of Brennan.

"You said I have amnesia...have we met before?"

By now the glowing orb had floated above our heads, finally providing ample light. But when I looked up at her, I froze in shock.

"Blanche?! How can it be you?"

"Hmph, finally remembered huh!" 

She looked disdainful but made no move to attack me again.

"Wait, didn't you die already?"

I was totally confused. If I recalled correctly, back in Elara's office at Edenmere, the messenger reported that the joint forces had surrounded Michelle but only found a human corpse - the ID card on it belonged to Blanche!

"Sorry to disappoint you, but although I had a miserable time in the Dark Continent, I didn't die as you all thought!"

Blanche said coldly. Clearly she knew we couldn't be fooled anymore after her earlier betrayal. 

"So you've still fallen in with the monsters?"

I couldn't help feeling regretful. She had schemed so much exactly because she didn't trust monsters, yet still ended up here.

"What's your purpose in tricking Nicola this time?"

I asked, puzzled.

"She's really Nicola? I was just told to look for someone who's usually with you. What a coincidence to run into her..."

Her reaction was unexpected. It seemed she didn't actually know Nicola's identity. Glancing down, she replied.

"Someone wanted me to use my status to sneak into the human kingdoms, bring you two back to the Dark Continent, and in exchange gain my freedom."

"Michelle?"

I had a guess and immediately said that name.

"You're quite familiar with the 'Flame God' huh! I wouldn't have imagined a third-ordered angel to be so valued by her..." 

Blanche glanced at me in surprise. Though I was six-winged now, to her I was still mysteriously important.

"Well, I re-tested after returning and am sixth order now..." 

I felt I should display that I wasn't so easily bullied, then asked again:

"So how did you come back?"

The Dark Continent was very far away. We had already seized the Galadra Eye and were studying it at Edenmere! Any other unknown transportation methods could be troublesome.

"And why side with evil again when you're already free?"

"Although you betrayed us in Val City, if you sincerely repent, I believe Alfred and the others wouldn't insist on killing you. That's still better than staying by Michelle's side right?"

I said persuasively. Just now I seemed to have caught Nicola stirring slightly on the ground. She might wake up soon.

"You think I had a choice? Don't underestimate the Flame God! How could she not have surveillance?"

Blanche sneered, then abruptly looked up at the sky behind me.

"There are many ways to travel from the Dark Continent, but ours was more primitive - took a whole day and night of flying to reach Makalan..."

"We?"

I was shocked. Right, there was that monster she flew here with...

A piercing shriek sounded as the dragon reappeared from the darkness, swooping at me from behind.

I quickly dodged sideways, throwing out two Purify spheres. 

"Roar~!"

One sphere hit the passing dragon while the other was completely dissolved by the intense flames it breathed out.

Injured, the dragon flapped back up clumsily into the dark sky.

"Not bad retaliation for a sixth-ordered!" 

Blanche clapped from the sidelines. In those few seconds, two more figures had appeared beside her - Kurnel, and another completely shrouded in a black cloak.

"They came with that dragon huh?"

I instantly realized this was bad. Dealing with just Kurnel was hard enough. Without Paradise Lost Shockwave, I didn't know how to take him down quickly while also handling the other two.

But I had just used Shockwave earlier. Despite the long time passed, I remembered this was still the real world, late at night! Light element recovery here was extremely slow. Using it again would completely drain me.

"I suggest you surrender. Bringing you two back benefits everyone..." 

Blanche gave a sinister smile. But when she glanced down, her expression froze.

"Where is she?"

Nicola who had lain unconscious by her feet was gone.

"Detecting high concentrations of alpha and type three energies rapidly approaching..."

The mysterious figure reacted first, looking up at the sky. Kurnel also sensed something, lunging toward Blanche.

"Dare drug me, die!"

A white light descended from above as Nicola swung her Condensation Sword down at Blanche. Luckily Kurnel pulled Blanche away just in time, barely saving her from being killed.

"Kurnel, I spared you earlier. Can't you go easy?" 

I rebuked angrily, though also trying to sow discord.

"This is my mission. Our deal didn't include that!"

Kurnel shielded Blanche, facing me seriously with axe in hand.

The black-clad figure also moved, a longsword suddenly appearing in his grasp as he charged at Nicola.