Chapter 53 - The Battle to Survive - Part 3

The retreating adventurers had witnessed something that gave them a bit of courage amidst the carnage they were facing.

A large undead orc was blown like it was made of cardboard. They didn't see who did it... but the knowledge of strong people being among them heartened them once more.

A familiar face could be seen among the retreating adventurers, one of the only surviving Rangers Selena was shouting on top of a roof to order the adventurers to organize once more to defend the town square.

"We can do this!"

"Did you see that orc fly?!"

"It was awesome!"

"For our fallen comrades we should keep fighting!"

"We have a chance!"

Cries of hope could be heard as the adventurers started to respond to the ferocity of the undead with their spears, blades and staff's.

"Heh. Do you see that Griff? You did that."

Reiner pointed at the town square. The four of them were on top of a nearby roof, thanks to Rin's wind magic.

Griff was smiling. His hair had slowly started to turn into pitch black once more, but unlike his past times he felt he was definitely in control rather than running rampant. His mana was raging inside him.

"Yeah... now for them to not lose that hope, we got a king to dethrone."

He looked over at the massive Troll King that was slowly marching towards the town square. It had slowed down after breaking the wall. Master Leebus and Alatar were no where to be seen. Some adventurers had even said that they had abandoned them.

'Not like it matters anymore...'

[Do you have any idea what you did?]

'Oh yeah. You were trying to talk to me weren't you?'

Inside Griff's mind Caphriel had her arms folded and was looking around in intrigue.

[Yeah, but I only managed to get to you now. You... you really have no idea what you did to yourself right?]

'Not really, but the mana I feel inside me has to at least tripled.'

[Ugh. I really need to teach you what the boundaries of magic is supposed to be. You really lack common sense.]

'Nevermind that now. I got a troll to take down.'

[I guess you're right... don't die on me. I still have to analyze you, you know. We angels don't know everything after all.]

"So, Griff? What exactly is your plan in the first place. You told us you had a plan?"

Rin said. Reiner was getting anxious now seeing Griff had been looking at the troll king for a whole minute now.

"We just blitz our way through."

"WHAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!"

"Whoa whoa calm down! I'm not done! I didn't mean blitz our way to the troll king. That would be suicide."

Reiner calmed down and sighed, deciding to give Griff some face.

"I'm thinking of getting close enough so we can launch an attack from behind."

"Okay that makes sense."

"See? I can come up with good plans."

"We'll see about that Griff."

"Well no use to wait anymore!"

Griff jumped off the roof, onto the street. He was surrounded by undead goblins and orcs that were closing in on him.

"DID HE LOSE HIS SANITY?! HE COULD HAVE GIVEN US A QUE!"

Rin merely sighed. She'd given up on trying to knock sense into Griff. She looked at Sylvie who was still out cold. Maybe she could? Who knows.

Griff's eyes cracked as small cracking flames bursted from his eyes and body. He was grinning.

"Time to test a little something out!"

Griff punched an orc right across the face with the flames of contradiction on his fists, blasting through its already weakened body, sending it burning.

He then raised his fist and slammed the ground with it, causing the ground around him to rumble in a small radius and it to crack with the flames bursting around him in a circle.

[You still don't know a proper spell, but your time with that old mage though you how to control mana. Keep in mind that you can't go a long way like this though.]

'I know! Now if you excuse me!'

Griff ran across the street, punching or erupting any undead that came across his way. His flames wouldn't be as strong as they are right now if he hadn't done what he did a few moments ago... what did he do in the first place?

'Can't think about that right now!'

He ducked a lousy punch that a troll flung, and grabbed its fist. Miraculously he tossed it across the street into a house. Without losing a moment's hesitation he ran towards it, and using it to boost himself, he jumped on top of the roof. He cracked his fists as he ran across the roof. The Troll King was just ahead of him.

"Damn that kid... he's not half bad! Rin! I leave this place to you."

Reiner jumped down the roof, and started to chant a spell.

"Let my body soar through the skies and unify all that is above heaven and earth. Let me be the bridge between these two entities! Strengthening Magic: Sky King's Body!"

Rin looked with her eyes wide as she watched her brother perform a spell she hadn't seen for a long time.

"So you can handle a lower 5th tier spell now?"

"Don't underestimate me sis!"

Reiner's muscles bulged, and started to emit mana. The ground beneath him cracked as he slightly crouched, and looked at Griff who was running across roofs.

He grinned, and jumped. He was suddenly launched more than a few meters into the sky. He was more than 40 meters high, and he he was crashing towards Griff fast!

A troll suddenly appeared next to Griff as it raised its club, but suddenly Reiner crashed right on top of it, shattering its head.

"Next time wait!"

He said with his usual battle maniac grin. Griff smirked smugly at that.

"Come on, we're not done!"

Reiner nodded, and jumped once more. Griff started to run faster, and condensed his flames into his hands until they started to emit sparking noises.

'I think I finally have a proper name for this. It's my first proper spell. I don't count me summoning a sword into this.'

[Oh?]

Griff whispered as he chanted quickly.

"Contradiction Magic: Base Form, Blazing Eruption!"

The flames erupted into an explosion as he was sent propelling across the sky, next to Reiner who looked slightly surprised but was also smirking.

"There!"

Griff pointed at a tower near the Troll King.

Reiner grabbed Griff mid-air, and the two of them landed on top of its roof, well what used to be its roof as Reiner smashed it during landing.

"What now... we know we can beat these this, but that thing? Even now with my new spell and your... uh magic, it's going to be hard."

"Nothing is impossible though? Someone already killed it. What says that we can't?!"

"If you're thinking of erupting it in flames like you did to that Colossal, forget it! None of our ranged attacks worked on its skin."

"That's why I have something else in mind! Give me one second."

"Be fast before it notices us..."

'Caphriel!'

[What is it? We don't have to make idle conversation right now you know, and I don't want to reveal myself just yet.]

'It's not that! I have a theoretical question about magic... magecraft.'

[Interesting choice of words to call magic. Now, what is it?]

'I know I can contradict something living with the mana of death, yet it's nearly impossible to use it on a large scale since the mana of life is so much more potent.'

[So? Come on what's your question!]

'The mana of death is not as potent normally right? This means I should be able to contradict IT much easier than life. You can't kill something that is already dead right? And that thing won't burn... so-'

[So you want to actually use life, no- healing magic against it. I commend you. Yes you can, but it all depends on that spur moment that you can strike it. You haven't tried to contradict death before after all...]

'That's all I need to know. Thanks.'

[Now wai-]

Griff closed his eyes and ignored what she was about to say as he opened them and reached towards Reiner's hand.

"Take my hand!"

Reiner did so.

"Now! Throw me!"

"What?! Throw you? I wanted to doubt before but do you REALLY have a death wish?!!!"

"JUST DO IT! IT'S ALREADY NEARING THE TOWN SQUARE! WHAT OTHER CHOICE DO WE HAVE!"

Griff shouted in irritation as he started to create a small flame in his left hand.

"Grr... DON'T DIE ON MEEEEEE!"

Reiner gripped Griff's right arm and threw him sky high towards the Troll King. An intense shockwave erupted as Reiner threw him, causing everyone to atop fighting, including the undead, to look at the source.

Griff was right above the Troll King now, but it had already noticed him. It raised its monstrous club to smash him, but Griff used his condensed flame in his right hand to maneuver mid-air!

'I'm losing ground!'

He started to chant real fast:

"Contradiction Magic: Base Form, Blazing Eruption!"

He suddenly skyrocketed into the sky. The troll king was looking around itself in confusion. The hulking monstrosity was even a horrifying sight this high in the air.

Griff's arms started to burst slowly, and they were suddenly engulfed in pitch black flames that were rampaging.

'Life. It's warm. I... I like living, everyone should. It's hard and scary, but it's also fun... life... I shall bring life to you once again! UNDEAD TROLL KING!'

He shouted through his mind as he felt himself grabbing the thread to the concept of healing magic.

His palms started to glow green, but his black flames were covering the light.

He combined both of his fists as he started to fall now, and raises both of his fists high. The flames were rampaging all around him.

Griff shouted on the top of his lungs as he descended on the Troll King, his mana going uncontrollable as his now completely pitch black hair was blowing against the wind.

An enormous dust cloud erupted as Reiner saw Griff make contact with the Troll King, and suddenly the dust cloud made of ashes spread out around a 50 meter radius.

A large thud was heard as something fell to the ground. As the dust cloud settled Reiner looked anxiously to see if his friend had survived. This was the most insane, yet fascinating thing he had saw from Griff... and he was amazed, but it would mean nothing if he was dead now.

The roar of the troll king echoed across the battlefield. Reiner held his tongue as he prepared to jump toward it, but... he saw that it had lost an arm. There was blood spurting out of the massive wound where its ark was supposed to be. Its skin was charred as well

A few meters away, right in front of the entrance to the town square its massive arm lied on the ground, and standing on top of it Griff.

The adventurers shouted in joy at this spectacle.

"WE CAN KILL IT!"

"EVERYONE RALLY!"

Griff, however, even though he looked fine he knew his mana was at an all time low. He was gripping his fists, ready to fight till his last breath for the people who had apparently put their faith in him... but the echo of a battle horn... stopped that thought.

Reiner looked back immediately as the sound of the horn rung across the town.

"The army... THE MILITARY IS HERE!"

"WE DID IT!"

"WE SURVIVED!"

A force of fully armored and robed knights and mages, the kingdoms men had arrived... on top of the hill north of Kulva, their battle horns rang.