Chapter 55: Filthy animals

The outpost was perched atop a snowy mountain, its imposing structure blending seamlessly with the harsh landscape. The main building, made of dark steel and concrete, stood tall and unyielding against the biting winds and swirling snowflakes. Its dark walls were made of a sleek, nearly indestructible material that gleamed under the harsh fluorescent lights. The windows were tinted black, preventing any glimpse into the secrets held within. The only visible entrance was a heavily guarded gate, flanked by two towering turrets armed with advanced weapons.

There were a lot of soldiers stationed there, clad in thick, black armor that seemed to absorb the feeble light of the overcast sky. Their helmets, adorned with a single red visor, gave them an almost robotic appearance. Each guard held a sleek rifle, their fingers poised on the trigger, ready to defend their post at a moment's notice.

Beyond the gate was a maze of buildings and structures, all constructed with the same dark steel and concrete as the main building. The air hummed with the sound of machinery. There were smaller structures, each one seemingly identical to the next, serving as barracks for the guards and prisoners alike, their dark metal walls blending seamlessly with the snowy landscape.

In a large courtyard surrounded by high walls, a group of prisoners was being escorted to a smaller building off to the side. The prisoners, dressed in tattered clothes, were chained together and prodded forward by guards with electrified batons. Their faces were gaunt and weary, bearing the marks of their harsh confinement.

Mikoto watched in silence as the prisoners were ushered into a dark structure. He had a good view of the large outpost from on high as he was currently high in the air.

"Didn't even think technology like this existed in this world," he murmured. The cultist he interrogated had directed him to this outpost. He had put the man with his other comrades after he was finished with him. Of course, he had used magic to make sure they were restricted. But still, there was that irksome feeling, especially when he was staring at the guards.

"No mana either, what the hell is this?" He questioned to himself. He had no reason to hold such distaste, yet it was too evident within him. He shook his head. "Those prisoners are villagers, no doubt, but why kidnap them?" His question was left unanswered as he took off the blazer of his uniform before igniting it in flames. He was left with his black long-sleeved button shirt and gray vest. "No need to make it obvious that a student of Luminare attacked this base," he mused as he hovered closer to the ground. In no time, he was in the outpost as his feet touched down onto the ground. "Time to take care of some animals."

Immediately, some of the guards took note of him. There were around fifteen where he landed, and it seemed they were not content to engage in any conversation. He saw one hold a hand to his helmet and talk, no doubt informing others.

The guards immediately leveled their rifles at him. The air crackled with energy as beams of light exited the barrels of the rifles and streaked towards him, melting the snow that fell around the bolts of light. With a flick of his wrist, he channeled his mana, creating a translucent red barrier that shimmered into existence just in time. The lasers slammed into the barrier, scattering sparks and creating a dazzling display of light.

Seizing the moment, Mikoto raised his free palm, summoning flames that danced with an intense, blinding heat. The fire erupted forth in a large torrent, engulfing the surrounding area. The snow sizzled and evaporated upon contact, and the fire spread large enough that buildings within the outpost were consumed by the fire, collapsing in showers of molten debris.

More guards trudged through the snow towards him, but he did not care.

With fifteen guards rid by the searing blaze, Mikoto wasted no time. He shifted his focus, drawing upon another elemental aspect. Lightning crackled in his palm, arcing and snaking with deadly precision. A bolt of electrifying energy lanced out, striking a guard squarely and sending a surge of electricity coursing through his armor.

The lightning spread like wildfire, jumping from guard to guard in a chain reaction of pain. Each strike was accompanied by a blinding flash and a deafening crack, illuminating the chaos unfolding in the outpost. The guards convulsed and staggered, overwhelmed.

"You animals just keep coming," he scoffed as he raised his right hand.

Twenty large ethereal swords materialized behind him, gleaming with an otherworldly light. With a swift command, they launched towards the remaining guards with incredible speed. The swords pierced through armor and flesh alike, striking with precision and leaving a trail of incapacitated.

"Hex: Distortion of gravity," Mikoto spoke as he raised his hand to the remaining guards.

The ground beneath the guards began to warp and distort, pulling them downwards with a force they could not resist. Snow swirled and gathered around their sinking forms as they struggled in vain against the intensified gravity. Mikoto watched as they sank deeper and deeper, their armor creaking under the strain until they were immobilized in the snowy ground.

"That was about fifty; this place is huge, though, so there may be more," he noted as his form vanished from the massacre. Reappearing in one of the structures, it was dark and expansive with the only source of light being what looked like prison bars made of a harsh blue light. Beyond the bars were the damaged forms of women, children, and men. They numbered around twenty, shock and fear graced their features as they took note of Mikoto.

He could not blame them; they surely had seen better days.

"It's alright, I've come to save you," Mikoto snapped his fingers, and within the cell, there seemed to be a tear in reality itself as something akin to a red portal materialized. Some scurried away in fear, and others merely did not care, as if they had given up. "It connects to the town of Briarwick; you should get some help there. I recommend being fast; more of these guys may show up." Mikoto did not wait to see their reactions, so without another word, his form blurred and disappeared.

In an instance, he was back outside where the various bodies of the guards were littered.

"Their signatures are disappearing; they must've gone for it," he noted; they were rather. He himself just wanted to be quick about it; there was no reason to waste time and comfort them. "Might as well blow this place up when they're." He raised his left arm to prepare a spell, only to find it gone. He glanced upwards to see it flying through the air.

"I am sorry, but I cannot allow that," he heard a voice state as he glanced to his side.

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[Galadriel]

[Ruins]

Adrian sighed to himself as the woman's fists moved like lightning, each strike telegraphed by the slight shift of her weight, the subtle flex of her muscles. He dodged left and right, narrowly avoiding the deadly strikes that seemed to cut through the air with precision. Sweat beaded on his brow as he struggled to keep up with her relentless assault.

However, he took the light opportunity to immediately back away. With a mere thought, shadows coalesced around him, swirling and twisting until they formed the shape of a large monstrous centipede-like demon. Its segmented body shimmered with an otherworldly sheen, and its multiple legs clicked against the ground as it emerged, as if piercing through reality itself.

Its elongated body writhed with unnatural grace, and its razor-sharp mandibles glistened in the dim light of the ruins. As it lunged at the woman, its movements were fluid and predatory, aiming to rend flesh.

With a deft sidestep, she evaded the demon's initial strike, her ao dai fluttering like a banner in the wind. With a swift kick, she shattered the demon's head, sending shards of shadowy substance scattering into the air like shards of broken glass.

Adrian's eyes widened, but he quickly composed himself and summoned more demons, each with its terrifying form.

The first demon appeared as a towering figure wreathed in flames, its eyes burning with infernal fury. Flames danced along its massive form, licking at the air and scorching the ground beneath its feet. With a gesture from Adrian, the demon unleashed a torrent of fire that engulfed the surroundings, scorching the ancient stones and blackening the earth.

The woman, seemingly undeterred by the searing heat, moved through the flames with astonishing speed. Not a single ember touched her skin, nor did her clothes catch fire. With a focused expression, she closed the distance between herself and the fiery demon, her movements nothing but a blur of speed. Adrian managed to back away, but it was much too late for the demon.

In a swift series of strikes, she incapacitated the first demon, shattering its fiery form with calculated blows that seemed to extinguish its very essence. Adrian sighed as he gestured to his second demon. It was a dark wraith-like demon, with translucent tentacles prodding from its form.

A swirling mist emanated from the demon's form, tendrils of darkness snaking outwards and decaying everything they touched. The ruins of the castle crumbled and decayed under the influence of this malevolent mist. Adrian watched as her form merely blurred, his eyes widened as he leaped backward once more. She reappeared before his demon and with a punch that shattered the demon's core and a kick that dispersed the mist with a burst of energy, she dispelled the dark magic with ease.

"I do hope this is not all," the woman spoke, seemingly disappointed. Adrian did not immediately respond; instead, he glanced at Williams' fallen form. He was leaned against a cracked wall with blood seeping from his head. Ruby was currently tending to him via healing magic, so he was left to fend off this woman alone.

"Oh, not at all," he spoke. Cracks seemed to form in the sky inches above him. An enormous clawed hand broke through it as he smirked.

"This is one hell of a test."