Aerial surprise (Part 2)

(3rd person POV)

Harpies fell one after another from the sky. Fred had taken the vanguard position and Rem was taking care of the back.

Strategically speaking, it was the best decision, since Rem's morning glory was a long-range attack, while Fred was using a spear to deal with the ones coming from the front and the side-quarters. The spear was the ideal weapon since it offered a wider range than the sword, but since he didn't have any experience holding something as long as a spear to fight, he was barely using it for stabbing the birds. Slashing and parrying attacks using the spear was out of the question for him now.

"KRIIIIIEK!!"

A harpy dug its claws into Fred's right shoulder as he was busy dealing with another one from the left flank.

[Tch! These birds are getting smarter!]

"There's a reason why they say you should be patient."

Saying that he shifted his spear to his left arm grabbed the Harpy's legs and crushed it with his bare hands before swinging it and slamming it onto the harpy on the other side, making both of them rocket about and hit a nearby tree with a 'Splash!' 

Green blood oozed out of the monsters which slowly slid down the tree like a jam toast slammed on a wall.

[Oops. I just wanted to swing it off. Maybe my adrenaline did the job.]

He was unaware that he had levelled even more after his encounter with the 'God' in his dreams. As a result, his base strength was on the same level as an average 'Oni'.

Slowly and slowly they got rid of more monsters while moving along with the children. The village houses were in sight now. The children were also exhausted, more because of the tension and their first encounter with death.

"Just a bit more! You guys keep running, don't stop." Fred shouted.

Luckily for him, the children weren't passing out due to exhaustion or fear. Or else, it would have made this situation even worse. But as soon as he thought that they were out of harm's reach for the time being, another Harpy appeared in front of him, blocking his way.

[Something's strange about this one…

I don't have time for stuff like that!]

"Get outta my way!" Dashing forward, Fred brought his spear down in a slashing motion aimed at the monster's torso- aiming to tear it in half or at least damage it lethally.

The attack would have been a success if not for the weapon being stopped mid-air, as the Harpy caught his spear with its bare claws. Fred tried to pull it out of its grip but he couldn't. Sensing something incoming, he jumped back with a summersault. 

When he landed a few metres back, he felt the lower end of his coat fall, as if it were cut down with a very sharp blade.

"Damn! An Elementalist!" It was one of the higher classes of the Harpies.

There were three tiers of monster mobs in AlchemiaStory-

1. Common mobs

2. Variants/Specialists in which this Harpy elementalist falls into

3. And finally the boss monster which is the boss of the mob.

[I just hope that the Harpy Queen doesn't show up] Fred cursed his luck. They were so close to the houses. But now this Elementalist was blocking his way and the children were gathered between his back, sandwiched between him and Rem. If he didn't act quickly, panic might set in them again, and worse-

"These motherf*ckers had this planned." He looked all around him.

They were surrounded. Harpies from all directions surrounded them. The moment Fred would try to make a breakthrough by engaging the Elementalist, the front would be exposed and the children would be swooped up like a fish out of water. And once they went aerial, they were as good as dead. 

From being ripped apart or crushed instantly by their claws, to being dropped from a great altitude- once you are airborne as a Harpy's hostage, you are their toy and they never run out of ways to kill you.

Time seemed to slow down for Fred. He was thinking of a solution fast, wracking his brain and seconds seemed like minutes. That time was enough for him to figure out a solution. He had to take a risk. There was no other way out.

[Jenna, what magic can I use now?]

[NONE. YOU CAN FORCEFULLY CAST MAGIC, BUT THERE WILL BE DRAWBACKS.]

[Will I blast?]

[MOST LIKELY]

[Can chanting reduce the load?]

[THE HOST DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE BASICS OF MAGIC DOWN. 

YOU CAN STILL TRY IF YOU WANT TO ENDANGER THE PEOPLE]

[Damn! Is there no way out?] 

Between this moment, another monster dived down at him, since he had lost his only weapon. But that was a fatal mistake, the moment it reached within his hand's reach, it got slashed down in two clean parts. The torso and the bottom fell sideways sliding smoothly. But no blood came out, since it was caked dry.

A crackling noise filled the air and a bright red glow spread throughout the nearby space as Fred drew out his Phantom Fire Sword once again. He had a taste for fire weapons and swords, but his preferences instilled some fear in the mob, as they seemed to make some distance with them screaming. 

They were afraid of fire.

[Chickens will be chickens. No bird really wants to be roasted on a fine 'tandoor'

Ah, I suppose that might not be the case.

Harpies are supposed to have wing affinity.]

Suddenly the idea hit Fred. He had to create a larger opening for the children and he needed to confirm just one thing to do that.

[Jenna, can I increase the output of the sword?]

[THERE WILL BE A BACKLASH]

[Tell me the consequences later. I need to take that risk.

Increase the output to the maximum.]

[INITIATING PROTOCOL.

SETTING MAGIC WEAPON OUTPUT TO MAXIMUM

CAUTION: HEALTH HAZARD! 

HEALTH HAZARD!]

Sirens went on full alert mode in his head. But Fred managed to focus on the monsters, lest they take that chance to retaliate.

"Haaaaaaaah!!!! ". Fred let out a warcry as he felt a large amount of mana leaving his body. He directed the mana towards the sword(he just imagined doing so, since Jenna actually circulated the mana for him).

The sword started glowing more fiercely, radiation heat like a huge torch. The embers from the sword rose from like a tiny tuft of a flower and then rose to colossal heights. It was just like a flamethrower by earthling standards.

Fred took the sword and swung it at the Elementalist Harpy. The heat from the sword sent waves of flames as hot as magma. The monster screeched in pain, before roasting away in silence, unable to scream out the pain it went through.

Fred didn't wait for the other harpies to understand what was going on and swung the sword mid-air at them like a madman.

All the monsters within the range were burnt down to cinders without exception.

THUD! THRASH! KREIK!

All sorts of sounds erupted due to the onslaught as the mosters which were lighted up started screaming like crazy before falling down or crashing into nearby trees.

The scene was so horrific that the children and his partner maid were staring at him dumbstruck at his slaughter. 

Dealing with as many monsters as he could, Fred turned around. He was sweating profusely with heavy breathing. He opened his mouth and managed to squeeze words out of his parched throat:

"...e house….go to the hous…" and then he fell unconscious.

Seeing his falling figure, the maid ran to catch him,

"Fred-kun!

Fred-kun! Are you alright?

Frd-kun! Answer me!

Fred-kun!!"

But the blazing hero lay unconscious. His palms which were scalded down to his bones held the everburning sword in his grasp. Not letting go of his weapon even in his slumber.