Vera
Ha, stupid boy! You just walked to your own death!
It's a shame though that the other two don't really respond to my provocation.
Oh well, as expected from ex S rank adventurers, I suppose.
No matter. Their barrier would shatter far before they could reach my location.
Of course, Vera was lying out of her teeth. She simply wanted to provoke the family to just charge at her like the absolute morons that they were.
She didn't want Marina to be a simple sex slave to her grandson. She wanted her to retain her genius magical mind while at the same time broken enough so that she would obey her every word. And the way to do that, at first, was to make her genuinely fall for her grandson. Or at the very least, make her lose her virginity to him. Not through rape though, but with she herself offering it to him. She wanted to make her addicted to the taste of his manhood. Not to mention the shame she would bear for not being able to resist her burning urges. It would be better that way, she believed, to break a proud person such as her.
A long time ago, when she was still a simple wanderer, she heard many tales and stories of princesses or noble daughters being seduced by a handsome rouge to the point that she would decide to abandon everything—their wealth, their etiquette lessons, and their entire dignified upbringing, just to be able to follow their "love". And of course, a lot of those cases had said rouge stealing the lady's virtue first, but they wouldn't do it forcibly. They would make those princesses do it willingly.
And of course, once a princess lost its virtue, their worth decreased dramatically. And that still didn't account the scandal that would befall their family.
And thus, a once proud princess would be forced to become a commoner. If they were lucky, the rogue actually loved them and would care for them. But most of the time, the rouge would just lead her to his kidnapper buddies, sending a ransom letter to her family. And if they didn't want to pay, and a lot of them wouldn't, since she lost her virtue and all, she would end up as an expensive slave, to be sold to the highest bidder.
She pitied those girls who could not control their lusts. Oh, how blessed she was to be born without such feelings! Even her late husband didn't know the truth for his entire life, believing that she actually loved him! What a stupid fool!
And thus, she formed said plan for Marina. There wouldn't be a need for the love potion in the first place, if her grandson was actually a competent womanizer.
Alright! Time to concentrate the cold at this location!
She lifted her staff, and the already shining tip shone even further, as she adjusted her Grandmaster-level Ice spell—Ice Age. It was a much powerful version of Snowstorm. In its original form, it could create harshly cold winds and snowfall throughout the entire mountain. However, with this modification, she could increase its freezing power in exchange for reducing its range.
Heh, that boy… A Wind mage, huh? He reminds me of that old hag Lana. She would use her wind spell in the manner, dancing around in the sky like it was nothing.
Too bad for him though. He's not a Grandmaster-level Wind mage like she was. He wouldn't be able to counter my cold, and in just a few moments, he would turn into a human popsicle. And then, no doubt his parents would rush forward to save him, where then I would spring my trap.
Aah, this is no fun at all. I don't like it when they make it too easy, you know.
...And there he goes, falling down to the snow as he's no longer able to channel his mana to his feet. Ha, what a joke.
…
Eh, what?
What is he doing? Is he?
Magma Burst?
BOOM!
To her surprise, a spring of lava suddenly burst forth from the ground just inches away from Hugo, giving him the heat needed to defrost himself.
H-how? How can he cast that spell while in that condition? And it's a Fire and Earth hybrid spell! I thought he's supposed to be only good with Wind magic!
Tch, he really is just as skilled as his sister!
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Hugo
T-that was… that was close! Too close!
I really, seriously almost died there! And I would've been if not I hadn't trained my hybrid spells to this level!
The blizzard! It suddenly turned really cold, to the point that my muscles were starting to freeze!
Damn it, I've been had! That was her just taunting us to make us a mistake, wasn't it? We weren't too late to save Marina, were we? Please, whatever God is listening out there, please make it be a lie!
I felt tears escaping once again, but I quickly stopped myself.
I had no time for that. I had to take down this—this ice bitch, who had made all this happen in the first place.
And I have to focus, just like I've promised to Father. I need to keep a calm head, or else I'll be dead like before.
For now, I have to retreat, back to the barri—
Time froze.
As I was in mid-air, planning to fly back while casting Magma Burst along the way to keep me warm, I realized that the ground I was on had disappeared.
Replaced by the gaping maw of a giant white snake.
T-this snake—it's hiding under the pile of snow?!
"F-fairies! Come out!"
"Master, what's the—"
"...Tch."
With speed that truly surprised me, the earth sprite formed a pair of mud hands that threw both me and the high fairy away from the giant snake.
Only for her to be swallowed by it moments later.
I could only stare in shock, as I felt my connection with her shattering.
The snake towered over me with its impressive size. His entire body wasn't even out from under the snow, yet it was already at least twenty meters tall, if not more. And the diameter of its body was around five meters thick at the very least.
Immediately I retaliated, both in anger and in fear that it would try to swallow me again. I fired my Boom Cannon at it, aiming at its head.
"SHAAAAHHHH!"
The force sent it falling down to the snow. But I knew that I hadn't killed it, as even my pride and joy, my Master-level spell that I had invented myself, had failed to pierce its skin.
"Haaaahhhh!"
Then, I heard a yell. It was Father's, and he jumped so high above me as if he was flying.
He brought his sword down, intending to stab the snake at its head while the immobilizing effect of my spell still remained.
Only for a human-sized fairy to appear behind him, stabbing him through his stomach with an ice sword she created out of her palm.
"G-guwahhh!" A spurt of blood escaped his mouth.
"Father!" I yelled.
That fairy—it's Vera's summon, isn't it? Damn it, the book only spoke of the giant snake!
Even with the surprise attack, Father still managed to stab his sword at the snake, making it scream in pain once more. However, his blow was severely weakened as a result. It failed to pierce the head all the way through.
"Holy Bolt!"
A flash of light came from behind, crashing into the fairy in a bright explosion. When the light died down, she wasn't there anymore.
The spell belonged to Mother, who was running after Father.
"Hugo! Cast your lava spell right now!" She shouted, before she started chanting.
"R-right! Lava Burst!"
I aimed it at the snake's lower torso, fearing that I might hit Father with it if I cast it near its head. Not to mention that our bodies would start freezing up again really soon without its blazing warmth.
It was effective enough to make it screech in pain, but I didn't know how much damage it was doing to it
"Master! That fairy! It was a Great Fairy! A snow one! I can still sense her presence! She must have disguised herself as a snowflake!" My remaining fairy spoke. "Don't worry though! I can sense where she is since I'm a fairy as well!"
A snowflake? How in the world am I supposed to keep track of a single snowflake in this intense snowstorm? Damn it, I just have to rely on her, I suppose!
The snake screeched again before lifting itself up with Father still on top of it—his sword stuck inside its hard skin.
"O blessed light! Judge those who defile your name and purify the unworthy from this world! Holy Barrage!"
A series of light orbs appeared from the tip of Mother's staff, flying towards the giant snake, crashing at various parts of his body with what looked like holy explosions. It was enough to make it decide to retreat, though still carrying Father on top of its head.
"Master! Behind her!"
A snowflake, behind Mother's back, suddenly transformed into the fairy from before.
I snapped out of it, immediately firing off a Flame Whip before she could do the same backstabbing move she used on Father.
"Kyaaah!"
She let out a pained scream as my spell burned into her flesh. Since she was a snow fairy, it probably was extra painful for her.
I pulled her to my direction, but she turned back into a snowflake again mid-air, making my whip lose its grip.
Meanwhile, at the distance, covered by the harsh snow, I could hear more screeches and tremors made by the giant snake.
"I'm going after your father! Can you handle that fairy on your own, Hugo?"
"Don't worry! I got this covered!"
Judging by that stab, Father really needs some healing spell right now! I can't hold her behind!
"Master, behind you!"
"Shit!"
I quickly turned around, just in time to block her sword with my own.
"Get away from Master!"
My fairy fired off a blast of water, only for it to freeze mid-air.
And finally, I got a nice, close-up look on this opponent of mine.
She was a fairy all right, though human-sized and with wings made out of icicles. She was taller than me, and for a fairy, she was pushing me down with her strength.
Just like her element, she was cold-looking yet beautiful. She had a long azure hair that reached down to her feet with snowflakes decorating it all over. She wore a long white robe that reminded me of those togas the Ancient Greeks liked to wear.
And then, I saw it. Icicles forming in mid-air, all aimed towards me.
"W-Wind Step!"
I immediately blew myself backwards in an attempt to dodge them.
"G-gahhh! Aarghh!"
But I was too slow. A couple of them managed to pierce my body—one on my left shoulder, one at my right stomach, and one at my left thigh. I didn't need to look down to feel the blood leaking out of the wounds, forming a puddle under me.
I-it hurts! It hurts so bad! This is the first time I am actually hurt this badly in combat before!
M-my body… i-it's shaking… A-and my tears… i-it's coming out in droves...
A-and this chill on the back of my neck…
I-I'm… scared? I-is this… the fear of death?
I lost my balance, making me kneel on the snow.
I remembered. Ten years ago, I threw myself into a raging river to save a kid from drowning.
No, to be more exact, I did to kill myself. I never planned on surviving in the first place.
Back then, I didn't fear death, as I felt there was nothing for me to live for.
But now, now that I had a warm family that loved me, and a life that I could be proud of—I feared it. I feared it to my very bones.
The warmth disappeared. My Lava Burst had stopped. Soon enough, the cold would surround me once again.
I-I can't… I can't die… not before I save Marina!
I aimed my wand at the fairy, intending to use another Flame Whip to quickly debilitate her.
Only for her to stand there with a swarm of the same icicles that she had made again.
H-heh… Too slow, I suppose...
They fired, and I could only close my eyes, bracing for the inevitable end.
Only to realize that they never came.
When I opened my eyes, there was a bright figure standing before me.
N-no way…
This is… straight from a shonen anime...
It was my High Fairy. And she had just evolved into a Great Fairy, melting all the icicles with a wall of searing hot water she just created in front of her.
"You're not going to harm Master anymore!"
She flew, forming her own sword created by hot water. The snow fairy, clearly taken aback by this sudden development, tried to block her sword with her own.
"Give up! You know you can't win!"
"I exist for my mistress. I shall not betray her."
"Your sword! It's melting!"
It was true. Her sword's coldness couldn't compete with the heated sword my Great Fairy possessed.
"I exist for my mistress. I shall not betray her."
"You.. you gave your name to her, didn't you?"
"...I am Alyssum. I exist for my mistress. I shall not betray her."
With a sad look on her face, she fired off a strong torrent of hot water with her free hand, causing the snow fairy to scream out in pain as she too started to melt.
"Finishing Blow! Hot Spring Slash!"
Like a cheesy tokusatsu protagonist, she yelled those words as she split the fairy into two by a two-handed overhead swing.
Of course! That makes sense. She's a spring fairy. So she evolves to a hot spring fairy.
...Did she really do that just because she wants to protect me that badly? She even gets the right element that the other fairy is weak to.
It was over. The snow fairy, weakened by Mother's attack from before, couldn't win against the newly evolved fairy. Her ice-making power, as well as her body herself, was weak to the power of searing hot spring water that she possessed.
She wasn't dead of course, as summons wouldn't die permanently when they got defeated in combat, but she wasn't coming back anytime soon.
...Just like my Earth Sprite.
Damn it, I would have to make it up to her when this whole mess is over.
But that name thing… so she was permanently bound to Vera.
And that's what she got in return. She basically turned her into a soulless robot.
...There's only one way to free her, and that is to end her master's life. As I doubt Vera would ever release her from her servitude on her own.
I was then broken out of my somber reverie, as High Fairy, now Great Fairy, gave herself cheers for successfully driving her off. She's not sad at all that one of her kind is treated like that?
"Yaay, I won! How about that, Master? I'm finally useful enough for you!" She came over to me with a big smile. "O-oh, right! Your wounds!"
She then poured me with her spring water. The icicles melted away as my wounds started to close.
That's right. They say hot spring water can have healing properties. Though of course, not to this extent…
And just like that, I was restored back to top condition, as if I just had been healed by Mother.
I stood up, only to realize that she was now taller than me, thanks to her rapid growth in size. Well, this feels odd…
"Thank you." I smiled. "Without you, I would've died for sure back then."
"Ehehehe! No problem!" She grinned, scratching the back of her head.
"But to think you would just suddenly evolve like that… I didn't see that coming at all! How did you do that really?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"I… don't know, Master. I just wanted to protect you so badly that I transformed on my own. You're my favorite person after all so I can't let you get hurt!"
That's it? Just because she wants to protect me? Sheesh, this really sounds like a cliched shonen anime now.
But cliche or not, it saved my butt. So I won't complain.
"SHAAAAHHH!"
Oh crap, I forgot! Father and Mother are still battling against that giant snake!
"Spring Fairy! Come! We have to get to them!" I told her, before I started to run there, aided by my Wind Step.
"Don't worry, Master! I'll keep you warm!" She then hugged me from the back, melting any ice and frost that might threaten to paralyze me. She was also flying with her wings, so she barely weighed anything, if at all.
I heard several more pained screeches coming from the snake, until I could see Father and Mother at a distance. Barely, mind you. Only thanks to Spring Fairy here letting out heat that melted the incoming snow, I could make out a blurry image of their current situation.
They were fighting inside Mother's barrier, which I imagined would protect them from the extreme cold.
And they… were at a definite disadvantage.
The giant snake, though looking severely wounded, with numerous bleeding gashes and wounds all across its body, was still actively attacking them, ramming its head and slapping its tail to the barrier. Even from there, I could feel the impact. I thought Mother's High Barrier was supposed to harm anything hitting it with melee attacks. Either the snake didn't really feel it, or it simply didn't care.
And yet, it wasn't the worst part.
Vera was also there, and she was barraging them with her Ice spells, laughing maniacally in the process while gleefully taunting them. This made Father have to fight with one hand, as he dodged her spells while carrying Mother who was less mobile than him.
I couldn't help but be amazed as well however, to how well Father fought. He really was fending off both the snake and Vera with his ranged sword slashes. Every time he slashed, it was as if the air itself was split apart. It was even stronger than my Boom Cannon, as it could leave a wound on the snake when it landed.
...Gah, this is no time for that! I have to help them! I'm sure they won't be able to last for long!
I looked back at Vera. Good. She didn't seem to notice my presence in the slightest. Too preoccupied with her throwing off her volleys of spells at them.
If I could just land my Boom Cannon without her realizing, then it's game over. She should nowhere be as tough as her monster snake. I could end her in one strike, just like I did with those two mages from before. Mages are the squishy type in this world after all. They're extremely weak to surprise and quick attacks. And my Boom Cannon certainly is very quick, as it travels at the speed of sound.
But damn it! It's hard to aim at her when she's moving all around like that! And how is she moving around like that anyway? She's using her staff as a snowboard even though its tip is shining? That means she's currently using it to cast a spell right?
...Oh, I get it! She's manipulating ice, just like I manipulate wind. And she has that rare ability of dual casting, allowing her to cast two spells at once.
...Wait. But she can fire her spells simultaneously while she's moving. And this snowstorm isn't receding at all either. That's three spells at once, no? What's going on here? Don't tell me she can do triple casting as well! That's insane! Totally unfair!
...Or maybe… Marina told me once about how Selendia could make her Rainstorm last for a good while without her actively maintaining it. And seeing how Vera is also another Grandmaster-level mage like her, she could probably do the same thing with this snowstorm. Her biography didn't mention anything about it though… maybe she kept it a secret?
...Oh, why do I care? Dual casting, triple casting, it doesn't matter. I will take her down with just a single shot. I'll be screwed if she starts attacking in this direction as well. Sure, I now have Great Fairy, but I doubt even her hot water can stand a barrage of Cold Novas that Vera's sending over and over.
"What's the matter, Master? Aren't we joining the fight?" she asked innocently.
"Not yet. I'm aiming for an ambush here. See that woman, speeding through the snow and firing off all those spells?"
"The little girl, Master?"
I couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes. That one. I want to take her down from here."
I aimed my wand at her, focusing just slightly above the light her staff was emitting.
Come on… come on… come on!
I held the spell on the tip, patiently waiting until that perfect moment.
There!
I fired, praying that the spell would hit her.
Only for a giant yeti to suddenly appear out of nowhere, sacrificing himself to block my magic from reaching her.
T-that was… that was just like what I did with the fairies!
I screwed up. Once again, I had made a tactical mistake. I didn't expect her to have yet another familiar hidden away from the fight.
And now, she noticed my presence.
And she didn't hesitate at all to jet straight towards my location.