"How the hell is that a fairy?" M2 dodged and ran around the Swamp Fairy. "It's like a chimera."
Bursting out of the woods, Russ and his army came out with swords in hand. First, they stared at the strange monster in front of them. Then, while they were temporarily dazed, the Swamp Fairy ran over and bulldozed through them like a bowling pin.
"Kill her! Don't let her survive!" Russ shouted. He pulled back his horse reign just in time before he got trampled on.
The soldiers rushed in with their swords and pikes. They slashed at the Swamp's Fairy legs, trying to slow her down. But, with every step she took, many soldiers flew to her dangerous hooves. Then, a burst of energy formed around her hands as all the vines around her formed into a scythe-like weapon.
Spinning the scythe over her head, she let out a powerful burst of attack that pushed everyone back into the threes. Both Zero and Russ landed not too far away from the sudden attack. Russ got up and noticed Zero not too far away from him.
"You!"
"Me?"
"Yes, you!"
"I'm sorry. I don't know you." Zero shrugged it off, pretending he didn't know him. "Good luck with surviving."
"Stop! Kill that guy!" Russ shouted and pointed towards Zero.
"What? I did nothing wrong." Then, feigning Innocent, Zero got up.
"But, sir! The monster is going to kill us if we pursue it!"
"Then kill them both, but make it your priority to kill him. He's our mission. The sooner we kill him, the sooner we can go home rewarded!"
All eyes turned to Zero with hatred and greed in their heart.
"Damn." Zero mumbled. He eyed them wearily. He was not liking how it was becoming a three-way battle.
"Out of the way!" M2 shouted, running between Zero and Russ like an arrow.
With thundering footsteps, the Swamp Fairy ran towards him with its deadly scythe in hand.
With a swoop of her scythe, ten soldiers were cut in half. They all dropped dead onto the ground.
Without thinking, Zero bolted right behind M2. He was not going to fight head-on when the condition of his life was not good at all. Turning into a dragon was also simply out of the question; the problem was that the space to fight in the forest was cramped enough. A giant body blocking half the place made it much more challenging to fight.
"You're not going to butt heads with him?" M2 spoke with a light heart. Both of them were jumping and dodging all the soldiers that were blocking their path.
"You're kidding me, right? I don't think this fight is in our favor. It's better to live another day and come back."
"Kuhuhuhu. A strategic retreat, huh?"
"There is nothing wrong with running away. However, I was not taught to fight to be heroic. I was taught to survive, and that's where my specialty lies."
"People will think you are a coward." M2 side-stepped out of harm's way from the soldier's sword.
"Let them. There is more than one way to win a battle."
"Kuhuhuhuh, you never cease to amaze me."
What was truly strange was that both M2 and Zero were having a light-hearted conversation in the middle of the battle. Naturally, this made the soldiers uneasy, thinking that Zero and M2 were not taking them seriously.
"You blockheads, what are you conversating in the middle of a fight?" Agnis jumped in; her arrows fired one after the other. Each hit perfectly in the sweet spots that swords could not reach.
"Oh? It seems Agnis had switched sides and killed the soldiers instead of saving them." M2 spoke with delight. "I thought you would continue with your attacks. I enjoyed watching you help out."
"Not the time, furball. Everything changes when they are trying to kill you."
"I see. I see."
"I told you so." Zeraph appeared next to Agnis like a ghost. "You should've listened when I warned you what would happen."
"I will do what I want and how I want. So far, the one I have saved has not sent a single arrow to my back." Agnis scowled.
Zero's group continued to try to make their way through the thick groups of soldiers, blocking them at every turn, but at the same time, the Swamp Fairy continued to crash into the army.
Luckily, this caused the army to be split into two. Two-thirds of the soldiers were busily fighting off the Swamp Fairy, while the other third was blocking Zero's group.
"Don't let him escape!" Russ angrily spat; he rushed forward but was blocked by the Swamp Fairy many times. It was like the Swamp Fairy did not want them to fight now and instead fight later on.
"Sir! We can't focus on two simultaneously, or we will be wiped out!" One of the soldiers called out to Russ. Hundreds of soldiers were dying by the minute.
"Damn you, worthless idiots!" Russ cussed up a storm. He raised his sword, and the wind started to blow harshly toward his direction. Everyone temporarily ducked down, hoping not to be picked up by the wind. "Whirlwind of Devastation!"
A blast of strong wind shot towards the Swamp Fairy. The Swamp Fairy momentarily stopped and twirled its scythe around herself like a fan. The rotation of her spin caused the attack that Russ shot to be partially dispersed while the rest hit her body.
Small cuts appeared all over the Swamp Fairy's body, causing her to bleed. Her temper flared again, and this time she struck downwards with her scythe causing the ground to split apart. Soldiers were caught up in her attack and fell into the hole.
"Sir! We need to kill it now, or we will all die!"
"I know!" Russ shouted, and he kicked his horse to go towards the Swamp Fairy. He jumped off his horse and onto the Swamp Fairy's back when he got closer. Then, with his red sword, he stabbed into the Swamp Fairy's back.
"He takes stabbing people in the back literally, doesn't he," M2 chuckled at his jokes.
Zeraph, Zero, and Agnis were boxed in, trying to make way for all of them to escape.
"This is no time for a joke, cat." First, Zeraph smacked a soldier with the butt of his sword. Then, he lunged forward, taking down another in seconds.
"I know, but I just wanted to say it once." M2 ducked downwards and rolled forward. He sprang to his feet and slashed. "Though these annoying flies keep coming one after another."
"This way, you guys!" Agnis cleared a path for them to slip through.
At that moment, the Swamp Fairy screamed, letting out its stunning howling effect. But, unfortunately, everyone was not ready for the unexpected scream and was stunned.
Shaking his head, Zero stumbled, almost falling to his knees. Agnis and Zeraph stopped him from falling forward and helped him back to his feet.
"I hate it when it does that." Zeraph spat in disgust. He turned around towards the Swamp Fairy and did something unexpected.
When the Swamp Fairy again opened its mouth to let out a bone-chilling scream, Zeraph threw a spear that he picked off the ground and flung it as hard as he could. The sword flew and impaled itself at the throat, silencing the Swamp Fairy in seconds.
"Nice shot." M2 chuckled. "I don't want to get you mad for sure."
Even Zero gulped when he saw Zeraph throw that spear; he thought he was only doing it out of desperation. He did not expect the spear to hit its marks, especially because they were far from the Swamp Fairy.
"No time to gawk. Let's get out of here now. The bird brain over there will probably pick it off. We don't want to stay here when it falls-"
Kathump! Splash!
Zeraph's word was cut off, and the Swamp Fairy fell face forward onto the ground.
You have leveled up.
Not good. Zero glanced over his shoulder and saw Russ pulling out his sword from the Swamp Fairy's back. "Move!"
All four of them picked up their pace and sprinted into the forest. They did not stop nor look back anymore and instead continually ran.
"Did we lose them?" Agnis was out of breath. She slowed down and leaned against the wall.
"I don't know." M2 twitched his ears. "I don't hear any movements still. It's like the forest drowns out their steps."
"Then we need to keep pushing forward." Zeraph retorted. "At this rate, we might even be leading them to the village itself."
"Then what do you suggest lose them?" Agnis asked.
"Yes."