The villagers at Aruk, weren't able to get a wink of sleep ever since the ice temple priests and knights visited the day before.
After learning the cause for the commotion was the missing child, many presumed the child to have stolen something important from them, just by looking at the sheer number of the people that came to find him.
A large part of the villagers were ready to defend the boy. Although they had only known the boy for a few days, they believed that he was a good and kind natured boy.
The first to step in was Edgar, one of the strongest mercenaries in the village and the person who took him in. Leaving him with supplies, Edgar secured an escape route for him before the ice temple group reached. Much to his dismay, things didn't quite go as well as he thought it would.
Only when the news came that the infamous bandit group had taken him, the villagers understood that the ice temple priests and knights really cared for the safety of the child.
Within a short time, an expedition group was created in search of the child. With no news from the group even as the sun set in, the villagers were discouraged.
A little late at night, a loud roar resounded, waking up the entire village. From the pitch and loudness of the roar they could guess that it was from a beast of B rank or higher.
As the light and explosion settled, the beasts living in the forest started moving in a frenzy. By preparing barricades beforehand, they were able to reduce the damage, but with no sign of stopping from the beasts they weren't able to remain calm. Lighting up multiple sos flares, the villagers continued to shoot one after the other, hoping for a miracle.
As if to answer their prayer, a group of wyverns started to descend towards them. Seeing the large white dragon behind them, they couldn't believe their eyes. As the wyvern squad descended they could see the blue flag with the white dragon emblem on them, symbolising the Wyte ducal house.
With a single dragon roar, the entire stampede came to a halt. Ordering the squad to secure the area, Trish and Edwin continued towards the mana barrier.
"I can feel Emilia's mana from within the barrier." Edgar whispered.
Spotting the ice temple elder outside the barrier, Edwin and Trish got off.
While catching up on the situation with Dritan, Melissa returned from the barrier.
Hearing the short explanation from Melissa, everyone around them could feel the bloodlust shortly escaping from Trish at the mention of the Altar.
Explaining the need for more healers, priests and knights to carefully rescue Noah, the group quickly reorganised to form a intermixed group of mercenaries, voluntary villagers, ice temple priests and knights and Wyte knights to enter the barrier.
===
Hearing the fire dragon roar after the contract was formed, Skadi and the phoenix paused their battle to look back at them.
Unlike Azeas, Skadi was able to go toe to toe with the phoenix. Although Skadi had to hold back a little from using her strongest moves in order to avoid damaging the domain, but it didn't sit quite well with her. Throughout the fight, she had to remain in guard, not allowing the phoenix to get anywhere near Noah or Azeas.
The short moment Skadi let her guard down once the contract was established, the phoenix flew past her towards Noah and Azeas.
Restraining from attacking, Azeas used its body to defend, giving enough time for Skadi to catch up.
With Noah lying on the ground defenceless, Skadi and Azeas took it upon themselves to fight the phoenix.
Amused by the situation, the phoenix slowly descended to the ground. Gathering mana, the phoenix initiated a spirit contract with Noah.
Although he knew that the spirits were also able to create contracts, it surprised him that a newborn spirit was able to do so. Unlike Azeas, it looked like the phoenix was much stronger and faster to adapt as well.
Looking at the contract, Noah couldn't find any issues with it. Unlike Skadi's master-slave contract this was a regular contract.
Noah was reluctant to contract with the spirit for multiple reasons, majorly for the fact that this was a newborn spirit from an artificial element. Two things he knew little to nothing.
On the other hand, time was of the essence for Noah. He was dying slowly by the minute. If he were to make an enemy of the phoenix, he had no chance of living, which made it even unnerving for him: why did the phoenix initiate an equal contract when it had the upper hand.
Resolving himself, he hastily agreed.
Spirit contract between Noah and Surtr has been formed.
Fire spirit contract created.
Mana +200
Fire affinity +1%
You can now learn fire spirit unique skills by learning magic circles and relationship with your contracted spirit.
[Name: Noah
Level: 40 (50/2,900,000)
Class: None
Title: None
Grade: F
State: Mana Overload-weakened state. All stats will be 10% of original. -1 health every 5 mins.
Affinity:
Fire: 13% Water: 5%
Wind: 7% Ice: 7%
Psychic: 3% Divinity: 1%
Health: 40/15,200 Mana: 11,100/11,100
Strength:52 Stamina: 56
Agility:46 Intelligence: 81
Dexterity:40 Charm: 51
Luck: 32
Stat Points: 14
=Skills=
— Goddess Aditi's Blessing
— {6}
— Ice Temple Self Defense Sword Style (F Rank)
— {5}
— Skadi Ice Spirit
— {0}
— Basic Ice Elemental Series
— {15}
— Intermediate Ice Elemental Series
— {15}
— Ice Temple Self Defense Spear Style (F Rank)
— {5}
— Ice Temple Self Defense Bow Style (F Rank)
— {5}
— Azeas fire Spirit
— {0}
— Surtr fire Spirit
— {0}
]
'Why did they call it an artificial element? It's just fire…'
Satisfied with the result, Noah slowly closed his eyes.