""ARTHUR!!""
After hearing the scream of pain and terror from Arthur, only then the girls came out of the shock.
None of them had thought that something like this would happen when they were almost near their goal.
Even for the quick minded [Sage], Suzuki, this was something that she had not expected.
But before she could do anything she say a very disturbing view. That shadow like being was now smiling, even through It didn't had any mouth before, looking at Arthur like It was mocking him and was taking pleasure from his pain.
Like a complete psychopath, with a smile that looks like that It was made by smearing blood on his face.
As Suzuki was observing, the 'Shadow' that was first showing no any sudden movement, began to raise his right arm which was holding a black 'Katana'.
Like 'It' wanted to split Arthur in half, just thinking this sent a dread into her and immediately tried to stop him.
"Stop him!"
Suzuki screamed so that she could convey to others to act immediately and of course she wasn't idling around, she raised her hand began to make a magic circle as quickly as quick as possible to at least obstruct that 'Shadow'.
But she didn't had to worry to much because two people had already moved before she had shouted.
Just when It looked like that the 'Shadow' was going to swing It's sword on Arthur, It immediately changed It's sword's trajectory and blocked Ayaka's strike which was targeting It's waist.
But rather than looking towards Ayaka, the 'Shadow' raised It's head towards Ram who was coming from upward to strike on It's head as a surprise attack which she failed.
But this doesn't caused her to stop her punch, right now Ram wanted to stop the 'Shadow' to do any further harm to her beloved and If she could, she wanted at least punch him hard for causing such pain to her beloved.
But the 'Shadow' casually blocked her punch which had contained enough power to smash an average human into pieces, just with It's scabbard on It's left hand.
Now all of them were in a stalemate but before the 'Shadow' could do any thing, It looked towards Suzuki as If sensing something.
Suzuki was preparing a huge [Fireball] to strike the 'Shadow'. Normally a [Fireball] spell is known for being a basic fire magic spell and It is mostly the size of a baseball.
But many mages still use It in Battles because of It's burning damage and quick casting which is useful in disturbing your opponents.
But what If such magic spell was casted by a [Sage] like Suzuki with full force, It would cause increase in It's size and burning damage but at the cost of more time to create It.
Even though at most few seconds would had taken to create a huge [Fireball] for Suzuki because of her talent, It was still not enough in this situation.
But with the help of Ayaka and Ram who gave her enough precious time, she had already created the magic spell and It was ready to be launched as soon as she like.
"Ayaka! Ram! Take Arthur and his arms and step back immediately!"
Before launching her spell, she made sure to warn Ayaka and Ram, to avoid any friendly fire.
As soon Ayaka and Ram heard her, both pushed the 'Shadow' with their full force at same time which cause 'It' to step back.
And without giving It time to do any thing, Suzuki launched her spell. Meanwhile Ayaka and Ram had already taken Arthur and his severed arms and stepped back with their super agility and speed.
Before the 'Shadow' could do any thing It was already too late, the huge [Fireball] had ready reached him.
Soon there was a big blast, causing dust and debris scatter everywhere, forcing everyone to cover their eyes.
'Did It…..worked?'
Suzuki thought after uncovering her eyes and saw dust cloud form in front of her. Because she had provided such huge amount to [Mana] in a spell for the first time.
She didn't know what would be the result but seeing such devastation she could say that the end result was much than she expected in positive way.
And she was feeling relieved that the danger had gone but suddenly she felt someone's gaze on her, instinctively moving to find that's gaze source she suddenly froze.
Because she saw crimson glowing eyes and smiles looking at her from within the still raised dust cloud. At first when Suzuki had seen the 'Shadow smiling, she only thought that It was a creepy smile.
But now when she was in front of those very smile, she felt her whole being telling her to run from that thing.
Her breathe began to disorder without knowing herself and she began to felt her body began to go cold, even her entire body began to tremble like in some intense fear.
As the time flew, Suzuki felt that her condition was even becoming more worse and worse. She even felt her heart to beat so hard like It was going to burst.
Soon her legs became so weak that she fell to her knees. She couldn't understand what was happening to her but she knew that the 'Shadow' was doing this her.
Even when she tried to avert her gaze from that glowing eyes, she couldn't move her head even a little. It was like someone had grabbed her face and stooping her move.
'I…..have …to…do..some..thing…o.r'
Soon Suzuki began to felt that she was about to lose her conscious soon she knew losing her conscious here would be no different then death, she began to struggle as hard she could.
First she tried to move her gaze then her whole body and even tried to use her [Mana]. But she failed. Feeling herself in such a helpless state she began to….
'P…Please ….someone…Please…..Help…..me..'
…..Beg for her life. This was for the first time that she ever felt such miserable and scared. Even her highly intellectual mind couldn't kept her composed from such fear.
When she felt she was about to lose her consciousness, another blast occurred almost as big as the [Fireball] that she had used before.
Causing her to come back to her senses. Even though she was safe now she still couldn't move her body properly after that, It looked like she hadn't recovered completely yet.
"Suzuki! Are you okay!?"
Soon she heard Ayaka's voice calling to her, who was running towards her while carrying Arthur on her arms, who was now unconscious due to pain, along with Ram who was holding two severed arms.
Even though their clothes were now covered in red blood, they didn't show any sign of disgust at all.
Suddenly Suzuki began to felt her vitality to recover at astonishing rate. When she looked behind her, she saw Mia with glowing hands towards her, likely helping her to recover with her magic.
"Suzuki! What had happened to you there? Why were you just standing still?"
After Ayaka along with Ram had reached Suzuki, she began to ask for her strange behaviour before.
"Even I…don't know, everything was so strange. By the way what happened just now?"
Even when Ayaka asked her, Suzuki herself couldn't understand what happened. So she asked in turn to find out the sound of a blast she heard and caused her to return normal.
But this time It was Ram who answered.
"...When you were in trace, Rem summoned 'Him'."
After saying that Ram turned her head, following her direction Suzuki and others saw that the dust had settled down a little maybe because of the second blast.
There they saw that a huge giant made of fire was standing in front of the 'Shadow' looking at the 'Shadow' like 'It' was his sworn enemy.
Seeing this Suzuki was surprised with wide-eyes, not because of seeing the fire giant for the first time but because she knew that giant's identity.
[King of Fire Spirits, Ifrit]